Kunal looked at Aanya seriously.
Aanya continued,
"In fact, you should apologize to me for everything you said about me."
Kunal let out a laugh.
"What? Me?"
"Never."
"I would never apologize to you."
"In fact, you should consider yourself lucky that I only asked for an apology instead of calling off this marriage."
Aanya looked at him coldly.
Kunal smirked.
"Otherwise, who would marry a girl like you?"
Aryan, Devika, and Prerna looked at Kunal with anger.
Aanya took a step forward.
"Wait..."
"Who would marry a girl like me?"
After a brief pause, she replied angrily,
"Your family was the one that wanted me to marry you!"
Kunal looked away.
Aanya continued,
"And what did you just say?"
"I should apologize to you... and your friends?"
She laughed bitterly.
"You people aren't even worthy of receiving an apology from me."
Dhruv and Yash exchanged nervous glances.
Kunal stared at her.
Aanya looked him straight in the eyes.
"And who are you to call off this marriage?"
"I'll be the one to call it off."
Kavya was stunned.
Devika and Prerna couldn't hide their happiness.
Even Nandini was shocked.
Aanya declared firmly,
"Who would marry a man like you?"
"A man who doesn't even have basic decency."
Kunal's face darkened.
Kavya hurried toward Aanya.
"Aanya, beta... what are you doing?"
She turned to Radha and Naveen.
"Radha ji... please explain to her."
"Naveen ji... please."
Then she looked at Aanya again.
"Aanya, beta, please don't do this."
"Kunal will apologize."
Aanya shook her head.
"I don't care about his apology, Aunty."
Kavya fell silent.
Aanya then turned toward everyone gathered there and said boldly,
"I'm sorry, everyone..."
"But this marriage is called off."
"You may all leave."
The guests immediately began whispering among themselves.
Kunal hadn't expected Aanya to have this much courage.
He suddenly laughed.
Everyone looked at him.
Kunal said mockingly,
"What?"
"You're calling off the wedding?"
Aanya remained silent, staring at him.
Kunal continued,
"Did you really think someone else would marry you after all this?"
He laughed again.
"No one will."
Everyone stood silently—Aryan, Devika, Prerna, Radha, Naveen, Aanya's grandmother, and her friends.
Just then, Aanya's grandmother stepped forward.
"My granddaughter will find the perfect man."
Kunal looked at her sarcastically.
"Really, Dadi?"
"The perfect man?"
He looked around the wedding hall.
"Fine."
"There are so many men here."
"Why don't you ask one of them if he'll marry Aanya?"
He laughed loudly.
Aanya turned her face away in anger.
Aryan's fists tightened as he struggled to control himself.
Kunal raised his voice.
"Anyone?"
"Will anyone here marry this girl?"
He laughed again.
Aryan was just about to step forward—
But before he could...
Devika's voice echoed through the entire hall.
"My son will marry her!"
Silence fell instantly.
Kunal stopped laughing.
Everyone turned toward Devika in complete shock.
Aryan looked at his mother.
Prerna's face lit up with happiness.
Nandini stood frozen.
Aanya's friends smiled in disbelief.
Radha and Naveen looked at each other.
Aanya looked at Aryan in confusion.
Devika walked forward, gently held Aryan's arm, and brought him beside her.
Looking directly at Kunal, she said firmly,
"My son, Aryan Mehra... will marry Aanya Sharma."
Kunal was speechless.
He whispered,
"What...?"
Nandini hurried toward Devika.
"Devika! What are you doing?"
But Devika ignored her completely.
She looked at Aryan.
"Yes... my son will marry Aanya."
After a brief pause, she asked,
"Right, Aryan?"
Aryan first looked at his mother.
Then his eyes slowly met Aanya's.
Without any hesitation, he answered,
"Yes."
Aanya stood frozen in shock.
Devika smiled with relief.
Prerna couldn't stop smiling.
Nandini closed her eyes helplessly, unable to believe what had just happened.
Then Devika looked at Aanya's parents and went near them.
"I'm sorry, Naveen ji and Radha ji, for making this decision without asking your permission."
Radha and Naveen looked at each other.
Then Devika continued,
"You both know about Aryan, and I will take care of Aanya like my own daughter."
Radha looked at Aanya.
Devika continued,
"You know, Our family will be lucky if Aanya comes to our house as my son's wife."
Nandini turns her face in anger.
Aanya tried to hold back her emotions.
Devika said,
"Please accept my proposal."
Suddenly, Kavya said,
"What are you doing, Devika ji?"
Everyone looked at Kavya.
Kavya continued,
"Aanya was supposed to marry my son, and she still will."
Aanya's parents looked at Kavya seriously.
Kavya said,
"Right, Radha ji?"
Meanwhile, Aanya left the mandap.
Aryan and everyone else saw her leaving.
Her friends and her Dadi followed her.
