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Mythili's POV -

His words stood corrected. It did hurt, extremely bad to a point where Aunty, Anamika and Nupur came to my room because I might have yelled so bad.

" See! That's why we weren't going." Nupur said, sitting next to me.

" I am fine." I said, looking at everyone.

" White lies." Anamika mused, walking out of the room.

" Beta what was the need to climb that stool? Someone else could have done it." Aunty looked at me and I could hear the sternness in her tone.

I didn't know what to say so I decided to keep my mouth shut. After a few minutes, Anamika walked back in with an icepack in her hands.

" Here." She extended it but before I could reach it, Shivaay did and then gently placed it on my ankle.

" This will do you good but someone will have to stay with you tonight." Nupur said and I immediately shook no head in a no. I had no intention of troubling anyone at all.

" No, please. Anyway I'll just sleep now. You all can also go and relax. I'll be fine. Promise." I said the last word looking at aunty.

" Out everybody. She should be sleeping now and I'll sleep beside her tonight." Anamika pulled Nupur up and sat at her place instead.

" Ana..." I started but she didn't let me finish.

" See Mythili, anyway I have a jet lag and more than half of the night, I will be not sleeping so don't worry about me." She hit me with logic and Malini aunty agreed.

" It's settled then. Goodnight people and Mythili please don't hesitate to ask for help. We are family." Nupur said, getting up and walked out of the room with aunty.

" I'll just change and grab my laptop quickly and be right back." Anamika followed then soon after, leaving me along with Shivaay who was still sitting in front of me.

Before I could say anything, my phone went off which was kept on the nightstand on the other side but I could see that it was Mom calling. What could she possibly want?

I tried to reach the phone but Shivaay had already taken it in his hands as he looked at the screen with an unreadable expression on his face but it ranged somewhere from anger to fury.

" Mr. Rathore.....I" I tried to speak to him but he didn't let me finish.

" Do you want to take this call?" He asked but I already knew that he doesn't want me to, clearly.

" I don't know." I muttered as my eyes went back to the screen.

He did not say anything. Just kept the phone on my side and stepped out of my room. It was my upon me to decide what to do but his eyes, which once I found dark and empty told me that it was probably best for me to not take it before he left me to it.

This wasn't the first time that he had advised me but for sure, this was the first time when I kind of agreed with him without giving a second thought.

" But what if it is something important?" The voice in my head spoke up.

" Sure. As if you've even been important enough for them to spare you another thought." I argued back as I let it ring till it eventually stopped.

After sometime, Anamika returned and after we talked for a while, she put the lights out and commanded me to sleep as she sat on the bed next to me, watching Modern Family. As much as I was tempted to join her, I had to sleep.

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The next festive week passed in a jiffy truly and the Diwali party was a fun affair. Shivaay had been completely busy with his investors and work and everyone while Anamika, Nupur and I had fun with my friends. Aunty juggled between both the simultaneous ongoing parties oh and my ankle was as good and new just the next day. Thankfully, it was nothing major!

" Now that Diwali is over, I can focus all my attention towards the wedding and girls, I will need to you be proactive all the time." Aunty said as all of us were sitting in the hall directing her eyes to her daughter and her daughter's girlfriend.

And just like that, all of a sudden, the feeling of uneasiness was back to haunt me as I fell a heaviness within my heart.

" Of course maa. Nupur and I are going to design and get Bhai and Mythili's outfits and get them made and we'll start the shopping soon." Anamika said as I tried to control myself from fidgeting in front of them all.

All I could do was nod my head in agreement to everything they were saying and then zoning out. I mean I know that this is a great family and everyone here has somehow accepted me and are kind to me but I did not feel ready to get married. It was a damn huge responsibility and I don't think I was mentally there.

Before I could stop myself, my eyes were finding Shivaay and as they did, he was looking at me.

For a while, my eyes never left me and neither did his. I could practically feel him trying to read my mind as I was trying to do the same but I was thankfully interrupted by Snowflake who had just hopped onto the couch and to my lap.

