-20-
The weather was getting cold, the chill in the air seeping into Jayasvi's bones as she sat in a corner, looking at nothing in particular.
Her cousin sisters were around her, their laughter and chatter a distant murmur in her ears.
Her eyes were fixed on the agni (fire) in the Hawankund as her sister took seven rounds around it along with her husband, the flames flickering and dancing, oblivious to her inner turmoil.
"Jayu, I am hungry. Let's eat something," Akshara spoke, pulling Jayasvi with her without even letting her respond.
Jayasvi was too lost in her own thoughts to react to Akshara's actions.
After she returned home earlier, her mother had bombarded her with questions about why she had disappeared.
Upon seeing the bandage on Jayasvi's hands, her mother had lost control of her emotions, crying as she checked Jayasvi's wound.
Jayasvi had tried to comfort her, explaining that it had happened because of a broken bottle.
As Akshara went to get a plate, Jayasvi waited patiently, staring ahead at a wall with a mirror on it. She saw her reflection looking perfect, like nothing had happened. But all she wanted at that moment was to get to her room and cry herself to sleep.
"Hey," a voice pulled her out of her thoughts. She turned to see Aahan standing there, looking at her with concern.
"What happened to your hand? I thought we could talk today, but I didn't even see you," Aahan said, his eyes falling on her bandaged hand. Then he noticed the expensive diamond ring on her ring finger.
"It's nothing. Thanks for your concern," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper, sweet and melting in his ears as always.
"Your ring is beautiful," he remarked, pointing at the ring just as Akshara returned with her plate.
"I said the same thing. Jiju has great taste, I think," Akshara said, smiling brightly at Jayasvi. Jayasvi forced a smile in return, not wanting to let out any more emotion.
"Jiju?" Aahan was confused. Why would Jayasvi's brother-in-law gift her such an expensive ring?
"Yeah, Jayu's future husband," Akshara teased, nudging Jayasvi's shoulder. Aahan felt like the ground beneath his feet had disappeared at her words.
"You're getting married?" he asked, unable to hide his shock.
"Yeah, you don't know? She got engaged a few months ago. See, there he is," Akshara said, pointing at Raghav, who was speaking to his security head with a serious expression. His eyes met Jayasvi's, and she felt a shiver run down her spine at the anger she saw in them. It felt like a warning.
Jayasvi quickly excused herself, unable to bear the intensity of Raghav's gaze.
"She got shy, I think. Let me feed her a little. Nice to meet you, by the way," Akshara said, following Jayasvi and urging her to eat something. Jayasvi nodded absentmindedly, her mind racing.
As Jayasvi tried to compose herself, the festive atmosphere around her felt surreal.
The warmth of the fire and the coldness of the night mirrored the conflicting emotions within her.
She felt trapped between the expectations of her family, the looming threat of Raghav, and her own desire for freedom and happiness.
As the night wore on, Jayasvi felt increasingly exhausted, both physically and emotionally. The bandage on her hand was starting to itch, and her feet ached from standing in her heels for so long. She glanced around, hoping to find a moment to escape and be alone, if only for a few minutes.
She spotted her mother talking to some relatives and decided to slip away quietly. She made her way to the edge of the garden, where a small gazebo stood. It was dimly lit and secluded, the perfect place to gather her thoughts.
But as she reached the gazebo, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned to see Raghav approaching, his expression unreadable. Her heart sank.
"Jayasvi," he said, his voice low and controlled. "What are you doing out here?"
"Nothing," she spoke, trying to keep her voice steady.
"I thought maybe waiting for your little boy toy," he joked, his voice so cold that she could feel the chills. She looked at him with so many questions evident in her eyes.
"Didn't I tell you to stay away from him?" he spoke, taking steps towards her. She took a step back in fear.
"Who?" she spoke, truly clueless at his words.
"Jayasvi, don't. Just don't force me to do something you'll hate. If you are so oblivious to it, let me quote it nicely for you. Stay away from Aahan Dagar if you want to see him and yourself safe," he hissed at her. She immediately shook her head, not knowing from where he got that idea.
"I haven't done anything," she whispered, her voice trembling.
