Chapter 92: chapter 92

“How could you be so dumb?” Imara scolded Isha as soon as she settled onto the bed, handing her a glass of water.Isha downed the whole glass in one go before shooting back at Imara. “And how could you be so dumb not to fill me in?”“Just let it go, Isha. I’ve come to the conclusion that all three of my kids are dumb,” Suvika chuckled, sitting in front of Isha and giving her a gentle pat on the head, “How are you feeling?”“Mummy? I am dumb?” Imara asked, her eyes as big as saucers.Vibha chuckled, giving Imara a playful shove and turning Isha’s face to meet her gaze. “Let me see you from a mother-in-law’s perspective, Isha.”Isha turned beet red while everyone else burst into laughter. “Serves you right,” Imara giggled as she flopped onto her bed from the other side, giving Anika and Tarushi a high-five.“Do you want this?” Suvika inquired, gently grasping Isha’s hand.Isha glanced up at Suvika, who radiated a motherly warmth. “I know my sons can be a handful. Don’t feel obligated if you feel otherwise for Neel, alright?”Isha blinked in sheer embarrassment, caught in a limbo where shaking or nodding her head felt equally impossible. Vibha stifled a giggle before chiming in, “I think Neel is forcing her, Bhabhi.”“No,” Isha blurted out, prompting a round of laughter from the others, while she slapped her forehead.A little later, Isha’s cheeks ached from the grin that had taken up permanent residence on her face. In that moment, she truly understood what it meant to have a family of her own, and her eyes misted over. Imara, sensing her friend’s emotional wave, wrapped her in a comforting hug and said, “Shush now, that’s enough!”Suvika, Vibha, Anika, and Tarushi each took a turn to embrace Isha before leaving. Imara had a million questions swirling in her mind, but Isha looked too worn out to engage. Her eyelids were drooping like a sleepy flower, so Imara handed her the medicine and watched as sleep quickly claimed her.Just then, a knock echoed through the room. When she swung the door open, there stood Neel with an anxious expression. Imara, with a mischievous glint in her eye, raised an eyebrow and playfully blocked his view of Isha, asking innocently, “What happened, Bhaiya?”With a roll of his eyes, he shoved Imara aside as he barged in, only to freeze at the sight of Isha sleeping like a baby.Meanwhile, Imara whispered, “I’m just on the balcony,” as she slipped outside and dialled Adhiraj, realising she had missed his call.“You will pay for this, Little Tyke,” Adhiraj grumbled as soon as he picked up,.She couldn’t help but giggle, while he let out a frustrated groan. He had imgined a cosy night with her, but instead, he was left alone in bed, clutching a pillow and sulking like a child denied dessert.“Go ahead, laugh it up,” he grumbled, sounding like a grumpy cat.“Just like Mom said,” she whispered. “Life is too dull without a touch of drama.”She turned around just in time to catch a glimpse of Neel as he tenderly planted a kiss on Isha’s forehead before leaving the room. In that moment, her heart swelled with warmth, and she missed Adhiraj. The memory of his gentle forehead kisses before they left for work suddenly flooded her thoughts, causing a deep longing within her.“So you are a fan of drama?” Adhiraj asked as he looked at the empty side of the bed with longing.“Perhaps I am now,” she giggled.“I have tons of horror movies to quench your thirst for drama.”“Don’t you dare!”“Really! Stop me!”“Raj…”“The best part? You’ll jump into my arms, reluctant to leave and desperate to be saved.”“Shut it,” was all she could muster as her mind flashed back to that steamy moment when he had played that horror movie. She could still feel his lips on her ear.He let out a low chuckle, his voice dripping with desire as he whispered, “You’ve made a big mistake, Little Tyke. A whole week without you! When you return, I’ll show you just how much I crave you, right here, right now.”Imara felt the ache of longing intensify within her, more than she ever thought possible. Yet, playing along with the mischievous banter, she teased, “I’ll see you at the reception.”His reaction was a deep groan, and she couldn’t help but laugh before adding, “Sweet dreams, dear husband of mine!”With that, she ended the call, closed her eyes, and let her imagination run wild with thoughts of how he would trap her upon her return. The truth was, she was counting down the moments until that very encounter.—————All week long, Imara had been playing a game of cat and mouse with Adhiraj, poking and prodding him, knowing exactly how to push his buttons. And this only fuelled her anticipation, her visions of how the night would play out when they were finally alone together in their room.Yet, this week of longing was not just stoking Adhiraj’s frustration; it was also igniting the tempers of Atharv and Samrat. The poor souls were caught in a mix, feeling as if ‘Gehu ke sath ghun bhi pis gaya’.Whenever Vandana caught sight of her sons' brooding expressions, she couldn’t help but chuckle, while Virender and Jaidev engaged in endless chatter about Imara, Anika and Tarushi, leaving the trio to groan in unison like a bad sitcom audience.Meanwhile, in Rathore Mansion, Suvika had laid down the law: Isha was now a permanent resident. Neel was over the moon, practically doing cartwheels, but Suvika had a stern warning ready. If she caught him sneaking around Isha’s room, she would pack his bags and send him off to live somewhere else—unless, of course, they tied the knot. Neel’s face was a masterpiece of shock, and the others were struggling to keep straight faces, like they were at a comedy show.At last, the much-anticipated reception day arrived. The brides were nestled in their rooms, preparing for the grand event. Imara adorned herself in a stunning, blushing pink lehenga, complemented by the exquisite diamond jewellery Vandana had sent earlier that day. Yet, a nagging thought lingered in her mind; she had specifically requested her ‘Mangalsutra’, but it was nowhere to be found when she opened up the jewellery box. Resolving to call her mother-in-law once she was ready, she followed the make-up artist’s guidance, insisting on a minimal-makeup look.As she finished up, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and felt her cheeks flush at the thought of finally seeing Adhiraj after a week apart.A playful whistle chirped from the door as Isha entered. Imara beamed, gesturing to herself. “Isn’t it beautiful?”