Naina's POV
"Butterfly, why are you sitting here alone? I am waiting for you downstairs," Arnav asked, sitting on the bed in front of me.
"Nothing," I shrugged.
"Are you ready? Shall we leave?" he asked, and I nodded.
It's Ajay's parents' anniversary event. I didn't want to go, but Pooja convinced me by saying that she would feel nervous going there alone and that Ajay would be busy receiving guests, leaving her alone. Being a good best friend, I agreed, so all the three couples were going to be there.
"Butterfly, it's ok if you don't want to go there. I can manage... you can rest at home," Arnav remarked, shifting near to me.
"It's not like that," I commented slowly.
He took my hand in his as he spoke, "Baby, I know you are mad at me but don't be like this." he kissed my knuckles before continuing,
"but that is for your safety."
"I know but I don't like this," I said, dragging the words.
He actually arranged a bodyguard for me after the kidnapping incident which happened 15 days ago. But I really don't like it... I don't like someone following me everywhere, it is suffocating me. I actually stopped going out other than the radio station at night because I don't want someone following me everywhere.
This doesn't suit my life. I grew up like a free bird going wherever I like and I usually travel on buses because I like it, people's voices... It gives me inspiration to write and as an author I totally love my lifestyle. But now, I can't go anywhere on the bus. I have to take this bodyguard everywhere and I can't take him on the bus, can I? He drives wherever I want and he just stands near me whatever I do.
I am an independent woman without a stable job. I mean I don't work like this time to that time... I don't need to hurry anywhere. I go to the library when I feel like reading silently; I go on walks if I feel like walking; I go to the beach to sit peacefully and to play with kids but I can't do any of these things freely with someone following me.
This is why I hate rich families. It just doesn't suit me.
"Ok then I will remove your bodyguard. Are you happy now?" he asked.
"Really?" I questioned.
"Yeah, baby. I don't want to make you uncomfortable," he said, caressing my hair.
"But for that you have to do something," he added.
"What is it?" I asked curiously. I can do anything as long as I can roam free like before.
"You have to let me put a tracker on you," he said carefully, like don't want me to get mad at him again.
"You are talking like a mafia king in books," I chuckled as I remembered many books and mafia kings who put trackers on female leads without their knowledge.
At least my man is asking me before doing that actually.
"Well, I can't take risks about your safety," he remarked.
"Ok then," I agreed, and he immediately took out a chain from his pocket.
"You are already prepared," I commented.
"What can I do when my girlfriend is not talking with me," he sighed.
"If I put this on, you will ask that bulky muscle man to not follow me anymore," I asked to confirm.
He pecked my lips as he said, "Yes."
"Let me tell you something before putting this on," he said and I nodded.
"I promise, I won't invade your privacy by always checking your location. I only check it when you don't answer your phone," he explained.
"I know," I mumbled, assuringly.
He is such a gentleman.
I removed the butterfly locket from my neck which he gifted me on our first date and gave him access to put that new chain. It was a silver color chain with a royal blue pendant, it was classy and royal.
"It looks good on you," he said and kissed my collarbone and I blushed.
"Butterfly, let's go on a date tomorrow," he said and kissed my forehead.
I hugged him, telling ok.
"Now, tell me, are you willing to come to function or do you want to take a rest at home?" he asked.
"I will come. See I got ready already... my efforts will be wasted if I don't come," I said and stood up.
"How am I looking?" I asked, twirling around showing my lehenga to him. Yeah, I wore a simple and plain Royal blue lehenga with a worked dupatta. Left my hair open after curling the edges to look good.
"You are gorgeous as always," he said with a smile and kissed my forehead again.
"Let's go now. My friends will wait for me," I said happily and held his hand. We walked out hand in hand and waited for the elevator. Soon the elevator door opened, and as we got in, he pressed the button for the parking lot while I was just looking at him.
I looked around when we reached the parking lot.
"Don't worry. I already sent him away," Arnav said as he opened the car door for me.
I climbed in and he settled himself in the driver's seat.
"Thank you, hero for understanding me," I commented looking at him lovingly.
"That's what a boyfriend is supposed to do, understanding his girlfriend," he pinched my nose playfully and started the car.
"And I am sorry, butterfly for everything and putting this tracker on you... It doesn't feel right but I have no other option," he said softly.
