Leave atleast some comment guy's I am writing it after taking time out from my studies!!

After the marriage, everything became hectic. We didn't get any time to spend together after the reception, as we were both entangled too much. Adwait was busy trying to recover from the losses I had brought upon him, and I was busy trying to understand the power and political dynamics of the business here.

I realized that even when we were at the top, we were still less powerful in the power dynamics.

We are still far behind many families who have rooted themselves with the help of their great heritage and wealth.

Not everyone wants to be known; those are the people who stay silent most of the time.

It's not like this hierarchy doesn't exist in other places; it does, but it's just that I am facing it here for the first time. The top family in this hierarchy is the Raizada 's, followed by the Rajvansh's, and the rest fall behind them.

I realized many other things about this hierarchy. The one name I was amazed to find on the top ten list was one I didn't expect. I really never thought they had such control over the hierarchy of politics and buisness in India.

The way things are unfolding is now making me curious. At the very start, it was just a young girl's quest to find herself and find a place where she belonged. But now, I realize I have something that I should protect, and this past of mine is like a wound that could affect them too. So, it's better to either close it off completely or cut out the part that could harm others.

I looked at the information wrapped up in the paper. Maybe they never thought I could get my hands on this inner information, after all, they had made sure I didn't get any information about my family for more than 8 years.

As I looked through the papers, a sweet melody started playing -

"Ek dil hai,
Ek jaan hai,
Dono tujhpe.
Dono tujhpe qurbaan hain,
Ek main hoon,
ek imaan hai."
I now know why you should hide your phones from monkeys. These guys are more troublesome than I can handle.

It had been two days since they'd made the sly switch, changing my call ringtone without my knowledge or consent.

And, to make matters worse, I'd forgotten to silence my phone during the meeting and between a meeting I got a call . I didn't realize it was my phone ringing until I had already given my staff a stern lecture to my staff about the interruption. My face burned with embarrassment as I realized, mid-reprimand, that the ringing phone was actually mine. Damn! These guys are playing with my persona now. Before the song could play any further, I pressed the answer button.

I swiftly pressed the answer button, cutting off the ringtone before it could remind me of the humiliation any further.

"Hello! Ava di!" Riva's desperate voice boomed through the other end of the line. Damn, when did this girl become so loud?

"What's wrong? Did the sky fall? Why can I still see it in its original place?" I retorted sarcastically.

"It hasn't fallen yet, it's about to!" she exclaimed in an even more frantic tone. "Please save me!"

Confusion etched on my face as I asked, "What the hell happened now?"

"Where are you?"she suddenly changed the subject, her voice laced with urgency.

"I'm in the office," I replied, tapping my fingers on the glass table in front of me.

"I'm on my way. I'll tell you everything when I get there." With that, she hung up. My mind processed her words, and I thought to myself, 'At least she isn't in danger.' That's true; Riva had a knack for attracting trouble wherever she went.

Thirty minutes had ticked by since Riva's frantic call, and now she stood before me, pacing back and forth in my cabin like a caged animal.

For over 15 minutes, I'd been waiting for her to explain the crisis du jour, but since her arrival, she'd been too busy berating herself to bother with explanations.

Her monologue of self-recrimination had been punctuated by occasional face-palms and muttered curses.

My patience, worn thin by her antics, was nearing its breaking point. "Can you tell me what happened?" I asked, my tone firm but controlled. I'd learned to temper my emotions from Adwait, that man is renowned for his saintly patience but I am not even after trying so hard this is my breaking point.

"I fucked up!" Riva exclaimed, collapsing into the chair in front of me like a defeated puppet.

I rolled my eyes, unsurprised. "Tell me something new," I drawled, my sarcasm.

"Did you know what I did?" Riva asked, burying her face in her hands.

I let out a sarcastic sigh, supporting my face with my palms. "I can only imagine. Something that's the dumbest thing you've done so far, because let's face it, you're probably going to outdo yourself in the future."

"Tell me exactly what happened?" I asked Riva, my curiosity piqued.

Riva's voice echoed in my ear's as she began to explain. "I was with Shruti, trying to comfort her..."

