𝐑𝐚𝐨: 𝐀 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐎𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐥.

╰┈➤"𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥."

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The grand hall was abuzz with people, the perfect distraction for the girls to slip away unnoticed.

Athrav's eyes sparkled as he pulled Parvika closer, his fingers intertwining with hers. "How's the arrangement, Pearl?" he asked.

Parvika's gaze swept the hall, taking in the elegant white theme that seemed to whisper sweet nothings to her soul. "It's beautiful," she replied, with few words.

Athrav's eyes roamed the hall, drinking in the beauty of the decorations. "Come on, Pearl, I'll introduce you to my friends and guests." He leading her into the throng of people.

Parvika cast a fleeting glance at Veda and Tejal before disappearing into the crowd with Athrav.

Avyan's eyes shone with excitement as he turned to Veda. "Isn't it beautifully decorated, Star? White is my favorite color, you know?" His smile was infectious, and Veda found herself softening.

She gazed at him. Avyan's personality and preferences doesn't match eachother just like them, and yet, he wore his quirks with an endearing charm.

Avyan's enthusiasm was palpable as he grasped Veda's hand. "Come on, let's mingle. I want to introduce my wife to my friends." Veda's instincts screamed at her to resist, but Avyan's radiant smile disarmed her. She nodded, and Avyan's face lit up with a wider grin.

As they wove through the crowd, Veda said, "Stop smiling so widely, you'll tear your mouth, idiot."

Avyan chuckled, his eyes sparkling with mirth.

Tejal stood alone, watching Parvika and Veda disappear into the sea of people.

Ayur appeared beside her, his expression unreadable. "Do whatever you want, just don't leave this hall," he said finally, his voice low and detached.

Without another glance, he walked away, leaving Tejal to ponder his words.

Tejal stood alone, observing the crowd with a mixture of disdain and boredom. Everyone wore fake, infectious smiles that made her stomach turn.

She wandered over to the juice counter, picked up a pineapple juice, and took a sip. The sweet flavor filled her mouth as she scanned the room for Ayur, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Where's he?" she whispered to herself. "Why should I care? I shouldn't care. It's better if he's not around."

Her introspection was interrupted by a smooth voice. "Why is a beautiful lady like you standing here alone?"

Tejal turned to face a man in his mid-forties, with a bulky build that suggested he still worked out regularly. She raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Because I want."

The man chuckled, tucking one hand into his pocket. "Oh, a sassy one, aren't you?"

Tejal rolled her eyes. "Yes, I am. Thanks for the compliment."

The man's amused gaze lingered on her. "What's your name?"

Tejal's expression turned uninterested. "Why do you want to know?"

The man smiled. "Just want to know the name of the pretty lady in front of me. Is that a crime, miss...?"

Tejal sighed, setting her empty glass on the table. "It's Mrs. Tejal Ayur Rao. And no need to tell me your name. I don't want to know."

The man's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Ouch! That's harsh. But as a polite man, I'll tell you my name anyway. I'm Maven Mehta, a small business, who's owner of a multimedia company."

Tejal's response was curt. "So?"

Maven chuckled, picking up a glass of juice. "Hah, you're a fierce one. I'm liking you."

Tejal's gaze swept the crowd, searching for Ayur. "But I'm not liking you, and you're disturbing me."

One the other side of the hall. "Hey Ayur, isn't that Tejal? And isn't that guy Maven Mehta? Dude, he's a pervert..." One of Ayur's friend said.

Ayur's gaze followed his friend's nod, and he spotted Maven talking to Tejal. A faint scowl crossed his face, but he seemed unconcerned. "Don't worry, she can handle him."

As Ayur watched, Maven's face darkened, and he stalked away, leaving Tejal alone.

"She's Tejal Ayur Rao, after all," Ayur said, his gaze lingering on Tejal as she scanned the crowd. His eyes narrowed slightly, then shifted as Veda approached her.

