"I'm not interested in you, so I don't want to know anything about you," Maitree stated firmly.
Rudraksh, responded with a playful tone, "Well, maybe you should go on more dates with me. You might find yourself becoming interested once you get to kn...
"Rudra, look at the bangles," Maitree said excitedly, extending her arm to showcase the intricate gold bangles that adorned her wrist. The soft jingling of the bangles created a melodic rhythm as she moved.
Rudra, who had just entered the room, was clad in a stunning yellow sherwani. The fabric shimmered with delicate mirror work, reflecting the ambient light and adding a regal touch to his ensemble.
"The bangles! Look at you!" Rudra exclaimed, his eyes widening in admiration as he took in Maitree's appearance. Her yellow anarkali was a masterpiece of elegance, the fabric gracefully draping around her silhouette. Her dark, glossy hair was expertly styled in loose waves that cascaded gracefully down her shoulders, delicate jasmine flowers adorned the side of her head, adding a touch of classic elegance.
"You look so beautiful," Rudra remarked with genuine appreciation, a wide smile gracing his face.
"Thank you," Maitree said with a smile, "but look at the bangles." She came closer to him, showing the bangles.
"Are those?" Rudra asked, looking at the bangles. She nodded, saying, "Anjali gave them to me."
Maitree looked at him and said, "I have never shared jewelry with anybody other than Sona. This means they really like me."
"I told you they will love you," Rudra said with a proud smile. "My selection can never be wrong," he added, lifting his imaginary collars while Maitree playfully slapped his shoulder.
"Only one thing is missing," Maitree said in a singing voice, showing her empty ears.
Chuckling a little, Rudra said, "And I have just what you need," pulling out yellow pearl-embedded jhumkas.
"They are gorgeous," she whispered, leaning in, and they kissed.
"What's this for?" Rudra whispered against her lips.
"For asking me here, bringing me here, and so much more," Maitree whispered, looking at him.
Their embrace lingered in a moment of shared happiness. As they pulled away, Rudra smiled and gently placed the jhumkas on Maitree's ears. The pearls complemented her attire, adding a touch of elegance.
"Perfect," Rudra remarked, admiring the way the jhumkas completed her look.
Maitree beamed, grateful for the thoughtful gesture. "Thank you, Rudra. They're beautiful."
"Anything for you," he replied with a warm smile.
"Shall we?" Rudra said, showing his arm, and Maitree looped her arm through his, saying, "We shall," and they walked out of the room.
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The godhbarai started as the ladies poured in. Anjali was sitting on the swing in a pink anarkali with a floral dupatta, adorned with delicate jewelry. Her hair was styled in a bun with red roses, and the ladies were whispering in Anjali's ear, presenting her with gifts. Aradhya stood behind her in a full sleeved white blouse with gold work and red skirt.
Shourya, Khushi, and Manasi entered with gifts, all wearing smiles. Spotting Manasi, Rudra approached Maitree, who was engaged in conversation with some aunties, and whispered, "Maitree, I want you to meet somebody."
Maitree nodded and went with him as they approached Manasi.
"Aunty, this is Maitree," Rudra introduced Maitree to Manasi, who gently smiled at her.
"Maitree, this is Manasi aunty, Khushi's mom," Rudra introduced.
"You want to do this now?" Shourya whispered to Rudra.
"I am just introducing, nothing else," Rudra whispered back, seeing Manasi and Maitree talking casually.
Khushi, sensing something, narrowed her eyes as she approached both of them and asked, "What's going on?"
"You look amazing," Rudra complimented Khushi, looking at her wearing a pink saree with a sleeveless blouse and giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"No! No, Shourya, this is not your clinic. My mother and I are not your patients," Khushi said, gritting her teeth.
"Guys, this is my sister's godhbharai. People are watching," Rudra said, smiling and waving at the guests, glancing at Shourya and Khushi arguing.
Khushi angrily walked away, and Shourya followed her, while Rudra sighed. Khushi walked to the kitchen.
"Khushi, I didn't mean for you to find out this way," Shourya said.
"Shourya, this is hard for me to even talk about," Khushi said, looking at him. She continued, "We don't even know if it's true."
"Khushi, there are a lot of similarities between them, and their eyes are similar, and—" Shourya began.
"Shourya," Khushi interrupted with tears, "stop. This is not a case study or an experiment. It's my family," Khushi said and walked away.
Shourya sighed, scratching his forehead. He hated this side of himself. Being a psychologist was exciting and something he was passionate about. As a kid, he loved solving puzzles, and what's a bigger puzzle than the brain? However, he often got so caught up in it that he unintentionally hurt the people around him.
For all he knew, Maitree might not be Khushi's sister, and he could end up hurting three lives. The weight of uncertainty hung heavy on him as he contemplated the potential consequences of his assumptions.
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