The hairdresser pinned the last lock of curls behind her back, securing the style using a hair-setting spray. She smiled at her hard work and unveiled the mirror in Dhwani's room, letting her client have a look.
She was Zohra Siddique, the celebrity make-up artist who was hired by Anirudh Chauhan to help his wife ready for the annual company Gala, one where his wife will be making her first official presence. It was the most awaited event in the business world, with the moguls awaiting their invitation to the highly anticipated event in the city. This year, the occasion was doubled with excitement, guests, anxiety, and flowing anticipation with the youngest Chauhan brother's engagement.
She had to help this woman dress up in her amber silk gown that clinched on her chest and waist, flowing down past her heels: no straps but a series of buttons on the side that took an hour to fix.
Not that she was complaining, the young woman looked nowhere fussy overlooks. She had let Zohra play princess on her for the past two hours, not making a noise of protest or throwing a tantrum on not getting to look at her reflection.
Dhwani Chauhan sat deep in thinking while Zohra played her magic and turned this beautiful woman into a desirable enigma.
Her personality put diamonds to shame as their job to compliment her was done by those brown eyes and her composure put silk to sit back and enjoy, fearless as there was no fire to burn it to ashes. She looked like a freshwater stream, the flowing water is crystal clear but created an illusion to hide no demons yet holding back secrets as they settle in its pit.
The artist admired her calmness and bid her farewell, leaving her client to check herself before she was summoned downstairs.
This was the moment Dhwani could utilize and save herself from the never-ending begrudging session of elites, wives, and the high society ladies. All she had to do was lock the door and never step out of this room until this family left forgetting her existence.
She had maintained a false composure but not anymore. She was freaked out at the fact that she will be between the same wolves who had pushed her to tears once. She cannot be there again.
Not sparing a glance at her reflection, she hurried to execute the command from her brain. Reaching the door, she was ready to slam it shut when a palm pushed it open.
"Don't even think about it."
Being caught in the act, Dhwani clenched her eyes shut and refused to look up at the man she shared her space with.
"I know you better than you think, Petal." He goaded and took a step inside.
His shoes touched her heel-cladded toes and Dhwani looked up at him, letting the vulnerability in her eyes be received by him.
"I don't want to go." She hoped for one last chance to halt her racing heart.
"You won't be alone." He reasoned, eyes figuring the root of fear that seemed to be displayed naked on her face.
Dhwani scoffed a smile at his words, taking a step back and taking his black striped tuxedo paired with a dark gold pocket square that matched her dress.
No tie.
"I have been alone. Remember you abandoned me the next day of our marriage. It was supposed to be our reception but it was me meeting guests." She scratched the old wound and she knew it will be bleeding soon. She will be bleeding soon. "Those pitiful smiles cannot be forgotten, Anirudh. I remember them talking about me and you, how my husband left me because he could bear my presence for a day. They wondered how you will be bearing an orphan all your life. They commented on how your family did social work taking in an orphan as their daughter-in-law. They were insulting me to the verge that I wished to run far away from you and this world."
He averted his eyes in shame. "I am sorry and I know sorry won't be enough."
"No, it isn't." She declared. "Two years. Do you understand? It has been more than two years and each day that I have been in this marriage, all I have felt is unwanted. I have had a lot of that feeling growing up and I didn't want it again. I thought marriage is a new phase but guess what? I got to feel this same feeling again. I thought before you were awkward marrying a stranger but you started keeping your distance and I thought you were upset because you were forced into this. I tried creating explanations for your behavior to my heart and others but who knew? You downright abhorred my presence in your life because you considered me a gold digger, an opportunist. A leech who was exploiting your family, a characterless..."
"Shut up." He snapped breaking her rant. "Another word against my wife and you will face severe consequences, Dhwani Anirudh Chauhan."
"What wife?" She tried putting up a fight as her fingers shook, she clenched them into a fist. "The same you are ashamed of."
"Shut up!"
She was pinned to the bedpost, fingers digging into her arms as he invaded her personal space. He breathed deeply as if trying to calm his rage which flashed in his eyes.
"Why?" She glared, holding his eyes. "Truth hurts, no?"
His jaw slacked yet he breathed deeply to gain control, resting his head against her. "I know you are trying to agonize me in order to get the desired reaction but it will not work. I regret that I have made you go through all of that but trust me, Dhwani. You walking out on me was the wake-up call I needed. I am never letting you go."
Dhwani shivered at the proximity, his spicy scent clouding her breath and unknowingly calming her racing heart. "You said you will divorce me."
"I did." He mumbled, looking at her and taking her face with the dress on. "But not before I make it up to you, Dhwani. I want a chance and I will be taking it until Rakshit's wedding."
