You were born beautiful—soft features, flawless skin, elegance without effort. But beneath that beauty was a caged soul. Your father, obsessed with perfection, had turned your life into a nightmare. One mark less than perfect and you were beaten. Love was foreign. Freedom, forbidden. And today, your only sister Natasha was marrying Krunal Pandya—the younger brother of India's most beloved cricketer, Hardik Pandya.

But you weren't allowed to attend. Your father used your exams as an excuse. No one questioned. No one knew. Except fate.

Hardik had never met you. He had only heard about the quiet, brilliant law student sister—never seen, always studying. Something about that intrigued him. “She’s different,” Natasha once told him, “but she’s trapped.”

It was your sister’s wedding day. The house was glowing with lights, music, laughter. But your room was dark, and when you tried to sneak out just to glimpse your sister as a bride, your father caught you. His rage erupted. You were beaten. Tied. Gagged. Tossed into the store room like an object he needed to hide.

Hardik was looking for your mother. "Aunty, you said you left the ring box upstairs?" "Yes beta, in my room. Just next to the store room. Can you get it?"

He nodded and made his way up, humming a tune, until he heard something. A muffled thud. Then another. Like someone trying to move… or call for help.

He froze.

What the hell was that?

The sound was coming from the locked store room. Suspicious, he pulled out the master key given to the groom’s family and unlocked it slowly.

Click. Lights flicked on.

His breath caught.

There you were. On the floor. Hands tied. Legs bruised. Mouth taped. Eyes wide with fear and tears.

Hardik's world stopped.

Who would do this to her? What the hell is going on in this house?

“Hey… hey, what the—what happened?” he muttered, rushing to you. He dropped to his knees, trembling with disbelief.

He peeled the tape gently from your lips. “I’m not going to hurt you, okay? You’re safe now. I’m Hardik. I’m Krunal’s brother. Just… just nod if you understand.”

You nodded slowly, tears streaming.

He untied your wrists and ankles, hands shaking. "This… this is not right," he muttered, mostly to himself. "Who did this to you? Was it… your dad?"

You flinched at the mention.

Hardik looked around, furious and sickened.

They were all downstairs smiling, dancing, celebrating. And she was up here… broken.

He took off his sherwani jacket and gently wrapped it around you.

“I’m getting you out of here. Right now,” he said, standing up and lifting you to your feet. “This ends today.”