Chapter 13
Siya and Abhay stepped onto the stage, as the sound of clinking glasses and murmured congratulations blurred somewhere in the background.
Her hand rested in the crook of his arm, and her fingers gripped his sleeve when she came face to face with the full force of the media set-up.
But when he covered her trembling hand with his, she didn’t feel quite so alone.
A ripple of applause went through the room, and cameras flashed in succession as a staff member handed them a glass of wine.
Kartik held up his champagne flute and spoke in a tone full of nostalgia. ‘You know, in these hard times of fleeting bonds, I’ve been fortunate to have a daughter as obedient and steadfast as Siya.’
His gaze flickered to her, and she knew he was assessing her for signs of rebellion. Obedient? She could play that role in her sleep.
She gave him a bright smile as she interjected with an anecdote. ‘My dad is being modest. I’m the lucky one to be his favourite little girl. Suck on that, Kashu,’ she said, making a funny face at Kashvi who played her part by feigning offense.
The sisters were well-versed in acting like devoted daughters at a moment’s notice. To survive in the Kashyap household, it was a necessary skill. That had been a huge reason Siya had moved out as soon as she could afford it, taking Kashvi with her.
Kartik basked in the attention, letting the applause feed his arrogance like fuel. He waited until it died out, then he mused. ‘Love though, love can surprise you. Imagine my surprise when Siya came to me confessing she’s been married to Abhay for two years. Believe me, I was heartbroken.’
Siya felt her stomach churn, and her fingers tightened around the glass. Kartik tried his best to look like the doting father, but to Siya it looked like a mocking mimicry of affection.
‘Of course, I was skeptical. I had to be. After all, not one person present here is unaware of our rocky past. I even brought Kashvi into the picture to make sure Siya wasn’t being impulsive.’
The words hit Siya like a blow and her nails dug into her palm.
She heard the veiled threat in his tone.
He was reminding her that Kashvi was at stake.
As though he could feel her agony, Abhay traced little circles with his thumb on the inside of her wrist. His solid presence behind her grounded her like gravity.
‘But she was just so… sincere and devoted to him. The love in her eyes was unmistakable. As a father, all I want for my kids is to find love and stability in life, and I couldn’t be happier to see Siya find it all with the love of her life.’
He turned his attention to Abhay and his smile seemed genuine. ‘Abhay, I’m so proud that my daughter has chosen a strong, ambitious man like you, and I see in you the same determination that has made your family great.’
‘And to my dear, dear daughter. How will I live without my baby girl when she leaves me?’ he said, emotionally. Siya almost laughed at his remark.
‘Does anyone believe this? No one can be that stupid, right?’ Abhay whispered in her ear.
Instead of answering, Siya subtly gestured to the woman standing closer to her father, gently dabbing at her tears to not ruin her make up. She looked seconds away from sobbing loudly, and so did a few others.
Abhay casually remarked, ‘That doesn’t prove they believe him. They might just owe him money that they’re trying to pay up in TRPs.’
Siya had to smother the smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
Kartik said, ‘And with our blessings in tow, Abhay and Siya will soon lead a new jewellery line as co-chairs. It will be created in line with the heritage and heirloom concept, and you will also see some bespoke vintage pieces from our family vaults.’
A loud cheer erupted and Siya and Abhay clapped along too.
When she looked back at Kartik, she was shocked to see tears shimmering in his eyes, and his voice cracked as he said, ‘All I can say is that if Arohi were here today, she’d be proud of the woman you’ve grown up to be.
I hope you continue to make me proud too.
Here’s to our families coming together!’ Kartik held up his glass in toast and gathered praises and whistles from the guests for being the father of the year.
The hypocrisy of it was suffocating, and she could feel her pulse pounding in her ears. But what threw her off was the cold rage she felt radiating off of Abhay. Was he angry at her behalf?
She didn’t miss the pointed glance her father threw at Mihit, who then stepped forward. He took the mic Kartik passed him, and cleared his throat. When he raised his glass, a hush fell upon the crowd.
Unlike Kartik’s flamboyant and performative tone, Mihit seemed much more calm and composed. He spoke with a rich gravitas. ‘Today marks a celebration of more than just a union of business and legacy. It’s about the joy of witnessing two people choose each other for the rest of their lives.’
