24. The Truth.
Siya ~
" Why do you refuse to use your own money?" He asked as I raised my head to look at him from across the dining table and for this question, I had a reply ready.
" Because that is not my money, it is yours." I shrugged my shoulders, pouring myself a glass of water from the jug and gulped it down at once.
" You think wrong but even if you were to be right, didn't you decide on making my life hell?" His smirk said a lot about how he was enjoying himself, making me go crazy and I refused to entertain him to that thought but wait a second....?
" How did you know that this was in one of my seven promises that I made to you?" I narrowed my eyes at him and the smirk on his lips turned into a full silly smile, something I had totally not expected and it made my heart flutter in response to it.
" I didn't. Not until now." He replied with amusement in his voice and leaned back on the chair, growing comfortable but refused to look away and I felt completely watched.
" Have I ever told you that I hate you Arjun?" I picked up the back rest of the chair next to me and threw it at his face but he was quick to catch it, that smile still refusing to leave him.
" Several times, yes Siya and I believe that you will hate me more tomorrow. Perhaps, you will not be able to look at me in the eye because of hatred." Now was when it dropped and turned into something serious, something I don't think I wanted to look at.
" Ranaji, stop wasting my time. I am going." I stood up, taking my bag but he made his way to me, holding both my hands in his.
" Please let me help with the gift Siya." He sounded like he was almost pleading me and I sighed. I couldn't take his help. Not like this.
" Why do you want to help me?" I asked, taking a step closer to him.
" Because you are my wife, little one." He responded and I scoffed because somewhere, I knew that this logic was coming.
" That's not good enough. But if you help me, how am I going to pay you back?" I raised a brow at him and he seemed to be in a second's thought before he replied.
" Show me your sketches. Also mine." The words that had come out of his mouth were dangerous at the moment.
How on Earth does he know that I sketch but most importantly, how does he know that I am sketching him!? Does he go through my things, invade my privacy? But he does not look like someone who would do that!
" You told me that you couldn't get my eyes right yesterday." He finally spoke up and my eyes widened, briefly trying to recollect the hazy conversation in my stupid head!
" I....I said that?" I couldn't help but ask in slight annoyance and huge embarrassment, turning my eyes away from him.
" You did." He whispered right near my ear, sending shivers down my spine and as I tried to move apart from Arjun, he pulled me ever closer to himself, making me look at him as he raised my head, cupping both his hands on my cheeks.
Slowly, those hands on my cheeks travelled to my neck, leaving a trail of warm touches and I let out an involuntary gasp because the tips of his fingers were making me go insane with the need to pull him even closer to myself and toe up to kiss him.
What?
" Tell me Siya, does this affect you?" I heard his voice again as he ran his thumb across my neck before resting it on my vein which I could feel was throbbing as I gulped, heat rising in my cheeks.
" No." I gulped before lying and all he did was laugh lightly.
" It does." He said in a tone as flat as he was casually just ordering lunch. Like it was a fact. But the worst part was, for the first time in this lifetime, I could not tell him no again.
" Ranaji....." I started to squirm in his arms but he refused to let go, keeping his index finger on my lips.
" Do we have a deal? You give me one of your sketches and show me the one you are currently working and in turn, you use the the money?" He asked and before I knew what I was doing, I found myself agreeing to him almost immediately.
" Good girl." He chuckled, taking his hands off me and I distanced myself from him begrudgingly.
" I am off." I muttered to myself more than him but as I was about to walk out, I heard his voice again.
" After you get back, I'd like to know what you think of my negotiation skills now, Little Flower." His voice stopped me in my tracks and it sounded like he was gloating, which he was.
" I let you off easy this time Arjun. I am not going to do that again." I turned around, told him that and then left him standing here but heard him laugh which put a smile on my lips automatically.
" Yeah, you are going crazy Siya. You need help." I talked to myself and putting my helmet on.
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I got the camera I wanted for Papa and hid it in my room. The we had a quiet dinner where Cockroach and I had a noodle fight which was joined by Kritik too and then later on, it was on of course who had to clean the mess before going to bed.
As I was preparing to sleep, mumma came to my room.
" Come on Siya I need to oil your hair. Look at them beta. You don't take of them at all." She said and that's how I found myself sitting on the floor as she continued to do my head chumpy.
" Done Mumma. I am bored." I told her, trying to get up but she pulled me down again.
" No. Sit here. You will not take care of yourself, won't let me take care of you than how will this work?" She lectured me and I huffed, trying to reach my phone but she slapped my hand away.
" Sit properly." I was told, not having an option, to be honest.
