Chapter 17 #2
Neil blinked, confused. “Oops. I forgot my spikes. You know what, Ruhaan? Raj uncle gave me chocolate too!” He proudly held up the treat.
Ruhaan gritted his teeth not liking it a bit.
“It’s not good to take things from strangers, didn’t your mom teach you that?”
Neil shrugged innocently. “Yeah, but Mom told me to take it from Raj uncle, so I couldn’t say no.”
Ruhaan’s blood boiled more. He bent down closer to Neil, his voice firm but gentle. “Listen to me, champ. Whatever you want, you tell me, and I’ll give it to you. Don’t take things from Raj uncle… or anyone else, okay?”
Neil nodded obediently, not fully understanding the tension in Ruhaan’s voice. “Okay!” he chirped, giving Ruhaan a high-five before wrapping his arms around Ruhaan in a tight hug. “I love you, Ruhaan.”
Ruhaan felt a strange possessiveness flood his chest as Neil hugged him.
The connection between them felt strong, natural, and deep.
It wasn’t just about Naina anymore. Neil had worked his way into Ruhaan’s heart, and the idea of someone else, especially Raj, stepping in as a father figure made Ruhaan’s stomach churn.
“I love you too, Neil,” he whispered, pulling the boy close before he glanced back at Raj. There was no way he could stand by and let this man step into Neil’s life…into Naina’s life…and take what should’ve been his.
But he couldn’t deny Rohit’s words either. What could he offer Naina? He had never fully considered marriage, family, or responsibility—things Raj seemed ready to embrace.
Naina laughed politely at one of Raj’s jokes, but her eyes drifted away from him.
She caught sight of Ruhaan again, across the garden, fussing over Neil’s spiked hair that Raj had ruffled just moments before.
A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
Possessive, already? A flicker of satisfaction lit up inside her, seeing how he seemed so affected—not just by her, but by Neil as well.
Maybe things were beginning to turn in her favor, or rather, their favor.
But what if they didn’t? What if this was as far as Ruhaan was willing to go?
Just then, Suman came over, breaking her thoughts.
“Naina, the mahurat is up. We need to help get Maa down to the mandap for the rituals. Rohit is already with Papa,” she said, motioning toward where her father, Subodh, was standing by the ceremonial fire.
Naina nodded and excused herself from Raj, who smiled warmly, clearly oblivious to the thoughts swirling in her mind. She and Suman made their way inside the house to help her aunt, Malti, get ready for the ritual.
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The mandap was set, adorned with fresh marigold garlands. Subodh and Malti Kundra, seated for the rituals, were surrounded by close family and friends who watched in awe.
Ruhaan, mingling with some guests, occasionally glanced over at Naina.
She was busy assisting her aunt, making sure everything was perfect.
He tried to focus on the conversations around him, but his gaze was continuously drawn back to her.
Every time his eyes found her, it felt like something he was holding onto for too long was slipping through his fingers.
On the other side, Naina was equally distracted. Even as she stood by her aunt’s side, helping with the final touches before the ceremony, her thoughts kept drifting back to Ruhaan. She stole glances at him, watching as he moved about, talking to the guests and keeping an eye on Neil.
As the bride and groom rose to take their vows around the sacred fire, the family members gathered on either side of the mandap, ready to shower them with rose petals. Naina stood directly across from Ruhaan, their eyes locking over the vibrant colors of the flowers.
The chanting of the priest faded into the background as Naina stared at Ruhaan, her hands trembling slightly as she threw the petals into the air.
For a moment, she didn’t see her aunt and uncle taking their vows.
She saw herself and Ruhaan in their place.
The imagery was so vivid it left her breathless.
Across the mandap, Ruhaan was equally lost too.
He caught Naina’s gaze and saw the vulnerability, the unspoken emotions that shimmered in her tear-filled eyes.
They stood on opposite sides of the mandap, surrounded by friends and family, but the distance between them felt heavier than ever.
His throat tightened as if her feelings were pulling something deep inside him to the surface—something he’d been trying to bury or ignore.
He looked away briefly, swallowing hard, but when he met her eyes again, the confusion still swirled in his mind.
What was this?
She had been his fiancée once. A part of him would always care for her.
But after seven years of living separate lives, they had come back into each other’s orbits.
What was this pull he felt toward her now?
It wasn’t just attraction, and it wasn’t the fleeting passion they had shared recently.
This was something deeper. It scared him because he didn’t fully understand it.
He had come here with no expectations beyond enjoying the celebrations.
But being near Naina again, being part of her world even briefly, had stirred things in him that he hadn’t felt in years.
