Our Destined Love

"You are a curse upon us all. Why don't you just kill yourself? We're all better off dead now anyway!" Her mom was yelling and crying.

"We're Brahmin, and you've brought us great shame. Kill yourself or kill us. How can we show our faces again in society, to our relatives? What's left of our honor?" her father cursed her and slapped her face hard. 

The girl was crying loudly in the corner of the small house. Her lips were swollen, her whole body branded with the bites of her rapist. Yes, she had been raped.

Her father raised his hand to slap her again, but her brother held him back.

"Papa, this was not her fault. If she was raped, what part of this could be her fault? We should file a complaint at the police station," her brother said.

"Ohhh, great idea. Put our honor on the line, and for what? The blame and judgment of our neighbors? Her beauty is her crime. She is cursed. And, of course, your sister wasn't even clever enough to get a look at her rapist's face." 

Her father continued to curse her, waving in disgust at her cowing form.

Nobody ate that dark night. 

She didn't sleep at all either.

And early in the morning she fled her house, running to the river, the Godavari.

She stood near the river as the sun rose, looking at her reflection in the water. The beauty of her face had vanished. More than half of her dress was torn, her lips swollen, blood dried on her face, and her neck covered in the bite marks of the devil. No stretch of skin remained unmarked. 

She knew how to swim very well, so she tore her dupatta and tied her legs with the cloth, then she tied her hands with help of her mouth. 

When she was done, she jumped into the Godavari river, cursing her fate and God. She had been sinking into the merciful water when a pair of huge arms saved her. He carried her over to his car, and shortly thereafter he arrived at the hospital with her unconscious body.

After being treated by the doctors, she regained consciousness.

"Who saved me?" she asked.

A voice like a roar flooded her ears, "I, Samarth Goenka, saved you." 

"You...what the hell?!" she yelled.

"Don't shout, Ms. Aradhya Kashyap. I saved your life, so you'll have to give me something in return," Samarth said coolly.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"You must marry me." He smirked at her.

"Marry you? I would rather die...rather be sent to hell, Mr. Goenka," she replied.

"Really?"

He had gotten a good look at her when he had saved her; her clothes had been torn, and it was evident that she had been raped. 

"If you refuse to marry me, I will go to the newspapers with your story. Everyone will know. The choice is yours." He smirked again.

A tear slipped down her cheek as she replied, "Okay, I will marry you. But..."

"But what?" 

"I'm only 17. Surely you can't wish to marry a minor?"

"Let me remind you, Ms. Aradhya Kashyap, you just turned 18. Today is the 21st of February, your birthday."

   

Aradhya Kashyap:

18 Years old girl, pretty and gorgeous, dimple on her cheeks makes her more beautiful. Talkative by nature. She is forced to marry Samarth Goenka.

 

Durgesh Kashyap and Saraswati Kashyap:

Aradhya and Shiva’s parents. Durgesh Kashyap is a priest at the temple of the small village nearby the river Godavari.

 

Shivam Kashyap: 27 years old, Aradhya's Brother.

 

 

Samarth Goenka:

28 years old successful businessman. CEO of Goenka International. But Arrogant, short temper and speak less. He was not like that before, but one incident changed his life and him.

 

Gayatri Goenka: 

75 years old, Samarth's Dadima (Grandmother) Whom Samarth loves the most in the world.

 

Sakshi Goenka: 

30 years old, divorced women, Samarth's elder sister, who loves and care for Samarth. Samarth has the same feelings for her.

 

Samaira Goenka: 

24 years old, Samarth's cousin sister but live with Samarth's family. Samir's elder sister. Samaira and Anaya are best friends.

 

Samir Goenka: 

21 years old, Samaira's younger brother. Live with Samarth's family.

 

Anaya Arora:

24 years old, Samarth's childhood friend and daughter of Mamta and Ranvir Arora. They are best friends of Samarth's parents. 

 

Uttara:

18 years old and Aradhya's best friend from her childhood.