After the marriage, Dev went to the office. Mugil was the only person who knew about this, and Dev decided to keep his marriage a secret to everyone. Their marriage was just in name. But Mugil strongly believed in Sarada's intuition.
At the mansion, the maids were busy preparing a grand feast for the dinner with so many tiffin items like Idly with sambar, Ghee Pongal, Masal roast, Poori, Idiyappam with coconut milk, panniyaram, Vada, Chilli parotta, Fried rice, Paneer butter masala with mouth-watering starters like Mushroom 65, Fried cauliflower, paneer tikka, Veg cutlet and more. Desserts outclassed the main course. Gulab Jamun, Milk Halwa, laddu, rasgulla, and Jangri were few to mention.
Sarada consoled herself by organizing a bridal feast and because this was Anu's and her family's first meal, she limited the food to vegetarian cuisine, as eating non-vegetarian at the time was believed inauspicious. They waited for Dev, but as time passes, Sarada insisted on their dinner. It was already late, so her parents bid their farewell and went back to their home. They felt bad when Dev avoided the dinner, but Anu covered up for him by telling them about some business deals which require his presence.
As expected, Dev returned very late in the night. Sarada asked Anu to serve him and left her room. After seeing the array of items served,
"She must have enchanted my mother." - he thought to himself.
Though Dev used to eat his dinner outside, as Sarada insisted, he returned home without having dinner. He didn't speak a single word at the dining table, ate silently, and left to his room. When he entered, he was shocked at the sight, as the room was decorated for the wedding night. He felt like kicking everything. Angrily, he went to shower, and when he opened his closet to change, he was more shocked to see Anu's clothes in his closet. Though it was huge to accommodate her belongings, he didn't feel to share his personal space. He shook his head in total annoyance.
As it was already late, the maids returned to their quarters provided for them in the backyard. Sarada insisted Anu leave the dishes as servants would clean in the morning, but Anu started cleaning the table and arranged the things. Once everything was done, she entered the room like a silent kitten. She felt scared to see everything scattered on the floor.
"Welcome, Mrs. Anuradha Satyadev, wow what a progress, from a pathetic dismissed employee to the mistress of this mansion." - he clapped his hands.
Anu felt like being humiliated, but she kept a neutral face and fought back her tears. She already knew about this, so she came prepared to face his arrogance.
Composing herself, she calmly replied.
"Mom insisted to stay in this room, if I didn't keep my things here, she may doubt about us. But I swear, I won't disturb you, I will sleep here." - saying that she showed the metal outdoor patio swing with canopy and cushions.
Thinking about what she had said, Dev found that she did make sense in a way, and he didn't speak further.
After cleaning up the mess created by him, Anu entered the patio.
"She deserved this." - he smiled and thought to himself and murmured.
"I won't care where you sleep, but don't put your leg in my bed." - saying that he went to sleep.
Anu closed the patio door, as it was a sliding one so that she can open it from outside. It is a walk-in patio covered with glass without lighting, no one can see her sleeping figure, but when the sun rises, outsiders may spot her. So she decided to get up early and finish her morning chores. As it was a tiring day for her, she decided to call it a night. Though the swing was not comfortable for a night's sleep, she drifted off.
Unlike Anu, Dev felt uneasy in his comfy mattress. He never shared his things or bathroom with anyone, and her presence irritated him. He thought that she would cry when get humiliated, but what he saw was indifferent. She is behaving like she had lost her feelings and was incapable of emotions.
"Might be she came with a big plan to steal as much as wealth possible, better I stay in the club now onwards." - he thought but later shook his head when his mother came to his mind.
It was half-past five in the morning when Anu finished her morning chores. She took a shower and changed into fresh clothes. When she was exiting the bathroom, she saw Dev sitting on his bed.
He was dazzled for a while.
" How can a person be so beautiful without any makeup or expensive clothes." - he thought to himself.
Dev is an early riser. Even though he used to sleep late in the night, he will wake early and do a morning workout. There is a fully equipped gym on the top floor.
Without meeting his eyes, Anu tried to hasten out of his room. When she was about to exit the room, Dev warned her.
"Don't say anything absurd in front of my mother!"
Seeing her coming downstairs, Sarada smiled and greeted Anu with a cup of coffee.
"Thank you, Auntie!" - Anu smiled back and took her coffee.
Sarada can guess what would have happened in their room last night, but she decided to keep mum.
"If Dev ill-treats you, tell me immediately, I can talk with him." - she said politely.
Anu doesn't want to get Sarada angry.
"Auntie, Dev is good to me."
"As you say so." - she sighed.
When they were talking, Dev entered the dining room. He was observing Anu, as he was mean the night before he thought that Anu might blabber things. But what he saw surprised him. She was behaving like a perfect daughter-in-law and cooking together with his mom. She is such a goody-two-shoes who won his mother's heart in no time.
"At the very least, she isn't a troublemaker, which is good for me because it means I don't have to answer Mom's questions." - he smiled to himself.