It was the day. The day of the Charity Gala Night at Birla Hospital. The day when Dr. Abhimanyu Birla would introduce his 'wife' to the world. The day when he would have to admit and accept to all the ladies —single and spoken for that he was "officially" off the market —at least for the next year or so.
He fixed his black tie and smoothened out the wrinkles from his white shirt as he looked into the mirror, exercising his jaw, trying to smile. CPR. He had to remember to do CPR today. He had to be Charming, Pleasant and Respectful.
Abhimanyu grabbed his steam pressed blazer hanging of the clothing stand and snagged his arms through, making sure it rested properly on his shoulders.
He flicked a lose strand back and ran his fingers through his hair, making sure his hair was perfectly in place.
Today was an important day and he couldn't afford to fuck up. For a guy who never second guessed himself and was confident in his abilities, for some reason, he was having performance anxiety today.
He smiled at the mirror and held out his hand introducing himself, "Hi, I'm Dr. Abhimanyu Birla."
"Hi, I'm Nervous Birla." A low, hollow voice behind him responded, making Abhimanyu frown.
He turned around in a huff, unhappy that Akshara broke his stride. "Akshara!"
Akshara leaned against the bathroom door, folding her arms around her chest. Hot. Abhimanyu was looking deliriously hot. That man had a fine ass —which looked even finer in those black slacks. The more time she hung out with Abhimanyu, the more she was beginning to understand why women threw themselves at him.
"Sorry, this is the first time I've seen you be nervous and anxious about something. It's honestly kind of amusing, not going to lie." Akshara responded, snapping out of her Abhimanyu trance.
"Today is a very important day for me." Abhimanyu confessed, taking a deep breath.
"I can see that." Akshara pointedly looked down towards Abhimanyu's loafers.
Abhimanyu followed Akshara's line of vision and looked down at his feet to see he was wearing mismatched black loafers. Abhinanyu hurriedly walked over to the closet and switched his loafers so they matched. "Thank you! But why aren't you ready yet?" Abhimanyu asked.
"I would have if someone hadn't been hogging the bathroom for the last two hours."
Abhimanyu closed his eyes in embarrassment. "Yeah, whatever. Just don't be late!"
"Late? Aren't we going together?"
"No. I'll send the car to pick you up but I have to get there first before Parth does." Abhimanyu furrowed his brows at the mere thought of his cousin earning brownie points with the board over him.
"Parth? You've mentioned his name quite a few times. Who is Parth?" Akshara questioned curiously, just as Abhinanyu was about to exit the bedroom.
Abhimanyu turned around, pressing his lips together. "He's...he's no one you need to worry about. And please hurry up and get ready. The car will be here you pick you up in 2 hours."
"By the way, I know it's a black tie event but does that mean it's mandatory for everyone to wear a black tie?" Akshara asked with a straight face.
"Huh?" Abhimanyu asked, confused.
"Sorry, bad joke." Akshara responded, checking to see just how distracted Abhimanyu was.
"Okay, cool. Whatever. I gotta go."
"Uh, Abhimanyu?"
"Yes, now what?" At this point, Abhimanyu was absolutely agitated with Akshara.
"Don't worry. Just calm down. I know today is important for you. And everything will go smoothly. Trust me."
"I can't afford to mess up today." Abhimanyu confessed, letting his vulnerability show.
"You won't. I promise." Akshara smiled at Abhimanyu reassuringly. "Now go. I'll see you there." Akshara watched Abhimanyu leave just as she closed the bedroom door behind him.
Akshara walked up to the closet, rummaging through the assortment of clothes to find out the perfect gown to wear for the Gala. Just as she removed the hanger with the gown from the closet, her hand knocked over a pile of Abhimanyu's clothes which fell to the ground.
As Akshara bent down to gather the clothes from the ground, her eye fell across to a file having fallen open amidst the pile of clothes. "Pediatric and Charity Wing - A proposal by Dr. Abhimanyu Birla" Akshara read aloud as she shoved the clothes back inside the closet.
Intrigued by the title, Akshara grabbed her gown and the file and went to sit on the bed. Snooping was a bad habit, but maybe this proposal was the reason for Abhimanyu's nervousness. Akshara laid her gown on the bed and opened the file up to the front page. Akshara ran her fingertips over the big, red rejected stamp that graced the cover page. Twice.
Akshara checked the clock on the wall and recalled Abhimanyu's words. Two hours. She had two hours to get ready. She had more than enough time. Akshara glanced at the proposal file, took a deep breath flipped open to the first page and began reading.
~*~
Abhimanyu ran up down the steps of the ballroom, anxious to attend to the attendees before Parth had the chance to get his vile hands on them.