"It's ok, Arnav," I replied as I put my palm on his thigh.
"Thank you for understanding," he muttered and took my hand from his thigh and kissed my knuckles.
"That's what a girlfriend is supposed to do, understanding her boyfriend," I repeated his words playfully, and he laughed.
Soon we reached the destination. The party was arranged in Ajay's parents' mansion... It was big and well decorated.
We walked in and Ajay welcomed us.
"Where are they?" I asked, referring to my friends.
"That side," Ajay pointed to the left side.
"Shall we?" I asked Arnav and he nodded.
It took us five minutes to find them in the crowd as they were standing far away.
Pooja, Payal and Avi standing there talking something.
"Hello," I cheered as I reached them.
"You are late," Payal narrowed her eyes at me.
"It's because of him. Arnav took forever to get ready," I said, blaming him.
"Me?" he questioned, stunned, pointing at himself.
"Yeah, you," I winked and everyone laughed.
We all are laughing but Pooja is not. She is looking nervous.
"What happened, Pooja? Why are you nervous?" I asked.
Wait—her face... she only gives this expression when she has doubt on her ability and looking around, the decoration looks little familiar. Oh my god, this means...
"Your company decorated this?" I asked and her gaze fell on me like a rainbow as she nodded.
"It is very beautiful, Pooja. Don't be nervous," its Arnav who encouraged her before I could.
I wrapped my hand around her shoulder, agreeing with Arnav.
"Guys, come, mom is asking you," Ajay said hurriedly as he reached us.
"Is it ok?" Pooja asked Ajay.
"Of course, baby, come," he took her hand and we all walked behind him.
"Hi, Maa," Arnav and Avi greeted her as soon as we reached them.
Oh... My brother knows her too. Of course, yes as the three are best friends.
"Oh, my boys are here. Come let mom hug you," she said with a smile and opened her arms to hug them.
I immediately got positive vibes from her... she is so sweet.
Arnav and Avi hugged her and she patted their backs.
"Maa, that's Naina," Arnav introduced and I put my hands together in a namaskar sign.
"Yeah, Naina... your sister," she said pointing at Avi "And your girlfriend," she said to Arnav and they both nodded with a smile.
"Come, darling... give me a hug," she said, smiling at me.
I looked at Arnav and Avi before going to her and they both nodded.
I went near her and she engulfed me in a bear hug.
"Happy anniversary, aunt," I greeted.
"Call me mom just like these boys," she commented, making me smile more.
And ladies, I am declaring, from now on she is my favorite aunt
Avi introduced Payal, and she also greeted her.
"Now, where is my event organizer daughter-in-law?" she asked, and we all looked back, where Pooja was standing nervously while fudging her fingers.
"Come here, dear. Why are you standing there?" Aunt asked her, spreading her arms.
Pooja walked to her nervously after Ajay gave her a light push.
Aunt hugged her, patting her back.
"Don't worry, dear. The arrangements and decorations are all nice," aunt said, caressing her head.
"Really? Aunt, did you like it?" Pooja asked excitedly and she nodded.
"I am telling you girls the last time, you are calling me mom, ok?" she said sternly looking at us.
"I don't have a daughter whom I always crave for, so you three coming with me for shopping whenever I call you, ok?" she said, and we three nodded and smiled, looking at each other.
"Now come, give me a hug," she said and we three embraced her.
"Mom, acknowledge me too," Ajay whined.
"I acknowledged you by giving birth to you now it's time for me to acknowledge my daughters," she said sarcastically.
Now, I understand from whom Ajay got his playful nature, she is a cool mom.
"Chaya," someone called her while we were talking and she excused herself.
"Arnav and Avi, I need you to greet the guests," Ajay commented, and they looked at us.
"It's ok, you can go," Payal muttered and Arnav looked at me, I nodded with a smile.
"Let's go get something to eat," Pooja commented, and we nodded. Now, she is looking tension free.
"Ice-cream," I exclaimed and took a cup of ice-cream and started eating it.
"Slowly, girl or you will spill on yourself," Payal commented.
While I was busy eating ice cream, someone called me and I looked at the source. It's aunt Malini, Arnav's mom.
"Hi, aunt," I greeted, and Pooja, Payal looked at us confusedly.
