This is the longest
chapter, so I hope votes will also be more.
😊😊
Author's POV
"Ye Bua dadi orthodox hai kya?" Kritika asked Amrita who was pacing back and forth in the hall biting her nails.
( Is Bua dadi orthodox? )
"Orthodox to nhi hai but bohot strict hai. And she's very particular about traditions and customs."
( Not orthodox but she's very strict. )
"Why you all are scared of her, including Mr. Rathore?" She badly wanted to ask that.
"She's a perfectionist and expect the same from us. If you did any work wrong, then she will make you do that work again and again until you do it correctly. And about Bhai sa..... she force him to do those things which he doesn't like." Amrita took a seat beside her on the sofa while explaining.
"Which things??" She asked excitedly as she got a chance to know her husband's weaknesses.
"Abhi aa jayengi to aap khud hi dekh lena." She whispered fidgeting her fingers in nervousness.
( You can see yourself when she comes. )
"Guys she's here." Aman exclaimed running inside the hall followed by his elder brothers.
They all stood in a line beside each other. Amrita noticed that her twin brother was standing in the middle of the couple. So she switched their positions.
They saw their father and uncle entering inside while their mothers coming behind with an old age lady dressed in Rajasthani clothes. The ladies had their head covered. Looking at that, realisation snapped inside Amrita and she quickly asked Kritika to cover her head with her pallu.
That lady didn't seem much old from her face but her hair, they were all white. Kritika remembered Amrita mentioning her age around 70. But she doesn't look 70 from any angle.
Reason???
Her body and her fitness. She doesn't have wrinkles like old people do. And she's walking perfectly fine like a youngster without any support.
A product of pure milk and pollution free environment.
"Khamma Ghani dadi sa." Rehan greeted her and bent down to take blessings. Kritika imitated his words and did the same.
( Greetings Dadi sa. )
"Hmmm.... Khush raho." She blessed, keeping her hand on each of them.
( Hmmm.... stay blessed. )
The youngest trio also touched her feet one by one. After exchanging greetings they all took their seats in hall.
"Beendani..... Atthe aa." She called Kritika patting the space beside her. Kritika approached her with her baby steps.
( Daughter in law..... Come here. )
"Naam ke se thara?" She asked in a shrident voice.
( What's your name? )
"K-Kritika." She stammered in nervousness.
"Hmmm...... Umar kitni hai thaari?"
( What's your age? )
"22"
She gave an unknown look to the elders before turning back to Kritika.
"Manne mhara kamra dikha." Kritika frantically nodded and took her to guest room. Thankfully she knows which room servants were cleaning earlier. Her mother in law and Kaki sa tagged along.
( Show me my room. )
Bua dadi sat on bed resting her back against headboard. She asked Kritika and the ladies to sit beside them.
"Thari sasu maa ne btaya manne, thare aur Rehan ki shaadi ke bare me." Kritika lowered her head not knowing where this conversation is going.
( Your mother in law told me about yours and Rehan's marriage. )
"Bas itna hi kahungi ki jo hove hai acche ke liye hove hai. Thaari kismat Rehan ke sath bandhi hui thi. Jabhi thum dono ki shaadi hui."
( I'll only say that whatever happens, it's for the good. Your destiny was tied with Rehan. That's why you both got married. )
"Pehle in dono se pucha tha. Ab thare se puch rhi hu. Rishta kaisa hai thum dono ka?" Kritika glanced at her mother in law to take a hint about what she should say.
( First I asked them. Now I am asking you. How's the relationship between you both? )
"Re.... unhe ke dekh rhi hai. Sawal manne pucha hai un dono ne na." Bua dadi raised her voice a little causing her to flinch at the sudden sound.
( Why are you looking at them. I asked the question not them. )
"T-thik hai. Matlab.... normal hai." She lied gulping at Bua dadi's angry expressions who seemed to caught her lie at the first sight only.
( F-fine. I mean..... it's normal. )
"Kabhi..... Pati-Patni ki tarah kareeb aaye ho thum dono?"
( Have you both ever got closed like husband and wife? )
"Ji??" Kritika was sure there was something wrong with her ears.
( What? )
"Dono sath me soye ho ke na?" Her eyes widened at Bua Ji's boldness.
( Did you both slept together? )
"Bua sa...." Kalyani and Amulya exclaimed in chorus.
