Chapter 12: chapter 12

Imara’s voice echoed with such force that it jolted Virender to a standstill and drew everyone from their rooms on the same floor. Without a second thought, she rushed towards Vibha, her heart pounding with fear, and caught her just in time before her head hit the cold, hard floor.“Vibha...” Dilip’s voice echoed through the hallway, and just in the nick of time, Shaurya swiftly scooped Vibha into his arms, carrying her to the nearest room. Imara’s face reflected sheer panic. Vibha meant no less than a mother to her. In that moment, witnessing Vibha’s state, Imara’s mind went blank, consumed by the overwhelming hope that her Maa was okay. Unbeknownst to herself, tears streamed down her face, accompanied by soft, heart-wrenching whimpers.Suvika enveloped Imara in a comforting embrace, leading her into the room. Sensing the delicate nature of the situation, Virender retreated to his own room, not wanting to intrude on a moment that could sway Imara’s decision. Meanwhile, Adhiraj stood there, closely observing the raw fear and sadness in Imara’s tear-stained face. It was an image that etched itself deep within his heart.“What’s going on?” Samrat asked as he stepped out to see what the commotion was all about.“Vibha... it seems like she is too stressed,” Vandana responded, leading her sons back to their rooms, fully aware of the challenges that Vibha might be facing. She had faith in Virender, trusting that he had valid reasons for persisting in this issue.Meanwhile, Neel guided Anika and Tarushi back to their rooms upon witnessing their mother faint, an evident worry etched on their faces.“She will be fine. Get in, you two. Don’t stress out.” Neel reassured his sisters, embracing them tenderly, before closing the door behind them.—————Dilip gently sprinkled water on Vibha’s face before grasping her hand, his face full of worry for his wife.After a few moments, Vibha finally opened her eyes, and Dilip let out a relieved sigh as he asked, “Are you alright?”Vibha nodded, extending her other hand towards Imara, who hurriedly grasped it with trembling hands. Tears continued to stream down Imara’s face, as she kept wiping them away, saying, “You really scared me.”Witnessing Imara’s reaction upon seeing Vibha in such a state touched everyone’s heart, as it felt like they were seeing their Imu after a long, long time.Vibha caressed Imara’s hand and shifted her gaze towards Sanjay. “Bhaisahab,” she began, “I heard what Virender Uncle was talking about. Why does he want Anu and Taru to suffer for what Namita did? It is not our daughters’ fault that their eldest grandchild wouldn’t be able to tie the knot ahead of his younger brothers.”Dilip tightened his grip on Vibha’s hand and reassured her, “We are talking to him…”“And he refused...” Vibha, oblivious to the emotional impact this conversation was having on Imara, broke down in tears, “I heard him tell Bhaisahab that the wedding will not take place. Our daughters are so happy. What will happen to them when they learn that after months of courtship and days of rituals, the wedding is suddenly called off?”Imara flinched, and she withdrew her hand from Vibha’s grip with a slow, deliberate movement. With a heavy heart, she quietly made her way out of the room. Suvika, sensing her distress, followed and gently held her hand to prevent her from leaving. Turning back, Imara masked her pain as best she could and whispered, “You’ve won again, again!”With those words, Imara turned away and strode purposefully into Sanjay’s room. She had once harbored countless dreams for her wedding, until the very concept of marriage lost its significance to her. It no longer mattered who she married or how; all that mattered was that once again, she had succumbed to the manipulative game of reputation. This time, however, it wasn’t her father pulling the strings, but Virender Singh Shekhawat.—————An hour later, Imara stood before the mirror, adorned as a bride, donning a hastily arranged bridal lehenga. How was it possible to organise everything in such a short time? The answer was unknown to her, and she wasn’t eager to find out anyway. Did it even matter? Would it alter the current situation she was in?Suddenly, Suvika’s gentle touch brushed Imara’s face, interrupting her thoughts. “Adhiraj is a wonderful person, Imu. I am sure he will bring you happiness.”Imara turned away, causing Suvika to drop her hands. “I am only doing this for my sisters. You killed your Imu that day. Just leave me alone.” Imara replied, her voice cold and distant.Suvika’s eyes welled up with tears, pained by her daughter’s sharp words. However, comprehending Imara’s circumstances, she quietly retreated after softly stating, “We will bring you out in five minutes.”Imara couldn’t help but flinch at the overwhelming awareness of her impending marriage. Her palms grew sweaty as her mind veered towards self-pity. It was hard to believe that, just a couple of hours ago, she didn’t even know the person she was about to marry. With a bittersweet smile, she quickly wiped away the tears that glistened in the corners of her eyes, as she remembered him.