“It is! Adhiraj chose it, right?” Isha inquired, as she teasingly traced a finger around Imara’s waist. Imara gasped and playfully swatted Isha’s arm, exclaiming, “What are you doing?”“Let’s see if you’ll react the same way when your hubby gets a hold of that tempting waist of yours, Imu. You’re sizzling!” Isha chuckled with a cheeky grin.Imara turned crimson, and Isha’s grin grew even wider as she announced, “By the way, he’s here! I was sent to check if you’re ready. He’s on his way to see you!”“What?!” Imara nearly shrieked, suddenly wishing she could vanish into thin air so Adhiraj wouldn’t spot her.Isha clicked her tongue and sauntered off, leaving Imara with her eyes squeezed shut in a mix of excitement and dread.Moments later, the knob turned, and the door creaked open. His intoxicating scent enveloped her space, stirring her senses and making her aware of his presence. She stood with her back to him, too shy to meet his gaze. Just then, she heard the gentle click of the door being shut.Adhiraj—dressed to kill—his breath hitched as he beheld his wife as a newly wedded bride. Must he attend the reception? He thought. Why couldn’t he just whisk her away to their room and have his way with her? Oh, not again! His thoughts had been running wild ever since he chose that dress and imagined Imara wearing it. And every time his thoughts ended with him removing that dress from her, in the most sensual way ever known to the world of intimacy.Now, he could no longer resist the pull as he glided toward her, his fingers trailing along her waist with deliberate slowness. He drew her closer, his hand resting on her stomach, igniting a spark between them. Unable to contain himself, he leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear as he murmured, “You’ve teased me enough, Little Tyke!”Imara struggled to catch her breath, melting into his embrace as her stomach fluttered with excitement at his dominating presence. She slowly turned, her gaze lowered, fingers delicately tracing the contours of his chest. Her lips, lush and inviting, trembled with anticipation. Adhiraj, his eyes darkened with longing, brushed his thumb over her lips, whispering, “Tonight, my sweet wife, you will pay me back in kind. You’ll beg me to stop.”A rosy blush crept across Imara’s cheeks as she nestled her head against his chest.With a playful grin, Adhiraj held her tighter and teased, “What a naughty mind you have! What’s got you all blushing? I was talking about horror movies!”Imara punched his chest, grateful he diverted the topic. She was feeling all hot and bothered. She had no desire to leave the room and spend hours in the reception. She wanted to be here, in this moment, close to him as they let themselves loose in the passionate desires swirling in their beings.“I have a surprise for you,” he said, his laughter fading into a warm smile.Imara raised a questioning brow as Adhiraj gently guided her in front of the mirror. Standing behind her, he reached into his pocket, his eyes never leaving his wife’s reflection. Imara’s gaze was fixed as she watched him retrieve her mangalsutra. As he placed it around her neck, his fingers lightly brushed against her nape, igniting a tingling sensation in her chest. The connection she felt with Adhiraj was profound, almost achingly so. Instinctively, she reached out to touch it. Suddenly, she felt complete. It was as if this small piece of jewellery had seamlessly woven itself into her very being. She had been feeling a void without it.“I’ve held onto it since that day you left,” Adhiraj murmured, gently turning her to face him, his finger lifting her chin to meet his gaze. “I wanted to wait for the perfect moment to make you wear it again, to make this moment truly special,” he said, cradling her face with tenderness. She closed her eyes, surrendering to the warmth of his presence as he leaned in, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.“We should leave before I loose it,” he murmured, wrapping his arm around her waist and leading her out of the room. Imara felt the weight of everyone’s gaze as they descended the staircase, her eyes dropping to the floor. Just then, Sanjay approached, giving Adhiraj a friendly pat on the shoulder. “I wish I had understood the sign the Universe sent our way the day my daughter was born. You both were fated to be together.”Imara’s brow furrowed, while Adhiraj beamed, declaring, “I’m finally taking my angel home.”“What...” Imara started to ask, but Sanjay gestured for them to leave and head to the venue before she could finish. Adhiraj noticed the puzzled look on Imara’s face and playfully teased, “I’ll tell you only if you let me poke your dimple.”“Why are you so obsessed with my dimple?” she replied as they settled into the backseat of Balbir.“I’ll tell you once I get to poke it,” he said, and Imara rolled her eyes, trying to suppress a smile. Wasn’t he just the epitome of a cheesy husband?Adhiraj pressed the button for the partition to be drawn between the backseat and the front portion of the car. He gently reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers. She glanced back at him and he wagged a finger at her. Almost as if under a spell, she inched closer to him. He slowly caressed her arm, letting his hand rest on her right cheek. Leaning in, he commanded softly, “Smile for me, Imara.”And she did, flashing that adorable dimple on her left cheek. Adhiraj leaned in even closer, planting a tender kiss on her dimple, murmuring, “That’s my version of poking when it comes to you.”Imara lowered her gaze, resting her head on his chest. “I will tell you now,” he said, and she looked up at his face, which was practically glowing with amusement.