"Now that you know the dimensions of this relationship, I hope that you won't trouble me like you used to do also understand your name is joined with me so it's your responsibility to behave accordingly.
I am not going to take your tantrums, so remember that before contacting me," he spoke sharply.
She parted her lips to answer but knew her words meant nothing to him.
He just gave her a final glance before moving away from her, probably leaving.
Jayasvi stood there, her mind spinning. The implication of his words hit her hard. She knew she had to protect Aahan and herself from Raghav's wrath. She felt a lump in her throat as she watched him walk away, his silhouette fading into the shadows.
The night air was cold, and she wrapped her arms around herself, shivering not just from the chill but from the fear coursing through her veins. She knew she had to find a way out of this mess, but the path seemed impossible.
Taking a deep breath, she made her way back to the party, forcing a smile as she rejoined her family.
She couldn't let them see her distress, couldn't let them know the hell she was living through.
She plastered a smile on her face and went through the motions, her mind already working on a plan to escape Raghav's control.
As the guests started to leave and the party wound down, Jayasvi's mother approached her. "Are you okay, beta?" her mother asked, concern evident in her eyes.
"I'm fine, Maa," Jayasvi replied, hugging her mother tightly. "Just tired."
As she reached home she immediately changed her clothes as her mother was helping her in everything looking at her injury.
She excused herself and head to her room.
She closed the door behind her, leaning against it for a moment as the tears she had been holding back all night finally spilled over.
She slid down to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest, and cried silently, her sobs muffled by the sound of the laughter of her family as they discussed something.
Right now, she could only endure, knowing she had no power in front of Raghav.
Her heart wasn't ready to accept everything.
She wiped her tears, taking a deep breath, but more tears started falling down.
She cupped her face silently sobbing looking at the moon visible from her room's window considering it her only companion at this moment.
A week passed by, Jayasvi observed everything silently, her heart heavy with the weight of her secrets.
Her mother's happiness with the choice of Raghav as her partner was evident as she proudly recounted to Jayasvi's dadi how Raghav had handled her wounded hand with care and concern.
Jayasvi knew she couldn't take away that pride and happiness from her family, even if it meant enduring her own silent suffering.
One evening, determined to address the situation, she decided to visit Raghav's office.
She dressed in a long black coat dress that reached her knees, paired with white leggings and matching boots.
Her mother tied her hair in a French braid, making her look simple yet elegant.
She wanted to ensure Raghav didn't misinterpret her visit as anything but serious.
With her mother's permission, she headed to his office, her heart pounding with every step.
At the reception, she saw a girl in her mid-twenties attending a phone call. The girl gestured for her to wait a moment as she finished the call.
"How may I help you, ma'am?" the receptionist asked, her tone professional.
"I wanted to meet Mr. Hooda," Jayasvi replied politely, though inside she was a bundle of nerves. She didn't have an appointment, and every previous visit had been arranged by Raghav's bodyguard.
"Ma'am, I don't see any appointment here. Would you like me to check with sir's secretary?" the receptionist said, offering an apologetic smile.
"I'll see if I can manage," Jayasvi said, feeling a sense of helplessness. Could she call him? But he had clearly told her not to disturb him. She moved away from the reception, contemplating her next move.
"Ma'am, his secretary is over there. You can talk to him if you want," the receptionist suggested, pointing at a man who had just exited the elevator. Jayasvi's face brightened upon recognizing Akshay.
"Sir," the receptionist called, catching Akshay's attention. He looked over and immediately spotted Jayasvi.
"Ma'am," he said respectfully, approaching them. The receptionist was visibly surprised by the level of respect the young girl commanded.
"Is Mr. Hooda free right now?" Jayasvi asked softly.
"He's actually with someone. I hope you can wait," Akshay replied, guiding her towards the elevator. Jayasvi thanked the receptionist for her help and followed him.
The elevator ride was brief, taking them to Raghav's floor. Akshay asked her to wait in the lounge room while he went to inform Raghav of her arrival. Jayasvi settled into a chair, trying to compose herself.
Akshay knocked on Raghav's office door. When allowed in, he saw his boss deep in conversation with his old friend, Karan Mehra, who sat across from him.
