Ch25 Before the Festival Begins #3
His anger wasn’t loud, but it was intense. The fear hidden in his words was unmistakable.
“But nothing happened…”
The moment those words left her mouth, she realized her mistake.
His jaw clenched.
“You left no chance for something not to happen!”
The room fell silent.
She quickly stepped forward, her eyes filling with remorse.
“I’m sorry. I’ll be careful from now on. I promise.”
Then hesitantly, nervously, she added something that made her blush again.
“And… you’re okay, right? My kick wasn’t that hard… was it?”
For a second, Rudraksh simply stared at her, incredulous.
“Not that hard? It was very hard. And listen carefully if you ever drink something like that again, even by mistake, you’ll see what happens.”
There was warning in his tone, but also protectiveness.
She nodded immediately, almost childlike.
“I promise. It will never happen again. Please forgive me this time.”
He exhaled slowly, his anger settling.
“Good. Now drink the hangover drink. Otherwise, you’ll stay in pain the entire day.”
She picked up the glass obediently and drank it in one go despite the bitterness, squeezing her eyes shut at the taste.
As she placed the empty glass down, he spoke again.
“There’s one more important thing.”
Her body stiffened instantly.
“Did I do something else too?”
“No.”
He paused briefly.
“Dadi Maa and the rest of the family are coming to Mumbai today. Tomorrow is Shivratri. They want to celebrate it with you.”
The shift in her expression was immediate.
All fear vanished.
“What? Really? Dadi Maa is coming?”
Happiness lit up her entire face. She jumped off the bed without thinking and walked quickly toward him, excitement replacing every trace of embarrassment.
“Yes. Dev and a few others are coming too. But both Chachis and Chachaji won’t be coming.”
Her smile softened slightly.
“Why aren’t they coming?”
Rudraksh explained patiently that Shivratri was celebrated with great grandeur in Vardhanpur. If everyone left, who would sit for the Maha Pooja there? That was why some family members were staying back.
She nodded in understanding.
“Oh… that makes sense.”
But then reality struck her like lightning.
“Oh my God… I completely forgot tomorrow is Shivratri! There’s so much preparation to do. And now Dadi Maa and everyone are coming from Vardhanpur too. How will everything be managed together?”
She began pacing around the room anxiously, her earlier hangover forgotten. Her mind was already racing with decorations, arrangements, rituals, food, guests.
Rudraksh stepped closer and gently held her shoulders, grounding her.
“Calm down, Rivanya. Don’t worry. Everything will be managed. First, freshen up and get ready. I’ll send your breakfast here. Then you can slowly handle whatever you need to.”
His voice was steady, reassuring.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to relax.
“You’re right. If I panic, I won’t be able to do anything properly.”
Gradually, she calmed down.
But as she turned toward the washroom, her cheeks flushed again at the memory of the video.
And Rudraksh?
He watched her go, shaking his head slightly.
Somewhere between anger, concern, amusement, and something far deeper
His heart had softened even more for her.
Just as Rivanya was about to step inside the washroom, her fingers resting lightly on the handle, she suddenly froze.
Something tugged at her heart something unfinished.
After a brief pause, she slowly withdrew her hand and turned around.
Her steps were hesitant yet determined as she walked back toward Rudraksh.
He noticed the shift immediately. A moment ago, she had been flustered and embarrassed, but now there was seriousness in her eyes.
“What happened? Why did you come back?” he asked, looking at her with mild confusion.
She stopped a few feet away from him, lowering her gaze. Her fingers twisted nervously together as if gathering courage required physical strength.
“There’s something important I need to talk about.”
Her tone made him straighten unconsciously. Whatever she was about to say mattered to her deeply.
“Yes, tell me.”
She took a slow breath before speaking, her eyes still lowered.
“Rudra… I know you know that there is no real husband-wife relationship between us. We both are aware of that truth. But I want this truth to remain within these four walls.”
The words were steady, but the emotions behind them were fragile. There was no blame in her voice. No resentment. Only a quiet dignity and a request wrapped in vulnerability.
Rudraksh didn’t interrupt her. He simply watched her, understanding what she was trying to protect not herself, but the people who loved them.
He responded calmly, “Alright… so what do you want me to do?”
She swallowed lightly before continuing.
“Please don’t misunderstand me. But until Dadi Maa is here, you should shift into this room.”
She lifted her eyes briefly to see his reaction, then quickly looked down again.
“Everyone is coming here to celebrate the festival. I don’t want anyone to find out about us… especially Dadi Maa. It would hurt her so much. She has so many expectations from this marriage. She believes in it wholeheartedly. I don’t want her happiness to break because of our truth.
So for a few days… can you please stay here?”
Her voice carried sincerity, not selfishness. She wasn’t asking for comfort. She was asking for protection for someone else’s emotions.
Rudraksh remained silent for a moment. He thought about it practically. If someone saw them coming out of separate rooms, questions would arise. There would be unnecessary drama, misunderstandings, and gossip. And most of all, Dadi Maa would feel betrayed.
What Rivanya was asking wasn’t unreasonable.
It was mature.
And thoughtful.
He finally nodded slowly.
“Alright. If that’s what you think is right, I’ll shift to this room.”
The relief on her face was immediate. The tension that had been holding her shoulders stiff seemed to melt away.
“Thank you.”