Chapter 22
Karwa Chauth at a royal wedding was absolute chaos.
Beautiful chaos.
The entire palace woke up before sunrise.
Traditional songs echoed softly through the hallways.
Women dressed in red and gold moved around sleepily carrying puja thalis.
Servants rushed everywhere preparing decorations.
And from the very morning,
Every married woman had started fasting.
No food.
No water.
Until moonrise.
For their husbands.
I sat quietly near the balcony window early in the morning while the sky outside still looked dark blue.
My hands rested around the untouched glass of water beside me.
One sip before sunrise.
That was all I had left.
And honestly?
I should've drank it.
Because technically,
This marriage was temporary.
A contract.
Eight months left.
So keeping a fast like this made absolutely no sense.
Yet,
When the older women gathered earlier asking lovingly:
"Riya beta, you're keeping the fast for Dhruv na?"
I had answered yes without hesitation.
Without even thinking.
That realization itself scared me.
Because somewhere along the way,
Dhruv stopped feeling temporary.
The palace doors suddenly opened behind me.
I turned slightly.
And froze.
Dhruv walked inside wearing a simple blue t-shirt and black sweatpants.
Hair messy.
Still half sleepy.
And unfortunately,
This man looked unfairly attractive even at six in the morning.
He stopped after noticing me awake.
Dark eyes shifting briefly toward the untouched water glass beside me.
Then back to me.
Silence.
I looked away quickly.
Why did I suddenly feel guilty?
Dhruv walked toward the coffee machine near the suite quietly.
Then casually,
"Drink the water."
My fingers tightened slightly.
"...what?"
He looked at me flatly while making coffee.
"You'll get dehydrated."
Oh.
So he knew.
Of course he knew.
I tried sounding normal.
"It's okay."
"No," he answered calmly.
"It's stupid."
Excuse me rude.
I frowned immediately.
"It's Karwa Chauth."
"And?"
I blinked in disbelief.
"And wives fast for their husbands."
Dhruv looked entirely unimpressed by centuries of tradition.
"Starving yourself isn't proving devotion."
Okay wow.
Easy for HIM to say.
I crossed my arms softly.
"All the married women are keeping it."
His jaw tightened faintly.
Then colder,
"I don't care what they're doing."
The room went quiet again.
I looked down toward the glass.
Still untouched.
Because honestly?
Part of me knew he was right.
The rational part.
But another part,
A much softer stupid part,
Wanted to do this for him anyway.
Even if he never understood why.
Dhruv suddenly walked closer.
Close enough that my heartbeat reacted instantly again.
His eyes stayed fixed on the water glass now.
Then quietly,
"Riya."
Something about his voice made me look up.
And immediately,
I saw it.
Worry.
Actual worry.
Hidden beneath irritation.
His expression remained controlled.
But those eyes?
Too focused.
Too sharp.
Like the idea of me fainting somewhere genuinely bothered him.
The realization warmed my chest unexpectedly.
I smiled softly.
"I'll be okay."
Silence.
Then flatly,
"You almost fainted from skipping one lunch before."
OH MY GOD.
Why did this man remember every embarrassing thing.
I looked away immediately.
"That was different."
Dhruv stared at me for a long moment.
Then suddenly,
He picked up the glass himself and held it toward me.
"Drink."
The command came calm.
Firm.
And dangerously husband-like.
My heartbeat betrayed me instantly.
Because God.
If he kept acting like this while claiming feelings scared him,
I was genuinely doomed.
I looked between him and the glass nervously.
Then softly,
"I already decided."
His jaw tightened immediately.
The atmosphere shifted slightly.
Because Dhruv wasn't used to people refusing him.
Especially not gently.
He spoke quieter this time.
"Why are you doing this?"
The question hung heavily between us.
And suddenly,
I didn't know how to answer honestly.
Because the truth sounded too dangerous now.
Because I care about you.
So instead,
I forced a tiny smile.
"It's tradition."
Silence.
Dhruv looked at me like he knew I was lying.
Completely.
Then finally,
He set the water glass back down harder than necessary.
Frustrated.
At me maybe.
At himself probably.
"Do whatever you want."
And just like that,
The walls returned again.
He walked toward the balcony afterward silently drinking his coffee while the sunrise slowly spread across Udaipur beautifully.
Meanwhile my stupid heart hurt.
Because even his concern came wrapped in distance.
