"Aaram se… thoda dard sehna padega. Ek do minute mein better feel hoga," he said, his voice filled with focus.

Siya nearly giggled at his sincerity but managed to keep her act going.

"Nahi ho raha hai… aap please kisi se bol ke balm mangva dijiye," she said in a desperate tone, trying to sound as helpless as possible.

Shashwat sighed. "Acha tum chalo mere saath, andar balm lagwa dete hain."

Shashwat placed an arm around Siya’s shoulder for support, while his other hand rested lightly on her waist to steady her. Siya leaned slightly into him,

walking slowly as her eyes subtly darted towards his pocket.

There it was, The key!

"Bas ek chance chahiye!" Siya thought, her heartbeat accelerating as she mentally prepared for the final move.

Shashwat, unaware of the mischief brewing in her mind, was still holding her carefully, ensuring she didn’t trip again.

Just then, Siya staggered once more, letting out a soft gasp as she clutched his coat right near his pant pocket.

"Arre aaram se!!" Shashwat’s grip on her shoulder tightened as he steadied her again. His voice carried both concern and amusement. "I know dard ho raha hai par please thoda seh lo…Tumhe god mein utha ke bhi nahi le ja sakta, andar papa log bhi hain… thoda adjust kar lo!"

Siya smirked inwardly. Perfect moment!

She tilted her head up and gazed at him with an expression so sincere that it could melt hearts.

"I love you!" she blurted out, her voice filled with emotion.

Shashwat’s steps faltered for a brief second. His brows lifted slightly in surprise before his features softened into a warm smile.

"I love you too!" he murmured, his hand subconsciously tightening around her shoulder.

Siya bit her lip, as if overwhelmed with emotions. In reality, her fingers were swiftly slipping into his pocket, fishing out the keys.

"Aapko nahi pata aap kitne acche hain… aur hum kitne lucky!" she continued, stalling for time, her voice dipped in admiration while her hands expertly secured the keys inside the folds of her dupatta.

Shashwat chuckled, shaking his head. "Acha ab tareef ke pull baad mein bandh lena… pehle chalo."

Siya nodded innocently, mission accomplished.

As they stepped inside, Tara immediately noticed them and approached with a concerned look.

"Kya hua beta?" she asked, eyeing Siya’s slight limp.

"Kuch nahi aunty, Siya gir gayi thi bahar," Shashwat explained, shaking his head.

Tara clicked her tongue in disapproval. "Muh tod legi kya shaadi wale din? Ruk, main balm laati hoon."

Before Siya could protest, she rushed off and returned within moments, holding a small container of balm. She kneeled down and began applying it on Siya’s "injured" foot.

Siya bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing.

She stole a glance at Shashwat, who still looked slightly worried.

Once Tara was done, Siya stretched her foot a little, pretending to test it out. Then, she stood up with ease, grinning widely.

"Ab ekdum sahi ho gaya!" she declared, dramatically extending her leg for effect.

Shashwat narrowed his eyes at her sudden recovery. "Pakka na? Ab aaram se chalna please."

Siya nodded vigorously, barely controlling her excitement.

She hurried back to her group, her heartbeat racing not from the fake injury, but from the thrill of her successful mission.

The bride’s team stood eagerly in a secluded corner, waiting for her. The moment Siya flashed the keys with a victorious grin, their eyes widened.

"Mission successful!" she announced proudly.

Meanwhile, Shashwat shook his head with a chuckle as he watched Siya disappear into the crowd,

"Itni badi ho gayi hai, par clumsiness 11th class wali hi reh gayi," he murmured to himself, his lips curling into a small smile.

Still amused, he casually slipped a hand into his pocket, intending to check his phone. His fingers brushed against fabric, but… nothing else.

His smirk faltered. He patted his pocket again which was still empty. His heart skipped a beat.

His brows furrowed as he quickly checked his other pocket. His phone was there. But…

"Where is the key?!"

His fingers frantically searched the depth of his pockets, flipping them inside out, his amusement now completely replaced with panic.

Without wasting another second, he spun around and stormed toward his team, his steps quick and determined.

Akash , Arushi , Vihaan, and Darsh were chilling near the drinks counter, engaged in some lighthearted banter when Shashwat arrived, slightly out of breath.

"Guys, where is the key?!" he demanded, his voice sharp with urgency.

The three of them paused, staring at him in confusion.

"Kya?" Akash asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Meri chabhi!!" Shashwat stressed, running a hand through his already messy hair. "Mere paas thi… aur ab nahi hai!"

"Bhaiya, Koi bhoot churake to le nahi jayega na?" He said, sipping his drink.

