The Royal Silence

47. Warning

I exhaled, looking at myself in the mirror. Everything looked perfect, yet nothing was.

My head was a mess.

It's mehendi today, and tomorrow will be the wedding. I was scared, my heartbeat grew wild with every passing second with fear of losing him.

I would gladly step away if he didn't want me in his life but I don't want him to marry Olivia.

As much as I have understood her, she is not right for him

And you think you are? my mind mocked.

I looked at my reflection again.

I know, I wasn't either, that's why I said I would step back if he wanted that. But only if he would not marry her.

And what if he does not? my mind asked again.

Then I wouldn't step back either because even if I did, I know I would destroy whatever was between us.

Taking a deep breath, I wore my earrings and walked out of my room.

I should see Dhrithika first. She might help, before going downstairs, I moved toward her room.

As I walked, the bangles on my hand clicked softly.

I never liked wearing them before but now... these actually looked good on me. Maybe I'll start wearing it on normal days too.

Reaching her door, I lifted my hand to knock but the door suddenly opened.

Someone collided with me hard. I stepped back automatically, anger instantly took over the moment I saw who it was.

It was Dhrithika's boyfriend, the same man I had seen in Florence.

He looked startled for a second... then walked away quickly.

What the hell was he doing in her room? That too inside the Raizaada mansion?

I blinked, standing there shocked for a moment, then stepped inside.

Dhrithika was standing in front of the mirror, calmly doing her makeup.

"Dhwani..." her lips parted the moment she saw me. Her eyes quickly flickered toward the door.

"What was he doing here?" I asked directly.

"He? Who?" she replied casually. "I don't know who you're talking about."

She looked away, pretending to focus on her eyeliner.

I stepped forward and grabbed her arm.

"You know exactly who I'm talking about," I said firmly. "Don't play dumb in front of me."

"Okay relax," she sighed. "He just came to give me this."

She pointed toward a necklace box lying on the vanity.

This girl.

"How did he enter the mansion?" I asked. "That too when you know Yugant is here?"

She bit her inner cheek.

"I told you, Rohit is Adhvait bhaiya's business partner's son. So bhaiya invited him for the wedding. That's all."

God.

Adhvait is a fraud and I'm getting a very bad feeling right now... as if something is very wrong.

"Hm... alright," I said slowly. "When did he come?"

"He came when I was taking a shower," she replied cheerfully. "He waited here and when I returned he gave me this."

"Oh..." I swallowed, watching her happy face.

She really is innocent.

Or maybe dumb, or maybe spoiled.

Or maybe dumb because she was spoiled knowingly.

Don't judge her. You're not any better. my mind mocked again. Why is my mind so sassy?

Fine... I know I'm not perfect but at least I understand people's intentions.

Yeah, except Yugant's. You understand everyone else's intentions.

Okay shut up.

I just want to make sure she is with the right person, I care about her.

"Dhrithika..." I called.

"Yes?"

"Did you guys... I mean... have you two done anything more than... you know... kissing?"

God.

I sounded like some aunt interrogating a girl about her character certificate.

Very wrong, Dhwani.

She turned to look at me.

"Is it important to share?" she asked calmly. "It's my personal life.Just like you have one with my brother. I never interfere in that. You shouldn't either."

Wow, that felt like a slap without touch.

Mind-blowing.

My subconscious laughed at me.

Though I know what she said was absolutely right, but she doesn't understand.

It's her brother and not every man is like him.

"Yugant is different," I blurted out.

She raised her brows.

"Is he?" she asked."Then why didn't you realize this earlier?"

Because I was scared of attachment, because I understood my feelings when the time had already slipped out of my hands.

Because I never trusted any relationship.

Because of my past.

"Get ready soon," I said, turning toward the door. "I'm waiting downstairs."

"Did you meet bhaiya?" her voice stopped me.

I paused for a moment before answering.

"No. He came late last night. I didn't get the chance."

Yesterday, when I came out of Daadi's room holding that necklace, my mind was filled with questions.

I thought a lot and eventually... I found the answers too.

I understood that I love him deeply and I want to stay with him, even if marriage is the license.

I went to his room to inform him, to confess, but he wasn't home and when he finally returned... what happened between us was already too much.

