Chapter 6 :

Adhvik's voice

I stood there motionlessly with my arm still around her waist. As the woman approached us and stood infront of us, I clenched my jaws.

"Good evening Adhvik", she greeted in her silky tone, a wide smile plastered to her face. I glanced at Geetanjali who was staring at the unknown woman infront of her in confusion.

"Geetanjali, this is Raina Goenka. My friend", I introduced that woman unwillingly. It was a very awkward situation to introduce my ex-girlfriend to my wife.

Raina looked at Geetanjali and extended her hand for a handshake, "Hi, I'm Raina Goenka, a supermodel by profession. Nice to meet you Mrs. Raichand."

Geetanjali nodded with a smile but I did notice a flicker in her smile. She must've recognised Raina now because on our engagement day those sh!tty reporters had talked about her.

I sighed internally.

"Nice to meet you Ms. Goenka", she replied smoothly in return, joining her hands, politely refusing the handshake. She had a very fluent American accent.

"I can say that you're quite beautiful. I didn't expect my boyfriend to find such a traditional woman tho", replied Raina, in a mocking tone. I clenched my jaws while looking away because I knew she'd trigger me like that. Because afterall, I didn't marry her and she couldn't bear the rejection. Thanks to my parents for making me marry someone else instead of Raina.

"Ms. Goenka, please have food before leaving. We need to attend the other guests so please excuse us", I replied and walked past her with Geetanjali. I noticed that she was unexceptionally quiet and I couldn't understand what actually happened to her. But I decided to let go of it for now.

Cutting through the crowd, I walked over to some of my business partners.

•

8:45 p.m.

Geetanjali's POV

I was hell of lot tired after attending the guests and talking to his family. I wasn't irritated and annoyed because of his family but that woman named Raina. She had got on my nerves.

It was really very embarrassing to talk to her because calling her ex her boyfriend infront of his wife was too unprofessional. Moreover, he didn't even deny her. It did hurt me because he did nothing to reject her words. It indirectly humiliated me and infuriated me. Even though I didn't confront him there, he can't escape now.

I took off the veil and kept it on the vanity chair before taking off all the hairpins.

Ah! Finally it feels like I've taken off all the thorns pricking my skull. I sighed in relief before I took my time to set my hair free. Combing it properly, I let it stay open so I proceeded to take off the pins from my pallu.

I didn't want to take off the beautiful saree but at the same time I wanted to because I was very tired. I took off the necklace and the earrings before keeping them in the vanity table to let them get rid of the sweat before I keep them inside a box.

I was about to take off the pallu when the door of the room slammed open, revealing my husband.

I eyed his physique up and down.

He looked annoyed. His coat was in his hand, the first few buttons of the shirt were undone and the sleeves were rolled up. His hair was quite wet maybe because of sweat.

I was looking at him, anger bubbling inside my chest remembering what he had done at the party.

His eyes suddenly met mine. I felt my heart skipping a beat suddenly because of the abrupt eye contact. But I remained unmoved.

Throwing the coat on the couch nearby, he walked over to the bed and lied down, closing his eyes afterwards.

I turned around to face him as I folded my hands against my chest. Staring at him blankly, I spoke up, "Can you get up for a while Adhvik?"

He opened his eyes, turned his head to look at me and raised his right eyebrow.

"I asked you to get up", I repeated my words calmly despite his nonchalant and arrogant behaviour.

He sat up on the bed and looked up at me, resting his hands behind him on the bed supporting his body.

"What is it?", he asked.

I clenched my jaws once before speaking up, "Are you aware of what you did at the reception party?"

He just stared at me blankly in response.

"I asked you something"

"A lot of things happened at the party. Could you put some efforts and clear it up?", he asked calmly, standing up on his feet.

"You are married now and it's your duty to deny the words by your ex when they disrespect your wife. There she called you her boyfriend and all you did was walk away. Is that a good way?", I asked trying to calm down my annoyed nerves.

He stared at me blankly as if I spoke something useless.

"Why do you care?", he asked finally and trust me, his audacity to ask that needs to be praised.

I scoffed, "What? Are you for real? You're asking why I care? I didn't sign any contract of getting myself disrespected and that too by my husband's ex. So you should stand up for me and not just walk away."

"Oh really? Do you think I can just roam around asking her not to disrespect you and cause some drama there? Did you look at the media?", he asked walking near me.

"What the hell are you speaking? You care about your fame over your wife?", I, this time, raised my voice. It was just the first day after our marriage and now only we're arguing. Such a responsible husband I've got.

"Yes I care about my reputation and why are you making a fuss about all these?," he too raised his voice this time.

I scoffed, "I'm making a fuss about it? Me? I was just asking for my rights. I was asking you to stand for your wife and you call this a fuss? Are you fucking serious?," I yelled at him in anger.

"Shut up. Just cut this nonsense. Listen, listen to me carefully Ms. Manyavar," he spoke, taking two steps closer to me till our faces were just a few inches away. His eyes were red, his breaths ragged and his veins were too prominent on his forehead and neck. It hurt me when he called me by my initial surname which my parents had given me. He didn't even think how I'd feel.

"I never wanted this marriage. I never wanted to get married and even if I did, I wanted to marry a modern woman and not a traditional one like you. I don't consider you my wife so don't you dare act like one. Just don't involve yourself in infidelity and keep the name of Raichand family. Don't you dare get involved in my life. Just stay the fuck away from me. Got it Ms. Manyavar?," he spoke in a warning tone; each and every syllable was crystal clear. He looked too furious to speak anything for nonsense.

But whatever he said, tore something inside me.

I already had my respect shattered there at the party and now my heart too. It was just the starting of my married life but it was already nearing its end. Why do I always have to suffer? I couldn't marry whom I loved and whom I married doesn't even consider me as his wife.

