~•} C H A P T E R|3 {•~
It was almost dawn when the marriage of Vardhaan and Ishani was completed. A marriage that was not accepted by either of them.
The vidaai ritual was to be held in the morning.
It was almost 10 a.m. when the Rathores reached the Rathore Palace with their four daughters-in-law this time.
After completing a few rituals, Ishani stepped inside but her mind was swirling with different thoughts which were scaring her.
"Ruhanika take Ishani to a guestroom," Gayatri demanded as the reception was in the evening and Ishani needed rest before that.
"Ji dadiji," Ruhanika mumbled and told Ishani to follow her.
They both were strolling in the huge corridors and Ishani was watching everything with wide eyes as her eyes weren't used to these luxurious decors.
Ruhanika noticed this and told,
"Don't stare at the decorations like you haven't seen this previously,"
Ishani found her remark quite rude and sighed as she already started despising the family members.
Ruhanika was well aware that maybe she came out as harsh but this was for Ishani's good. The memory of her first day in this house when even she was looking at all this as a fool and then Bhavna snapped regarding this harshly in front of all the servants was the most humiliating thing, anyone will undergo on their first day.
Perhaps getting snapped by her was better than all that right?
Tugging at Ishani's hand, Ruhanika pulled her into the guest room which was no less than a luxury for a middle class and too plain for Rathores.
Ishani was awestricken seeing the beautiful room, the walls were white, and the interior golden. It was just too much for a girl who lived in a 2bhk apartment.
What else did I expect from The Rathores! Ishani thought.
"Ishani in evening designer will come with your dress and makeup artist will reach around 4 pm to make you ready for the reception. Till then take a rest." Ruhanika instructed and left the room, closing the door behind.
"Huh, take a rest" Ishani mimicked and rolled her eyes, not liking the fact that someone ordered her.
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Naina gazed at her husband who was currently sleeping on the bed, being exhausted from yesterday's events.
Unknowingly a smile crept on her lips looking at his frown even in his sleep.
His frown won't leave him even when he is asleep.
She chuckled at her thought.
Though this frown only added to his charm.
Slowly she brushed the hair which was falling on his forehead and planted a kiss on his temple...
}}}}}•{{{{{
It was almost 5 pm and Ruhanika inspected that everything and everyone was ready or not.
She made sure that everyone would be ready before 5 pm after all she doesn't want to listen to another taunt on her incapability. But the only problem here was Yuvraj, her so-called husband who wasn't back from work yet.
God knows why can't he stay away from work for even a day!
She thought annoyed as they need to reach the venue before 6 pm.
"Where is Yuvraj?" Gayatri's voice boomed through the halls.
"He isn't home yet?" This time asked Bhavna.
"It was your responsibility to make him come earlier today!" Bhavna screeched.
What is he, a child?
Ruhanika wished she could voice out her thoughts loud but oh, she couldn't.
Her life was already dramatic enough, she didn't need more drama at all.
"Call him and say to come soon," Gayatri demanded.
Ruhanika's lips twitched in annoyance at their accusations. They didn't even let her defend herself! Though what would she have said that she told their son to come soon in the morning to which he didn't even reply?
Sighing she went towards her room and clutched her phone in confusion
that should she call him or not?
Releasing an annoyed sigh she decided to call her so-called sweetest husband.
The ring was going on but he wasn't picking up the call. She dialed his no. two times and just when she was about to give up a deep voice echoed in her eardrums, "Who is this?"
Goosebumps rose on her skin and gulping the lump in her throat she replied, "Yuvraj Ji I am... Ruhani-"
Before she could even complete, he snapped, annoyed by the disturbance caused in his work.
"Why the hell are you calling me right now?"
"Mummyji is asking for you constantly. At what time will you come back?"
"I will come back when I will feel like,"
With this, the line on the other side went dead making Ruhanika's shoulder slump in defeat and relief.
Ruhanika went downstairs and told them that he didn't pick up the phone and it was followed by another set of taunts which she royally ignored.
Now it was 5:30 pm and Yuvraj wasn't back yet.
"Ruhanika we need to reach the venue before 6 pm and Yuvraj isn't back yet so we are leaving along with Yuvika. You and Yuvraj will come together, " Gayatri announced and Ruhanika nodded her head.
