THE PARADISE OF LIES ✔️

13. THE GRAND UNION

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The sun set, and the ancestral home of the most respected family began to glow with the soft light of lamps. The wedding preparations continued in full swing, but Vaidehi's thoughts were elsewhere. Dressed in a resplendent silk saree of crimson and gold, she felt a world apart from the festive atmosphere around her.

Her cousins, full of excitement and laughter, had helped her get ready, their chatter and teasing barely reaching her. Lost in her own worries about the upcoming wedding, Vaidehi hardly noticed their playful jabs. Once they left her alone, she sat quietly in front of the mirror, her gaze drifting to a small piece of paper on the dressing table. It read:

"Meet me at the west gate. I need to talk to you."

With curiosity piqued, Vaidehi slipped out of the bustling bridal room and made her way through the quiet, dimly lit corridors of the ancestral home. She made sure that no one saw her. The west gate was tucked away and rarely used, bordered by thick shrubs and flowers. The sounds of the wedding preparations grew fainter as she walked.

Arriving at the west gate, she was met with an unusual sight. The gate creaked as she pushed it open, and the cool evening air greeted her. The garden beyond was peaceful, bathed in the soft light of a few scattered lanterns. However, there was no sign of anyone waiting for her.

Instead, Vaidehi saw something that puzzled and unsettled her—a rotten pumpkin, half-buried in the dirt near the gate. Its once vibrant orange skin was now discolored and mushy, emitting a faint, unpleasant odor. The sight was oddly out of place amidst the carefully maintained garden and the grandeur of the wedding.

She walked closer to the pumpkin, her heart pounding with confusion. The note had seemed so urgent, and now, seeing this decaying pumpkin alone, she felt a strange mix of disappointment and unease. As she went closer she saw a diamond ring that she wore for a month almost an year ago.

Vaidehi looked around, hoping to find some clue or explanation. The west gate and its surroundings were silent, offering no answers. The pumpkin, with its rotting flesh and the faint, sour smell, seemed almost like a cruel joke or a strange message meant to unsettle her.

Feeling more confused than ever, Vaidehi turned and began to walk back toward the main house. The wedding's lively noises slowly returned to her ears, blending with her own swirling thoughts. As she approached the bustling activity of the house, she couldn't shake off the odd encounter at the gate. The pumpkin, a symbol of something gone wrong, seemed to mirror her own sense of disarray and uncertainty about the future.

Suddenly she bumped into someone and she cursed herself for getting caught. A new bride is not allowed to roam according to her wish for staying away from evil-eyes. As she looked at the person her heart skipped a beat. It is none other than her soon-to-be husband dressed in a white silk wedding outfit.

( Vikramaditya : Ikkada em chestunnav nuvvu ? ) 

Vikramaditya : what are you doing here ? 

( Vaidehi : adhi ! Naa ring ikkada padipoindhi. Window daggara niluchoni unna nenu.)

Vaidehi : I accidentally dropped a ring while i am standing near the window. 

( Vikramaditya : muhurtham time ki inka kaasepey undhi. Guests andharu vastunnaru. Ilaa manalni ikkada chusthey ninnu tidathaaru. ) 

Vikramaditya : The wedding will start soon. The guests are arriving. If an elders see you here they will taunt you. 

( Vaidehi : nanne endhuku tiduthaaru ? )