Upon arriving at the venue, he held out his hand for her to exit the car, and she took it, feeling his reassuring grip as they made their way inside. As they entered all eyes turned towards them, but he seemed unfazed, his attention focused solely on her while she couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.
He held her hand more tightly, silently assuring her that he was there with her.
Approaching them, some of his colleagues greeted them with excitement.
"So the awaited couple has finally arrived!" one of them exclaimed with a grin.
Meera smiled in response.
His colleagues greeted them with enthusiasm, but his responses were somewhat curt, his manner reserved. As the evening unfolded, everyone enjoyed themselves while his colleagues engaged in conversation with him.
Amidst the chatter, Meera began to feel bored and wished to go home, despite having just arrived.
After sometime, Just as Aaryansh was about to engage in conversation with her, a girl approached them.
"Well hello, Mr. Aaryansh" she exclaimed, reaching out to hug him, but he stepped back, offering a simple "Hi."
leaving the girl feel embarrassed.
"Uhm, meet my wife , Meera" he said introducing her to the girl
"And she is-" Before he could introduce the girl to Meera, she interrupted him
"Let me introduce myself," she said firmly, extending her hand towards Meera. "Myself Ishika.. Ishika Singh."
Meera shook her hand, feeling somewhat awkward by her directness.
"Nice to meet you.." Meera replied
"Well-" Ishika was cut short by Aaryansh
"Kindly excuse us." He said taking Meera's hand and leading her away.
Once they were alone, he asked her ,
"Aap bore to nahi ho rahin?"
She felt touched by his consideration for her , "Nahi to... Aap.. ho rahein hai kya?" She replied unsure why she felt the need to ask.
"Nope, actually right now I have someone with me, with whom around, I can never be bored." he said, his gaze lingering on her. His eyes sparkled with a mixture of sincerity and mischief as he spoke.
She felt her cheeks flush at his words, a shy smile tugging at the corners of her lips. His playful tone and the way he looked at her made her heart flutter
But before anything more could transpire between them, Ishika again approached them with a tone that seemed insincere, fake, or even slightly rude.
"Well, Excuse me if I'm disturbing this lovely couple" she said, her words laced with a hint of sarcasm.
He couldn't help but roll his eyes to himself ,
"So ,Mr. Aaryansh, you seem to have forgotten me completely" Ishika remarked, her voice tinged with passive aggression.
"It's not like that" he replied with a cold demeanor, his patience wearing thin.
"It certainly seems like it. Anyway, are you going to introduce me to your wife or should I do the honors?" She persisted, her tone bordering on rude.
"Well hi there , I'm his close friend , Ishika" she introduced herself.
"Come, let's talk. You don't have to be glued to your husband all night, right?" she said, attempting to whisk her away
But he intervened , holding Meera's hand
"But her husband wants to be with her ,
So perhaps, it's best if you excuse us."
He remarked, dismissing all her attempts to intervene.
Before she could respond, Sid arrived there,
"Woah, I never imagined my brother here could ever be so smitten," he remarked with a grin, glancing at Aaryansh teasingly.
"And heyyy Ishika, did you bring your own spotlight, or are you just naturally glowing with all that extra makeup?" Sid joked, his grin widening as he glanced at her exaggerated appearance.
"Excuse me?" She interjected, clearly offended by his remark.
"You're excused! Thank you." Sid shot back with a dismissive wave of his hand, gesturing for her to leave with a smirk, while she left, embarrassed and fuming.
Meera was somewhat taken aback by their behavior towards Ishika, feeling a mix of discomfort and sympathy for her as she witnessed the exchange.
" And hello, pretty bhabhi, how are you doing?" Sid greeted her with a playful twinkle in his eye.
Aaryansh sighed, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice. "Again with that 'pretty bhabhi'? Can't you just call her bhabhi like a normal person?"
Sid grinned mischievously. "Is she your bhabhi or my bhabhi? My wish, my choice on how to address my dear sister-in-law."
Meanwhile she felt somewhat overwhelmed, watching that first time someone addressed her with such familiarity.
Aaryansh's irritation grew palpable as he shot him a glare.
"Sid, cut the nonsense. We're not in a Bollywood movie. Just call her 'bhabhi' like a normal human being"
Sid raised his hands in mock surrender, but his grin didn't falter.
"Alright, alright, no need to get your knickers in a twist,. I'll stick to 'bhabhi'...... for now."
__________________________________________
As the evening stretched on, she began to feel increasingly bored. Meanwhile, he kept her by his side, not leaving her hand, as he engaged with his colleagues, deep in conversation and networking.
Feeling the urge to explore, she attempted to free her hand from his grip, but he held on tight, so she gently tugged at his sleeve..
