Istanbul, Turkey

Thunder rumbled over the Istanbul, and rain lashed against the glass walls of the luxurious Demir mansion. The grand hall stood still, its opulence shadowed by grief. Emir Demir, clad in a crisp black suit, stood before a large portrait of his late grandfather, Yusuf Demir. The old man’s eyes, even in the photograph, held the same warmth and determination that had defined him.

Emir’s jaw tightened as he held a yellowed letter in his hand, the ink smudged but the words etched deep into his soul.

"Emir, my son, if you love me, fulfill my last wish. Keep the promise I made to my oldest friend. Marry Ayesha. Unite our families as we always dreamed."

Emir’s hands curled into fists. He had built his empire through logic and shrewd business acumen. Emotions had no place in his life. But the weight of this promise—this duty—hung over him like a noose.

“Emir.” His mother, Leyla Demir, approached softly. Her eyes were red, but her voice held steel. “It is time.”

He turned to face the sea through the rain-streaked glass. “I don’t even know her.”

“It doesn’t matter. Your grandfather’s wish is our command. We owe him this.”

Emir remained silent. He had always honored his family, always placed duty above desire. He would do so again, no matter the cost.

---

Chandigarh, India

Laughter echoed through the Beniwal household, but beneath the vibrant colors and warmth, tension simmered. Ayesha sat by the window, her eyes fixed on the monsoon rain washing over the garden. Her mehendi-adorned hands trembled as she traced the delicate patterns.

Ayesha’s grandmother, Dadi, entered the room with a soft rustle of her sari. “Beta, are you ready?”

Ayesha looked up, her doe-like eyes filled with uncertainty. “How can I be, Dadi? I’m marrying a stranger. Leaving everything behind for a promise made before I was even born.”

Dadi sat beside her, wrapping a comforting arm around her. “Ayesha, life is not always about the choices we make. Sometimes, it is about honoring the choices made for us. Your grandfather loved Yusuf deeply. This marriage is more than a promise—it is a legacy.”

“But what if... what if he doesn’t want me?”

Dadi smiled, a mix of wisdom and nostalgia. “Love does not always begin with a spark, but it can grow even in the darkest of places. Give him a chance. Give yourself a chance.”

Ayesha nodded, her mind a swirl of hope and fear. She had always dreamed of love—of stolen glances and whispered promises—but those dreams seemed so far away now. Her fate was sealed, her path chosen by an old promise.

As the rain poured in two different worlds, the destinies of Emir Demir and Ayesha Beniwal collided, bound by a promise neither of them had made.

Little did they know, their journey had only just begun.

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