"Chup karo thum dono...... Jawaab de beendani."
( Shut up you both.... Answer me daughter in law. )
Kritika shut her eyes and dipped her head down before nodding in denial. She could hear Bua dadi's audible gasps as if she confessed a crime.
"Inki shaadi ko sirf dedh mahina hi hua hai Bua sa. Itni jaldi kaise-" Amulya tried to rationalise but Bua dadi cut her off.
( It's only one and a half month to their marriage Bua sa. How so soon- )
"Ek mahina..... ek mahine me thaare fufa sa ne aur manne sare gaon ko khushkhabri de di thi."
( One month... within one month, Your uncle and I had given the good news to all the village. )
"That was a different time Bua sa." Kalyani retorted being embarrassed after getting exposed to such intimate information.
"Ha bhayi... us samay me rishton ke mayne hove the. Varna aaj kal ke chora chori to shaadi byah ne majak samajhe hain. Khair.... Beendani...... khana lagva de. Bhukh lagi hai manne." Giving a small yes to Bua dadi, Kritika left the room.
( You are right.... Relationship held so much importance in that time. Otherwise, today's boys and girls consider marriage as a joke. Well… Daughter in law… Get the food served. I am feeling hungry. )
"The log bta rhe the ki Vihaan ke liye koi rishta aaya hai." Bua dadi asked the ladies who detailed them the prior incident.
( You people were telling that an alliance came for Vihaan. )
A devilish smirk made its way on Bua dadi's face.
"Kya chal raha hai apke dimag me?" Amulya asked giving side eyes to Bua dadi.
( What's going on in your mind? )
"Tanne kyun bataun? Khud to kuch kiya na ja raha. Aur je main karne ja rhi hu, usme bhi tang adani hai."
( Why should I tell you? You didn't do anything. And when I am going to do it, You have to poke your nose. )
Kritika's POV
How can she ask something like that?
I agree we are married and a couple now but that doesn't mean we have to.....
I gulped at the mere thought of going close to that serene beauty husband of mine. I never thought from that perspective before but....
He's a chicken tandoori. Even though I am vegetarian, i won't mind taking a bite of him. But the moment I start crushing over him, he has to open his mouth and spoil everything. Just like yesterday. Whenever I start taking steps in his direction he does something which reminds me that....
That we are different. Kind of poles apart. Nothing in common. Neither our status matches nor our preferences.
Hamari toh height bhi match nhi karti.....
( Even our height doesn't match..... )
I am a normal girl with average looks and he......
he's everything a girl would ask to have in her dream partner.
He's hot italian spaghetti....... and me???
Street style chowmein.....
And not to forget his acts. First he married me forcefully and now he's forcing Vihaan.
Let's be honest Kittu, no one would destroy their siblings life. Maybe he has a geniune reason behind all this.
My conscience spoke.
Okay fine, accepted. But what about what he did with me? He's definitely at fault there.
Why my married life is giving enemies to lovers trope vibes.
I whinned and slumped along the balcony railings where I was standing till now.
"Why....Why..... Why me?? Why can't my life be just simple like eat.... sleep.... and dance...." I cried sitting there.
"What are you doing?" Here comes the problem.
"Counting the railings." I replied like a devdas keeping my head against those metallic rods.
"In night??"
"Ha.... kyunki main ullu hu. Aur mujhe raat me hi dikhayi deta hai." I said with irritation.
( Yes.... Because I am an owl. And I can only see in night. )
Nowadays a person can't even cry peacefully.
"Woah... woah.... woman. Calm down. What's wrong? You were oddly quite at the dinning table also."
"Nothing." I said and made my way inside the room before crashing my body against the soft mattress.
"What's bothering you? Tell me, maybe i can help." He asked taking a seat beside me.
"Actually!!! you're right. You can help me." I quickly sat on the bed.
"I am having headache, now give me a head massage." Placing a pillow on his lap, i laid my head there.
"What the hell-"
"Chup chap head massage dijiye. Vaise bhi.... aap hi ki vajah se ho rha hai ye sab." I mumbled the last sentence to myself.
( Just give me a head massage quietly. Afterall..... it's all happening because of you. )
"Meri vajah se?? Aisa kya kar diya maine?" Seems like he heard me.
( Because of me?? What did I do? )
"Khuch nahi kiya isiliye to ho rha hai." I snapped more like said to myself reciting Bua dadi's words.