Flashback

FROM Riva's POV:-

"Okay! I will see what I can do, but rest now, hmm?" I recalled saying, trying to reassure Shruti.

But Shruti's worries lingered. "Please! You said he's a good person, right? That means he knows you, right?" she asked, her brow furrowed with concern.

I hesitated before responding, "Uhmm...yes."

Just then, Arti bhabhi's voice rang out from the stairs, calling us downstairs. As we prepared to leave, badi maa burst into the room, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of me.

"Oh! Riva! You're back!" she exclaimed, clearly astonished by my presence.

"Are you going downstairs with Shruti?" she quickly asked, her gaze darting between us.

I nodded, but before I could respond, badi maa's expression turned stern. "No! You can't. Do you want to be a jinx in your sister's wedding?" she scolded, her anger rising.

"Maa!! What are you saying?"Shishir bhai intervened, stopping her.

I knew exactly what she was getting at – the outdated customs and traditions that always seemed to stir up unnecessary drama.

Like the inevitable questions: "Why isn't the older daughter getting married first?" or "What if they ask for your hand instead of your sister's?" I wasn't about to let myself get dragged into that mess, especially not in front of the Bansal family.

"I'll stay here!" I declared firmly, pre-empting the argument that was brewing between my aunt and cousin. Shruti's eyes went wide with panic as she clutched my hand tightly. Badi maa's expression softened slightly as she took Shruti's hand from mine. "Good!" she said, before leading Shruti out of the room.

Shishir bhai turned to me, a small smile on his face. "Thanks for understanding. You know how Maa is!" I nodded in understanding, appreciating his diplomatic intervention.

I knew all too well that my aunt and uncle were cut from the same cloth, with their outdated traditions and customs flowing through their veins like blood.

"I'm going downstairs. If you want to..." Shishir bhai trailed off, but I waved him off with a reassuring smile. "It's fine, bhai! I'll manage. It's my home too!" I said, trying to sound confident.

He nodded and headed out the door. "Okay, then I'll be back soon!" he called out as he left.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I settled into bed, slipping on my headphones and opening the manga I'd started reading the night before. As I delved into the story, I found myself getting worked up over the plot.

"Dammit! Yes! Yes, you're right! They never believe her, especially not him! I hate him more than anyone!" I muttered to myself, getting caught up in the drama of the manga.

"Whom are you planning to kill?" Vidharth asked, his eyes blazing with intensity as he leaned against the door frame, his gaze piercing through me like a dagger. I sat up straight, my heart racing, as he walked into my room with an air of confidence that made me uneasy.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, blinking in confusion, trying to process why he was in my room instead of downstairs with the others.

Vidharth's smile was laced with sarcasm, his voice dripping with mockery. "Someone told her sister that I'm madly in love with her, and now she has the audacity to ask me what I'm doing here?" He raised an eyebrow, his eyes glinting with amusement, but beneath that, I sensed a hint of annoyance.

I furrowed my brows, trying to decipher his words. "Well..." I began, but my mind was a jumble of confusion. What was he saying? Was he joking or serious?

'What the hell is he saying?' I thought internally, my mind racing with questions. His words were a mix of mockery and sincerity, leaving me bewildered. Wait, what did he say again?

"Riva Khanna! You!" Vidharth's words trailed off as his mom burst into the room, her face a picture of outrage.

"Oh, my child! Why didn't you tell us earlier? We would have given him a good beating! How could he leave you like this after everything?" She cupped my cheeks, her eyes brimming with tears.

I was taken aback, confusion etched on my face. 'What is she talking about? He left me after what?' Both Vidharth and his mom seemed to have lost their minds. Had they eaten something weird today?

My mom's sobs grew louder, and she clutched the end of her saree in her hands. My dad tried to comfort her, but I was still perplexed. "Mom, why are you crying?" I asked, looking at her with a mixture of concern and confusion.

"I know we're old-school, Riva, but that doesn't mean we wouldn't support you in a situation like this. We're a family, after all," Bade Papa appeared out of nowhere, adding to the chaos.

The room was now jammed with my parents, Vidharth, and his parents, all of whom seemed to be speaking a language I couldn't understand.

