Chapter 18: chapter 18

“I am so happy to welcome all my daughters-in-law into our home,” Vandana exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine happiness. “Anika and Tarushi must be getting ready as well,” she added, gently guiding Imara towards the washroom. “I will be here, okay?”Imara nodded and closed the door behind her. Finally alone, her emotions overwhelmed her, and tears streamed down her face. She hastily turned on the shower, seeking solace under the warm water as she let herself cry freely, releasing all the pent-up emotions until her head started throbbing. Just as her emotions reached their peak, Vandana’s gentle knock interrupted her thoughts, prompting Imara to quickly turn off the shower. “Just give me two minutes,” she called out, trying to compose herself.After a brief respite, Imara stood before the mirror, her brows furrowed in concentration, while Vandana draped a saree around her. The flawless tuck and drape made Imara believe that Vandana had been an expert at this for years.“I would prefer my daughter-in-law to wear a saree every day like I always do!” Dheeraj’s mother’s words echoed in Imara’s mind.“It was my decision,” Vandana stated, breaking Imara’s trance. “I chose to wear a saree every day, but you get to decide what you want to wear. Today, I chose a saree because it was the quickest outfit I could arrange to fit your measurements.”Imara nodded, though her attempt to put on a smile fell short. Vandana brushed her hair aside and delicately placed the family heirloom, the maharani necklace, around her neck. As she did, she asked, “Did he threaten you?”Confused, Imara looked up at Vandana through the mirror. Vandana clarified, “Raj! Did he say or do something to threaten you? Remember, you can always tell me. I can still beat him up if I find him disrespecting his wife.”A flicker of amusement crossed Imara’s face as she imagined Adhiraj running away while his mother wielded a stick to beat the shit out of him. Suppressing her smile, Imara shook her head and replied, “No!”Imara could fight her own battles. She was never a whining kid. Moreover, letting Vandana know would only bring her closer to Vandana, the one thing she didn't want considering she was unwilling to carry on with this facade. And so, she had resolved to handle Adhiraj on her own.However, prior to leaving the room, Vandana expressed, “Imara…I understand your situation at the moment. I know what you must be going through. And I know Adhiraj is also going through the same feelings. Both of you made your families a priority. However, the reality is that you are now married.”Imara’s gaze dropped, clearly not in a receptive mood to listen to Vandana. She felt like nobody, not even her own mother, truly understood the depth of her inner turmoil.Nevertheless, Vandana persistently shared her perspective. “I always abide by a meaningful saying. Dwelling on the past will only consume your present. Don’t dwell on what could have been.” Imara glanced at her, and Vandana gently squeezed her shoulder in support. “Begin each day without carrying the weight of the previous day.”Imara bit her lip. Some things are easier said than done, she thought. However, she nodded in acknowledgement, making Vandana’s face light up with a heartfelt smile as they finally left the room together.—————Sitting beside Virender, Adhiraj was determined to seize the perfect opportunity to ask him about his conversation with Sanjay the previous evening. In addition, he had to uncover the reason behind Imara’s departure from home. He wouldn’t have probed further if he hadn’t witnessed her sobbing in her sleep. That heart-wrenching image continued to haunt him.Virender slapped his back with a mischievous grin, teasingly remarking, “I bet you are going to have a roller coaster life.”“Right…” Adhiraj nodded in agreement while muttering under his breath, “And I have you to thank for that.”With his grin now stretching ear to ear, Virender leaned in and whispered back, “I sense a burning question on your mind. Go ahead, shoot!”Adhiraj blurted out, “What were you talking about with Sanjay Uncle after the wedding rituals took place?”“He was concerned...” Virender added, stroking his chin with a thoughtful expression, “As any father would be. But I reassured him we would take care of her, that she is now our responsibility. Rright, Raj?”Adhiraj tapped his fingers impatiently on the table, tilting his head as he stared at his grandfather, convinced there was more to the story than Virender let on. With a nod, he replied sarcastically, “Like you gave me a choice? It’s like thrusting me with a petulant child.” Then, gritting his teeth, he added in a hushed voice, “She even locked me out of my room last night…”Virender burst into laughter, leaning in to whisper near Adhiraj’s ear. “You mean the room that’s just as much hers? So, where did you end up sleeping last night?”Adhiraj scoffed, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Lucky for me, the connecting door to Samrat’s room saved me.”Virender erupted into uncontrollable laughter, drawing the attention of those around them. He affectionately patted Adhiraj’s shoulder and exclaimed, “Well, congratulations on your unexpected marriage!”Adhiraj wasted no time in whispering back, “Why her? Why were you so insistent that you blackmailed her? There has to be a solid reason. Matching horoscopes doesn’t sit well with me.”Virender shook his head, firm in his conviction, “I genuinely like that girl. Shouldn’t that be reason enough?”Adhiraj shook his head incredulously. “Enough with the same reason, Dadu. We both know there’s more to this story. Why did you have to drag me into this mess? There were plenty of other girls who would’ve happily married me instead of Namita. We could’ve avoided this whole dramatic showdown, and I wouldn’t have spent the entire night paranoid that she might suddenly wake up and launch an attack on me.”Virender let out another chuckle, leaving Adhiraj squinting in suspicion.“Indeed!” Virender asserted with unwavering conviction. “Any girl would have gladly said yes to marrying you, my son, even someone like Rohini, who is nine years younger than you. You are an exceptional catch. But Imara blatantly refused. And trust me when I say, whenever she would, she would love you for who you are and not for how you look or what you hold in your bank accounts.”Love? That single word ignited a deep emotion within Adhiraj, rendering him momentarily speechless. The mere thought of Imara looking at him the way his Dadi used to look at his Dadu, his Mom looks at his Dad, like Anika looked at Atharv and Tarushi looked at Samrat, seemed like a reality of another realm. She dislikes him, hates him, detests him. And he? Of course, he does the same. But he is bound by vows of marriage, and hence, he is bound to look after her.