In A Heartbeat | ✓

Chapter 9 : Intrigued

After dinner, Gauravi was helping Raashi plate the dessert. She offered to carry one tray out while Raashi carried another. Her Daadi smiled. "See this is why I wanted her to stay with a family. She will learn how to run a home. Raashi does it so well. I must say Kalyani you are blessed with a really nice daughter-in-law. Otherwise... "

"Daadi," Gauravi spoke aloud cutting off her grandmother's gossip and rant. She was almost sure, her grandmother would bring up her first cousin's wife.

"This one is sugar-free." She spoke in an aspartame tone trying her best to smile.

Nishaant whose eyes were very smartly keeping a track on her, smiled, unnoticed by the others in the room. He was beginning to like her attitude around her grandmother. So artificial yet there was respect and love. That was such a rare combination— to give all the sass but still keep the love and respect.

Gauravi offered Krishna a bowl from the same tray while he was talking to Shiv about work. Raashi and Dhruv were joking about something.

Her stance froze when she overheard her grandmother talk in a hushed tone. She was telling the other old lady that she was looking for a suitable match for Gauravi.

She was annoyed would be an understatement. She was living with her grandmother's terms, wasn't she? She had never done anything that would bring her so-called disgrace. Her mood was bitter. Raashi offered her the last bowl on the tray she was holding.

"I am full, Di!" She kindly declined, politely.

"And I am sleepy too. I will call it a night." She turned and wished the family and her grandmother good night, walking away.

Nishaant who was sitting beside his mother who appeared to be engrossed reading something on his phone screen, was very keenly observing her, very subtly. He let a few minutes pass before he bid farewell to everyone for the night and walked to his room.

He stopped by her door which was ajar. He wondered if he should talk to her.

Yeah, right talk to her and make her feel you are interested in her. A voice mocked him in his head.

But, she would, perhaps, want someone to talk to. She seemed really pissed, almost close to tears. Another voice argued.

While the two voices in his head went on debating, he heard her voice.

"Bhai, I am serious I will run away but not marry. I want to work and be known as Gauravi. Not the granddaughter of Rathores. She expects me to wear Lucknowi Chikankari dress to work tomorrow. Like seriously!"

An amusement caused the corners of Nishaant's lips to lift up. Out of everything, Lucknowi Chikankari was her pain point? Women could be so ridiculous at times.

"She hates Bhabhi because Bhabhi wears formal dresses and skirts to work. Why do we even listen to her? Someone needs to give her a reality check. I wish mom was alive. She'd never let Daadi decide my future."

Nishaant carefully listened. He knew it wasn't right to eavesdrop. But the curiosity had bitten him hard.

"And ...Papa, he can never go against her even for the sake of his own kid. Why is our family like this? You know the Oberois, they are... how families should be. They don't have stupid rules to follow where the guy doesn't enter the kitchen. Only the woman serves food, and only eats after her husband. And all the other stupid things we follow. I really wish mom was alive."

He heard Gauravi's rant followed by her sobs. Nishaant didn't know she had a brother or had lost her mother.

He pitied her, hearing her complaints. No girl deserved that. But when she broke into sobs something tugged at his heart. He was tempted to go and comfort her.