All Strings Attached

Chapter Eight

The affair is private, with the intentions of keeping the alliance under the wraps until the wedding itself, which is to be held in a month.

However, less than a week after our engagement, pictures of Dhushyanth and I surface in the news; an exclusive from Vishwanath's channel.

Dhushyanth halts his political campaign to come back to Hyderabad once the media begin to ask him more questions about me than his campaign.

His family determine that it may be for the best for him to stay home for the three weeks leading up to the wedding.

Mahendra uncle and Sarika aunty bring the two of us to a cottage-like house, hidden among the many trees in the stretch of land around it; an undoubtedly expensive property given the location. However, the house itself is a small standing of two floors, a single master bedroom with a walk-in closet, living room and a kitchenette upstairs and a maid quarters, an expansive kitchen and a bathroom downstairs.

"The wedding is in such short notice," he says, "and we think you would benefit from staying here for a while, just so you have your privacy."

I merely smile at him, refusing to look at Dhushyanth whatsoever.

"This is a guest house," Sarika aunty explains, "which is why there's only one room, but that should be okay, isn't it?"

"We don't need to live in a different house for privacy," Dhushyanth says, making me frown internally. Is no one going to ask for my opinion?

"We think you would both appreciate the privacy in the beginning periods of your marriage," Sarika aunty insists, "but obviously, if backyards and balconies are more your thing, we have those too."

The implied shade directed towards the leaked pictures is not lost on me, causing me to choke on my spit. Sarika aunty chuckles and rubs my back, and the driver is quick to run over with a packaged bottle of water.

I drink a sip of water from the bottle, and hold onto it, twisting the cap on and off as we walk around the house.

"Sita, have you met Dhruv and his girlfriend?" Mahendra uncle asks me.

I shake my head. "I've not met Dhriti, uncle," I let him know.

"She's a doctor," he tells me, "so you might not have had the chance to see her around, but all of you should definitely go out together sometime. She's a very sweet girl, Dhruv and her have been friends since school."

"Oh, that's really sweet," I comment, smiling.

"He wants to marry her as soon as possible," Sarika aunty elaborates, sitting down on a chair next to Mahendra uncle and motioning for Dhushyanth and I to sit on the other two.

So we're going to be here a while? How come no one thought it might be worth mentioning to me?

"Can you sit down for a bit?" Dhushyanth enquires in a whisper, making me jerk with surprise, effectively garnering his parents' attention. "I was just asking her if she has the time to sit down for a bit," he explains, his gaze directed towards his father who plainly looks at Dhushyanth.

Mahendra uncle looks at Dhushyanth for a second longer before looking away, without anything of a response. "Oh, right," Sarika aunt says apologetically, "do you have anywhere to be, Sita?"

"No, aunty," I answer, "I'm free for the evening."

"Wonderful," she comments, "we can have dinner and then Dhushyanth can drop you at home."

I look directly at Dhushyanth for the first time this evening, feeling like I should ask about his availability since he enquired of mine.

Dhushyanth nods. "I'm meeting Prashanth and Abhi afterwards," he says, "I can visit them after dropping you off."