...
By afternoon,
I regretted every life decision.
The palace had transformed beautifully for the mehendi function.
Marigolds everywhere.
Colorful cushions.
Traditional music playing.
Women laughing while applying mehendi designs.
The atmosphere looked magical.
Meanwhile,
I was dying.
No water since morning.
No food.
And Udaipur heat was personally attacking me.
I sat quietly while mehendi artists worked carefully over my hands.
The intricate dark designs spread beautifully across my skin.
Around me, married women laughed excitedly discussing gifts their husbands gave them for Karwa Chauth.
Meanwhile my husband gave me emotional damage and mixed signals.
Ananya sat nearby too.
Of course she did.
Technically unmarried.
Yet still dressed heavily in deep red.
Watching everything.
Watching Dhruv.
Always watching Dhruv.
And unfortunately,
She noticed everything too.
Especially me.
Especially the fast.
She slowly walked closer while women around us stayed distracted.
Then softly,
"So you're actually fasting for him."
I looked up quietly.
Ananya smiled.
Sharp.
Beautiful.
Dangerous.
"That's brave."
Something about her tone made my stomach twist.
I answered softly.
"Most wives are."
Ananya laughed quietly.
"But most wives believe their husbands love them back."
Silence.
The words landed painfully.
Because suddenly,
I didn't know if Dhruv did.
And worse,
I wasn't sure I wanted to know anymore.
Ananya leaned slightly closer.
"Do you know how many girls kept Karwa Chauth fasts for Dhruv growing up?"
My brows furrowed slightly.
She smiled wider.
"I did."
Oh.
"I started when I was sixteen."
The obsession in her voice genuinely scared me.
She looked toward Dhruv standing far away talking to businessmen now.
Tall.
Powerful.
Untouchable.
Then quietly,
"I knew one day I'd marry him."
My chest tightened slightly.
Ananya finally looked back at me.
And for the first time,
Her expression lost all fake sweetness.
Only bitterness remained.
"But somehow you appeared."
The music around us suddenly felt too loud.
Too distant.
Then softly,
"Tell me something honestly, Riya."
Silence.
"When this contract ends..."
Her eyes searched mine carefully.
"...are you really going to survive watching another woman become Mrs. Dhruv Malhotra?"
I froze.
The world around me blurred.
The words hit somewhere deep.
Painfully deep.
Because until now,
I had avoided thinking about it properly.
The end.
The divorce.
The day this all stopped being mine.
Or maybe,
The day Dhruv stopped being mine.
My throat tightened unexpectedly.
Ananya watched my silence carefully.
And slowly,
She smiled.
Because she understood.
She understood from my expression alone.
I was already too attached.
Too late.
Too gone.
The realization terrified me.
I forced myself to speak softly.
"This marriage was never forever."
Ananya tilted her head slightly.
"Yet you're starving yourself for him."
Silence.
God.
Why did that hurt so much?
Around us, women laughed while getting mehendi applied.
Music played.
People celebrated.
Meanwhile it suddenly felt hard to breathe.
Ananya looked toward Dhruv again.
He stood across the courtyard speaking to some businessmen.
Tall.
Untouchable.
Powerful.
Every woman there stealing glances at him.
And despite all that,
His eyes kept shifting back toward me.
Again.
And again.
Like checking unconsciously if I was okay.
Ananya noticed too.
Unfortunately.
Her smile faded slightly.
Then quietly,
"Do you know why Dhruv never believed in love?"
My eyes lifted toward her instantly.
She laughed softly.
"Because he grew up watching people love the Malhotra name more than him."
The sentence surprised me.
Because somehow,
It sounded true.
Ananya continued staring at him while speaking.
"Girls obsessed over him since school."
Then bitterly,
"They still do."
Her eyes shifted toward me slowly.
"But you're the first person he watches when nobody notices."
My heartbeat stumbled instantly.
Before I could answer,
Ananya stood up.
And just before walking away,
She whispered softly:
"That's why I hate you."
Then she left.
Leaving me sitting there completely shaken.
Because for the first time,
Someone had spoken aloud the thing I was too scared to even hope.
.....
Night arrived beautifully.
The palace transformed into something magical.
Thousands of fairy lights glowed against the royal architecture.
The lake reflected moonlight beautifully.
Traditional music floated softly through the cold night air.
