The Arranged One | ✔️

Chapter 29 - A Mistake : Part 2

He took a step forward and she took one back instinctively. He took a deep calming breath.
"Then what the hell are you wearing? I told you I am not interested. You told me that you would be cordial. Then you show up naked in front of me. You expect me to believe that this is not a game? Then what is it? Why the hell are you not wearing any clothes?"

It felt like a slap on her face. He was making her feel so ashamed and dirty. It stung so bad that she had to will the lump forming in her throat to go back down. She was done crying and she had promised herself she would be strong. She took a deep breath, mimicking him and replied, "I am not wearing this voluntarily. I was upset before, during and after the wedding. I couldn't get myself to pack. Divya was the one who packed all my things. I made the mistake of not checking what she had packed. I did not have anything else to wear. Trust me I am as uncomfortable wearing these clothes as you are seeing me in them!"

"Divya did this?" Abhi asked, sounding shocked. He pulled out his phone and called her right away, putting it on speaker.

"What the hell Divya, what the hell are you trying to do?"

"Hello Abhi! How is your honeymoon going so far?"

"Divya, stop pretending. Why did you pack Siya's luggage to ensure she would be naked in the bedroom?"

"Abhimanyu! It's is really expensive lingerie, that I have designed personally for her. You remember picking these for her about a month back, don't you?"

"That was before...damn it Divya!"

"Look. I get you two are not on good terms right now. But you both are family to me, and I don't quit on family. It is my right as a bestfriend and pseudo-sister to do anything and everything I can to bring you both together. And I will do just that. So pardon me for saying, deal with it, because I am not backing out. I have heard both of you in the last month and I get where both of you come from, well time for you both to get where I come from. And Abhi, you should be thanking me, Siya must be looking like a goddess in her sexy lingerie. She's wearing the red one isn't she? That's basically the least risqué out of the lot, although if she actually turns, you will see that the underwear is actually a tho-"

Abhi cut the call, before she could finish the sentence.
"I am going to kill Divya", he muttered under his breath.

The awkwardness in the room had increased by about a hundred percent. She wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole.

To think a month back Abhi would have actually wanted to see her in what she was wearing right now tore at her heart. If only she had not been so stupid back then, she would've had a beautiful wedding and a romantic honeymoon. Instead here they were. Her husband looking everywhere else but her.

"I...it was before...I didn't...I had chosen them for you when I thought I owned you as much as you owned me. I did it out of...of..." He trailed off unable to finish the sentence.

Love. He had done it out of love. And now he couldn't even say the word. She was so close to having a real breakdown. But she willed herself to stay strong.

"It's okay Abhi. You don't need to explain...I understand." She said, nervously toying with the hem of her lingerie.

"You don't need to wear that. Wait a second."
He went into the closet and she heard him shuffle through his bags. He came back with a plain white night shirt and handed it to her.

Of course he wanted her to cover up. While she was sneaking covert glances at his exposed upper body, he was busy staring at the wall behind her.

She took the shirt from his outstretched hand and pointed to the bathroom.
"Thank you. I will go change. I'm sorry you had to see me like this. I know I'm no supermodel, my body is hardly made for these things. No wonder you looked so disgusted when you saw me wearing this. Well you are you. All muscles and sculpted body. You could be a model. And I don't really look as good. You know...I mean....Okay. Okay. You know what, I am just going to go and change. Thanks for the shirt." She wanted to kick herself. She had literally spilled her guts out in her nervous ramble. She shook her head and headed to the bathroom door, trying to pass him without making any contact.