“There she is...” Virender whispered, and Adhiraj’s gaze quickly locked onto his wife.Imara looked absolutely stunning in her mustard Banarasi saree, the colour perfectly matching his kurta. Her sindoor-adorned part signalled her married status, and the delicate nuptial chain caressed her neck with grace. Adhiraj’s eyes hungrily scanned her, savouring every inch from head to toe. He couldn’t resist the seductive sight of her alluring curves, particularly her tantalising, bare waist. The mere thought of his hands holding that waist last night sent a surge of desire through him. In that instant, he realised the gravity of the situation. She was his. His to ogle. His to touch. His to...He hastily averted his eyes, attempting to clear both his throat and the unruly thoughts swirling in his head. True, she was his wife, but he momentarily forgot about the whole compromise and 'in-name-only' arrangement. Now, how on earth would he manage to stop ogling at her like a hormonal teenager when she strutted around with that unmistakable warning in her eyes, practically challenging him with a silent threat, 'Lay a finger on me and you’ll regret it!'“Screw it!” he mumbled, causing Virender to chuckle.He teasingly remarked, “Whenever you get time, think if you have ever felt the way you are doing now when you look at your wife?”Adhiraj vigorously shook his head while fibbing, “I feel absolutely nothing for her. She is nothing more than an overly pampered princess.”With those words spoken, Adhiraj rose from his seat and strolled over to meet Shaurya and Neel. It wasn’t just business. He wanted to have a liaison with Imara’s brothers.—————Vandana ensured that Imara was seated next to Anika and Tarushi, with Suvika and Vibha sitting beside them. Anika and Tarushi radiated pure happiness, but Imara’s expression remained indifferent.Suvika gently grasped Imara’s hand, but she quickly withdrew it. Observing this, Vibha whispered softly to Imara, “Imu... let go, bache. Look ahead. Adhiraj is a...”Ignoring Vibha’s words, Imara grabbed a plate and served herself some pieces of pineapple. She had eaten nothing since yesterday’s lunch, and her mother, strangely enough, hadn’t even bothered to ask if she was hungry amidst the pressure of an unwanted marriage.“Di... you never liked pineapple,” Tarushi whispered.Imara stuffed a piece into her mouth and nodded. “My preferences have changed.”Anika refrained from uttering a single word. The opportunity to converse with Imara about her wedding to Adhiraj had not presented itself yet. Moreover, Suvika had shared the intense anger Adhiraj had displayed when he forcefully brought Imara to his room. In that moment, the twins realised the immense frustration Imara must be grappling with. However, this was not the sole concern. Both of them were well aware of the reason because of which Imara had left home, and they feared her stubborn refusal to accept Dheeraj’s exit from her life and move forward. Undeniably, their family bore responsibility, but none of them had ever brought Imara face to face with the bitter truth. Dheeraj had the choice to remain a part of her life, but he chose not to. It was painfully clear that Imara had never been a priority to him.-------------When it was time to leave, Imara was the sole individual with no luggage or attire to bring to the place she had no interest in going. While still in the presence of Suvika, Vibha, Vandana, and the twins, her phone suddenly rang.Excusing herself, she retreated to a secluded corner to answer Isha’s call. “I need your help, Ish,” she whispered.“And I need to see you. Where on earth are you? And how did you even agree to this marriage? What exactly happened?” Isha questioned, deeply concerned for her friend.Imara released a breath before whispering back, “Stop acting like a broken record and repeat the same thing again and again. Now listen, I am sending you the location. Come here. Get some of my clothes, a few of them, for a few days and take Babli with you. I will come home soon.”She ended the call and glanced at her phone for a little while. The screen was shattered, mirroring the state of her entire life. Her car was on the verge of being crushed, her business was in ruins, and she herself felt no different. The indomitable spirit of being herself, being Imara, that had once resided within her, was gradually crumbling away. The burden of impending bankruptcy weighed heavily on her, to the extent that soon she wouldn’t be able to afford to pay her employees’ salaries. Moreover, if Adhiraj were to follow through with his threat, the bank would take legal action against her for defaulting on loan payments.Therefore, she resolved to go with the flow for the time being. She would do whatever it takes to keep her business alive for a few more days, even if it meant making some difficult adjustments. In the meantime, she would work to devise a solution for this mess she had landed in.“Imara...” her trance broke as Vandana approached and asked with concern, “Is everything okay? You look worried.”Imara managed to force a smile and shook her head, replying, “I am good. It was my friend. I was just giving her the address to come and take Ba…my car.”Vandana led her back to the table, insisting, “Why send it back? You can take it with you.”Imara shook her head and her eyes landed on Babli as she expressed, “It might not look good in your…compound.”Vandana froze upon hearing that. The term 'in-laws' took on a different meaning for Imara, as she had experienced being demeaned by Dheeraj’s mother, despite her strong moral values. She refused to let Vandana have that kind of power over her, even if Vandana would only be her mother-in-law for a short time. Imara knew well that bringing Babli into the Shekhawat Mansion might give others the chance to mock her for having a second-hand car amidst a collection of luxurious vehicles.Thus, Imara, with her head held high, walked ahead of Vandana, proud of what she had achieved all on her own, with no help from her family. She refused to allow anyone to belittle her or her possessions ever again. She treasured what she loved, like once she treasured her family, and how much she refuses to accept, she still does.