Divya's POV
I entered the house and saw Maa and Papa having breakfast. They both looked up as I walked in, and Maa asked, “Where are you coming from?”
I hesitantly replied, “Maa... umm... I went to the park for some fresh air.”
They both nodded in unison, and I quickly went to my room.
Entering, I saw Di still there, focused on her laptop. She glanced at me and asked, “Divu, kaha gayi thi tum?”
I locked the door, moved closer, and sat beside her.
“Will you tell me?” she asked again, her eyes filled with curiosity.
“Di, voh… unhe (Aarav) hamse kuch urgent baat karni thi toh voh hame cafe le gaye the,” I replied softly.
Di set her laptop aside, turned to me, and said, “But you should have informed me, na.”
“Umm... Di, actually, he came without informing me. I was in Adi's room when he asked me to come,” I explained.
“But how did he contact you?” Di asked, frowning slightly.
“I gave him Adi's number,” I admitted, feeling a little sheepish.
She nodded, seeming to accept my explanation. After a moment, she thought carefully and then asked, “Divu, why did he call you? Matlab, I mean, only if you’re comfortable sharing…”
“Nahi, Di, why would I be uncomfortable? You know everything about me, and I always share everything with you,” I assured her.
She nodded again, so I continued. “Unhone hame yeh batane ke liye bulaya tha ki voh aaj Lucknow jaa rahe hai.”
“Okay… did he say anything about meeting Maa and Papa? I mean, when is he planning to come and meet them?” she asked in a serious tone.
“No, Di. He didn’t say anything about that… he just mentioned he’s going to Lucknow,” I replied.
She nodded thoughtfully and returned to her work.
I checked the time; it was already 9:30. Di usually left for the office around now.
“Di, aaj aap office nahi jaa rahe?” I asked.
She shook her head and said, “Today, I’m working from home.”
I nodded, retrieved my books from the side table, and started studying. Then I remembered the new phone he had given me, and I thought about telling Di.
I jumped off the bed and took the phone from my bag. Noticing me, Di looked up and said, “What are you doing, bacche? Stop jumping here and there like a monkey,” she laughed.
I pouted, brushing off her teasing, and said, “Di, I want to show you something.”
“What?” she asked.
“This,” I said, holding up the phone.
She barely glanced at it and replied, “I’ve seen your phone… what’s so new?”
“Di, look properly... this is my new phone, and... I think you forgot that yesterday someone stole my phone,” I reminded her.
She turned to me, shocked, and said, “But when did you buy this? And who gave you the money?”
“Di, unhone mujhe diya hai takii voh mujhse easily contact kar paaye,” I replied.
“Kon ‘unhone’? Kisne diya hai, Divu? Saaf saaf batao,” she demanded sternly.
“Umm... Di, Aarav ji ne diya hai,” I said, feeling a bit hesitant to mention his name, as I’d never heard Maa calling Papa by his name.
“K... kon Aarav ji? Wait… what… you mean your husband?” she asked, taken aback.
“Haan, Di,” I replied, feeling a little shy as she said, "your husband."
“But why? And you accepted it?” she asked, still in shock.
“Di, he gave it to me so he could contact me anytime... at first, I refused, but he insisted a lot... sorry, I mean he threatened me,” I admitted.
“What? He threatened you?” Di asked, her eyebrows furrowing.
“Yes, Di, he was really angry when I refused to take it. He threatened me, saying it wouldn’t be good for me if I didn’t accept it,” I said, a little amused at the memory.
“How dare he threaten my Divu? You call him—I want to talk to him!” she said, her tone protective.
“Di, please don’t call him… he didn’t do anything wrong. He just wanted me to accept this… as his wife,” I said, trying to calm her.
“Okay… show me the phone,” she said, extending her hand. I handed it over, and she widened her eyes as she examined it.
“Divuuu… it’s so expensive!” she exclaimed.
I nodded, smiling. “I know, Di, it’s really expensive... almost 7-8 lakhs!”
She stared at the phone, completely stunned. “Are pagal, this is really very expensive… 7-8 lakhs, seriously?”
“Di, I reacted the same way when I first saw it,” I chuckled. “And, Di, the camera quality is amazing. Let me show you,” I said, taking the phone back and opening the gallery to show her a selfie I took.
Pointing at the image, I said, “Di, yeh mere pati hai, aur peeche jo baithe hai, voh unke dost hai.” The moment she saw his picture, she looked at me, even more shocked than before.
“He’s your… husband?” she asked, her voice almost a whisper.
