Discordance

Chapter Four

Akshara hated Abhimanyu! He was rude, condescending, and annoying. She hadn't even bothered to look at his face because she wanted absolutely nothing to do with him, disregarding their upcoming nuptials obviously. The audacity of this man to be in love with someone else but running around town looking at girls? The little she knew and loved Manjari aunty, she was sure Aunty would understand, then why was this man doing this?

HAAAH she scoffed, she wished she could see his face when he heard the news of her agreement. Mr. Sour Puss would have looked like he had sucked on a lemon. Boo hoo! She didn't want to marry at all, forget to that tall, buffed, rude man. To her credit Akshara had tried to reach out to him via Parth Bhai but her texts had remained unanswered. She had wanted to clear the air and tell him that she too was bound by duties and couldn't get out of the agreement that easily but if he wanted to act like an unbothered monster then so be it.

Every Saturday, Akshara would make halwa puri and chana for her Bade Papa without fail and while he never outright appreciated it she knew he loved it and looked forward to it. However, this particular Saturday, a day before her engagement ceremony she had decided that she had to cut her losses, while it hurt her deeply the wound had been festering and open for quite some time now, this was just the last straw that broke the camel's back. So she instructed the staff to make whatever they wanted and went back up to her room.

"Akshara" Kairav Bhaiya knocked on her door a little while before breakfast was due and Akshara's heart fell through her stomach. She had been ignoring her brothers ever since she had said yes to the alliance, not knowing how to lie to them on their faces and she couldn't tell them about Bade Papa's blackmailing because while Kairav bhaiya would fight for her he didn't have the authority yet to approve huge transactions like the one Bade papa was signing for her organization.

"Coming Bhaiya" she yelled and smoothed a sweaty palm over her dress before making sure her expression showed no signs of her inner distress.

She rolled her eyes at the concern reflected upon all three of her brother's faces but moved to the side to let them in and laid down on the bed where Vansh Bhai and Rishi Bhai each followed her to the bed but it was Kairav bhaiya who she was the most worried about, who was currently pacing the floor near her bed, glaring daggers on the carpet.

"This is all too soon." He muttered in a soft voice before steeling his spine and turning his burning gaze to her "Something is wrong."

Sighing loudly Akshara replied "It is not too soon, I am ready now! I like him Bhaiya" she tried to make sure her voice was even, she had never been a good liar and this was the biggest game she had ever played with her family.

"What could he have said in that one meeting that made you like him?" Vansh Bhaiya questioned and Akshara had to dig her nails into her palm to avoid the pain from bleeding into her voice

"I like Manjari Aunty, she makes me feel safe and loved. The family is good..." her voice trailed off.

"That is all well and good, but you're not marrying the family, you're marrying Abhimanyu" Rishi Bhai pointed out smugly and Akshara couldn't bear to look at him, he was the closest to her in age and they had always been thick as thieves and even if Kairav bhai bought into this deceit, Rishi Bhai never would.

"He is kind, soft spoken and levelheaded. Manjari Aunty says that he would be the calm to my craziness and isn't it true? Opposites attract." She could see her brothers were slowly melting "Hey plus who knows maybe he will bring the change I need and cure me of my silliness and make me nice and demure?" she joked but she would never let him do that.

"No" All three brothers yelled at her making her jump "We like you like this. I'm not really sure I want everything to happen this soon, you are so young, he is quite older than you. What's the hurry? Heck Bade Papa said the wedding will be next month." Akshara gasped at that but quickly covered it with a cough, laughing through her pain.