Chapter 1 - The Vanishing Bride

Chapter 1: The Disappearing Bride

(Rose's POV)

The silk of my maid-of-honor lehenga whispered against my skin — a sound drowned out by the frantic beating of my own heart.

Today is my sister's wedding.

The thought should have been a bubble of joy. Instead, it was a stone in my stomach.

After today, her room next to mine would be empty. No more stolen kohl, no more secrets whispered in the dark. She would belong to someone else. To him.

I leaned against the sun-warmed window frame, watching the chaos unfold below. The Sharma estate glimmered in gold — hanging orchids, silk drapes, the smell of jasmine and laughter spilling through the courtyard. Everything was perfect.

And it felt like a lie.

"Rose! Beta, have you seen your sister?" My mother's voice, sharp with nerves, cut through my thoughts.

I turned, forcing a calm smile. "She just went to get something from the mall, Maa. She'll be back any minute."

The lie tasted bitter.

The truth was, Shanaya had gone to see V. Something had been off about her for days — a quiet terror behind her brilliant smile. She'd said she "needed to be sure" before she left. That was hours ago.

My phone felt heavy in my hand. No calls, no texts. Just silence where my sister should have been.

Then the door creaked open.

It was her.

"Shanaya?" I breathed out in relief.

But the relief shattered quickly. She stood in the doorway, shoulders slumped, skin pale as parchment. The storm in her eyes had broken, leaving behind stillness — heavy and hollow.

She sank onto my bed as if her bones had forgotten their strength.

"Sis? What happened? Did you see V? Is everything okay?"

She gave a weak nod, eyes on the rug. "Just... get me some water, Rose."

I didn't believe her. The air around her buzzed with fear, but I didn't push.

I fetched the glass, hands trembling. She took it, her fingers brushing mine — icy cold. A single tear escaped down her cheek before she wiped it away.

Later — Rose's POV

While looking through my jewelry box, my phone buzzed.

Jimin.

I wanted to ignore it, but I couldn't. He wasn't someone you ignored.

"Hello?" My voice came out small.

"Roseee," he drawled. "Took you long enough to answer. Just a reminder — don't forget to wear the bracelet. It's important, sali-ji."

He hung up.

My heart clenched. His tone carried that familiar weight — smooth, controlled, and heavy with unspoken threat.

(Author's POV – Flashback: The First Meeting)

Weeks earlier...

The Sharma living room buzzed with laughter and the soft rustle of silk. The scent of sandalwood mixed with freshly brewed coffee as two families discussed Shanaya and V's wedding.

Shanaya sat poised beside V, her smile precise, every gesture calculated. Their parents discussed dates and venues with diplomatic warmth.

Everyone who mattered was there — except Jimin, V's stepbrother.

A knock on the door broke the polite rhythm.

"I'll get it," Rose said, escaping the heavy conversation.

She adjusted her simple kurti and opened the door — and froze.

A tall man stood there, dressed in quiet confidence. His gaze swept over her — sharp, observant — before resting on her face.

"Hi," he said, voice low and even. "I'm Jimin. I'm here for the Sharmas?"

She blinked, startled. "Oh—uh, please come in. Everyone's in the living room."

As he stepped past her, his cologne — cedarwood with a darker undertone — trailed behind. The chatter inside faltered for a second, curiosity turning toward him.

"Ah, Jimin!" V's father greeted. "Finally! Join us."

as there was no extra cup for him. her mother signled her to make some for him, and she quietly slipped into the kitchen.

When she returned, the tray trembled faintly in her hands.

She bent slightly to offer the tea. His eyes followed her movement — calm, assessing, too intense for a stranger.

For a moment, the room blurred. Only their quiet exchange existed.

"Tea," she whispered.

He smiled — slow, knowing.

Then V's voice cut through the moment. "About the engagement schedule, Uncle — we'll finalize catering tomorrow."

The spell broke.

Rose retreated to the corner of the sofa, hands fidgeting. Everyone talked about V and Shanaya.

Everyone except Jimin. His gaze stayed locked on her.

For him, that was the spark — fascination turning into fixation.

(Author's POV – The Unwanted Attention)

In the days leading up to the wedding, Jimin's presence became constant.

He volunteered for everything — seating charts, lighting, music. Always near. Always watching.

