"Will you marry me? "

*clapping*

"No!"

*clapping....*

These words echoed in the hall as the clapping sound died down.

On the stage, decorated with special luxurious items, especially for the wedding, were the bride and groom.

In the newfound silence of the hall, the bride and groom locked eyes; One had disappointment within while the other showed shock.

Today was the wedding ceremony of a retired mafia boss's granddaughter with one of his friend's grandson.

The hall exuded opulence, adorned with meticulous decor, an elegant venue, and a planned timeline.

Luxurious floral arrangements, sophisticated lighting, and ornate furnishings created an atmosphere of grandeur. The bride and groom donned elaborate attire, accompanied by the melodic strains of live music.

A sumptuous reception awaited all, featuring gourmet cuisine, a tiered wedding cake, and entertainment provided by a live band and DJ, further enhancing the festive ambiance.

A joyous occasion or so it should have been, for the two families who were friends, about to be related by laws. Even more so for the bride as well as the groom but the words spoken by the bride destroyed this joyful atmosphere.

In the gloom and silence of the hall, the groom just stared at his bride that he had known since childhood with utter shock.

He, on his knees feeling the floor that was cold to the touch, still in the position of proposing to her with a ring in his hand, couldn't believe what he was hearing. He only registered what she said after a few seconds.

As her words clicked in his mind, he asked shuttering, "... What.... What did.... you say?" trying his utmost to deny what he heard by asking her once again.

The bride, though, didn't hesitate to answer his question even after seeing his shuttering and trembling, even if just a little. She replied with an emotionless voice and an emotionless face.

"No! I don't wanna marry you. "

'Bittu, I would not have to done it this way.... '

As Bittu's gaze locked with Aisha's, the flicker of hope he carried was extinguished. His eyes, once filled with anticipation, now mirrored a profound sense of heartbreak and disbelief. Aisha's proclamation of refusal echoed in the silence, leaving Bittu in a state of shock that transcended the cold floor beneath him.

Bittu felt his heart stop beating. But her next words devastated him entierly.

'No.... It can't be.... '

'..... If you hadn't done that.... '

"I want to marry him. ", the bride replied as she pointed at a man in the crowd of people that were currently sitting on a carefully crafted chair, watching this all unfold with surprise and confusion.

'What? No... I must have heard it wrong.... '

People couldn't figure out who she was pointing at. Figuring this out, the bride, named Aisha, called out to him.

"Max, come here. "

'So, you can only blame yourself.... '

Bittu, in his emotional turmoil, didn't hear her call out to Max.

'No..... '

All the people in the crowd were even more shocked and surprised when they heard who the bride had called out to. Gossips filled the hall.

"Isn't that Bittu's friend? "

"Yes, they should have been... Until a while ago. "

"What could have happened? "

Max, who Aisha had called out to, for a second just looked around and stood up as he walked towards the stage under the gaze of the crowd.

He had a smile as he walked towards the stage. Internally he was laughing because his idea had born fruit as Aisha was doing what he had expected her to.

Max had shown Aisha pictures in which Bittu was between two women, naked. He had done so that he could finally get back at him for all those years in my which he had to stand in his shadows. Now he was in the limelight while Bittu was in his shadows.

' Ahh, this feeling. I love it.... '

When Max was near the stage, Aisha walked over and grabbed his hand, bringing him to the center of the stage where Bittu was still on his knees with his head and hands down, looking defeated. The cold floor could not calm him down at all.

'No... n–... Why?.... '

One of his hand held the diamond ring that he had specially prepared for his childhood sweetheart, with utmost care and love, but right now it seemed like the ring has lost its shine.

'Why? Why? What did I do wrong?... '

Devastated by what she said all this time, his heart that was broken was now filled with anger and sadness. Ha asked, his heart burning with agony.

"WHY? "

But when he raised his head to look at her. All he saw was his fiance currently holding the hand of his friend. Bittu was confused when he saw this.

"Max?! What are you doing here? "

But before Max could answer, Aisha beat him to it and said without even sparing a glance at Bittu.

"None of your business."

"... For your question", "Why? ", no reason other than my love for him. ", replied Aisha as she glanced at Max.

'What?.... She loves Max..... '

Bittu, whose heart was burning intensely when he heard her decline him, felt his soul leave his body when he understood what she meant by saying those words.

His eyes, once filled with love, now reflected a hollowness as he faced the harsh reality of unrequited feelings.