Mihit continued, ‘My son has grown up to be a man I respect and admire, and to see him standing next to this amazing young woman who brings such grace and stability in his life makes my heart full.’
Siya could see the sincerity in the way he looked at his son, and a pang of envy rushed through her.
‘And to Siya, welcome to the family,’ Mihit said, raising his glass in her direction. ‘We’re lucky to have you. Thank you for tolerating my son. You’re a brave woman with the patience of a saint.’
A surprise laughter erupted in her chest and she murmured a thank you.
She hadn’t expected Mihit to take a dig at Abhay.
The resigned expression on Abhay’s face as they clinked their glasses told her this was a common occurrence.
In a better situation, she could see herself getting along with Mihit.
When he handed off the mic, Siya barely had time to sigh in relief that it was over, when a familiar voice shouted from somewhere back in the room. ‘Speech from the groom!’
Everyone whooped at the demand and joined in with similar chants.
Siya narrowed her eyes at Luv just in time to see him smirking like a devil.
‘I don’t know why we’re friends with them,’ Abhay muttered under his breath.
‘Don’t worry, you don’t have to deal with them for long. I’m going to murder them as soon as I get off stage.’
His hand flexed against her hip, grabbing it harder. Abhay lowered his mouth until it hovered just above her ear. ‘Keep talking in that bossy tone and I’ll forget we’re in public.’
With all her strength, she suppressed her gasp, but couldn’t control the tremble in her body. His warm chuckle against her ear told her he had caught it too.
Swayam exclaimed, ‘C’mon, don’t be shy! Let’s hear the story from the hero of this romantic saga.’
Siya pinned him with a glare sharp enough to slice through his mischief, but that only prompted him to high-five Luv. They both looked far too pleased with themselves in enjoying their misery. Meera rolled her eyes at them while Kashvi shook with laughter.
Traitors, the whole lot of them, Siya thought.
She had barely looked away from their friends when she felt Abhay’s rough palm firmly slide across her waist. Her breath rushed out in a sharp exhale.
His touch was possessive and the pull of his hard body against hers racked up the heat in her body, and her flushed cheeks felt warm.
It did something dangerous to her insides.
The cameras flashed around them as Abhay lifted the mic to his lips and pulled her close enough that every tiny nerve in her body went still.
‘I know this is the part where I’m supposed to pledge my undying love and say how lucky I am to have you,’ he began, his gaze never leaving hers. ‘But the truth is, even if I strung together every perfect word, in every language I know, it still wouldn’t come close to how I really feel for you.’
The embers of his blazing eyes burned up the space between them into ashes until even the air had no room. When he looked at her like that, the entire world faded away. All she could feel was the soft tremor in his voice as his fingers gently pressed into the curve of her waist.
His voice dropped an octave lower, ringing with such raw sincerity that it tugged at the tightly-coiled edges of her armour. ‘Everyone has heard the story of how I met Siya years ago, but actually, she walked into my life at a friend’s birthday when we were kids.’
What?! she screamed in her mind. They met when they were kids…
or did he make it up to sell their love story?
Her heart thudded hard against her ribs as her mind raced through all memories she had of childhood parties she’d been forced to attend, to grow up “with the right people,” but for the life of her she couldn’t remember it.
‘She was wearing blue, her wild hair tucked under a ridiculous clown-themed birthday cap, as she scolded me for trying to steal a piece of cake. She had this… fire even back then, and I didn’t understand it at the time, but I think a part of me fell in love with her that day.’
Her eyes went wide, disbelief splashed across her face. The tenderness in his gaze told her he wasn’t lying, which was the most terrifying part. And the second he saw that flicker of genuine shock in her expression, he chuckled.
‘That’s exactly how she looked at me the first time I told her that—like I’m insane,’ he teased and a small ripple of laughter and admiration fluttered through the crowd.
‘But what she’s never really understood is that she makes my heart race every time she walks into a room.
The day she became my wife, my whole world came alive with joy. ’
Siya barely managed to keep her face neutral as cameras captured her every reaction. A flush rose in her cheeks and to cover it up, she gave a small smile, hoping it was enough as entertainment fodder.