Chapter 36: chapter 36

"What are you making, Imara?" Vandana inquired as she entered the kitchen and spotted Imara in the middle of a culinary dance with pans and ingredients that screamed halwa."Halwa!" Imara responded, clumsily manoeuvring the gas stove. Suddenly, Anika and Tarushi burst into the kitchen as well. They sought Vandana's blessings, causing her face to light up with joy, before making their way towards Imara and embracing her from behind, exclaiming, "Good Morning, Di!”Suppressing a grin at their playful behavior, Imara shook her head and returned the greeting, "Good Morning!”With a simultaneous swivel of their heads, the twins inquired of Vandana, “Mom…what do you want us to make?”In response, Vandana couldn't help but giggle at their perfectly timed query and replied, “The kitchen is all yours. Cook anything you like.”“Okay,” the twins gleefully nodded in agreement and sneakily peeked at Imara, who looked like she was juggling a hot potato instead of a pan.As Anika scanned the kitchen, spotting the box of rice, Tarushi sauntered over to Imara, chirping, “Di! What are you making?”"Trying to make halwa!" Imara replied. Vandana then joined the conversation, offering some help, "You don't have to do everything yourself, I can always lend a hand!”Imara quickly closed her eyes and nervously chewed on her lip before lying, “I actually don’t know how to cook.”That unexpected revelation caused quite the stir in the kitchen!Anika froze in the midst of scooping out rice for kheer, Tarushi shot Imara a perplexed look, while Vandana couldn't help but ask, "So, how did you manage in your apartment?”Imara, taken aback by the question, hastily replied, "Isha did! She would cook for me, bring over meals, and sometimes we would order in.”“I'm here for you!” Vandana assured Imara as she began to walk her through the steps of making the Halwa. Anika and Tarushi felt a sense of unease creeping in. They were aware of Imara's culinary expertise. Despite being a talented cook, she had even taken special classes to master various cuisines, all to cater to Dheeraj's diverse palate. And now, with a second chance at the life she had always dreamt of, she seemed hell-bent on ruining it.Contrary to her best efforts, Imara's hands were practically dancing in the kitchen. Vandana couldn't help but question if Imara was telling the truth about her lack of cooking skills as she effortlessly whipped up a storm. Nevertheless, she decided to let it go and lent a hand to Anika and Tarushi as well.At that moment, a maid stepped in the kitchen. Vandana noticed the presence and spun around, stating firmly, "I don't want any disruptions in Raj's room. He went to bed at six."Imara furrowed her brow as she continued to roast the semolina, glancing at Vandana. Sensing Imara's confusion, Vandana quickly explained, "One of the showrooms was on fire. He stayed there all night.”With a nod, Imara's glanced back at the semolina, she was deliberately trying to ruin. Yet, Adhiraj's name brought back the memories of Vandana's words from the previous night and reminded her of the one-month challenge. Lost in thoughts about the deal she was about to seal with Saraswati Group of Schools, her mind wandered to the end result—winning the challenge and returning to her previous life.However, this train of thought triggered Imara's subconscious to take control, effortlessly maneuvering the art of making halwa. Vandana observed in awe as Imara mechanically worked like a seasoned pro, skillfully toasting the semolina, adding just the right amount of water and sugar, and adjusting the flame with precision.Vandana couldn't tear her eyes away from Imara, finally convinced that the girl had been lying about her lack of cooking skills. But why?The sound of Anika and Tarushi's muffled giggles caught her attention, making her whip her head around to face them. As soon as they saw her, they clamped their lips shut, and Vandana mouthed, "She knows?"The twins confirmed with excited nods, causing Vandana to bite her lip to stifle her own laughter. Imara may have been stubborn, but it was a cute kind of stubbornness that Vandana found endearing.After a short while, as if in autopilot mode, Imara turned off the burner and in an instant, her face lost all color. Under her breath, she bit out, “Fuck!”Unable to hold back her words, Vandana chimed in, "Impressive, Imara! You're catching on fast. If you ever feel like learning more about cooking, I'm here to guide you anytime, day or night... you know, just in case you're interested.”Imara let out a sigh of relief. She deduced from Vandana's remarks that she hadn't seen through Imara's facade. With a shake of her head, she declared, "I don't like to cook..."Vandana threw an arm around Imara, giving her a sweet side hug and whispering, "No worries...we've got an army to handle that. And by the way, Raj is crazy about Halwa. But lets keep it between us, I want to see if anyone could guess you cooked it.”As Vandana moved on to Anika and Tarushi, Imara cursed her luck upon discovering Adhiraj's favorite sweet. Why did she agree to this whole ordeal in the first place? She should have just said no in the beginning.