DHRITI

I assume how girls, who are actually happy in their weddings feel. Undoubtedly far far far better than what I am feeling right now. My heart is burning and body is shivering thinking about his name which will get attached to me in few hours.

The morning didn't bring a new day for me, instead it brought darkness in my life. This day, I will be officially his wife. Forced by him, against my will.

Maa says haldi's colour makes the bride glow. I looked in the mirror at my dull face. Perhaps, my face was glowing as the aunties said so downstairs but I was withering from inside. I was almost dead from inside.

I sat on my bed and let out a sigh of relief as all the rituals were finally over, it was nearly four in the evening and I had two more hours to sit alone peacefully because after two hours some makeup artists were going to come to paint my face and turn me into a doll a lifeless doll.

I decided to took a nap, my stomach was grumbling loudly because I didn't eat anything since morning. It is a ritual in our tradition to keep fast till the wedding and sadly I had to follow this tradition. Therefore, I only had sweets since morning but they were not doing any help to my undying hunger.

My thoughts went towards the dishes the cooks were making outside. Panner, chicken, fish and so many more amazing mouth watering items they were preparing and I sadly saw the items when I was returning from the temple and since then my hunger grew more.

How unlucky I am I was keeping fast for that monster who is forcing me into this loveless marriage. Thinking all these, my eyes closed on their own.

"They are here." My cousin said entering my room. She was looking so excited which made me smile. She is just a teenager, she doesn't know what I am going through. This is a normal wedding for her.

Maa and Papa doesn't have any siblings. It's either their cousins or their friends attending the wedding. Few relatives as well.

"You too get ready." I told her and she nodded happily.

The makeup artists entered my room. They were sent by him. He called Maa and told her about sending the artists. Maa initially denied but then he convinced her. The three girls entered the room and greeted me.

"Ma'am, you are naturally so beautiful." One of them said looking at my face keenly.

I just smiled in return. I hate whatever beauty she was talking about. If this beauty is the reason why he chose to destroy my life, then I don't want this beauty.

"Ma'am, why your eyes look sore?" Another one asked after putting some liquid on my face. Just at that moment, Maa entered my room and looked at me hearing the makeup artist.

"She must be feeling emotional for leaving her parents." Anu aunty, Maa's best friend said squeezing my shoulder.

I smiled nodding at her.

The girls started doing something to my face and hair. I really wish they could perfectly hide the sadness and soreness of my eyes. The guests will definitely doubt if they saw my sore eyes. This society just needs a mole to make a mountain of it.

After what felt like hours, finally they told me to check my final look and when I did, I couldn't believe my eyes it was me. The artists had completely changed my face. I was looking...beautiful. A word I never used to describe myself until now.

They had also helped in me wearing my bridal lehenga and made my hair into a beautiful bun.

I couldn't help but look at the girl in the mirror in awe. She was looking like a bride. Obviously, it's her wedding, who else would look like a bride?

"Dhriti..." I heard maa gasping as she entered the room.

I smiled turning around to face her. There were my cousins and few relatives with her looking equally happy seeing me like this.

"Di, you look so pretty." Tara, one of my cousins said and started clicking pictures of me.

I saw the tears in Maa's eyes as she looked at me smiling at the camera. I know she was being emotional seeing me dolled up as a bride but the lies I have told her, they made her look happy as well.

According to her, I was getting married to the love of my life. The man who cares for me like no other person. Good, maa and papa should always think like that.

I took a deep breath again looking at myself in the mirror and blinked my eyes rapidly. They had done the job of hiding the soreness of my eyes perfectly. I couldn't ruin it and so I blinked away my tears.

Here, we go Dhriti!

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                      AUTHOR

He was getting irked seeing her relatives roaming around him and not leaving him for even a second. Their continuous blabber and teasing him was making him mad. He knew he couldn't hold himself for too long and thus, his eyes were shamelessly and eagerly searching for her.

The girls present there, even some married women were ogling at him. He was looking like some model straight out of magazines or shows. Clad in a golden sherwani with perfectly gelled hair and stubble cheeks, who would not find him hot?

"Your sister in laws are annoying." Harsh muttered with a mocking smile beside him.

He was really eager to see the girl who caught Abhimanyu's eyes and that too in a way that he was now going to marry her. What trick did she use? He wondered.

Abhimanyu doesn't have anyone. Harsh and his few other business partners along with their families were invited and that's it.

"Ohh look...Jiju is waiting for Dhriti di." A teenage girl said and everyone started laughing.

He gave her a tight lipped smile wanting to shut her mouth permanently. This particular girl was talking continuously.

"She is here." She teased and his eyes quickly moved towards the stairs.

Suddenly, all his ears could hear were the jingling noises of her bangles and anklets as she climbed down the stairs. All his eyes could see in the crowd was her figure clad in a bloody red lehenga.

The shade of red which is his favorite since forever. A shade which looked like as if it was made for her and only her. He took a shaky breath as she approached him. He got a more clearer look of her face.

She was looking like a dream.

If a person sees a dream where he feels serenity and peace, then the dream must be her.

Dhriti couldn't muster up the courage to uplift her gaze. She was shivering visibly. She could faintly hear a song playing, she could hear the crowd mumbling something. She could also feel his hard gaze on her and it made her scared already.

He forwarded his hand almost immediately as soon she was near the stage. He looked at her henna clad hands. Her wrists were adorned in beautiful red and golden bangles. He was yearning to hold them.

She placed her shaky hand on his and he quickly held it tightly and helped her getting on the stage.

