#Book 1 of HIS Series
Started On : August 2024
Completed On : [ONGOING]
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"When scars run deep, can love heal?
Meet two broken souls, hiding their agony behind masked smiles.
She has suffered unimaginable pain at the hands of someone she trusted.
...
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Some annoying shuffling noises brutally pulled me out of the only peaceful moment I'd had all day—my fucking nap. I blinked my eyes open and lazily tilted my head, only to find the makeup artist frantically digging through her cluttered kit like a raccoon on coke.
Seriously?
It had been twenty full goddamn minutes and she was still trying to locate that one lipstick.
That one single lipstick my mom had apparently declared as sacred enough to fight wars over.
And you know what the worst part is?
I was sitting in this exact spot, on this stupid dressing table chair, for over a damn hour. So yeah—no shame—I fell asleep. You expect me to sit here for sixty minutes doing nothing and not pass out?
"Leave it. Just apply another one," I snapped, clearly annoyed.
"But ma'am, your mother specially instructed me to use this shade only," she replied with a nervous smile.
Of course she did.
I sighed, defeated, and dropped my head, staring at my empty mehndi-less hand.
Soon, that space would carry the name of a man I barely even know. Aryan Singhania. My supposed "husband-to-be."
Just fantastic.
Suddenly, the artist gasped like she'd just discovered gold. "I got it!"
Oh wow. Round of applause. Call the media.
I offered her a weak smile as she applied the lipstick, finishing her masterpiece just as my mother stormed into the room like she was entering a TV serial.
"Beta, you look so beautiful," she gushed dramatically.
I smiled. Fake, obviously. I've had a lot of practice.
"You know, your sister just arrived and she's super excited to meet you," she said, doing her ritualistic nazar utarna.
Before I could even say same here, I guess, my mom was going to vanish as Dad called her from downstairs.
And then, boom—Mansi appeared.
"Namaste Aunty," she said sweetly, touching mom's feet like a sanskaari bahu.
Blessings were given, exits were made, and suddenly it was just the two of us.
"You know after this, your marriage is like... very near?" she said, all wide-eyed and dramatic.
"No shit, Sherlock," I muttered internally and nodded.
"Why are you agreeing to all this, Vanshika?"
"It's for the company," I shrugged. Simple as that.
Mansi looked at me like I just told her I sold my soul to a potato.
"But Vanshika... you can't risk your entire life just for that."