Rose felt his eyes on her during the mehndi ceremony — a weight pressing between her shoulder blades.

"You look tense, Rosy," he murmured once, voice low enough only she could hear. "All this pressure for your sister. Let someone take care of you for a change."

She'd stepped back quickly. "I'm fine."

He only smiled.

She told no one. Not even JK, her closest friend.

Jimin was V's stepbrother. Accusing him meant risking her sister's future. So she stayed silent — fear tucked behind a practiced smile.

(Jimin's POV – The First Meeting)

She opened the door.

For a heartbeat, I forgot to breathe.

I'd expected formality. Empty smiles. But there she was — plain, real, unguarded.

Real.

In a house full of people trained to please, she didn't know how to hide.

"Hi," I said evenly. "I'm Jimin."

She blinked. That tiny flicker of surprise — intoxicating.

When I stepped past her, her scent brushed against me — rosewater and clean linen. It stayed with me.

Inside, the families talked and laughed. V played the golden heir, Shanaya smiled her perfect smile. None of it mattered.

I'd already found the one thing that did.

Rose.

When she brought me tea, her hands shook once before she steadied them. She knelt slightly, offering the cup, eyes lowered.

A small, harmless gesture — yet it lit something sharp and possessive inside me.

The room fell away. I watched the way her wrist curved, how her hair caught the light.

Then V interrupted. His voice broke the trance.

Rose stepped back, retreating to the sofa corner. I didn't move my eyes.

That was when I knew. She'd drawn a line she didn't even see — and I intended to cross it.

After we left that day, I looked her up. College, nineteen, quiet, a world too small for what she could be.

V warned me later, his voice full of authority. "Stay away from Shanaya and Rose."

He thinks he owns them.

He's wrong.

He inherited power; I learned how to take it.

When I found Rose alone a few days later, I saw no reason to pretend.

"Rose," I said softly. "I need to speak with you about the ceremony timeline."

Her father called from nearby, "Rose, don't keep Jimin waiting! He's been so helpful."

The fool.

When we were alone, I reached for her wrist — gentle, deliberate. She flinched and tried tp pull away but she is just a wear rabbit in front of me.

"Wear this," I murmured, slipping a gold bracelet onto her wrist. "It reminded me of you — simple. Beautiful."

"I can't accept this," she whispered.

"I insist." My hand tightened just enough for her to understand. "Keep it. And don't forget — I notice everything. Every hand, every glance, every slip. You are seen."

Her pulse raced under my thumb. I could feel the fear settling in.

Perfect.

I reached into my pocket again and drew a delicate gold chain, its pendant intricate and gleaming — a swirl that caught the light like fire. I let it rest in my hand. "Your family didn't think of these details. Bangles, necklaces... not enough. This is for you. Wear it. Get ready — more is coming."

Her throat went dry. "I... I—"

Her lips parted, a small, almost hesitant sound. Someone... she was about to say.

I moved before the word could escape. My hand rose, gentle only in appearance, firm enough to claim control.

"Your family doesn't know about him, right?" I said, voice low, measured, lethal in its calm. "Forget that, Rose. I am not an understanding man. You don't get to have other... distractions."

I watched her freeze, her pulse betraying her fear. Good. She needed to understand — the rules here were mine.

The words were silk, lethal. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. Her eyes lowered, wide and afraid.

I released her wrist and stepped back. The bracelet and pendant glinted coldly against her skin. The air was thick; she could barely breathe.

Perfect.

She would learn. Slowly. Carefully. Inevitably.

(Rose's POV – After the Bracelet)

It should have been a kind gesture. It wasn't.

When Jimin fastened the bracelet around my wrist, it felt like a chain — invisible but heavy. His fingers brushed the inside of my wrist longer than they should have, a ghost of pressure that made my pulse stutter. I tried to pull back, but he held just tight enough to remind me who was in control.

"Pretty," he murmured, eyes glinting with something that didn't match his polite smile. "You should keep it. I'd hate for people to think you don't appreciate... generosity."

"I can't accept this," I whispered. "It's too much."

He tilted his head, the smile sharpening. "Too much? I noticed your family didn't manage much gold for the wedding. No bangles, no necklace. That's not how bridesmaids in our family should look." His gaze drifted from my wrist to my bare neck, slow and assessing. "Don't worry. I'll fix that."

