𝙁𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙚 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚

Chapter 11 - Tension

Our stare grew intense, with each of us holding onto our viewpoints stubbornly. As Tiara turned to leave, a surge of anger rose within me. "Careful," I snapped, my teeth gritted with frustration. The intensity of our gaze held for a moment before we both retreated, parting ways. As I made my way back home, a whirlwind of emotions churned within me.

Next morning

Tiara's Pov

It was chaos around the house, with only a few days left until the wedding day. Everyone was rushing here and there, preparing to leave for Chachu's house. After taking a quick bath and getting ready, I hurried downstairs with Shruti.

I opted for a sky blue chikankari kurti paired with Palazzo pants, complemented by oxidized jewelry borrowed from Khushi, one of Shruti's cousins. As I met almost all the cousins and relatives of the family, I found the younger members to be lively, while most of the elders were courteous, as expected. Shruti wore a green chikankari outfit, and Khushi insisted on giving us a little makeover, especially with jewelry.

Arriving at Dhruv's house with aunty and dadi, I noticed that the men of the house were already present. Akshit approached dadi to offer his support, his gaze sweeping over me from head to toe. Our eyes met, and to my surprise, my cheeks flushed pink involuntarily. Quickly averting my gaze to others, I tried to ignore his inquiry. He looked dashing in a white kurta, perfectly highlighting his muscular physique. Despite his abrasive demeanor and unwarranted animosity towards me, I couldn't help but acknowledge his attractiveness." If only he didn't have such a sharp tongue and didn't dislike me for no reason, I might have found myself crushing over him.

After the Ganesh pujan, everyone assembled in the living room with Nitya's parents and brother. Nitya seemed at ease with us, which was reassuring, considering Dhruv's request to make her feel welcome. All seemed well until Rony, one of Dhruv's cousin brothers, raised the topic of a bachelor's party. The elders instantly dismissed the idea, and warned us to stay out of such stuff. The younger members present there sighed, showing their unhappiness.

As the conversation shifted, most of the younger crowd migrated to the terrace, leaving the elders to discuss preparations downstairs. Aarav suddenly proposed, "We may not be able to host a bachelor's party elsewhere, but we can certainly have one here, on the terrace, while everyone's occupied with preparations." Akshit scoffed, "What a brilliant idea, idiot," prompting Aarav to retort, "Got a better one? No? Then just zip up your mouth, asshole."Surprisingly, Dhruv and others seemed to agree with Aarav's suggestion.

Meanwhile, Nitya with hesitation inquired, "Can my friends join us here?" Dhruv reassured her, "Of course, darling, it's all the same, just here and together." Aarav coordinated, "Absolutely, bhabi, we'd love to meet your friends. Who knows who's next?" Akshit shot Aarav a glare, interjecting, "Not here, and certainly not you, womanizer."Laughter filled the air as everyone relished the remainder of their time together.

Upon returning home, I intended to freshen up and attend to some tasks, but aunty called for my assistance. Making my way to the kitchen, I found bua, chachi, aunty, and Shruti engrossed in preparing sweets. Bua, seated next to me, cautioned me to be careful, nearly scolding me when I worked too hastily. I brushed it off, appreciating aunty's help in ensuring I didn't feel bad.

Later, Shruti was summoned by Akshit, but she was preoccupied with our current task, so she urged me to go in her place. Reluctantly, I followed and approached Akshit, who was seated on the balcony's couch.

He looked at me puzzled and inquired, "I called for Shruti." Irritation crept through my bones as I responded, "She's busy. What do you need?" He narrowed his eyes and requested, "I need a cup of coffee. Can you make it?" God, this man and his audacity to order everyone around the house. I replied curtly, "Can't you manage one thing without assistance?" I retorted sharply. Gritting his teeth, he snapped back, "Can't you answer a simple question without arguing?" Infuriated, I countered, "You're impossible."