( You didn't do anything that's why it's happening. )
"What??" Being irritated of his endless whats, i simply picked the pillow and laid on my side to doze off.
Next Morning
"Beta everything is ready na?" Mom asked.
"Ji Maa...." I replied fixing my saree.
Guess what???
Our beloved Bua dadi wants to see her second daughter in law, which is Diya.....
Virendra Ahlawat's daughter and Vihaan's friend. I found it strange though, I mean she's Vihaan's friend but no one in the house knows about her, not even her name until we asked him.
Well !! since he agreed for the proposal Bua dadi presented her wish to see the girl. Therefore, early in the morning she ordered everyone to get ready because we will be visiting Ahlawat's in the noon. She specially instructed me and Mr. Rathore to take leaves from our respective works.
She doesn't have any problem of me working. I was quite surprised when she didn't show any signs of dismay. Infact she told me that she herself works in her town and owns a known brand of pickles. She doesn't find being independent wrong.
"Beendani...... mhare sandook me ek dibbi rakhi hai. Vaa ne laake dede manne." She asked me to which I nodded and proceeded towards her room.
( Daughter in law..... There is a box in my trunk. Bring it to me. )
I found the sandook after entering the room but it was quite heavy. I tried to open it but failed miserably. Few minutes later Mr. Rathore entered the room.
"Let me do it. It's heavy." I stepped aside to let him continue. When he was trying to open the trunk i was ogling at his muscles.
I was shamelessly gawking his muscular back and his ass. Not my fault if he chose to wear such body hugging clothes.
Is he planning to go out like this? with his ass on display?
Couldn't he just cover himself by a coat or something??
"Here.... This is what Bua dadi asked you to brought right?" He asked forwarding a small jewellery box in my direction. Nodding at him, I took that box and made my way in hall hurriedly, as everyone must be waiting for us.
When we reached the hall it was vacate. Not even a single servant was there. Lights were dim and the main gate was closed. Mr. Rathore strived to open the door but it was no avail. He was struggling to open it. Soon his attempts turned aggressive. He lost himself and kicked the door hardly causing it to jerk.
I flinched at the sound but kept quite seeing his angry expressions.
"It's locked. It's fucking locked from outside." His loud voice echoed in the entire hall.
He approached the windows and tried opening them but they were also closed from outside. The more he was failing the more furious he was getting.
He checked his pockets for his phone only to find it empty. He turned to me.
"Your phone??" His glance was scaring me.
"A-Amrita....." I stuttered unconsciously.
My answer infuriated him. He picked the nearby wooden chair and got ready to smash it against the dining table. My hands automatically covered my ears and my eyes closed on its own being scared of the outcomes.
I was waiting for dining table's glass to break but it never happened. Instead all I heard was clicking sound of his shoes. Opening my eyes I found him few inches away from me. That furious gaze of his was now replaced by a calm and blank look. Invading my personal space, he removed my hands from my ears before embracing me and stuffing his face into my neck.
What is he doing??
Calming me or himself??
"Sorry..." I could feel the movements of his lips on my skin.
Not giving me enough time to respond, he picked me up in his muscular arms and placed me on his thick thighs after taking a seat on one of the sofas.
"You were scared. Aishhh.... what can I even expect from a 22 year old. Such a little girl." He smirked at me.
He fucking smirked!!!
After scaring me to the core he has the audacity to tease me.
How dare he???
He's dead for sure......
I grabbed his collar from my both hands and bit on that exposed area of his chest.
"Ahhh.... Kritika....."
I stopped and looked at his face when he did that. It should be a yelp of pain but it sounded like a.....
Moan.....
His head was tilted backwards with eyes closed. All of a sudden he opened them and gave me a dark stare.
"Now its my turn. And my bites are usually big." He husked in his heavy voice.
I widened my eyes in realisation and pushed him with all my might before running away from him for my dear life and my dear neck.
I started circling the dining table so he won't catch me but to my bad he stood in the centre to block me from both sides. Tricking him successfully, I ran towards the sofa to cross over it in order to reach the steps. Being a good player of kho kho, tricking part wasn't that difficult. But I failed in jumping over the sofa as my saree was being an obstacle.
He grabbed my waist from behind and caged me in his arms with my back pressed to his chest.
"Why didn't I took part in high jump?" I cried helplessly on getting caught.
