His Unwilling Bride | COMPLETED ✓

✿⁠ NOT MISOGYNIST ✿

RABYA

"Get ready, we're going to your place."

"Why?" I asked.

"There's this ritual—"

"Okay." I get up. "What should I wear?" I asked him to which he looked at me confused.

I shook my head. "I'm not wearing sweatpants and kurti, don't worry." I tried to crack a joke.

He just blinked his eyes.

"I'll get ready." I get up from the bed and scanned through the wardrobe, awkwardly. But then I shifted my attention back at him. "I mean, do I have to wear heavy saree and jewelleries?"

"I don't know."

I took out a red Banarasi saree with real silver embedded on it. My lips twitched in distaste but I went inside the washroom to change my clothes. Wrapping the saree somehow around my body, I came out. I stood infront of the mirror and tried to adjust it but with the saree being so heavy and my inability to drape it properly. I clicked my tongue in frustration and tried once again.

This is not going to happen. I've to wear something else. I was about to reach out for the wardrobe when Adhrit's said. "Uh, I can try to help if you're not uncomfortable."

I nodded.

He walked closer to me and gets down on his knees. My brows shot up in disbelief.

“You're literally touching my feet. Aren't you uncomfortable?” I couldn't help but ask.

He adjusted my saree and folded the plates neatly. “Are you uncomfortable?” He asked.

“No.”

“Then why would I be?” He shrugged.

He stepped aside and looked at myself in mirror, wearing the gold necklace. “Maybe because of the patriarchy?”

“What's that?”

I bit on my lips. “Nevermind.”  It
might just be another English word to you but for me, it has done irreplaceable damage. Being locked up in the four walls of the house with the only responsibility of serving my husband, it had succumbed a gold medalist of her school and college to the mere status of your wife.

I wish I could scream at him and say that I hate this place. I hate the people here who casually laugh at martial rape, where women on their own will sit on the floor to have food while men of the house sit on the table, where a daughter-in-law has to cover her face with the veil, where girls are not allowed to step out of the house on their own. And in all this I wish I could hate the Adhrit Singh Chauhan. But this man bought me sweatpants and kurti when I told him that I'm not comfortable in wearing traditional clothing all the time. I wish I could hate him after all he's the head of this village but instead all I feel towards him is indifference.

Combing my hair into a bun, I covered my face with the veil. “I'm ready.” I informed him.

I followed him out. When I was at the main gate, I tried to get a clear picture of the the open space but then I saw a huge crowd gathered there to see me. I gritted my teeth and sat inside the black SUV. Adhrit sat next to me and once the driver started the car, I waited impatiently to get of here so that I can roll down the window and feel the fresh air.