Match Made in Shantivan

Chapter 1: She Did Not Notice

Anjali notices things. She always does. But does she speak up about what she needs to know?

To simply put it, no.

Not because she is afraid of doing so, but because she doesn't feel the need to. She trusts people enough not to question them.

But when that very trust is based on a web of lies, it's truly a pity. That being said, there is a fine line between trust and blind acceptance, and Anjali knew very well that she was not foolish enough to be indulging in the latter.

So, she set out to find the truth, once and for all.

The truth behind not only her own marriage, but also her Chote's marriage. It had happened so fast, and she was so busy trying to accept the reality of it all, that for the first time, she did not notice that something was amiss.

She did not notice Khushi's fake smiles. She did not notice Arnav's hateful glares. She did not notice her own husband's prying eyes.

Only when she accidentally overheard her husband's phone call one morning, did she realise that her husband was not who he portrayed himself to be.

During that phone call with God knows who, he was not the kind gentleman she had met years ago, he was not the sweet son-in-law of the Raizadas, and he was most certainly not the loving husband she was used to.

In what world would a loving husband openly admit to cheating on his wife and using her for her money? Apparently this loving husband called Shyam Manohar Jha would.

He had assumed that he was the only occupant of Shantivan that morning, since everyone either went to work or went to the Mandir nearby.

Clearly not aware that Anjali had returned to retrieve her phone that she had left behind and was listening to everything, he went on with his conversation.

'And the funny part is, that idiot Arnav thought that Khushi-ji was at fault and went on to marry her!' Laughing like a maniac, he continued, 'But that just made it easier for me to admire her, she's living 2 rooms away from me after all.'

By then, several things were made clear to Anjali. One, her husband was a fraudulent pervert. Two, her brother and his wife were not truly happy with their marriage and there was some kind of misunderstanding between them, mostly from Arnav's part.

She left Shantivan that morning, with her phone in her hand, confusion in her mind, and so much pain in her heart, that her eyes were clouded with tears that did not seem to stop for what seemed like forever.