—————The whole family gathered for breakfast, eager to enjoy the first meal cooked by the new brides. Everyone, except Adhiraj, and Imara, felt at ease. By the time he awakens, she would have left.Three bowls, overflowing with the delectable Halwa, savory rice kheer, and heavenly makhana kheer, were gracefully laid on the table. Virender couldn't help but chuckle as he fondly remembered, "The day Vandana first stepped foot in the kitchen…""Papa ji, please spare me the embarrassment!" Vandana pleaded, trying to contain her laughter.Ignoring her plea, Jaidev chimed in, "We were this close to dialing the fire brigade!" As everyone chuckled, Vandana joined in while the newlyweds appeared puzzled. Virender set the record straight, "We didn't smell any delicious aromas, just smoke. Jai and I rushed to the kitchen to find Devyani and Vandana frantically dousing the pot with water!""Supposedly..." Jaidev cackled before adding, “Mummy and Vandana were too engrossed in their conversation to notice the burning stove, pot, and boiling milk for kheer.”As Anika and Tarushi doubled over with laughter, Imara gawked at her mother-in-law in utter disbelief. But soon enough, she found herself imagining the whole scene and couldn't help but giggle too. While everyone else was focused on her smiling face, no one dared to draw attention to the fact that she was unintentionally blending in. Just then, Adhiraj sauntered over to the dining table, rubbing his eyes and eagerly inhaling the delicious aroma filling the air.“Mom, I love you for the halwa!” he exclaimed, his arms outstretched to shoo away the remanants of sleep. Imara's smile faltered.He slid into a chair next to Imara and questioning the amused faces around the table. "What's so funny?""Mom's debut in the kitchen," Samrat chimed in."The burning sensations," Adhiraj joked, earning a playful smack from Vandana, who was diligently serving out the sweet dishes prepared by the new brides.The family readied themselves to dive into the delicious dishes laid out before them. Imara, although indifferent to others' opinions, couldn't help but wonder what Vandana thought of the meal. She had developed a fondness for this woman and silently hoped that Dheeraj's mother was more like her. Yet, despite her inner turmoil, she focused on finishing her breakfast, eager to leave both the house and the complexities of her emotions."I hope what you made is edible?" Adhiraj playfully murmured into Imara's ear, causing her to choke on her tea. Adhiraj quickly came to the rescue with a glass of water and a comforting pat on the back, making Imara feel all warm and fuzzy inside.“Imara, are you okay?" Vandana inquired with a hint of worry.Imara gave a reassuring nod, prompting Adhiraj to withdraw his hand from her back. Vandana then announced to everyone, "Go ahead and taste these delicious treats, and make sure to spoil the brides with your gifts. And, each one of you has to guess who cooked what!" The men gave a nod of approval before diving into their meals while Vandana couldn't help but let out a moan of delight as she savored the halwa, causing Imara to beam with satisfaction.Once everyone had finished their meal, it was no surprise that they all clamored for the second serving of the mouthwatering halwa. Anika and Tarushi shared a knowing look and gave Imara a playful wink, leaving her feeling flustered. Internally, she was kicking herself—the tables had certainly turned!"You're the one who made this halwa, Mom," Adhiraj declared.Vandana perked up, propped her chin on her hands, and leaned on the table, eagerly anticipating everyone else's reactions."Definitely your signature halwa, Mom," Atharv and Samrat chimed in.“You said the brides were cooking, you overshadowed poor souls,” Jaidev chimed in.After savouring the last spoonfuls of halwa, Virender slowly stood up from his seat, gracefully gliding around the table towards Imara. With a tender touch, he placed his hand on her head and bestowed his blessings upon her. "Both kheers were undeniably delicious, but the Halwa was truly outstanding, Imara. Amazing!”Imara couldn't help but gaze up at him, her heart warmed by his kind words. Vandana couldn't contain her grin, while the rest stared at Virender in utter disbelief, their jaws hitting the floor.Adhiraj, however, had a sudden coughing fit that grabbed everyone's attention. This time, Imara took the initiative and handed him a glass of water while gently patting his back, sarcastically saying, “Eat slowly…we have plenty…”Adhiraj shot an annoying look at Imara, who just raised an eyebrow in confusion, triggering a chorus of laughter.Shortly after, Imara got up from her seat and announced, “Excuse me…I have to leave!”“Without gifts..?” Vandana asked, eyebrows furrowed in worry for Imara.“Later,” with that said, Imara abruptly left her breakfast, even leaving the unfinished ritual behind. Virender's words had awakened a dormant emotion within her. She had often imagined these exact moments back when she was engaged to Dheeraj, desperately hoping to win over his parents and prove herself as the ideal daughter-in-law, despite her affluent background.