"I was dying to see you, love."

Preeta shuddered at his words. They were seeing each other after a whole month. He was angry because of Prithvi as she had observed the mocking tone in his words.

"You know this. Right? That we are getting married." Preeta looked at Karan all confused. What was he implying? Nonetheless, she hesitantly nodded while blinking nervously.

"Then, why he didn't knew about us? Why had you kept him in a false hope, Preeta?"

She widen her eyes at his questions. He was blaming her for all the scenario. He was partly right but it never meant that she actually wanted that. She was confused. She glared at him.

"He is my friend, Mr. Luthra. He was already hoping me to accept him. But knowing that I have been trapped in your cleverness, I had denied. Its not my fault that he wasn't accepting it." Saying this, she hadn't even turned her face to front when suddenly Karan held her chin with his right hand tightly.

Gripping it roughly, he made her look in her eyes. His face was angry but Preeta noticed frustration in his eyes. "I had a business site to visit here in Delhi. Thought I would check up on my beautiful fiance. I was dying to see you, meet you, Preeta. But what I saw then? My fiance getting dragged by a hormonal immature boy. Is this how you were living here away from my eyes?"

Preeta felt tears pooling her eyes again. Her lips had been in a pout since Karan was holding her chin. Seeing her tears, he immediately left her face and looked away. Banging his hand on the steering wheel, he cursed in anger. He shook his head. He wanted to comfort her but didn't knowing she would not accept the gesture.

"Look, I am sorry. Don't cry, Preeta. I had come here to see your smile not these stupid tears. Lets just forget this."

Preeta felt her anger rising at his words. Why was he suddenly being the peacemaker? He blamed everything on her and now, was ending the topic just like that. She couldn't let that happen. She looked at him with teary eyes.

"This is all happening because of you. I don't know what sins I have done that I have been continuously getting forced in everything. My parents want me to marry a dominant, cruel, heartless person like you. I hate you for turning them against me, Mr. Luthra. I wish I had met Prithvi before you. At least, he had been a great friend to me. I know how good a person he is. If you wouldn't have made me helpless, I would have been with him right now."

Her words broke his heart. It was one month after their engagement and she still hated him with passion. No change in her thoughts, her mind. She still didn't want him. But the sadness was covered by anger hearing another man's name. She was engaged for god's sake. Why couldn't she at least give this marriage a try? Same words she had spoken for Arjun too. Why couldn't he become her choice for once? He had been not disturbing her for past months.

Preeta had expected him to shout at her, hurt her, but he was unexpectedly quiet. His nostrils were flaring showing he was hurt and angry with her. But suddenly if nothing happened seconds ago, he started driving towards her home.

She kept on observing him but was afraid if he would burst out on her any moment. But he didn't.

No one spoke.

Both of them were ignoring each other. Feeling the car halt, Preeta noticed her brother's home on the left. It was mid afternoon. She thought if his brother knew he was here. Logically, Karan had broke the traditional of engaged couples not meeting before their wedding while here, they had not only seen each other but fight, argued too.

Preeta shook her head slightly. How would this marriage work with so many bad omens? He was really not a man for being a faithful, lovable husband. She loathed herself for being so weak.

"I have a flight in next hour. You should go inside."

Hearing his stern voice, she hesitantly looked at his blank face. He was looking ahead with no emotion on his face. Sighing, she finally opened the car door and got out without any word. She didn't even want to look at him back. Before she could enter, Karan had already gotten out and walked to reach her.

She didn't turn, just kept on looking at her feet. His heart squeezed seeing her red eyes, red nose. Her tears had always scared him, shouting that he had never been able to make her smile.

"Be prepared for your new life, Preeta Arora. Hide anywhere, try any way. But The Karan Luthra will find you and make you his. Five days more and we will be one, Preeta. Together. Forever."

_________

Her heart was becoming numb by each beat of the music that ladies were playing. She had returned with her brother's family and friends, Raamya and Raashi here, at Chandigarh. She was getting pale at the thought of wedding.

The lights in the house where she had spend most of her life playing, giggling, were brightening up the whole environment. Her eyes wandered towards the ladies in her family, distant relatives and others. Everyone was singing and playing music to celebrate her Mehndi Night.

"Preeta, this is beautiful."

Her gaze shifted to the henna designs decorating her palms. She gave a weak smile to Raamya and her bhabhi, who too was adoring her hands. The ladies were dancing and singing traditional songs. Her throat felt tight seeing her mother's glossy eyes. She seemed extremely happy.

"Your future is bright with him, Preeta. Please be positive." Her bhabhi whispered seeing her mother-in-law laughing with other ladies. Preeta shook her head and humorlessly chuckled.

"He is so dominant, bhabhi. All he wants is me being his and its really sick."

