The wedding ended with a teary goodbye as Kimaya continued sobbing lightly as the car moved out of the venue. Her father-in-law was sitting in the passenger seat while Shantanu was driving. Randhir was sitting beside her typing something on his phone.
She looked out of the window looking around at the so-known surroundings. She literally grew up here. How she is expected to forget everything and just go?
Why do her parents have to find someone living at such a distance? She had spent her whole life in Delhi and now she has to leave for Chandigarh. It is so bad according to her.
The car stopped after some time as her father-in-law got down. She was looking down at her hands in her lap when he sat back in his place passing a water bottle to Randhir who gave it to her. She looked at the bottle than him. But took it as he had already opened it and took few sips passing it back to him. She was really tired with the wedding and the slow music playing in the car was acting like a lullaby for her as she fell asleep putting her head on the window.
It will take nearly 4 and a half hours to reach Chandigarh.
"Randhir, she is uncomfortable sleeping like that", His father told him as Randhir stared at her head placed on the hard window.
He sighed gently putting her head on his shoulder. She scrunched her nose before holding his elbow getting comfortable on his shoulder.
"Papa I would get tired driving for so long", Shantanu spoke after driving for 2 hours.
"I'll drive. Get down", Adhiraaj spoke as Shantanu stopped the car in a corner changing their position. He sat back on the passenger's seat as his father took his place.
"Bhai also fell asleep", He whispered looking back. His head was on the headrest as her head was resting on his shoulder. He was holding her hand which was placed on his elbow.
"The Bride-Groom gets the most tired in a wedding", His father spoke as they continued driving. All the cars of the family were moving in a line for safety. Though guards were there accidents happen at night.
"They look so cute together", Shantanu whispered clicking a picture of them sleeping. They both looked very uncomfortable with the garland. To top it all their heavy clothes were not helping as well.
"You sleep now and let me focus", His father spoke as Shantanu nodded taking a nap himself.
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The following day went by while completing all the further rituals and the morning of the next day as well was going to be busy.
He didn't come to his room last night. He was too busy with his office work.
And now added to this Kimaya was told by her mother-in-law to wear a saree in the initial days of her wedding which was a big task for her. She was never one to like sarees simply because they were hard to handle.
She sighed wearing the heavy orange saree. She never liked anything this grand in her whole life.
She was asked to come out at sharp at 6:30 because everybody takes their breakfast at 7:30. She wanted to scream in irritation. She was the same Kimaya who would wake up at 10 and have the food prepared by her mother according to her wish and now she had to prepare that food for everybody.
She walked out of her room seeing the time. It was already 6:35 and she knows she was in trouble. Everybody was so punctual here. She walked or more like ran downstairs to find her mother-in-law standing there with Randhir's badi chachi Stuti and Choti Chachi Reema already present there talking about god knows what.
"You are late, Kimaya", her mother-in-law spoke strictly as Kimaya tried to handle her veil which was covering half of her face. She wanted to cry out loudly. She touched their feet one after the other.
Even they were having the veil of their head but she was asked to cover her face when any elder male comes her way which was beyond her understanding.
"You don't have to cover your face now Kimaya. Nobody is here", Rajshri, her mother-in-law instructed her making her nod slowly. This drama of a very traditional bride was completely stupid according to her.
"You can make Kheer, right?", Rajshri asked as she nodded meekly looking down.
"Kimaya, you are now the respect of Ahlawat family. I want you to hold your head high. Respect can be seen in your eyes", Rajshri ordered making shivers run down her spine. Her mother-in-law's voice was enough to send shivers through anyone.
She nodded as she looked up at everybody who was giving her a little smile.
"It's your first time kitchen. Do the puja of the stove and then start cooking", Rajshri instructed and made her do the essentials as she was still new to these things.
"You don't have to make whole breakfast, just the Kheer. We have already done the preparation of the breakfast", Reema said with a graceful smile covering her beautiful face.
Kimaya started cooking only to be interrupted by her mother-in-law when she was adding the sugar and dry fruits. She felt it weird because the additions Rajshri told her to do were negligible according to her. Even if we don't add that much sugar, it would taste the same. She wondered completing the cooking at last.
She was asked to serve the same in front of everybody. She sighed before covering her face such that only half of it was visible.
After five minutes, the family members started coming to the dining table for the breakfast.
The thing which disturbed her the most was when Randhir took the place on the head table while his father sat on the right of him. She was still thinking when her mother-in-law asked her to take the only chair which was vacant. She was hesitant to take the seat to the left of Randhir.
She saw her mother motioning her to serve her husband. She had a frown on her face which was not visible to anyone because of the veil. The whole family was traditional yet weird.
She didn't want to think about these things and served him first. He waited till every lady in the household served their husbands and kids then started having his food. First taking a spoon filled with Kheer and tasting it with the same blank face.
Kimaya was anxious. She was waiting for the elders to say something when she found Rajshri passing a small smile to her making her feel comfortable. Nobody said anything as they continued having food silently.
She felt so disappointed when nobody said anything. It was like they didn't even care. She was standing in the kitchen with this heavy saree and nobody cared.
She finished her food quickly as Rajshri asked her to come into the sitting room near the kitchen.
Her mood was already spoiled after what they did but of course, she couldn't show it. She followed them as all the females of the house started talking about different things. They were talking about things she wasn't even part of which made her feel so out of the box when they heard the sound of glass breaking.
