𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍

♡7♡

Rudra and Adhya stepped onto the lawn, greeted by their waiting family. Together, they sought blessings from the elders before proceeding to the dining table for breakfast.

"We missed you, bhabhi," Arohi exclaimed, clutching Adhya's hand as they walked. Adhya reciprocated the sentiment, rubbing noses with Arohi, eliciting a smile from her.

As they all settled at the table, the butlers began serving. When a butler approached Rudra, Adhya intercepted, insisting on serving him herself. In the Rathod household, it was customary for the queen to serve the king, a tradition Rudra upheld diligently. In Adhya's absence, his mother would fulfill this duty. Once Rudra was served, Adhya took her place beside him, on his left.

"Jaise ki sabko pata hain, Krishna Ashtami aa rahi hain," (As everyone knows, Krishna Ashtami is coming)Kalyani Dadi announced, capturing everyone's attention.

"Ji maa, aap bilkul chinta mat kijiye. Iss baar bhi hum sab badi dhum dham se manayenge," reassured Anamika (Choti Maa), earning agreement from Shruti (Maa) as well.

"Haa, bilkul, par iss baar saari taiyari ki zimmedari Adhya pe hogi,"  (Sure, this time Adhya will be responsible for all the preparations)declared Kalyani, directing her gaze towards Adhya.

The room fell into stunned silence at Kalyani's words. It was unexpected, as Kalyani Singh Rathore was known to harbor dislike towards Adhya. She had never entrusted Adhya with significant responsibilities before, believing her to be imperfect for the family, particularly for Rudra. Despite her opposition, Adhya had still become queen, a decision Kalyani had vehemently opposed. But Rudra, aware of his grandmother's intentions, had disregarded her objections every time.

Adhya had consistently proved herself worthy over the past year, yet she always seemed to fall short in impressing Kalyani Singh Rathore. Despite her repeated efforts, Adhya couldn't seem to win over her grandmother-in-law's approval. When Kalyani asked Adhya if she would handle the upcoming Krishna Ashtami preparations, Adhya agreed with a tinge of uncertainty, casting a quick glance at her husband, Rudra.

"Kyun Adhya, karoge na?" (Why Adhya, will you do it )Kalyani inquired with an extra sweet smile, her tone masking any hint of skepticism.

"Ji," (yes)Adhya replied obediently, though her gaze lingered on Rudra for reassurance.

"Toh theek hai, saari taiyari acche se karna. Mera kuch khaas dost bhi aane wale hain," (Okay then, make all the preparations well. Some special friends of mine are also coming) Kalyani ordered, implying the importance of the task at hand as she mentioned the arrival of some special guests.

Kailash, observing his wife's expression, understood that she must be plotting something in her not-so-stupid brain. He couldn't comprehend why Kalyani harbored such dislike towards Adhya, especially considering that Adhya had been his choice. He had even resorted to blackmailing Rudra into marrying her. Now, as he observed Adhya and Rudra together, he felt a sense of satisfaction.

After Kalyani departed, the rest of the family gradually dispersed, leaving only Adhya, Rudra, and Kailash (Dadu) behind in the room. The atmosphere was tense with anticipation, as they awaited the next move in Kalyani's grand scheme.

"Dadu," Adhya whined, her eyes widening into a pleading expression as she flashed her best attempt at puppy eyes, her lips curved downward into a mock pout.

In response, Kailash couldn't help but grin mischievously, his eyes twinkling with amusement at Adhya's antics.

"Kya hua?" (What happened)Kailash asked, feigning seriousness as he addressed his younger daughter-in-law.

"Kya kya hua, yeh dadi kya plan kar rahi hain?" (What's happening? What plans is dadi making?)Adhya responded, her chin resting on her hands as she leaned forward, curiosity evident in her voice.