Solace

|60|green with envy

I'm not keeping a vote target, but the moment this one gets average votes, I'll update the next one.

Happy Reading!!

***

Nidhi felt odd seeing so many people. At first, she had assumed it would be just a quiet family gathering, something small and warm. But now, as she scanned the crowd in the lawn, she realised her mother-in-law had invited nearly all of Vaibhav's friends—some familiar, many complete strangers.

"Bhabhi, Maa has asked you to change," Roshni said, appearing behind her.

Roshni, meanwhile, had been in a completely different mood ever since her Bhaiya had come home. She was thrilled, almost bouncing with excitement, and clearly eager to use this opportunity to get Nidhi to talk to him. She wanted her Bhabhi to smooth things over quickly so she could finally get permission to go where she wanted. But Nidhi wasn’t ready for that. She needed the right moment. A better time.

Because while Vaibhav came across as easygoing, she knew that with certain things, he was unshakably rigid.

The perfect attire for such an occasion was undoubtedly a saree. Nidhi picked a dark blue one with a light shimmer, pairing it with a sleeveless black blouse that brought out the richness of the fabric. She slipped on a single bangle in each hand, applied light makeup with practiced ease, and made her way downstairs.

As she stepped into the lawn, her eyes instantly sought him—and found him, surrounded by a cluster of women.

Her steps faltered.

Among them was Meesha.

She stood close to Vaibhav, dressed impeccably—so much so that Nidhi, for a moment, felt plain in comparison. Meesha wore a maroon jumpsuit paired with stilettos, a subtle diamond ring gleaming on her finger.

Nidhi's jaw tensed. Her fingers instinctively curled into a fist before she consciously relaxed them, exhaling slowly through her nose.

Then she saw Arun, weaving through the crowd with a glass of juice for her husband, laughing at something someone said.

None of this had been told to her. Her mother-in-law had planned a full-fledged party, and Nidhi was the only one clueless.

Adjusting the pallu over her shoulder, she straightened her spine and walked toward Vaibhav. As she neared him, she gently tapped his back. He turned—and lit up at the sight of her. That look of admiration, of pride, in his eyes—it settled something in her chest.

He slipped his arm around her waist and drew her closer, introducing her to the group.

Most of them smiled warmly. They seemed polite. Harmless.

Except Meesha.

Meesha, who tilted her head ever so slightly and smiled at Vaibhav like he was the center of gravity in her world.

Nidhi felt bile rise in her throat.

She tightened her grip on his arm and offered Meesha a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

The woman had no shame. The way she laughed a little too loudly at Vaibhav's jokes, how she leaned in while talking to him, how her eyes lingered just a moment too long—Nidhi noticed it all.

She wasn't being paranoid.

She wasn't.

The final straw came when Meesha casually touched Vaibhav's arm mid-conversation.

Nidhi immediately intertwined her fingers with his, lacing them tightly, silently marking her territory.

Vaibhav glanced at her, confused for a second, then smiled gently and squeezed her hand.