A sweet birthday gift..😌😌😌

"Hello," I greeted her, trying to sound neutral.

Sanya sneered, "So, that's how your life is going after becoming Mrs. Randhawa? Huh!" She tried to inspect the bags in my hands, but I pulled them away.

"What are you doing?" I glared at her.

"Don't worry, I'm not someone like you! I've grown up in luxury, and I'm used to these things. Something you can't even dream of," Sanya scoffed. "These brands are really familiar to me, and I'm a regular customer."

I forced a smile, exhausted from the shopping and lacking the energy to fight. "Ohh! Really! Congratulations! I'm really happy for you! And yeah, that's how I'm living. Why? Any problem?" I said, placing a hand on my chest.

Just as Sanya was about to respond, a man interrupted her. "You... leave it, Sanya. Let's go."

I looked at the man, who had piercing onyx eyes. He stood at around 6'2" with a muscular build. His black hair was styled back, and he wore a crisp white shirt with black pants and a black blazer. His dominant aura commanded attention, and his gaze swept over me from head to toe.

"Yeah, Bhai! Let's go! I too don't want to lower my standards," Sanya said, and I scoffed internally, thinking, "Nor do I." I ignored her jibe and sat in the car, letting the driver take me back to the mansion. It was almost evening when we arrived.

Mrs. Randhawa and Vritika's mother were sipping tea and chatting in the living room. "You're back? This early, even after going shopping with Vritika?" Mrs. Randhawa quired, and they both chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess!" I responded.

"Did you buy something for yourself, or didn't she give you a chance?" Mrs. Randhawa teased.

"No, she bought almost the whole shopping complex for me," I answered, and they laughed.

"Go and get freshened up," Mrs. Randhawa suggested.

But then she suddenly muttered, "Wait! Come with me." I followed her to her room, curious.

"Take this," she commanded, handing me a box when we reached her room.

"Something's for you. Take it and call me Maa, like everyone else. Okay?" Mrs. Randhawa said, her words unexpectedly comforting me. It had been a long time since I'd used the word "Maa" or "mother." It felt foreign, yet somehow soothing.

"And call me Chachi!" Vritika's mother added, placing a hand on my head. Suddenly, my eyes welled up with tears. I had suppressed my childhood memories, including those of my own mother. She was a stranger to me, and I couldn't recall anything about her. But when Mrs. Randhawa asked me to call her Maa, I tried to grasp those lost memories, only to find nothing.

"Oh, why are you crying?" Mrs. Randhawa asked, concern etched on her face as she held my chin.

I quickly wiped away the tears. "No, nothing!" I said, trying to brush it off.

Mrs. Randhawa hugged me, her warmth and kindness enveloping me.

"It's okay, did you remember your mother?" Mrs. Randhawa asked, her gaze soft and gentle.

"I don't remember her," I blurted out, feeling a lump in my throat.

Mrs. Randhawa's expression turned sympathetic. "Ohh!!"

I quickly excused myself, feeling overwhelmed. "I should get fresh," I said, hurrying out of the room. I wasn't sure how much longer I could control my emotions.

In my room, the servants had already brought the shopping bags. I chose a stunning red anarkali and got dressed. When I returned, I found him sitting on a chair, working on his laptop. He looked up, and his eyes widened in admiration.

A wide smile spread across his lips as he took in my appearance.

"You would have looked even more beautiful in white, but no matter the color or design, you look ethereal in everything," he said, his words making me blush.

A smile spread across my lips as I felt my cheeks flush on getting the answer to the unasked question . He stood up from his seat and walked to the closet, while I went to the dressing table to comb my hair.

I opened the box Mrs. Randhawa had given me, revealing some exquisite bangles and other trinkets. I took out a few bangles and put them on, admiring how they sparkled on my wrists.

Just then, someone entered the room - Vidharth. His presence caught my attention, and I turned to face him.

...............

After Vidharth left I turned to look at Adwait who was already staring at me.

I felt like he wanted to peel away every layer I had built around myself over the years, but I wasn't ready to surrender that easily. I wasn't about to let anyone uncover my soul and gaze into its depths.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" I asked, diverting my gaze and moving towards the dressing table where I had placed the box. I began searching for the red box, trying to distract myself from his intense gaze.

"Because you're like a mystery to me," he said, leaning against the mirror of the dressing table. "The more I think I've untangled you, the more tangled you seem!"

I continued searching for the box, trying to sound nonchalant. "Really? Are you regretting marrying me now?"

He paused, his eyes locked on mine. "Hmm... I still haven't found the answer to your question, and I believe it would be a no!"

"Why are you so sure?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

"Because I'm saying so!" he replied, his confidence unwavering.

"Whatever!" I said, trying to brush it off.

"Yupp! Whatever!" he echoed, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

Suddenly, he grabbed my hands, and I raised an eyebrow in question. But he just smirked and pulled out the box of vermilion from the larger box, placing it in my palms. I was surprised he had already seen it.

"Can't tell me before?" I asked, feeling a bit miffed.

He just smirked again, his eyes glinting with mischief.

