Chapter 19
This man truly knew how to drive me insane.
My hand instinctively went to my neck, and my eyes widened in shock.
“What?” I shrieked, and he chuckled at my expense, wrapping my dupatta around himself, slipping back under the comforter.
“How could you do this?” I gritted my teeth in sheer frustration.
Laughing lightly, he replied, covering himself with the comforter. “Good night, love.”
I clenched my jaw and my fists. I couldn’t believe it.
Anger surged through my body as I marched toward him.
“You know, I can’t walk around like this; my job involves meeting your Bhabhi-sa, Bhai-sa, and other family members,”
“You bit my lips, too.” I heard him say from beneath the comforter, his voice muffled yet playful.
His words made me lunge forward; I yanked away the comforter and saw his soft curls tousled across his face.
“That was after what you did,” I vented out, moving my hands in the air dramatically, trying to sound confident. “Now I’ll have to hide from everyone I come across. And that’s because of you.”
He gave me an irresistible smile and patted the spot beside him. “You can come; hide here under my comforter.”
And that was it.
I couldn’t help but close my mouth in defeat. He was too stubborn to understand.
“You know what? Forget it,” I exclaimed. “You’ll not get this. Because you’re a prince, and you can act as you wish. You may go around, sleep with anyone you want, and let anyone bite your lips. But I’m not a prince; I’m not even a man. I’m not privileged.”
He inhaled deeply and sat up slightly. “So, we’re doing this now?” he muttered, raking his fingers through his hair.
I folded my arms and asked, “What do you mean by that?”
He bit his lips. “Ah, it hurts,” he groaned and then turned to me. “You’re acting like a mother, Suman,” he said, and I sighed in frustration.
He looked at me silently, saying, “Okay, we’ve got to do something about this.”
He stepped out of the bed, walked near me, and pulled me in, gazing intensely into my eyes. Since he was tall, I had to crane my neck back to look at him.
“What?” I asked.
“Agastya,”
Suddenly, Nandani’s voice echoed in the chamber, and we exchanged confused glances.
Fear coursed through my veins as he stepped toward me when the curtains of his bedroom parted.
A strange silence followed, and I felt my palms sweating with anxiety.
If Nandani found out, she would finish us.
“Agastya,” I heard Nandani let out a deep sigh, her anklet bells ringing in the bedroom, breaking through the tensing silence as she came closer.
“Ji, Bhabhi-sa,” his voice broke with fright.
“Who’s behind you?” she suddenly asked, and her words sent a chilling shiver down my spine, as if a mountain struck me.
He let out a small laugh. “No one, Bhabhi-sa, haha,”
I heard her bangles clatter as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“What? Hahaha! Who are you hiding?” she asked, and he laughed again.
“Hahaha, it’s early morning; you must be hallucinating. You know that darkness is the time for ghosts, and you s—”
“Just step aside,” she yelled, cutting him off mid-way, and I gasped when I saw Nandani standing before me, utterly stunned.
“Suman,” Her eyes widened in disbelief, and I could only cover my face with my palm and shake my head.
“No, I’m not Suman. I am Bala... Rekha... Raveena...”
“What on earth are you doing here?” She exclaimed, placing her hand on her forehead.
“Agastya?”
I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, his palm covering his mouth, and suddenly he said, “Um… nothing, she… she just… she just came to wake me up.”
A sharp slap followed from Nandani to his arm.
“In your shawl?” she snapped.
“Nandani,” I tried to call her, but her piercing gaze pinned me to the ground.
“What?” she shouted. “What the hell is happening between you two?”
I shook my head in fear. “Nothing.”
“Do I look blind to you?” she demanded, locking eyes with me.
“Maybe,” he added quietly from behind,
She turned to him instantly. “What? What did you say?” She hollered, and he ran his fingers through his hair.
“I don’t know how you see Suman. No one is here. You’re hallucinating. Maybe this is your dream. Wake up, Bhabhi-sa, wake up,” he remarked, and I lowered my gaze, shaking my head.
I couldn’t believe it.
Nandani palmed her face in disbelief.
“Seriously, Agastya?” she gritted in frustration.
“I gave birth a week ago, but I’m not mad.
How can you even…?” she gasped suddenly, as if realisation hit her.
“Wait, a moment!” She turned to look at me, and then back at him.
“What’s on your lips?” she asked, and I quickly wrapped my shawl around myself.
He bit his lip, and she glanced back at me. “Suman, did you do that?” she asked, shocked, and I looked down in dread.
“Why would I?” I said, my voice trembled.
She inhaled deeply, walked toward the couch, and sat down, shaking her head.
“I can’t believe this was happening right under my nose in this palace.”
He stepped forward and shook his head.
“No, Bhabhi-sa,” he paused before continuing, “Actually, our chambers are in a line, so it wasn’t happening right under your nose, but technically beside your nose,”
Nandani’s eyes blazed with rage as she hurled a pillow directly at his face. “Shut up!”
“What? I’m just correcting you!” he said, chuckling slightly.
“Leave him alone, Suman. Can you tell me what’s happening? What are you doing in his room so late at night?” she asked, and I lowered my gaze in shame.
I couldn’t help but say, “I’m sorry.” My voice broke as she quickly rose and strode toward me.
“How dare you?” She raised her hand, but before she could touch me, he stepped in.
“Don't you dare, Bhabhi-sa,” he muttered, his voice more serious than before.
“Are you out of your mind, Agastya?” she called out. “This is cheating. You’re going to marry Rashmika in a few months. The friendship between Mehrangarh and Suryagarh relies on this alliance. And she was sleeping with you—”
“She was sleeping with her husband,” he intervened, and I shut my eyes, allowing tears to flow down my cheeks.
