It was the morning of the wedding day. The venue buzzed with excitement vibrant marigold garlands swayed in the breeze, the scent of fresh flowers mingled with the sweetness of halwa being prepared in the kitchen, and laughter echoed from every corner. Outside, families and helpers hurried about, fixing last-minute decorations and setting up for the rituals. The entire atmosphere radiated joy and celebration.

But inside one of the quiet rooms upstairs, away from all the chaos, Aditi sat on the edge of the bed, lost in a storm of thoughts. Her fingers absentmindedly fidgeted with the edge of her dress, eyes unfocused, the smile she had worn yesterday long gone. The golden morning light filtered through the curtains, landing softly on her face but she didn't even notice.