" Hey pretty." I stroked her fun lovingly and closed her eyes. She loves me, yes but somehow I feel she loves Shivaay more because next moment, she jumped down and walked to him, circling his feet. He had more or less accepted the fact that she will never stay out of his way and was learning to tolerate her without giving me a glare every time she would get her little fur over over him. It was funny to watch that!

Aunty and the girls were still busy planning and somehow keeping me and him out of their conversation to which, I was thankful for.

Over the next few days, aunty had called Panditji who had finalized 21st November which means in the next fifteen days. As much as I tried to involve myself interestingly with them, I couldn't and I was starting to feel terrible about it. They were so excited and were going all out with the arrangements and dresses and functions whereas I was just nodding and smiling through their every decision.

" This lehenga will suit you. Go on and try. Reception dress." Nupur gave me a dress and I stood up, walking towards the trial room in agreement. Aunty, Anamika, Nupur and I were currently in a huge store for the dresses.

It was a blue lehenga, which is my favorite color and as I did put it on, for the first time, I smiled without forcing myself to. It really was extremely beautiful!

Everyone agreed and we bought it.

The whole week was just us shopping and them looking after the arrangements.

Shivaay was busy with his work. Apparently his company was taking over an actual multinational company and the deal was going through. He would leave by ten in the morning and wouldn't even be back by dinner time but it was clear how big this was for him so no one said anything.

Here I was sitting today, one day shy of the wedding functions to begin. My friends had just left after spending a few hours with me and obviously, trying to cheer me up which worked, putting me in a much happier mood than I was in. The three women had gone to the hotel where a few of the relatives were staying for the wedding, mostly from Malini Aunty's side.

As for me, there was no family that I had. No one. Only my friends who promised that they are going to be here early in the morning and not allow me to get into my broody mood.

Tomorrow morning was the engagement followed with a Haldi function in the evening. Then the next day in the morning was the Mehendi ceremony and once again, another Haldi ceremony in the evening for some reason and then the day after tomorrow, in the evening, I was getting married.

Thankfully, Shivaay had pushed for a very lowkey wedding and remained stubborn on it and having no other option, aunty had to agree.

It was almost nine in the evening when I couldn't stay up in the room anymore and so I went out to the lawn. Both Cooper and Snowflake were somewhere inside, chilling probably.

Anyway, it was too silent as there was no one home but the decorations were so beautiful, even more so than the Diwali lights. The lawn was lightened up too with fairy lights on the bark of huge trees and random locations when I found myself sitting under the huge tree, on the grass. It was getting a bit chilly in the evening since it was November but I felt good nonetheless.

As I sat there with my thoughts, after a while, Shivaay's car drove in from the main gate. He was home earlier than he usually would come these days and I decided to get back in to serve him dinner. The cook had already made dinner and then left. So had the other staff because they were supposed to come in earlier than usual tomorrow and anyway, there was nothing to be done.

I made my way to the kitchen and reheated the mix veg and chapattis after which I set everything in a plate and then filled a jug of water before setting the table up.

" Did you eat?" Shivaay's voice rang in my ears while I was bringing the bowl of vegetable to the dining table.

" Yes." I lied, keeping it in front of him.

" Sit down Mythili." He asked me and I hesitantly took a seat next to him and he put the plate lying idle in front of me.

" I'm not hungry." I sighed, speaking more to myself than to him but he did put food on my plate as I poured us some water in the glasses.

" What is it that you are planning to do for your masters?" I couldn't believe that he had just asked me that when we were getting married in 2 days. Seriously?

" MBA in finance probably or even operations management." I replied, after which I gulped a glass of water down my throat after the piece of green chilly I had eaten along with the salad and oh boy my mouth was on fire.

I poured myself another glass of water and chugged that down my throat too. It was damn spicy!

He had passed on the sugar bowl which was kept near him to me which talking over the phone. When did that ring? Oh are you kidding? It must have when I was busy gulping water like a maniac.

" Thank you." I said slowly and he nodded his head in acknowledgement and continued to talk. Looked like it was a very important call.

I somehow managed to finish the dinner and he was done too. I tried to pick his plate to take it back but he didn't let me. He just picked it up himself and followed me to the kitchen while still over the phone.

I put the dishes by the sink after washing it and as once again I asked for his, he refused.