"Abey,"Akash cut in, still looking unbothered, "Abhi teri langdi girlfriend thi tere saath… usse puch na."

Shashwat blinked. Then, his eyes widened.

"That means…" he whispered, his voice almost trembling with realization. "Usne jhooth bola!!"

Darsh burst out laughing, clapping his hands together. "Bhai aap lut gaye!!"

Vihaan snickered. "Ladki ka chakkar!"

Akash smirked. "Kuch der pehle mujhe gyaan de raha tha Dadaji ban ke?"

Shashwat ran a frustrated hand over his face, his mind replaying every sickeningly sweet, emotionally manipulative dialogue Siya had thrown at him.

"YEH LADKI!!!" he blurted out again, this time loud enough for everyone around to hear.

His fists clenched, His nostrils flared.

And yet, Despite the frustration bubbling inside him,

Despite being deceived, manipulated, and emotionally scammed by his girl…He found himself grinning.

"Ab kya karna hai?" he asked, his voice urgent.

Akash smirked, sipping his drink lazily. "Mandap me jaa ke ussi se shaadi karna hai," he said dryly, then straightened. "Gadhe, chal ke dekh, wo car se shoes nikal rahi hogi!"

Shashwat’s eyes widened. Siya was already in the car.

"Chalo!" he barked, and without another word, they sprinted toward the exit.

Siya stood near the sleek black car parked outside the palace entrance, her heart pounding in her chest. She grinned victoriously as she slipped the key into the lock. Her hands are fumbling with the car door.

Just as she pulled the handle,

"Ayee Siyaaa!! Stopppp!!!"

Her head snapped up. Her eyes widened in horror.

Shashwat, Akash, Vihaan, and Darsh Arushi were charging straight toward her.

"Ye sab toh idhar hi aa rahe hain…ab kya karein!?" She panicked, looking around frantically.

She didn’t have time to think. Her instincts kicked in.

Without missing a beat, she threw open the car door, jumped inside, and slammed it shut. Her fingers trembled as she jammed the key into the ignition.

Outside, Shashwat was already skidding to a stop right in front of the car, his arms spread wide.

"Siya, ruk jao!" he commanded, his voice loud and firm.

But Siya wasn’t stopping. Her grip tightened on the steering wheel.

"Sorry Shashwat… byyyy!" she muttered under her breath and pressed her foot on the accelerator.

The car roared to life.

"Pakdo!! Car lekar bhaag rahi hai!" Akash yelled, but it was too late.

With a screech of tires against the pavement, Siya sped away, leaving behind a cloud of dust and a very stunned groom’s team.

Shashwat stood frozen for half a second, staring at the empty space where the car had been.

"Ab aap kahan ja raha hai?" Vihaan called after him, confused.

"Uska peecha karne!" Shashwat shouted over his shoulder.

He rushed straight to his room, flung open the cupboard, and grabbed another spare key. He had always kept an extra, just in case. And today, it was about to save him from total defeat.

Within seconds, he was back outside.

Reyansh and the rest of the bride’s team had just reached the entrance, huffing from their chase.

"Humein inhe rokna hoga!" Reyansh shouted. "Siya ko rokne se pehle!"

But they were a second too late.

Shashwat had already reached the car, jammed the key into the ignition, and started the engine.

"Shashwat, ruk jaa!" Reyansh called, running toward him.

But there was no stopping now.

Shashwat slammed the car into gear and sped off, tires screeching against the pavement as he tore down the road, chasing after Siya.

Reyansh was about to sprint after Shashwat when a strong hand grabbed his arm, yanking him back.

"Arrey jaata kahan hai!" Akash called out, trying to hold him back.

But Reyansh wasn’t going to stop. Not when the groom’s team was on the verge of total defeat.

"Darsh, pakad!" Akash ordered urgently.

Darsh nodded and immediately reached out, But instead of grabbing Reyansh, he mistakenly grabbed Akash!

Akash froze for a second, staring at Darsh in complete disbelief. And before Darsh could realize his mistake, Reyansh had already broken free, sprinting towards the house with full force.

Akash’s irritation exploded.

"Abbe gadha hai kya!? Mujhe kya pakad raha hai! Usko pakadna tha!!" he yelled, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

Darsh looked at his empty hands, then at Reyansh, who was already disappearing into the house. He blinked. "Oh sorry bhaiya."

But there was no time to regret his mistake.

"Chhor, abhi bhi time hai!" Akash said, shaking his head. Without wasting another second, he rushed back inside.

Reyansh had already beaten them to it, he had managed to grab a relative’s car keys and was dashing toward the exit.

Rushing back outside, he tossed the keys to Darsh.

