Yashvi emerged from the washroom, wearing her pink blouse and underskirt. Wearing her white embroidered block heels, she began wrapping her saree around her body while checking the time, which indicated that it was half-past six. She silently cursed herself for not controlling her emotions, realizing that she should have been ready and downstairs by now.

After giving herself a final look in the mirror, she picked up her jewelry and left the closet. In the room, she saw Advik, who was grooming himself and whistling a Bollywood tune. Hearing her approach, he turned towards her and was left momentarily breathless. She looked exceptionally beautiful, despite bearing the physical signs of their recent intimacy. Her hair was in a messy bun, her face flushed, and she continued to captivate him as if it were their first encounter.

"You look so pretty," he whispered, halting his grooming mid-action.

"I am not even ready." She said pushing him away and sitting on the vanity chair keeping her jewelry on dressing table.

"You still manage to make my heart race," he said, gazing at her. She blushed but didn't meet his eyes. As she applied toner and moisturizer to her face, she reached for her concealer, only to have her gaze lock with his. Her eyes widened, and she quickly picked up the concealer and a brush standing up.

Advik was immaculately dressed in a tuxedo, wearing a white shirt with a few buttons open, revealing the love bites on his skin. 

Yashvi quickly applied him some moisturizer before starting on concealer. His gaze lingered on her as she worked, absorbing every detail of her beauty.

Satisfied, she moved back to her vanity chair, her eyes occasionally flicking towards her husband. She knew he wouldn't leave without her, even if his friends were waiting.

With her makeup complete, she picked up her curler and glanced at Advik, who was already dressed and still gazing at her. Taking a moment to admire her, he was clearly captivated by her beauty.

Yashvi continued with her hair, skillfully using the curler. After applying a burgundy wine lipstick, she smiled, content with the result. Advik, however, remained fixated on her. She looked at him before donning her earrings, then a watch, a ring, and a bracelet ring.

"I understand why everyone calls you Romeo," she commented, standing to her full height and giving a little twirl for him to appreciate.

"Your Romeo and you're my beautiful Juliet," he whispered as he walked towards her and kissed her forehead. She smiled with her eyes closed.

"I'm still upset," she confessed, hugging him, which made him chuckle.

"I know," he replied, wrapping his right arm around her waist and his left around her back.

Yashvi released the hug, then noticed a bouquet of red roses on the bedside table. She looked at Advik and broke into a smile, walking towards the flowers. She kissed them affectionately before placing them in an empty vase.

"Let's go," Advik whispered, holding her hands and interlocking their fingers before kissing her knuckles. She nodded, walking alongside him. Their differences might cause them to argue, but their love always brought them together.

-----

Yashvi looked around the beautifully decorated garden. It was adorned with fairy lights, lanterns, sitting arrangement and a buffet of all his grandmother's favorite foods. She scanned the crowd, searching for familiar and unfamiliar faces while trying to locate her mother and brother. When she finally spotted them, she pulled her hand out of Advik's hold, pointed toward her mother, and excused herself to join them.

Advik greeted his friends with warm hugs, receiving some playful teasing.

"Late to the party, huh? What were you up to?" Kabir smirked while sipping his juice and then pulled a funny face.

"You should've included some exotic wines in the menu," he added with an eye roll, earning a playful slap from Advik.

Advik chuckled and responded, "It's my grandmother's birthday, not my bachelor party," as he sipped his Virgin strawberry daiquiri.

He inquired about Sneha, and Kabir nodded, indicating a group of ladies, including Adya, Aashi, and Sneha, engrossed in conversation.

"How's married life treating you? You didn't even throw a party for us to meet your wife."Lakshay commented playfully rolling his eyes.

Advik defended himself, "We had a reception, and you guys were there."

Advik looke around, trying to locate his wife which Shrey noticed and chuckled to himself.

Shrey interjected, "Focus here, Mr. Romeo. Adya was right. You're acting just like Romeo." Advik rolled his eyes

The four friends had been close since middle school, and their friendship remained as strong as ever. They continued to chat, catching up and teasing Advik about his new life as a married man.

-----

On the other side, Yashvi hugged her mother from behind, her eyes turning teary as her mother gently pulled her in for a tight hug.

Cupping her daughter's cheeks, Amrita kissed her forehead and asked, "How are you?"

"Perfect," Yashvi replied, giggling. She had missed her mother a lot.

"You are looking so pretty," Amrita gushed, giving her daughter a full look and smiling.

"Your genes, after all," Yashvi said with a chuckle. Sandhya and Padmakshi admired the bond between Yashvi and her mother. There were no apprehensions, and it seemed like, at that moment, the only world that existed was the one between her mother and her.

"What happened?" Yashvi asked, feeling slightly embarrassed in front of her mother-in-law. Sandhya chuckled and shook her head, signaling that nothing was wrong. She called the server and ordered a sparkling lavender lemonade for Yashvi.