"It's Arnav's mom," I said to them. "They are my friends Pooja and Payal," I introduced them to her.
"Hi, aunt," they greeted.
"Hello," she greeted back with a smile.
"Can I borrow your friend for a minute?" she asked them politely, and they nodded.
"Come," she said to me and we took two steps ahead and she stopped.
"By the way, arrangements are so nice, Pooja," she said with a smile and Pooja thanked her.
"You can eat ice-cream. Don't need to be too formal with me," she commented signaling me to have ice-cream which I am holding and I chuckled.
"I heard that you were kidnaped. I am sorry," she said, and I nodded saying
"It's ok,"
"I have something to tell you", she remarked seriously, and I nodded.
"Yes, aunt, tell me," I replied, keeping my concentration on her.
"No, not here. Shall we meet tomorrow?" she asked.
"Is it a secret that you can't tell me here," I questioned.
"No, there are many foxes here," she commented looking at Moni who was coming in our direction.
Moni is Arnav's aunt's daughter whom Arnav's father is forcing him to marry. I never actually talked with her apart from the glares she threw at me on the dinner at Singhania mansion.
"You don't like her?" I asked aunt Malini and she understood who I was referring to.
"More like she hates me."
"Her mother and I don't have a very good relationship. So basically, we hate each other, so her daughter Moni also hates me," Aunt explained.
"Oh," I muttered thinking why this family has such complicated relations.
"Why?"
"Her mother didn't actually marry," she said and I looked at her confused.
"She had her daughter with a hooligan, I think he is the boss of some dangerous gang. I don't know much about that but she behaves like a proud bitch as he has her back. In earlier days of my marriage, she used to mock me as she didn't like me. But I am not a gentle kind of girl who takes mocking with a smile so I used to get back with her every remark in my own style. That's how we became enemies," she explained.
While we were talking, Moni reached us.
"Naina, right?" she asked proudly like a bitch and I nodded lightly.
"So, you are the girl who is going to be dumped by Arnav..." she remarked "I am Moni, Arnav's fiancée," she said cunningly.
Here you go again, another delusional bitch. She is the type of girl whom everyone hates in dramas... the one proud bitch who thinks so highly of herself.
"Hi. so, you are the girl who is always daydreaming," I retorted and Aunt Malini chuckled.
"How dare you?" she shouted.
"How much do you want?" I smirked.
"You think Arnav really loves you? look at you, your dress, your attitude and that ice-cream cup in your hand... just resembling middle class behavior," she sneered.
"You guessed it right; I am a middle-class woman so what?" I remarked lightly. I don't want to waste my energy on shouting at her.
"Still, comparing with me... the business world princess," she yelled. But who told her she is the princess; they need to see a doctor.
"No, miss. Moni. I don't disrespect myself," I smirked. It's true, comparing myself with her is a big disrespect to me.
"You," she roared and tried to splash wine which she was holding on me but I dodged it like a pro. This is a child's play in front of me because Avi and I fight like dogs so I know how to avoid these moves.
"You should splash like this, Miss. Moni" I said and took a wine glass from the waiter who was passing and splashed on her.
"Dumb bitch--," she yelled and a few people gathered there.
"Why are you doing this to me, Naina? I just wanted to have a chat with you," she said like a victim acting cry and all, catching the attention of those people.
What happened to her? Why is she acting now...
"You are the one—"
"Yeah, I am the one who came to talk to you but you splashed wine on me," she cut me off and said innocently, sorry, acting all innocent.
She is acting like a victim, that means someone might be watching us. Don't tell me it's Arnav. I turned around to check if it was Arnav and sure enough it's Arnav.
"Look, Arnav. I just came to talk to her but your mother provoked her to splash wine on me and she poured wine," she said with a fake cry.
"It's not like that, Arnav," Aunt Malini and I said in unison.
I looked at Moni who gave me a cunning smile. Fuck her smile...
Arnav glanced at her and aunt Malini before looking at me then he spoke.
"I don't know about others but my woman never interferes in anyone's business on her own without you provoking her," Arnav commented as he wrapped his hand around my waist and I smiled proudly looking at her.
"Don't try to provoke her again," he warned and turned around with me and we walked out leaving the party.
***
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