"You should talk to him now, Dhwani," she said. "Hardly twenty-four hours are left for the wedding. My bhaiya is a crackhead. He can take any wrong step in anger."

Not only your bhaiya, you're also a crackhead.

I wanted to say that out loud but I swallowed those words and quietly walked out of the room.

I was walking mindlessly in the corridor when my feet suddenly froze. A strange sound reached my ears.

I looked around to see if anyone was there, but the corridor was completely empty.

I frowned.

Great... now my mind has started making sounds too.

Shaking my head, I took another step forward.

But the sound came again.

God.

Is my head so full of dirty thoughts now that I'm hearing moans?

Eww, Dhwani.

I lightly slapped my forehead, but the sound came again.

Taking a deep breath, I stopped in my tracks.

"Okay... so it's not in my head," I whispered to myself. "I'm actually hearing it."

My eyes moved around the corridor, trying to figure out where it was coming from.

Who could it be?

I followed the direction of the sound, and my gaze landed on the storeroom door. It was closed.

I walked there slowly and pushed it slightly.

It was locked from inside and those very unholy sounds came again.

Oh God... my poor innocent ears.

I had no idea who was inside, but now that I had heard it, I needed to know. Otherwise my brain would explode imagining things.

Looking around, I spotted a small stool nearby then my eyes moved to the ventilation window above the door.

Perfect.

I dragged the stool closer to the wall and climbed onto it carefully, balancing myself as I tried to peek inside.

My short height is the only thing I hate when I try to spy on someone. It always makes things harder. I stretched up on my toes and finally managed to look inside.

My lips parted in shock.

A man was sitting on a wooden chair with his back toward me. His broad shoulders and well-built frame were visible even from here.

For a second my brain compared him to Yugant.

Okay... shut up, Dhwani.

But the real shock came a second later.

Olivia was sitting on his lap, her legs wrapped around his waist.

Her top had slipped down while he buried his face against her neck, and she was letting out soft, shameless moans.

My eyes widened.

Isn't she supposed to get married tomorrow?

I was about to pull away when her voice reached my ears again.

"Fuck... Yugant."

I froze. Yugant?

Is that him?

No. Impossible.

I tried to look at the man more clearly, but I couldn't see his face, just for a second doubt crept into my mind.

Is it actually him? My head went blank.

No.

He can't do that, I know him.

I guess she was doing it knowingly, did she know I am here spying on her?

It's better to step away from here, Dhwani, before you get yourself into some problem.

I tried stepping down from the stool but my foot got stuck at the edge of my dress and the stool slipped, before I fell a hand wrapped around my waist instantly, steadying me, and the stool made a loud sound as it rolled down on the floor.

I looked up to see the pair of those black eyes, my breath caught in my throat as his cologne filled my nose.

Yugant.

Before I could say anything, we heard the sound of the storeroom door unlocking.

Yugant tightened his arm around my waist and lifted me effortlessly, within seconds he dragged me behind a pillar and pinned me there, standing so close that I could barely breathe.

I turned my head to look towards the store room, and found Olivia, looking around suspiciously, and then after a few seconds she went inside the room locking it again.

I exhaled, shaking my head and looked back at the Yugant standings so close.

My heartbeat went completely out of control seeing him this close, his expression hard and unreadable. For a moment I completely forgot what I had seen a few seconds ago.

He finally looked down at me and raised his brows. "What were you doing there?"

"Spying," I blurted out, still lost in his eyes.

"Why?"

"Because... she was moaning your name."

The moment the words left my mouth I regretted it.

"I-I mean... I was just checking who-"

"You were checking if it was me with her, right?" His jaw tightened as he finished my sentence.

I mean yes, but there is a difference.

"I... I was just checking who was inside," I muttered, looking away.

He grabbed my arm and forced me to look back at him.

"Didn't you think it was me with her?"

God.

How do you lie when someone is looking straight into your eyes like this?

I had thought it for just a second, but he would definitely misunderstand it.

"Yu... Yugant, I was just checking who was inside."

"For even a second you thought it was me?" he repeated.

"Just... for a second, but," I tried to explain.

"And then you claim to love me?" He exhaled sharply and rubbed his hand over his face.

