His Inconvenient Bride | ✔️

| xii: riddle |

The time passed so quickly that they didn't realise they had reached the Chauhan house. Like always, Aadya started blabbering, "If that douchebag husband of yours does something, let me know. I can teach him a lesson or two." She flicked her forefinger at Akanksha.

"Yes, Ma'am!" Akanksha comically bowed in front of her.

As she walked towards the main door, her phone chimed in with a message. She looked at her phone and saw that the owner of the message happened to be her elder sister, Anika. She tapped on the message that read, 'Before you go in your angry and freak out mode, just know that Maa and Papa arrived at your house this afternoon. She had called me just a few minutes ago. She said they had come for something 'important'. Just don't be surprised at their arrival. If anything happens, I am on your speed dial. Just be careful.'

Akanksha was shocked at the news of their arrival. Her happy mood immediately drained away. The last she had seen them was five years ago at Anika's wedding reception. They had barely spoken to each other. Even after all these years, she couldn't help but feel anxious. She rang the doorbell in hesitation, her heart hammering against her chest as she tried to maintain her calm. Shailaja opened the door to see her dear daughter all tired after a long time at the hospital.

"Come inside, dear. There's a special surprise for you." She ushered her inside.

Alas! Shailaja didn't know that Akanksha was already aware of the 'surprise'.

Naresh and Sneha were already sitting in the living hall, talking to Vikram. Vihaan and Viraaj were also present there. As soon as they saw Akanksha, both Naresh and Sneha got up from their seats and walked towards her.

Akanksha watched them approaching towards her, but she kept her gait casual with no hint of hesitation and anger. Her slender fingers pressed into the skin of her forearms, nails biting the layer of fine dust, drawing beads of blood. She could feel her body slightly shaking but maintained her calm. As Sneha was about to hug her, she stepped back, making them aware that she didn't forget anything.

"You are still upset, aren't you?" Naresh asked, his tone sounding low.

"No, I am not upset. I don't feel anything. You two don't exist for me," she blankly replied.

Naresh let out a dry chuckle. "Fair enough."

Vihaan observed her. She had the look of one with a soul intact yet hiding as a child may from monsters imagined or real. There is a way people look when they are well, truly well, and then there is the look and appearance of masking struggle, of putting on a brave face. Vihaan knew it was the latter. For the first time, he could see right through her soul. The conflict and the pain were easily visible. He wanted to help her.

When he met her parents, he didn't like them in the first place. There was some sort of façade, a layer which they weren't shedding off — adding to the fact that how they tricked her into this marriage amplified his dislike for them. He could scrutinise her expressions. He could apprehend how unhappy she was after meeting them. Yet, she did not want to disappoint his parents by disregarding them. He was surprised at how she managed to be strong after all she went through. After learning about her side of the truth, he started looking at her from a different angle, an angle where he wasn't judgemental.

That day when she had an outburst at him in the cabin, he was more surprised than angry. He understood that she had kept those feelings and thoughts locked for a long time, which she wasn't letting out. She had repressed her emotions very strongly. Her outburst had put him into thought. Was he bitter? Past experiences do make you bitter. Even though she had a bad experience, she was not bitter, or was she?

"Akanksha, why don't you take your parents up to your room? They wanted to talk to you about something important. You can talk there while I get the dinner ready," Shailaja said, bringing Vihaan out of his trance.