Yashvi smiled at her mother-in-law's kindness and accepted the glass, taking a sip from it. Meanwhile, Amrita, Padmakshi, Aabha, and Sandhya chatted, and Yashvi listened carefully to their conversation.

-----

"What the hell?" Adya exclaimed, looking at her brother who had arrived with a local golgappe vendor.

Everyone stared at Advik in surprise. He nervously looked away and asked the vendor to start serving the golgappe.

Adya was the first to recover from her shock. She grabbed her sister's hand and pulled her toward the cart. Taking two plates, she handed one to her sister and took one for herself. She instructed the vendor to make it spicy and then glanced at Advik, who was watching his wife intently.

Yashvi avoided his gaze, well aware that this was Advik's way of apologizing. After all, these were her favorite golgappe. She rolled her eyes and walked away.

"It's your favorite," he whispered in her ear, causing her to gulp.

"I called them here just for you," he added, nibbling on her earlobe as they stood behind a tree in a corner.

Yashvi looked at him, giving him a sidelong glance. "You think golgappe will melt me?" she asked, her gaze fixed on his face.

"It doesn't matter. I know how to melt you," he replied, winking at her. Yashvi chuckled and walked toward the vendor. Advik hurried behind her and asked the vendor to step aside. He put on gloves and began preparing the golgappe himself.

The older family members were engrossed in their own conversations, paying little attention to the younger crowd nearby. They were the ones hooting and cheering. Darsh, Yashvi's brother, chuckled as he watched his sister and brother-in-law. He was delighted to see how much his sister was loved by Advik and his family.

"This golgappe wala are exclusively for my wife," Advik declared, giving a mock glare to his sister Adya who forwarded her plate, who stuck her tongue out at him but couldn't help but laugh.

-----

"Mumma, Darsh, sit here," Yashvi said, gesturing towards the bed. Taking some time out, she had brought her mother and brother to her room.

"The room is so pretty," Amrita remarked, looking around as she placed her purse aside and sat on the bed.

"Darsh, relax. It's my room, and it's just me here. No one is going to judge you or anything," Yashvi assured her nervous brother, who rolled his eyes before lying down on the bed.

Yashvi chuckled, relieved to see her brother feeling carefree, and she sat in front of her mother, resting her head on her lap and nuzzling into her stomach. Tears escaped her eyes at the familiar warmth as she started sobbing.

"Yashvi, mera baccha. What happened?" Amrita asked, trying to control her own emotions as she gently patted Yashvi's back. Darsh noticed the somber atmosphere and sat upright, looking at his sister with concern.

"Mumma, it's so tough sometimes. People talk behind my back just because I'm the CEO's wife. Everything was fine before, but it changed when they found out I'm married to Advik. I dedicated my entire life to something, and now, all I'm known as is the CEO's wife?" Yashvi said, tears welling in her eyes as she looked at her mother.

Since people had realized she was the CEO's wife, their behavior around her had changed. They walked on eggshells and gossiped behind her back. For the first two weeks, she had ignored it, but now, it was getting out of control. After all, she was only human, and this was taking a toll on her mental peace. Advik's behavior yesterday had been the final straw.

"I want to leave my job, Mumma, but my pay is exceptionally good. It'll take Darsh years to complete his degree. Your salary won't be enough. I hate feeling helpless," she sobbed, hugging her mother, who was gently caressing her hair.

Amrita had changed significantly over the last twenty-three years. She had seen the worst side of her own family, worked day and night for her children, and everything she had gone through had turned her into a calm and mature woman.

"Why would you leave your job? Was it handed to you on a silver platter? I've seen my daughter sacrifice sleep, study day and night. People have a tendency to get jealous. Trust me, I know. Your own father thought I'd come back to him, begging. But look, I made a life for myself and for both of you. How does it even matter what those people think about you? They mean nothing compared to you," Amrita said, cupping Yashvi's cheeks and wiping her tears, shaking her head.

"Yashvi, they know how capable you are. They just don't want to accept it. Have you ever shown off your husband's position or that your in-laws own the place they work?" Amrita asked, looking at her daughter, who innocently nodded no.

"Then how can it be your fault? Society has always been tough. If you're not tough, you can't survive. People will stab you and then act like they're the ones bleeding. You can't just sit and cry. If people are pointing fingers at you, prove them wrong, not with words but with your actions. What are you scared of? Those people who wouldn't hesitate to drag you down? This world is cutthroat, and my daughter is a warrior," Amrita said.

"They call me a gold digger and say I'm money-minded. They think I married Advik for his money," Yashvi said softly, recalling an incident from two days ago when she overheard two coworkers in the AI department talking about her.

Amrita took a deep breath, controlling the anger she felt towards the people who hurt her daughter. "Dig their own grave, then. I'm sure Jiju and I will help you," Darsh said, lying down on his mother's lap and playfully flicking Yashvi's nose, which made her frown. Amrita softly glared at her son before refocusing her attention on her daughter.