He chuckled understanding the meaning behind my question.
"Hasiye mat. Agar high jump me acchi hoti na main to yun...... Ek minute zara hath chodiye to...." I asked. He frowned but loosened his grip. I turned to face him and brought my right hand in front of his face.
( Don't laugh. If I was good at high jump then I would have... just let go of your hand for a minute... )
"Yun.... Yun.... kood jaati main aur aap pakad bhi nhi paate." I finished with snapping my fingers.
( That.... That's how I have jumped and you couldn't have caught me. )
"Yeah sure my little girl." He chuckled pulling me in his embrace.
"Oh hello...... neither i am little girl nor I am yours." I remarked.
"Well you're right. You are not my little girl. Because you are my little monster. And about being mine......
You are mine sweetheart." He said with utmost intensity leaving me speechless.
"And this....... is the proof." He added pulling me lightly with my mangalsutra.
"Feed me then. Cause your little monster is hungry." I passed him a tight lipped smile.
"Sure..." He muttered holding me up from my waist with his left hand and moving to the kitchen.
"May I have your order Mam?" He asked rolling up his sleeves after placing me on the counter top.
"I would like to have a anything. But make sure it's edibly cooked." I played along. A giggle left my mouth when he dramatically did a prince bow.
He opened the cabinets and took out the necessary ingredients needed. I sat there enjoying the view swinging my legs while he cook. This scene took me back to my memory lane when I used to dream about significant things with my partner. I couldn't control my overexcited self and blurted everything.
"You know.... I used to manifest this scene with my husband when I was single. But the only difference is that I used to imagine him shirtless, six pack abs and muscular back. Hayee.... those imaginations of mine." I drooled over my imaginary thoughts.
"Is it? Then let's make it true." He stopped chopping the vegetables and untucked his shirt before tossing it in the air.
"Woohoo..... Chef Rathore in the house." I cheered loudly.
His laughter boomed inside the kitchen.
Uffff...... His smile.....
He look so cuteee........
''You have a beautiful smile." I commented being mesmerized by his smile.
"I have a beautiful wife also." He replied instantly.
"Yeah... who look like a potato." I rolled my eyes on his statement.
"Who said?? Just look at yourself from my eyes then you will know how beautiful you are."
Is he flirting??
"Is it?? Then tell me how beautiful I am?"
"Agar bta diya to dar jayengi aap."
( You will get scared if I told you. )
"Nahi darenge. Bataiye...."
( I won't. Just tell me.... )
"So much beautiful that sometimes my thoughts runs haywire." He stopped whatever he was doing and leaned forward lightly making an eye contact with me.
"Matlab???" ( Meaning?? )
"Nothing...." Shaking his head he went back to cooking.
Even after several tries, he didn't told me what he meant earlier. So i stopped talking and carefully watched him doing everything. He was boiling some bee shaped pasta. Okay I know this....
It's gnocchi. The handmade pasta.
I patiently waited to see what he will do next, though I knew he will be making it like pasta. And I was right.... He prepared a thick paste with tomatoes and added the previously cutted vegetables followed by boiled gnocchi.
I held my hairs behind and bent over the counter to inhale the delicious aroma of food. Out of habit, i dipped my index finger into the pot to taste the dish.
The worst decision of my life........
Cause I ended up burning my entire finger. When he saw that, he quickly took my hand in his and lifted me off the counter before taking me to the sink.
He was gently rubbing my finger under the water but my attention was on his front and my back. I could feel his perfectly built muscles and abs on my back as I was wearing a deep neck blouse.
Too much things are happening just in a day....
His left hand circled around my waist breaking my reverie. Peeking over my shoulder i found him staring down at me. We had an eye lock for few seconds but when I felt like i couldn't handle his gaze anymore, i dropped my eyes to the floor. That's when his eyes trailed over my neck.
"Your neckline is appetizing." He husked over my skin.
"Vo to apki bhi hai." I replied being breathless and geniune.
( Yours too.... )
"Whats your first thought about my neck then?" He asked turning me around.
"The day I'll get a chance, i'mma choke you." I whispered the last part in his ears before moving away from him.
"Mee too...." He also turned around and leaned against the counter. Crossing his arms over his naked chest he added haughtily.
"But the only difference is that.... mine will be pleasurable."
Do not forget to vote and comment guys so that I know, I am not ruining the plot while trying to complete the story hastily.