"Don't pity me." She pushed him back, exhaling loudly. "You want to make it up to me, right? Let me stay back."
"No." He shook his head holding her closer "I will set things right, that's how I will make it right."
"You want to throw me back to those wolves?" She gritted with disgust. "Well, do it. I will hang in there but remember, the moment I get a chance, I will fade into thin air and you will never be able to find me again. I am done playing by your rules. Not anymore."
"I am not letting you out of my sight, nor I will leave you alone. I promise." He swore.
"Don't, Anirudh." She faked a sneering chuckle. "You failed those sacred 7 vows. I don't think you will be able to keep this one."
"I know I am bad at following words but this time, it will be actions." He stated with determination. He stepped back from her and forwarded his palm to her. "Come, we should get going."
Dhwani glared at his palm. "I don't need your help."
"Who said you need me? It is me who needs you, Petal." He freed her fingers and laced them with her. "Come on."
She was pulled out of the room and down the stairs as he walked slowly to match her steps. She kept glaring his head but as if Anirudh was prone to them, he shot her a smile and helped her inside the waiting car. The family must have already left as none were found in the foyer.
He knocked on the mirror partition and the car came to life, tires gliding down the gravel as they passed the main gate and Dhwani's shoulder slumped in defeat.
"You look pale, petal." He commented, trying to touch her hand when she snatched it away and hide it on her lap. "Nothing will go wrong, I am here and I won't leave your side."
"Stop talking." She gritted and watched him smile in amusement, her nose scrunched in distaste "Stop smiling too."
He bit back a chuckle, shoulders shaking and she grew irritated.
"I will break your nose and no one will know if you keep smiling." Her threat seemed to break his thread and he started laughing.
His dimples came to life as he grinned widely shaking his head as if mentally chiding himself to stop laughing which nowhere seemed to be followed.
"Stop the car. I am not going anywhere with you." She whined and he chuckled harder, beaming at her childish glare and the cute scrounge of the nose that she made every time she was trying to dislike but end up enjoying herself.
Like the meal he cooked on rare days when he came early and she was nowhere in the house.
She tried disliking the food but felt a little sparkle of happiness being served with home-cooked meals.
"I wish I knew this before." He commented in a daze.
"Knew what?" She hesitated, a wariness on her lips.
"This." He pointed and waved between them. "Us."
His words shot a new ache in her heart, something that strung a cord and pushed down another brick in the dented wall.
"There is no us."
"Maybe, maybe not."
"You are a fool."
"I was. I was a fool who thought I could avoid you forever. My aloofness at the start of this arrangement wasn't because I thought of you as unworthy or an exploiter, Petal. The reason was far above that."
"No. You are making excuses now."
"I'm not." He stated. His eyes didn't leave hers. "I was scared when I watched you walk in my life, I felt something dangerous flutter in me. I was trying to decipher what I felt watching you interact with my family and I couldn't bath into the reckless emotions you made me face. GM proposed your hand to me in marriage and I couldn't think how I was to live with a girl who got into my head in our first meeting and refused to leave, destroying my composure. I kept thinking about you till the day of our marriage and decided to thrash whatever space you held in my mind. I said all those words to you so that I wouldn't utter how much beautiful you looked as my bride. Realizing that I wasn't just attracted to you but I could see you sharing my life I resorted to ignoring you and hurting you in ways I could never earn forgiveness for."
"You... how... can..." Dhwani shook her head as if shaking the physical restraint that held her back from forming coherent sentences. She had to deny his words. They meant nothing.
"You are lying."
"What will I get lying?" He asked, a brow raised.
"I don't know." She mumbled.
"Did you never wonder why I never missed our dinner together every day? Whatever I did, if I was in the city I would come home before the dinner so that I could find ways to figure out how you got hold of that little space in my head." He gave her a self-admonishing smile. "I acted like a complete jerk so I could not give in to your presence in my life and I tried finding ways to not like you but each day, I watched you in that apartment, I grew to your presence. I noticed everything about you."
"You did?"
He hummed. "I wanted to tell you that I knew your favorite book, your take-out order, and the way you always tapped your fingers on the table when you are in thought. I wanted to tell you that I prided myself in the fact that you liked my cooking and how your bangs shield you whenever you smile or blush. I wanted to tell you that how you could call me after your work at an orphanage and let me pick you up or how you could share everything about your day, good or bad and I would be there to listen to you. I wanted to tell you to wait for me after dinner so that we can spend some time together and watch TV or have coffee in the mornings before we left for work, and how you could barge into my cabin in the office and demand my time. I..." He hesitated but let it wave off "I wanted to tell you that you have completely beguiled me with your simplicity; that you meant a lot more to me than I showed. Instead, I walked out on you and ghosted you in our home."
