Kashinath's pov!

I am a virgin..

I am a virgin...

Her words from that night still reverberated in my head.

A damn virgin!

Damn!

I find it hard to believe that someone like Arohi, someone as gorgeous and ravishing as Arohi could be a virgin. Not at all possible.

What happened after her confession was anticlimactic.

Those words had worked more effectively than a cold shower could.

Not the thought of her being a virgin, but the fact that she decided to use such a trick on me.

What was she thinking?

That if she somehow managed to convince me that she is a virgin, things would be different? That she would come to mean a lot more to me?

Haa! As if it would ever happen!

Never in this lifetime..

THREE DAYS AGO

"I- I am a virgin," Arohi mumbled through her heavy breathing and I looked at her in disbelief.

Did she just say virgin?

"What?" I asked, wondering if I misheard her words. Maybe she said something else.

"I have never done this before," Arohi said, avoiding my eyes.

What the hell!

Her words made me angry and I pulled away from her furiously.

"Arohi. Stop it," I said coldly and she looked at me in confusion.

"What happened?" She asked, sitting up on the bed and pulling the duvet around, covering her naked body.

A belated modesty, I thought with a sarcastic smile.

"Really? You are asking me? What is with this new game?" I asked furiously.

"Game? What are you talking about?" She asked, a confused frown puckering her brows.

"Some men do have the possessive concept of wanting their women as virgins. I am not like them. I am a progressive man. Whether you are a virgin or not, it is not going to make any difference in our relationship." I said coldly.

"Okay. I just thought you deserve to know," she said, still keeping up the ruse of being a virgin.

I let out a furious breath.

"You don't have to lie about something like that, Arohi. Even if you are a virgin, it is not going to make me see you in a different light. It is not going to change the equation between us." I said and her eyes widened in horror.

"Even if? You think I am lying?" She asked in disbelief.

"Of course. Twenty three year old virgins and unicorns are alike. Just myths." I said sarcastically.

"What nonsense is that? Our country hasn't progressed that much so all girls decide to lose their virginity as soon as they hit puberty. And what have I ever done to make you believe that I am a liar?" She asked. Her voice had a resigned note in it, but I ignored it.

I remained silent, not giving a response to her question.

She shook her head and got out of the bed, the duvet still wrapped around her. She looked around the room and found the discarded piece of lace undies and her gown and picked them up.

"I am glad I didn't end up losing my virginity to you, Kashinath. I think I deserve better than you," She said and the egoist in me took it as a challenge.

I will have her! No matter what!

So what if she is a liar? All women are! That has never stopped me from having sex with them. And it is not going to stop me from having Arohi either.

But not today!

Very soon...

PRESENT DAY

My phone rang, startling me out of my thoughts.

I looked at my phone and the name on the caller ID made me pause.

I took deep breaths before attending the phone call.

"Kashinath Agnivanshi. Is it true that you are getting married?" The disappointed voice from the other side made me flinch for a moment. I should have called her and informed her in person.

"Yes, mom," I said.

"Why am I the last one to know? That too from tabloid newspapers?" She demanded in her mom tone.

"I was about to call you," I said in an appeasing tone, but it made no effect on her.

"Oh really. Nath?" Mom asked. She knew me too well!

"Do you know what you are doing, Nath?" Mom asked, when I remained silent.

She is too smart to believe that I fell in love with someone and is now having a fairytale wedding.

"I know what I am doing, mom," I said confidently.

"I hope so," she said.

"Is there anything else, mom?" I asked.

"Yes. I am coming to Kasauli tonight. I want to see your bride. And I want to see my grandchild. It's high time," she said.

As soon as I won Mia's custody, mom wanted to fly over. But I refused, because Mia was too high strung at that time. I needed time to get Mia adjusted with me before introducing mom to her.

"Okay, mom. I will have my chopper prepared for you to fly over." I said.

"No need, Enzo. I will come by myself,'' she said and a smile made its way to my face.

She wants to live her independent life. Unlike what she had to endure during her marital life. And I am glad that she is coping well.

I hung up the call and walked into the house to warn Arohi about my mother's impending arrival.

Three days! It has been three days since she talked to me. She behaves as if I don't even exist. The only time she makes an attempt to be civil with me is when Mrs Patel is around.

Okay? So what if her attempt at 'I am a virgin' drama failed. She just has to get it over with.

I found her in the kitchen, baking another batch of cookies.

What the hell is wrong with her?

Over the past three days, she must have baked at least a fifty dozen batches of cookies. Who is going to eat all this?

Do all patissiers go through such baking sprees once in a while? I wondered curiously.

"Daddy. We are making a different type of cookies today." Mia said excitedly and I saw Arohi stiffen at the mention of me. But she didn't turn around. Instead she continued with whatever she was doing.

"Great! Make sure you finish the cookies you make too," I said and I couldn't bite the sarcasm in my voice.

"Don't worry, Mr Agnivanshi. With Rocco's help, I have made some arrangements with a local cafe to have the baked goods be given for sale. With the income from the sale of them, I will compensate for the things I used from your kitchen." Arohi said and I stared at her in disbelief.