Soon everyone left leaving Ruhanika alone.
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It was half-past seven when Yuvraj reached his home. The guards opened the door for him hastily.
Yuvraj exhaustedly threw his coat on the sofa in the hall. He was going towards his room when his sight fell on the couch where a sleeping Ruhanika laid.
Yuvraj groaned in irritation and moved towards the room they shared. He closed the door with a thud making her awake with the loud sound.
Ruhanika took deep breaths to calm herself down while muttering incoherent words under her breath.
After some time Yuvraj came down decked up in his usual business suit.
This man doesn't have money to purchase anything else other than this,
Ruhanika thought.
"Why were you waiting for me?"
"I didn't have a choice,"
She answered almost immediately wanting him to know that she wasn't playing a dutiful wife by any means.
"From the next time, there is no need to wait for me. Get that?"
"Tell this to Dadiji not me," her tone was sharp as she rebuked, done with his nonsense already.
Yuvraj fisted his hand tightly at her reply.
"Don't you dare talk to me like that again," He roared and she felt a lump forming in her throat.
Sometimes she felt overwhelmed by all this and wanted to run back to her safe place, her home.
Oh, only if she could.
Glaring towards her for the last time, he moved towards the parking area where his collection of cars were preserved. He had a huge collection of cars as he was obsessed with collecting cars, from vintage models to the recent ones, he had every car in his collection.
Ruhanika followed him silently, not wanting a retelecast of the previous argument.
The car ride was a pin drop silent as Yuvraj was never fond of music. It was just a waste of time, for him.
Music, a word which was enough to curve a delightful smile on Ruhanika's lips.
At the time they reached the venue it was already eight in the night. The place was crowded with high-class society guests who were busy talking with each other.
But Ruhanika's eyes were only searching for two people inside. She hoped that Rathores would have invited them.
Her eyes lit up seeing the lady who was wearing a simple silk saree and a man who was wearing a simple kurta pajama. Rapidly she moved towards them with her high heels as fast she could, not caring a bit about what people or her in-laws would think.
She threw her hands around the lady and hugged the life out of her whispering only one thing "Mami".
That lady hugged her back with the same enthusiasm and patted her back while a tear fell from Ruhanika's eyes feeling the motherly affection after so long. Her uncle too gave her a fatherly hug after her aunt left her. It had been six long months since she last visited them and that was during her vidaai.
Ruhanika's parents died when she was 10 years old in a car accident. Since then she and her younger brother Ruhan shifted into her mama and mami (uncle and aunt) house. Unlike the tv serials mama-mami, her mama-mami were so sweet and welcoming who never let her and her brother feel like they were not their children. Though they didn't have their biological kids.
Soon Yuvika too came there searching for her mother and as soon she saw all of them, she jumped into Ruhanika's aunt, Vrinda's arms and started her blabbering to which Vrinda happily heard.
"Ruhi, you are happy with Yuvraj right?" Her uncle asked to which Ruhanika started her lies about 'how great her husband Yuvraj Ji is'.
Yuvraj who was seeing all this felt a tiny pinch of guilt in his heart but shrugged it off thinking,
I am giving her everything, name, fame and money.
And he couldn't give her more. He wasn't capable to give her more than this and he made sure she was aware of this on the first day of the marriage itself.
From far away a man was watching all this with a glass of whisky in his hand, his piercing gaze focussed on Ruhanika's smiling figure...
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Raina looked at her husband who was talking with her father who was also his business partner.
She groaned inwardly at her father's sugar-coated talks which were solely focused on expanding business, no doubt he was a successful businessman.
Only if he was a perfect father too,
"Where is Naina, beta?" a high-pitched sweet voice asked and Raina snorted in mind at her so-called
step-mom. Raina was usually the soft-spoken person but when it comes to her dad and step-mom, doesn't know why the softness vanishes.
"She must be with Aadarsh bhaiya mom," Raina replied curtly.
"Okay beta," her mom hugged her over affectionately, making her sigh.
Just after her stepmom and dad left, a man came forward with a whisky in his hand.
Raina saw that the vein on Aakarsh's forehead popped out, indicating that he was getting angry.