"Abhimanyu. You're here early." Parth called from behind him.
Abhimanyu closed his eyes and curled his fingers into his palms as he turned around to face his favourite cousin. "Parth." He planted his best fake smile on his face.
"What're you doing here?" Parth questioned him sweetly, walking up to him with a drink in his hand.
"Same thing you are." Abhimanyu pointed out, dryly, looking around the room to see there were just s handful of people here.
"Touché. You really are taking this entire CEO vote seriously."
"Why? Feeling scared that you might actually lose?"
"No, I'm just enjoying you being serious for once in your life. But still no ring? Everything okay in your 'marital' paradise? Did you get bored or did the wife realize you couldn't be tamed?" Parth mocked.
"Don't ever question my loyalty. Because I'm more loyal than you'll ever be. Do you remember or do I have to remind you?" Abhimanyu bit back, glaring at him.
"Parth. Abhimanyu. What are you guys whispering about?" Harshvardhan Birla questioned, walking up to his son and nephew.
"Oh nothing, Uncle. We were just talking about the Gala. I was asking Abhimanyu what he was auctioning off this time since he can't auction himself off to the highest bidder anymore. Since he's married and all, now." Parth replied, slyly.
Oh yeah, Abhimanyu completely forgot about his yearly tradition of auctioning himself off for a night of dinner and fun to the highest bidder. Honestly, he he just used to partake in the auction because he had been bored but seeing people —women —actually have a bidding war over a date with him which resulted in immense money being collected for charity, he actually didn't mind it as much.
"At least I have people willing to bid on me." Abhinanyu retorted, reminding Parth of the one time he decided to rival Abhimanyu but ended up failing. No one —not one person bid on Parth, not even his own wife.
Parth's devious smile turned into a frown. "Fuck you."
"Sorry man. I'm a one woman man now." Abhimanyu smirked.
"Boys. Stop it!" Harshvardhan bit out, playing peacemaker between the two younger, testosterone filled Birlas.
Parth glared at Abhimanyu once more before turning on his heel and walking away, leaving the father and son to mellow in heated silence.
"What did Partb actually say to you?" Harshvardhan asked his son.
"Nothing." Abhimanyu brushed Harshvardhan off.
"Abhimanyu. I am serious. I don't want any fuckups today either, just like you don't." His father bartered with him.
"Parth was just throwing snide remarks on how I'm not wearing a wedding ring. That's all. But I have it under control."
"You aren't wearing your wedding ring?"
"I don't have one. It's a fake marriage, remember?"
Harshvardhan Birla held the bridge of his nose, massaging it lightly. "No, no. This isn't good. No wonder people are having a hard time believing you're married. There isn't any visible proof."
"Visible proof? What century are we living in? Why stop at a ring? Get me sindoor and mangalsutra too!"
"Abhimanyu!" Harshvardhan reprimanded.
"No, I'm behind serious. Please bind me by those archaic rules. The women have mangalsutra and sindoor as evidence pointing towards their marital status so why can't men?"
"It is pointless to talk to you." Harshvardhan huffed, feeling a migraine knocking at his temple.
"Yet you try every single time, without fail."
"What about Akshara? Is she ready? You informed her how important this Gala is for you, right?"
"Akshara is the last person you have to worry about." Abhimanyu replied, confident in Akshara's abilities.
"Good." Harshvardhan Birla nodded his head as the father-son duo looked on as attendees started to arrive.
~*~
"Dr. Abhimanyu? Please come here." Dr. Anand Birla's voice called out to Abhimanyu, inviting him over to a group of older, influential people standing beside him.
"Excuse me." Abhimanyu excused himself from the company of his interns and strolled towards his Uncle and Managing Director of the hospital, Dr. Anand Birla.
"I'd like for you to meet Mr and Mrs Kashyap. They have recently made a huge donation to our cardiology and radiology wing." Dr. Anand Birla explained to Abhimanyu, patting him on the back.
"Oh, nice. Thank you for your generous donation." Abhimanyu smiled at the pair. CPR Abhimanyu. Remember to do CPR. Be charming, pleasant and respectful.
"And this is Dr. Abhimanyu Birla, head of the cardiology department and a candidate for the position of the next Chief Executive Officer of the Birla Hospital." Dr. Anand Birla looked at Abhimanyu with pride.
"The CEO? Isn't that the same position your son Parth is aiming for too?" Mr. Kashyap asked, slyly.
"Yes."
Mr. and Mrs. Kashyap passed a glance towards each other before nodding their head towards Dr. Anand Birla in understanding. A move that wasn't missed by Abhimanyu who understood exactly what they were thinking. Of course, Parth would be heavily favoured by the board and his uncle —and to be completely honest, they weren't exactly wrong.
