THE IInd DECISION

24. Drunk Ashi is cutest 😂

Aashi Pov:-

"Look in the mirror," he said, his voice close to my ear, his hand resting lightly on my shoulder. "You look perfect."

I turned to the mirror and saw us-me, draped elegantly in the saree, and Ayan standing behind me, his gaze soft but steady. I couldn't help but smile. "Wait, let me just put on some earrings."

He nodded, stepping back. "Hmm, I'll wait outside."

A few minutes later, I joined him downstairs. He was standing beside the car, waiting for me. As I approached, he moved closer, bending slightly to adjust my saree drapes again. "Let's go. We'll be back in an hour," he assured me.

I nodded, feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement as we headed to the party. As we drove down the winding road, I glanced over at him, curious. "How did you know how to drape a saree? It's not something you see many men do."

He chuckled softly, his eyes focused on the road ahead. "I used to watch Maa draping a saree when I was a kid. That's how I learned."

I smiled, reminiscing. "I remember watching her too, but I never quite got the hang of it."

He flashed a mischievous grin. "Maybe I had to learn it for this day," he said with a playful smirk. I looked at him, amused by his response. "For this day? What do you mean?"

He smiled, his eyes twinkling with a mix of nostalgia and teasing. "Well, you never know when you'll need to put that kind of knowledge to use, right? Maybe I always knew that one day, I'd need to help someone or maybe even surprise someone special."

I laughed, shaking my head. "So you're saying you were preparing for this exact moment all those years ago?"

He nodded, a playful seriousness in his voice. "Exactly. Always be prepared, that's what I say."

I raised an eyebrow, unable to hide my smile. "Or maybe you just liked watching Maa and secretly wanted to learn."

He chuckled again, a bit softer this time. "Maybe a bit of both. But mostly, I just liked being close to her, watching how gracefully she did everything. I guess some of that grace rubbed off on me."

I felt a warmth in my chest at his words. "Well, you're right about that. You're full of surprises."

He glanced over, a genuine smile on his lips. "And I hope I keep surprising you."

We arrived at the party, and Ayan held my hand as he introduced me to everyone. His touch was firm and reassuring, and I couldn't help but feel a mix of nerves and excitement. As he got engrossed in a conversation with an older gentleman, I took the opportunity to slip away towards the bar. The room was buzzing with laughter and clinking glasses, and I needed a moment to gather my thoughts.

I ordered a virgin drink to keep myself occupied. A woman beside me ordered something stronger and then turned to me. "So, you're Ayan Singhania's wife, hmm?"

I nodded, offering a polite smile. "Yes, that's right."

"Nice to meet you," she said with a knowing smile. "I'm an old colleague of his." We chatted briefly, and I sipped my drink. It tasted bitter, but I was thirsty, so I downed the whole thing.

We chatted briefly, and I sipped my drink. It tasted unusually bitter, but I thought little of it. Perhaps it was just the mix. The woman beside me seemed unfazed as she downed her drink. I was thirsty, so I finished mine quickly.

But as the minutes passed, I started to feel a strange sensation. The room seemed to sway, and a light-headedness crept over me. I blinked, trying to clear my vision, but the dizziness only intensified. My heart began to race, and I knew I needed to find Ayan.

Stumbling slightly, I made my way through the crowd and reached him. "Let's go home," I mumbled, clutching his arm. "I need to sleep."

Ayan turned to me, concern immediately clouding his face. "Ashi, did you drink?" he asked, his voice low but urgent.

"Drink?" I echoed, confused. My mind felt foggy. "No, no, I don't drink... but let's go home. I'm tired." I held onto his wrist for balance, feeling unsteady.

He quickly excused himself from the group he was speaking with, his focus now entirely on me. "Okay, okay, let's go," he said gently, wrapping an arm around my waist to support me. His grip was steady, but I could sense the tension in his movements. Something was wrong, and he knew it too.