"No. Nothing like that is going to happen, Armaan."
I turned to her, ready to argue, but the look on her face stopped me cold. She was genuinely terrified. She could not lose another person she loved. She would not survive it.
Before I could say anything, Sangeetha aunty returned. She was holding another piece of paper. A kundali.
She walked straight to Girish ji and handed it to him.
"This is my niece's kundali. Viya. As far as I know, she was born in the same nakshatra you mentioned. Can you check if her chart matches?"
Vinay uncle's head snapped toward his wife.
"Sangeetha, what are you doing?"
But she ignored him, her eyes fixed on Girish ji.
"I can do anything for my daughter's happiness and wellbeing. Please, check the kundali."
Girish ji unfolded the paper and began reading. The room was so quiet I could hear the ticking of the clock on the wall.
Then Girish ji looked up, and his face was filled with something close to wonder.
"This is a perfect match. This kundali and Armaan's kundali are perfectly aligned. This is a match made in heaven. If Armaan marries this girl for one year, his stars will realign completely. After that, he can marry Avija without any danger."
I could not believe what I was hearing.
"I am not part of this nonsense," I said loudly, my voice echoing in the small room.
Avija was crying openly now.
"I am not going to share you with anyone, Armaan. Especially not with Viya."
Vinay uncle stood up, his face red with anger.
"I will not let my niece be used as a sacrificial goat. This is insane."
But Dadi reached out and grabbed my arm, stopping me from walking out.
"This is the only solution, Armaan. I do not want to lose your love. I do not want you to become like your father. I do not want you to leave me and go away."
I looked down at her, my frustration warring with the fear in her eyes.
"That is never going to happen, Dadi. I will never leave you."
But she was insistent.
"Please, beta. We will compensate the girl generously. We will find her another suitable groom after one year and help her settle down. We will take care of everything for her. She will not suffer."
I pulled my arm free.
"And what if something happens to her? What will you tell the world then?"
Dadi looked at Girish ji.
"Girish ji has confirmed that nothing will happen to her. She will be perfectly safe."
I shook my head.
"Our relatives know about me and Avija. Our business associates know. What will we tell them?"