I frowned.

Why was he making it such a big issue?

I was just trying to understand why she was moaning his name. That's all, and he was acting as if I had committed some huge crime.

It was just a doubt. Just a thought that came for a second and vanished the next second.

"It was just a misunderstanding... it has nothing to do with my love."

"It has everything to do with it," he replied sharply. "You say you love me, but the moment you heard her moaning my name, you tried to peek inside. Is that love? Is that trust?"

God.

He had completely misunderstood everything.

I was just trying to see who was inside. She said his name after that. But how was I supposed to explain that now without making things worse?

"Let's not talk about this," I tried to calm the situation. "I wanted to tell you something else... something about Dhrithika."

He chuckled bitterly.

"So now that you have no answer, you're shifting everything towards my sister?"

My lips parted in disbelief. What had gotten into him?

"I didn't change the topic," I said firmly. "I was actually coming to you to tell you something about her life. I just got stuck in this mess."

"Alright, listen to me carefully now."

His grip tightened around my arm. I tried to pull my hand free, but he pushed me back against the pillar firmly.

"Stay away from me... and from my sister's life, Dhwani," he said coldly. "I'm warning you for the last time."

"But it's about her life... you should know-"

He slammed his hand on the pillar beside my head, cutting my words off.

"She is my sister. I know everything," he said sternly. "You don't need to worry about her."

His voice dropped another notch.

"You came here to attend the wedding. So do that... and then walk away from here holding your brother's hand."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there.

My fists clenched. How can someone be this dumb?

He came, blamed me for everything, and walked away without even trying to listen.

I took a sharp breath, turned around, and walked back toward my room.

?

"Bhai, did you talk to Yugant?" I asked Samarth bhai, standing beside me.

We were standing in a corner of the hall, watching the guests and everything around us, while Olivia was sitting in the center and two henna artists were applying mehendi on her hands.

She had refused any heavy design, just a small flower in the center of her palm. That was all. Though it wasn't wrong, it was completely her choice.

"No. I couldn't meet him," he answered.

I exhaled. "We don't have time, bhai. The mehendi function is almost done, tomorrow is the wedding."

He turned towards me. "Don't worry. I'll make everything right. You love him, and you're getting him, at all costs."

"It's not about getting him, bhai... it's about understanding," I said quietly. "I want the earlier Yugant back, not this one who doubts me every time I do something. I want the one who stood beside me all the time, even when he knew I was completely wrong."

My voice broke remembering what happened earlier.

Before bhai could answer, Dhrithika came.

"Bhaiya... can I take Dhwani away?" she asked, looking at him.

I wanted to say I didn't want to go, because if I did, her brother would again come at me with his sharp words but I was never prepared to say no to her.

Bhai patted her head before nodding.

She grabbed my hand and guided me toward the mehendi artist as we sat down.

"Auntie... apply a good and heavy design on her hands too," she told the artist, holding my hand out.

What? No.

"Why on my hands?" I looked at her.

"Because it's the mehendi function and tomorrow is the wedding."

"It's your brother's wedding, not mine. Tell him to apply this," I said, trying to stand, but she pulled me back holding my hand.

"Dhwani... it's my brother's wedding, which means it's your wedding. Olivia will not get married to bhaiya, but he will get married tomorrow. So maybe by this time tomorrow you will officially be my sister-in-law."

I laughed internally.

"It's impossible, Dhrithika."

"It's not, trust me. Just do it, also, bhaiya loves the fragrance a lot. On Karwachauth when Mumma used to apply mehendi, bhaiya used to sit beside her all the time and say he would sit beside his wife like that too... feed her with his hands. It's fun."

I looked at the cone in the mehendi artist's hand.

Dhrithika didn't know, but I was allergic to this henna paste.

"Did Yugant actually like it? Will he talk to me nicely if I do this?" I asked her, just to confirm.

She nodded with a smile.

"Also make sure to write his initial somewhere hidden. He will be so happy when he finds it. Papa used to find his initial in Mumma's hand too, and we used to sit there cheering for them. I want to do that for my brother as well."

I looked around the hall.

My eyes finally landed on Yugant sitting beside Olivia, though he was not interested in her mehendi at all, he was still there.