He reached into his pocket and drew out a delicate gold chain, the pendant a swirl of intricate filigree that caught the light like fire. "Here. Wear it. Get used to it, Rose — more is coming."

My throat went dry. "I don't—"

"Ah." His voice dipped, soft but final. "Don't make me repeat myself. You wouldn't want a scene, would you? After all, these wedding plans can unravel so easily. Caterers quit. Guests cancel. Grooms... change their minds."

The words were silk, but every syllable was a blade.

I froze as he fastened the chain around my neck, the clasp clicking into place like a lock. The pendant rested against my chest, cold and precise. His knuckles brushed my skin — a touch so light it made my stomach twist.

"There," he said quietly. "Now you look like you belong."

He leaned close enough for his breath to graze my ear. "Remember, Rose — I notice everything. Keep them on. If I see your hands or neck bare again... well, it would be a shame if this perfect wedding suddenly fell apart."

My lips parted, almost a whisper. "Jimin... I have someone—"

His hand shot out, stopping my words before they left my mouth. His voice was low, lethal in its calm. "Your family doesn't know about him, right? Forget that, Rose. I am not an understanding man. You don't get to have other... distractions."

The sentence hung like a blade in the air. My heart lurched.

When he finally stepped back, I forced a smile that didn't reach my eyes. The jewelry gleamed against my skin, cold and alien.

The difference between us wasn't just age or money. It was power — his effortless, mine borrowed. No one would believe a quiet girl over a man like him.

Back in my room, I tried to breathe, tried to pull the bracelet off, but my hands wouldn't move. The chain felt like it was choking me. I reached for my phone to call JK, to tell him everything — but there was no signal. No line out. Just the hum of silence pressing against the walls.

It felt deliberate. Like even the air in this house belonged to him.

I sank onto the edge of my bed, staring at the gold glinting against my skin. Each shimmer felt like a warning.

I thought of Shanaya — her flawless calm, her perfect smile hiding cracks. If Jimin could do this to me, what could V be capable of?

That night, I made a decision. I would talk to V. Carefully. Calmly. He was my sister's fiancé — my soon-to-be jija ji.

He had to protect his family's reputation. He would listen.

At least, that's what I told myself.

Because silence was starting to feel more dangerous than anything else.

(Present Time – Rose's POV)

Later, draped in my blue lehenga, I went to check on Shanaya.

The house sang with music and laughter, but the sound scraped against the fear in my chest.

Her room was empty.

Her wedding lehenga hung untouched — a crimson ghost waiting for its bride.

"The makeup artist said she went to take a call," a cousin offered, uncertain.

"Shanaya?" I called, voice cracking. I checked the balcony, the lounge, everywhere. "Shanaya!"

My parents rushed in.

"Rose, what is this noise?" my father snapped.

"She's gone, Papa," I whispered, tears spilling. "Her phone's off. She's not here."

My mother's hands flew to her mouth. "Hai Ram! The baraat will be here any minute!"

The perfect illusion shattered.

Panic spread like wildfire — whispers, gasps, then chaos. The groom's family demanded answers.

That's when I saw it — a folded paper peeking from under her pillow.

I unfolded it, my heart pounding.

I'm so sorry, Maa, Papa. I can't do this. I saw what he is truly capable of. I have to go. Please don't look for me. Forgive me.

The note slipped from my hands as the world tilted.

Strong arms caught me before I hit the floor.

"Rose! Hey — breathe."

It was JK, his usual teasing gone, replaced by quiet concern.

"She's gone," I sobbed. "She said V is dangerous."

He read the note, jaw tightening. "Aisi waat lagadi..."

He held me steady. "Listen to me. You're not alone. We'll figure this out — together."

Before I could answer, the door slammed open.

And there he was.

V.

The groom. The man of the hour.

His tuxedo perfect, his expression anything but. The warmth he wore for the world had vanished, leaving only a cold, unreadable mask.

His gaze swept the room, stopping on me — trembling, clutching JK, the note on the floor between us.

Silence fell.

He stepped forward once, calm, deliberate.

"Where," he asked, his voice a blade wrapped in silk,

"is my bride?"

🎀 To Be Continued...

What will V do next?

Will Rose be able to protect herself and her family?

And where is Shanaya?

Meet you in the next chapter... 💔

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