I took the red vermilion box.
I looked up at him, still staring at me.

"Are you not done?" I asked, trying to hide my impatience.

"Not yet!" he said, his smirk still in place. I rolled my eyes.

"You smirk a lot," I observed.

"Your actions give me plenty of reasons to," he replied, his eyes never leaving mine.

I picked up the narrow stick in the box, used to apply sindoor, but some of the vermilion powder fell onto my nose before I could react. He quickly brushed it away with the back of his hand gently.

Our eyes met, and we stared into each other's depths. His blue eyes reflected the questions swirling in his mind, and for a moment, I doubted my actions. Was I doing the right thing? I wasn't harming him, but could my presence bring trouble to him or his family? What if they became targets because of me?

My mind racing with pros and cons, I didn't realize I was still staring at him until someone coughed, breaking the spell.

"Ahem... if you guys are done, Badi Maa is calling you!" We both turned to look at Ariv, who was standing at the door.

Adwait cleared his throat. "We're coming! Let's go!" He uttered to me, and I nodded.

But Ariv chimed in, "No, if you guys are busy, I'll inform everyone!" And with that, he ran off.

"Let's go before he does," I declared, starting to walk, but Adwait's strong hand wrapped around mine, stopping me.

"Are you not going to wear the nuptial chain?" he inquired, and I checked my neck, realizing it was missing.

"Oh! I had worn it, but..." I trailed off, confused.

"But?" Adwait prompted.

"I'm unsure," I admitted, raking a hand through my hair. "Shit, where did I put it?" I muttered, feeling frustrated.

I pulled my hand out of his and started searching for the chain. "Gosh! Where did I keep it? Uff... what a hassle!" I exclaimed.

Adwait grasped my hand again and positioned me in front of him. "Can't you stand still for a moment?" he teased.

"I will, but let me find it first," I retorted, trying to wriggle free and search for the chain again.

"Here!" Adwait exclaimed, holding up the nuptial chain. "You already had it!"

I glared at him, narrowing my eyes. "You've had it the whole time!"

"Yeah, don't look at me like that!" Adwait protested. "You didn't give me a chance to speak!"

"Whatever!" I huffed, trying to snatch the chain from his hands, but he held tight.

"Allow me the pleasure," Adwait whispered, turning me around to face the mirror. He fastened the nuptial chain around my neck, our eyes locking in the reflection.

"I didn't know you still had this with you," he murmured, his gaze intense.

"I didn't get a chance to remove it after the wedding," I explained, feeling a need to clarify. "I only realized it was still on my neck when I reached Italy."

His hands rested on my shoulders, his fingers gently pressing into my skin. Our eyes remained locked through the mirror, the tension between us palpable.

Just then, Vidharth's voice broke the spell, echoing from afar. "Are you guys not ready yet!"

Adwait's hands dropped from my shoulders, and we reluctantly left the room, the moment lost.

As we descended the stairs together, the main hall came into view, filled with familiar faces and one new one. I assumed she was Vidharth's mother, a woman in her 50's with piercing black eyes that sparkled when they met mine. She wore a stunning green saree with a thick golden border, her hair elegantly tied in a bun with a few stray strands framing her face. Her smile was warm, but it didn't quite feel as genuine as the others.

"His family members are incredibly sweet," I thought to myself, wondering if anyone could match their kindness.

Vidharth's mother approached me, her eyes shining with warmth. "You are really beautiful!" she exclaimed.

"Thu... thu... Nazar na lag jaye," she added, as if warding off evil spirits, her hands gesturing a protective blessing.

(May god protect you from all evil eyes)

I smiled, familiar with the phrase but not entirely comfortable with the customs.

Although I was born in India, growing up in an Italian family had distanced me from these traditions. I felt a little out of place, but tried to adapt.

"So, sister, it's decided then - all her rituals will happen from our home," Vidharth's mother said, looking at Mrs. Randhawa.

"Yes, yes, surely!" Mrs. Randhawa agreed.

"Oh, by the way, she is Vidharth's mother, Mrs. Uma Bansal," Chachi introduced us.

"Namaste," I said, joining my hands in a respectful gesture.

"Leave the formalities, my child," Mrs. Bansal said, caressing my head lovingly. "Let's go and talk," she added, leading me to the sofa.

I wanted to discuss my parents with her, but the timing wasn't right. I decided to wait for a better moment.

"So, after your family members arrive, we will decide everything...okay?" she said, looking at me with a smile that reached her eyes, but somehow felt off. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but her gaze made me uneasy.

Maybe it was the remarriage that was causing my doubts. Even after going through with it, I still questioned whether I was doing the right thing.

I sighed inwardly, feeling uncertain.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur of conversations and discussions about the wedding preparations. Vidharth and Mrs. Bansal left after dinner, and everyone retired to their respective rooms.

Now, I sat on the bed of the room that I could call mine, at least for the time being. The silence was a welcome respite from the chaos of the day.

The previous encounter with Sanya lingered in my mind, along with the suspicious conversation I overheard at her house. Something wasn't right, and I needed to investigate further. But for now, I pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand.

