Bonded Forever

FIRST DATE

˙✧˖🌸˙✧˖

That evening, Ananya was playing in the garden with her puppy, Leo. Every time she played with him, she felt a sense of peace, so spending some time with Leo each day had become her escape.

"Leo, stop running!" she called out, laughing as he darted around. Suddenly, her phone rang. It was an unknown number. Curious, she answered, "Hello, who is this?"

"Hello, beta. I'm Devika, Vaibhav's mother," the voice replied.

"Oh, ji," Ananya said, a bit surprised.

"Ananya, why don't you and Vaibhav go for dinner tonight? It'll give you both a chance to know each other better," Devika suggested warmly.

"Huh?" Ananya mumbled.

"Vaibhav's busy with a meeting, so I called you. He's such a workaholic! You'll have to change him after marriage," Devika chuckled lightly. Ananya just managed a small "hmm" in response.

"Alright then, be ready when he comes to pick you up. He'll be there in about two hours," Devika said, ending the call.

Ananya stayed quiet for a moment, holding her phone. Though she didn't feel ready for this marriage, Vaibhav's gentle ways had started giving her a glimmer of hope that perhaps she could find happiness. Refusing this marriage against her dadi's wishes wasn't an option she had the strength for.

She was heading to the stairs to get ready when someone arrived at the entrance. Walking over, she asked, "Yes? Who do you need?"

"Ananya ma'am?" the person asked.

"That's me," she replied.

The person handed her a package. "Vaibhav sir sent this for you," he said and then left.

Curious, Ananya took it to her room, her heart fluttering as she opened it. Inside, she found a stunning backless dress, one that made her eyes widen in surprise. There was a note tucked inside. She held her breath as she read it:

"Wear tonight,~Only for me."

A soft smile spread across her lips, and for the first time, she felt a flicker of excitement at the thought of the evening ahead.

Ananya took her time getting ready, applying just a bit of makeup to highlight her features, then grabbed her clutch and started downstairs, feeling a bit of excitement. But when she stepped into the living room, her heart sank. Her dadi, Indrani, was waiting, her eyes cold and full of disapproval.

"What are you wearing, Ananya?" Indrani's voice cut through the quiet room. "Where do you think you're going at this hour, and in such an outfit?"

Ananya's heart sank further at her dadi's sharp tone. She could feel the sting of embarrassment, standing there in silence as Indrani went on, each word making her feel smaller. She glanced down, unable to meet her dadi's harsh gaze, clutching her purse tightly, feeling suddenly uncertain.

But then, a voice interrupted from behind them, firm and unyielding.

"I sent her that dress," Vaibhav said as he entered the room. His voice was calm but held a strength that stopped Indrani mid-sentence. "She's coming with me for dinner, and she doesn't need anyone's permission for that," he continued, his tone clear and steady.

He looked at Indrani, holding her gaze in a way that made his point clear. "I hope that's clear."

Indrani's lips pressed into a thin line as she looked back at Vaibhav, clearly caught off-guard. She stayed silent, realizing it would be unwise to risk this marriage with the Singhanias, knowing how much their alliance could benefit the family. Her silence spoke volumes, and Ananya understood exactly why her dadi held back this time.