Arranged marriage was an age-old story that Khushi, the youngest of the infamous Gupta family, who revolutionized and dominated the trading market for generations, knew well.
For it was the only thing she heard growing up.
But that neither prepared...
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The Raizada mansion was peacefully quiet just the way Arnav liked it. After three insightful and yet treacherous weeks with the Guptas, he was finally back on his turf. Following Vihaan's eventful reception, he willingly offered to stay with his mother, who he had caught lamenting to a friend the previous night that she missed seeing her son and daughter-in-law.
Arnav knew it was pointless to ask why she missed them when they were literally living in the same city. After twenty-six years with his mother and two emotional sisters (with one being slightly crack), he learned not to ask questions.
Of course, Khushi came along without a word.
It was another thing that her presence no longer bothered him. Perhaps sharing a room in a house that was foreign for both of them cleared all the awkwardness there was. And after hearing her argument with her father the night before, he realized that no matter his opinions about her, she at least deserved to be treated like a respectable human being and not the cold-hearted woman he had –wrongly!– presumed her to be until now.
Arnav quietly descended to the main hall looking forward to a relaxing day. His father once again came up with an excuse to make him stay home. By this point, he stopped trying to argue with him.
"Oh, you are up Chote," Satya said, walking around the living room rearranging the plants, her favourite pastime of the day. "Good, can you take a look at the light in the kitchen? It's flickering again."
Arnav rolled his eyes. "I am not an electrician Maa... get someone else to do it."
"You are the only one tall enough to reach that stupid thing. Khushi almost fell trying to fix it herself this morning.... I don't know why she didn't ask someone else for help. She is so tiny, that girl!"
Arnav suppressed a grin, imagining her atop the kitchen counter, struggling to reach the bulb. That sounded a lot like her. "Where is she anyway?"
"In the library," Satya answered, putting on a pair of gloves and picking up a spray bottle. "I think she will give your father good company with those books. She spends hours reading in there."
Reading? Arnav snorted. He didn't put it past her to bury herself in the library just to avoid seeing him. While they had no choice but to remain together in the Gupta manor, he knew there were no such obligations here.
Something strange suddenly began to happen. As Arnav casually lounged on the sofa, listening to his mother chat about nonsensical things, he noticed her face slowly becoming red and blotchy.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Satya paused and looked at him, confused. "I don't know... is it me or is the air becoming stuffy here?"
Panic began to bud within Arnav as he immediately stood up and led his mother to the sofa. "Take a deep breath," he said, while grabbing a glass of water.
