“If you aren't liking it, then why your panties are so wet?” He smirked.

And Mandira was flabbergasted.

“I could smell your hormones down there,” He added.

Mandira glared at him, “That's a natural reaction to physical intrusion, whether forced or consensual. That doesn't mean I was enjoying you intruding my privacy.”

He was about to say something but someone knocked on the door. Mandira took the opportunity and pushed him away before running towards the door. She didn't realise that she wasn't wearing her veil. Mandira excitedly opened the door to see her Jethani (sister-in-law) Kajal standing in front of the door with Mandira's luggage.

Kajal looked at Mandira weirdly because Mandira wasn't wearing the veil. Vidyut came towards his namesake wife with her veil and wrapped it around her shoulders. That's when Mandira realised why Kajal gave her that weird look. Because she wasn't dressed properly. She passed a confused but grateful look to Vidyut who ignored her and walked out of the room.

Now Mandira turned her attention back to Kajal. She smiled, “Kajal Bhabhi, please come inside,” She invited her in.

Kajal entered the room and Mandira took her suitcase from her. She took her luggage to the closet and was quite confused when Kajal walked in after her. When Mandira passed Kajal an awkward look, Kajal chuckled, “I'm here to help you get ready. You must be exhausted from last night.”

Mandira faked a chuckle to hide her embarassment. So this lady thought Mandira must be tired from having sex on the wedding night. Only if Mandira could tell her what a scary and shocking wedding night it actually was. Mandira was waiting when Vidyut will pull out his gun and end her life for deceiving him. She felt blessed that she was still alive.

Kajal was looking at her curiously, waiting for her reply. Mandira simply nodded without any protest. She didn't mind letting another woman see her naked. She began undressing.

Mandira noticed Kajal's surprised expression when she saw the hickies on her chest and thighs. Mandira, for some weird reasons, was expecting to be teased by Kajal. But much to her surprise, seeing those hickies made Kajal uncomfortable. That subtle change in Kajal's behavior didn't make sense to her. But she stopped racing her mind over this tiny issue when she had bigger problems to deal with. Her husband. Who knows she isn't his real wife.

After taking a shower, Mandira wore a golden saree with red blouse. Her wet hair covered with the Pallu. A deep shade of red lipstick. A red bindi. Golden and red bangles. A ruby necklace with matching earrings. Mangalsutra around her neck and Sindoor on her forehead, that actually belonged to Devika.

The guilt was eating her insides. But she couldn't hand her friend to that devil. It was about time though. Her brother will definitely marry Devika in a few months or years. Once they got married, Mandira will be relieved about Devika's safety.

She stepped out of the room with Kajal. They went downstairs to the hall where the ladies were sitting in a circle. Vidyut was sitting in the center with a bored look on his face. There was a giant bowl kept in the center, filled with milk and rose petals. Mandira got a little excited internally because this was the only wedding ritual she liked. She sat down opposite Vidyut.

“Bhai, Bhabhi, this is Badi Amma's ring,” Vaidehi showed them an emerald ring that belonged to Haryali Devi who was sitting on a chair at a distance and looking at the scene with interest. Vaidehi continued, “I'm throwing it in the bowl,” And she let the ring fall into the bowl of milk and rose petals. She quickly put her hand in the milk and moved it in circular motion so the ring gets lost in the milk. Vaidehi pulled her hand out and spoke excitedly, “Now whoever finds the ring will be the dominant one in your marriage. When Vikram Bhai and Kajal Bhabhi had gotten married, Vikram Bhai won the game. And he is the dominant partner. Now let's see who will be dominant between two of you,” Vaidehi told them excitedly.

Mandira noticed how Kajal's face paled at the mention of her husband. She hadn't met her brother-in-law yet. All she knew about him was that he was a natural short sleeper who slept for only four hours a day. And this rare genetic quality was one of the reasons for his success in the business world.

“Okay, both of you, get ready! One... Two... Three... Go!”

