Clad in a loose-fitting cotton kurta, paired with faded jeans, Imara let her wavy hair down. Her face bore no traces of makeup, and yet, her breathtaking appearance caught the attention of every onlooker.With some spare time before her flight, Imara found a spot in the waiting area and took out her tablet. Immersing herself, she delved into her workâdesigning toys. As a mechanical engineer, she possessed a deep fondness for creating new, innovative things. From concept to creation, she breathed life into âLittle Tykeâ through her ingenious and personalised toy designs. The joy of completing a design that perfectly catered to her clientâs needs filled her heart with contentment, reminding her why toys were always her favourite.It was this burning passion that allowed her to carve out a unique identity for herself. She wasnât naturally inclined towards business, but that incident had crushed her desire to work for another company. Although starting a fresh life in another city seemed easier, she decided to remain in Delhi, determined to prove herself to her family, especially her father. Thus, she made the brave choice of launching her own business, creating products she could design with passion.She wanted to be recognised as Imara, for who she truly was rather than simply being seen as the daughter of the wealthy Sanjay Singh Rathore. There was a time when she was proud of that identity, but now she detested being born into that family. No, she detested upon being born altogether.Her focus broke when she received the call from her team, who were already in Chennai, busy preparing their toys for the exhibition.âHey Ish!â Imara greeted with a warm smile as she answered the call. Ish, short for Isha, wasnât just her best friend, but also her business partner.However, Imaraâs senses went into overdrive as Ishaâs panicked voice crackled through the line, âImara, we have a situationâ¦.ââWhat is it?â Imara asked, concern washing over her.âThey have cancelled our spot,â Ishaâs voice trembled. âThey claim to have found some loopholes in our registration. And...â she hesitated.âAnd what, Ish?â Imaraâs voice rose, her body instinctively preparing to spring into action as she made her way towards the gate, ready to board the flight.âOne of the exhibition sponsors is the Rathore Group of Companies...â Ishaâs words hung in the air, causing Imara to halt abruptly in her tracks.The Wedding VenueSamrat couldnât help but whistle when he saw Atharv. There he was, standing proudly in front of the mirror, grinning like a silly goose. Although, letâs make it clear, Atharv wasnât yet in his groomâs outfit! Oh no, he was still rocking a towel around his waist, gazing at his hard-earned physique in utter admiration. All this trouble because he knew Anika was head over heels for John Abraham, particularly those enviable eight-pack abs the actor effortlessly flaunts.Samratâs lips curled into a sly smirk, eyeing Atharvâs sculpted muscles. âYouâve really put in some serious sweat for those biceps, brother,â he commented.Atharv nodded. âAll thanks to you, brother,â he replied with a playful grin.âHow come?â Samrat raised an eyebrow, clearly amused, as he already knew the answer.Casually wiping another towel on his head to dry his hair, Atharv replied, âWell, if you hadnât been dating Tarushi, Anika and I would have never met. We wouldnât have hatched a genius plan to have found your dream girl through a matchmaker and...ââAnd you were clever enough to slip in your own marriage proposal through the same matchmaker, leaving poor Anika with no choice. She still thinks itâs an arranged match between you two...â Samrat chuckled, patting Atharvâs shoulder with pride. He went on, âYouâre a genius, brother. Didnât even have to get down on one knee to make her say yes. You knew that one-plus-one offer would work in your favour...ââWhat one plus one offer?â A deep voice boomed, causing their bodies to turn into statues and their throats to go bone-dry in fear.There he was, the mighty Adhiraj Singh Shekhawat, the formidable older brother and esteemed heir of the Shekhawat Clan. With his hands elegantly tucked behind him, he prowled towards his siblings, examining their utterly dumbfounded faces with his captivating chestnut eyes. It was as if he had stumbled upon a bunch of mischievous culprits caught red-handed in the act.Bold and confident, he donned a sea green shirt that hugged his perfectly sculpted physique, overpowering Atharvâs bareness with ease. Every visible ripple on his biceps and his muscular frame commanded attention. With each step, his brown pants swished, emphasising his toned legs and powerful stance.An impeccable sense of style was evident in his neatly parted, short