'Loves him.... '

His eyes hollowed as he felt his world destroyed.

"AISHA, what are you taking about? "

Right at this moment, Aisha's grandfather spoke in his anger. He who was being restrained by Aisha's grandmother till now, couldn't continue to be silent about what she had just spoken.

Her grandfather was angered because she herself had agreed to the marriage when he brought it up. He was joyful, but now, declining him in front of the entire crowd of people, he couldn't stay calm.

He was also angry because he didn't know how he would face his friend after what she had just said and did.

Everyone looked over at her grandfather, who was currently waking towards her with suppressed anger.

Walking behind him were the people of both the family.

Arriving at the stage, Aisha's grandfather, named Stefan, looked right in her eyes, totally ignoring Max, asked the same question, "... What do you mean? "Anger visible in his words. Behind him, Aisha's father, mother and grandmother were urging her to only speak after thinking.

'Bit*h... That's right, you need to shield me from these fu*king thugs...'

'Why can't they just shut the fu*k up and let the wedding continue.... '

Max was standing awkwardly beside Aisha, but fear gripped his heart when he felt the anger directed at him by her father.

'Fu*ker, how dare you glare at me.... '

'See how I will screw your daughter after the wedding..... '

Aisha, though, was not intimidated by her grandpa because she was sure that he would never punish her.

'This is because you lied to me.... ', thought Aisha with sadness as she glanced at her older brother.

Meanwhile, Bittu's family came to him as they asked.

"Bittu, are you okay? "

"Bittu, speak something."

...

Seeing Bittu not respond, His friends tried to make him stand.

'Loves him.... Not me.... '

"Bittu, stand up, look Grandpa Stefan is talking to Aisha. "

'.... Not me..... '

Bittu, whose mind and heart were in chaos, suddenly looked around. He just kept looking around to have a glance at his Aisha.

'This is a dream... It's a dream.... Aisha.... Aisha won't do that to me.... '

Unable to handle the pain, his mind directly made Bittu think that what happened earlier was a dream and he should stand next to Aisha to finish the wedding.

A while later, when he laid his eyes on her, Bittu witnessed Aisha standing with Max, protecting him from her family's wrath. His internal torment reached its peak. The profound sense of betrayal and heartbreak was palpable in Bittu's hollow gaze and lifeless demeanor.

The culmination of these events pushed Bittu to an emotional breaking point. He suddenly stood up, his eyes hollow as if he were dead, came out of the circle his family and his friends had made around him and grabbed a bottle of alcohol and walked towards the entrance of the hall.

"Bittu....."

".... Alcohol??"

"Where is he going? "

"He never even touches alcohol. "

One of his friends caught up to him and asked, while pulling him from his shoulder.

"...Where are you goi–", but before he could continue, Bittu threw his hand away while shouting.

"Don't follow me, Sharad. ", his voice filled with a mix of agony and desperation while his face aghast.

*crack*

"No one.... comes... near me.... ", Bittu shouted as he threw the alcohol bottle on the ground and turned around.

Everyone in the hall turned to look at Bittu and his condition. Tears were falling from his eyes as he picked two bottles of alcohol from the nearby table and walked towards the way outside. He disappeared from everyone's sight.

Aisha and her grandfather had also stopped talking when they heard the yelling. Grandfather Stefan's face was now filled with concern as he looked at his friend's grandchild.

'Poor child.... '

He turned to look at his granddaughter. He wanted to scold her even more and put some sense into her seeing Bittu's condition, but he turned only to see that his daughter was pointing a gun at Max's head.

This change of attitude of Aisha, utterly bewildered Max. Before he could question her intention, Aisha pulled the trigger.

*Bang*

The bullet pritched his mind as the blood and brain matters burst onto the people nearby.

This turn of events shocked everyone in the hall. They turned their head to see that Aisha still holding the gun as Max fell on the floor.

*Silence*

Everyone in the room had varying degrees of reaction to the event that happened. Many had fearful and confused expression while some had amused expression.

*************

*Gulp*

Bittu drank a mouthful of alcohol as he walked out of the wedding hall ignoring his surrounding. Tears fell down from his eyes as he came out of the luxurious hotel and sat in a taxi.

"Where would you like to go, sir?"

Bittu, who didn't know where to go in this situation, looked out the window and saw hills all around him.

".... Take me.... towards the hills..... ", He spoke, drunk because of drinking alcohol for the first time.

The driver, looking at his condition, didn't ask further and took him to the nearest hill station.