Watching the time on her screen, Preeta bit her lip in tension. She stared at her close friend, Shreya who was busy in checking if she had all the shopping bags or not.

She took the straw in her mouth and sucked the cold coffee a bit hurriedly. Shreya gasped suddenly and looked at her making her groan.

"Now what?" Shreya gave her an apologetic smile.

"I haven't bought anything for the late night party." Preeta looked at her disappointingly.

"Really? You have bought like so many dresses just now. Shreya, I'll be late. I have to reach home. I have guests coming at my home."

Shreya shook her head and held Preeta's hand. She gave her a pleading look. "Please, I'll do it fastly. Will check the first four dresses and would buy hurriedly. Then, to home. Please, last dress. You know, it's my friend's marriage. I need to look amazing. Just last..."

"Alright." Preeta surrendered while picking her handbag and phone. "C'mon then. Do it fastly. I need to help at home and here, I am giving you company for shopping."

Shreya too followed her out of the cafe but not before putting the money on the table. She hurriedly caught up to her and shrugged her shoulders.

"You are my bestfriend. I have the right to have you while doing shopping. You know I make bad choices. That's why you're here." Preeta rolled her eyes and gestured for the upcoming showroom of dresses.

"Let's go." She muttered.

Talking about four dresses was just an understatement. Shreya had tried more than ten dresses and Preeta was utterly angry. She knew her friend was worried about the upcoming function and she wanted to have her opinions on buying new dresses. But Preeta wasn't free to accompany her.

The foreign investors about whom Karan was crazy from so many days had finally came to the city. Today, they were invited by Karan at their home. He wanted to impress them by showing his home and discuss the deals in informal ways. It would lure the investors and they would trust Karan for being a family man and for his genuineness.

He wanted to make a good impression and Preeta wanted to support him. He was hell excited for the short arrangement and was desperate to get yes for the deal. But she couldn't say no to Shreya. She had told Karan about this but him being the kindest, Preeta thought sarcastically, allowed her to go join her.

She knew Karan didn't want a chance to upset her and so he without any other thought, allowed her to go. But he did alerted her for casually to reach home soon and meet his most important clients. He needed no chance to make any minute awkward.

"Preeta, how's this one?" Shreya asked while coming out in a short purple knee-length dress. It was flowing beautifully and had silver border below the curve of breasts. The shoulder had a purple rose leaving trails of net ribbons encircling her forearm making her look enticing.

Preeta raised her eyebrows at the creativity and nodded. "It's beautiful..." She met Shreya's excited eyes. "... and final."

She got up and picked her belongings. "Now, come fast. You are buying this only." Shreya pouted and twirled in front of the mirror.

"Are you sure? Is it looking perfect? The purple suits me?" She asked while biting her lip.

Preeta smiled while exhaling. "Yes, perfect. Purple is your colour. You look amazing. Now, go change. We are leaving with this." Shreya gave her an enthusiastic smile and immediately returned to the trial room.

Watching her jogging excitedly, Preeta sighed and started walking to look casually on other dresses. Her gaze wandered from one to other to another but suddenly, there was this dress which stole her all attention.

A foot-length dress falling beautifully. It was maroon in colour and had lacy sleeves, a heart-shaped neckline which was deep. There were two criss-crosses on each sides of the waist. The dress looked dreamy on the dummy, how would it look on a real beauty, Preeta thought with a smile.

She kept on adoring it when Shreya put her chin on her shoulder. "You would look wonderful in it. The colour is beautiful."

"It is. I think I am in love with this dress," said Preeta dreamily making Shreya chuckle. She patted her shoulder and said,"Then, try it out."

Preeta shook her head. "What's the point? I am not going to buy it. It must be so expensive."

Shreya pouted and hanged her shoulders while looking at her irritatingly.

"Why the hell you won't buy it? You are the wife of a rich businessman. I am sure Karan would love it." Preeta smiled shyly but again shook her head.

"I can't waste so much money on a dress. I have never bought anything on my wish unless my mother-in-law has forced me. Also, I don't like wasting money. How would it look to them? I have already bought some clothes today. But a dress, would look extravagant." Shreya huffed and stared at her.

"You are stupid. Karan have given you his cards. Why? So you could use them. He would love it if you are using his money heartily. You are meaning his money as yours. I would have tried it out by now."

Preeta bit her lip. She so wanted to try out that dress but it would be waste. She didn't have a chance yet to wear it. No function was arriving or anything, nor she had the guts to waste so much money. If she was not his wife, she wouldn't even have looked at that dress.

"It's gorgeous. If you are not trying then I am going, I might buy it too." Preeta pressed her lips tight and held her hand.

"Fine. Let's do this."

________

Preeta looked happily at the mirror. She looked amazing, she knew. The dress fitted her perfectly. Her curves looked divine and the color suited her skin so well. She breathed in relief thinking, she had wore jeans and a top instead of saree or it would have been time-consuming to change.

Shreya too liked the dress and grinned while complimenting how Karan would go crazy if he would see her. Preeta laughed and had finally made decision of buying it.

She went back to trial rooms but stopped in her tracks between the cozy lane when her eyes caught a familiar face. Prithvi Malhotra was standing there with a smirk on his face. Preeta clenched her jaws remembering how rude he was back at the party and how cruel he had became. She didn't want to acknowledge him anymore.

