Chapter 9 :

Geetanjali's POV

"Welcome Mrs. Raichand. Please come inside", spoke the maid standing by the door.

I looked around to see more maids and servants standing in a line on either side of the door. Adhvik and I arrived in his mansion in Mumbai just a few minutes ago. The estate was vast, bearing a huge mesmerising garden with colorful flowers sprinkled all over. A fountain was there in the middle which glowed in the afternoon rays of summer. When his car was wheeling down the path from the main gate to the door, I took my time to admire the huge villa.

The villa was wide with a moderate height, its design intricately carved under the layers of off-white paint. Against the backdrop of the glowing afternoon sky, the mansion defined its own beauty. Everything about this place was beautiful, not a single thing missed out from the eyes of whoever designed this place. Despite the bustling city of Mumbai, his villa was built in a place far from the crowd and chaos. The sea was at a distance at the back of the villa because I had seen it while on the way here.

The huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling of the portico, its golden yellow, mixed with a hue of orange, was an enchanting sight to look at. It illuminated the whole villa's frontal part. As I said, everything was unexceptionally beautiful and peaceful.

Even the guest hall infront of me was huge with furniture made with a sense of royalty. The mansion from outside was white because the inner side had the color range of brown, beige, black, white and a bit of golden. Maybe it was just how his taste was.

"Show her, her room", I heard Adhvik speaking.

The maid, who was dressed in a maroon bodycon with white apron unlike the others, bowed to him before she looked at me, "Ma'am, I'm Minakshi, the head of the maids. I'll assist you whenever you need. Just give me a call." Her tone was very soft and silky, her posture was strong despite being a middle aged woman.

I nodded at her with a smile as she led me inside since he had already disappeared from there.

As we climbed up the stairs, I looked around to see the details of the villa. Everything was beautiful and elegant, creating a standard of their own.

I was pulled back to reality when the Ms. Minakshi stopped infront of me, as we faced a black wooden door with golden digital lock. She typed a password before the door clicked open and she pushed the door inside.

"You can go inside ma'am. The walk-in closet is on the right side and on the left is your washroom. Your properties have been put inside accordingly. You can call me through the landline number, using the telephone kept on the bedside stand. So I'll take my leave now, have a good rest", was all she spoke before I stepped inside and she left after bowing.

I was pleased at her kind and professional behaviour. After just locking the door without putting the password, I turned around and admired my room. It wasn't very bright but was just according to how I liked. Everything was simple and painted in brown with golden designing. I just liked it.

Since I was quite tired, I took off my saree and wore a black bathrobe kept on the bed before I went inside the washroom for a good long bath. Despite working under someone else, he loved like a king. He had everything, from luxury to fame to reputation, except a heart. His heart just pumped blood and kept him alive because other that, I haven't seen him making use of it in any other way.

During the whole shower time, even if I tried to relax, he was inside my mind. I couldn't get rid of his thoughts at all. Getting frustrated, I shortened my bathing time and came out before wearing a new set of lingerie and a black silk night suit.

After just combing my hair with my fingers, I sat down on my bed to dry up my hair under the fan. It was summer so my hair would dry up on its own since I don't opt for heat drying much. It ruins my hair.

To pass my time I opened instgram only to find a lot of comments on my recent post. I had just posted my reception pictures and everyone was assuming him and I were in love. They all were acting like we both looked so good. I scoffed before turning off my phone and tossed it on the bed. This added to my already burning heart.

I unbuttoned my shirt a bit so that it was buttoned till under my breasts. The bra clasp was irritating me so I tried to fix the strap when the door of my room burst open.

I looked up startled, my eyes wide in shock.

He was standing there, dressed in a black jersey and grey joggers. His wet hair was scattered over his forehead carelessly while his arm muscles flexed. He definitely looked hot, even if I shouldn't admit it.

He cleared his throat and I noticed how his eyes gave up and fell on my chest. Realization came crashing down on me as I quickly pulled the sides of my shirt and covered my chest, my cheeks heated up.

"Don't you know how to knock?", I hissed in annoyance even if my heart was bursting inside in embarrassment.

"There's a business party I'm throwing tomorrow. Be ready by six in the evening", was all that he spoke before shutting the door. I did notice his eyes flickering slightly before they took a quick glance at somewhere a little lower than my eyes. I wasn't surprised at how coldly he ignored my words. Rolling my eyes, I got up and half tied up my hair with a small claw clip before going downstairs.

I was hungry so there was definitely no reason to skip dinner.

•

As I stepped inside the dinner hall, taken aback by its intricate beauty. This was the third time I was impressed by his impeccable taste in furniture choosing and placing. His villa was no less than a castle belonging to a royal member.

The table was long enough to adjust ten people together. A wide range of dishes was placed on the table, too neatly placed in an adequate amount on cutlery sets that seemed too expensive.

I wasn't used to so much luxury even if my family had a good financial status.

I sat down on the seat one seat away from the head of the table on the right side. One of the maids appeared and started serving my food before I dug in.

The whole hall was silent, except the sound of crickets singing outside. It was still bright outside because sun sets in Mumbai very late in summers. The afternoon glow had illuminated the place embraced by solitude, it's warmness filled the pain of loneliness inside me. I didn't get married to have food on a huge table all alone, where no one would be there to even ask how I was feeling. I didn't get married to just hear the sound of spoons and forks clinking with each other and the sound of clock ticking.

I belonged to a middle class family where everyone would eat together, talk about their day and just have some chit chat while eating. Sometimes there'd be laughter and sometimes some serious discussion but atleast it won't be silent.

