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The greatest test of courage isn't standing up when it's easy, but choosing to fight when the odds are stacked against you.

Yash walked into the house. He removed his helmet and placed it on the dining table, but just as he did, the muffled sound of voices from the living room caught his attention.

​His mother, Sunanda, was speaking with a local marriage matchmaker. The elderly lady was eagerly waving a bio-data sheet in the air, her voice filled with practiced enthusiasm.

"It's a wonderful proposal, Sunanda. The family is highly respected, and the boy is well-settled. You won't find a better match than this, take a look!"

​Yash stood quietly in the hallway, listening to the exchange without saying a word. He waited patiently until the matchmaker finally gathered her things and left the house.

​As soon as the door closed, Sunanda walked toward the kitchen, noticing Yash. Her face lit up with a hopeful smile.

"Yash, you're home. Listen, a marriage proposal has come for Arohi. The matchmaker was just saying how wonderful the family is-"

​Yash interrupted her gently, his tone serious.

"Ma, you cannot conclude anything just because a matchmaker says so. Marriage is a massive step. They haven't even met yet."

​Just then, the front door clicked open again, and Arohi walked in, carrying her school bags. She caught the tail end of the conversation and looked between them, confused.

"What meeting? Who is meeting whom?"

​Yash turned to her, trying to lighten the heavy mood.

"A meeting for your wedding, Aaru."

​Arohi's eyes widened in surprise, but before she could say anything , Yash turned back to his mother, his expression turning deeply earnest.

"Ma, marriage is a life-altering decision. I just... I don't want whatever happened in your past life to ever repeat in Arohi's life."

​The raw honesty of his words hit Sunanda like a physical blow. The painful memory of her own failed marriage and the bitter divorce proceedings flashed in her mind, shattering her composure for a brief second.

​But looking at her daughter, Sunanda's eyes filled with a fierce, unyielding determination. She stepped forward, placing her hands tenderly on Arohi's shoulders.

​"No way, Yash. It will never happen to my daughter," Sunanda said, her voice trembling with intense emotion as she spoke completely.

"I will pray with all my heart that Arohi gets a true guardian in her husband-a man who has the passion and soul to shower his entire world upon my Aaru, a man who will make her life absolutely beautiful. I pray for a partner who will stand firmly by her side through every grief, who knows exactly how to break any evil eye that dares to look at her, who will always become her shield in times of trouble, and who will support her completely, no matter what happens in life."

​Deeply moved by her mother's fierce love, Arohi leaned forward and hugged Sunanda tightly.

​Yash watched them, a soft smile returning to his face. Breaking the heavy atmosphere, he teased, "Phir se senti ho gaye na, maa-beti? (Emotional again, mother and daughter?)"

​Sunanda wiped a stray tear, breaking the hug with a small laugh. She looked at Arohi.

"Alright, tell me, when will you meet Sandeep?"

​"Wait, who is Sandeep?" Arohi asked, adjusting her bag.

​"He is a police officer," Sunanda explained warmly.

"His family lives right in Sheetal Chachi's neighborhood. They are incredibly good people, and his proposal has come for you."

​Arohi held up her hands, taking a defensive step back.

"Hold on, Ma! First, I will meet him myself. Only if I actually like him will we take things forward. Let's see."

​"Okay, then let's invite his family over to our house this Sunday," Sunanda suggested eagerly.

​"No, no, definitely not at home," Arohi countered quickly.

"We will meet at a cafe outside. At home, you can't even talk freely with all the family members watching. Let's keep it casual."

​Sunanda nodded understandingly. "Acha thik hai." The outside meeting was officially locked for Sunday.

​On Sunday afternoon, Arohi walked into the quiet, upscale cafe and scanned the tables. Her eyes landed on a man sitting in the corner, dressed in casual civilian clothes. As she approached the table, her jaw dropped in absolute disbelief.

​"Aap yaha?!" Arohi exclaimed. (You here?!)

​The man stood up, equally startled. "Yeah... aap yaha?"

​He cleared his throat, a sudden realization dawning on him.

"I actually came here for a marriage match conversation."

​Arohi stared at him, a slow smile breaking across her face.

"Okay... so you are the Sandeep."

​Sandeep chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"And so you are the girl."

​Sandeep was the very same police officer who had courageously stepped in a few months ago to save one of Arohi's young students when the girl was being eve-teased by a group of local guys on the street.

Arohi had stood like a solid pillar of strength for her student during the entire police reporting process, earning Sandeep's immense respect. From that day, Arohi carried a highly favorable impression of him.

​"Nice meeting you again like this, Ma'am," Sandeep smiled, pulling out a chair for her politely.

​As they sat down and ordered coffee, the initial surprise faded, paving the way for a remarkably mature and grounded conversation.

​"To be honest, Arohi," Sandeep began, leaning forward, "my profession is highly unpredictable. The hours are long, and the stress is constant. For me, marriage isn't about finding someone to take care of my house. It's about finding true companionship-someone who understands the weight of my responsibilities, just as I hope to understand and support their independent dreams."

​Arohi listened intently, nodding with deep respect.

"I appreciate your honesty, Sandeep. For me, a life partner isn't just someone you share a roof with. It's about emotional compatibility. I want a relationship built on absolute transparency and mutual respect, where two individual souls can grow together without suffocating each other's individuality.Life will have its fair share of trials, but knowing your partner is your safe haven makes the journey worth it."

​Sandeep smiled, deeply impressed by her clarity and maturity.

"I completely agree. A partnership shouldn't feel like a burden; it should feel like a team."