"Jaa ke start kar!!" he ordered.

Darsh didn’t waste time. He ran straight to a car parked near the entrance, jammed the key into the lock, and,

Nothing happened, He frowned. He twisted the key again. Still nothing.

"Bhaiya, yeh khul nahi raha!!" he called out, confused.

"Bike ki hai." Akash shouted in irritation.

Darsh quickly inserted the key, and this time, the bike roared to life.

Without wasting another second, both of them hopped on, and Darsh sped off after the runaway bride and her pursuers.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the entrance, Divya and Richa stood near the garden, their eyes scanning for a vehicle.

They had watched the entire mess unfold, the boys running after Siya, cars starting, bikes zooming past.

Divya’s eyes suddenly landed on a scooty parked in the corner.

"Mami ki hai!" she gasped. "Main chhabi lekar aayi!"

Without another word, she rushed inside, her lenhga swishing behind her as she darted toward the room and grabbed the key. She reached the scooty, quickly unlocked it, and started the engine.

Just as she was about to zoom off,

"Abe, mujhe toh bitha!" Richa shouted, her hands on her hips.

Divya screeched to a stop. "Arrey, sorry sorry didi!" she apologized sheepishly as Richa quickly climbed onto the backseat.

But just as she was about to take off again, they suddenly heard the sound of heels clicking rapidly against the pavement.

Arushi came running toward them, panting.

"Ruko!! Main bhi aa rahi hoon!!" Both Richa and Divya turned to her in shock.

"Tu kahan se aayi!?" Richa asked, completely bewildered.

"Arrey, Akele kaise jaati main?!" Arushi huffed, catching her breath.

Before anyone could argue, she hopped onto the scooty, squeezing in behind Richa.

Divya raised an eyebrow. "Aap dushman team se ho na?"

"Chalo chalo, yeh sab chhoro! Jaane tu ek hi jagah hai na!!" Arushi ordered.

With no time to argue, Divya revved the engine, and the three girls took off, chasing after the runaway bride, the groom, and their chaotic wedding squad.

Kanak and Vihaan stepped out of the wedding venue, looking around in confusion.

Kanak frowned. "Arrey, hamare bina sab chale gaye!!" she exclaimed, her hands on her hips.

Vihaan scanned the area, his eyes darting around for a possible ride. Just then, his gaze landed on a bicycle parked near the entrance. An elderly man stood beside it, casually sipping his tea.

Without a second thought, Vihaan strode toward him.

"Chacha, thoda cycle milegi? Bas ek ghante tak aa jaunga," he asked, flashing his most charming smile.

The old man narrowed his eyes, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"Beta, meri hai. Aise kaise de dun?" he replied firmly.

Vihaan sighed dramatically, then quickly removed his expensive watch and held it out.

"Aap bharose ke liye yeh rakh lijiye," he said forwarding the watch.

The man’s eyes widened at the sight of the watch. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded and handed over the bicycle key.

"Zyada tez mat chalana, beta!" the man advised.

"Haan haan, bilkul nahi," Vihaan said, quickly unlocking the cycle.

Just as he was about to mount it,

"Arrey, mujhe bhi le chalo na!!" Kanak protested, standing beside him with an expectant expression.

Vihaan’s eyes widened in alarm.

"Arrey!! Aap dusri se aa jaiye, mai akele jaunga!" he said, shaking his head.

Kanak’s eyes darkened dangerously.

"Shut up!!" she snapped and, without giving him a choice, plopped down on the backseat of the cycle.

He reluctantly sat in the front and started pedaling.

But after only a few seconds, Kanak huffed in frustration.

"Arrey, jaldi chalo yaar!!" she said, tapping her foot impatiently.

Vihaan shot her an incredulous look.

"Mai aapki tarah army me nahi hun jo cycle fast chalane ki training mili ho!" he retorted, panting as he tried to pedal harder.

Kanak narrowed her eyes. "Abhi ke abhi roko!" she commanded.

Vihaan blinked. "Ab kya hai?" he asked, stopping the cycle.

Kanak swiftly got off and walked to the front seat. "Peeche baitho, mai chalati hun!" she ordered.

Vihaan stared at her and Kanak shot him a deadly glare. Vihaan gulped.

"Theek hai, theek hai!" he muttered, shifting to the backseat while Kanak took control.

The moment she gripped the handles, her eyes lit up.

With one strong push on the pedal, the cycle lurched forward. Vihaan clutched onto the seat for dear life.

"Arrey mai gir jaunga!!" he yelled, his voice rising in panic.

Kanak rolled her eyes. "Chup karo!!" she barked.

At the front of the madness, Siya was speeding away in her car, gripping the steering wheel with sheer determination.

