She's confused beyond shocked. Her brain said everything was over leaving no residue behind, but her heart still waited for the magic. She had no idea how to convince her bloody heart that nothing will happen. No one will come and rescue her from the situation especially, him.

She controlled her emotions and tried to show her willingness in the marriage of her grandma wish, she was sitting beside her in her white wedding gown, with a high bun and held her veil in her hand. She knew her grandma can't see her wedding as she admitted in the hospital because of a sudden cardiac arrest. She didn't expect that.

"Darling?" Her grandma whispered to her taking off her oxygen mask.

"Yes, Paati" She replied holding her palm tighter.

"Do you really think I am imposing my decision on you?" Her grandma asked her while tilting her head to her over then a drop of tear crossed her eyes.

"Why are you saying this?" She asked while wiping off her tears.

"Because I arranged your marriage with someone else instantly after they broke the wedding." Her grandma asked her. She had no courage to say that she wasn't happy with none of her decisions, she completed hated the person with whom she was about to get married in the first place. Only thinking about her grandma, she agreed to get married to that person, and now, even he backed off from the wedding after knowing about her wish and dreams. She was happy until her grandma collapsed unconscious on the floor hearing the news.

"Anything for you, paati. Don't take the stress. I just want to see you normal, nothing else." She said and caressed her granny's cheek, and she couldn't resist kissing her grandma's cheek while leaning down to her.

"Oops, Lipstick." She chuckled and wiped her red thick lipstick from her cheek with her thumb with a chuckle.

"And one more thing, you're looking like an angel in this wedding gown, Anika Sebastian." Her granny said with a smile. Anika knew she's lying because this dress was not fitting her anymore.

"I think the whole credit goes to my grandmother; you know this gown is the renovation of her wedding gown." Anika chuckled.

"That's true" She chuckled and urged her to leave, saying her groom is waiting for her, but she forgot to say who was the new groom even anika didn't ask her about that. She was ready to accept whatever fate decides for her. She got tired of resisting fate, but she felt difficult to place anyone other than him in her heart, but whatever it is, he already became a stranger to her.

She got into the car which was decorated with red roses all over from the entrance of the hospital, it drove her to the famous Santhome Church in Chennai, one of the pride of Chennai with many historical backgrounds, every Sunday Anika visits there with her grandma and brother. But today, her mind filled with doubts, she imagined herself in this situation three times, first with her love, holding her father's palm stepping into the journey she absolutely loves but that didn't happen. Her second imagination was painful when she imagined herself getting married to her ex-fiancé, she felt like dying at the same spot when they exchanged their rings. Even though it was mere imagination, she couldn't take it. Third, the things happening right now in front of her, marrying the stranger whom she never met, all she could imagine was his human skin changing into a beast skin when she slipped the wedding ring in his ring finger, she was horrified and coughed immediately.

"Sista..." Her brother called with so much love accompanying a wide smile in his face, she was happy to see him happy, she smiled and took is his hand and emerged out of the car and faced the most terrible reality in front of her. Her heart still asked her to run away from the spot and go disappeared as she can't betray the person whom she loves even though she didn't exist for him. But mere keeping her granny and brother's face she stepped forward. She can't afford to lose them. Also, one part of her said, if her granny finds him best, he must have some quality. But only one person in the whole world with whom she can be happy, that's him, only him.

"Dad's suit, Sista..." Her brother whispered with a smile, even he looks happy with the wedding, why on the earth it's only bothering her. It has been 9 years; she must move on. WHY SHE'S STAYING STUCK AT THE SAME PLACE.

"You're looking handsome." She replied with a smile, He chuckled and asked her to intertwine his arm to walk on the aisle. Her inner organs shivered when he said that, but she got ready to leave, to walk on the stone path of her journey, she doesn't know whether love after marriage exists or not, but in this life, she can't love anyone so deeply than him. She can't bear to look at the wedding decoration, she was walking on the red carpet, her head was bowing down, she stopped walking, or we can say her brother stopped walking when she witnesses a pain black sparkling shoes in front of her. She closed her eyes tightly, a teardrop from her eyes and reached the red carpet when she closed her eyes. It was not just a teardrop; it shows her heart started bleeding state. That's it. She can't take it anymore.

He forwarded his hand; her heart skipped a beat when she saw the infinity tattoo in his wrist with an A-shaped crack in one of the curves and one an S shape in the curve painted in bold on his tattoo. Her heart pumped against her chest when she recalled the spark of her past, their secret code which has both of their initials in the tattoo and the infinity symbol shows their love is forever, her heart screamed it was him, but her brain was not ready to believe. Her mind was not ready for any disappointment. She was praying to the lord not to disappoint her this time, her brother forwarded her palm to him. He held her palm, again his touch proved her, it was him. Tears grouped in her eyes, she can feel him, it was him. The reality was turning out to be her broken dream, but her eyes were still in a closed state. There was no courage left in her.

"Sista..." Her brother called her. Her heart trembled against her chest, but she opened her eyes. And fate proved to her that she won't get disappointed all the time. Sometimes life gifts you with what you love.

"That's it. Lover to a stranger and now a stranger to directly husband?" She questioned fate.

********