TO THE STARS THAT LISTEN

CHAPTER 22: Ira is in Trouble

Ira

It took us nearly two hours to reach the Jindal Empire, which by the by, is huge. Why didn't I pay attention the first time I was here?

As soon as I stepped out of the car, my heart rate skyrocketed. This fake marriage of ours was becoming more real with each passing second. I was supposed to spend a year with a man, in the same room. I had a new family, about whom I knew nothing except that they were really sweet, at least until I wasn't their daughter-in-law officially. My past experiences had taught me not to trust people, and no matter how good Ahaan and his family had been to me, and no matter how much my heart wanted to trust and love them, my brain simply wouldn't allow it. I needed to keep my guard up.

Oh, good Lord, I am gonna get hypertension in this very year.

We took the elevator to the 8th floor, which meant we were going to the Jindal residence, probably. Reet, Karan, and Bua were with us in this gigantic elevator, which was probably bigger than my washroom back at home. Where the hell was my attention the last time? 

Oh, right, gauging my fiance.
Correction- my husband.

The rest of the family members had left early for the preparations. Aarav had also left for his place because apparently, he had overeaten dinner and wanted a good night's sleep. Vaani left right after he did, saying that she had an early day tomorrow, which signalled something was amiss. This woman knows she can't hide anything from me, yet she tries her best.

"No need to chew your nail, Ira. There is no need to be nervous. We don't eat non-veg, so you won't be harmed" Bua chuckled, placing her gentle yet aauring hand on mine, and everyone stiffled a laugh.

I didn't notice that I had started doing that. I mean, I had a panic disorder that sometimes resurfaced, which meant I had to relax, or my first day in my new house, and they'd know my reality.

"I'm sorry. I didn't notice. I guess I'm just getting nervous," I gave her a nervous smile.

"Don't worry, Ira. Bhabhi has made sure that everything here at the Jindal mansion makes you feel at home, and all of us are going to make sure that you have no problem adjusting to and accepting us." Bua assured me with a genuine smile. 

"We are going to love you so much that Ahaan bhai will end up feeling like the odd one out here." Reet added with a wink, and a smile made its way to my face, while Ahaan tsked in disapproval. As if on cue, the elevator door pinged open, and I was in my new house.

Some exotic interior designers undoubtedly designed this place. Even though it was built above their publishing firm, it was as spacious as the Mehta mansion, even more so. The elevator opened directly into the exquisitely designed living room of the penthouse. A lavish blue six-seater L-shaped sofa covered the majority of the semi-open floor-plan living room. The wall opposite the sofa had a macassar ebony wood TV cabinet that showcased at least a hundred trophies, medals and certificates. In the centre of the living room was a matching macassar ebony coffee table, neatly decorated with a floral centrepiece.

To the left of where I stood by the elevator was a luxurious kitchen designed with black cabinets and crystal white quartz countertops and a large dining table adjascent to the breakfast bar. A large glass door probably lead to the kitchen garden, which opened on the same wall as the elevator.

"Welcome!" Everyone shouted as soon as we stepped into the living room, and all my tension and nervousness faded. They might not like me in the future, but at that moment, they were some of the best people I had ever met in my life.

Aunty walked toward us with an aarti plate. She put a tilak on both my and Ahaan's foreheads, along with some akshat (rice grains) and showered flower petals on us before circling the plate round our faces. "Ira, kick the rice-filled kalash with your left leg and then take a step inside leaving your footprints with the red dye placed in front of you, filling our lives with your colours," She said sweetly. Karan, Reet, and Bua stepped aside from behind us, and I did as Aunty said, kicking the Kalash and walking into the house with red-coloured footprints behind me, as Ahaan following me.

"I know you must be tired, but there's only one ritual to be done today. Is that okay with you, dear?" Aunty asked, and I nodded. I was tired, with this heavy lehenga and sitting through the entire wedding, but I wasn't going to throw a tantrum. After all, I wasn't the only one who was tired. I walked behind her, with Ahaan on my side, to the place behind the sofa, near a sunken pit where a big-mouthed vessel was kept between two ottomans. The vessel was filled with milk and covered with rose petals. I sat on one of the ottomans, and Ahaan sat opposite me.

"Okay. So, this is a very simple game. I'm going to put this ring in this vessel." Bhabhi held up a ring in her hand, "and then both of you will have to try and find it. But the twist is that this vessel already has some other rings, and among those, you need to find the right one. The one who wins this will have the upper hand in marriage." Her eyes gleamed with mischief. "Is it clear?" We both nodded.

She dropped the ring in the vessel and stirred it with her hands. "Three...Two...One...Go." She gave us a countdown, and we plunged our hands into the vessel. The entire family split into two groups, with one cheering for me and the other cheering for Ahaan. My hand came across a few rings, but I knew they weren't the original ones due to their design. My hand brushed against his, and for a split second, a shiver passed down my spine before we went back to the task at hand. After nearly a minute, I found the actual ring, but so did he. 

Damn it!

I looked up to find him already staring at me. In the three months I had known him, I knew he would give me a tough fight. I needed to put up an act, so I used one of my strongest weapons at my disposal—my eyes. I made puppy eyes, being careful not to alert anyone else but him before I winked. And it worked. His fingers around the ring loosened, and I took the opportunity to pull it from his grip and raise it in the air for everyone to see.

"Yay, bhabhi won!" Reet chuckled, along with others.

"Ahaan jeet bhi jaata toh bhi kounsi uski chalti. Raj toh humesha biwi ka hi rehta hai." Vihaan Bhai said with a sigh, earning a pat from bhabhi. These two are cute!
(Even if he had won, it wouldn't have mattered. The wife always wins.)

"What?" He looked at Uncle and continued, "Ain't I right, Dad?" Uncle looked at Aunty, who was staring at him and gestured to zip his mouth in front of him.

"Chalo, ho gaya sabka." Dadi spoke. "Sab apne-apne room me jao aur so jao. It was a big day. We all need some rest."
(Come on, everything is done now. Everyone, go to your respective rooms and sleep.)

Everyone stood up, and Ahaan helped me up due to my heavy lehenga. I stood up straight, and he looked into my eyes before he whispered.

"Watch out, dharapatni, you've awakened the devil."

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Oops, what is Ahaan gonna do?

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