He turned towards her, his attention momentarily shifting from his conversation. "Kuch chahiye aapko?" he asked, his grip on her hand loosening as he sensed her desire to break away for a moment.
"I'll be going to the restroom," she murmured, feeling a bit awkward about interrupting his conversation.
He nodded understandingly, finally releasing her hand. "Oh okay"
"Shall I come with you?" he asked.
"I mean to show you where it is" he added quickly, seeing her confused expression.
Meera, not wanting to interrupt his conversation any further, shook her head with a polite smile. "No, no, it's okay. I'll be fine."
She offered him a polite smile before making her way towards the restroom, eager for a moment of solitude amidst the bustling crowd.
As she walked away, his gaze followed her briefly before returning to his conversation.
As she entered the restroom, she noticed Ishika doing her touch-up in front of the mirror. Ishika caught sight of her and immediately walked over with a forced smile.
"Oh hi," she greeted, her tone sounding somewhat fake.
"So I finally got a chance to talk with you," Ishika continued, her tone carrying a hint of insincerity.
Meera felt a twinge of discomfort as she sensed the artificiality in Ishika's tone. Despite Ishika's attempt at friendliness, she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off.
"You--" Ishika began, her phone suddenly rang, cutting her off mid-sentence
"Uhm, I've to take this call," Ishika said quickly, glancing at the caller ID before rushing off to answer the call.
Relieved to be momentarily freed from the awkward exchange, she took a deep breath and focused on composing herself.
In the washroom, she took a deep breath, feeling a wave of discomfort wash over her. As she observed the interactions of the others around her outside, she couldn't shake the impression that everyone was wearing a mask, hiding their true selves behind a facade of forced politeness. Their smiles seemed strained, their laughter hollow, leaving her with a sense of unease.
After composing herself, she stepped out of the washroom and was surprised to find him waiting for her just a short distance away.
He approached her , with one hand casually tucked in his pocket, he extended his other hand towards her.
"Chalein?" he asked, his voice soft and gentle.
She felt overwhelmed by his gestures, a genuine smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She couldn't help but reminisce about how he was always with her, never leaving her alone for even a second, keeping her all the time by his side.
With all these thoughts swirling in her mind, she gently placed her hand in his, feeling a sense of comfort and gratitude wash over her.
As they arrived and took their seats among his friends, he made sure to sit beside her, his hand naturally intertwining with hers. Despite the lively chatter around them, she couldn't shake off the creeping sense of boredom that had started to settle in once again.
Meanwhile, Ishika approached their group and attempted to sit beside Aaryansh, but before she could, Sid swiftly stood up and occupied the seat next to him, blocking Ishika's path.
"Bhabhi, if I'm not intervening,
may I know who that rude girl was with you this afternoon?" Sid asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
"..I'm sorry on behalf of her." She interjected
"Why are you apologizing? No need. Besides, he deserved it. He was the one who bumped into her, not your fault."
Aaryansh said, dismissing her apology
"Yeah, Bhabhi, don't apologize.
And my dear brother, I guess your eyes were probably too busy staring at your reflection in the passing window.
Coz she was the one who bumped into me." Sid chimed in.
Before Aaryansh could retort, the waiter arrived with the drinks.
Ishika swiftly stood up, grabbed a glass, and handed it to Aaryansh with a smile. "See, I still remember what you like," she remarked
Meera couldn't shake off the discomfort she felt, unsure of the reason behind it.
But Sid chimed in "Oh Ishika, why didn't you inform us you're working as a servant here?"
Ishika's expression turned to one of annoyance, "Sid, what are you saying?"
He continued "Well, otherwise, why would you be so eager to serve drinks?"
Ishika's cheeks flushed with indignation as she retorted, "Sid, don't be ridiculous. I was just being courteous."
Sid smirked, his sarcasm dripping with amusement. "Ah, yes, Ishika, the epitome of courtesy. Next thing we know, you'll be offering foot massages to everyone."
Ishika's frustration grew evident as she shot him a glare. "Sid! you're impossible."
He shrugged, unfazed by her reaction.
"Well, it's my favourite drink too. I'll take it. Thanks," he said casually, taking the drink from her hand.
With a dismissive nod, he indicated that she could leave now.
Meanwhile Meera couldn't help but wonder why they were behaving so harshly towards Ishika.
"Do you want something?" Aaryansh asked her softly
She shook her head, responding with a soft "No."
He leaned in closer, his concern evident. "Have you eaten anything since the evening?"
She shook her head again, her expression somber.
"Why?" He inquired, his worry deepening. "Wait, let me bring something for you to eat."
With that, he started to get up, but she gently held onto his hand, stopping him. "No, no, I'm fine. I don't have an appetite," she murmured.