He was in complete awe seeing her so close to him. He just wanted to get done with this wedding shit and take her home, where she belongs.

"Look at me." He said not liking how she was hiding her pretty eyes from him.

Dhriti slowly uplifted her gaze and his hold tightened on her hand. Her eyes are the most unique and beautiful shade of brown. He has never seen such eyes colour before, or maybe he has, just never noticed it.

Her eyes held a mixture of fear and anger. He smiled knowing very well why those two emotions were swirling in those orbs.

The wedding ceremony started soon making him impatient by each ritual.

***

"Now the groom will put the vermillion in the bride's hairline." The pandit announced.

Dhriti fisted her hands hearing him. She just wanted some miracle to happen and this fake wedding to stop. She didn't want to take that step with him. The most holy step in any girl's life.

Her mother held her maangtika as Abhimanyu gathered the vermillion on a coin.

Just as he was about to put it there, their eyes met. It looked like she was telling him through her eyes to stop this and let her go back to her old life. She literally begged through her eyes and his eyes very well caught the meaning.

His gaze hardened seeing her resistance. He will not do it! He won't leave her not now not ever. He filled her hair partition with the vermillion.

Dhriti's eyes closed as a lone tear escaped her eyes. Her heart broke into million pieces. He just ruined the purest bond for her. She was his wife now.

She was officially ABHIMANYU'S wife now.

This fact shattered her into pieces.

Abhimanyu's eyes shone seeing the nupital chain tied around her neck and her hair partition filled with vermillion. Everything belonged to him now.

She belonged to him now.

"The vermillion fell on your nose, Dhriti. Abhimanyu ji will love you." A woman joked and everyone started laughing present there.

Dhriti chuckled internally hearing the joke. As if he will.

"Vivah sampann hua.." The pandit announced.

Abhimanyu's eagerness reached to a level where he just wanted to reach his mansion as soon as possible. Now, that she was tied to him forever, he didn't want to continue this drama anymore.

"We have to leave now." He told her father who was taken aback by it.

"But..we still have to complete some rituals, beta." Reeva said.

Abhimanyu sighed looking at Dhriti who was not meeting his gaze as usual.

"Actually, I have a meeting tomorrow morning." He started still looking at her. "..and it's quite important." She looked back at him and understood the meaning behind his words.

"Dhriti is also looking tired and I am too." He completed.

"He is right. The important rituals are done anyways." Anuj said.

Reeva didn't agree but eventually, she did. They started preparing for bidai making Dhriti want to cry more. He doesn't respect her parents and why would he? Why was she expecting this from him? She cursed herself.

She couldn't control her tears anymore. She was tired of wearing that fake smile all along the wedding and now that it was finally over, she cried holding her mother. Her heart was wailing in pain, telling her to stop all this and hide somewhere in her house.

The future ahead of her was dangerous and life threatening. The man she just married is going to destroy her and break her into bits and pieces.

"Always stay happy." Reeva said kissing her daughter's forehead. It was really hard for her to let go of her only daughter.

Abhimanyu was not liking all these things. His wife was hugging her parents as if she was going on a war.

What's so bad about the new life?

I will provide her with all the luxuries her parents couldn't.

He thought and soon his face hardened hearing her cries.

He sweetly pulled her towards him by her arm and rubbed it. He smiled at her parents seeing their teary eyes.

"Don't worry. I will keep your daughter happy..." He told them in the most gentle voice which made them believe his words.

"God bless you, beta." Dhiraj placed a hand on Abhimanyu's shoulder and blessed him.

He was trusting him with his daughter and something in Abhimanyu told him that he will protect his daughter at any cost. He will cherish her forever.

Abhimanyu nodded with a smile.

"Stop this nonsense and come with me this instant, hmm?" He muttered grabbing her arm a bit painfully making her face lose all it's colours.

Dhriti bid farewell to her family and relatives. She was missing Akshat but she couldn't do anything. She looked at her house with yearning in her eyes. Oh, how badly she wished to go back there, in her room and close all the doors through which he could enter in her life again.

"Let's go." He said guiding her towards the car.

She could hear her mother sobbing but she didn't turn back. The scene would have made her more weak and she didn't want that.

She sat inside the car and looked at her parents. She placed her hand on the window glass and her parents did too.

No no...Dhriti. You can't fall weak now.

The tears left her eyes freely.

Tell them, Dhriti. Tell them everything.

Her inner voice spoke but she quickly shut it. She will never do this.

The car started and she found herself going away from her parents. She wanted the time to stop right there but it didn't. Obviously, time doesn't stop for anyone.

"Stop fucking crying." He told her sternly.

His deep gruffy voice sent chills down her spine. She was too lost in her world that she didn't notice him sitting beside her. The realisation hit her like a truck making her freeze in fear.

She tried controlling her sobs but it increased. Abhimanyu was getting irritated hearing her cries. He was just controlling himself but he didn't know till now long will he be able to do that.

Dhriti looked outside the window. The streets were vacant as it was midnight. Suddenly, her eyes caught a figure standing by the tree as her car passed by.

Her heart dropped in fear as recognised the figure. She couldn't be wrong. She knows him too well.

It was none other than Akshat.

He was looking at her with only anger in his eyes. She quickly diverted her eyes and closed them.

What was he doing here? Did he see her as well?

She didn't know what to do now. How to handle this new storm in her life. Her mind was occupied by his thoughts all along the journey that she didn't notice when they reached his mansion...

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