" Let me do it Mr. Rathore. You please talk." I mouthed to him but he didn't budge, instead he actioned me to step aside and started to wash his plate while adjusting the phone between his ear and shoulder which was just about to fall when I immediately caught it and brought it back to his ear and kept a hold on it.

He was done washing his dishes quickly and then grabbed the phone himself after giving me a nod.

" Goodnight Mr. Rathore." I murmured before leaving him to his call and made my way to the hall. I might as well just watch something and I decided upon How to Get Away With Murder. It was really fun watching it and most definitely something that would distract me.

I was just in the middle of the court scene when aunty, Anamika and Nupur got back from the hotel. It was almost 11.

" Mythili beta you should go to bed now. You'll have to wake up at 3 in the morning because in my family, it is the tradition for the bride to go to a temple in the Bhrama muhrata before her engagement to seek blessings. We will leave by 4." She told me a very painful fact.

" Okay. Goodnight aunty, girls." I said and they wished back as I made way to my room, passing by Shivaay's study. He was now on a video conferencing call because I could hear a few other voices too.

I then fell flat on the bed after putting an alarm of 3 which technically is still night for me but then the statement is more or less not very agreeable to some.

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The next time that my eyes opened, it wasn't because of my alarm but because of the constant knocks on the door.

" Let me sleep! It's practically night!!" I shouted slightly to the knock and pulled the comforter up to my face.

" Mythili wake up! It's me. We have to go to the temple." I heard a very loud voice.

" Who goes to the temple so late in the night? Even gods must be sleeping." I had no idea what I was going on about but that's when I realized that I was getting married tomorrow which did throw me out of the bed to open the door.

It was Nupur.

" Sleepy Head go and take a bath. Wash your head. Here's the saree. I'll help you with it." She said and I nodded, walking into the washroom.

It took me twenty minutes to wash my hair and then I was freezing because my geyser wasn't working and there was no way I'd bother anyone for something like this so late at night.

I dried my hair with towel and then I put on my pyjamas and T-Shirt before walking out.

She then helped me quickly dry my hair and then wrapped the saree around me like a pro which was the most gorgeous saree I had ever seen! It was a rusty-golden one with work all over but the only drawback was that it was extremely heavy and I was wearing a saree for the first time!

Mythili's Look -

" Perfect, let's go." Nupur said once I was done and we walked out of the room to the hall where aunty and Anamika were already waiting.

" OH MY GOD." I heard Anamika who walked towards us as she scanned me from head to bottom.

" I know right!" Nupur agreed.

" Beautiful beta." Aunty came to stand in front of me and put a nazar ka teeka at the back of my ear with the kohl which was rimmed in her eyes.

" Shivaay have you not slept the whole night?" She then was looking at my back and then moved away to Shivaay who must have been standing behind us. I turned with both the girls to follow aunty's gaze.

" I had to finish up few meetings." He simply replied as if it was the most normal thing to do.

" Enough beta. You will fall sick. You have been doing this for the past two weeks now." She scolded him.

" Yes maa. Scold him but later. Right now, we need to leave before your muhurat passes away and us waking up so soon gets futile." Anamika said.

" Where are you going at this time?" His eyes then seemed to land on them before they finally met mine and as usual, I felt a shiver running down my spine and a million butterflies erupting in my stomach at the same time. He makes me feel so nervous just by looking at me!

Something about his gaze made me look away and I could feel blush creeping up my cheeks despite how bad I tried to control it! Damn me! But lucky for me, I could blame it on the make-up but even then, I flicked my hair in the front to hide my face as I fidgeted with my fingers.

" The temple and we are getting late. Go to bed Shivaay. Now." She ordered before she came to me and then asked us to get moving. One last glance to him and I found his were on me even then. Was there something on my face? My hand automatically went up to my cheek and my eyebrows furrowed. Did I end up smudging the make-up or what?

That's when I noticed his lips twitching in a playful smirk. So slight that for a moment I thought that I was imagining things but one more look and I found out that it was real and my hand immediately dropped from my face and I determined myself not to look at him again.

How on Earth does he make me look like an idiot just by looking!?

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