I glanced at Vidharth, who looked like the god of death incarnate, his eyes blazing with an otherworldly intensity. "But..." I tried to speak, but Mr. Bansal interrupted me.

"I understand your condition, kid. Don't worry, we won't let him get away with this. You're safe now," he said, his voice filled with empathy.

I looked around, bewildered, as everyone's sympathetic gazes bore into me. What was going on? What had happened downstairs? Why were they talking like I'd been through some traumatic ordeal?

My eyes landed on Shruti, who was standing in the corner, her head ducked into her neck. Before I could process anything further, I felt myself being lifted off the bed, Vidharth's arms wrapping around me like a vice.

"What the hell?" I blinked, looking up at him in shock. His eyes were bloodshot, his gaze piercing through me like laser beams.

"What the hell are you doing, Vidharth?" his mother shouted, her voice angry and alarmed. Vidharth's jaw clenched, his teeth gritted. "She's my wife, and she's carrying my child. I'm taking her with me."

What the hell did he just say?! Before I could even process his words, I found myself being whisked out of the room and into his car. Vidharth strode around the bonnet, but before he could open the passenger door, I made a split-second decision.

I sprinted to my own car, yanked open the door, and started the engine. I peeled out of the driveway, leaving Vidharth and the chaos behind. As I sped away, my mind began to piece together the events of the day.

I think I know what happened. The truth dawned on me like a ton of bricks. Vidharth's words, the sympathetic gazes... it all added up to one shocking revelation.

END Of FLASHBACK

Back to Shubhra's POV:-

I gave Riva my full attention, eager to understand the drama that had unfolded. "So, tell me exactly what happened?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

Riva took a deep breath before launching into the story. "Shruti didn't want to get married, and she told the whole family that Vidharth and I got married in a temple. He told me to keep it private because his family wouldn't accept me. Then, we... did everything as a couple, and now I'm pregnant with his child."

I couldn't help but feel amused by the absurdity of it all. "Your sister should be a writer – she's got a whole plot for a romance novel: weak, fragile female lead and an over-the-top, bossy CEO." I chuckled, shaking my head.

Riva face-palmed, her expression a mix of embarrassment and frustration. I should have been showing sympathy, but I was too invested in seeing how Vidharth would react to this drama. He was quite pleasent with my and Adwait's marriage.

"Oh, God, someone pass me some popcorn," I thought, my eyes sparkling with amusement.

I turned my attention back to Riva. "Where is Vidharth currently?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Riva shook her head. "I don't know!"

I smirked, teasing her. "You're his wife, carrying his child, and you don't know where he is?"

"Ava di, can you please be serious? I'm afraid he'll be searching for me like an executioner whose prey escaped," Riva said, her voice laced with genuine fear.

I couldn't help but chuckle at her dramatics, but Riva's expression remained deadpan. "Oh God ji, iss baar bacha lo, pakka har Mangalwar mandir aaungi!" (God, please save me this time, I'll definitely visit the temple every Tuesday!) She clasped her hands together, pleading to the gods.

Just then, the intercom on my desk buzzed, and I answered it. "Mam, Vidharth sir is here. Should I send him in?" My eyes met Riva's, and I could sense her panic.

"Please don't!" Riva begged, her eyes wide with desperation.

I sighed, knowing I couldn't protect her from Vidharth's wrath. "Tell him I'm not in the office," I said, stalling for time.

"I can hear you loud and clear, and I'm coming in!" Vidharth's voice thundered through the intercom, making Riva's eyes widen in terror. Damn, that guy was furious.

Riva started biting her nails, chanting the Hanuman Chalisa under her breath. I quickly came up with a plan. "Go hide behind that shelf. I'll distract him, and when he sits down, make a run for the door!" I whispered urgently.

Riva nodded and scurried behind the large bookshelf, disappearing from view. The very next second, Vidharth stormed into my cabin, his face a picture of rage. Aniket trailed behind him, looking worried.

"I seriously tried to stop him!" Aniket protested, but I waved him off. "I know, it's fine. You can leave." Aniket beat a hasty retreat, leaving me alone with the fuming Vidharth.

