TERE AA JANE SE

Ch 15 forcefully marriage !

While he hastily takes the car keys from him and gets inside the car furiously. And soon gripping over the steering wheel tightly from one hand while from the other hand he inserts the key and turns it, starting the engine.

With a screeching sound the car moved forward and soon disappeared from the pavement of Raizada Mansion to the main road. As the whirl of wind passes by his car and he moves forward, Ahil navigates the roads with urgency, grappling with the persistent question of why his life seemed entangled with materialistic women. Recollections of Aakriti surfaced in front of his eyes, a girl who had merely sought him for financial gain. Now, he couldn't shake the feeling that this new prospect harboured similar motives and he himself agreed for that.

Busy contemplating, he angrily grits his teeth and declares, "That's precisely why I harbour a deep-seeded hatred for the entire female gender, and this animosity will never wane. Even if the world's most beautiful girl were to kneel at my feet."

The truth was, after Aakriti, he despised all women except for his mother and sisters. Driving, he suddenly found himself on the same Delhi road where, six months ago, he had collided with an innocent girl. He halted the car, gazing intently at the road, and suddenly, every moment seemed as if it had just unfolded. Reflecting on that girl in his cloud of memories, he silently mused, "She was truly innocent. But where could she be now? The same place where I left her? Should I go there?" With these thoughts, he steered his car onto the road where he had dropped her off.

Arriving in the colony, he realised he neither knew her surname nor her proper address. A twinge of regret filled his heart—what if he had asked for her name? What if, instead of leaving her on the roadside, he had taken her to her doorstep? Perhaps today, that girl could have been of great help to him. Regretting not taking a different path, he wondered if he could have avoided entering into a transactional marriage like this.

Sighing heavily with a defeated heart he drives back to the lane of his office.
____________

The next day

In Hiya's brother's House

The small store room-like room with minimal old furniture, curtains and sheets was covered with disdain. Hiya confronted the bridal attire placed before her, on her bed with all the rest of things a bridal needs to get ready. However, the joy that typically accompanies a girl about to become a bride was conspicuously absent from Hiya countenance. While her sister-in-law's demeanour soured at the sight of Raha's precious garments and jewellery. She was envious of Hiya and her luck as she pondered that if an opportunity like this wouldn't have presented itself, she would have never allowed Hiya to slip away from her hands. A full time free maid with low maintenance and adjustment with minimal provided things is a liability she is reluctant to give up on.

No worries… let's see the good part and focus on the money she will benefit me with. And also after the divorce she will surely be back. So, I'll just adjust till then, her sister-in-law mumbles to herself brushing the saddened thought.

Hiya, however, harboured no inclination to douse such opulence and lacked enthusiasm about entering the imposing household which she doesn't desire for, especially on the basis of benefits and deal. After casting a discerning eye over the fabrics and jewels, her sister-in-law instructed, "Hiya, swiftly adorn yourself in this ensemble. The makeup artist will be arriving shortly. While Madam's car will be here within the next 2 hours to collect you."

Upon hearing this, Hiya's eyes welled up with tears resembling pearls. Summoning courage, she lifted her gaze and asserted to her sister-in-law, "I have said it before—I won't marry, and I won't."

"What did you just say?" In response, her sister-in-law fixed her with a stern, penetrating stare. "I won't go through with this marriage," she declared, freeing her hair from their grip.

"Won't get married? Huh, won't, get married?" This time, her sister-in-law roared loudly. Fearfully avoiding eye contact, Raha whispered, "I won't” and this infuriated her.

"You won't agree like this; wait, let me tell you." With these words, her sister-in-law forcefully pushed her away, slammed the door shut, and began raining blows with a broom on her back.

"Ah, bha...bhabi!" she screamed in agony, but no mercy was shown. Her hair was yanked like a torturer, and a relentless downpour of slaps, kicks, and the broom continued.

Forcibly dragged towards the bathroom, in the biting cold, her sister-in-law poured a bucket of icy water over her and yelled, "Be ready in 10 minutes!”

After her ordeal, she wiped away tears, took a cold bath, and stumbled into the room. Slowly, she began donning the expensive and heavy clothes one by one. If her parents were alive today, perhaps this wouldn't have happened. They were the ones who loved her dearly. Remembering them, she cried uncontrollably.

A while later, the makeup artist arrived. Due to her sister-in-law's threat, she cleared her streaming tears and sat in front of the dressing table.

The makeup artist started enhancing her beauty step by step. Despite her tears, her face sparkled even more. The dark smokey eye makeup looked stunning on her deep, sorrowful eyes. And she herself was exceptionally beautiful.
After transforming into a bride, she looked incredibly stunning. So beautiful that even her sister-in-law couldn't help but feel jealous. The lehenga she wore today was worth no less than 50 lakhs. The jewellery adorned was made of pure pearls and diamonds.

Seeing the expensive clothes and jewellery, her sister-in-law couldn't help but think, "If a bride for a transactional marriage can receive all this, she could certainly give them even more than 50 lakhs, right?" Greed for more money infiltrated her thoughts.

She had already thought that they might demand an additional 50 lakhs at the last moment. Her greed was steadily increasing.