I nodded. “Haan, Di.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, still trying to process it.
“Di, what are you asking? Ham apne pati ko nahi pehchanenge?” I said, giving her an ‘are you serious’ look.
“Divu, do you know who he is?” she asked, her tone filled with disbelief.
“Yes, Di, I found out this morning,” I said.
“Divu, he’s a billionaire! He was the most handsome and eligible bachelor in India… well, not anymore,” she teased, winking at me.
“Diiiii, yaar!” I said, feeling shy from her sudden teasing.
“Divu, you know, most of the girls in my office have a huge crush on him. They literally drool over him, just wishing to get a glimpse of him in real life!” she said, excitedly.
“Di, stop it now… how can you talk about him like that?” I protested, feeling a little uncomfortable. I knew he was handsome, but this was a bit much.
“Oh, sorry, Divu… I got so excited that I forgot he’s your husband,” she said with a smile.
I also smiled, and then, almost without thinking, I asked, “Di, how will Maa and Papa react when they find out about him?”
Di’s expression softened as she replied, “I really don’t know, Divu… but I promise you, I’ll always support you and protect you.”
I felt a wave of gratitude, but then she added, “Bacche, lekin, hame ek baat ka dar hai…”
“What, Di?” I asked, sensing her worry.
“Tumhari shaadi toh ho gyi hai, lekin agar Maa Papa ne ise accept nahi kiya toh… I mean, tumhe pata hai na, vo in sab mamlo mein thode conservative hain,” she said with concern.
“Haan, Di, even I’m scared,” I admitted, feeling the tension settling in.
She gave me a reassuring look and said, “Achha, leave all this and study… I’m going downstairs.” With that, she left the room.
🌸
After hours of studying, I finally glanced at my phone and noticed it was already 7 pm. I wasn’t surprised – as a JEE aspirant, dedicating this much time was just expected. Closing my books, I stretched, feeling both drained and determined. I placed my books back in their spots and decided it was time for a break.
I went to Adi's room, but he wasn’t there. So, I headed downstairs and found him sitting on the sofa with Maa and Papa. They seemed engaged in a serious conversation, though Adi was simply tapping away on his phone, blissfully ignoring them.
I walked over to them and said, "Maa, I’m going out with Adi for a bit."
I looked over at Adi, and he immediately perked up, slipping his phone into his pocket. "Let's go, Di! I’m ready," he responded, almost too eagerly.
You’d never guess it from looking at him, but Adi has this uncanny ability to avoid studying at every opportunity. Yet, somehow, he manages to top his class every time – I can’t understand how he does it.
......
We reached the park and found a metallic bench to sit on. The weather was just perfect; a gentle breeze was blowing, and the sky was heavy with dark clouds that hinted at rain. As we chatted, it felt like time slipped by unnoticed. It was easy, laughing and talking about the little things that didn’t matter but felt comforting.
Then, Adi suddenly turned to me, his tone turning curious. “Di, do you… have a boyfriend?”
I stared at him, caught off guard. “What?? No, Adi! And why are you asking that out of nowhere?”
He shrugged. “Nothing, Di… leave it.”
“Adi, tell me! I know there’s something on your mind.”
He hesitated before replying, “Di, in the morning, I went to your room to ask you something, but you weren’t there. Then I went to check your balcony, and… I saw you talking with some guy. Then, you left with him in his car.”
My heart skipped a beat. He saw me going with him?
“Adi… did you tell Maa and Papa?”
“No, Di, I didn’t. But Maa and Papa were looking for you. Riti Di told them you went to buy stationery.”
A wave of worry crashed over me. Adi now knew Riti Di was covering for me, and I had no idea what to say.
“Adi, listen,” I began, gathering my courage, “I need you to promise me you won’t tell anyone what I’m about to say.”
He nodded seriously, “Di, I promise. But… if you have a boyfriend, maybe you should just tell Maa and Papa.”
Bholenath, what do I do with this boy! How can I explain that it’s not a boyfriend… but a husband?
“Adi, I don’t have a boyfriend… but…” I trailed off, not knowing how to say it.
“What?” he pressed, still looking concerned. “I promise, I won’t say anything to Maa and Papa.”
Taking a deep breath, I blurted out, “IammarriedandIhaveahusband"
He squinted at me, confused. “Di, I couldn’t understand a single word! That was faster than Rajdhani Express,” he chuckled.
I looked away, gathering all my courage, and said clearly this time, “Adi, I’m married.”
For a moment, there was silence. I opened one eye to peek at him, and then he burst out laughing.