He didn’t want to acknowledge it, but his heart was tugging in a direction he hadn’t anticipated.
The way she smiled, the way she interacted with Neil, even the way she simply existed, it was beginning to consume him.
But what was he so afraid of? He wanted Naina, that much he knew.
But was he willing to give her what she wanted?
Commitment? A family? Was he ready to take on the responsibilities that came with loving someone like her?
Someone who had been through so much and who now had a child depending on her?
Seven years ago, he had run from that very commitment, convinced he wasn’t ready.
But now? Now, things felt different. She had changed, but so had he. The only question that remained was whether he was ready to face that change and accept what his heart had been trying to tell him all along.
As the pheras came to an end, Naina blinked away her tears, quickly masking her emotions as the guests clapped and cheered for the happy couple.
As the buffet lunch started, she scanned the crowd for Neil, who had been avoiding lunch all day.
He was too busy running around and playing with the other kids to care about eating.
Knowing how stubborn her son could be, she sighed and began making a plate for herself, figuring she would have to feed him bit by bit from her own.
She was just piling some rice onto her plate when Raj appeared beside her with his own tray, flashing a charming smile.
“Naina, you know what they say about buffets, right?” Raj said, grinning. “It’s not about how much you eat, but how many trips you make. My personal best is five trips in one hour.”
Naina chuckled at his silly joke, her mood lightening as she added some dal to her plate.
Raj had a way of making things easygoing, and it was refreshing.
They shared a small laugh, which didn’t go unnoticed by Ruhaan who couldn’t take it anymore.
Without even thinking, he marched toward them, his expression darkened by a possessiveness he could no longer keep in check.
As he approached the buffet counter where Raj and Naina were making their plates, Raj asked Naina another seemingly innocent question.
“So, Naina, what’s your favorite dish?” he inquired, turning to her with genuine curiosity.
Before Naina could answer, Ruhaan jumped in, his voice laced with underlying frustration. “Pindi Chole and Puris,” he stated confidently.
Naina gasped, startled by his sudden intrusion. She hadn’t expected Ruhaan to butt into their conversation like this, and it was clear from her expression that his presence was as unexpected as it was confusing. Raj, sensing the tension, raised an eyebrow but kept his tone polite.
Ruhaan extended his hand toward Raj. “Ruhaan Singh,” he said firmly, “I’m Rohit’s friend and business partner.”
Raj smiled and shook his hand, still slightly perplexed. “Nice to meet you, Ruhaan.”
Before Raj could ask the obvious question—how Ruhaan knew her favorite dish—his phone buzzed with a call. He excused himself politely and stepped away to take it.
“You seemed very interested in his flirty talks,” Ruhaan snapped. “From what I could see, you were enjoying it.”
Naina didn’t bother looking up, her hands busy with the plate. “Why do you care?” she replied coolly.
“I care because when I tried flirting with you, you repulsed me. But with Raj? You’re all smiles and giggles.”
“You’re overthinking it.” She continued arranging her food, trying to keep her emotions in check.
Ruhaan, feeling both hungry and restless, reached out and grabbed a papad from her plate, munching on it as he mulled over her words. “Don’t tell me you’re planning to sit with him for lunch too? Or maybe even feed him?”
Naina snapped her head toward him, her eyes flashing with irritation. “You sound like a jealous freak today. And for your information, this plate is not for Raj. It’s for Neil.”
Relief washed over Ruhaan’s face as he let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. He grabbed another piece of papad, crunching it while trying to hide the smirk forming on his lips. “Good. I’ll join you and Neil for lunch. I’ve got a table reserved for us at the back.”
“That’s not a good idea.” Naina rolled her eyes, exasperated. “Raj is around, and my uncle won’t be happy if he sees me having lunch with you instead of Raj.”
She turned to leave with the plate when she felt a slight tug on her saree pallu. Startled, she spun around to see Ruhaan holding the edge of it with an almost apologetic expression. His grip was gentle but sincere, as if he were silently asking her to stay.
“Naina,” he said softly, stepping closer, “at least tonight... meet me at the terrace. I have something for you, and this might be our last night here.”
His eyes, full of a desperate sincerity, locked with hers. She could see the vulnerability behind his words, and for a brief moment, her resolve wavered.
After a pause, she nodded slightly. “I’ll come.”
His face lit up with a grin. “You better,” he teased, letting go of her saree and stepping back. He watched her walk away, but just as he was about to turn around, he caught sight of Rohit standing nearby, observing him with a knowing smirk. F*ck!