Bride of Sheesh Mahal - Season 3 - Part 8

BANNER WILL BE POSTED SOON 

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Chapter 8


Arnav’s POV


“So? When did you start practicing being such a hardcore Devi Maiyaa devotee?” I ask, finishing the lassi. Khushi is a slow eater or she is already too nervous which is why she is so slow tonight.

“Ever since my Babuji taught me to pray.”

I knit my brows together. Is she serious?

“You are new to this place, so you don’t know much but people that time literally believed Devi Maiyaa used me as her messenger to save people’s lives.”


Now that makes me laugh. She glares at me when I don’t stop laughing.

“Sorry” I clear my throat. “This town is crazy..”

“Only because you don’t believe it?” she cross questions sternly.

“No, because any sane man of today’s generation won’t believe it. I don’t want to hurt your sentiments Khushi and it’s not that I am an atheist. But whatever you are telling me is hard to believe.”

“I was five years old when I heard the first murmurs in my dream. I could hardly frame sentences well because I was still small but the next morning when I woke up, I went to my neighbor and told the aunty not to go to the temple that day because she was going to meet an accident. She didn’t believe. I cried to stop her. Everyone thought I was silly and that aunty didn’t take me seriously. She left to the temple and one hour later we got to know she was hit by a truck. She died on the spot.”


My jaw drops.

“Is this funny for you still?” Khushi asks. “I have many such examples I can give which has saved people’s lives Arnav. I get premonitions. All types. Sometimes they are good, at times scary and I get them because I know Devi Maiyaa wants me to do good of people around me. I don’t want to take any credit. But it’s the truth. You believe it or not.”


I am speechless. I don’t know what I should infer from all this but I can tell she isn’t lying. I continue eating my food in silence and so does she.


“Why did you agree to marry me?” I raise my next doubt. “Or just like you said, your Devi Maiyaa hinted you some disaster is happening in my life and you sacrificed your wishes to save me?”


She drops her spoon and I take a cue that I am right in thinking so. She is marrying me for one such disastrous reason.


“Spill it out, Khushi. I might not believe it but I am definitely interested in listening.”


She picks the spoon, keeps it away and uses the other to continue eating.

“The day you will believe me, I will tell you why I agreed.”


She is equally stubborn. I don’t want to force her. but she has to answer one thing for sure.

“Khushi, I really hope what you are getting into?” I ask having her full attention. “Marriage is not just saving someone only because of some intuitions you have but it’s a lifetime commitment.”

“You don’t have to teach me about marriage. I know that already.”

“And you are ready for all the sacrifices that you’ll have to do?”


Now she freezes.

“What sacrifices?”

I wipe my lips with the napkin.

“I’m not going to settle down in India ever. My life, work and relatives are there in London. Are you willing to relocate with me to London?”


Her jaws drop.

“Relocating? London? But.. my babuji..”

“I have thought about it.” I nod. “I can shift him too in London. I don’t want you to stay away from him. Since you are his only daughter, I don’t mind if he comes and stays with us in our London mansion or if he doesn’t like it, I can always buy him another apartment close by and you can see him whenever you want.”


She swallows nervously as if thinking over it.


“No. Babuji will never agree to leave this country and neither I.. Why didn’t you tell me this before? I thought you all have plans to permanently shift here. I..”



Tears brim in her eyes and I don’t like it at all. I quickly reach her side and take a seat next to her.


“Hey.. its okay. I thought so.. that you are not happy settling anywhere else. It’s fine. I can understand. And there’s nothing fixed yet which means you can still deny for our marriage. I’ll speak to my family and tell them why we have to do so. They will understand.”



She looks at me with teary eyes.


“I don’t think you understand..” she murmurs.

“Well then make me understand.” I argue. What does she want me to do? I am giving her an option to step back if she is not prepared for this yet she is interested in arguing with me. Over what?

“You are here for a reason, Arnav. I don’t think you would be able to fly back until that’s sorted.”


Wait.!! What does she mean by that?

“What reason?” I ask but she doesn’t tell a word. “Khushi can you stop talking in codes please?”


She is still quiet but my phone rings. Damn! What a timing. I pick the call which is from Akash.

“Yes Akash.”

“Bhai, we got a problem in Delhi unit..”

“What problem?”

“Some security breach. Our software was hacked and the technical team is looking into it. Sorry to disturb you during your dinner date but..”

“No No. Good you told me that.. How big is the issue?”

“I don’t know but seems like we are now stuck here for long.. At least for a three four months.. I don’t think we should be leaving back until this issue is sorted. We also have to strengthen a few loopholes related to this breach and since the management would be involved, its better if we stay here and finish it ourselves. We can’t overlook it Bhai.”


Three four months? Hmm.


“I am coming home in few minutes. Lets plan this out. And also, tell the Delhi team we are coming to office personally tomorrow to handle it. Make sure nothing goes out in the media or else clients will stop trusting us. We don’t want that to happen.”

“Yes Bhai.”


I disconnect and turn to Khushi who is still staring at my face.


“We need to leave. Something urgent has come up and…”

“I told you .. you don’t understand.” She frowns. “There’s a reason why you had to be here.. and see.. this issue came up.”

“So? How does it relate to our marriage?” I snap. “And of course, please don’t delay in taking your decisions because it will surely be a heartbreak for our families if you delay it further. Now come on. Let me drop you home.”


