Twin Inferno

34.funeral

Siya’s POV

After the reception, our first night was arranged at Ehaan’s home. I was dressed in a red saree, my nerves coiled tight as I sat on the bed, waiting for him. I tried to calm myself, feeling relieved after telling Rudra the whole truth, but fear lingered. What would happen now? Ehaan was unpredictable—his actions often left me guessing.

**Bang!**

The door flew open with a thud, the loud noise jarring me.

I flinched.

"I won’t eat you... or should I?" Ehaan smirked, his voice laced with mockery as he walked towards me, shutting the door behind him.

I shuffled back on the bed instinctively as he loomed closer, leaning his face just inches from mine. My heart raced—faster than Eminem’s rap.

"If you think I'm going to touch you, forget it," he scoffed, his tone cold. "I’ve got standards. By the way, let me make things clear—I married you to break Rudra’s heart, and I’ve already done that. Nothing more to it."

He threw himself on the other side of the bed, leaving me in stunned silence.

A sense of relief washed over me. At least, for tonight, I was safe from whatever torment Ehaan had planned.

"Is Cinderella gonna sleep, or does she want me to sing a lullaby?" he teased, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Once upon a time, I’d dreamed of being Cinderella. But now, I hated the idea—because I didn’t get my Prince Charming. I got the beast.

I turned off the lights, pulling the blanket up as I quietly drifted off to sleep.

---

The next morning, I woke to find Ehaan already on the phone, pacing the room. His face was stern, his voice low and serious. It wasn’t even 6 a.m. yet.

"Is everything alright?" I asked, concerned.

He turned to me, his expression unreadable. "Nope. My grandmother had a heart attack early this morning. She was taken to the hospital, but... she's gone. She died an hour ago."

My heart sank. "Oh my God... is she okay?" I asked, still processing the news.

Ehaan shrugged as he texted someone. "Papa wants us to attend the funeral, of course. I need to talk to Esha, but she’s not picking up."

The way he spoke—it was so casual, so detached. Like death was just another business deal to him.

---

We arrived at the Mehrotra palace soon after. Ehaan’s family was large and powerful. His father had two brothers and a sister, all of them prominent business figures in the city. I had heard through gossip and media that Ehaan’s father had distanced himself from the rest of the family years ago due to some internal feud. But here we were, at the grand palace.

As we stepped out of the car, Ehaan slipped on his sunglasses, looking every bit the part of a celebrity rather than someone attending a funeral. He wore a simple white kurta, but the way he paired it with a skater bracelet made him look more suited for a party than a solemn ceremony.

The paparazzi swarmed us the moment we exited. Ehaan placed a cold hand on my shoulder, guiding me through the flashing lights. His fingers gripped me tightly, and I felt a chill run down my spine.

We spotted Esha near the entrance, on her phone, seemingly unfazed by everything. Rudra stood beside her, his gaze flicking over to us for a brief moment before returning to whatever conversation he was having.

Esha walked over, her usual calm smile in place. She was dressed elegantly in a white chikankari kurti, silver hoops, and matching sunglasses, perfectly coordinating with Ehaan.

"Hi, sweetie! How are you?" she greeted me in a soft tone.

I smiled back, unsure how to respond. Before I could say more, Ehaan was whisked away by his father, leaving me alone with Esha.

I hesitated before whispering, "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, ask away," she replied, flashing me a small smile.

"Aren’t you... worried about your grandmother?" I asked, still confused by the indifference they both showed.

Esha sighed. "I barely knew her. To be honest, she wasn’t a part of our lives for years. It’s always been just me, Ehaan, and Papa. That’s my family."

"What about your mother?" I ventured cautiously.

"She passed away when we were young. She was ill," Esha said, her tone distant, as if she had locked those memories away long ago.

"I’m sorry," I whispered, feeling guilty for prying.

"Don’t be," she said, waving it off. "What about your family?"

"My mom was my only family," I admitted. "I never knew my dad. She passed away a few years ago... cancer." I paused, feeling a pang of sadness. "It’s just been me, my best friend Saima, and her mom. They were my guardians."

Esha chuckled softly, a sound that didn’t quite match the sadness in her eyes. "Life is unfair, isn’t it?"

---

The funeral was a grand affair, despite the supposed family rift. As we were about to leave, I found myself standing near Rudra. Ehaan walked over, and the tension between the two was almost palpable.

"Well, if it isn’t the grieving grandson," Rudra sneered, his tone mocking.

Ehaan smirked, unaffected by the insult. "How’s it going, Rudra? Enjoying life without Siya?"

I stiffened at Ehaan’s words, feeling the tension rise. Rudra’s jaw clenched, but before he could respond, Esha joined in.

"Come on, Ehaan. Be nice for once," she teased, though her voice was sharp. "Rudra’s not worth the effort."

Ehaan laughed, his gaze flicking over to me briefly before he returned his attention to Rudra. "Oh, I know he’s not worth it. But it’s fun watching him squirm."

To my surprise, Rudra didn’t react to Ehaan’s words. Instead, his gaze shifted to me, and for a brief moment, something passed between us—a silent exchange I couldn’t quite understand. Then he turned away, walking off with an amused smile.

Ehaan turned to me, his hand brushing mine as if by accident. The touch sent a jolt of electricity through me, and for a moment, I forgot to breathe.

"Ready to go?" he asked, his voice softer than before.

I nodded, feeling my heart race for reasons I couldn’t explain.

As we walked out, I couldn’t shake the feeling that things between Ehaan and I were far from simple.