Mezaan’s POV

“Mezaaaannnn! Slow down! Hum almost hill ke end par pohch gaye!” my cousin Arsh shouted, but I ignored him, enjoying the rush of the wind against my face.

Eventually, I did slow down, and within minutes, we reached our old sunset point. As soon as we sat down, a wave of nostalgia hit me.

“Uff, I missed this so much. This was really worth it. Thank you, Arsh. I feel lighter now,” I said, offering him a small smile.

“Mere bhai ke liye kuch bhi!” he grinned before giving me a teasing nudge. “You should come back here more often in the future.”

I sighed, my eyes fixed on the breathtaking sunset in front of me. “I don’t know, yaar. I still can’t forget her. The girl I saw five years ago… it’s like I fell in love with her without even knowing her.” My voice softened as I admitted something I hadn’t dared to say out loud before.

Arsh’s eyes widened in shock. “Wait, what?!”

I let out a bitter chuckle and gently pushed his jaw shut. “I never wanted to marry Zainab. I just… don’t. But I have no choice now.”

“Bhai, if you never met her, never spoke to her, then how do you love her?” he asked, still processing my confession.

I got up, dusting off my jeans. “Her dance.” My voice was almost a whisper. “Her dance made me fall in love with her.”

Arsh stared at me for a moment before shaking his head with a knowing smile. He got up as well, and without another word, we raced back home—just like we used to when we were kids. And, as always, I won.

Oh, wait! I forgot to introduce myself.

Hi, I’m Mezaan Hussain Khalid, the eldest son of the Khalid family and the only son of my parents. I have two younger cousins and a little sister who is my absolute princess. My mamu has a son—Arsh, my best buddy when it comes to bike races and reckless adventures.

Why am I here in India? Well… for my arranged marriage. Or should I say forced marriage? Yep, I’ve been shipped back to my hometown Hyderabad for this. But don’t get too excited—there’s a plan in place. Me and Zainab, my soon-to-be wife, both know we don’t want this, and we have every intention of stopping it before the engagement.

Oh, and before I forget—I’m an architect and the CEO of Khalid Enterprises. My hobbies? Cooking and working. Don’t ask why.

Anyway, keep reading, and you’ll get to know more about me.

Author’s POV

Mezaan and Arsh reached home after spending almost the entire night racing around the city, reliving the memories they had built here ten years ago. Back when Mezaan had first come to India at 16, the two had bonded over bike races and late-night Maggie at their favourite sunset spot. And now, all these years later, they had finally recreated those moments.

“Mezaan, go get ready quickly! We have to leave for the resort,” his mum called out as soon as they stepped inside.

Right—his engagement was happening at a resort in Hyderabad. The families had decided to host the initial wedding functions there, with the nikkah taking place in just two days. The rest of the ceremonies? Yet to be decided.

“Okay, Mama! I’ll be back in ten!” Mezaan called out, sprinting to his room. He took a quick shower, got dressed, and within no time, they were on their way.

The journey to the resort was fun—for everyone else. Arsh and Mezaan, exhausted from their late-night adventure, slept the entire way.

By the time they reached Taj Falaknuma Palace, the sun had begun to set. This was where they would be staying until the nikkah.

Mezaan and Arsh, being the last ones to enter, were busy unloading the luggage when suddenly—

Mezaan’s POV

Stop. She’s the same girl from the plane.

I froze in place, my breath catching as my eyes landed on her.

She stood near the entrance, welcoming the guests with the warmest smile, her presence radiating a quiet grace. She looked stunning.

“Arsh… who is she?” I whispered, unable to tear my eyes away.

Arsh smirked. “Bhai, woh aapki saali hai.”

My saali? My future sister-in-law?

My heart sank a little, but for some reason, I still felt an odd pull towards her. It didn’t make sense. I had no right to feel anything for her, especially when—technically—I was getting married.

Oh, right. About that—Zainab and I had already agreed that this wedding wasn’thappening. We had a plan. We just had to make it to the engagement first.

“Aap sabka swagat hai!” Her voice broke through my thoughts.

She was speaking to my mamu and mum, making sure all the guests were settled. “I hope aap logon ko koi takleef nahi hui aane mein. Sara uncle, aunty aur sabke liye rooms aur refreshments arrange kar do, please. I’ll join you all in some time.”

The hospitality, the confidence, the way she carried herself—it was all… mesmerising.

“Wah, bhai! Kya room hai!” Arsh whistled as we entered our suite. “You know, we’re staying on this side, and the ladki wale are on the opposite side.”

But I wasn’t listening. My thoughts were still on her.

She’s so pretty, ma sha Allah…

And then, reality hit.

Stop thinking about her, Mezaan. Stop it. You’re getting married in three days. Shut up.

“Hello? I’m talking to a wall!” Arsh waved a hand in front of my face.

I snapped out of my daze and let out a laugh. “Sorry, sorry.”

Before either of us knew it, exhaustion caught up, and we both drifted off to sleep.

Evening—Engagement Day

It was already evening by the time I woke up, and the realisation hit me like a truck.

My engagement is today.

I had two days before the nikkah. I had to do something. Fast.

“Bhai, ready ho?” Arsh barged into the room. “Let’s go—WOW, bhai!” He gasped dramatically, eyeing me from head to toe. “You look so handsome and dashing in this black kurta. Bhabhi fida ho jayegi aaj!”

I rolled my eyes but chuckled. “Thanks, Arsh, but I’m not looking that great.”

“Lies!” He grinned.

I glanced at my phone—five missed calls from Mum. Oh, great.

“We’re already late! Let’s go!” I said, and we rushed downstairs.

The garden where the engagement was set up looked absolutely breathtaking. Twinkling fairy lights, elegant floral decorations, and the soft sound of classical music in the background made it feel straight out of a dream.

But my mind was somewhere else.

I had two days to stop this wedding.

And I had no idea how to do it.