45.
{Third person's pov}
They both walked inside her parents' house just to witness, his family already present there, he ignored them and touched the feet of his mother in law and father in law.
They smiled at him and blessed him, "Come sit, beta," her mother said and he looked where his family was sitting, he passed a forced smile, "I am fine, Aunty."
"Again aunty? I told you to call me ma," she patted his cheeks, he felt a warmth in her mother's touch that he had felt a long time ago, near his mother.
"I am fine, Ma," he whispered making Kiara and her mother smile, Kiara noticed he wasn't liking his family's presence over there, but of course his step brother was also the son in law of this house.
Kiara walked towards him, "Ma I will take him to my room, You can call us once everyone is here."
Kiara's mother nodded sensing the tensions between the family, or the family for just the namesake.
he followed Kiara through the hallway and into her room. As soon as the door closed behind them, he let out a deep sigh, his shoulders sagging. It was clear that seeing his family was not a pleasant experience for him.
Kiara turned towards him, her expression filled with concern. "Don't overthink," she whispered.
He took a deep breath at her words. "I'm trying not to," he replied, his voice hoarse. "But it's hard, you know? Seeing them, remembering all the things we went through."
He ran a hand through his hair, his expression weary. "It's like a constant reminder of everything I've tried to move past."
"There will be situations, when you will come across them. At places, in business, or randomly, but you can't let it affect you right? You have to ignore them like they don't matter, like they don't exist." She cupped his cheeks.
He looked into her eyes, finding solace in her words. "You're right," he murmured, his own hand coming up to cover hers. "I know I need to ignore them, but sometimes it's easier said than done."
He sighed, the weight of his complicated family history still heavy on his shoulders. But the comfort her presence brought him was like a balm to his weary soul.
"Kiara, let's play Holi," It was her cousin's voice, "Coming," she shouted and looked at Ekansh, She pecked his cheeks, "Let's ignore them and enjoy?"
He nodded, a small smile forming. "Yeah," he replied, his hand slipping into hers. "Let's focus on enjoying ourselves. We don't need them ruining our day."
.........
Everyone was enjoying while Ekansh found him standing at a corner, some people applied colour on him, and he applied colour on his wife and her family.
But since his childhood he never involved himself in such celebration, and he found it hard to do the same today.
While Kiara was exactly opposite, she was finding people and colouring them, throwing water on them, enjoying her best.
"Stop cornering yourself." She held his hands and pulled him inside the crowd.
"Ekansh jiju is so clean, look at Chitransh jiju all coloured," Kiara's cousin commentes and applied colour on Ekansh's cheeks.
He chuckled at her cousin's comment, He glanced at the Chitransh, who was covered in different colours. He could never hate Chitransh, it was never his fault.
"Enjoy yourself, Husband." Kiara said, sliding her hands inside his kurta and colouring his chest and abs, "This is how you play Holi."
He gasped at the sudden cold touch on his skin, but the sensation sent a shiver down his spine. "Is that so, love?" he asked, his voice huskier than usual, her hands roaming on his body.
"Hm," she nodded and pulled her hands out, and just then her cousin threw a bucket full of water on Ekansh, making his white kurta soak the colours Kiara applied on his body.
He stood there in shock for a moment, his kurta now clinging to his body, the colours mixed with the water and running down his torso. "Wow, thanks for that," he said sarcastically, shaking his head.
Kiara couldn't help but laugh at the sight. her eyes roaming over his drenched figure.
"We are not done yet, Jiju," her male cousin's came and picked Ekansh up and threw him in the pool, "Why am I only being targetted?" He asked in disbelief.
"Because you are not protesting and fighting back, Mr. Shekhawat." Kiara sat on the edge of the pool and laughed.
He resurfaced, spitting out water and glaring playfully at her. "Oh, really?" he asked, swimming towards the edge of the pool, his eyes locked on hers.
He leaned on the edge, now facing her, his wet hair sticking to his forehead. "You think you're safe up there, love?" he mocked, his tone seductive.
"Well safer than you are right now," she bit her lips to surpass her smile, He smirked at her words, his gaze locked onto hers. "Oh, you think so, do you?" he responded, his fingers lightly grazing her anklets. "Let's test that theory."
With a swift move, he quickly gripped her ankles and suddenly pulled her into the pool. She gasped and held his shoulder, "What the hell, it wasn't me who targeted you."
He chuckled, his arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her closer. "No, but you're the one who's paying the price," he replied, his gaze darkened with desire, "And I'm not done yet."
"Husband, our family is here." She pushed him and got out of the pool, her dress clinging to her body now. He got out of the pool and picked all her male cousin's very easily, of course he never skips gym.
He threw them all in the pool, "You all thought I was the easiest?" Kiara smiled, finally he was opening up with her family, or she could say new people.
Her cousins laughed in disbelief as they surfaced from the water, clearly not expecting his resistance. He smirked, his gaze shifting to Kiara, her dress now clinging to her figure, enhancing her curves.
"I guess I have my reputation to maintain," he replied, his hand reaching for her waist and pulling her closer. "Can't let my wife's family think I'm an easy target, can I?"
She chuckled, "Fight back until the game is over," she smiled as she saw her cousins coming back to him.
They approached him and pulled him towards them, "Not so easily Jija ji," her cousins said.
"You guys think you can win because you are more in number, four of you can't beat both of us in this game." His step brother, chitransh stepped in.
"Let's show them, we brother are no less bhaiya." Kiara smiled, they were step brothers but even after her step mother's efforts, they didn't hate each other.
Meanwhile Ekansh felt a different emotion when he heard bhaiya from Chitransh's mouth, ever since they were kids, Ekansh pushed chitransh away, but he kept clinging to Ekansh.
He glanced at Chitransh, a subtle expression of surprise on his face. He had long ago resigned himself to the idea of their strained relationship, but now he was witnessing something unexpected.
Together both the brothers threw all of her cousins in the pool, as they were enjoying Richa approached Kiara, "How have you been?"
Kiara smiled looking at her sister, "Fine di, how about you?"
"I am good, I heard what happened with you, I couldn't come. Chitransh's mother is making our life difficult, she is not letting us take any decision, she doesn't even let us visit you guys." Kiara nods in understanding.
"It's fine di, I and Ekansh are doing great together, after moving out from there, he is healing.
" Richa patted her back, "I and Chitransh will leave that place too, the company is not on Chitransh's name, so it hard.
I can't understand his mother, She is just behind money and ruining Ekansh, she doesn't even care about Chitransh anymore. "
"Let it be Di, She can't ruin us, and We don't care about what she does. Take care of yourself." Kiara smiled and Richa smiled back.
...........
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