Mandira and Vidyut put their hands in the bowl. Both of them wanted to win. Her bangles tingled as her hand moved in the milk, navigating through the rose petals to find the ring she was least interested in. She just wanted to win over him. Vidyut too moved his hand rapidly in the bowl. A victorious smile graced his handsome features as he found the ring. However, before he could pull his hand out, Mandira snatched away the ring from his hold and showed the ring to everyone. Before Vidyut could understand what his cunning wife did, Mandira was already declared the winner. He glared at her and she smirked at him, showing him the ring.

“Vidyut Bhai, looks like your days of glory are over,” Vaidehi tsked at her brother.

Vidyut scoffed, “Just getting the ring doesn't make you the ringmaster.”

“Oh, nice word play,” Mandira smiled.

✿ ✿ ✿

After meeting all the female relatives over breakfast Mandira went upstairs to rest for a while. But when she entered the room, she saw Vidyut sitting on the couch with a look of annoyance on his face.

“Give me the ring. You cheated in the game,” He demanded while taking dangerously slow steps towards her.

She was about to run out of the bedroom but he pulled her to his chest and locked the door immediately.

“Give me the ring. I found it, not you,” He ordered her.

“I won't,” Mandira refused, struggling to get away from his grip.

“Give me the ring. You aren't even my wife, you cheater,” He taunted her childishly while snaking his hand around her bare waist in an attempt to distract her.

“You are so childish. Fighting over a ring,” She taunted him back.

He pinched on her waist, “The ring, Mandira, hand me the ring politely or I have ways to get it from you,” He warned her and began caressing her belly.

Mandira was enjoying his cold touches much to her own displeasure. He knew what he was doing to her. 

“Don't touch me. I'll give you the ring,” She agreed to his demand to escape his seduction.

Vidyut smirked and let go of her waist. Mandira removed the ring from her finger and threw it at him. Vidyut didn't move to catch it and the ring fell on the floor. He was staring at her. Mandira too glared at him.

“You should start believing that you are my wife. You will be my wife on legal documents. So you better treat it as your reality,” He adviced her with much seriousness in his tone.

Mandira was quite surprised at his words, “So you aren't angry anymore?” She asked him hesitantly.

“I am. But since the beginning you were supposed to be my wife. Just taking seven rounds with a stranger won't make me fall in love with her. I don't care who she is. I just want to finish her off to avoid a possible disaster in the future.”

“If you don't care about her then... just forget her. Don't hurt her please. I promise that I won't mess with you again. I'll behave like your real wife.”

“Ah, she must be very close to you. Keep her hidden. Do your best. Because if I found her, I'll kill her,” He told her with sickening sweet smile.

“Why do you have to kill her? She is innocent. My parents... my parents forced her to replace me. It happened because of my mistake. Kill me if you want.” Mandira was desperately trying to change his mind.

Vidyut wrapped his palm around her throat, applying only a little pressure. He brought his face close to hers, “I told you, sweetheart. Keep her hidden as long as you can. I'm not going to forgive her for replacing you.”

Mandira had tears in her eyes by then, “I don't understand your twisted logic. I ran away with another man on our wedding day. You should kill me, not her.”

“Oh, yeah. Who's that bastard you ran away with? I've to kill him too.”

“Vidyut, I'm the only culprit here,” She yelled at him.

“Hmm, my name sounds nicer from your lips,”  He smirked and let go his hold around her neck. He wiped her tears and walked out of the room, shutting the door before leaving.

Mandira fell down on the floor helplessly. She felt emotionally exhausted after doing a fruitless argument with him. Her eyes fell on the emerald ring lying on the floor, forgotten amidst their argument. She took a deep breath and picked the ring before getting up from the floor. Mandira put the ring on the nightstand and laid down on the bed tiredly. She closed her eyes, only to be reminded that she and Vidyut will be going to her house over dinner as per the local tradition.

•••

What if Vidyut really killed Devika? 🤔

What if Devika ended up becoming the third wheel? 😑

What if Vidyut ended up hurting Mandira instead? 😖

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