"Yashvi, people are going to talk. I'm a single mother, and you know what I've been through. Do you love Advik?" Amrita asked her daughter and beamed when she saw Yashvi blush at the mention of her husband.

"Woh itne acche hain na Mumma ki unse pyaar na karu toh kya hi karu." Yashvi said, her thoughts drifting to her husband. Darsh and Amrita smiled warmly. (Well, he's so amazing that not loving him is not an option.)

"So, why does it matter what other people think about your relationship with him? It's you and him who have the right to say anything about your relationship. No third person is allowed in it. I know it gets tough sometimes with all the taunts and everything. But remember, you are Yashvi Bansal before being Mehrotra's daughter-in-law or Advik's wife. You're the same woman who is an inspiration to many, the woman who achieved so much at such a young age," Amrita said. She leaned forward and kissed her daughter's forehead, and Yashvi smiled widely, hugging her mother and brother tightly.

Advik, who was listening to all their talks, silently left. It was not his intention to listen, but his heart broke realizing it was getting tough for his wife at office and he had made it tougher for her yesterday's night.

-----

After his grandmother cut the cake, Yashvi presented a gift wrapped in gold gift wrap to his grandmother.

"Daadi, it's from us," Yashvi said softly, holding her husband's hand. Yashodara smiled widely, her eyes welling up with tears. She opened the gift to reveal a photo frame showcasing all the important events of her life, from her marriage and graduation to her children and grandchildren. There were small black and white polaroid photos, with the picture of her grandchildren in vibrant colors. The frame beautifully captured how her life had completely changed over the years.

Yashodara showed the frame to everyone, her eyes filled with joy as she hugged it close to her chest. Yashvi had come to understand that her family valued emotions more than materialism. This understanding had motivated her to personally design the photo frame. Seeing the big smile on Yashodara's face was more than enough for her.

Advik gazed at his family. Most of the guests had left, leaving only his sister and aunt behind. The contagious smiles in the room compelled him to hug his wife tightly and plant a gentle kiss on her hair.

"Thank you," he said softly. Yashvi shook her head slightly and continued to observe everyone. Her heart was heavy with emotions, but her mind was at peace.

-----

Advik opened his watch, observing his wife who had already changed into her nightwear and was applying her body lotion. He hesitated to speak, despite the kiss they had shared, the underlying issue was still not resolved.

Feeling the tension, he took a deep breath, went to the closet, changed into his nightwear, and glanced at the empty room. He then turned his attention to the open balcony door. Sighing, he decided to go downstairs. He heated a glass of milk and prepared some chamomile tea for himself. Returning to his room, he heated some mustard oil and brought it back with him.

Yashvi had her eyes closed as she leaned more into the sofa. It was around eleven at night and the cold breeze was soothing her nerves. He kept the tray aside picking up the heated oil. She had already acknowledged his presence by shifting a little.

Taking her feet, he began massaging them. Yashvi's eyes shot open, and she attempted to pull her feet away, but he held them firmly and shook his head, indicating she should relax.

"Your feet are hurting," he explained, applying some oil to her feet and gently massaging them. He had noticed how she had been rushing around the house all day, even though they had hired an event planner for the occasion.

"Thank you," she whispered softly, the fatigue evident in her voice.

"I overheard your conversation with Mom," he admitted, watching her closely. She just shrugged her shoulders and hugged a cushion to her chest.

"Aren't you angry?" he asked, trying to gauge her emotions. He saw a relaxed smile on her face, which surprised him.

"You're my husband. I would've shared all of that with you, sooner or later. I just didn't like how you called your secretary to make me take a day off yesterday," she replied, addressing the issue from the previous day. He sighed, nodding in understanding.

"I know I was wrong. I didn't know about the issues you faced at the office. And even then, I had no right to interfere in your professional life, especially not as your husband," he said with a hint of regret, his voice reflecting his sincerity as he continued to massage her feet.

"Advik, I love our family. They are mine too, but answer me honestly, if I had gone to the office and then come back taking a half day, would it have affected the day? Maybe I would have been more tired, but besides that?" she asked, resting her chin on the cushion and gazing at him.

"It wouldn't have," he admitted, feeling guilty.

"I don't want anyone to think that I am taking advantage of the position of my husband," she softly whispered.

"But you aren't," he said, frowning.

"I won't, ever. But I don't want unnecessary attention on me. I'm already getting a lot of attention just because I'm your wife. I just want you to understand me and the fact that I am an employee there. I want you to respect that fact, Advik," she gently whispered, pulling her feet back and then handing him a bottle of hand sanitizer.

"I do. I'm so proud that my wife is so intelligent and is the top robotics engineer at her workplace. But what I did yesterday was wrong. I'm really sorry about that," he whispered, taking her into a side hug, and her smile returned.

"I love you," she hummed in response, hugging him tighter as they cherished their time together.

-----

Caring for each other even with disagreements<3

Thankyou<3