The Wedding Investigation

Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE | A ROSEMARY MACARON

'Kindness is like sugar, it makes life taste sweeter.'

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Nandini is in the business of love.

It is a pretty good business when you think about it. Bright-eyed couples come to her, gushing with hope because they found someone they want to spend the rest of their lives with.

It isn't an easy job since it requires her to multitask on an entirely different level. She has to work long hours and display immense patience. She deals with emotional brides, traditional families, difficult vendors daily and yet, smiles at each and every one of her clients.

Her profession is stressful, but it is also extremely rewarding.

The joy that comes from making other people's dreams come true is unmatched. She loves the happiness that weddings bring, and the feeling of satisfaction when she sees the couple smile makes all the hard work worth it.

Besides, wedding planning is a growing industry and it pays well enough for her to pay for her brother's treatment and education.

However, there's one downside that is rarely spoken about.

Loneliness.

Her boyfriend of two years broke up with her because she was never available on weekends. This just made the whole process of witnessing love harder.

For a while, she had her best friend as support. They would laugh at all the cheesy things couples do. From Instagram selfies to cringe nicknames, everything was a meme for them.

Alas! Everything changed.

Because her best friend and the closest thing she has to family, Alya Saxena, decided to get married to her childhood buddy, Dhruv Vedant.

Imagine her shock when Alya rang her bell at two in the night and shoved a diamond-encrusted ring finger at her face. It was insane!

This wedding is of utmost importance for Nandini. Not only because Alya is the bride, but also because this wedding might be her gateway to success. It will be attended by many wealthy and influential people of the city, and Alya's mother has promised to help her build a network. After all, word-of-mouth advertising is the best way to get one's business out there. Isn't it?

Alya's mother, Mrs. Zara Saxena, is a nightmare to work with but she adores her daughter and will do anything for her happiness. The woman prides herself in polished etiquettes, a prerequisite for South Delhi's upper-class society, and is helping Nandini get comfortable with the same.

This morning, Nandini is headed to the most famous and, naturally, the most expensive bakery in the city to pick up sugar-free rosemary macarons.

Alya's aunt is diabetic. Unless they offer her an alternative to regular macarons, she'll cause unnecessary drama and blame Mrs. Saxena for being insensitive.

Nandini had learned very early in life that every family has some issues. It is in the best interest of everyone that she stays out of it. Besides, a couple of macarons won't disturb the wedding budget.

As Nandini entered the bakery, her phone rang. She clicked on the green button before holding it against her left ear as she searched her purse for the bakery coupon Alya had gifted her last week. They might be rich, but coupons were their life.

"Nandini, did you get those macarons?" Alya's tone matched every other bride on her engagement day, full of joy, excitement, and stress.

"Don't worry, I'm working on it," Nandini replied, reassuringly.