And the huge courtyard had been prepared for Karwa Chauth rituals.
Every married woman stood there dressed beautifully beside their husbands.
Red sarees.
Jewelry.
Sindoor.
Bangles.
Love.
Everywhere.
Meanwhile my heart felt dangerously fragile tonight.
I stood near the marble stairs quietly holding my decorated thali.
And judging by the way people kept staring,
Apparently I looked different tonight.
The deep red saree hugged my figure softly.
Gold embroidery shimmered under the lights.
My hair fell over one shoulder in soft curls.
Mehendi dark against my skin.
Tiny sindoor resting in my partition.
For once,
I didn't look like the poor orphan girl lost in billionaire parties.
I looked like a Malhotra bride.
And unfortunately,
Dhruv noticed too.
The second he walked into the courtyard,
His eyes found me instantly.
And stopped.
Completely stopped.
Ivory sherwani.
Sharp jawline.
Tall intimidating presence.
Yet for one tiny second,
He looked almost stunned.
The atmosphere around us shifted immediately.
Because Dhruv Malhotra stared at nobody.
Yet right now,
He couldn't seem to look away from me.
My heartbeat instantly lost control.
Around us, several women whispered softly.
Even Ananya standing farther away had gone still watching him stare at me like that.
Dhruv slowly walked toward me through the crowd.
And somehow,
Every step made my pulse worse.
When he finally stopped in front of me,
The world genuinely faded for one dangerous second.
His gaze slowly traveled over my face.
My saree.
The mehendi.
Then finally back to my eyes.
And quietly,
Very quietly,
"You should sit."
I blinked softly.
"What?"
"You look tired."
Concern.
Again hidden beneath control.
My chest tightened instantly.
I tried smiling.
"I'm okay."
Dhruv looked unconvinced.
Before he could answer,
Someone suddenly shouted excitedly:
"The moon!"
Instantly the entire courtyard came alive.
Women smiling.
People gathering near the open terrace area.
Excitement everywhere.
And suddenly,
My nervousness returned full force.
Because now came the actual ritual.
The one every wife waited for.
The one I somehow kept for him despite knowing this marriage had an expiry date.
The moon glowed beautifully above the palace tonight.
Huge.
Bright.
Silver against the dark sky.
Women around the courtyard lit diyas in their thalis softly.
And slowly,
One by one,
They began the ritual.
Looking at the moon through the sieve.
Praying quietly.
Offering water.
Then turning toward their husbands.
Love visible everywhere.
My fingers trembled slightly while lifting the sieve.
Because suddenly,
This didn't feel symbolic anymore.
It felt real.
Dangerously real.
I slowly looked toward the moon through the delicate sieve.
The silver light blurred beautifully.
I whispered the prayer softly.
For his safety.
His life.
His happiness.
Even if none of it included me one day.
Then slowly,
I turned the sieve toward Dhruv.
And the second his face appeared through it,
My breath caught painfully.
God.
He looked unreal.
The moonlight softened his sharp features.
His dark eyes remained fixed entirely on me.
Intense.
Unreadable.
Yet somehow softer tonight.
The sieve trembled slightly in my hands.
Because seeing him like this,
Standing in front of me while the whole world disappeared around us,
Felt terrifyingly sacred.
Like somewhere between contract and chaos,
He had become something my heart already worshipped.
The courtyard noises faded completely.
It was just him.
Just Dhruv.
Looking at me like he couldn't understand why.
Or maybe like he understood too much.
Slowly,
I lowered the sieve.
My eyes dropped instinctively afterward.
Because suddenly I couldn't handle the intensity in his gaze anymore.
Dhruv took the water glass from my thali quietly.
And for the first time tonight,
His hands shook slightly too.
Barely noticeable.
Still there.
The realization nearly ruined me.
He lifted the glass toward my lips slowly.
And softly,
"Drink."
The exact same word from morning.
Except this time,
It sounded different.
Gentler.
I drank the first sip carefully while his eyes stayed on my face the entire time.
Then he lifted the sweet toward me.
My fingers brushed his accidentally while taking it.
Warmth shot through me instantly.
Around us, couples smiled lovingly at each other.
Blessings.
Rituals.
Marriage.
Everything blurred together beautifully.
Then came the final custom.
One by one,
The wives bent down touching their husbands' feet respectfully.
The husbands blessed them afterward.
I watched quietly for a moment.