Kavya called out,
"Aanya beta, wait!"
In the room, Aanya was crying.
Her Dadi said,
"Aanya beta, don't cry.
Aanya replied,
"Dadi, I'm not understanding what is happening in my life. Before, I thought I would marry Kunal and that I was going away from Mr. Aryan. But suddenly, I don't know how, Mr. Aryan is coming into my life again."
Tara said,
"Aanya, it's good, right? You love Aryan, and even he accepted to marry you."
Aanya cut her off emotionally.
"That is exactly what I'm not able to understand."
Tara became silent.
Aanya continued,
"The person whom I waited for five years to be with rejected me. But now he has suddenly accepted to marry me. Why?"
Dadi said,
"Maybe he doesn't want you to marry that evil Kunal."
Suddenly, Aanya looked at her Dadi.
Dadi continued,
"Aanya, now it's important to show that you are good enough to marry a great person. As you said, Aryan is a rich guy, you know his family, and he is also a nice guy."
Aanya suddenly interrupted,
"No, Dadi, he is not."
Her Dadi asked,
"But you said he is."
Aanya became silent.
Dadi tried to convince her.
"Beta, please marry Aryan."
Aanya looked at her Dadi.
Her Dadi continued,
"I don't want people to say bad things about my granddaughter."
Aanya said,
"But Dadi—"
Dadi interrupted,
"I know you don't care, but I do."
Aanya became silent.
Dadi continued,
"And I know you will always listen to me."
Meanwhile, Kavya said,
"Look, Aanya left. That means she doesn't like this proposal."
Devika rolled her eyes.
Kavya continued,
"She will marry my son only."
Suddenly, Naveen interrupted,
"Stop it, Kavya ji."
Kavya suddenly became silent.
Naveen continued,
"What did you think? After what has happened, we would still let our daughter marry your son? Never."
Kavya was stunned.
Kunal looked shocked.
Radha said,
"Our daughter will not marry your son. She will marry Aryan."
Devika and Prerna felt happy.
Then Radha looked at Devika and said,
"Devika ji, we accept your proposal."
Devika smiled happily.
Suddenly, Aanya also came with her Dadi and her friends.
Everyone looked at them.
Radha said,
"Aanya beta, your father and I have decided to let you marry Aryan babu. What do you say?"
Everyone eagerly waited to hear her answer.
Aanya said,
"Okay. I will marry Aryan Mehra."
Aanya's parents felt happy.
Devika and Prerna were also happy.
Aryan also looked happy.
He looked at Aanya, while she looked seriously at him.
The priest said,
"The auspicious time will end soon."
Devika said happily,
"Yes, Pandit ji."
Meanwhile, Kunal was literally in shock.
Kavya said,
"Suresh, say something to Naveen ji."
Suresh said seriously,
"If there is something we need to say, then it is to our son."
Suresh went near Kunal and dragged him by his collar.
"Let's go. I'm ashamed to call you my son."
Meanwhile, Kunal saw that his friends had already left.
Kavya followed them and said,
"Suresh, what are you doing? We can't leave. Our son needs to get married."
Kunal's family left.
After that, Aryan and Aanya both sat together for the wedding and performed each and every ritual.
It was time for Aryan to tie the mangalsutra around Aanya's neck.
They both looked at each other.
After that came the sindoor ritual.
Aryan applied sindoor to Aanya's forehead.
Aanya closed her eyes.
Some sindoor also fell on her nose.
Everyone felt happy.
Aanya's friends said,
"Finally, our plan became successful. At last, Aanya married the love of her life."
They smiled.
Nandini looked at them seriously, holding back her anger.
After that, the priest said,
"Your marriage is complete."
Aryan and Aanya took the blessings of all the elders.
Later, it was time for the bidaai.
Aanya looked at her family and hugged her Dadi.
Her Dadi said,
"Take care, beta."
Aanya nodded emotionally.
Then she looked at her parents.
Her father placed his hand on her head and said,
"Please forgive me, beta."
Aanya became emotional and hugged him.
Then her mother, Radha, also said,
"Please forgive me too, beta."
Aanya hugged her as well.
After that, Aryan opened the car door.
Aanya looked at him seriously.
She sat inside, and Aryan sat beside her in the back seat.
The driver started the car, and they left.
Aanya waved her hand to her family.
Meanwhile, Devika, Prerna, and Nandini were coming in a different car.
Inside the car, by accident, Aryan's hand touched Aanya's hand.
Aanya immediately moved her hand away from him.
Aryan noticed this but didn't say anything.
Later, they reached home.
They got out of the car.
Aanya's heavy lehenga made it difficult for her to get out.
Aryan offered her his hand, but she refused and got out by herself.
Aryan looked at her.
Aanya turned her face away.
Suddenly, Prerna came and said,
"Bhai... Bhabhi!"