He might come here as well.

Maybe he would hold my hand for a moment to find his initial... and I could admire him from so close.

Thinking all that, I opened my palms in front of the mehendi artist.

"Do you want designs only on your palms?" she asked.

"No. Apply from a little above her wrist. Full bridal design," Dhrithika answered before I could.

The artist nodded.

"You have to remove your bangles and ring."

I nodded and removed my bangles, passing them to Dhrithika.

"Dhwani... what are you doing?" Samarth bhai's voice came.

His eyes landed on my hand in the artist's grip. He knew about my allergy. He knew almost everything.

"I just want to apply a little," I said, looking up at him.

We were sitting on mattresses placed in the living hall where a few women were dancing and enjoying while the men stood around drinking.

"You can't apply this... you're aller-"

"Bhai," I stopped him before he finished. "Just a little. Please." I begged him silently with my eyes.

"Dhwani..."

"Bhai, please."

This time he didn't say anything, he just walked away.

I felt bad, but I was dying to talk to Yugant... at least properly. Maybe this would help.

The artist started applying the design from a little above my wrist.

The paste felt cold at first. I didn't feel anything until she kept applying more.

I was already having trouble sitting straight because I am so clumsy. One of my feet had already gone numb.

The design was long and detailed, so she took her time.

Slowly, the guests started leaving.

I was starving. I hadn't eaten anything since morning and it was already night.

I looked around for Yugant again, but he was nowhere.

I thought maybe if I applied this, he might come here... maybe ask for water... but he didn't.

My face fell.

I looked at Dhrithika sitting beside me.

"Can you get me some water?"

She nodded immediately and called a waiter. Taking the bottle, she opened it and helped me drink.

The mehendi started drying slowly... and the itching began.

My hands, my back... everything started hurting badly.

"Dhrithika, I'm hungry. Can you bring some food too?"

" Me?" She asked, pointing at herself. Ofcourse, she couldn't do that, she hardly did that for herself.

" I mean, call my brother if you can."

"Of course. Wait here, I'll be back."

She disappeared, busy on her phone.

"You have such pretty hands. The color will look very good on you," the mehendi artist complimented as she finished the last step.

I nodded with a small smile, looking at my hands.

They looked beautiful... but the itching wasn't letting me enjoy it.

"Which initial should I write?" she asked.

"Y," I answered softly.

She smiled. "Oh... so you're the bride?"

I didn't answer. I didn't know myself.

Thankfully she didn't ask again and hid the initial near my pinky finger.

I smiled faintly.

I was just waiting for the moment when Yugant would find it. After a few minutes she also walked away toward the buffet.

I sat there looking at my phone, ring and my bangles lying beside me.

Minutes passed.

But Dhrithika didn't come back. I stood up thinking to find bhai myself but my dupatta slipped and fell on the floor.

Arghhhh...

I was already frustrated with everything and now this too. I bent slightly and tried to pick it up with my fingertips, making sure I didn't ruin the design but my neckline was deep, as always.

As I bent, someone stopped right in front of me, I looked up and found Rohit.

Dhrithika's boyfriend.

His eyes were fixed exactly on my cleavage.

So I wasn't wrong. He really was a pervert.

"Oh..." he smirked shamelessly. "I could help... if you bend a little more. Maybe give me a better view."

My blood boiled instantly. I wanted to slap him right there but I swallowed my anger because I couldn't risk ruining my henna.

Slowly I straightened up and looked at him from head to toe. "So finally showing your real face, acting like a cheap roadside creep." His smirk faded a little.

"Since my hands are busy right now," I lifted my mehendi-covered palms slightly, "consider yourself lucky."

I stepped closer.

"Otherwise you wouldn't be able to use that filthy mouth of yours again."

Then I picked my dupatta playing with my dried henna hand in front of my cleavage and walked past him without another glance.

I was already boiling, and my anger only escalated the moment I saw Yugant sitting at the table, feeding Olivia with his hands.

My steps froze.

For a second, I just stood there, my eyes slowly dropped to my own hands, the mehendi on them turning darker, while the skin beneath had started turning red.

My eyes stung.

The hunger I had been feeling since morning disappeared at the same moment.

I swallowed hard, my chest tightening.