I called the person I had assigned to gather information. "Hello!" I uttered, trying to sound calm.

"Hello, ma'am!" the lady on the other end responded.

"What's the progress?" I inquired in a flat tone.

"Ma'am, we've discovered something. You should definitely check it out," she revealed, her voice hinting at something significant.

"Okay, what is it?" I probed, my curiosity piqued.

"I don't think it's a good idea to discuss this over the phone, ma'am," she hesitated.

"I see. Okay, then let's meet tomorrow," I decided.

"Sure, ma'am. I'll be there," she confirmed.

"I'll send you the venue," I stated, already thinking about the meeting.

"Okay, ma'am. I'll be on time!" she assured.

With that, I ended the call and turned my attention to my laptop. I started digging into the York Corporation and the reason behind my blocked card. A call to the manager revealed that my card and accounts had been frozen by Lorenzo himself.

I sighed inwardly and decided to call him. This wasn't the right time for this to happen; it should have happened a long time ago. But why now?

I walked to the glass doors, drew back the curtains, and stood there, taking in the beauty of nature.

He picked up after a few missed calls.

"Ciao," he uttered, his tone almost monotonous.

(Hello)

"Ciao," I responded, playing along.

(Hello)

"Chi è?" he inquired, his voice still flat.

(Who's this)

"Sono io! Ava! Sembra che tu stia invecchiando, signor Lorenzo," I teased, trying to provoke a reaction.

(It's me! Ava! Seems like you are getting old Mr. Lorenzo )

"Signorina Ava? Sei tu! Perché? Come posso aiutarla?" He stammered, his voice now trembling.

( Miss. Ava? It's you! Why? How can I help you?)

I smiled, knowing I had him cornered. "Perché sembra così preoccupato, signor Lorenzo?" I probed, already aware of the answer.

(Why are you sounding so worried Mr. Lorenzo?)

A smirk formed on my lips as I sensed his unease. He was definitely nervous.

"Signorina Ava, non è stata mia la decisione di congelare i suoi conti bancari," he stammered, his words trembling. "Il signor York l'aveva fatto quando sei andato in India con il giovane maestro e dopo la sua morte ho abbandonato l'idea ma l'anziana signora mi ha costretto a farlo."

(Miss Ava, it wasn't my decision to freeze your bank accounts. Mr. York had done it when you went to India with the young master, and after his death, I dropped the idea, but the elder madam forced me to do it.)

I felt a surge of anger and hurt. He had already started cutting me off before he died. My eyes snapped shut, and I sighed loudly this time.

"Ok, signor Lorenzo, grazie per l'informazione," I uttered, trying to keep my tone neutral.

(Okay, Mr. Lorenzo, thanks for the information.)

"È un piacere aiutarti, mia signora," he murmured, his voice still shaky.

(It's my pleasure to help you, my lady.)

I terminated the call, feeling a mix of emotions. I sighed and closed my eyes, trying to process the revelation.

It seemed like Mrs. Old York had also had an ulterior motive. I sighed again, feeling overwhelmed by the revelations. It was too much to take in at once.

I turned my attention to the person standing by the door. "How long are you going to stand there?" I inquired, trying to sound calm.

He entered the room, and the door closed behind him. "I'll wait until you feel comfortable," he said in a deep, husky voice.

"And what if that doesn't happen?" I pressed, curious about his response.

He simply looked at me and chuckled. "What?" I asked, intrigued.

"Nothing," he replied, his expression enigmatic.

"By the way, I need to discuss something with you," I uttered.

"What is it?" he inquired.

"I met Sanya today," I revealed.

"Oh?" He murmured, his interest piqued. "Did she utter something?"

"Many things, but that's not my concern right now. I want to talk to you about the wedding," I stated.

"What about it?" He probed, his brow furrowed in curiosity, as he sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard.

I occupied the other side of the bed and began to speak.

"You mentioned that Mr. Malhotra claimed Sanya was kidnapped, but I have some information that contradicts that," I began. "When I was here, I once tried to retrieve the ring from Sanya's room and accidentally overheard her conversation with her father. They were aware that something bad might happen, but they didn't investigate or contact you. Don't you find it strange that he would act so hastily?"

He was taken aback by my revelation and fell into deep contemplation.

"If what you're stating is true, and they had an idea about this, they should have contacted me or at least tightened security, but..." he trailed off.

"Nothing like that happened," I finished his sentence, completing his thought.

"I don't think Mr. Malhotra would do something like that," Adwait uttered. "Sanya is the apple of his eye. No matter what, he cherishes his daughter very much."

"And one more thing," I added. "You know Sanya's brother, Rudra?"

"Yeah! What about him?" Adwait inquired.

"He met me in the grand hall a few moments before I got kidnapped and warned me to take care of myself. And then, I got kidnapped!" I explained.

"And even if they wanted to exchange brides, why me? Why did they specifically choose me?" I probed, the question that was racking my mind the most

"Things are more suspicious than we thought, but don't worry, I'll look into it," Adwait assured me.

"Okay, then!" I acknowledged.