Advay greeted the doctor nervously.
Advay was relieved to note that he was the same doctor who treated Chandni, after he brought Chandni back from the Disco Club when she had the panic attack.
"Hello Mr Raizada, what happened to Chandni? Was it another attack?" Doctor asked him while taking his stethoscope out.
"Attack? What attack are you talking about doctor?" Nani asked him anxiously, and Advay signalled to the doctor to cut the topic altogether.
"No doctor, she just fell unconscious. Let me explain. As you can see from all the finery, it was our wedding today. Perhaps the stress of the whole thing might have caused it?" Advay suggested hopefully, as the doctor began to check Chandni's pulse and vitals.
"Oh! Congratulations on your wedding Mr Raizada. You both make such ideal pair. Now... Let me finish my check up, and I will be able tell you what happened to your wife ."
YOUR WIFE!!
Advay felt strange joy inside, as he heard the doctor address Chandni as such.
But before his heart or mind could register it completely, guilt overtook him.
As Advay waited anxiously for the doctor to finish, his eyes kept getting drawn to Chandni's face. What if he had woken up a bit late and the fire caught up with Chandni? That very thought had been driving him insane since he found her unconscious some time ago.
The doctor finally finished his examination and gave Chandni an injection and prescribed some medicines as well to be taken three times a day.
"Mr Raizada ! Your wife Chandni, it looks she hasn't had much to eat or drink for the last few days. Is there a problem or as usual with girls nowadays, she went on a crash diet just before the wedding?" The doctor asked frustratedly.
Advay smiled nervously, and agreed with the doctor that it could be possible. But inwardly, he cursed himself as to why he didn't check on her all that time, when they were holed up in the haveli.
"Doctor, are you sure that's all there is to it? she is not in trauma or mentally stressed right?" Advay asked, to clear off his gnawing doubt, once and for all, that Chandni might have collapsed due to the threats he made to her.
"Well her BP is just below normal which is very common for symptoms like this, and other vitals are good too. I would suggest that we wait for 24 hours and run some tests to make sure everything is ok, if you are so worried.
" I don't see any signs of trauma Mr Raizada... so please dont worry. Well whatever caused it, all she needs right now is complete bed rest for 48 hours and regular intake of fluids and light food. I am sure she will wake up in a few hours. I will send a nurse in the morning again to check up on her, but I don't think there is any need to worry. It's a simple case of dehydration and weakness." The Doctor reassured him, and Advay felt something like a tight pain that was constricting his chest till then, had finally been released.
He thanked again and bid good bye to the doctor, as he saw him off to his car. As Advay slowly retraced his steps back to his home, his mind was whirling with conflicting thoughts.
First he was so relieved that nothing was seriously wrong with Chandni, and she would be ok in few days.
But then, how could he arrange reception tonight if Chandni was unwell like this... And if he waited till she gets better, then what will happen to his whole plan of dumping Chandni after 1 day? He hated himself right now!!!
He shut all his thoughts away as he noticed Nani waiting for him at the front door.
"Cheeku, can you now tell me what was going on?" She asked him impatiently.
"Nani, please rest now! it's almost midnight, we can talk later in the morning."
"No Cheeku! I need to know what happened before Chandni wakes up. Don't try to fool me." Nani replied sternly.
"Wait !! if you are here, then who is with Chandni?" He strode quickly inside, but Nani grabbed his arm and informed that Shilpa is with her.
"Nani, I am telling you there is nothing to worry, let me..." Advay paused, halting his thoughts.
"Achcha... I know what you are thinking."
His Nani, as usual had the uncanny ability of knowing exactly what was going through his mind.
"You don't want to admit it Cheeku, but you are worried about your dear wife. Let's first check on Chandni and then we will talk. Ok?"
"It's nothing like that.." Advay protested in vain.
She held on to his arm and led him to her room, where Chandni was still sleeping peacefully.
Advay felt suddenly calmer.
Even the weather outside reflected his mood; the rain and thunder were gone and now there was a nice cool breeze.
"Come on, let's sit in the balcony here, and you can watch your Chandu while talking to me" Nani chuckled, as she led him to the lounge placed in the balcony, where she would normally sit and relax in the evening.
"Shilpa can you make some coffee for Advay and brink me a glass of hot chocolate." Nani requested.
