Redemption of Royals (Royal #1: Book 3) | ✔

21

To announce her arrival, Taranya clears her throat. The two women lift their heads, and a pleasant smile takes up the older woman's face. The other woman looks stiff, almost uncomfortable. Taranya squints her eyes to look keenly. She has seen the other woman before. She can't recall where. But she has.

"Hi, I'm Natasha. Your wedding designer."

Taranya shakes hands with her.

"I'm Niharika." The other woman stretches her hand forward.

Taranya blinks, taken aback due to the abrupt face-off. She did not expect to meet her here. Or to meet her at all.

"Taranya," they shake hands, and then pull away in discomfort. Fortunately, Natasha is extroverted enough to quell the awkward air as she diverts the women's attention towards her wide variety of designs. Her exuberant nature keeps them occupied for the next fifteen minutes.

"These colors were personally selected by Mr. Rajawat."

Taranya can tell. All she can see is white and purple, with a few goldens, blues and greens thrown here and there. But white dominates.

"He also helped us with your measurements so we saved a lot of time." She continues.

Taranya squirms in her seat. She feels Niharika stiffen beside her. But the women don't glance at each other, determined to keep it neutral.

"He wishes you wear green for sangeet, purple for mehendi and white for haldi. He wants to match his outfits accordingly." She chuckles. "I swear to God, I've been in this business for over thirty years, but I've never seen a groom being so much involved in his own wedding. Typically, they let the woman make the decisions and go along with whatever they're told to do. But Mr. Rajawat is genuinely looking forward to every ritual and ceremony."

Taranya forces a smile on her face.

"Please come over and choose what you want to wear." Natasha invites her excitedly.

"Excuse me, I've to make a call." Niharika gets up and walks out briskly.

Taranya stares at her retreating back. What must have compelled this woman to include herself in the wedding preparations of the man she likes and the woman who replaced her?

"Miss. Chauhan?"

Taranya nods and gets up from the couch, flattening her black bodycon dress before she walks up to the aisles. "Did he choose any particular outfits?"

"Of course, he did!" Natasha goes on to show the options he shortlisted for their wedding ceremonies.

"We'll go with what he chose." Taranya smiles.

"Oh, he'd be so happy!" Natasha gushes. "I advise you try them on so we know if any alterations are necessary or not." And she plucks out the outfits from their hangers, stuffing the heavy dresses in the arms of Juyi who almost stumbles with all the weight thrust so abruptly on her. "Go," she encourages.

Taranya walks to the empty room on the ground floor and Juyi helps her put on the first outfit. It fits her perfectly. Shourya did a good job guessing her measurements. As if he went through her wardrobe himself to note them down. She hopes not. That'd be creepy.

"You look so beautiful," Juyi compliments with such honesty her eyes sparkle in awe.

Taranya smiles genuinely this time. "Thanks."

They show the fitting to Natasha. She squeals with so much enthusiasm it startles the Princess and her personal attendant.

"So gorgeous! But," She walks ahead and changes the styling of dupatta better. "Yes, now it's perfect. You might as well keep it on. Your make up team will be arriving any minute. The function starts in the evening right?"