She sat in her room, tears quietly rolling down her cheeks, her mind a storm of confusion.

Everything was fine until an hour ago.
What changed so suddenly?
You're probably wondering the same thing, right?

Then come closer. Let's rewind... just one hour back. 
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1:58 PM – Earlier That Afternoon

She sat on the edge of her bed, lost in a world that wasn't real.

The room was quiet — too quiet — except for the soft rustle of pages turning and the faint ticking of the clock. It was 2 PM. The golden afternoon sun poured through the cream curtains, bathing the room in a calm, dreamlike glow.

Aanya was smiling, her eyes glued to the pages of her favorite fantasy novel. She wasn't here — not really. In her mind, she was inside the book, wearing a flowing gown, standing at the edge of a cliff with the fictional hero calling her name. She could almost hear his voice. Her lips parted slightly, ready to respond.

And then — a sharp creak.
The door to her room swung open.

"Aanya," her mother's voice called softly.

She didn't respond. She was still drifting somewhere between chapter 11 and a daydream.

Her mother's voice came again, firmer now. "Aanya!"

Startled, Aanya blinked and looked up. Her fantasy world crumbled instantly as reality came rushing back. She placed the book down, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "Yes, Mom? What happened?"

She looked up, surprised to see both her parents standing there — her mother's eyes looked puffy and red, and her father's face was unusually tight, unreadable. They weren't just visiting. They looked like they were bracing for something.

"Mom? Dad? You both look worried. Is everything okay?" Aanya asked, sitting upright.

Her mother didn't answer right away. She walked over and sat down beside her on the bed, patting the mattress gently. "Aanya, come here. Leave your book aside for a moment."

Aanya's heart began to pound — something was wrong. Very wrong.

She closed her book slowly, her fingers trembling slightly as she stood and walked over. She sat next to her mother, eyes flicking between both parents. Her father sat on the other side, quiet, staring straight ahead.

"What is it, Mom?" she whispered. "Please tell me. You're scaring me."

Her mother took a deep breath — the kind you take when you're about to say something irreversible.

"Aanya... listen to me carefully. Don't panic, okay? Just let me finish before you react."

Aanya's breath hitched. Her body tensed. She glanced at her father, whose silence only made her more nervous.

"What's going on?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please tell me."

Then came the sentence that shattered her entire world.

"Aanya... we've fixed your marriage."

The words hit her like a slap. Her ears rang. Her world spun.

She stood up abruptly, her voice loud and trembling.
"What?!"

Her mother tried to calm her. "Beta, please—just hear me out—"

"No!" Aanya stepped back. "You're telling me I'm getting married? Just like that? Without even asking me?"

Tears burned at the corners of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "Mom, I just finished my graduation. I haven't even started applying for my dream job yet! I have a career planned! My own life! And you—you want me to throw it all away for a marriage I didn't choose?"

Her mother reached out, but Aanya pulled away.

"I'm not doing it," she said firmly, shaking her head. "I won't."

And then her father spoke for the first time, his voice calm but stern like a verdict being passed.

"Aanya. The marriage is already fixed. You don't have a choice. You have to do this."

Her body froze.
Her voice cracked. "You're... forcing me?"

Her mother stepped in, her eyes filled with pain. "Beta, we're your parents. We'd never hurt you. But believe us when we say... this marriage is necessary. It's the only way."

Aanya's voice broke. "How can you say that? You haven't even told me who the guy is! What does he do? What's his name? What kind of person is he?! I don't know anything!"

Her father stood up. "You'll know everything soon. After the wedding."

"After—?" Aanya's knees went weak. "Dad, please... just tell me what's happening. What kind of 'situation' forces you to marry off your daughter in secret like this?"

Her parents exchanged a glance. Her father clenched his fists.

"Right now, we can't tell you everything. But when the time is right, you'll understand. Just trust us."

Aanya stared at them in disbelief.

And then came the final blow.

"You don't have days to prepare, Aanya," her father said.
"You have three hours."

Her soul left her body for a moment.

She staggered back. "W–what did you just say?"

Her mother's lips trembled. "Beta... the wedding is today."

"No..." she whispered. "No, you're joking. You can't do this to me. Not like this. Please..."

She turned to her father. "Dad... please don't. You're ruining my life."

Her mother was crying now. "We're so sorry, Aanya. Forgive us. Please just... be ready."

And just like that, they left — quietly. No more explanations. No more answers. Just the sound of the door clicking shut behind them.

Aanya's legs gave out beneath her.
She collapsed to the floor.

Her sobs shook through the silence like thunder.

The girl who was just reading about fantasy love stories an hour ago...
was now being married off to a stranger in the next three hours.

Her dreams had no time to shatter.
They were simply... erased.

Prologue ends here... 

This marks the beginning of my brand new story, "Seven Vows, Seven Lies."
I truly hope you enjoy this emotional, suspenseful journey filled with secrets, twists, and hidden truths.

 A fresh start. A new story. A rollercoaster of emotions.
Thank you for reading the prologue — the real story begins now!

Stay tuned, and don't forget to vote, comment, and share your thoughts. Your support means everything!