I get up and she follows me silently to the car. I open the car door for her and she gets inside. I shut it and while returning to my seat I see the same old scary woman in black attire, hiding behind a tree and watching me. Damn hell!! She seems to be stalking me! This has to stop. I want to go to her and ask her to stop stalking me but not now.. I have other important things to take care of.


I get in the car and drive us out.


*********************

Obviously when I am back the excitement in my family is little less than I had imagined due to the business issues that suddenly popped up. Me and Akash disperse to the drawing room to take care of it while NK and Manohar Chachu are busy talking to the heads of the security to know how this breach happened in the software.


The next morning, I drive to Delhi with Akash and I know I am not returning anytime this week. It’s pretty obvious I will have to focus on the issue and get it sorted first. Daadi had asked me if I was okay with the ROKA to be done in my absence to which I agreed but deep down I know Khushi is going to decline the proposal as now she knows I have no plans to stay in India and she sees no future with me in London. Fair enough! I can’t force a woman to shift from her home country for me but I had given her options to settle down her father too with us. A part of me hopes she would agree to this and let the marriage happen but I don’t want her to do it under any pressure. The last thing I want my wife is to sulk because she married a man whom she considers a lot different than her.


One whole week goes by with me and Akash struggling to handle the breach but at the end of it we know we can’t fly back to London as Akash suggested for at least 3 -4 months. We have to keep visiting Delhi often until everything is perfectly fine here. It’s on the 8th day when I reach the town again back to Sheesh Mahal where the rest of my family is when the maid tells me no one is home.


“Where have they gone?” I ask, coming down freshening up. It’s around 06:00 pm in the evening. My family doesn’t just go out like that without informing me.

“They have gone to complete your Roka ceremony at Shashi Guptaji’s house.”


My Roka? What the!!


Akash returns from his room.

“Bhai, seems everyone is enjoying without us there. Shall we drive? Lets give them a surprise. And you too can meet your fiancée. What say?”


I am speechless. Didn’t Khushi reject the proposal? Or she is still in her confused mode? Damn!! Why is she making this all the more difficult?


“Sure, lets go..”


We drive to Laxmi Nagar and park the car before Shashi Gupta’s house. I hear the talks happening inside. Di sounds extremely happy and so is Daadi. As soon as we knock the door, my family is overwhelmed.

“Arnav? Akash? When did you arrive back?” Manorama chachi asks.

“Just an hour back” I say, scanning the room to find Khushi.

“Oh, so chotte couldn’t control himself from seeing his fiancée, huh?” Di teases.


Yea!! I think so. Though I didn’t get much time I always thought about this touch-me-not woman whenever I was on bed, to sleep. The way she didn’t let me touch her has made me crave for her all the more.


“Where is she?” I ask without caring what will they think about it.

“She is in the kitchen making some sweet for us. Go meet her.” Daadi demands and I don’t waste time in following it.


As I step in the kitchen, I find Khushi in a lavender dress, with her hair open and she frying the Jalebis on the gas burner. God! She is beautiful.


“You okay to shift to London then?” I ask, startling her.



The moment she meets my gaze, her jaw drops.

“You? What… what are you doing here?”

“I came to see my family which happened to be here to complete our Roka.”


She takes another few seconds to think and then turns off the gas burner.


“Did no one tell you its bad for a would be groom and bride to see each other on their Roka.”

“Says who?” I walk inside.


The way she addressed us as would be couple makes me hopeful.


“Says the traditions..” she snaps. “How did your Daadi didn’t stop you?”

“She is not orthodox..” I reply. “Unlike you..”


I am hardly a feet away from her and she realizes that too.

“I… I will go serve the jalebis to them..”


She is about to turn when I pin her to the kitchen slab.

“You agreed to this proposal despite knowing my conditions of flying back to London?”


She nods softly.

“Why?”

“Because some relationships are meant to be. You and I can’t change destiny.”

I don’t know what to say. She always amuses me.

“I don’t understand you at all,” I sigh.

She stares at me affixed and my gaze automatically drops to her soft lips. Gosh!! I can’t believe she is going to be mine.. I never imagined my life partner would be arranged by my family and I don’t get to touch her until the marriage happens. In fact, I am doubtful if she will let me touch her even after the marriage. Does she even know what couples do? A part of me appreciates and wants to give her the time she needs but the other part of me wants to have a quick demo of what it could be like when I touch her.


“What are you doing?” she asks, holding her breath as if she just read my mind.


I lean closer and her eyes shut on her own. Damn hell!! She is confused, scared and hell nervous. She hasn’t pushed me away neither snapped at me for refusing her condition of not touching her until we marry. She just shut her eyes as if she does that, I wouldn’t continue. I wait for her to open her eyes. After a long minute when I don’t make any movement, she slowly opens her eyes and I am still close.


“What… what are you doing?” she stutters.

“Admiring my fiancée.”


Her lips zip at my remark.

“Isnt that allowed too as per your traditions?”


She knows I am teasing her.

“what’s the point in asking me that when you don’t want to follow any traditions at all.?” She mocks.

Bang on reply!! I am not worried of the traditions. I am worried of how she is going to let me get cosy with her in future. And I can’t wait.


Her father calls from the living room asking Khushi to bring the Jalebis. She pushes me away and then quickly begins to collect the jalebis in a plate. Huh!! So the marriage is On? Unbelievable.!


To be Continued.

NEXT PART

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Standalone Enemies to Lovers Romance Novel

Jhanvi Sikand
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A Fight for dominance altered to War for Love. One war, Three Lives, Only Two could survive.

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