Just behind her, Shashwat was gaining ground, his jaw clenched as he pressed on the accelerator.

Behind them, Reyansh’s car was in full motion, his focus sharp as he followed closely.

Further back, Akash and Darsh’s bike was weaving through the road, both of them leaning forward, trying to catch up.

A little behind them, Divya, Richa, and Arushi were balancing on a tiny scooty, with Divya maneuvering it at full speed.

And at the very back of this ridiculous parade, Kanak and Vihaan were pedaling their hearts out on a humble bicycle, Vihaan clinging on for dear life while Kanak rode like a warrior in battle.

And at last 2 cameramen with drones were chasing them to record it.

The grand wedding hall, decorated with shimmering fairy lights and extravagant floral arrangements, was buzzing with excitement. But not because of the bride and groom.

Instead of watching the wedding rituals, the guests had their eyes glued to the massive LED screen, where the drone footage was broadcasting a live chase happening outside.

From elderly relatives to young children, every single guest was on the edge of their seat, completely engrossed in the high-speed drama unfolding before them.

The screen showed Siya’s car speeding ahead, her hands gripping the steering wheel as she took sharp turns, determination evident on her face.

Ritika let out a gasp.

"Siya bhag rahi hai… ohh bhai!! Siya aur tez se bhag!!!”

Everyone looked at her with a blank face.

Meanwhile, Arav, who had been trying to control the situation, groaned and facepalmed.

"Shhhhshhh" he muttered.

But Ritika was far too invested to stop now.

She pointed at the screen where Shashwat’s car was gaining speed, his face tense with determination.

"Aur yeh Shashwat! Thoda dheere chal na bhai!! Siya ko hara dega kya?!" she shouted, shaking her head dramatically.

Arav felt his soul leave his body.

His gaze darted between Ritika, who was shouting into the mic like an overexcited cricket commentator, and the horrified expressions of the senior family members.

On the screen, Siya suddenly took a sharp turn, her car swerving slightly as she accelerated.

Ritika’s eyes widened.

"Arre Siya! Kutti jaldi jaldi bhag yaar!!" she cheered, raising her fists.

Arav ran a hand down his face, mumbling under his breath.

"Mujhe abhi yahin zameen kha le." But his attention diverted to the elders, who were watching the screen, like there is a live match going on.

“Jaldi kar beta inhe harana hai!!” Harsh shouted.

The Naman leaned over to the Harsh.

"Sapne me…. abhi jeet hamari hogi."

Harsh sighed dramatically. "Wo to dekha jayega!"

They both shook their heads, chuckling as they watched the wild chase continue.

The pandit ji, who had been struggling to keep the ceremony on track, finally gave up.

"Aage ki rasme kab hongi!" he muttered under his breath, folding his hands.

Meanwhile, Siya’s hands tightened around the shoes as her gaze snapped to the rearview mirror. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Shashwat’s car suddenly accelerate, veering sharply to overtake her vehicle.

The loud screech of tires pierced the air as his car came to a jarring halt right in front of hers.

"Hey Krishna!!" Siya gasped, her pulse hammering in her ears. Instinct took over as she slammed her foot on the brakes. The car jerked violently, skidding slightly before stopping just inches away from Shashwat’s vehicle.

For a moment, everything was eerily still. Her grip on the steering wheel was so tight that her knuckles turned white. Her chest rose and fell in uneven breaths, trying to process what had just happened.

Then, movement.

Siya’s eyes flew to Shashwat’s car door as he pushed it open with urgency, his long strides carrying him out before she could even blink. His face was set in determination, his sharp eyes locked onto her.

Her heart jumped to her throat.

Without a second thought, she grabbed the shoes tighter in her arms, shoved the car door open, and bolted.

"SIYAAA!!" Shashwat’s loud voice rang in the air, laced with exasperation and disbelief.

"Arre yaar!! Yeh ladki phirse bhaag gayi!!" Akash’s frustrated shout followed almost immediately, accompanied by the roaring engines of a bike screeching to a halt.

Siya didn’t dare look back. The only thing she could hear was the rapid pounding of her heartbeat and the frenzied footsteps that followed.

Clutching the shoes like they were her most prized possession, she pumped her legs faster, her breath coming in hurried gasps. The ground blurred beneath her as she dashed forward, weaving through the open road.

Behind her, chaos erupted.

"Pakdo usse!!" Akash yelled, his voice growing closer.

"Thak jayenge!!" Darsh groaned, struggling to keep pace.

Siya risked a glance over her shoulder.

Her stomach twisted.

Shashwat was fast, way too fast. His jaw was clenched, his gaze locked