He looked at her intently, while she realized she was holding onto his hand. She started to pull away, but he held onto her hand , his touch comforting.
"You haven't eaten anything since evening. And it's late now. You should eat a little at least," he urged gently, his concern evident
She looked into his eyes, feeling overwhelmed by the genuine concern reflected in them. It was the first time someone had cared enough to inquire whether she had eaten or not. The realization that someone cared for her well-being, even in such a small matter, filled her with a sense of warmth and gratitude.
With a nod, she silently acknowledged his request. Despite her initial reluctance, she felt touched by his gesture.
"Be with her" Aaryansh instructed Sid to stay with her, before excusing himself to fetch some food for her.
Sid nodded in agreement.
Meera watched him leave, feeling a sense of loneliness creeping in as she sat amidst the bustling crowd.
As Sid's phone rang, he quickly glanced at the caller ID and excused himself "Bhabhi, sit here only, I'm just coming," he said, flashing a polite smile before stepping away to take the call.
She nodded in acknowledgment.
While everyone else seemed engrossed in their conversations, she found herself feeling increasingly bored and disconnected.
Just then, a waiter approached her and served her a drink. She found the taste peculiar but decided to take a sip anyway, feeling thirsty. However, after a while, she started feeling lightheaded and queasy. She tried to compose herself, not wanting to draw attention to her discomfort.
In the midst of her unease, he returned with food in hand for her and placed it in front of the table, which was situated in front of the L-shaped couch.
"Here you go" he said.
Seeing her discomfort, he immediately grew worried. "What's wrong? Are you feeling alright?" he asked, reaching out to hold her hand, his voice filled with concern as he noticed her strained expression.
She hesitated, unsure of how to respond. With a feeble smile, she replied,
"Yes... I'm...fine."
He frowned, sensing that something was amiss. "You don't look fine.Tell me what's bothering you," he asked as observed her closely and noticed her growing dizziness.
He then gently touched her forehead, checking for signs of fever.
Feeling increasingly dizzy, she pleaded, "Can we please... go back?"
His expression softened, understanding dawning in his eyes.
"Let's get you home," he said gently, moving to help her stand.
However, seeing her struggling, he quickly scooped her up in his arms, surprising her with the sudden gesture. She gasped in astonishment , her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she realized everyone's eyes were on them.
"...Sab dekh rahein hai..." she urged, whispering anxiously.
"Let them see," he replied softly, his tone firm yet assuring. "You're my wife, and I have the right to take care of you.
Don't worry, no one will dare to say anything. Now Don't talk, Just rest."
Feeling a twinge of awkwardness under the scrutiny of everyone's eyes, she nevertheless found solace in his care as she nestled against his chest.
Her hands instinctively wrapped around his neck for support as dizziness washed over her. Despite the curious glances from onlookers she found solace in the warmth of his embrace, feeling safe in his arms.
He led her outside, his protective stance unwavering. He called over his bodyguard and ordered him to bring the car, ensuring they could depart without any further delay.
After some time, as they waited for their car she began to feel a bit more composed and, regaining some of her usual spirit, she playfully struggled in his arms.
"Heyy you, Mr. Handsome! Put me down!" she exclaimed, flashing him a mischievous grin.
He looked at her in astonishment, taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor. "Huh? Are you fine?" he asked, his surprise evident in his voice.
Ignoring his confusion, she continued with a playful glint in her eyes.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Put me down, Mr. Gentleman." she teased.
Aaryansh, still bewildered by her sudden playfulness, gently lowered her to the ground, concern etched on his face.
"Aap thik to hain?" he asked, his tone tinged with worry.
But she paid no heed to his question, her playful spirit taking over as she broke into a run, giggling mischievously.
"Areyy, where are you going? Wait! kaha jaarin hain aap?" Aaryansh called after her, bemused yet amused by her antics.
She dashed ahead, her laughter contagious as she led him on a merry chase through the quiet streets outside the venue. With each step, she felt a surge of exhilaration, her worries momentarily forgotten in the thrill of the moment.
"Stop! Come back here. Kaha jaa rahin aap?" He called out as he chased after her. But she was relentless, her playful energy propelling her forward with infectious enthusiasm.
"Show me your skills, Mr. Handsome, if you dare!" She challenged, her laughter ringing out as she continued to dash ahead, urging him to catch her.
Finally catching up to her, he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him,
"Caught you" he said , their bodies colliding as they both stumbled to a halt. Breathing heavily from the exertion of the chase, they stood facing each other.
As they came to a stop, he noticed something amiss and leaned in closer, detecting the faint scent of alcohol.
"Alcohol?" he questioned, his brow furrowing in concern. "She is drunk?"
What happens next?
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