Shaadi ki rasmein itni jaldi hui ki Zoya ko sambhalne ka mauka hi nahi mila. Shehar ke sabse bade hotel mein ek choti si private ceremony hui, jahan sirf Aryan ke dadaji aur kuch khaas log maujud the. Zoya ne ek bhari laal joda pehna tha, par uske chehre par dulhan wali chamak nahi, balki ek gehri khamoshi thi.
Raat ke 11 baje, ek kaali chamchamati car 'Malik Mansion' ke samne ruki.
"Utaro," Aryan ki awaaz mein wahi purani thandak thi. Usne ek baar bhi Zoya ki taraf mud kar nahi dekha tha pure raste.
Zoya car se bahar nikli aur us mahal jaise ghar ko dekh kar dang reh gayi. Lekin uske liye ye ghar nahi, ek 'Sone ka Pinjra' tha. Jaise hi wo andar gayi, ek buzurg aadmi ne muskurate hue unka swagat kiya. Wo Aryan ke dadaji, Mr. Vikram Malik the.
"Khush raho beti! Aryan ne sahi kaha tha, tum bahut khoobsurat ho," Dadaji ne Zoya ke sar par haath rakha. Zoya ne majboori mein ek pheeki muskurahat di. Aryan ne bas ek thanda sa look diya aur seedha apne kamre ki taraf nikal gaya.
Zoya darrte-darrte uske piche gayi. Jab wo kamre mein dakhil hui, Aryan apni tie khol raha tha. Usne palat kar Zoya ko dekha aur ek panna (document) uski taraf feka.
"Ye kya hai?" Zoya ne pucha.
"Is ghar ke rules," Aryan ne kaha. "Is kamre mein do bed hain. Tum us taraf rahogi, main is taraf. Mere kapdon ko haath nahi lagana, meri personal life mein sawal nahi puchna, aur sabse zaroori... Dadaji ke samne humein 'khushhaal joda' (happy couple) banne ka natak karna hoga. Baaki waqt, tum mere liye sirf ek stranger ho."
Zoya ki aankhon mein phir se aansu aa gaye. "Kya aapke dil mein thodi bhi insaniyat nahi hai? Maine sab kuch chod kar aapse shaadi ki hai."
Aryan uske ekdum kareeb aaya, itna kareeb ki Zoya ki saansein atak gayi. Usne Zoya ki thodi (chin) ko zor se pakda aur kaha, "Yaad rakho Zoya, maine tumhe 'kharida' hai. 5 crore ka sauda kiya hai humne. Toh mujhse mohabbat ya izzat ki umeed mat rakhna."
Aryan ne use jhatke se choda aur bathroom mein chala gaya. Zoya wahin farsh par baith gayi aur rone lagi. Use samajh aa gaya tha ki ye saal uski zindagi ka sabse mushkil imtihan hone wala hai.
Lekin tabhi, usne dekha ki Aryan ka phone baj raha tha. Screen par ek ladki ki photo thi aur naam likha tha— 'Riya'.