"Nani you and your hot chocolate!!" Advay suddenly chuckled, as he remembered all those times he normally teased his Nani about her obsession for hot chocolate. His cheeks hurt with his smile, as if his muscles have forgotten how to.
"Why can't I have hot chocolate? Just because I am a Nani?" She replied back indignantly as usual. But her face softened as she stretched her hands to caress his face.
"Cheeku it's been so long since I heard you chuckle. What have you done to yourself?" She asked, her voice overcome with sadness.
Advay sat silently on the floor beside her and rested his head in her lap, but still didn't speak, while she stroked his hair gently.
Shilpa handed over the coffee and hot chocolate over to them, and they thanked her and asked her to sleep, as they are here to watch over Chandni. She thanked them and left for her room.
"Cheeku the reason you are silent, is because you are not proud or perhaps even ashamed of what you had done to Chandni. Am I right? What did I warn you just before? She is the bahu of our family now, If you insult her, you insult me and this family."
"Nani I can't help but hate her. She and her family ruined everything I hold dear to my heart. I don't have the capacity in me forget or forgive ." Advay finally blurted out.
"Beta, how many times have I explained to you?
Anger and revenge against someone are like burning coals that you are holding in your hands, waiting to be thrown at them!!!
But you don't realize that it's your hands that get burnt first!! This revengeful attitude kills you first, making you less human and blind to everything... Perhaps even truth..Please let it go beta!!" She implored him.
"First tell me this,. Are you planning to insult her further, just to satisfy the devil in you which is craving for all this revenge?" Nani demanded to know.
Advay remained silent. How could he explain to Nani his dilemmas and plans?
Nani sighed deeply. Perhaps she needs to tackle things differently.
"By the way Cheeku, Murli was telling me that a reception had been planned for tonight. We have to postpone it till Chandni gets better."
Advay opened his mouth to say something but held back. He was afraid Nani would say something like this.
Chandni stirred in her sleep slowly. She still felt quite light in her head, as she slowly tried to open her eyes and gather her senses and the surroundings.
She was in an unfamiliar room but the shawl next to her looked familiar. Her hair was untied and her face felt cooler, and she closed her eyes once again in tiredness. She could hear voices from the balcony, as the cool breeze made her feel relaxed.
Suddenly all the things that happened last night flashed before her, including Advay's declaration that he was going to keep her as a wife, just for one day. She shivered uncontrollably, as she recalled the fury and hatred in his eyes, as he professed his desire to see her family ruined.
She remembered her own resolve to fight this fresh new threat from Advay somehow. But how was she going to do this? She had no one to support her in this strange house. She was literally at the mercy of Advay and his family. Perhaps Nani can help her. But why would she go against her own flesh and blood to help a new bahu?? Her head ached with all this thoughts.
She slowly got up and drew herself against the large, soft pillow against the headboard, taking in deep breaths. As she drank the water from the glass next to her, she heard her name from the voices coming from the balcony.
She could definitely recognise Advay's voice among them, so could the other belong to Nani? Curious as to what were they talking about, Chandni slowly got up from the bed and made tentative steps towards the balcony.
"Cheeku, my heart tells me that Chandni is innocent. Even you, if I remember from our conversation from last week, began to believe that Chandni was innocent in all those things that happened in the past. Then why have you gone back to the same revenge and hateful thoughts?? You are trying to hate someone who is almost like a soulmate to you Beta.. you will destroy yourself in the process. Please don't do this, listen to me. Tell her about yourself, and let her explain her version of the story." Nani's angst filled voice was low but clear.
"No Naani!! That's not going to happen. Even I was fooled earlier by your words and began to doubt my harsh feelings for her. But then she broke my trust again. Every time I begin to trust her, she reveals a new side of her and I don't know her anymore. She is not the Chandni I know Nani, but one thing had remained the same. She was a liar then and now. Even after knowing all her cunning behaviour, I still can't get myself to hate her fully... and watching her lying on that bed so helpless and weak..."
Advay's deep voice shook.
A heavy breeze tore through the tree branches and Advay suddenly stopped.
"Nani let's go inside, this cold breeze is not good for your health."
Chandni hurriedly stumbled back to her bed, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping. She faintly heard Nani's response but as she waited, neither Nani nor Advay came back into the room.
