TejRan - Arranged Love

🔅CHAPTER 35🔅

Hello everyone. Happy reading 😚📖.

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After freshening up from the long journey, the courtyard of the ancestral house buzzed with energy. The sun was slowly slipping behind the trees, casting a golden hue over the tiled roofs of the village. Everyone from the Kundrra and Mehra family-including Aneri and Harsh-had settled in, chatting over chai and snacks.

But Tejasswi's mind was stuck on one thing: the way Karan had sulked earlier when she hugged Namish.

Namish, her bua's son and childhood partner-in-crime, had been asked by his mother to fetch a few items from the local bazaar. As he folded the list and was about to leave, Tejasswi walked up to him excitedly.

"Namish! I'll come with you," she beamed. "It's been years since we went shopping together like old times."

Namish's eyes lit up. "You better! It's no fun without you."

Karan, who had just stepped into the courtyard, froze. His jaw clenched.

"I'm coming too," Karan said, striding toward them.

Namish blinked. "Oh. Sure?"

"But it'll be boring, Karan," Tejasswi teased with a smirk.

"I'll manage," he said, then turned to the rest. "Ranbir, Aditi, Prachi, Vikram, Aneri, Harsh-chalo, let's explore the village. None of us have seen this place before. Except Namish, Teju, Aditi and Ranbir."

Prachi grinned. "Adventure walk? I'm in!"

Aneri clapped. "Yes! Village market means sugarcane juice and jhumkas!"

Harsh chuckled. "Typical Aneri."

Prachi leaned toward Aneri. "Time for some village fun."

Akshara, overhearing, smiled from the porch. "Good idea, kids. But be back before sunset!"

Karan turned to Tejasswi, lowering his voice. "Now you have no excuse to run off with Mr. Bua's son."

Tejasswi rolled her eyes, biting back a smile. "Someone's jealous..."

They set off in a lively group, walking down the narrow path lined with trees and buzzing with rustic charm. Children waved, old uncles nodded from their charpoys, and the smell of mud mixed with jaggery filled the air.

As they passed a row of local stalls, a middle-aged woman peered from her verandah and smiled.

"Arey Namish beta! Apni biwi ke saath aaye ho bazaar?"

Everyone froze for a second.

Tejasswi's eyes widened, and Namish was about to laugh when-

Karan stepped forward, sliding his arm protectively around Tejasswi's waist.

"No aunty," he said with a firm but polite voice. "She's not his wife."

He looked the woman directly in the eyes. "She's my wife. Mrs. Tejasswi Karan Kundrra."

The woman blinked, taken aback. "Ohh-Arrey beta, maaf karo. Hum toh soch rahe the..."

Karan smiled tightly. "Hota hai."

Tejasswi looked at him, amused, as the others tried hiding their laughter. Ranbir nearly choked on his cane juice.

"Ohh ho Jijuuuu!" Ranbir teased. "Territorial much?"

Aditi giggled. "Diii, you better keep your possessive husband in check."

Karan glanced at Tejasswi. "You didn't correct her."