"I know what you must be thinking, but it's a chance of equal opportunity. We have no favourites." Dr. Anand Birla answered the unasked question.
Abhimanyu refrained from making a comment. Before he could find a reason to excuse himself from the group of pretentious people, he heard a series of signs and gasps around him and saw almost everyone turn their heads towards the entrance.
"Wow." His intern, Dr. Viaan Raghuvanshi exclaimed, stepping up to stand beside Abhimanyu as his eyes twinkled with desire.
Confused yet curious, Abhimanyu followed Viaan's line of vision. Abhinanyu suddenly felt a chill run down his spine as his feet automatically began walking towards the source of everyone's sighs and gasps. The source of light which made everyone's world stop spinning.
Slowly and gently, curiously, as if in a daze, but feeling a strange sense of connection Abhinanyu gently pushed aside the various men which were blocking his line of vision.
That is when he saw them. Standing on top of the stairs of the ballroom were a pair of long, slender legs. Abhinanyu blinked once, twice, thrice, his mouth agape as his eyes tranced the legs up until his eyes hit just below the hip where her bare body was being covered by a black satin material.
Abhimanyu's eyes continued to travel up the petite body to see the gown curved at just the right places before his eyes interlocked with the set of the most gorgeous, dark brown almond shaped eyes. Eyes that he could pick out of a crowd.
Akshara.
"Beautiful." A voice mumbled beside him.
Abhimanyu turned around to see Parth step up beside Abhimanyu, staring at Akshara with a smug expression on his face. And Parth wasn't alone. Dr. Rohan too was staring at Akshara with puppy dog eyes. Abhimanyu looked around him to see everyone —men and women alike staring at Akshara, mesmerized by her ethereal beauty.
The men were staring because they desired her. He knew because watching Akshara, standing there in the floor length, long arm, side slit black gown with a deep sweetheart neckline, dipping right down to her cleavage made her desirable —to everyone. Including him. The women, they stared at her with envy, wanting to be her. Wanting to be the center of attention.
Pride. Abhimanyu should be feeling prideful that every pair of eyes in the ballroom was staring at the woman who was supposed to be his wife but instead, he felt an emotion he didn't think he ever could.
Possessiveness.
Abhimanyu let out a low growl watching all the men and women staring unabashedly at Akshara, making him seethe. In that moment, all he wanted to do was hide Akshara and keep her all to himself.
Trying to control the raging war within him, Abhimanyu pushed the men —especially Parth out of the way and walked up the stairs in a hurry to get to Akshara.
Akshara turned to face an antsy looking Abhimanyu who looked like he just had his entire world shaken.
"Hi." She smiled at him, smoothening out her dress. It was the first time she was wearing something so revealing —yes, the side slit and the low back of the dress was what Akshara considered revealing.
"Hi." He replied, nodding at Akshara with unease.
"How do I look?"
"I think you already know." Abhimanyu tilted his head towards the crowd of people staring at her.
Akshara let out a nervous giggle. "Yes. But still. Tell me." She whispered. How did she tell this doofus that his words —his opinions would always matter more?
"Beautiful. You look beautiful." Abhimanyu replied, looking at her intently, with a heated gaze.
"Thanks. But it's the dress." Akshara pointed out, nervously.
"No. It's you. You're beautiful." Abhimanyu affirmed, making Akshara's cheeks flush.
"Thanks." She replied, shyly, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear.
"Shall we?" Abhimanyu turned around to face the crowd who were still staring at them shamelessly.
"Yes."
Akshara waited for Abhimanyu to hold his arm out for her to interlock hers with. But instead, he surprised her, making a shiver run through her spine as his large, warm hand wrapped around her back, resting gently on her bare lower back, right above her tailbone, with his lean fingers curled around her waist.
Raw possessiveness.
Abhimanyu inadvertently was letting every man in the ballroom know, this woman, Akshara, the one they were staring at with lust and desire belonged to him.
Only him.
Mine, the possessive beast inside him roared.
Akshara's eyes flared at the intimacy of Abhimanyu's touch as her eyes darted to reach his only to find him staring straight ahead at the crowd. Her eyes traced the outline of his jawline as it locked into place. Handsome. Her fake husband was so handsome, no less than a Greek God. She felt slight tingle of blush colour her cheeks as Abhimanyu took his first step down the stairs.
And together, Abhimanyu and Akshara descended the steps of the ballroom like the true powerful couple they were meant to be.
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Hey guys! So Part 1 of the Gala! A lot of going to happen this night. So stay tuned! Please vote and comment because honestly it just provides me with motivation to keep writing!
And in case anyone needs help imagining Akshara's dress, this is what it looks like:
The top is the front and the bottom is the back.