Then instinctively,
I moved too.
Because every woman around me was doing it.
And despite everything,
Dhruv was still my husband.
The second I bent slightly,
Dhruv's eyes widened instantly.
But before he could stop me,
My fingers lightly touched his feet.
The marble floor felt cold beneath my knees.
And suddenly,
The entire courtyard had gone silent.
Because apparently nobody expected Dhruv Malhotra's wife to look at him with that much devotion.
I slowly stood back up.
Heart racing softly.
Then froze.
Because Dhruv wasn't moving.
He just stared at me.
Something unreadable breaking slowly behind his eyes.
The atmosphere shifted dangerously.
Heavy.
Emotional.
And before anyone understood what was happening,
Dhruv suddenly bent down too.
Gasps echoed across the courtyard instantly.
My breath stopped.
Because Dhruv Malhotra,
The coldest man in the room,
Got on his knees in front of me.
The entire family froze in absolute shock.
Including me.
His mother looked stunned.
His uncle practically stopped breathing.
Even Ananya went pale.
And then,
Before I could react,
Dhruv touched my feet gently.
The world stopped.
My heartbeat crashed violently against my ribs.
"Dhruv..."
My voice came out barely audible.
But he slowly looked up at me from his knees.
And God.
The look in his eyes nearly destroyed me.
Not cold.
Not distant.
Something far more dangerous.
Respect.
Care.
Something terrifyingly close to love.
Then quietly,
So quietly only I heard it,
"You pray for my life..."
His fingers tightened briefly around my ankle before letting go.
"...while destroying yours for me."
Tears instantly burned my eyes.
The courtyard around us had gone completely silent now.
Because nobody had ever seen Dhruv Malhotra bow before anyone.
Yet tonight,
He had done it for me.
...
The courtyard remained in shock even fifteen minutes later.
Nobody had recovered.
Absolutely nobody.
Because Dhruv Malhotra touching someone's feet?
Impossible.
Dhruv Malhotra touching his wife's feet in front of the entire family?
Historical event.
The older aunties were still whispering dramatically.
Several cousins looked emotionally traumatized.
Aarav looked like he might frame this moment and hang it in a museum.
Meanwhile,
I still couldn't breathe properly.
Because the feeling of Dhruv kneeling in front of me kept replaying inside my head again and again.
And worse,
The look in his eyes while doing it.
God.
That look ruined me.
The huge family dinner finally began afterward.
Long royal dining setup beside the lake.
Candles glowing everywhere.
Traditional musicians playing softly nearby.
Servants continuously bringing food.
And unfortunately,
Every single person kept staring at me and Dhruv.
Especially Dhruv.
Like everyone was trying to process if this was the same emotionally unavailable billionaire they'd known for years.
Spoiler:
Nobody believed it.
I sat quietly beside Dhruv while families filled the massive dining tables.
And for the first time since arriving in Udaipur,
His uncle and aunt looked genuinely uncomfortable around me.
Because suddenly,
Dhruv had made his position very clear publicly.
Painfully clear.
Meanwhile Aarav sat directly opposite us grinning like a menace.
"Oh my God."
He looked at Dhruv dramatically.
"You touched bhabhi's feet."
Dhruv calmly picked up his water glass.
"Eat your food."
The cousin looked delighted.
"No seriously, should we call the media?"
Several younger cousins burst out laughing immediately.
One aunt gasped dramatically.
"Our Dhruv has become romantic!"
Dhruv looked deeply offended by the accusation.
I nearly smiled into my plate.
Meanwhile the teasing only increased.
An older uncle laughed loudly.
"Who knew marriage could tame him?"
Another aunt added:
"Beta Riya, what magic have you done?"
My cheeks warmed instantly.
Because honestly?
I wanted the answer too.
Dhruv remained expressionless beside me.
But I noticed something quietly,
He wasn't stopping them.
Usually he'd shut down conversations immediately.
Tonight?
He just sat there silently listening while the entire family teased him.
And somehow,
That affected me more.
Aarav suddenly leaned forward dramatically.
"Tell us honestly, bhai."
The entire table looked interested immediately.
"When did you realize you were obsessed with bhabhi?"
I nearly choked on oxygen.
DHUVR'S WATER GLASS STOPPED MIDWAY.
The whole table exploded laughing.
Even Dhruv's mother covered her smile.
