Rose had always been a dreamer.

As a child, she dreamt of stages, of bright lights shining down on her as she sang her heart out to an audience that truly listened. She dreamt of melodies floating through the air, wrapping around her like a warm embrace.

But life had never been kind to dreamers.

Her biological parents had passed away when she was young, leaving her in the care of Meera and Rajan, her stepmother and stepfather. And from the moment they took her in, she was treated as nothing more than an obligation.

Meera was proud and cold, controlling everything in the household with an iron grip. Rajan, on the other hand, was passive—never questioning his wife’s decisions. They had a son of their own, Karthik, who was showered with love and attention, while Rose was left in the shadows, forced to live by their rules.

She was never allowed to have a say in her life. Not in her studies, not in her career, not in anything.

And now, at 23, she still had no control.

They didn’t allow her to work. Instead, they forced her to stay home and prepare for a competitive exam she had no interest in. Any mention of pursuing music was shut down instantly.

“What future is there in singing?” Meera scoffed. “You need to focus on something real.”

But Rose wasn’t ready to let go of her dream.

She started secretly uploading song covers on YouTube, recording in the dead of night when everyone was asleep. It was her one escape, her one act of defiance.

And people noticed.

Her channel slowly gained views, and for the first time, strangers on the internet were telling her what no one in her life ever did—that she had talent.

It was her little secret, her little rebellion.

Until fate intervened.


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A Miracle After 15 Years

That day had started like any other. She had gone out to run errands and, on a whim, stopped at a small coffee shop she had never visited before.

And that’s when she saw him.

Sitting by the window, sipping his coffee, was Charles—her first love from school.

Her heart stopped.

It had been fifteen years since she last saw him. Back then, they had been inseparable. He had been her best friend, the one who always believed in her music when no one else did. He had once been the boy she thought she would spend forever with.

But then, life had pulled them apart.

His family had moved away, and just like that, she had lost him.

Yet here he was—a miracle sitting right in front of her.

Their eyes met. And in that instant, time rewound.

“Rose?” he said, standing up, his voice filled with disbelief.

She smiled, despite the lump in her throat. “Hey, Charles… It’s been a long time.”

They sat together, catching up on years that had slipped through their fingers.

He had gone abroad for his studies but recently returned to help with his family’s business. She told him about her life—though she left out the worst parts, not wanting to burden him.

But one thing was clear—the connection they once had hadn’t faded.

It was still there, waiting, as if no time had passed at all.


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The Betrayal She Never Saw Coming

That night, Rose returned home, feeling something she hadn’t felt in a long time—hope.

But then, she overheard Meera and Rajan talking in hushed voices.

“We’ve already discussed everything with Charles’ parents,” Meera said. “The marriage is set. She’ll have no choice but to accept.”

“She doesn’t know yet, does she?” Rajan asked.

Meera scoffed. “Of course not. No need to tell her anything until it’s final. She’ll find out when it’s done.”

Rose’s blood ran cold.

They had arranged her marriage—without even telling her.

They had met with Charles’ family, discussed her future, and never once thought to include her in the conversation.

Just like always.

She wasn’t given a choice. She wasn’t even given the respect of knowing.

Her hands shook with anger. It wasn’t the marriage itself that upset her—she wanted to be with Charles. He was her first love, and seeing him again after all these years only made her realize how much she had missed him.

But the fact that Meera and Rajan had done it all behind her back, as if she were a doll they could place wherever they pleased—that was what shattered her.

She felt betrayed.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen.


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The Courage to Speak the Unsaid

The next day, she met Charles again. And for the first time, she told him everything.

She told him about her step-parents' cruelty, about how they controlled every aspect of her life, about how they had arranged their marriage without even telling her.

He listened, his jaw tightening with every word.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” he asked. His voice was soft, but there was an unmistakable edge of protectiveness.

She hesitated, then whispered, “Because I was afraid… afraid that maybe you didn’t feel the same way anymore. Afraid that maybe this wasn’t real.”

He took her hands in his. “Rose, do you still love me?”

Her breath hitched. She did.

More than anything, she did.

And when she saw the look in his eyes—the warmth, the undeniable love—she knew.

He loved her too.

And suddenly, it was all so simple.

“I never stopped,” she admitted.

He smiled, and in that moment, they made a choice.

They weren’t going to let Meera and Rajan dictate their love story.

They would write it themselves.

That night, Rose sat at her desk, turned on her camera, and for the first time, sang her own song.

It was a song about love that never faded. About dreams that refused to die. About choosing your own destiny.

It was a song for Charles.

For herself.

For freedom.

And as she uploaded it, she knew—this was only the beginning.

For her music.
For her love story.
For the life she was finally choosing for herself.

And this time, nothing would stop her.