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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"Good luck Dr. Gupta. I'll be ready with the cameras."
Arnav watched Khushi roll her eyes and depart to the front of the auditorium to take a seat with the rest of the resident doctors. He had no trouble understanding why she refused to believe she deserved an award; her whole life had been about unfulfilled hopes and wants. She had learned not to expect, not to dream. She stuck to her ground, in what was tangible and real.
And that's why he insisted on coming. To remind her –not that she needed it– that it's okay to hope, because sometimes, you do get everything you had wished for and even more. And those moments far outshine the disappointments.
Of course, it was another thing she didn't want to trouble him. Arnav's fractured leg was inconvenient, no doubt, in fact he had purposefully avoided telling her how painfully his bone was mending back together in the last two days. She had fussed so much merely about his meals, she would probably faint if she realized he was in pain. Thank god, Ved was prescribing him pain killers anyway. He was a good doctor in that sense. Like Khushi, he genuinely cared about his patients.
"Is this seat taken?" said a familiar voice.
Arnav looked up, stunned, to see none other than his father-in-law, the very same Alok Raj Gupta he had spent most of the previous night thinking –no, fuming– about, staring back at him.
What on earth was he doing here?!
Alok, however, surprisingly appeared concerned. "I apologize for coming here unannounced. You can imagine my shock when I found out just yesterday that you were in an accident. I assumed Khushi would inform me of such things... but perhaps this generation doesn't believe in etiquette."
Oh. So this was a customary visit.
As if on cue, the lights in the room dimmed, signaling the commencement of the ceremony. Alok took a seat beside Arnav and continued the conversation, disregarding the introductory remarks being given out on stage.
"Anyway, how are you feeling now? I remember Shankar once telling me your family donates to this hospital. Have they been taking care of your treatment appropriately?"
Arnav tried his best to keep his infuriation at bay. It was neither the time nor place to confront his father-in-law.
"I'm fine, thank you for asking," he answered curtly. "If Khushi didn't inform you, how did you know I was admitted here?"
"I had gone to your company yesterday for a board meeting," Alok replied with a sigh. "And lucky I did, otherwise–"
"Doesn't Vihaan usually attend those?" Arnav interrupted shrewdly.
Alok averted his eyes. "Vihaan was... preoccupied. So, I had to step in."
Something was definitely amiss. Arnav could see it from a mile away. It was no secret that the Gupta family was a stickler for societal obligations; they took their public image much too seriously for comfort.