“I’m really sorry,” I whispered.
“What?” Nandani asked in a low, stunned voice. She stumbled back slightly, about to lose balance, and he stepped forward immediately, holding her by her arm.
“Careful,” but she shot him a furious glare.
“What do you mean, she was sleeping with her husband? What the hell is happening here? And what are you two up to?” She asked, her tone rising with each word, and I broke down in tears.
“I'm sorry, Nanda—”
“You heard that right, Bhabhi-sa. She was sleeping with her husband, who is me. We were just sleeping, literally, and yes, of course, a few kisses, nothing more,” he said, and she inhaled deeply, closing her eyes.
He is not exactly helping.
“I’m not asking for details, Agastya,” she gritted angrily. “Suman, what’s happening here?” she asked, looking at me. Her eyes filled with tears as she spoke. “Did he force you to do something? Are you opposed to it? Did he ask for your consent?” Her voice broke, and I knelt before her, nodding.
“Yes, I know what I was doing,” I replied.
She sighed deeply and palmed her face. “My brother-in-law and my best friend? Seriously?” she sighed heavily.
“Do you two not care about what people will say? Your castes are different, and the statuses are worlds apart. Our kingdom would be nothing but a joke. This is what your father did, Agastya, and this is what you are doing. You are using her,” she said, looking at him while holding my hand.
His face flushed upon hearing this, and he lowered his gaze.
“No, he is not using me, Nandani. Stop hurting him,” I couldn't help but intervene.
She turned her shocked gaze to me, and I let fresh tears fall from my eyes.
“I hid something from you,” I said, turning my gaze to look at him.
He nodded silently, and I looked back at her.
My voice broke as I began, “When my husband died, the old one...”
“Yes, I know, I was pregnant,” she replied.
I nodded. “Yes… so the people of my tribe wanted to burn me along with him,” I spoke, sniffing, my voice trembling.
“What?” she asked, shocked and worried. “Why didn’t you tell me anything?”
“Because you were pregnant,” I explained.
“Then?” She held my hand.
“Then he came to my rescue, but the people were too stubborn to let me go; he had to marry me,” I said, and her eyes widened in shock.
“Marry as in, in the temple, the whole ceremony?” she asked, and I shook my head.
“No, he...” My voice broke. “He cut his thumb with his sword and filled the partition of my hair with his blood,” I whimpered.
“What???” she screamed, then moved her eyes to him. “What the hell? Why didn’t you tell me or anyone anything?”
He inhaled sharply.
“Well, I expected a ‘thank you so much, Devar-sa, for saving my best friend’,” he teased lightly, and she gritted her teeth.
“I’m not in the mood, Agastya,” she said, clenching her fists.
“Well, we can’t tell anyone anything until I get rid of Rashmika,” he said, and she squinted her eyes.
“So, you’re making it real?” she asked carefully.
There was a slight pause on his side, and he nodded shortly after.
“I didn’t want to, but now, yes, I want her,” he said, looking at me, causing hair to rise on every inch of my skin.
“I can’t believe those people tried to kill you. I’m going to wage war on them. How could they?” She raged, and I shook my head.
“They wouldn’t listen, Nandani. It’s a tradition of our tribe, and it’s like preaching to deaf ears,” I said, and she hugged me tightly.
“Oh my God! I can’t even imagine what would have happened to you,” her voice broke, and I hugged her back.
“Nothing happened to me,” I said, my voice shaking with emotion.
“Still not a thank you,” he mumbled from behind, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.
She pulled away and walked toward him. “What happens to Rashmika now?” she asked seriously, and he lowered his gaze for a moment.
“Give me some time; I’ll let you know,” he said, and I noticed he seemed distressed about something.
Last night had been playful, but he still seemed slightly off. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him.
“By the way, thank you so much for saving her,” she said, and he smiled.
“You gave me a delightful gift; this was the least I could do,” he muttered softly, and I narrowed my brows, unsure whether I should smile or be upset.
“Why did you come here early in the morning?” he asked, and she smacked her forehead.
“Yes, I came here to ask you to go with Abhinandan. He needs a hand with something,” she said, and he nodded.
“Alright,” he agreed, and then looked at me.
“Um… I should leave, too,” I said meekly, and she shook her head.
“That’s okay, I should probably leave... You two can continue whatever you were doing,” she said, walking away, but suddenly Kunwar-sa stopped her.
“Bhabhi-sa,” she turned to look at him. “Don’t tell Bhai-sa anything,” he said, and she narrowed her brows.
“What will I get?” she asked, folding her hands over her front.
“Fine, I’ll obey whatever you say for one entire year,” he said, and she frowned, shaking her head.
“This matter is too big for just one year. You will owe me for the next five years,” she demanded, and he inhaled deeply, frustrated.
“See, Suman, this is your best friend’s true face,” he said, looking at me, and I couldn’t help but lower my gaze shyly.
“Fine, you win,” he stated, earning a smile from her in return.
“Also, Suman, just don’t get pregnant before it becomes official, you know…” she said, and I immediately shook my head.
He chuckled. “Oh, you’re late, Bhabhi-sa; she already is,”
Her eyes widened in shock.
“No, no, Nandani, he’s joking; I’m not. We did nothing,” I clarified, and she sighed deeply.
“Your neck says otherwise,” she said, and he chuckled.
“Ah… that’s my art,” he replied, pride dripping from his words.
I couldn’t help but look his way. But Nandani interrupted, “But her art is better than yours.”
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