“I can’t wait to see you as my bride, Imu.” Dheeraj whispered over the phone.A blush tinted Imara’s cheeks. She closed her eyes, catching her breath before softly responding, “Me neither...I’m imagining myself in a pink lehenga. What do you think?”Dheeraj’s whispered reply made her heart flutter, the late night conversation adding an extra layer of intimacy to their words. “No! Red...please. A traditional red will make you look absolutely breathtaking, Imu.”“Okay…once our parents agree on a date…we will discuss colours, too.” She whispered back.“Red is my favourite….Imu…you are my favourite!” he whispered softly, sending a warm ripple of affection through her body.Suppressing those overwhelming emotions, she nibbled on her lower lip and took a deep breath, desperately trying to regain control. Meanwhile, Dheeraj continued to whisper, “I can’t wait to make you mine….all mine!”Her dreamlike state shattered when someone entered the room, ready to escort her out and guide her down the aisle towards someone who wasn’t Dheeraj.“I am here, Dheeraj, dressed as a bride, in your favourite colour. Did the one you marry wear the same colour? Were you able to look at her the way you used to look at me? What am I even asking? Of course you did, because you moved on. I couldn’t. I still can’t. I can never. Still, I wish you all the happiness and love in your life. And I still love you. And I still wish it was you.”—————“Raj....” Vandana called out softly as she stepped into his room.Pausing midway through buttoning up his Sherwani, Adhiraj turned to his mother. She held his hands gently in hers and expressed, “We’re being unfair to you!”Adhiraj noticed the glistening of tears in her eyes and responded by pulling her into a comforting hug. He assured her, “No, Mom! Please don’t burden yourself. Just like we make strategic decisions in business, consider this as one of those.”Looking up at him, Vandana cupped his face and replied, “But this is not business... this is your life.”With a nod, he kissed her palm and said, “And I have always trusted every decision all of you have made for my life. Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.”Before Vandana could speak further, Jaidev entered the room. As he approached his son, he placed a loving hand on Adhiraj’s shoulder, brimming with affection for his eldest child. “Are you absolutely sure about this?” Jaidev inquired, his voice filled with genuine concern. “I still have reservations about that girl. We can handle the media, you know.”“Of course we can, Dad. But it will create a massive uproar. And as for her,” Adhiraj remarked, scratching his brow before continuing, “Dadu is genuinely impressed with her. He refuses to back down. I feel like he didn’t just influence me, he somehow cornered her, too.”Jaidev took a deep breath, preparing to express his thoughts, when Adhiraj interrupted, saying, “Dadu disclosed everything about the wedding proposal to me.”“He told you everything?” Vandana questioned, her brows furrowing in confusion.Adhiraj nodded, replying, “Yes..he told me everything. So I am going with his gut feeling. As for the rest, I am sure I can handle it.”Jaidev and Vandana exchanged meaningful looks as if a silent understanding had passed between them. Then, he gently patted Adhiraj’s shoulder and asked, “Raj, you understand what marrying her would mean, right? It will make her your wife. You would be spending your life with her, under the same roof. You understand the implications?”Adhiraj realised that making this relationship work would require taking a leap of faith, but he still had doubts about Imara’s views on this. Just then, his phone chimed with a message from Sanchit, his personal assistant.After reading the message, Adhiraj confidently nodded and declared, “Dad, I understand your concerns about her ability to adapt. I will ensure she understands the responsibilities of being my wife!”Jaidev pondered for a moment and added, “Alright then! Let’s go. Those two brats must be getting impatient.”Adhiraj and Vandana chuckled, and Adhiraj took one last glance at his attire, revealing a glimpse of his well-toned physique under the finely crafted Sherwani.Before long, he and his brothers made their way towards the stage. Atharv and Samrat wore wide grins, clearly unable to contain their excitement. However, Adhiraj struggled to even acknowledge the fact that it was his own wedding he was attending. While he was confident in finding a compromise with Imara for the sake of a peaceful life together, he couldn’t shake off the unsettling feeling of being trapped with a type of girl he had always despised.