Aanya looked at her in shock.
Prerna continued,
"Mom told you both not to come inside now. She said she needs to prepare for the harathi (to welcome the bride for the first time), so until then, don't come inside, okay?
Aryan nodded.
Prerna left.
Silence lingered between them.
After a moment, Aanya, still looking away, said,
"Why did you do this?"
Aryan looked at her.
"What?"
Aanya turned toward him and asked,
"This marriage?"
Aryan became silent.
Aanya continued,
"Seriously... you said you didn't want to be with me."
"Then what is all this?"
"Why did you say yes?"
Aryan didn't say anything.
Aanya asked again,
"Tell me... why?"
"You rejected me, right?"
"Don't you remember?"
Aryan replied,
"Yes... I do."
Aanya asked,
"Then why?"
"Why did you marry me?"
Aryan said,
"Look, Aanya... I had to say yes."
Aanya let out a bitter laugh.
"Oh, really?"
"You had to say yes?"
Aryan remained silent.
Aanya continued,
"Well, before, you said you didn't want to get married... especially to me. And now what?"
After a pause, Aryan said,
"Aanya, I had to say yes because my mom had already said yes in front of everyone, and I had no other option."
Aanya looked at him.
"What?"
"You said yes because of that?"
After a pause, she continued,
"Aryan Mehra, since when did you start listening to others?"
Aryan turned his face away.
Aanya continued,
"I don't want to be married to you at all."
Aryan looked at her.
Aanya added,
"I really don't want to."
Aryan asked,
"Then why didn't you say no?"
Aanya replied,
"Well... I had to because my family indirectly forced me."
Aryan didn't say anything.
Aanya continued,
"Well, you could have said no, but you didn't."
Aryan replied,
"It's the same for me."
Aanya became silent.
Aryan continued,
"My mother indirectly forced me."
Aanya scoffed.
"Oh, really?"
"I didn't feel like that, Aryan Mehra."
"Because during the wedding, you looked the happiest."
Aryan didn't say anything.
After a moment, Aanya said,
"I know why you married me."
"So that you could hurt me."
"Instead of you, I could have at least said yes to that Idoit Kunal."
Aryan looked at her seriously.
"Have you gone mad?"
Aanya looked at him.
Aryan continued,
"You would have married him?"
"After everything that happened?"
Aanya replied,
"Why do you even care?"
Aryan answered,
"Because I have a problem with that."
Aanya frowned.
"Why?"
Aryan looked straight into her eyes and said seriously,
"Because after everything he said to you... forget marriage... if he ever even tries to come near you, I'll smash his face."
Aanya became silent and simply looked into his eyes.
After a few moments, she looked away.
Aryan also looked away.
Then Aanya said,
"It is a forced marriage, so it's better if we talk to a lawyer for a divorce."
Aryan looked at her seriously but didn't say anything.
Aanya looked at him and asked,
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
Aryan replied seriously,
"Okay, we will."
"Now what do you want me to do?"
"Go and talk to the lawyer right now?"
"It's night. He would be sleeping."
Aanya replied,
"I didn't mean like that."
"We'll go and talk to the lawyer tomorrow."
Aryan turned his face away.
Just then, Prerna came to them.
"Bhai... Bhabhi... please come inside."
Prerna left.
Suddenly, Aanya said,
"Well, Aryan Mehra, I forgot to tell you."
"I had decided not to enter your house again, so I can't come inside."
Aryan rolled his eyes.
"Aanya, stop it. Let's go."
Aanya replied,
"I don't care, Aryan Mehra."
"I decided not to go inside."
Aryan looked at her.
Aanya continued,
"Whatever you do, I still won't come."
Suddenly, Aryan lifted Aanya into his arms and started walking.
Meanwhile, Devika asked,
"Did you tell them?"
Prerna smiled.
"Yes, Mom."
Then she looked ahead.
"Here they come."
Aanya struggled.
"What are you doing?"
"Leave me!"
Aryan replied,
"I don't have another option."
Aanya said,
"Mr. Aryan, leave me."
"I don't want to come."
Aryan replied,
"If you don't, then I won't give you a divorce."
Aanya looked at him in shock.
"What?"
"But you also don't like this marriage, right?"
Aryan replied,
"But still, I won't... not until you say yes to coming inside the house."
Meanwhile, Prerna and Devika watched Aryan carrying Aanya.
Prerna smiled.
"Mom, look how cutely they are coming."
Devika smiled.
"Yeah."
Meanwhile, Aanya said,
"First, put me down."
Then she looked toward the entrance, where Devika and Prerna were standing, and said,
"Mr. Aryan... Aunty and Prerna are looking at us."
Aryan replied,
"I don't care."
"First say yes."
Aanya replied irritably,
"Okay, yes."
"I'll come inside."
Aryan stopped and gently put her down.
---
End Of Chapter 86.