Prithvi... [Volume 4]

Chapter 88

Murmurs of an unfamiliar female voice put Nandini on alert moments before she was at the door. She peered into the living room when she was at the base of the steps.

Her nervous-looking mother was sitting on the sofa, hands clasped together in her lap and eyes lowered. She was nodding uncomfortably in response to a monologue by Uma Raheja.

Startled by the identity of the visitor, Nandini drew back.

Grandpa had refused to consider the proposal, hadn't he? So what was she doing here?

Biting her lip, Nandini walked into the house, keeping her eyes on the floor. She removed her sandals by the side of the door. Striving to appear cheerful instead of anxious, she looked at the two other ladies in the room. 

Smiling tensely at the guest, she joined her palms and politely said, "Namaste."

"Namaste," Uma murmured with a nod.

Sarojini quickly addressed her daughter. "You must be tired. Go to your room and rest. I'll bring tea upstairs."

Nandini was about to obey happily, when Mrs Raheja sharply interjected, "Wait. I wish to speak to you about an important matter."

"My daughter is aware of the decision. She does not have anything to add," Sarojini said just as sharply.

"Nonetheless, I think she has the right to know why her grandfather had made an ignorant and foolish decision by turning down the proposal," Uma said stiffly.

"My grandfather does not make ignorant and foolish decisions," Nandini refuted softly.

Sarojini looked at her daughter, alarmed by the understated anger in her tone. "Nandini..." she muttered.

The warning went unheeded.

"He was right in rejecting the proposal," Nandini went on evenly. "If he hadn't rejected it, I most certainly would have. I'm nineteen years old. I don't intend to get married until I complete my studies and get a job."

"You can complete your studies after marriage," Uma said impatiently. "And you don't need to work. But if you are so keen on it, you can join our family business. We are one of the biggest business houses in the country," she added snobbishly. "We mint more money in a day that your family sees in a year. If you marry my son, you'll be able to escape this impoverished existence that your forefathers have led, and enjoy a luxurious life."

"I will consider myself blessed if I can spend my life in the same way that my forefathers did. But I don't expect you to understand that," Nandini smiled frostily.

But in spite of her fury, she wanted to laugh. She was already suffering the agonies of hell because of a bad relationship. She would have to be reborn to consider the prospect of allowing another man to wreck her mind. And she would have to be born without a brain to contemplate marriage to a person like Virat.

Uma flushed. Her initial assessment of the girl was wrong. There was no docility behind that sweet, innocent face. It would be difficult to control her in the long term.

But her son was too taken by the girl's beauty. He would be upset if she returned with bad news.

"Don't make decisions in haste, Nandini," she warned. "My son is one in a million. He is handsome and smart and...let me tell you... he is considered a prize catch in our circles."

"I'm sure he is," Nandini agreed bitingly. "I'm not worthy of him. He should marry a girl who is as exceptional as him. He has my best wishes," she assured.