What nonsense?

When did I ask for compensation?

And Rocco? Rocco helped? Why was I not aware of it?

I shook my head and told her what I came here to say.

"My mother is visiting us tonight."

Arohi's pov!

His mother?

Oh God!

What do I even know about his family? Why the hell didn't I google about his family, when I looked him up online?

"Okay," I just nodded, without looking at him.

My eyes still focused on the cookies I am baking.

God! The last two days have been crazy.

Baking has always been my stress buster. And I had done nothing but baking over the last two days.

After the way Kashinath reacted to my declaration, everything around me seemed wrong!

It still hurts!

His lack of trust in me.

What had I done to earn such mistrust?

I don't understand.

What is more confusing is the power he has over my feelings. How is it possible for him to hurt me to this extent?

"My mother might be suspicious about our relationship. I think she has an idea that this is a ruse. But keep up the act," Kashinath said, in a voice only audible for me.

"Sure, Mr Agnivanshi." I said and he shot an annoyed look at me.

"Stop being so childish, Arohi," he snapped and walked away, leaving me more hurt.

"Is Daddy angry?" Mia asked sadly.

"No baby," I said with a smile.

"Mummy shouts when she is angry," Mia said, with a faraway look on her face.

This is the first time Mia mentioned something about her mommy. But I couldn't bring myself to probe more into it and make little Mia more sad.

"Daddy won't shout at you ever" I said, with a conviction, because over these few weeks I spent here with Kashinath made me realise one thing.

Kashinath might be a heartless heartbreaker where women are concerned.

But when it comes to his daughter, he is a completely different man!

The rest of the day passed by, with me ignoring and avoiding Kashinath as much as possible.

Even looking at him hurts!

What is wrong with me?

Why am I making a big deal out of all this? I couldn't understand.

I was startled out of my thoughts when I heard the sound of a car stopping by in front of the house.

It must be Kashinath's mother. I gulped nervously and watched as Kashinath came in with a woman in tow.

She doesn't look a day older than forty five. Too young to be the mother of a thirty two year old man.

"Mom, meet Arohi. Arohi, this is my mother. Mahima Agnivanshi." Kashinath introduced me.

"It's Mahima Vyas," the elegant woman said in a neutral tone.

Mahima Vyas? Are Kashinath's parents divorced?

"Hello, Ms Vyas. It is a pleasure meeting you," I said with a smile.

"Thank you, Miss Sharma," she said.

"Oh! Please call me Arohi," I said with a smile and she just nodded. No responding smile?

It was very clear from her expressions that she didn't like me at all.

"Where is my grandchild?" Mahima asked, looking around.

"She is in the living room. Watching cartoons." I said.

"You shouldn't allow a five year old so much screen time" Mahima said, her disapproval evident in her voice.

"Arohi doesn't let Mia sit in front of the television for the whole day, mom. Twenty minutes a day is Mia's screen time. Arohi is very particular about it. She makes Mia spend more time in the garden and in the kitchen," Kashinath said, coming to stand next to me, as though showing some sort of support for me.

"Kitchen? What is my grandchild doing in the kitchen?" Mahima asked.

"Arohi loves baking. When she does that, Mia helps out," Kashinath said.

The dinner was also a tense affair.

Mrs Patel had prepared a feast before leaving for her home.

But sitting across from my future mother in law, who didn't hold back from showing her dislike towards me, wasn't a very nice experience. And it was impossible to enjoy the meal that way.

"Mia boo, go brush your teeth and change into your pyjamas," Kashinath said, noticing that Mia had finished her dinner.

"Okay daddy. Good night dadi. Good night Roohi," Mia said and scrambled out of her chair and rushed to her bedroom, leaving me with Kashinath and his mother.

Oh God! With Mia out of sight, will Mahima Vyas be giving me the third degree?

"So? Arohi Sharma? I hear that you came to Kasauli as a housekeeper?" Mahima asked.

"Temporary part time housekeeper," I pointed out sternly, letting her know that I am not going to be intimidated by her attitude.

"Why did you choose Kashinath's House? It's a bit confusing. You came all the way from Mumbai and joined to work here the same day my son decided to come here." Mahima said.

What does she mean?

That I had a hidden agenda?

"I didn't even know who owned this cottage, Ms Vyas. I applied for the job, seeing the vacancy ad online. I came here for a two-week vacation. That's when I met Kashinath." I said.

"And extended your two weeks vacation?" Mahima asked sarcastically.

"As a matter of fact, yes. Meeting Kashinath was unexpected. Falling in love with him was even more unexpected. And when Kashinath asked me to marry him, I couldn't say no," I said, keeping up the act, as per Kashinath's instructions.

I shot a sideways look at him and saw a smirk on his face.

Bloody arrogant man! He is enjoying this.

"Why? Because he is rich?" Mahima asked sarcastically.

"It is such a sad thing that even his mother thinks that the only thing Kashinath has to offer is money." I said, making Mahima stare at me in disbelief.

Well Mahima Vyas! Arohi Sharma will never go down without a fight!

Bring it on...

A/n

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SF❤️