“Di, I didn’t know you could joke like this! You built all this suspense just to pull my leg? Nice try, Di,” he laughed, wiping away fake tears.
Realizing he thought it was a joke, I steadied myself, reached up, and parted my hair to reveal the sindoor in my hairline.
“Adi, I’m not joking. I’m serious,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
His laughter died instantly, his expression shifting from amusement to shock. “Di, what… what’s in your hairline?” He leaned closer, his voice dropping as he realized the truth.
I shot him a warning look as he continued to stare. “Sit down,” I whispered, gripping his arm. “People are watching.”
He reluctantly sat back down, looking at me as if he were seeing me for the first time. “Di, tell me this is a prank… I don’t like this at all.”
“I’m not pranking you, bacche. I’m telling the truth. I’m married.”
“Di, how…? How could you be married? To whom? You’re only 18!” he almost shouted, and I could see the hurt and confusion in his eyes.
“Adi, first calm down, please,” I whispered, glancing around nervously. “People are watching us.”
“Fuck them!! . Tell me what’s happening!” he said angrily, his voice low but seething.
Seeing him this upset and angry brought tears to my eyes. I felt a pang of guilt, like I’d betrayed him and our family. And suddenly, I couldn’t stop the tears from spilling over. I broke down, covering my face as I cried.
A few moments later, I felt Adi’s warm hands on my cheeks, cupping my face gently. “Di, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry. Please stop… I promise I won’t shout anymore.”
But my tears kept falling, each one carrying the weight of my hidden truth. He pulled me into a hug, his embrace grounding me as I sobbed. After a few minutes, I composed myself and broke the hug.
“I’m sorry for yelling” he said quietly, looking down. Then his eyes caught something, and his expression shifted to shock again. “… is that… a mangalsutra?”
I nodded, and he shook his head in disbelief. “Godd, Di, you’re serious about this marriage, aren’t you?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, startled by his words.
“Nothing… just tell me… how did this happen?”
I took a deep breath and began explaining everything that had led me to this moment. Adi listened intently, his expression shifting from shock to disbelief as I unraveled my story.
“Di… you got married to him accidentally?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Yes,” I replied.
“But what now? And who is he?”
“He’s a businessman, Adi… but honestly, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
“But Di, you’re only 18. You haven’t even completed your studies!”
“I know. But I don’t have any other option.”
He looked at me, his face clouded with concern. “Di, are you… are you really serious about this marriage?”
“Adi, it’s not just something I can walk away from,” I replied. “Marriage isn’t a joke.”
He sighed, running his hand through his hair. “But Di, you barely know him. And… how long are you planning to hide this?”
“He said he’ll talk to Maa and Papa about it… eventually.”
“When, Di?”
I looked down, unable to answer. “I don’t know.”
His face hardened. “I want to meet him tomorrow.”
“He’s in Lucknow, Adi. He left for work, but he gave me his number.”
“Do you have his photo?”
I nodded and took out my phone, showing him the picture I’d taken earlier.
Adi squinted at the screen. “Di, he looks… older than you.”I nodded, “He’s 24.”
“Six years… you’re six years younger than him,” he murmured, and I could see the concern deepen in his eyes.
He continued, “Di… isn’t this a new phone?”
I told him the same story I’d told Di, relieved when he nodded without questioning further.
I glanced at the time. It was already 10:30 pm. “Adi, we should head home. Maa and Papa must be waiting for us for dinner.”
He nodded, “Let’s go.”
At the door, Adi reached out and stopped me. “Di… your sindoor is still visible. Hide it first.”
I quickly adjusted my hair, checking my reflection on my phone screen for any remaining traces. Once I was sure, I pressed the bell.
Maa opened the door, her expression turning stern. “Adi, Divu, where were you? Do you have any idea what time it is?”
We both looked down, enduring her scolding in silence. After a few more stern words, we mumbled our apologies and headed inside.
“Come now,” Maa said, softening slightly. “Everyone’s waiting for you to start dinner.”
We sat down to eat, but even as I joined in the family’s chatter, I couldn’t shake the thought of Adi’s reaction. I’d expected him to be surprised, but seeing his worry and protectiveness stirred a bittersweet feeling.After dinner, as we gathered for some family time, Papa suddenly cleared his throat. “There’s something I’d like to discuss with everyone.”His words startled us all, but Di looked especially taken aback.
___________________________Hey guys...this side your authorI just want your review about this story. If you are finding it boring then pls tell me...I will try to make it interesting..And moreover this is my first book.I hope that you are enjoying this book.
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