She found her mother-in-law going outside in hurry with the others following her leaving her alone. She was not knowing what to do so she chose to follow them.
"You call it a coffee", She heard the calm voice of her husband. She looked around to find him standing there alone which gave her the liberty to remove the veil covering her face.
Her eyes fall on the guy who was literally shivering in front of him. His eyes were filled with tears even when Randhir didn't even speak much.
"Go bring the sugar jar from the kitchen", Randhir ordered looking deadly at the servant who didn't move from his place pleading him to forgive him.
"Do I have to repeat myself now", His voice boomed making her jump at her place.
The guy went inside and came out with the sugar jar.
"You wanted a leave tomorrow because you want to visit your dentist. That makes me think you are having some tooth issue", Randhir spoke typing something on his phone not even looking at the poor guy.
"Am I wrong?", Randhir asked more like stated.
"No, sir", he spoke shivering like a leaf on a windy day. Kimaya felt so pity at him and her anger was bubbling to its surface.
"What is it?", Randhir asked.
"Cavity, sir", He spoke in reply.
"You need to finish this jar of sugar here standing in front of me", Randhir spoke which made Kimaya stare at him in disbelief.
"No, sir please don't do this. I can't even have my food properly these days", The poor guy cried falling into Randhir's feet while he kept sitting at his place like a king telling his people to follow his rules.
"You should have thought that before adding the wrong amount of sugar to the coffee", Randhir spoke as the man in his feet continued crying for mercy.
"Why would you do that?", Kimaya spoke not able to handle his sobs anymore.
"You speaking to me?", Randhir asked staring at her with his sharp eyes. She wanted to step back immediately but not when somebody needed her help.
"How can you be so heartless? He is crying for mercy", Kimaya said looking at the man with pity in her eyes. She wanted to help him but she knew this would be considered wrong on her part.
"You just came here two days ago and you already want to make changes to my rules", Randhir stated looking coldly at her when he found her looking at the disgusting man lying at his feet.
"Kimaya, go to your room", Rajshri said coming in between knowing her son's anger very well.
"No, Ma. It is wrong. What if he did a mistake you can't make him suffer like this? He is a human after all not a machine who would do things right", she spoke looking at her mother-in-law who was looking at her son in something closer to fear.
"If they can't be perfect then they don't deserve to work for me", Randhir spoke harshly pushing the man away from his expensive shoes. He glared at the tears on the surface of his shoes before staring at his beautiful wife who was standing right in front of him looking straight into his eyes
"Why do you feel so much sympathetic to this mere servant", Randhir asked more like gritted pointing at the man as if he was some disgusting creature.
"Because I am a human and being sympathetic is a human nature", Kimaya stated looking at the guy whose eyes were still on the ground when she felt a hard grip on her elbow. He held her chin forcing her to look at him, his eyes spitting fire at the moment.
"Don't you dare look at any other man with this emotion in your eyes", he mumbled only for her to hear. His every word felt so dangerous as his grip increased around her hand.
"Aah... Leave my hand", she said struggling in his arms.
"Randhir... She is new", his mother started when he showed his palm to her not wanting her to speak another word.
"You feel so sympathetic towards him right? Then listen here Mrs. Kimaya Randhir Ahlawat, you have so much humanity so you would be eager to take his punishment as well. From today, you would be doing all my personal works. From my morning juice to ironing my clothes to preparing my clothes for work and home every single thing I need in my day-to-day life would be done by you personally and mind you if it is not perfect. This punishment you heard today would be nothing in front of what I would do to you", he stated.
"Make another coffee for me and bring it to my room", he stated looking deadly in her eyes. She started to deny it when his eyes fall on the man and she knew what she needed to do.
She slowly removed his hold around her elbow which was completely and went to the kitchen.
"Nobody is going to help her", he stated when his choti chachi started to walk to the kitchen for her help.
Kimaya felt tears forming in her eyes. No matter how her father was but he never spoke like this or hurt her like this ever. She took a deep breath before doing her work. She felt so humiliated today but more than that she felt hatred bubbling inside her for him.
She took the coffee cup and went to give it to his room.
She opened the door slowly only to find it completely dark. Few rays of sun entering inside from the well-curtained windows which made her see a figure sitting on the leather recliner in the center of the room.
She slowly came inside. Her anklets and glass bangles making small sounds but he made no movement.
"Your coffee", she spoke walking near him. He made a gesture towards her to take the cup which made her pass the cup to him. He breathed in the fragrance of the coffee like an expert and then took a sip of it.
She didn't really care if he liked the coffee or not. She was more worried for the poor man who became the subject of this beast's anger. She was too lost in her thoughts that she forgot to look at her husband who she termed as a beast.
She gasps feeling the sudden tug on her elbow as he pulled her in his lap before she knows it he pulled her long hair painfully making her wince.
"I told you already if things are not perfect you are going to pay for it", he stated as she tried to make him lose his hold on her when he stopped himself.
"But that won't be fun. After all, you are my wife, hurting you physically would be wrong morally and I would never do something which would be termed immoral", he stated like a psycho as she stared at him in shock and fear.
Before she could utter a word, he threw his cards not letting her think rationally.
"Kiss Me", he stated making her gasp staring at him in shock but he looked anything but interested in her reply. He had that same blank face which clearly stated that he wasn't accepting no for an answer but she was not a person to lose before fighting.
She would make sure he knows this.