As the sun dipped below the horizon, the sky transformed into a kaleidoscope of colors, with refracted rays dancing across the atmosphere. However, the tension within the four walls of the 16th floor of Lucas Corporation was palpable, a stark contrast to the vibrant hues outside.

The bright colors shining outside seemed to mock the somber faces of the people sitting in the cabin.

Adwait, who had just entered the room, began to speak "Here are your..."but his words trailed off mid-sentence. His gaze was fixed on the two individuals sitting opposite each other, their usual animosity replaced by an unsettling silence.

The two individuals, known for their volatile relationship, sat motionless.The air was thick with tension.

Adwait's eyes shifted to his wife, Shubhra, who was seated on the middle sofa. He walked over to join her, taking a seat beside her. The glass table between the two chair sofas seemed to be a fragile barrier, separating the two individuals who were usually at odds with each other.

"What's happening here?" Adwait questions Shubhra, his curiosity piqued, as he sat down beside her on the sofa.

Shubhra deflected his question, asking instead, "Did you bring my stuff?" Adwait handed her a paper bag, and she peeked inside before pulling out four cups of coffee. She arranged them on the glass table, offering everyone a cup.

Adwait grabbed his coffee and took a sip, his eyes fixed on the two individuals sitting across from them. The tension between them was palpable, with one glaring at the other, who refused to meet their gaze, instead staring at the floor.

"How long are you two going to continue this silent war of yours?" Adwait inquired, his voice laced with amusement, as he addressed the two combatants.

He turned to Shubhra, who was munching on a packet of wafers. "And why did you call me here?" he quired, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"I didn't want you to miss this," Shubhra said, her mouth full of wafers, as she gestured to the tense scene unfolding before them.

Adwait raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of his coffee while ignoring the glare from Vidharth, who looked like he was ready to bury him alive.

"Are they at it again?" Adwait's voice was laced with amusement.

Shubhra's response was casual, but the bombshell she dropped was anything but. "No, he got Riva pregnant." The words hung in the air like a challenge.

Adwait spat his coffee out of his mouth, spraying Vidharth, who looked like he'd been drenched in ice water. "What?" The three of them – Adwait, Vidharth, and Riva – shouted in unison, their voices echoing off the walls.

Adwait's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Vidharth and Riva. "What the hell? After all this, you two have the guts to show your faces here?" He shook his head, his voice dripping with incredulity.

Vidharth's face turned beet red as he shot out of his chair, his eyes blazing with anger. "What the hell did you just blabber, Shubhra?" he thundered, his voice echoing off the walls.

Adwait's intense glare pinned Vidharth in place. "Why are you shouting at her?" he demanded, his voice firm but controlled.

Vidharth's face was still red with anger, but he took a deep breath before responding. "Because she's gone crazy! I'm not pregnant, not with anyone's child," Riva chimed in, her eyes wide with horror as she stared at Shubhra.

Shubhra, however, seemed oblivious to the chaos she had unleashed, her attention focused on munching on her chips.

Adwait shook his head, confusion etched on his face. "What the hell is happening here? Can someone please explain?" he questioned, throwing up his hands in exasperation.

Shubhra started to speak, but Vidharth and Riva cut her off, both of them eager to tell their side of the story.

"I'll tell you what happened!" Vidharth exclaimed, launching into a detailed explanation of the events that had transpired. Riva occasionally interjected, adding her own perspective to the narrative.

Adwait listened intently, his expression growing increasingly incredulous. When Vidharth finally finished speaking, Adwait's response was succinct: "What the actual fuck?"

Riva's voice was laced with desperation as she tried to explain herself. "Trust me, Jiju, I know nothing about what Shruti said. I was just as shocked as he was when everyone burst into the bedroom."

Vidharth's response was dripping with sarcasm. "Yeah, and I should believe you?"

Shubhra leaned in close to Adwait, a mischievous glint in her eye. "That's why I called you – let's enjoy some drama!" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Adwait raised an eyebrow, sharing a knowing look with his wife.

"Did you forget how much he had teased us because of our wedding?" Shubhra spoke back.

Adwait's expression softened as memories of the past came flooding back. He relaxed into the sofa, leaning in closer to Shubhra.

"I think you're right," he said, snagging a wafer from the packet in her hand. As he popped the wafer into his mouth, he asked, "So, what are you guys planning to do?" His tone was casual, but his eyes sparkled with amusement, eager to see how this drama would unfold.

"What do you mean by what are we planning to do? Of course, we're going to go to our parents and tell them the truth," Vidharth declared, fury still flaring in his eyes.

