Chapter 23: chapter 23

Imara, determined not to crack a smile and add fuel to Adhiraj’s fiery irritation, composed herself. She tiptoed into her room and discovered the breakfast neatly laid out on the table, but Adhiraj wasn’t there. Shrugging off her confusion, Imara headed towards the wardrobe room to slip into the clothes given by Vandana.But just as she spun around, she collided with something solid, causing her poor nose to bear the brunt of the impact.“Owww...” Imara hissed, nursing her throbbing nose. Lifting her gaze, she realised that her unfortunate collision was with none other than Adhiraj, whose face gave no sign of amusement or empathy.Still rubbing her poor nose, she hissed, “Are you blind?”Arms tightly folded across his chest, he retorted, “I assure you, my vision is renowned for seeing right through people.”With a scoff escaping her lips, she tried to move past him, but Adhiraj unexpectedly took hold of her hand. Swiftly, he twirled her around and drew her close, his arm encircling her waist. Her eyes widened, his narrowed. Her heart raced as he leaned in, and he became acutely aware of his rapid breaths, filled with the sweet aroma of her sandalwood scent. Yet, he concealed any trace of the effect she had begun to have on him, and whispered, “Never mess with me again.”Imara squirmed and tried to escape from his grasp, managing to barely mutter, “Don’t touch me.”Adhiraj tightened his hold, retorting in a low voice, “Then don’t mess with me!”Imara clenched her jaw, hissing back, “Then stop trying to control me...”Adhiraj leaned towards her ear, whispering, “Try and stop me, Mrs. Imara Adhiraj Singh Shekhawat.”Imara shut her eyes in response to the intoxicating sensations he stirred within her. Adhiraj restrained his desires, preventing his lips from touching her ear, though he couldn’t understand why he couldn’t resist drawing her closer, closer to him.Flushed and breathless, Imara clung to his shirt, attempting to push him away. Yet, her resistance only ignited Adhiraj’s desire to have her even closer. With his lips hovering oh-so-close to her ear, he murmured once more, “If you repeat such actions, consider it an invitation for me to surpass the boundaries of this moment. Are we clear, Little Tyke?”Upon comprehending the underlying threat in his words, Imara’s eyes instantly flew open, and tears stung her eyes. She bravely fought them back, determined to push him away with all her strength. Adhiraj, sensing her resistance, released his grip and took a step back. Imara, casting a piercing glare his way, stormed off into the wardrobe room. Meanwhile, Adhiraj stood there, his hands tightly clenched and his breaths heavy with an overwhelming mix of emotions.Having read her heartfelt ‘Thank you!’ on the note he had penned the night before, he had assumed that she would comprehend his concern for her well-being. Unfortunately, she seemed to have missed his intentions entirely. And now, a mix of fury and exhilaration consumed him. He was furious at himself for losing control, yet secretly thrilled by the intense feeling he experienced whenever she was near. Despite these conflicting emotions, Adhiraj took a deep breath and decided it was best to leave for the day.Meanwhile, Imara shielded her face with her palms and took deep breaths to contain the tears that threatened to burst out of her eyes. This man marked her first failed attempt at inflicting a physical harm on someone. Oh, how she longed to give him a beating he would never forget! But alas, the man proved to be her kryptonite, or perhaps it was her dwindling health and disappearing strength.—————In just a matter of minutes, a gentle knock resonated through the door. Imara swiftly answered it, only to be met with the heartwarming sight of her sisters, clutching clothes identical to the ones Vandana had provided for her. Imara had managed to compose herself by then and, with a warm smile, graciously stepped aside, granting her sisters passage into the room.“Mom said we had no chance to talk since we arrived, so why not get ready together?” Tarushi announced, placing her clothes on the bed.Imara’s smile grew as she looked at Tarushi. She cherished her sister’s childishness and hoped it would never fade away. Just as Imara was about to reach for her own dress, Anika gently held her hand, causing Imara to turn towards her with a perplexed expression.Overcome with emotion, Anika couldn’t hold back anymore and pulled Imara into a tight, heartfelt hug. She began sobbing. “We’re truly sorry, Di. You didn’t have to go through all this for us. We weren’t there for you when you needed us the most, yet you did it all for us. We are really sorry, Di.”Imara’s eyes shimmered with tears as well. She held Anika even tighter, softly pleading, “Anu... please...”In that moment, Tarushi also wrapped her arms around Imara, her voice strained. “We only found out about the situation after the wedding was already done. Otherwise, we would have stopped you. We’re truly sorry, Di.”Imara held her sisters even tighter and whispered in return, “Enough of this you two...you’ve grown up? Come on, you just got married, enjoy it, live it, and please...please...please...try to hide your love bites...”Both Anika and Tarushi glanced up at her, instinctively touching their necks. Imara suppressed her smile at their reactions. “They were on full display at the breakfast table. Had a wild night, you two?” Imara playfully winked and stepped back to prepare for the day, relieved that she managed to divert her sisters’ thoughts.After an hour filled with more talks from Anika and Tarushi, and scarce smiles from Imara, the time had come for the Muh Dikhai ritual.Positioned perfectly in the living room, Imara sat in the centre, with Anika by her side on the left and Tarushi on the right, all three brides of the Shekhawat family adorned with veils covering their faces. With her eyes fixed ahead, Imara concentrated on counting backward, determined to block out any remarks from those around. She knew that creating a scene would only put at risk the one thing her asshole of a husband held dear: reputation.Within moments, their relatives approached, gently lifting their veils and bestowing gifts upon them. A few comments quickly followed.“Vandana, your sons are truly fortunate to have such lovely brides.”“Look at the blush on their faces..they are adorable.”“We all heard about Namita’s actions. It’s a relief that you found Imara for Adhiraj. They are a perfect match.”Imara’s reverse counting was now in full swing. Strangely, she couldn’t help but recollect when she had expressed her reluctance to partake in this ritual to Dheeraj. He had reassured her, claiming she was his to ogle and praise. The memory of that promise triggered a sharp sting in her heart.And then she heard hushed whispers, “Didn’t she leave her house?”“Which family can hide such things?” “No..they tried to cover it up.”“Who knows why she left? Did she love someone else?”“Did she live with him?”“Poor Vandana…”Imara had reached her limit of patience, ready to stand up and lash out at those women. But just before she could, a reassuring hand settled on her shoulder. Vandana stood at her side, gently patting her shoulder and speaking up on her behalf, her voice loud enough for all to hear. “Mrs. Bansal,” Vandana began, “has your daughter returned to her husband? I heard rumours she was found in a hotel room with another man.”The room fell eerily quiet, leaving even Imara and her sisters frozen in shock. After a moment, Vandana let out a light chuckle. “Oh, I am sorry,’ she clucked her tongue. “How could I ask such a question in front of everyone? I should learn to mind my own business.”Imara couldn’t help but feel a smile spreading across her face as she slightly lifted her veil, glancing at the flushed and speechless faces of the once gossiping ladies.Then Vandana’s voice echoed again, cutting through the tension. “Well, let’s put all this behind us and enjoy lunch together... and I have prepared beautiful return gifts for each one of you.”With that, Vandana turned to her daughters-in-law, stating, “Imara, take your sisters to your room. I’ll have your lunch sent there, alright?”Imara nodded, obediently following Vandana’s directive and silently expressing gratitude towards her mother-in-law. She had never expected that Vandana would take a stand for her; such behaviour was a stark contrast to Dheeraj’s mother.