Did anyone figure it out how Vidyut got to know Mandira is not the girl he married? I have left hints in the first chapter.

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“You aren't the girl I married.”

His words shook her to the core. He lifted her veil to see her face and their eyes met. Mandira was on the verge of a panic attack.

“Who was that girl on the Mandap?” He asked dangerously.

She could feel her heart beating against her ribcage. Mandira felt like she was about to die.

“I asked who is the girl I married? I clearly remember seeing red nail paint on her nails. Yours are pink fake nails. You can't be the one I married.”

Mandira looked at her nails and sighed. How could she forget about them? Who knew her fake nails would reveal the truth? She looked at Vidyut, who was waiting for her reply.

“Vidyut, we were supposed to marry each other. And to the world, I got married to you-” He grabbed her throat roughly, making her struggle to breath properly. Mandira struggled to free herself but he didn't budge.

“If we were supposed to marry each other then why the fuck it wasn't you on the Mandap?” He shouted at her.

“I... I... ran way,” She dared to say the truth while struggling under his grip on her throat.

Hearing that, Vidyut let go her throat and pushed her away, “If you didn't explain everything to me right now. Your dead body will return to your parents in the morning.”

Mandira wiped her tears and began telling him the truth, “I ran away from the wedding. So my parent's made someone else sit on the Mandap as the bride,” She was careful to not take Devika's name, “My brother found me and brought me back. And I had to come here as your wife.”

Vidyut immediately stood up from the bed and began walking to and fro to calm down his anger.

“Who is the girl I married?” He asked again.

Mandira shook her head, “I don't know.”

Vidyut lost his temper again and yelled at her, “She took your place on the Mandap. How the hell you don't know who is she? Or you are trying to save her? Just tell me the name. Or else, I will kill you instead.”

“I told you. I don't know,” And he choked her again.

“And you think I will believe your words?”

Mandira kept quiet, not willing to say Devika's name. He let go of her throat and groaned in frustration.

“You want an heir, right? Then I'll give you one. I'll do anything you want. But please don't harm her or my family,” She cried.

Vidyut ran his fingers through his hair and began removing the white Sherwani he was wearing. He threw it on the couch and and went to the balcony.

Mandira sighed after he left. She wanted to cry her heart out. She took deep breathes to calm down herself and got up from the bed. She moved to the dressing table and began removing her jewelry. Then she removed the veil and freed her hair from the tight bun. Now she was only wearing the blouse and the skirt.

The very same moment Vidyut emerged from the balcony, a cigarette in his hand. He looked at her and sighed tiredly. He threw the cigarette on the floor and smashed it under his shoe. Giving her one last hateful look, he entered the closet. Five minutes later, he came out wearing t-shirt and sweatpants and he dissappeared into the balcony again.

After he left, Mandira laid down on the bed, still wearing the heavy skirt and blouse. Her luggage was yet to arrive. And she was afraid to take something from his closet.

Her mind went back to what she told him. That she will give him a baby. Mandira felt like slapping herself for saying that. Maybe this is what they call destiny. She ran away from the wedding. But Suraj miraculously found her and brought her back. And now she was lying on Vidyut's bed. Maybe she was destined to be with him, with or without marriage. Soon slumber embraced her senses as her mind got lost in these thoughts.

✿ ✿ ✿

Devika was still sitting in Mandira's bedroom. She didn't have the courage to face her father after what happened to her. She already knew that he will beat her stepmother for putting Devika in this situation. She didn't want to hear painful screams when she herself wanted to cry so hard. So she kept sitting there on the floor, leaning against the bed and crying silently.

Suddenly, the door opened and Suraj entered the room. He looked at Devika's state and then his eyes landed on his shawl lying on the couch that he gave to Mandira. It was covered in Sindoor, probably Devika's Sindoor.

He kneeled down to look at Devika, who had her face resting on her knees.

“Devika, look at me,” He told her gently.

Devika shook her head while continuing to cry.

“Devika...” He lifted her face and wiped her tears. Cupping her cheeks, he kissed her forehead. Her forehead and nose were still red from the strong color of Sindoor.

“I will tell my parents that I want to marry you,” He told her.

Her eyes widened in surprise, “They won't agree to this, Suraj.”

“They have to. Especially, after what they did to you.”

“It was my stepmother's idea,” She sighed.

“I'll kill that woman,” He gritted his teeth in anger.

“My father must be beating her right now, Suraj. Having an abusive husband is nothing less than a punishment for her,” She told him thoughtfully.

“She deserves it,” Suraj huffed.

Devika wanted to argue how domestic abuse couldn't be justified like this. But then she was not in the mood to defend that vile woman.

“Are you hungry?” He asked while caressing her cheek. Devika shook her head. He smiled and pecked her lips. Devika rested her head aginst his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her. They stayed like that for a while before Devika headed back to her house at the backside of the Haveli. As expected, Sindura's face was bruised and her elder daughter was tending to her bruises. Devika ignored the scene and locked herself in her bedroom.

✿ ✿ ✿

Mandira woke up to the harsh sunlight stinging her closed eyes. She yawned and stretched her arms, only to realise that Vidyut was looking at her through the mirror while setting his hair. She quickly put her arms down and hid the black bra strap peaking out of the blouse sleeve.

Vidyut looked at his final appearance in the mirror. He was wearing a white Kurta Pajama. He came to sit in front of her. Mandira looked at him in confusion.

“I'll have to give you hickies,” He told her with a poker face.

Her eyes widened in surprise, “Why?”

“Because, in others' mind, I banged you last night,” He told her annoyedly.

Mandira flinched at his loud voice and rude words, “Do it then,” She didn't have a choice. It's not like those illiterate women understand the meaning of personal space and comfort. They will immediately start raising questions.

Vidyut came closer to her and began sucking on her collarbone. Mandira was having a hard time controlling her moans. Her chest was falling up and down. When the hickey was made, he moved to her neck which had marks from last night when he choked her twice.

“If my Bhabi asks about the red marks on your neck, tell her I choked you during sex,” He told and continued sucking on her neck. Mandira rolled her eyes at his smooth lying skills.

When he was done making hickey on the neck, he untied the knot of her blouse. Mandira frowned at him. He ignored her and began sucking the skin right above her left nipple.

“She won't check my boobs,” Mandira made a face. It felt uncomfortable. But he was doing it quite well.

“She will,” He replied and corrected her blouse and tied the knot.

“Lift your skirt,” He ordered.

Mandira shook her head.

“Do it yourself or I'll do it myself,” He warned her.

“You are harassing me on the name of making hickies,” Mandira glared at him.

“Trust me, I can do worse than this. Lift your skirt when I'm saying it politely,” The look in his eyes was dangerous.

Mandira huffed in annoyance and lifted her skirt. He put his head between her thighs and began sucking on her inner thighs.

“It's not like she'll be able to see hickies on my inner thigh,” She rolled her eyes.

Vidyut pulled his face out of her skirt, “She will,” And put it back inside.

Mandira glared at him, “You are just taking advantage of my situation.”

Vidyut pulled out his face again and moved his face close to hers, looking straight into her furious brown eyes, “If I wanted to take your advantage, I'd deep inside you last night and you'd be sore down there for straight a week.”

Mandira was done with his rude words, “I would have cut off penis before you could force yourself on me. Last night was different. I was emotionally exhausted and scared to death. But now I feel better and more like my normal self. So watch your words. I can't pretend to be submissive all the time,” Her feisty side came as a shock to him.

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

And Mandira was flabbergasted.

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What do you think about the dynamic between Vidyut and Mandira?

And do you like Devika and Suraj?