I eyed him warily, my earlier playfulness evaporating in the face of his anger. I'd never seen Vidharth this furious before. He rarely lost his cool, and his jolly demeanor was nowhere to be seen.

"Take a seat," I offered, trying to sound calm despite the tension in the air.

"No! Tell me where Riva is," Vidharth demanded, his eyes blazing with intensity.

"Why did something happen? You can..." I spoke.

"Stop it, Shubhra! I know she was here. I've searched all the CCTV footage in this city, and her car is still in the basement. So,tell me where she is!" Vidharth's voice was low and menacing, his teeth gritted in anger.

I stood my ground, trying to remain calm. "I really don't know," I insisted, knowing that Vidharth's anger was on the verge of boiling over.

Riva, you've really done this time, I thought to myself. This situation was going to be a lot messier than I'd anticipated.

Vidharth's eyes were a dangerous shade of red, and I could see the moisture welling up in them. He was a mess, and I knew that if he met Riva in this state, things would escalate quickly. I had to stop him, at least for now.

"Vidharth, please sit down," I said softly, trying to calm him down. I left my seat and stood beside him, placing a gentle hand on his arm.

"Shubh, just tell me!" Vidharth's eyes blazed with a mixture of anger and desperation, the redness in them a stark contrast to his usual calm demeanor. His voice cracked with emotion, and I could sense the turmoil brewing inside him.

I knew I had to intervene, to prevent him from confronting Riva in this state. "Vidharth, please sit down," I said firmly, my tone brooking no argument.

To my surprise, he complied, his body language screaming of barely contained rage. I poured a glass of water and handed it to him, trying to coax him into calmness. He took the glass reluctantly, his eyes never leaving mine, and drank the water in one gulp.

"Now, tell me what happened," I said, my voice soft but firm, encouraging him to speak his side of story.

"I don't know... Mom and Dad asked me to come meet some people, but I had no idea why. Then I found out they were there to arrange a marriage for me," Vidharth explained, his voice laced with frustration.

I nodded sympathetically, reminding myself that his mother's first priority is his marriage. She had expressed it many times so this was anticipated.

"Then?" I prompted him to continue.

Vidharth's expression turned incredulous. "Then this girl, the prospective bride, came in. She was calm and quiet at first, but suddenly, out of nowhere, she said she couldn't marry me. Everyone started questioning her, and she dropped a bombshell: she claimed that I was already married to her sister, Riva, two months ago, and..."

Vidharth's voice trailed off, his jaw clenched in anger. "And?" I prodded him gently.

His eyes flashed with rage. "She said Riva is pregnant with my child, but I'm forcing her to get an abortion because my family wouldn't accept her." Vidharth's teeth were gritted, his words dripping with venom and outrage.

I was left speechless, unsure of how to respond to Vidharth's revelation. "Umm...I think you need to calm down first. We should discuss this carefully; it's a grave matter, and if she's..." I trailed off, but Vidharth's intense gaze silenced me.

Okay, no time for jokes. The situation was too serious.

Vidharth's eyes were blazing with a mix of anger and desperation. "You don't understand. I've worked so hard to build my reputation, and if she accuses me of this...it'll all come crashing down. I've mocked people for this same thing and now she's putting me in the same category as them." He buried his face in his hands, his body language screaming of anguish and frustration.

Riva, what the hell have you done? I thought to myself. I didn't know Vidharth too much, but I knew him well enough to understand that he wasn't a bad person. The accusations Riva's cousin had made were...unthinkable.

"Riva!" I called out, my voice firm but calm.

Riva emerged from her hiding spot, her eyes cast downward as she tiptoed into the room. Vidharth's gaze locked onto her, his eyes blazing with a fierce intensity. He was about to lunge at her when I intervened.

"Stop!" I commanded, grabbing Vidharth's arms and holding him back. "Let's talk this out calmly. Please!" I urged, trying to reason with him.

Vidharth's body tensed, his muscles rigid with restraint, but he slowly backed down, returning to his seat. His eyes, however, continued to bore into Riva, who stood with her head ducked, avoiding his gaze. The air was thick with tension as the three of us stood there, locked in a silent standoff.

Author's Scribbling Point

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