"Sir, Jayasvi ma'am is here. She's waiting for you to be free," Akshay informed Raghav respectfully. Raghav barely reacted, giving a curt nod before turning his attention back to Karan, who raised an eyebrow teasingly.
"So, our bhabhi is here. I would never like her to wait because of her devar(brother-in-law)," Karan said, rising and buttoning his suit jacket. "I will personally escort her to this room."
Jayasvi was nervously flipping through a random magazine, rehearsing how she would articulate her emotions. A knock on the glass door snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see a man in a deep blue three-piece suit, his hair slightly disheveled but still appealing.
"Namaste bhabhi," he greeted, his voice carrying a slight accent as he approached her. Jayasvi gave him an uncomfortable smile, unused to being called bhabhi by anyone other than Dhara.
"Sorry for making you wait. Your dear to-be-husband is waiting in his cabin patiently for his beautiful fiancé," he said, bowing dramatically. His vibrant energy brought a small smile to her face.
"Thank you. I hope I didn't disturb you. I can wait," she replied as he walked with her to Raghav's office.
"Oh no, Bhabhi. It's your devar and your dear fiancé; you can never disturb us," he said charmingly, opening the door for her. Jayasvi hesitated for a moment before stepping inside.
Jayasvi felt a wave of nervousness wash over her as she stood at the threshold of Raghav's office.
The memories of their past encounters here, mixed with the turmoil of her current situation, made her heart race.
She forced a small smile in response to Karan's jovial demeanor, but her eyes were already beginning to mist with unshed tears.
"See whom I brought here. I must say, Raghav, bhabhi looks much more beautiful in real life," Karan said, walking towards Raghav. Noticing Jayasvi's frozen stance, he called out to her again.
"Bhabhi," he repeated, breaking her from her turmoil.
"Yes," she replied softly, forcing a slight smile.
"Please, come in," Karan said, ushering her inside. "By the way, I forgot to introduce myself," he added respectfully.
"Karan Sangwan here. Your lovely fiancé's one and only friend. I hope he must have told you about me," Karan said with a teasing smile at Raghav.
"Hi, Karan sir. Jayasvi here," she responded softly. Karan frowned at being addressed as "sir" before glancing at Raghav.
"Bhabhi, please call me Karan only. 'Sir' sounds weird coming from you.
By the way, I know you must have come to discuss something important with Raghav.
I have to make a call as well. You guys have your time," he said, and with a final charming smile, Karan exited the room, leaving Jayasvi alone with Raghav.
The door clicked shut, and the silence in the room felt heavy and oppressive.
Raghav remained seated, his eyes fixed on her with a cold expression.
Jayasvi took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.
She stepped further into the room, feeling her legs tremble slightly beneath her.
The grey walls, stark and unwelcoming, seemed to close in on her, making her feel suffocated.
His office room suddenly was making her scared.
"I'm sorry to disturb you," she spoke softly as she stood on the other side of the table. Raghav sitting on his seat was actually a very intimidating scene. It in itself was a symbol of authority and power. The high-backed executive leather chair he sat in only accentuated his imposing presence.
"I was looking for this apology," he stated, his tone cold and curt.
"I thought you weren't wearing the engagement ring," he uttered, his eyes flicking to her bandaged hand. The wounds were slightly deep. It wasn't yet healed.
"I couldn't remove the rings because of the wounds," Jayasvi spoke, pulling her hand behind her back to hide it.
"It wasn't dangerous anymore," he mocked, raising his eyebrows.
"I was wearing gloves when I came here," she mumbled, feeling embarrassed.
"Speak. What called you here?" he said, picking up a file and opening it, his eyes scanning the information as if she were a mere distraction.
"I know this marriage is more like a deal for Dhara and Rishabh's happiness. I am content with it. I have accepted everything as my destiny," she spoke softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"You didn't have any other choice," he said, still looking at his document, which seemed more interesting than her conversation.
"You're right. I don't have any choice," she spoke, a sad smile playing on her lips at her own destiny.
"All I want to say is I am ready for everything but I have a few conditions," she said, holding the head of the chair near her for support.
He looked up lazily, finally putting his document away and giving her his full attention.
His sharp gaze made her even more nervous, but she knew she had to continue.
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