Without saying a word, I turned and walked away from there. Each step felt heavier than the last.

With every passing second, my heart kept breaking a little more.

As I watched Dhwani walking away, I placed the plate back on the table and stood.

"Actually, I just remembered I have to make an important call," I said casually.

Before anyone could say anything, I vanished from there at bullet-train speed.

As much as I knew Dhwani, I already knew she would come to me and ask me to feed her since her hands were filled with henna. That was exactly the reason I left.

It was better this way. I didn't want to hurt myself anymore. I just needed a little peace.

I was walking back toward my room when my eyes fell on Dhrithika sitting on a chair, staring at her hands covered with henna.

"Mr. Robot, why don't you smile?" she asked Ishaan, who was kneeling in front of her.

Her foot rested on his knee as he carefully tried to tie the strap of her heel.

Ishaan didn't answer.

"Mr. Robot? Do you have some defect in your ears? Did your ear battery stop working? Should I tell bhaiya to replace it with a new one?" she continued yapping while Ishaan kept focusing on fixing her heels.

How could he stay so calm all the time?

He was probably the most perfect man I had ever met. No anger issues, endless patience, soft-spoken... and the way he looked after Dhrithi always gave me a strange sense of peace.

But he would be gone in six months.

Then what?

How would I manage everything alone?

Dhrithika... Dadi... Dadu... the house... the business... everything.

"Mr. Ishaan Awasthi, can't you hear me?" Dhrithika asked again, this time a little more strictly.

Ishaan finally lifted his eyes toward her.

"Yes, I can hear you, ma'am," he said calmly, tightening the strap around her ankle. "But I was told to fix your heels, not your endless talking."

"Dadi didn't say you can't talk to me," she argued immediately, her brows knitting together.

"Yeah... but I prefer my mental peace," Ishaan replied calmly, still focused on fixing the strap around her ankle.

Dhrithika's cheeks puffed up instantly in annoyance.

"How rude!" she huffed, crossing her arms as much as she could without ruining the henna on her hands. "I am trying to have a decent conversation with you and you are behaving like a stone statue."

Ishaan finished tightening the strap and finally looked up at her.

"A stone statue would still be quieter than you, ma'am," he said dryly.

Her eyes widened. "Did you just insult me?"

"I simply stated a fact."

She leaned slightly forward on the chair, glaring at him.

"You know what? I will complain to bhaiya that you are misbehaving with me."

Ishaan stood slowly after finishing the strap, dusting his hands.

"You're free to do that," he replied in the same calm tone. "Just make sure you tell him the full story... including how you called me Mr. Robot ten times in just a minute."

Dhrithika blinked, momentarily speechless while Ishaan walked away.

I turned away as well, wanting to disappear before she noticed me. She was no less than Dhwani when it came to creating chaos.

As I walked toward the terrace, my thoughts kept drifting back to Dhrithi and Ishaan.

I wanted Ishaan to stay close, just like he was right now... maybe even closer, like family. And to be honest, I felt at ease whenever I saw him looking after Dhrithi with that endless patience and understanding.

He might even become a part of this family if Dhrithi and him-Wait... what was I even thinking?

He and Dhrithika had a huge age gap. Nine years.

I was definitely thinking too far ahead just because I wanted him to stay here.

But still... if there was anyone in this world I could trust with my sister after me, it would be Ishaan.

Even our own brother, Adhvait had taken advantage of situations all these years, but Ishaan never did, even though he had plenty of chances, especially Gala.

Maybe what I was thinking would look wrong from someone else's perspective.

But from a brother's perspective... someone who worries about his sister and wants to keep a trustworthy man like Ishaan close to the family... it didn't feel wrong.

I shook my head, pushing those thoughts away.

By the time I reached the terrace, I had already decided not to overthink it tonight.

I still had six months to figure that out.

I sat down on the couch, looking up at the dark sky.

The terrace was probably the only quiet place in the whole mansion, away from the noise, the people, the chaos... and of course, Dhwani Rathore.......

As I sat there looking at the sky, I heard footsteps, slow and steady, coming closer.

Within a few seconds Samarth came into view and sat on the couch in front of me. He had two cans of beer in his hand, without saying anything, he slid one toward me across the table.