After which, we sat together and gossiped for a while and then she left me alone since she was too sleepy. I, on the other hand, wanted nothing more than to finish the first season of How to Get Away With Murder so I switched my laptop on, taking my phone in my hands only to see no missed call or message from Arjun and suddenly, just like that, my mood turned sour.
" Stupid man. He could have at least texted me a goodnight!" I whined, throwing the phone away.
" It is the 21st century Siya. You call call or text him first." My conscience snickered at me.
" He is not me boyfriend." I argued with myself.
" Nope. He's your husband." She replied and won and I picked my phone.
I dialed his number and he took the call in three rings.
" Missing me already Siya?" He asked without a hello and I rolled my eyes.
" Not a chance Ranaji. I just called up to tell you that I permit you to sleep on the bed in my absence tonight." I said the first thing that came to my mind.
" That is kind of you." He mocked me. Him and I both knew very well that this was not what I called him for.
" It is." I played along ahead.
" Is that all?" He asked plainly. He was most definitely still working because that was he plain, flat I am busy tone which rarely came out in front of me.
" No." I replied but failed to elaborate the no.
" No?" He questioned, sounding suddenly interested.
" Care to elaborate?" He added when I did not speak up.
" No." Was my reply again. What was I supposed to say anyway? It wasn't like I was missing him or something.
" Tell me the truth." I asked him and he fell silent this time.
" This is not a conversation I am going to have with you over the phone Siya." He spoke up after a few seconds.
" But I want to know now Arjun. I don't think I'll be able to sleep or do anything tonight if I don't find out. Please." This time, it was me who pleaded him and once again, the phone line went silent.
" Not tonight Siya." He told me no once again and I stood up from the bed.
" Please Ranaji." I begged once again.
" Tomorrow Siya." He did not budge and it angered me.
" Don't even bother then." I replied and hung up before he could say a word, tears making their way into my eyes for some reason foolishly!
" Get a hold on yourself Siya." I scolded myself and then switched my phone off after he called me once.
I did not want to talk to him right now. Calling him was a bad decision and then expecting him to answer me was worse. After all, he had married me because he wanted to and when he wanted to. He is the King. Who am I? No body.
I closed my laptop shut and switched the lights off and crept to my bed, wiping my tears away, trying to sleep, yeah, as if I could.
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The next day, we all wished Papa and then he was off to work. I was preparing for the party with others but was barely present there. I could barely get any sleep last night.
The evening came sooner than expected and Mumma forced to me to get ready quickly. I was still getting some last minute decorations done. Tanaya bhabhi helped me with wearing the saree and I did a quick make-up.
Siya's Look ~
As I walked out, the guests had already started arriving and I greeted everyone. After a while, Kritik came running to me and told that Papa was already here with Ranaji so we closed the lights and as they walked in, we surprised Papa who somehow looked like he knew that something was cooking behind his back.
I went to give him a hug and decided against looking at Arjun who was standing next to him.
The party was in full swing and I had already avoided Arjun twice as he tried to talk to me and he didn't try too much to avoid suspicion about our relationship from the prople. I was currently with the kids, eating with them when I noticed a woman walk in and god she looked like someone men would go war for! I absolutely couldn't take my eyes off her!
I looked around to find the room go silent and mostly everyone looked as white as ghosts there, including my family.
What on Earth was happening?
I turned my head to look at Ranaji to at least get a hint but what I saw was pure, unadulterated fury on his face which rose the hair at the back of my neck as I unsurely stood and and was just about to take a few steps towards him when Samarth bhai made his way towards me.
" Siya don't. Not right now." His words sounded very close to a warning my brows furrowed. What was everyone playing at?
" Who is she?" I asked him and he turned his head to me, narrowing his eyes in disbelief.
" You don't know who she is?" The tone of shock in his voice sounded fearful to me. I shook my head in a no.
" She is Vani." He replied and I looked on, waiting for him to explain.
" Who?" I asked when he did not say a word after.
" Arjun....there you are." I heard the woman address Ranaji and my eyes must have come out of the sockets as she walked towards my husband.
Did she just take his name? Ranaji's name?
Arjun, on the other hand, looked like he could murder someone this instant and I could see he was controlling himself not to snap and create a scene here. This feeling alone sank down my stomach and I don't know why but I knew something terrible was going to happen.
" What are you doing here?" Mom reached to her before she could reach Ranaji and stood in between them.
" Maa....I should....." Before she could finish what she was about the say, mom slapped the woman, Vani, hard and there was pin-drop silence in the room.
" Maa?" I heard another man's voice and my eyes travelled to look at him as a gasp escaped myself. He looked extremely similar to Arjun and Samarth bhai.
This couldn't be....what?