"Anirudh...you don't mean this, right?" Dhwani couldn't bring herself to accept these words. She was supposed to hate him, blame him for what he did but if he...
"Did I overwhelm you?" He asked covering his bright eyes and blinking back the calmness in his face, unlike the tsunami of emotions that was displayed before. "I know my words will never heal you but I swear, Dhwani. Give me a chance and I'll show you what I have been meaning to tell you."
"What if you decide to turn back on me? What if you realize I'm not what you think I'm?" She lay her insecurities and felt his fingers lacing with hers.
"If I do, you can break my nose or better, kill me and no one will know."
Dhwani rolled her eyes at his attempt at a joke. "I cannot trust you."
"You don't have to. I will earn your trust." He assured and smiled nearing her, their knees touching. "What I want from you is to be patient and not draw conclusions each time I make you do something. I want you to stop badmouthing yourself and look at you from my eyes. Just live with me. Let me in."
"It is difficult." She confided.
"Nothing is easy." He countered " But we together can make this easy. All I want from you is your time and leave the rest to me. Can you give it to me?"
She swallowed "How long?"
"Let's take it as 7 days." He offered "We will renegotiate and renew the period once that time is over."
Dhwani nodded, unable to decode her brain signals, and gave in to his request. How much could a week hurt?
7 days will be over before she will know.
The car stopped and Anirudh peaked at the surroundings quickly.
"Now, we go out. Pose for the media and ignore their questions." He instructed and Dhwani swallowed to help her dry throat.
"I have never done this before." She confided before he could step out.
"I know." He assured her with a smile "You will find me beside you. I won't leave you alone."
He stepped out and run towards her side, he opened her door and forwarded his palm towards her.
"Thank you," Dhwani mumbled and kept her hand in his, stepping out.
Lights blinded her yet his warmth near her calmed her erratic heart.
"Petal" He called and she hummed glancing at him. He stood closer, palm enveloping hers. "Did I mention you look like a dream today?"
Her breath hitched and her eyes rested on his face. "You are exaggerating."
"Come on." He smiled charmingly and blinked, ignoring her words. A palm on her back and he guided her towards the entrance where a flock of media hoarded the sides, going crazy clicking every second and throwing infinite questions.
Is she your wife, Mr. Chauhan?
Please introduce us to her.
Dhwani ma'am, on your left. Please.
This is her first public appearance. Why was she kept hidden?
Are you two in a namesake relationship? Is this an open marriage?
Was Mrs. Chauhan expecting? Is there a secret baby?
We heard you were in an affair with Arushi Bajaj. Is that true, Mr. Chauhan?
Dhwani flinched at the question, glaring at the person who asked this. His hand forwards the mic towards her to answer.
"Don't react," Anirudh whispered to her and she looked at him in disbelief. "They are rumor mill. They feed on your reaction."
Dhwani averted her eyes from him being done with the media fiasco. "Can we go in already?"
"Of course." Anirudh bit back his grin at her annoyed expression.
He guided her inside.
She had already seen the hall, final decorations, and rehearsals of the event in the morning yet seeing the glory people brought along with their presence magnified the arrangements.
Previously, she had delegated the event coordination to one of her subordinates knowing there was no plan of hers to make an appearance but now that she was here, Dhwani felt the need to check upon them.
"Where do you think you are going?" Anirudh frowned watching her step away from his line of sight.
"Just there." She shrugged pointing towards the other end where her assistant stood. "I thought I should go and check once?"
"Not happening." He stated pulling her in the opposite direction than that of the kitchen and serving area. "I want you to enjoy and not work. You are the host."
"Exactly." She pressed. "I am acting like a host therefore, I should go and supervise once."
He sighed at her stubborn glint. "Okay, but after I introduce you to a few people and greet important guests. We need to say our 'Hello's'"
His few people ended up being almost three-fourths of the guestlist. He went around introducing her as his wife and her as a CSR manager of Chauhan Industries. Her heart fluttered each time he shot her a prideful smile and listed her achievements in the previous year before he dived into any market conversations.
But never once he left her out, he was finding ways to involve her and cut short when she was getting bored.
The women who once passed her pitiful smiles now gave her a skeptical stare as their husbands delved into knowing the eldest Chauhan daughter-in-law who had brought immense changes in the Gayatri Devi foundation, taking tips and opinions on how to establish their own social market standing.
Dhwani had her masters in social work and economics and her field of studies proved as a conversation cracker with most of the businessmen turned philanthropists.
