Part 11 Willpower

I left the mini palace all the way thinking about myself, Khushi, and my changed lifestyle.

Before my marriage, I was so demanding towards my mother. She always cooked what I liked. In fact, I liked everything. I ate all the food relishing it. But after my marriage, I was forced to eat fruits and vegetables. Neither I was a rabbit to eat vegetables and fruits nor was I a snake to eat eggs every day. Damn it. I didn't know how I was going to cope with this.

I knew Khushi didn't like the separate room concept. Yet, she preferred to be separated. Why? Of course, she talked to me when I talked to her but she answered my questions in one word. She showed herself normally in front of the servant. I was clear, she was not ready to give our relationship a chance. But, I believed she might change in the future. Because I too was reluctant at first. As time passed, everything would change. I changed myself and adopted a new life. I had no choice. I had to take this relationship forward in which I was already IN. What else could I do? Divorce? Never... It was not in my mind. I was Arnav Singh Raizada... I won't give up, ever...! I would win, at any cause.

I reached AR. Aman looked at me perplexed even though he knew my interest in the wedding. I smiled at him coolly and headed to my cabin. Aman followed me.

"What happened, Buddy? Is everything all right?"

"Of course, all right... Why are you raising such a question?" I took my seat.

"You came to the office. That's why"

"Coming to the office is my regular work"

"But it's not been three days since you got married"

"So what?"

"Is it tough to adapt to the change?"

"I will adopt it"

"So, you have not done it"

"Do you think becoming a KING is a simple thing?" I chucked.

"Why can't you have a talk with your wife and get her back to RM?" Aman suggested to me.

I was stuck for a while.

"What did you say?"

"Being at husband's place is common for girls..."

"We think women could leave their family, parents, and siblings easily and could immigrate to a new place. We expect they should adopt the new family as theirs and should adjust. Do you think it's easy?"

"It's common..."

"Just because giving birth is common for women, could you say it's a simple thing?"

Aman pressed his lips tight.

"Have we ever thought how strong women are... Their willpower is damn awesome. We men flaunt a lot about our strength but when it comes to emotional bonding, we are so naive. How weak men are...! I'm living with my wife alone and I'm honestly suffocating to adapt to the change. But girls are not only facing a new phase with their husbands but also their family, their customs, their relatives, etc., etc., How wonderful they are...! Men can't match their willpower, Aman. We should agree"

"Agree" Aman chuckled.

"Are not men flaunting how courageous we are? I bet men could not settle down in their in-law's place leaving their families. Yet, we expect women should do it for us without complaining."

Aman nodded yes thoughtfully.

"Just think, how Khushi would have struggled if she is in RM? There are ten-plus members in our family. Everyone would expect her to be adjustable towards them... Including me..."

"ASR, I can understand how you are struggling with this new phase."

I sighed.

"Yes... Royal customs are tough to follow. According to me, it's a costly jail... Golden cage..." I said and got stuck as I remembered how Khushi stared at the GIRL IN THE CAGE painting in my room.

Was Khushi really happy with the life she was living? Or, was she also feeling it as a golden cage just like me? I couldn't conclude. I was ready to talk to her about it. But, she won't open up. I knew it. She didn't consider me as HERS. I was again stuck... Did I consider her as MINE? Did I have the feel of her my wife? Yes, she was my wife, no matter what. I was her husband, no matter if she accepted it or not. If we could not change it, we should change the difference between us. I got ready to mend things between us.

That was when I saw my father entering my cabin.

"Chotte, you here?"

I knew what mean he asked me that... he was tensed, seeing me at the office... just like how he was tensed when I went jogging the next day of my wedding.

"Excuse me..." Aman left the cabin as he understood what was coming.

"Yes, I'm here...as usual..." I said calmly.

"But, you are not a usual man. What will Guptaji think if he gets to know you came to the office the very next day?"

"He will think his son-in-law is sincerely working"

"Chotte..."

I showed my palm and stopped him from talking further.

"What did you eat today morning?" I asked.

My father frowned.

"Tell me, Dad"

"Aallo paratha, and raitha"

"Do you know what I ate?"

"You should have eaten Royal breakfast..."

"Yeah, fruit and vegetable salad with boiled eggs... very Royal..." I said.

My father got stuck for a few seconds because he know how foodie I was.

"Their life would be systematic"

"Please, come to the Mini Palace and share the Royal systematic life with me... I can't carry it all alone... it's heavy" I said almost not showing the sarcasm in my tone.

My father suffocated because I never mocked him like that before.

"Chotte..."

I again stopped him.

"I know... Payal is at their place. My every action will affect not only Payal but also our business status... I should adjust to my new life... right?"

My father started at me.

"Khushi is your wife. Being her husband, you have the responsibility of fulfilling her expectations"

Taking a full minute, I gazed at my father and burst out laughing. My father looked at me with confusion for a few seconds. He lost his patience and shouted.

"Why the hell are you laughing like mad?"

"How could I hold myself if YOU (I stressed) lectured me about what's husband's responsibility is?"

My father was shocked and I didn't care about it.

"Do you know what your wife's expectation is? Have you ever cared about fulfilling it? Have you ever asked whether she ate or not? Have you ever tried to know whether she lives a satisfactory life? How could you advise me about my responsibility of being a good husband without having a bit of hesitation, Dad?"

My father was thunderstruck not just because I defied him. It was because he understood that something HARD made me talk like that.

"Is everything all right between you and Khushi?"

"You don't have to worry about MY relationship, Dad. I know how to mend things between me and my wife. You just MIND about your WIFE at least now. That woman is waiting for ages to get a glimpse from her husband" I said a little harshly.

"Chotte..."

I cut him,

"I told you... I will take care of my life. I can never be a looser"

He sighed and left my cabin.

I started my work. My mind didn't get into the work to the fullest. That was new to me. I used to work forgetting all the problems if I started my work. Now, I struggled a little.

Evening

Aman came to my cabin.

"ASR, if you are fine, could you attend the conference?"

I leaned on the seat with a smirk.

"Why won't I be fine?"

"It will take two hours for the conference to get over" I looked at my wristwatch and it was 5 pm.

"Where is senior ASR?"

"He asked me to take care of the conference and left"

I wondered. Did he leave?

"Ok, I will attend"

"Ok..." Aman left.

I became thoughtful. Where did my father go, leaving the conference behind? I shrugged and went to the conference hall.

As Aman said, it took two hours for the conference to get over. I started from the office to the Mini Palace. I was thinking to visit RM before going to the Mini Palace but as I didn't expect, the conference took my time. So, I postponed the RM program the next day.

When I was nearing the palace, suddenly, it started raining. My car entered the palace. Halting the car, I walked in. When I stepped on the stairs, the POWER CUT OFF and the palace drowned in the darkness. I sighed and headed upstairs guessing my room even though I know the generator would be started in a few minutes.

I jerked seeing someone running out of my room towards my left side. I was about to shout but stopped because the thin figure looked like my wife. Was that Khushi who was running? Where was she running? Keeping my laptop bag at the corner of the top step, I followed in the direction. The corridor ended and the staircase started that led to the terrace. I was confused. What was she doing on the terrace when it raining? I climbed the stairs without making noise. I could not see anyone there. I was confused. That was when a soft giggle came from the left side. I entered the terrace not caring about the rain.

I got stuck seeing the person playing in the rain, splashing water by her legs and waving her hands happily. I was not sure whether the person was Khushi because I could not believe the Princess would have such a habit of drenching in the rain. That was when the generator started. The terrace light turned on. It was indeed Khushi... the Princess...!

To be continued...