WIFE : BOUGHT AND PAID FOR

SHOT 48

PRESENT

Aryamann's POV:

I hurried up the stairs, cursing the estate agent who wasted my time for no particular reason. All my plans went south the second the estate agent took me to a place farther away from where I had thought. And now I am late. I hadn't gotten a chance to meet Bhumi before going out. And what would she be thinking now? That I had walked out! No way in hell would I let her think that. As I hurried towards the operation theatre, I found the hunched figure of Bhumi, and my heart ached.

"Bhumi," I called out softly.

The look she threw my way was icy.

"Bhumi, I am so sorry. I got caught up-"

"It doesn't matter. You could have just informed me that you have work to manage. I would have stayed here," Bhumi said in a cold tone.

Damn it! She was warming up to me and now we are back to square one.

"Listen. It is not what you think-"

"I really don't care, Aryamann. And you don't have to stay here either. You can leave to do whatever work that is important," she said icily.

"Damn it, Bhumi. I am not going anywhere," I snapped at her, and she simply shrugged, saying that it doesn't matter to her either way.

The procedure took a couple of hours to be completed. The doctor who came out looked positive, and that gave us hope.

"Mr. and Mrs. Mehrotra. The surgery was a success. We just need to keep him under observation for the next couple of weeks to check how the new cells are rejuvenating," Dr. John said.

"The next two weeks are very important. We need to keep a close eye on him. And we have to be extra careful too," Dr. Zohail added.

"Thank you, doctors," I said, and the doctors left for the cabins provided for them by the hospital management.

"Bhumi," we both looked back and saw the whole of Mumbai standing there, with their hearts in their eyes.

Damn it! I didn't even get a chance to warn Bhumi.

Bhumi paled seeing them all.

"Oh my darling baby," Jalaja Adani, Bhumi's paternal grandmother, was the first one to move forward and gather Bhumi into her tight embrace.

"Uh, Mrs. Adani..." Bhumi stammered awkwardly.

Jalaja pulled away from her lightly and shook her head in disapproval.

"Dadi. I am your dadi, little one. Why didn't you tell us?" Jalaja cried, and Bhumi paled even more.

"How did you know??" She asked, still in shock.

My mind went back to the memories of the day Daksh dragged me to attend a prayer at Ishitha bhabhi's house.

*****

FEW DAYS AGO

"You are late, Daksh Mehrotra." Ishitha bhabhi said glaring at Daksh.

"Don't glare at me, darling. It was for Aryamann." He pointed at me and then told her about searching for Bhumi and her face softened at the mention of Bhumi.

Though she doesn't like me very much now, she too wants to find Bhumi.

"We will find her," She said and I smiled at her sadly.

As I walked inside I saw the Adanis, Kauras, Kapoors and the Mehrotras all sitting over there.

My relationship with my family was also affected greatly.