His expression eased, knowing Tejal wouldn't be alone for long. With a subtle nod, he instructed the guard standing nearby, "Keep an eye on them."

The guard's eyes flicked to Tejal and Veda before nodding curtly. "Yes, sir!"

Tejal's eyes sparkled with amusement as Veda approached. "Oh, Veda, why did you come back so quickly? Wasn't your Avyan giving you his undivided attention?" Tejal teased, her smile playful.

Veda's glare was swift and fierce. "Huh? Didi, stop being too funny, because It's not funny." She crossed her arms, her expression stern.

Tejal chuckled, holding up her hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, Missy. Calm down. What happened?"

Veda's scowl deepened as she glanced at Avyan, who was laughing with a girl. "That idiot Avyan is too busy flirting with his so called girl friends. I bet he didn't even realize I left his side."

Tejal's voice was calm and soothing. "Why are you being like this, Veda? It's just his friend, of course they have a lot to catch up on..."

Veda sighed, her anger deflating. "I don't know, didi. I just... never mind. Let's just drop it."

Tejal nodded understandingly. Veda's expression shifted, it become serious. "Let's go find Parvika, didi. Remember our plan? We need to find the perfect opportunity to execute it."

Tejal smiled, already knowing where Parvika was. "She's with Athrav Bhai. Let's go find them." With that, the two women wove through the crowd, determined to put their plan into action.

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Parvika stood beside Athrav, exchanging pleasantries with a group of businessmen. Her cheeks ached from smiling for too long.

Just then, a woman in her early fifties, with a face caked in heavy makeup, approached Athrav. "Hi, Athrav!" she exclaimed, enveloping him in a warm hug. "How have you been?"

Athrav smiled politely. "Good, Mrs. Gupta. What about you?"

Mrs. Gupta's eyes sparkled as she pulled away from Athrav. "Oh, I'm fine, Athrav." Her gaze shifted to Parvika, and she beamed. "You must be Mrs. Athrav. Nice to meet you."

Parvika's expression turned quizzical as Mrs. Gupta hugged her too. Athrav shrugged, seemingly amused by the exchange.

Mrs. Gupta pulled away, her eyes scanning Parvika's face. "You're so beautiful. You both look stunning together." She made an "okay" sign with her hand, her expression exaggerated.

(I meant this 👌🏻sign actually.)

Athrav smiled wryly. "Thank you, Mrs. Gupta."

Just then, Tejal and Veda approached the group. "Parvika didi..." Veda called out.

Mrs. Gupta's eyes widened. "Oh, who are these beautiful ladies?"

Athrav smiled. "They're Veda and Tejal, Ayur and Avyan's wives."

Mrs. Gupta's hands flew to her chest. "Oh, you boys have really beautiful wives, huh?" She said while fanning herself.

Veda and Tejal exchanged a bewildered glance.

Tejal whispered to Veda, "Why is she being so dramatic?" Veda shook her head as 'i don't know didi'.

Parvika turned to Veda and Tejal. "What happened, guys? Why were you calling me?"

Veda whispered something in Parvika's ear, and Parvika nodded hastily. "Okay, come..." The three women began to walk away.

Athrav's brow furrowed. "Hey, what's going on? Where are you guys going?"

Tejal tossed a mischievous grin over her shoulder. "You can't know, Athrav Bhaiya. It's a girl thing..."

Athrav's confusion deepened "huh? Girl thing..." He asked but the women already disappeared into the crowd.

Mrs. Gupta looked at Athrav, equally perplexed. "What just happened?"

Athrav shook his head, chuckling. "I have no idea."

≻───── ⋆✩⋆ ─────≺

Parvika, Veda, and Tejal slipped into the women's washroom, relieved to have escaped the prying eyes of the men.

Parvika grinned mischievously. "Good plan, Tejal. They'll never think to follow us in here, unless they want a chappal beating."

Tejal beamed with pride. "Let's see if we can find a way out."