He was a good friend but not anymore. She thought of ignoring him and walked by him while not even looking. Just as she reached by his side, Prithvi grabbed her hand forcefully and pulled her in another trial room.

"How dare you..." She struggled by twisting her wrist in his hand but he had already closed the door. Preeta gasped and pushed him with all force.

"What? Didn't like how I manhandled you? I have heard Karan also used to do like this. I have gotten this idea, you marry people who forces you. Let me do that then." He said while stepping closer but Preeta slapped him hard.

She gulped and tried to breath normally but they were coming out shaky as she was traumatised by his guts. She saw him glaring at her with his hand on his cheek.

"You should have also gotten the idea that I would slap you just like I slapped him. If you dare touch me again, even showed me your face, I will claw your eyes out. Stay away from me." She said slowly while glaring at him with teary eyes. She was hell scared inside with this moment. It was unexpected and scary.

But Prithvi was not in a mood to leave her, not now when she had slapped him hard. His nostrils flared in anger while he rubbed his cheek slowly. "I will remember this, Preeta. I will make sure, you too remember this," he said while coming closer.

Preeta breathed shakily and pointed his finger at him. But Prithvi had already stepped closer and now, his face was inches away from hers. Preeta's tears made their way down her cheeks.

"Just move away. I will tell my husband, Prithvi. He will kill you. Just move." She pushed his chest but Prithvi didn't budge. He put his one hand beside her head and other gripping her chin.

"I was your friend, Preeta. He was a stalker. He had scared you, forced you, kidnapped you. Why would you push me and think of him as your love? You know what he wants. To touch with his every right. But I love you, Preeta. I will forget this slap, forget that you threatened me. Just say that you'll give me a chance. I love you."

Preeta cringed at the sound of that and shook her head. She was disgusted. "I will scream. Move, Prithvi. Please. Go away." She cried while pushing on his chest. But he had still hold her chin and was staring at her lips that had scared her to the core.

"I will scream, Prithvi. I am telling you." She whispered while gulping in fear. Prithvi was still staring but a voice interrupted the scenario.

"Preeta, are you in there? It's like fifteen minutes, you haven't been out. You have already been late." Her eyes widened and Preeta pushed Prithvi hard and he even moved back his own.

"If you can't be mine, I won't let you be his." Prithvi said with a glare while opening the door, Shreya was beating. She gasped when the door opened and without a word, he left.

Shreya went inside the small room and saw Preeta weeping while staring ahead. She had covered her mouth in fear. She couldn't hold the scene in front of her. She had seen Preeta already like this when Karan used to chase her. But this time, Karan himself could save her.

"You need to tell Karan." Preeta wiped her tears. "He will be angry on both of us. What if Prithvi manipulates his mind? Karan will kill him surely. But he won't trust me either. He gets angry so fastly."

Shreya looked at her worriedly. "But this was out of the line, Preeta. You are someone's wife. He can't lay a finger on you. You are taken. That creepy was stalking you since we were at the cafe. This is beyond limits."

Preeta shuddered but didn't look at Shreya. She straightened and closed the door.

"I'll change. They must be waiting for me."

_________

The traffic had taken her time so mercilessly that Preeta reached an hour late than, the planned time. She was hell embarrassed and wanted to hide herself somewhere alone. She had taken the dress dejectedly. She had refused to buy it after the incident in the trial room but after being spirited by Shreya, she finally bought it.

But now, not that she had done useless shopping, she was late too. Extremely late that her heart was thumping loudly. Karan had told her reach home by five in the evening so they could attend their guests while having wonderful snacks and quick bites. If they would want, Karan would insist for staying and having dinner too.

She didn't know what was happening at the home. Were the guest still there or they had gone? She gulped in nervousness and got out of the car. She thanked the driver uncle and picked out the two-three shopping bags. With a sigh of tiredness, Preeta entered her home.

The drawing room was silent and no one was there. The Hall room at the center of the home was too empty. Preeta gulped and entered the kitchen. Her mother-in-law and the maid were putting left overs and the used plates in the sink. Preeta's face turned red from embarrassment.

"Mummy, I am so sorry. You had to do it all alone. I was stuck in traffic..." She immediately left the bags at the nearest table. She went inside the kitchen while her mother-in-law laughed at her.

"It's alright, darling. We had a great time. I hope you had too." Preeta shuddered while recalling the scene with Prithvi. She smiled nervously and lowered her eyes.

"Not at all. The shopping was boring. I regret going there. I wanted to be here on time. I have let down my husband." She said softly while fidgeting with her fingers.

Her mother-in-law law shook her head playfully and stood in front of her. She cupped her face and made her look at her. "You had already cooked all the dishes. You had prepared all the snacks. How can you let him down? The men were complimenting the food again and again. One had brought his wife along and I tell you, she was dying to meet you when Karan told her proudly about him being married." Preeta blushed making her mother-in-law laugh heartily.

"You have been exhausted. Go, take rest. If Karan says something, just remember you are the wife. You are the one to be convinced or requested." Preeta grinned while shaking her head. She had the coolest in-laws that she had never expected to have.

Walking out, she sighed. What about her husband? Was he cool like she was expecting?

She finally started stepping on stairs towards her room.

_________

Gonna end soon.
*grinning*