His Vengeance Wife

Chapter 3

I woke up from my small nap and saw Buddy looking at me. I smiled and patted his head. A knock on my room door startled me, and I quickly hid Buddy under the bed before rushing to open the door. It was my mom and sister-in-law, with my adorable niece in her arms. Aaditi reached out for me, and I lifted her, feeling her tiny arms wrap around my neck. Glancing at the two women, I nervously smiled, sensing that I might have messed up something.

Suddenly, my mom caught hold of my ear and twisted it, causing me to groan in pain. "Ouch, Mom! What did I do wrong?" I exclaimed, confused. My sister-in-law intervened, asking what was wrong. Mom let go of my ear, and I looked at Aaditi, who was giggling mischievously. Playfully glaring at her, I asked what the matter was.

Aakriti reminded me that it was my brother's party today, celebrating his promotion to CEO. I felt a pang of guilt for forgetting such an important occasion. My absent-mindedness seemed to be getting worse lately.

Mom handed me my outfit for the party, and I closed the door, retrieving Buddy from his hiding spot. He was always so obedient. After a quick shower, I got dressed, did my makeup, and put on my earrings and heels. Before leaving, I made sure to feed Buddy.

As I descended the stairs, Dad and my brother complimented my appearance. Aaditi looked adorable in her matching outfit with my brother, who held her in his arms.

At the party venue, we split into separate cars. My brother, sister-in-law, and Aaditi went in one car, while Mom, Dad, and I traveled in another. As I parked the car and prepared to join them, a sudden gust of wind tangled my earring in my hair. As I struggled to free it, I felt someone's breath on my neck, sending shivers down my spine. Startled, I turned around and stumbled backward, only to slip and feel the pain shoot through my foot.

Strong arms wrapped around my waist, preventing me from falling. I found myself inches away from a man's face, his smirk sending a shiver down my spine. He teased me with his touch, and I recoiled in disgust.

"How dare you touch me?" I exclaimed, trying to slap him, but he caught my hand and pinned me against the car. His muscular frame overwhelmed me as he brushed my hair aside and whispered menacingly in my ear. I mustered a sarcastic smile, refusing to show fear.

But he remained unfazed, warning me of the consequences of crossing him. Just as his threat hung in the air, my dad's voice interrupted us, and I breathed a sigh of relief. This encounter only confirmed that the man before me was trouble, and I vowed to stay away from him.
Dad approached us, but before I could say anything, Akhil chimed in, causing confusion. "Hello, Uncle, how are you?" he greeted Dad.

"Oh, Akhil, I'm good. How are you? And why are you both standing outside? You guys know each other already?" Dad asked, poking his nose into our conversation before I could respond, frustrating me slightly.

"I'm good, Uncle. We were just about to come inside, and yes, we do know each other already," Akhil replied with a smile. I looked at him disinterestedly and suggested, "Dad, we should go in."

He nodded, and the three of us headed inside, leaving my confusion about Akhil's connection to Dad's company or any other company behind. Mom and Bhabi were busy talking to some people, and Aaditi, looking bored in Bhabi's arms, stretched out towards me. I took her and decided to give her some fresh air on the balcony. Although I hated parties, it was my brother's big day, and I didn't want to dampen his spirits.

As Aaditi drank juice and giggled, making me laugh too, we spent thirty minutes on the balcony until she grew tired and sleepy. Patting her back, I returned to find everyone engaged in conversation with a couple. Mom motioned for me to come closer, and I greeted the couple, realizing they were none other than Mr. and Mrs. Agarwal. I had heard this name before.

Mr. Agarwal and my dad were close friends, I recalled. As we were about to start dinner, Dad asked Mr. Agarwal about his son, but before he could respond, a husky voice interrupted. I turned around to see Mr. Akhil Agarwal, and inwardly groaned.

He greeted my family and took the vacant seat in front of me, flashing that irritating smirk again. I just gave him a tight-lipped smile, wondering why he was so obsessed with it.

As we were peacefully enjoying our dinner, engrossed in conversation, my dad suddenly directed a question at me and Akhil.

"Advika and Akhil, how do you guys know each other?" Dad's inquiry caused everyone to turn their attention towards us, especially Akhil's parents, who seemed taken aback by the news.

I gulped down the morsel I was chewing, feeling a sudden surge of nerves. "I-I W-We," I stuttered, frustrated by my sudden inability to speak coherently.

Before I could gather my thoughts, Akhil interjected smoothly, "We met this afternoon."

His response provided a temporary reprieve, but the unease lingered, knowing that our chance encounter earlier in the day had now become a focal point of discussion.

Sumitra chimed in, her smile teasing. "Oh, so you guys are already friends?"

Before I could seize the opportunity to clarify, Akhil jumped in, frustrating me further. "No, we met in a..." he began, but I swiftly kicked him under the table, causing him to hiss in pain. Both our parents noticed and inquired about his sudden discomfort. Akhil shot me a glare, but I countered with a pleading puppy-dog look.

"I just hit my foot on the table," he explained, and they nodded, accepting his excuse. Akhil's dad, Karan, redirected the conversation, asking what Akhil was about to say earlier.

Before Akhil could respond, I interjected hastily, "Um, Uncle, he was saying that we just became friends this afternoon." I steered the conversation away, suggesting that we focus on the food before it got cold. Everyone agreed, and we continued our meal in peace.

Despite the lingering gazes I felt, particularly from Akhil, I resolved to ignore him for the rest of the evening.
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"Only God knows what He was planning. Looking at him, I realize I had dug a big pit for myself."