Should I laugh at my fate or cry at my misery?

I hadn't expected much but at least didn't expect my husband to deny me as his wife.

Why did he marry me then?

"Then why did you even marry me?", I asked, dazed.

"I did because I had to. My family was forcing me," his answer was straightforward.

"Then you could've told me you didn't want to marry me", I yelled again in fury. So many emotions were stirring inside me that I felt like stabbing my chest and breaking my head. I was hurt, furious, upset and what not. Where I should've been happy, I was crying.

"I'm not your servent to answer your questions. Just keep your mouth shut and keep doing your business," was all that he said before storming out of the room.

The moment the door closed, I fell down on the ground on my knees. It was hurting too bad that my tears didn't want to stop at all. I was expecting atleast a proper married life but all I could see now was darkness.

I was trapped in a baseless marriage. I was trapped in a marriage where my husband hadn't wanted me as his wife at the first place, forget about considering me his wife. I was trapped in such a trap that had no escape. I can divorce him but this society would kill me if I do.

Zinda hi maar denge mujhe.

(They'll kill me alive)

I stood up on my feet and turned towards the bed. The bed was beautifully decorated with rose petals and fairy lights. It looked too romantic to fit my married life. The heart made of petals was ruined because he had slept on them a while ago.

Gritting my teeth, I wiped off my tears and walked over to my suitcases placed at the corner of the room. Taking out my clothes, I walked out of the room and searched for a guest room. I can't stay in a room where everything laid shattered and stained—my relationship with my husband and my self respect. That place held too many bad memories made in just one night. And I don't want to get tortured anymore for now.

I'll never sleep together with him. Never.

I took the room at the far end of the hallway. I came across a maid so I asked her to clean out the room for me to use in the morning and put my things in their places. I requested her not to tell anyone about it.

I then took a long cold bath, trying to calm down my mind and streaming tears. I was crying like a madwoman. Even my cheeks were stinging because I was wiping off the tears with too much force. Still not caring about anything, I took my time before wearing my cotton night dress and went to bed.

I didn't know when I fell asleep while crying.

If not good memories, the bad would atleast give me tears to help me go to sleep.

•

1 September, Sunday, 2024

5:45 a.m.

I woke up to the loud sound of my phone's alarm. It was blaring like a truck horn which directly affected my aching head. I reached out for the device on the left side of the bed. Taking it in my hand, I turned off the alarm and sat up on the bed.

"Fvck! It hurts so bad," I groaned massaging my temples. I was crying too much so maybe that's why it was paining that bad.

I looked at the time on my phone before getting my legs down the bed. I untangled my messed up hair and stood up on my feet. Taking the phone in my hand, I walked over to the door. At first I slowly unlocked it and peeked out to see if there was someone in the hallway.

Seeing it clear, I walked out and entered his room. The room was near and clean to my greatest relief. Just 24 hours ago I was nervous and slightly excited about my first night and now, I was praying to God to not let me cross my paths with him.

I took out a dark pink saree with lightly designed borders. It had a quarter sleeve blouse which was perfect for a newly wedded bride. Even though all these meant nothing to me now, his family didn't know about the argument so I'll need to act like a happy wife.

Keeping the set on the bed, I took off my mangalsutra and the gold bangles before keeping them on the saree. Then I went to take bath.

I was doing everything reluctantly but I had no choice.

Had I known that this was coming, I wouldn't have said yes to him. Even the morning didn't feel like a morning today.

•

6:15 a.m.

I came out of the bathroom after taking a proper bath to keep myself calm. I wasn't surprised to see all my skincare, beauty and makeup products, clothes, sandals, jewelries and accessories all arranged in the walk-in closet. I knew the maids would do that anyways since I had asked them to.

So I just simply applied moisturizer on my body and cream on my face before I picked up a square box designed with crystals and small mirrors.

Opening the lid, I stared at the bright red powder.

Sindoor holds a very important part in a married woman's life. It reminds her of her new responsibilities and a whole new atmosphere. It reminds her of the vows she had taken with her husband in her wedding. It reminds of the fact that she needs to adjust with a new family and call it her own. To some, it reminds of the special bond between her and her husband and to some it reminds of the new bond she has with her husband and both needs to work on it to make it work and feel special.

But what about me?

What importance does this vermillion hold for me?

I have nothing to remember except his harsh and piercing words from yesternight. Those words were still ringing inside my head. But his family was here so I can't avoid it.

Reluctantly, I took a pinch of vermillion and filled my hairline. That bright red color gives a different glow to a woman's beauty. She looks too beautiful with that powder on her hairline. But to me, it felt like a shackle after the mangalsutra.

I walked over to the bed and picked up the mangalsutra before silently wearing it and got ready for my pehli rasoi. I wore everything along with a new pair of anklets my mother had given me. Putting my wet hair behind me, I got ready to go downstairs.

He hadn't even showed up for once. Doesn't he care what his family would ask about his absence right after his marriage?

I sighed and walked downstairs shrugging off the thoughts. He has asked me not to act like his wife so I won't answer his family about why he was absent. It was his duty.

I, at first, walked out of the mansion through the kitchen door with a small copper pot filled with water in my hand, to the back garden. Putting the pallu over my head, I looked up at the sun and held out my hands in its direction. As I poured the water towards the ground, I chanted the surya mantra before placing my some wishes at the Surya God's feet.

After I was done, I did the Tulsi puja because luckily, there was a beautiful Tulsi tree planted infront of the white temple. His grandmother must've got this mesmerizing white temple built here. The place looked so sacred and peaceful that

I couldn't resist the urge to perform a nice pooja. Atleast it'd give me some peace.