Shubhra raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Are you sure they'll believe you and not think that you threatened her?" she pointed out, her voice laced with doubt.

Vidharth's face fell, and he slumped back in his chair. "Oh, yeah... I forgot those sisters had messed with me badly." His voice was laced with frustration.

Riva looked confused, her brow furrowed in concern. "Hey, did you do something like this before? Or why else would your parents believe my sister so easily?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Vidharth's mouth was tightly shut, his jaw clenched in reluctance. He didn't want to talk about his personal turmoil.

Riva's eyes narrowed, her gaze piercing as she raised an eyebrow at Vidharth. "Did you?" she pressed, her voice firm but controlled.

"I can guarantee you he hasn't done anything like that in the past," Adwait said, his voice firm and confident. "He's my best friend, and I know him well enough to vouch for his character." Vidharth looked at him thankfully, his eyes conveying gratitude.

Shubhra's voice cut through the tension, her words sparking a new wave of shock. "Why don't you guys just get married? It would be fun!" she teased, her eyes glinting with mischief.

The room fell silent, all six pairs of eyes fixed on Shubhra. Vidharth was the first to respond, his voice incredulous. "You're sick!" he exclaimed.

Shubhra shrugged, unfazed. "Well, no one believes you anyway, and even if you do speak up, one of you will have to take the blame. I don't think your cousin Shruti is going to own up to it," she pointed out, her voice dripping with logic.

"Doesn't getting married mean that I'm accepting everything she said?" Vidharth growled, his frustration evident.

Shubhra shook her head. "Nah, I'm saying tell them that the child thing was a misunderstanding, and the marriage... well, none of you want to acknowledge it because it was something that happened without your consent."

Vidharth raised an eyebrow. "And why not just say everything was a misunderstanding?" he asked, his tone skeptical.

Shubhra's expression turned serious. "They aren't going to believe you because you didn't clear it up in the first place. Now, if you go to them and say this after taking her with you in front of everyone, after accepting her as your wife... even if she speaks on your behalf, everyone will think you've threatened her into saying it."

Vidharth's face fell, realizing the complexity of the situation. Shubhra continued, her voice matter-of-fact. "Besides, what's wrong with getting married to each other?"

"But we could just say it was a prank? And we didn't even have a wedding certificate," Vidharth pointed out, hoping to find a simple way out.

Shubhra's eyes sparkled with creativity. "Oh, yeah! That's your biggest help. Just say that the last time you went to that village to get special ingredients for your perfume, two months ago, those old-fashioned villagers tried to marry you off to someone in their village. So, to save her, you decided to marry Riva! It'll boost your image."

Riva's eyes widened in exasperation. "Ava di, what kind of clichés are you watching?" she exclaimed, clearly unimpressed by Shubhra's suggestion.

Shubhra just chuckled. "My own wedding is a kind of example of it! Trust me, they'll believe it."

Vidharth rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. "This is insane. We can't just make up some ridiculous story and expect everyone to believe it."

Shubhra shrugged. "Why not? It's a good story. And like I said, it'll boost your image. You'll be the hero who saved Riva from an arranged marriage."

Riva rolled her eyes. "I don't want to be saved, thank you very much. And I definitely don't want to be married to him."

Adwait, who had been quietly observing the conversation, finally spoke up. "You know, I think Shubhra might be onto something. It's a crazy story, but it just might work."

"But things hadn't been that serious, and it's not like everyone knows about it. It's just our families," Vidharth said, trying to downplay the situation.

Shubhra's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Hey, I want some drama!" she exclaimed, clearly entertained by the unfolding events.

Vidharth's face darkened with anger. "Are you being serious? This is our life, not a drama show for your entertainment!" he thundered.

Shubhra shrugged, unfazed. "Well, I didn't start it."

Riva's frustration boiled over. "Ava di, do you have no sympathy or empathy?" she asked, exasperated.

Shubhra's response was quick and unapologetic. "No, I'm here just for the drama!"

Vidharth's face turned red with anger. "Forget I asked for your help! I'll solve this matter myself!" He stood up, his chair scraping against the floor, and turned to leave.

Aniket burst into Shubhra's cabin, looking frantic. "Mam, you need to see this! It's urgent," he exclaimed.

Shubhra's expression turned serious, and she asked, "What happened?" Aniket opened his pad and showed her a news article.

Author's Scribbling Point

Get a hold upon yourself the best chapter is going to be whole new rollercoaster of emotions....

Shock is all I have to describe that..

Stay tuned...