I didn't think much, I just grabbed it because I needed it. My mind was a complete mess.

I opened the can and took two or three long sips in one go,before leaning back again, staring at the dark sky above, then his voice reached me.

"Do you need something?"

His calm tone confused me. I turned my head slightly and looked at him. Yesterday he was ready to kill me with his bare hands, and now he was sitting here like a peaceful monk?

Something was definitely fishy.

"Yeah," I said sarcastically. "Actually I do. If you could take back the punch you planted on my handsome face yesterday... that would be great, as I am getting married tomorrow, and I am not liking my current face."

Samarth took a slow sip from his beer.

"I'll think about it."

"Think faster," I replied flatly. "Because if you're here to start round two, at least give me a warning so I can stretch first."

He ignored my sarcasm completely and leaned forward slightly and spoke in a calm tone.

"You know... in our family we have a rule."

I raised a brow. "What rule?"

"We don't give dowry."

"What?"

He lost his mind completely after spending four years in jail.

"Yeah, but in your case," he continued, "we might have to make an exception because after marriage the Kingsleys are going to bankrupt you," he paused, "so you might actually need that dowry."

I slowly lowered the beer can and looked at him properly.

Dowry, Kingsley, Bankrupt? None of it made any sense.

"By any chance," I asked slowly, "are you Olivia's long-lost brother?"

Samarth chuckled under his breath. "No."

"Then why are you talking like her family lawyer?"

He shook his head slightly. "I'm not talking about Olivia, I am talking about my sister....Dhwani."

The moment he said her name, my jaw tightened and here I was thinking he came to apologise for yesterday or try to talk nicely. Certified fucker.

"I don't want to talk about her," I said coldly.

"Too bad," he replied calmly. "Because you don't have a choice."

I scoffed."Oh really? And why is that?"

He leaned back in the chair, crossing one leg over the other like a king.

"Because you are going to marry her."

I let out a dry, humorless laugh. "That's funny."

"I'm serious."

"And I'm not," I replied sharply. "Your sister had plenty of chances. She pushed me away every single time."

Samarth took another sip of his beer. "Yeah," he said slowly, "she did."

So he knew everything now?

"Then what exactly are we discussing here?"

He looked at me carefully. "You made my sister fall for you." he gritted his teeth.

I scoffed loudly, it would be fun watching him like this only if the situation would be different.

"You confessed to her."

"Yes."

"You told her you loved her."

"Yes."

"You promised her a life."

My grip tightened on the beer can. "Yes."

"Then congratulations," Samarth said calmly. "Now you're stuck."

I stared at him.

"You can't just walk away and marry someone else after making my sister fall head over heels for you."

"Oh I absolutely can," his eyes darkened.

"No," he replied quietly. "You can't."

"And why not?"

He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping.

"Because I won't let you."

I looked at him for a few seconds, then laughed bitterly.

"Rathore... you really think you can control my life?"

"No," he said calmly. " Absolutely not, but I can definitely ruin it in a way where you won't be able to marry anyone."

I raised a brow slowly. "Oh really? And how the hell do you plan to do that?"

Samarth leaned forward slightly, his elbows resting on his knees, beer cane hanging loosely in his hand as his eyes stayed fixed on me.

"Simple," he said quietly. "If you try to marry someone else after fucking up my sister's life, making her fall head over heels for you, I'll make sure you don't walk into that mandap."

I scoffed. "Big words, Rathore."

"I'm not done," he said flatly, his eyes dark as he took a slow sip of his beer, then looked straight at me again.

"I'll drag your arrogant ass out of that wedding myself, beat the living shit out of you and if that still doesn't knock some sense into that thick Raizaada skull of yours," he continued, voice colder now, "I'll ruin your generations."

My eyes widened, and my mouth opened in shock as his dark eyes moved down there on my.....manhood.

"Because rivalry with Rathores," he added slowly, "is like playing with a loaded gun, motherfucker. Sooner or later... someone's head gets blown off."

I gulped in fear, before placing my hand between my legs. I knew him from a time when I barely knew myself.

He was the calmest man I had ever seen... and yet a complete psychopath when someone pushed him too far and I made that mistake by confessing my feelings to his sister.