​After a pleasant hour of conversation, they walked out of the cafe together. Just as they reached the main roadside to part ways, a loud, violent screech of tires shattered the afternoon air.

​A sleek car suddenly veered into the wrong lane, violently colliding with a passing motorcycle. The impact was brutal, sending the rider flying off the bike and onto the hard asphalt. Without slowing down, the speeding car instantly accelerated, tearing away from the scene of the crime.

​Sandeep's instincts kicked in instantly. Standing on the pavement, his eyes locked onto the retreating vehicle, and he quickly memorized the exact license plate number, repeating it under his breath.

​Meanwhile, Arohi rushed toward the fallen rider. But the moment she got closer and saw the man's face twisted in pain, blood flowing rapidly from a deep gash on his forehead, she gasped in pure horror.

​"Uncle?!" Arohi cried out, her voice cracking with terror as she knelt beside him. It was Raghav, Riya's father.

​Sandeep rushed over, immediately checking Raghav's pulse. Seeing her tears, he asked urgently, "Do you know him, Arohi?"

​"Yes! He... he is the prominent lawyer who led my mother's legal case during her divorce!" she sobbed, her hands shaking.

​Sandeep didn't waste another second asking questions. He immediately pulled out his phone, dialing the emergency services to call for an ambulance.

​Panicking and realizing she didn't have Riya's direct contact number, Arohi immediately dialed the one person who could reach her instantly. She called Yash.

​The phone picked up, and Arohi spoke rapidly through her tears.

"Yash! Yash, listen to me carefully. Raghav uncle met with a terrible hit-and-run accident near the central cafe. There's a lot of blood. We are rushing him to the city hospital right now. Please, tell Riya to come to the hospital immediately!"

​On the other end of the line, Yash's heart dropped. Hearing the sheer panic in his sister's voice, a cold dread washed over him. He realized that delivering this kind of catastrophic news over a phone call would completely break Riya. He couldn't do that to her.

​Without breaking the news over the phone, Yash immediately hopped onto his bike and drove straight to Riya's house. Sarala went out for some social work. Yash knocked on the door, and the moment Riya opened it, he looked at her with an intense, grave expression.

​"Riya, there is a serious problem that requires your immediate attention," Yash said, his voice tightly controlled.

"Raghav uncle met with an accident"

​Riya was terrified and with a numbness asked where where is he admitted now

​" Let's start. We will go together," Yash insisted, holding his hand out.

​Despite her rising anxiety and the burning questions in her mind, Riya looked into his eyes and felt a profound, unwavering faith in him. Without demanding further investigation or wasting time stepped out, and followed him.

​A frantic fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the city hospital. Yash guided her swiftly through the sterile, chaotic corridors of the emergency wing. The moment Riya's eyes landed on the trauma bay, her entire world came crashing down.

​Through the glass partition, she saw her father lying unconscious on the white hospital bed, surrounded by monitors, his head wrapped in heavy white bandages soaked with blood.

​Riya froze. The sight completely shattered her strength. Her legs gave way beneath her, and she collapsed heavily onto the hard hospital floor. Folding her knees tightly against her chest, she buried her face in her hands and began to cry her heart out, her body shaking with violent, uncontrollable sobs of pure agony.

​Yash immediately knelt down on the floor right in front of her. Disregarding the passing doctors and nurses, he gently placed his warm hand under her chin, lifting her tear-stained face so her broken gaze met his firm, reassuring eyes.

​"Hey... look at me, Riya," Yash whispered, his voice thick with deep emotion but rock-solid with support.

"We will get through this together. I am right here with you. You need to be strong."

​Just then, the heavy double doors of the wing pushed open. Sandeep walked in rapidly, holding an official notepad in his hand. He approached Yash and Arohi, his expression tight with professional focus.

​"Arohi, Yash," Sandeep announced, gaining their attention.

"I've pulled the vehicle database. Based on the license plate number I caught at the scene, we have successfully traced the exact car details and the registered owner responsible for the hit-and-run. The local police team is already on their way to make the arrest."

​Sandeep paused, his expression turning deeply grim as he looked at the official notepad.

"But... there is a complication. The vehicle is registered to the younger brother of Pralay Rathore."

​The name hung heavily in the sterile hospital corridor. Pralay Rathore was a highly powerful and politically influential figure in the city, known for twisting the law to suit his needs.

​"He is incredibly influential, Riya," Sandeep said honestly, his voice laced with professional caution.

"It wouldn't be an easy road if we move forward. Are you absolutely ready to officially file the complaint against someone of his stature?"

​Riya wiped the tears from her cheeks, her brokenness instantly giving way to a cold, unyielding resolve. She looked through the glass partition at her unconscious father, then turned back to Sandeep, her eyes blazing with determination.

​"What is the point of waiting?" Riya said, her voice steady and sharp.

"Let's do it. I can't just let my father lay here in this condition while the person responsible for this is chilling in his house. Let's file the complaint right now."

​Sandeep stared at her for a moment, a look of profound respect crossing his face. He nodded slowly.

"I am really proud of you, Riya. Mostly, in such hit-and-run cases involving powerful names, people tend to settle out of court or avoid conflict entirely because they feel helpless against political muscle. But you stood upfront like a pillar."

​Before Riya could speak, Yash stepped closer to her side. His presence was a solid, comforting weight in the sterile corridor. He looked directly into her eyes, his voice firm with a promise that would never break.

​"You are not alone in this, Riya," Yash said, locking his gaze with hers. "We are with you. Every single step of the way."

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