First she felt immense relief as she recalled Nani's words... atleast Nani thinks she was innocent. But innocent of what? Why were they talking about her as if they knew her for a long time? Chandni wondered.
What is she missing here? What does Nani mean when she said Advay needs to tell her about his identity? and the last words of Advay... did he really feel sorry for her as she became unconscious??
Was there a soft heart behind all that fury and hatred that he had been directing at her ? She didn't know what to believe of him anymore. When he met her first, he intimidated her... and then he tried his best to woo and charm her, and she almost fell for it.
But then Maa decided to get her married to PPji, and one thing led to another, and she began to see the nasty, possessive side of him finally ending in the forced engagement and marriage.
After all that, he revealed yesterday that he did all this just to ruin her family, breaking her heart once and for all. She didn't have any feelings for him right now except loathing, fear and hatred!!
But a small voice inside her head whispered back.. but you still care for him, you don't mind when he behaves as if he owns you....But she shut that voice off, as fresh tears threatened to spill from her eyes.
If it wasn't for the fact that he was her husband, and she was bound to him to keep Meghana' secret safe, she wouldn't be here, listening to all his taunts.
With a pang, she realised that she was also quite helpless, and had nowhere else to go.
Her fear of public places and crowds meant that she couldn't go out and find a job. Where would she go if Advay dumped her tomorrow? If her Maa hadn't forgiven her yet, where would she go? All her life she tried to please her Maa, with utmost devotion and love... she was thankful for even the tiny amount of love or affection she seldom showed her.
She knew her Maa has been through a lot... raising the family and looking after temple duties as Baba was sick all these years. And this made her quite tough and unforgiving; and she wondered if it was in her Maa to forgive her now, after she took such a huge step in going against her wishes to marry Advay.
But she didn't want to go back and cause disgrace to her family either. Who will marry her younger sisters if she remained at home with them...an abandoned bride...?
That's why, it was all the more important to fight Advay against his sinister plans right here, while she can still get help from Nani. But does she have the strength in her to do all this?
Her strength had gone when Dev left her. She closed her eyes and thought of her dear friend, and craved for his presence as usual. She even began to feel angry and resentment towards Dev... How could he leave her just like that, never to return...? and now it is too late. She had married someone else...
Suddenly Chandni felt exhausted and thirsty again. As she turned to pick up the glass of water, the soft breeze blew the sheer drapes behind, and her eyes fell on the series of photo frames on the wall behind the bed.
The night lamp's soft glow illuminated the arresting eyes of Advay in the first frame, and she almost choked on the water she was drinking.
She caught her breath, just like every other time, when she looked into his eyes. Truly, he was the most handsome man she had ever seen. And he was her husband now, her heart fluttered wildly, even at the mere thought. But her mind sternly reminded her that it was only for one night.
She sighed deeply, but continued to look into those mesmerising eyes. Just like every time, she felt that those eyes looked so achingly familiar, but she still couldn't identify them. But the eyes in that photo sparkled with warmth and joy,  instead of the cold and fury she saw in the last few days.
She didn't even realise that she got up as she kept staring at the photo with the glass of water still in her hand.
Finally her eyes moved away from the first photo to notice other photos. There was one of Nani holding her grandson's hand, and another photo of Advay, but it looked like it was taken few years ago. There were few more photos of Advay taken at different periods, and a few more of both Nani and Advay. Chandni looked happily at them, wishing, just for once, that Advay would look happy and content right now, like in those pictures.
The wind blew heavily again and curtain fully blew away, revealing the last frame to the left. It was a picture of Nani with a young boy, hardly 14 or 15 years old, someone she knew very well, her Dev.
As she gazed at the photo, the glass slipped from her hand, and crashed on to the ground.
Advay and Nani heard the crash in the balcony and rushed inside, to find Chandni standing next to the bed, her face in utter shock.
^-------------------^
Hi lovely readers!
How did you find this chapter and how was that last scene for a twist??
Once Chandni realises Advay is Dev, how will she react?
What will happen to Advay's carefully laid out plans now?
As we know, both in stories as well as life, things always don't go according to what we plan. So where things go from here ... please wait for the next updates to find out.
Also I am going away on holidays from 7th to 17th so there won't be any updates during this time. I will try my best to write one early and post it somewhere in the middle but I can't guarantee anything for now. Please understand.
Lots of love
Sesi