black hair, which flawlessly highlighted his oblong face. Prominent cheekbones and a broad forehead stole the show, accentuated by his straight nose aligning flawlessly with his bow-shaped, distinctive lips. Completing the picture-perfect look, his chin boasted a noticeable cleft, adding an irresistible touch of masculinity.The Shekhawats were blessed with unparalleled genetic prowess, both in terms of mesmerising appearance and impressive physique. All three brothers, towering over six feet and two inches, commanded attention with their imposing presence. However, Adhiraj surpassed his own lineage, eclipsing even his grandfather and father with an intimidating aura. With a razor-sharp mind capable of single-handedly managing four sectors of the vast Shekhawat Empire, he was undoubtedly the highly coveted person to engage in business dealings with.He ruled as the undisputed King of the Shekhawat Empire, overseeing the domains of IT, Real Estate, their extensive chain of luxurious malls, and many high-end car showrooms scattered throughout India.His brothers swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his inquisitive gaze. When none of them could reply, Adhiraj raised an eyebrow, demanding a response.âOne plus one Bhaiyaâ¦Anika and Tarushi. Twins saved our parentâs time.â Atharv finally managed to croak out, nudging Samrat to rush into the washroom for a shower.Samrat wasnât dumb enough to stick around. Spilling the beans to Adhiraj about their tricks and ploys to marry the Rathore twins would be only slightly smarter than blabbing to their parents. Adhiraj was the golden child, always abiding by their parentsâ wishes. Not that love marriages were off the table in their family. But if they had revealed their intentions to choose their own partners, the twins would have been subjected to intense scrutiny, especially from their father.Adhiraj, being an absolute heartthrob and a certified head-turner, was the most effluent bachelor. The man was dripping with success, with the power to choose any girl he pleased to join him at the altar. But despite his undeniable allure, he chose to heed his parentsâ advice and tie the knot with the girl they deemed suitable.His brothers often wondered if he hailed from a different universe altogether. How on earth could he remain untouched by the love bug for a good twenty-nine years? But truth be told, Adhiraj was always an exemplary student who didnât let love distract him during his educational pursuits. Once he completed his studies, he took charge of the family business, proving that brains and brawn can indeed coexist.âThe wedding is in two hours. Mom will be furious if she sees you arenât ready yet. Half an hour is all you two get,â announced Adhiraj with the authority of a drill sergeant.Atharvâs heart skipped a beat as he bolted towards his wedding attire, shouting with newfound determination, âWe will be ready in fifteen minutesâ¦.âWith an authoritative nod, Adhiraj walked out of the room, puzzled by his brothersâ nonchalant attitude towards their own wedding. Hang on a second, not just any wedding, but the one they wanted the entire town to believe was carefully arranged! He couldnât help but chuckle at the audacity of their assumptionâdid they honestly think he wouldnât keep an eye out for them?He understood how strongly Samrat was attracted to Tarushi, and he couldnât ignore Atharvâs growing affection for Anika, either. The emotions of his brothers had become apparent during a gathering where both the Shekhawats and the Rathores were present.The matchmaking scenario was merely a smokescreen, something Adhiraj had orchestrated and gently pushed towards his brothers. And he hid all of this from his elders for his brothers because he saw nothing wrong in marrying the one you truly love. Besides, he genuinely liked both Anika and Tarushi.About him? No girl could truly capture his attention. Why? Because he had this peculiar habit of picturing every girl he met as his future wife, his parentsâ daughter-in-law, his grandparentsâ daughter-in-lawâa girl who possessed the ability to keep his family united, just as his grandmother and mother had done. Sadly, he hadnât found that image in anyone so far. Hence, when his parents proposed an arranged match for him, he agreed, allowing his wedding to be planned alongside his brothersâ. Today was the day he was going to tie the knot with Namita Thakur, a girl he had barely met twice. But he would get enough time to spend with her once they were married, wouldnât he?However, as he made his way to his room to prepare for the wedding, he noticed his father approaching him with concern etched on his face.
Chapter 5: chapter 5
The Fated Knot•Words: 9553