Destiny that planned their life

21. The wedding

Third person's POV

The marriage ceremony concluded with the priest's declaration, marking Drishti and Tarun as officially husband and wife. They received blessings from their elders amidst the cheerful chatter of relatives who seemed more excited than the couple themselves.

As Drishti watched everyone from both families chatting and laughing, she felt an unexpected wave of anger rising within her. The sheer joy on their faces seemed to mock her misery. Then she saw Tarun, her so-called groom, casually checking his phone as if this whole affair was just a boring board meeting. It infuriated her. She imagined snatching his phone and throwing it at his head or pulling out his perfectly combed hair, strand by strand. The thought made her giggle, quickly stifled to avoid attention.

Tarun noticed Drishti's occasional glances in his direction, and a flicker of curiosity crossed his mind about what she might be thinking. But he brushed it off, choosing instead to immerse himself in the distraction of his phone.

Drishti's irritation grew under her amused expression. 'How dare he be so nonchalant?' she thought. 'Here I am, my life turned upside down, forced into this circus because of his ridiculous threats, and he acts like it's just another day at the office.'

Unable to hold back her annoyance,  Drishti leaned closer and whispered to Tarun, "Are you waiting for an important call, Mr. CEO?"

"What?" Tarun looked up, clearly puzzled.

"You're glued to your phone like it's going to sprout legs and run away." She retorted.

Tarun sighed. "What's your problem?"

"My problem is that you're more interested in your phone than this whole circus we're stuck in!" Drishti snapped.

Tarun raised an eyebrow. "So, what should I be doing, then? Showering you with compliments?" He asked, his patience thinning. 

Drishti's mood soured as she realized the reality of her new life through her husband's voice. "It wouldn't kill you to at least act like you care." She said flatly.

Their bickering was interrupted by Pooja, who appeared with a wide grin. "Oye, Mr and Mrs Malhotra!! If you two are done with your secret conversation, maybe you can join the rest of us for lunch? " She teased, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Laksh, standing beside her, added with a teasing grin, "You two can flirt all you want after lunch. Right now, let's eat!"
The crowd erupted in laughter, breaking the tension.

Tarun coughed awkwardly, standing stiffly like a statue, trying to look serious but only seeming more awkward. He wasn't interested in any of this but had to endure it. All he wanted was to get back to his pending work and escape this uncomfortable situation. Why would he have any kind of secret conversation with the girl he married? He was just forced by the situation to get married. Even though he had blackmailed Drishti into agreeing to the marriage by threatening her family's security, he was not interested in any of this at all. He never imagined marrying anyone other than Maya.

Drishti, on the other hand, stared at her feet, her face turning a deep shade of red. She felt embarrassed and completely out of place, praying for the ground to swallow her up. She wasn't made for the spotlight and felt the weight of everyone's eyes on her.

Drishti had reluctantly agreed to his terms and had been trying to accept the reality of her marriage from the day she met Tarun at the café. But today, standing here after the ceremony, she couldn't believe it was real. She felt trapped and wanted to run away. She wished this was all a nightmare she could wake up from, that the last three months hadn't happened—the sleepless nights, the constant worry, the burden of keeping her pain hidden from her loved ones, the lies she told to protect her family.