Raamya and Raashi were too sitting beside her watching the professional girls making henna designs on her hands but their mind was too in the conversation. Her bhabhi nervously smiled at her words.

She softly said,"I agree but its in his nature, Preeta. Give him a chance. After all, this marriage is actually happening."

Preeta was irritated now. She was fed up listening this. Giving him a chance! She had been listening this from the beginning. How could she give him a chance after getting threatened, forced by him so much! She remembered their last meet. How he had again threatened her of the disastrous wedding!

"There is no value of my wish to give him a chance. We are already getting married. He will be getting what he wants."

Her bhabhi frustratedly looked at her. "You know what I meant, Preeta." She sighed seeing Preeta's upset face. She looked at her friends who were too expecting a response from her but Preeta only swallowed her sorrows.

"I am doing this for my parents. If they are happy, I will not object."

Raamya placed her hand on Preeta's shoulder. She nodded and said,"But what Shikha bhabhi meant is, Preeta... that you need to accept this marriage. See through his behaviour and observe his love for you."

Preeta remained quiet. She didn't want this. How could she make herself like him when he himself had done so many things that were unanswerable! He was despicable in her eyes.

"Preeta beta, show me your hands."

Everyone shut their mouth when Preeta's mother joined the group. She looked emotional. Preeta smiled seeing her excitement. Her mother had cheerfully leaned to finally observe the design. She nodded in approval at the girls and put her hands on her daughter's head for blessing.

"My precious daughter. Look at your coloured hands, this all had been my dreams, beta. Never realised my daughter have grown so much."

Preeta felt her smile vanished seeing her mother's tears. "This all has been a dream, Preeta." Her mother cupped her cheek and looked at her through blurry vision.

"I know you are still not willing to do this. But have faith in your parents, bachcha. We would never give up you in careless shade..." Her mother cupped her another cheep too as she softly whispered,"... He really loves you."

Preeta's stomach churned in disgust for Karan. How much her family had started trusting him! But only she knew how ruthless he is. How stubborn he is. Why was he playing with other people's heart now? Best Actor, she thought.

To keep her mother's heart, she didn't argued and just looked at her lap. She felt her mother kissing her forehead.

"God bless my daughter, a wonderful married life. You are not believing me now. But you will realise soon."

Preeta ignored her mother's words as soon as her friends started laughing when Raashi jogged on her knees forward.

"Of course, Aunty ji. She will herself come to know when she will see her mehndi color." Preeta's mother laughed with tears in her eyes. She wiped them and chuckled at girls' naughtiness.

"Yes, very true. We will check the amount of love, tomorrow. Our custom says, when the henna leaves dark color on bride's hands, it proves that her groom loves her infinitely."

Raamya nudged Preeta's shoulder in fun. But Preeta only stared at her lap with blank face. She had wore a heavy dark green lehenga, today. The flowered jewellery made her look more fresh and beautiful. She had been glowing since the haldi custom. She looked more radiant day by day. Her mother had even made her wear a black thread on ankle to prevent evil eyes.

Suddenly, a voice came from behind. Everyone turned to look at the intruder.

"One more tradition left, ladies."

Preeta was surprised seeing Arjun's mother interfering. In past days, she had noticed that their old neighbour wasn't much happy with this marriage. Arjun's mother had too always dreamt of Preeta marrying her son. But they were also aware of Arjun's new relationship.

May be that's why she is okay now. Preeta thought.

Her childhood bestfriend's mother joined them. She was already here enjoying the little function but didn't participate. Preeta actually felt it weird by her sudden interference.

"What tradition, Aunty ji?"

Raamya asked excitedly when Shreya told her and Raashi that the lady was none other than the best friend's mother who wasn't actually happy with marriage but couldn't say anything when her own son was committed with someone else.

Preeta hadn't even asked her if Arjun knew. She had guessed that her parents would have invited him for sure. She didn't have the courage to talk to him again. She knew she would start cry and make him worried. So it was better to remain distant even if it results that he didn't get to know about the marriage.

"We need to write the groom's name on her hand. The first letter. The tradition is to gift the husband if he finds out the hidden letter of his name on their wedding night."

Preeta's mother laughed and slapped her best friends' shoulder. The girls squealed in excitement while the mehndi designer asked Preeta the first letter of his name. But before, she could make the poor girl wait because her frozen state had worriedly started thinking about her wedding night, Shreya had spoken the letter.

"Its 'K', dear. The name's Karan Luthra."

The girls giggled at Preeta's flushed face. She was embarrassed yet she felt disgusting being prepared for him so much. She hated doing this for him. It was all unnerving.

Everyone squealed and clapped when the name's first letter was finally written. Her mother hugged her happily. Preeta felt comfort in her mother's embrace but was stunned when she chirped.

"Tomorrow's the big day, Preeta."

__________