Meanwhile Dhruv stared at Aarav blankly.
"I'll throw you into the lake."
Aarav pointed victoriously.
"SEE? Emotional response!"
More laughter.
My face felt hot now.
Because unfortunately,
A tiny stupid part of me wanted to know the answer too.
Dhruv finally looked toward me briefly.
And somehow,
That tiny glance alone carried enough tension to make my heartbeat uneven again.
Then suddenly,
His mother spoke casually while serving food onto my plate.
"You all are acting surprised as if this is too much. Arey, this is nothing compared to what I am going to tell you'll"
The table quieted slightly.
Several relatives looked curious instantly.
Dhruv narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Mom."
Too late.
She smiled sweetly.
"My son fasted too."
Silence.
The world stopped.
I blinked.
"What?"
Around the table, everyone looked equally shocked.
Aarav physically sat upright.
"EXCUSE ME?"
Dhruv looked like he'd rather collapse the palace.
"Mom."
His mother ignored him completely.
"He didn't eat or drink anything the entire day."
My breath genuinely disappeared.
Slowly,
Very slowly,
I turned toward Dhruv.
He avoided my eyes immediately.
Oh my God.
OH MY GOD.
The realization hit all at once.
Morning.
His irritation.
The way he kept telling me to drink water.
The tension in his expression all day.
Because he was fasting too.
For me.
The entire dining table erupted instantly.
People shouting.
Laughing.
Teasing.
One uncle dramatically held his chest.
"Dhruv Malhotra kept Karwa Chauth fast?!"
An aunt looked emotional already.
"This is true love."
Dhruv looked murderous now.
"It was practical."
The whole family burst out laughing again.
Aarav wiped fake tears dramatically.
"My cold-hearted brother has fallen."
"I haven't."
Dhruv answered immediately.
Too immediately.
Which honestly made it worse.
His mother smiled knowingly.
"Then why fast?"
Silence.
Dhruv finally spoke flatly while eating.
"Because she would've fainted alone."
My heart melted instantly.
Meanwhile the entire table collectively lost their minds again.
A cousin yelled dramatically:
"HE CARES ABOUT HER HEALTH!"
Another aunt laughed.
"Next he'll start smiling willingly."
Dhruv looked exhausted by humanity.
Meanwhile I couldn't stop staring at him.
Because somehow,
The fact that he fasted silently without telling me affected me more than grand gestures ever could.
That was Dhruv.
Quiet care.
Hidden concern.
Love disguised as irritation.
And unfortunately,
I was falling harder every second.
Then suddenly,
The conversation took a dangerous turn.
One older aunt smiled brightly at us.
"So."
Oh no.
"When are we getting babies?"
I CHOKED.
Literally choked.
Dhruv immediately handed me water instinctively before I even processed anything.
Which somehow made the entire table scream louder.
"Look at him taking care already!"
Meanwhile I wanted death.
Actual death.
The aunt continued excitedly.
"You both would have such beautiful children."
Another aunt nodded aggressively.
"Especially daughters! Imagine tiny versions of Riya and Dhruv running around."
My face burned violently.
Beside me,
Even Dhruv had gone suspiciously still.
Aarav looked delighted beyond recovery.
"Oh my God yes."
He pointed dramatically.
"Bhabhi's sweetness plus bhai's anger issues."
Dhruv deadpanned:
"Sounds terrifying."
The table laughed again.
But unfortunately,
The aunties weren't stopping.
One leaned toward me excitedly.
"Do you want twins or single babies first?"
I nearly stopped breathing.
"W-What?!"
Meanwhile several women already discussed future baby names like my uterus had signed contracts.
Dhruv's mother laughed softly beside me.
"Leave them alone."
But she looked suspiciously interested too.
Traitor.
An older grandmother suddenly smiled at Dhruv knowingly.
"You were always meant to become soft after marriage."
Dhruv answered immediately.
"I'm not soft."
Right then,
Without even realizing,
He gently moved a dish closer toward me because it was too far for me to reach comfortably.
The entire table went silent for one second.
Then exploded again.
Aarav literally stood up laughing.
"YOU MOVED THE FOOD FOR HER."
Dhruv looked ready to commit murder publicly now.
Meanwhile I couldn't stop smiling softly.
Because despite every denial,
His actions betrayed him every single time.
And maybe the scariest part?
Tonight,
Everyone could see it now too.