Ravaging Bonds✔️

C H A P T E R 10

"Do you want a dress or a gown or a saree bhabhi?" arushi questioned siya as they roamed in the mall. Siya was confused. She didn't know what to do. On their first anniversary she didn't acknowledge it much. She just prepared vivaan's favourite food and laid it for him. They had a quite dinner.

He gifted her a pair of diamond bangles. That was it. But this time she kind of wanted to make it special. She wanted to make a move. She would be wrong to say that she doesn't have feelings for vivaan. She has developed feelings over time. And how can she not. Living with him 24x7, witnessing his soft caring side she was bound to have feelings.

He had also shown her his ugly sides. His difficulty in expressing emotions sometimes or the occasional nightmares he has. Only she knew about it. Not only she had lost her love but so has he. He doesn't likes to talk about it but it hurts him deeply still.

"I saw a lilac color saree hanging in one of the stores when I came here before." Siya replied looking around trying to find the shop. "I just hope they still has it. It was very pretty." She said.

Arushi raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Lilac, huh? You think Bhaiya will like it?" she teased, nudging Siya playfully.

Siya smiled shyly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I hope so... He likes simple things. Nothing too flashy. And I think the color will suit the occasion."

Arushi linked her arm with Siya's, pulling her toward the direction of the shop. "Trust me, whatever you wear, he'll notice more than just the saree. Especially if you're making the effort to surprise him."

They wandered through the mall, their footsteps blending with the low hum of conversations and the occasional laughter echoing from nearby shops. Siya's mind wandered back to her first anniversary—how quiet and uneventful it had been, yet comforting in its own way. But now, a year later, things felt different. She wanted to make Vivaan feel special, like she was finally stepping into her role in his life, and in their marriage.

As they approached the store, Siya spotted the saree hanging just where she remembered. It was still there—a delicate lilac saree, with a light silver border that shimmered under the store's lights.

"There it is!" Siya said, her voice filled with excitement. Arushi smiled knowingly, watching as Siya stepped closer to inspect it.

"It's beautiful, Bhabhi. I can already picture you in it," Arushi said, crossing her arms. "Bhaiya won't be able to take his eyes off you."

Siya hesitated for a moment, her fingers lightly brushing against the soft fabric. "Do you think... he'll even notice?" she asked softly, her uncertainty seeping through her words.

Arushi turned serious, sensing the doubt in Siya's voice. "Of course he will. Bhaiya might not be the best at expressing things, but he's not blind. He sees you, Siya. He's probably just waiting for a sign from you, something to tell him that you care too."

Siya's heart fluttered at Arushi's words. She wanted him to see her, really see her, and this anniversary felt like the right time to take that step.

"I'll take it," Siya said with a smile, her mind already racing with ideas for the evening.

As the saleswoman wrapped the saree for her, Siya's thoughts drifted back to Vivaan. She knew he wasn't easy to read, often hiding behind his stoic demeanor. But over the past year, she'd learned to see through the cracks—the soft way he cared for her, the silent support he always offered, and the vulnerability he tried so hard to mask.

This time, she would show him that she saw him too. That despite everything, she was there, not out of obligation, but because she had fallen for him in ways she never expected.