Veda nodded, and the trio began to scan the area for an escape route. Veda's eyes landed on a ventilation window at the far end of the room. "Girls, look!" she exclaimed, her voice barely above a whisper.

The window was larger than they had hoped, and the girls exchanged excited glances.

Without hesitation, they made their way to the window and squeezed through.

As they emerged on the other side, Veda let out a whoop of excitement. "We did it, didis! We escaped!"

Parvika hastily shushed her. "Don't shout, you idiot. We're not out of here yet. We need to keep moving."

The trio took off at a sprint, their feet pounding the pavement as they desperately sought to put distance between themselves and their pursuers.

Unbeknownst to them, Athrav lounged on his couch, his phone cradled in his hand.

The screen lit up with an incoming message: "Found them, sir." A sly smirk spread across Athrav's face.

Avyan, seated beside him, caught the gleam in Athrav's eye. "Found them, have we? Let's go, then." Avyan's voice was laced with anticipation.

Ayur, standing near the office table, observed his brothers with an amused smile. "Sure, why not?" He shrugged, his tone casual, but his eyes sparkled with intrigue.

≻───── ⋆✩⋆ ─────≺

Athrav sat calmly in his car, a smirk spreading across his face as he received the update from his guard. "Let them think they've escaped. We'll give them a little rope before reeling them back in."

Avyan who was leaning towards Athrav car chuckled, his arms crossed over his chest. "Silly girls think they can outsmart us."

Ayur, standing nearby, gazed up at the sky, a hint of amusement dancing on his lips. "They did come up with a decent plan, though. Using the women's washroom to evade the guards... but they didn't count on our female guards."

Those words Athrav and Avyan chuckle.

≻───── ⋆✩⋆ ─────≺

Parvika, Veda, and Tejal ran with abandon, their feet pounding the empty road.

The only light came from the street lamps above, casting long shadows behind them.

Tejal let out a whoop of excitement. "We did it, girls! Yay! We escaped!" She high-fived Parvika and Veda.

"Come on let's keep moving." Veda said as they walks towards the empty road.

A car screeched to a halt in front of them, making them jump. The window slid open, revealing Athrav's smirk. "Done running, girls? Let's go home now."

Parvika, Veda, and Tejal exchanged wide-eyed glances. "What the...?" They tried to make a run for it, but two more cars blocked their path.

Avyan emerged from one of the cars, his eyes fixed on Veda with cocky smile on his lips. "You must be tired, Star. Come, let's go home  relaxed in an air-conditioned car."  Veda looked up at him, surprised.

Avyan's eyebrows wriggled mischievously. "Are you coming with me willingly, or do I need to carry you?" Veda's gaze dropped, and she followed him to the car without a struggle.

She knew they can't escape now. Even if they didn't, they can't run away further. It better she Follows him without any struggle.

"ohhh quiet obedient! Bye, bhabhis! We're leaving first. Tata!" Avyan said while a smile as he wave towards Parvika and Tejal as he gets inside the car and drove away.

Tejal and Parvika shared a look, before Athrav leaned in, his voice low. "It's getting cold, Pearl. We should go too? I know you can't stand the cold."
Athrav pulled her into the car.

As they drove away, Tejal was left standing alone with Ayur. He raised an eyebrow, his hands tucked into his pockets as he leans towards his car.

"I was trying to give you some space, but it seems you're making it impossible for me to do so," he said, his eyes locking onto hers.

Tejal remained quiet, her expression unreadable. She sighed, walking towards the car. Ayur chuckled, opening the door for her.

"It was quite a smart plan, Love. I really appreciate that my wife is clever. Next time, just ask me, and I'll help you plan, okay?" Ayur said sarcastically with a smile, as he reached across Tejal to fasten her seatbelt. 

By starting the car and driving off into the night. Leaving the road empty with the slowly spreading fog and the lighting of the street lamps made a glow with the moon above.

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