Her knowledge wasn't the only source of jealousy towards the ladies. Her appearance today seemed to have shut their mouths and Anirudh's constant attention had left them gaping.
The man who once left her as their prey was hoarding and protecting her today like a hawk.
A hand on her back and another exchanging her empty champagne glass with another. Dhwani sipped leisurely at the drink, though the alcohol content was negligible yet she wished to keep herself sober.
"Mr. Dixit, we should take this to the conference room. I will have my secretary contact you and we can work together. Let's enjoy the party today." Anirudh shook hands with a man he had locked an almost future deal with in a span of 4 minutes that they stopped near them.
Dhwani admired the man. He was a charmer with a composure one could term as balanced. He was calm and never lost his hold on emotions when he worked, he was level-headed when it came to business, promising stability.
"It was nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Chauhan." Yash Dixit nodded at them and raised his glass. "The arrangements today are spectacular. So much satisfying."
"It's all her." Anirudh praised her again and she blushed under the attention. "She has been our little Miss Perfectionist."
"I had wondered if you two were separated or pregnant." Mrs. Dixit, one of the elite society women chirped eyeing Dhwani from toe to head as if judging her, joining the conversation after meeting her friends. "She has been a no-show for the whole of last year."
"I should be blamed," Anirudh stated with a shrug, his eyes dropped in guilt yet he had that calm smile. "I have kept her selfishly away."
"Oh, please." Yash Dixit waved the topic away. "These parties are overwhelming and Mrs. Chauhan here looks like someone discussing strategies in boardrooms instead of bags and makeup in the parties. Am I right?"
His wife scowled and Mr. Dixit realized the blunder he caused.
"No offense, Darling. It was meant to be a joke." He apologized and placed a quick kiss on her cheek while Anirudh bit back a chuckle and shared a look with Dhwani who stood wide-eyed biting her laughter back.
"We will take your leave, Mr. Dixit."
Anirudh stirred her away from them to a side and let out a loud snort controlling his laughter.
"Stop laughing." Dhwani scolded, shaking her head with a bubbling grin on her face. She glanced at the people staring at the couple and her cheeks flamed as the overwhelming attention crawled in her heart.
"Don't look at them, Petal." He blocked her vision and cornered her into the wall and the table arranged to face the dance floor. "Don't mind them and have a good laugh before we dive back in."
"They are watching us." She mumbled trying to peak when he dodged her efforts.
"I said don't."
"You are being unreasonable." She protested and shook her head. She turned to walk back to the center when she was pulled back.
"Let me have a breather." He yanked her to stop and sighed. "They are exhausting."
"You are not habitual to these?" She questioned with curiosity.
"No." He chuckled slowly. "One can never be habitual to these gatherings. I would rather have a long night with my family and friends then crack meaningless business deals which I will be working on from tomorrow. I like my off days long and soothing."
"You have never taken off before." She pointed meekly and watched him frown.
"I did." He nodded as if remembering his days. "I spent them cooking or cleaning around in the home."
"I didn't...know." She confessed, embarrassed at her lack of observation.
"Doesn't matter." He waved it away. "You can know now."
Dhwani felt a weird fluttering at his hope. She had tried everything to leave but his hold on her seem to be consistent.
Their secluded moment crashed with a loud huff accompanied by urgent steps.
"Bhabhi." Rakshit's voice made her spin towards him.
"You look like Shreya refused to marry you," Anirudh commented from the sidelines, earning a scowl from Rakshit.
"What's wrong?" Dhwani shot her husband a meaningful glare and asked her favorite family member.
"This party looks boring, come we will check the food section." Rakshit looked everywhere frantically and blocked Dhwani's vision.
"Your engagement is in 5." Anirudh pulled him away from Dhwani and reminded him with a tight smile. "Are you planning to ditch Shreya for food?"
"I will make you pay for these comments later." Rakshit rolled his eyes and concentrated on Dhwani who stood amused at their interaction. "Come with me, Bhabhi."
"My wife is going nowhere with you." Anirudh slapped his palm away and pulled her towards him.
"You will regret this." Rakshit pointed with a 'You are an idiot' exhale.
"Don't know about me, but you will if you keep talking in circles." Anirudh tilted his head meaning retribution for every second he wasted.
"Bhalayi ka to zamana hi nahi hain." (There is no point in doing good deeds) Rakshit huffed and hissed in a whisper directed toward Anirudh. "She is here."
"Who?" Anirudh asked in irritation.
"Your favorite." Hechimed and earned a frown. "Arushi Bajaj."
Dress Inspiration:
DHWANI
ANIRUDH