That was one thing which Raina feared the most, his anger.
Aakarsh took a glass of whiskey from the tray, a waiter was carrying.
"How are you Aakarsh, all good?" That stranger asked to which Aakarsh harshly replied, "As long as you and your family are away from us we are good, Vikram Singhania." to which that stranger laughed.
"So the Rathores are now scared of Singhanias?"
"Nah. After all, the goa's land deal is now ours and I enjoyed your brother Udgam's grim face. So sad... Give him my condolences."
Instantly Vikram Singhania's face morphed into that of anger and he left from there not before saying, "Don't fly too high Aakarsh, who knows what will happen tomorrow,"
Raina blinked at the scene infront wanting to know more about their oh so visible enmity with the Singhanias but she wasn't in a place to question Aakarsh given the dynamics between them.
The thought of Aakarsh made her fly back in times when she agreed to the marriage happily...
Only if she wouldn't have then things would have been a lot better...
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It was quarter-past eleven when The Rathores reached their Rathore Palace.
"Raina, please take Ishani to Vardhaan's room," Bhavna told and went inside her room.
Raina gave Ishani a sweet smile which Ishani reciprocated. Finally, Ishani felt like someone in this family was decent.
Raina started short conversations with Ishani and Raina being a soft-hearted person instantly made her place in Ishani's good books.
They reached Vardhaan's room, it was like his personality, a combination of dark blue and cream.
Looking at the room which was decorated with flowers and candles, Raina couldn't help but dive into two months back, on her wedding night with Aakarsh...
~Flashback~
Raina entered into an elegantly decorated room of Aakarsh Rathore, it was their wedding night.
She couldn't help but admire the black and white combination room.
She sat down on the bed, waiting for her husband. Her cheeks tinted red due to shyness as she couldn't believe that she got married to her longtime crush, THE AAKARSH RATHORE.
Though their marriage was fixed by their parents to strengthen their business. And like this, she and her unidentical twin got coupled to two other unidentical twin brothers, Aakarsh and Aadarsh.
But still, she was glad that her father came with this proposal, after all The Rathores were the fascinations of thousand girls.
She heard footsteps and in some moments, Aakarsh entered the room.
But he wasn't like she imagined him to be on their first night. He was drenched in sweat, his boxing gloves still on and his eyes were red in wrath.
And now she wished to run far away from him.
Aakarsh turned towards her, the vein between his forehead throbbing due to uncontrollable rage,
"Get off from my bed!"
"But Aak-"
"I said GET. OFF. FROM. MY. BED. you bloody woman!"
Hastily Raina got out of HIS bed listening to his scream.
"Who the hell permitted you to sit on my bed without MY permission!" his voice was harsh.
"Aakarsh we are married now so-" her voice was shaky.
"This was just a fucking business deal which I had to sign due to my father. Do you hear that, THIS WAS JUST A FUCKING DEAL!" He roared banging his hand on the nearby table.
"But Aakarsh the 'this' you are talking about is our marriage. And marriages can't be a deal..." her voice breaking in at the end, her eyes clouded with tears that threatened to fall.
"And THIS MARRIAGE IS JUST A DEAL TO COMBINE OUR COMPANIES. Do you get that?" He yelled like a maniac.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" Raina asked with a hurtful voice.
"Oh please first of all stop this bloody waterfall, it pisses me off. And secondly that I HATE WOMEN. I repeat, I HATE WOMEN. So why will I keep this specie near me?" his voice sharper was than a knife.
It made her realise the tears has finally fallen and she wiped them away not wanting to look weak eventhough she felt broken from inside.
She already was a lot scared to get married given her parents marriage. But still, she gave it a chance and now...
"You shouldn't have married me then," she whispered, her voice coming sharp.
And the next thing she knew was that she was cornered into a wall. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest.
"You are just a gold-digger, my dear, nothing else." His voice was low and deep.
"I won't ever accept you as my wife. In front of my family, we are a couple but inside my room, you are my tenant whom I am allowing to sleep on my couch. But you will pay me rent coz I don't like to do social s
ervice." His lips tugged into a devilish smirk.
"What?" She gasped shocked by his statement.
"Yep, Now let's discuss few rules...
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