" Maa? You both dare to come here and call me Maa?" She screamed at him and Samarth bhai left my side and walked up to Mom. Arjun was still rooted to his stop when that woman, Vani came up to him.
" Come on Arjun. Don't be sour. It has been years now. Move on, please. Let's just start afresh please?" She spoke to my husband in a demeaning and mocking tone and I was flabbergasted.
Move on? From what?
Arjun, who was standing still till now took one step closer to Vani and before I could make of the situation, he was holding her neck in his grip tightly and I shrieked.
From the periphery, I saw papa and dad rush to Arjun, holding him back but just in a second, he had regained his composure, leaving her. All the guests in the party stood rooted to their spots and everyone looked afraid.
" You two dare to step on my land and make your presence known. Some courage that is, brother and of course, my ex-wife." He spat with so much venom in his voice that I was forced to take a few steps away and the glass of coke in my hands, dropped.
EX-wife? Brother? His ex-wife? Married? He was married? I felt the whole world spinning for what felt like hours but I looked at Arjun and my eyes must have been accusing.
I found Arjun's eyes on me for a moment as I stumbled even further and held onto the edge of the chair tightly to balance myself. He had almost taken a step to come to me but his footsteps faltered and he closed his fingers into fists, looking at me helplessly.
He was married. He had a wife before me and apparently everybody knew, except for me.
" Your land? This is Amar's and my home too Arjun. He still is royal blood and I am his wife. You have no right to stop us. There was a reason I left you to be with your brother and you still prove that it was right. Why don't you look at yourself? No girlfriend, no wife. Have you wondered why? Because no woman can stand you." She spat and mocked Arjun and suddenly, I was not just angry at everyone I knew, i was also livid with this idiot woman who had zero character.
Ranaji stood there, completely silent because if he said something, he'd break the promise that he had made to me about the privacy I had asked him for.
But I couldn't let this happen. Only I had the right to be mad at him or insult him. No one else.
" Excuse me? Who do you think you are to talk to him like that? Are you just plain stupid? You think you are insulting him when all you are doing is just exposing your dirty character in front of everyone." I found myself speaking up and walking next to Arjun.
The woman, Vani threw me a dirty look and rolled her eyes at me.
" Who are you to speak in between? Maybe trying not to poke your nose in a place where it does not belong?" She asked and I chuckled at her words.
" Poking my nose where it does not belong? Honey, this is my husband you are speaking about. My nose is exactly where it belongs." I replied and then looked at Arjun who seemed completely taken aback with my sudden declaration as I took his hand in mine, entwining our fingers and there were so many gasps around, followed by so many murmurs which I failed to keep up with.
I was bone-chillingly mad at all my family and Arjun but that could wait. I was not going to stand against my people in front of outsiders. That was a battle of another hour.
" Husband? Little girl, why don't you come out of our dreamland? Arjun is not married and why would he marry a girl like you when women throw themselves at him? Besides, this is not how a Rajwaadi Queen is supposed to dress." She asked me, laughing.
" You really are insane, aren't you? Decide first. Women can't stand my husband or they throw themselves at him? As to how I am dressed, that is completely my choice and the day I have to explain my dressing sense to you, will be the last thing that I do in this lifetime. Politely, screw you. Also, please get out of my house. It's my Papa's birthday and you have created enough drama. Get out." I said and showed them the door. Amar, who had just come to stand next to this witch looked just as revolted.
" Poor you. He hadn't told you that he was married to me before you, didn't he?" She tsked and gave me the most disturbing smile possible. I squeezed Ranaji's hand which I was holding as tightly as possible before I copied her smile.
" Unfortunately, if you have a witch of an ex-wife, that fact absolutely cannot be hidden and my Papa has been working for Ranaji and our family for a long time for me to not know about you, love." I told her before looking glaring at Arjun and then Papa, trying to get myself to calm down.
" How dare you?" Vani tried to step forward but Arjun came and stood in front of me.
" Take one step closer to my wife and find out that I am not that Prince anymore Vani." His voice was threatening and I was hanging by a loose thread as I stepped right next to him again.
" I don't want you to fight my battles Arjun. I can take down a basic bitch on my own." I told him sweetly and asked them both to get out again.
Insulted, they did as I asked.
" Siya...." Arjun tried to speak as they left but I was not having any bullshit from anyone tonight as I stomped his foot hard before jerking his hand away slightly and walking ahead.
" Let's cut the cake! It's a partyy!" I cheered, trying to lighten up the mood and as everyone forcefully tried to act that everything was normal, I slipped away, dashing to my bedroom, closing it behind me.
Then, I let the sobs out which I was holding for a while now. Betrayal.
Everyone had betrayed me. Everyone.
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