I looked down at my plate untouched. Reluctantly, I stabbed the fork on the piece of chicken served. I brought it to my mouth to atleast eat and save my empty stomach but I couldn't even get any taste of it. It felt so tasteless. Sighing in defeat, I touched the sides of the plate and touched my forehead followed by my chest with my hands thanking God for the food and asking for forgiveness that I couldn't make myself eat them. I can't eat without any will.

Getting up from the chair, I asked the maid standing nearby to bring me a glass of juice to my room and then I left.

I was climbing up the stairs when I saw him coming in my direction. Deciding to ignore him, I looked down at the stairs and walked past him silently, making my way to my room. Once I entered the room, I slammed the door close and slumped down in the bed.

My chest was feeling heavy so I didn't do anything and just kept lying on my chest, on the sink-in queen sized bed.

I was staring black at the headboard when a sudden knock was heard at the door. I got up from the bed and looked at the clock only to have my eyes widened.

It was just 6:15 a while ago when I had went for dinner and now it was past eight already? Have I already developed the overthinking disorder after marrying him?

Cursing him under my breaths, I walked over the door before opening it.

There stood a maid with a tray full of food and two glasses of juice and water on a tray. I looked up at her confused when she spoke, "Sir has sent you your dinner to your room ma'am. He had asked you to eat them."

I stilled on my place for a few seconds hearing her words.

Why would be do that?

"I don't need them. Please don't waste the food and distribute them among yourselves. I'll just take the glass of juice and water. Thank you", I replied politely, taking the glasses of juice and water before she bowed and took her leave. Closing the door behind me with my lower back, I walked over to the bed. Keeping the glass of water on the bedside stand, I drank the glass of juice and covered it before sitting down on my bed.

It's been three days since my marriage and yes, everything feels new but not good. Nothing feels good and something I'd like to experience, something I'd like to learn from and live through.

Stop it. Stop it already. I'm overthinking everything all over again.

I gulped down the glass of water and just laid down on the bed, not forgetting to turn of the lights. The curtains of the sliding glass doors on my right side were open, giving way to the moonlight to filter through.

It's soft glowing rays stepped inside my room, faintly illuminating room. The corners still remained in the dark but my body felt it's unspoken wamrness. I just kept staring at the ceiling blankly, recalling all the moments I had with him.

None of them were romantic or something to remember as a good memory. Even if I try, I can't find anything good in them. Everything is already ruined at the very start, then what about the days in the far future? Or is there even any future?

I don't know.

Two years rolled down my temples while my face remained blank. When the pain is excruciating, a person forgets how to epxress and becomes numb. Just like how I was.

Wiping them off, I kept twisting and turning on the bed till I unknowingly embraced sleep.

•

2 September, Monday, 2024

6:30 a.m.

I woke up to the knockings on my door. I used to sleep till a bit late at my parents' house so abruptly changing the routine was a bit tough for me.

I sat up on the bed before streching my body and tied up my hair. Getting down the bed I straightened my clothes and walked over to the door of open it.

The door opened revealing Ms. Minakshi, "Good morning ma'am." She greeted with her warm radiant smile.

I smiled in response and nodded, "Good morning Ms. Minakshi."

"Ma'am your breakfast has been prepared. You can come downstairs to have it with sir if you want to. I'm sorry if I disturbed your sleep", she spoke with worry etched to her face.

I shook my head, "No no you didn't disturb me. I'm coming in half an hour. I need to bathe."

She smiled and was about to leave when I interrupted, "Ms. Minakshi, can I put a request?"

"Yes sure ma'am. You don't need to request", she replied.

"I feel really uncomfortable in calling you by your first name even if I add a formality before it. You're older than me so I don't prefer you calling me ma'am. Just use my name", I spoke slowly, so I don't make her uncomfortable. I placed my words in such a way that she'd have to agree and in that way, we both would respect each other according to our age.

"Oh—but sir might not like that", she replied hesitantly.

"No he won't mind. Just call me Geetanjali because you're as old as my aunt so in that sense, you should call me like I'm your daughter", I replied witha smile trying to ease her tensed figure. And I succeeded. Her figure automatically relaxed slightly at my words.

"Okay then. I'll call you Geetanjali from now on, just how I'd have called my daughter", she replied with a smile. But I noticed it was flickering.

"Why? Don't you have a daughter, aunty?", I asked worried.

"No. Actually I'm divorced because after marriage it was found that my husband was infertile but his family was patriarchal so blamed me for it. So I never got married again", she replied with a sorrowful smile.

This society was something that would do anything which wasn't at all logical or plausible but they'd be the first one to argue and consider it right when some raises their voice against it. Those orthodoxical and patriarchal minded people do nothing other than hampering the freedom of women and their growth. Such a nuisance.

I smiled at her in pain, "I'm sorry for your misfortune."

"No it's not your fault. Don't be sorry. I'll take my leave now, come down quickly for breakfast, Geetanjali", she spoke with a sweet smile before taking her leave.

Closing the door, I went to take bath and refresh my mind.

Half an hour later, I emerged from the bathroom all fresh and set. While my wet hair carelessly fell down on my shoulders, cascading down my back with water drops dripping at their own speed, I had just a white towel wrapped around my body. I walked over to the vanity and wore my mangalsutra before applying sindoor on my hairline.

I won't deny that I looked very different and somehow beautiful with that vermillion in my hairline.

I turned around to move towards my bed when the door opened revealing my dear husband who wasn't used to respect privacy. He was so into his words 'I don't take you as my wife' that he had completely forgotten that I live here too and he can't barge in like that.