Sindoor | The Devotion Duet Book 1

꧁Chapter 7: And Then It Was Decided꧂

Chapter 7

ARYAN

When Kethaki walked into the room in that pink saree, I was close to returning to the 13 year old Aryan inside of me, and apologise to him for cursing at him for thinking about her in the dirty ways he did.

Seeing her enter the room with that slight anger on her nose, lips sealed shut and eyes cast downwards, I was suddenly compelled with the urge to bring her attention to me.

Like always. Like before! I was getting tired of it. Tired of it all.

When I had gotten the chance to be the holder of her attention, and the owner of her anger, I jumped on it. My actions not only surprised her and the room, but also myself.

And that's where things turned for the worst. It wasn't her being near me. Or her touching and feeling my hand like the way she did. Or her counting my calluses with her soft fingertips. Nor was it the way she exclaimed that they were the result of me going to the gym regularly.

It was the day of my marriage being announced.

Bribing their family pandit was my last attempt at stopping this wedding. Last. There was no way I could convince Papa to change his mind. Or Viraj Uncle. Kethaki was set out on torturing me, so there was no point in asking her to change her mind. Nor would I beg her or ask her for anything, so changing her mind was out of the question. I couldn't take back my word either.

It was a mess.

When I found out that the Thakur family's Guru Ji was coming to read our kundli and his decision and call would finalise everything, I jumped on the opportunity like a starved dog on a bone. It was what I needed. One last shot at stopping this. And, so I did.

"You think this would work?" Parth asked as he eyed the envelope of cash he held in his hands.

"Just do it," I asked him.

"You are asking me to bribe a Man of God!" Parth said.

I looked at him. I didn't have time for his bullshit. "And what exactly are your reservations against it?"

"None."

"Then why question it?"

"To get on your nerves?"

"Well, mission accomplished."

"Good." He left the office with that.

I sighed and relaxed against the backrest. The paperwork for the collaboration with the Murthy Group was on the table before me. This deal would not only bring in millions but will solidify the front. More was never too much, especially if it was another legitimate business. And to think that Papa threatened to take it away from me. All for my marriage with her.

I rolled my chair closer to the table and grabbed the pen. There was a file with the details of the project, one on the numbers and finances and one with the logistics. I had a lot of work, so much work, and yet, my mind strayed to her, and tomorrow's lunch.

But thanks to a few green notes and a best friend who doesn't feel bad about corrupting people, you could do anything.

I just had to wait for Parth to call and give me the good news and I could rest and leave it all behind.

So, I started working, after somehow bringing my attention back to it. There was a chatter in the office, and my team was working to finalize the deal. It was important to them for an entirely different reason. They wanted their yearly bonus. And they wanted to keep their jobs.