Go to sleep darling,
For there is night before there is day
The sun will rise again.
                                                     ~D.C

★★★★★

Riddhima touched the round pot, filled with paddy with her toes and moved inside her new home if she can call it hers, however lets wait a little more for that. Let the time decide.

She smiled at her mother-in-law who did their aarti and welcomed them inside. As soon as they entered, Vansh moved toward the stair case forgetting that he was still connected with her through the knot, his piece of cloth with her dupatta.

Riddhima held the knot tightly when it started to untangle and her eyes widen for a minute in shock. The sudden pull made Vansh to look back at her and he just rolled his eyes at her reaction.

"Vansh come sit, there are still some rituals left. We have to finish them first." His mother called him to the sofa while she helped Riddhima to move toward the living area in her heavy lehenga.Vansh sighed feeling irritated but still followed them.

Vansh and Riddhima just got married in a private ceremony with only family members. No guests, no extended family members. Just their parents and them.

Riddhima scrutinised the face sitting opposite to hers and between them is a vessel filled with milk and rose petals.

"Chalo the one who takes out the ring two times will be the winner. Okay?" His mother chirped.

"Vansh you have to win okay." His father said playfully

"My daughter-in-law will win. Dekh lena" His mother smiled at Riddhima.

Riddhima dipped her hand in the vessel stealing his glances. He gave Riddhima an uninterested look and pushed his hand in the liquid. Riddhima took out the ring for the first time and her mother in law whistled in happiness.

Riddhima smiled but her smile faded the next second, she saw him rolling his eyes at his mother.

Riddhima's POV

Did he just roll his eyes?

What is wrong with him? Is this how a groom behaves in his wedding?

Today we got married. Hi i am Riddhima Kapoor. Oops sorry Riddhima Singhania now. It will take time i know and feels kind of weird too when your name changes  all of a sudden, though what more weird is that your whole life is going to change.

I looked at him again when maa said it's the second time. The way he is behaving shows, he is not at all interested in the rituals and after watching his dull face for more than a minute even my excitement is fading now.

But still i will do it for maa because she is a sweetheart. I again dipped my hand, i already knew that i am going to win as the opponent is not at all interested so i pulled out the ring without wasting much time.

Maa and papa both clapped and she even said " I have the best daughter-in-law." Aa soon as we are done he got up from his spot which caused a sudden pull toward me.

I am sure he again forgot about the tied knot. When i stopped him from moving by holding the cloth. He turned, looked at me for a second then he threw the piece of cloth which was around his neck toward me and left.

Why is he behaving so strange?

Then i thought maybe all of this is reminding him of his first marriage with Ragini. All these rituals he had done with someone else before. But what about me? It is my first time. Shouldn't i enjoy?

A minute later maa took me to our room which is on first floor.

"Riddhima all your belongings and clothes are already shifted to your room." Maa said helping me to hold this heavy lehenga while stepping up the stairs.

I just nodded. I am exhausted with all these rituals and especially with this lehenga, so heavy. I haven't slept properly since three days. All i want right now is to sleep like a log.

She sat on the edge of the bed and waited for him to come. The seconds turned into minutes and the minutes turned into hours but there was no sign of her husband.

Riddhima sighed looking at the clock, ten past three, she decided to change her clothes. When she was done, a lone tear escaped from her right eye as she occupied the right side of the bed.

Is this how your first night supposed to be?

"Now that you are his wife. Stay optimistic, he will surely come around Riddhu." Riddhima tried to give herself hope, that's what everyone likes the most about this girl, she never stops being optimistic.

Her thoughts were all about him. Just after few hours of being his wife , marriage to him seems a wrong decision.

There were so many questions poking her from inside.

What is he doing?

Why is he behaving so strange?

And most important where is he?

The way he is behaving he isn't at all happy with this marriage.

These thoughts weren't leaving her, she tried to sleep but even sleep didn't want to come to her.

What  a sad life!

Being married to him was giving her worthless and foreign emotions in just few hours. She tried to close her eyes as the loneliness gripped her, the smiling faces of her parents appeared in front of her eyes. She was missing her parents way too much now.

When the Sun had risen and peaked in the room from her window. She got up from the bed and went to get ready for the day. She donned a red saree, his favourite colour. A waft of happiness seeped in when she applied vermilion on her parted hair line. The starting of a new day with a new hope almost recovered her from last night's grief.

Simultaneously the door clicked open, revealing Vansh. Her eyes met with his through the mirror as he stood there for a second not breaking the eye contact. While her face was showing glee, his face was giving out a dead pan look. Averting his gaze away, he saw his suitcase resting beside the mirror. Making his way without looking at her, he grabbed the handle of his suitcase and went away.

She took a minute to gulp everything what has happened, for a minute she thought he was here for her but no. He was here for his suitcase which means he doesn't want to stay with her. But why?

Was he  forced to marry me?

This thought broke her heart in many pieces because if someone asks her why she married  a widower when there were so many options then the only think her heart screams

"because he is the only person I ever loved since college."

Aftter being standing there for minutes, Riddhima gathered herself together and went down stairs.

"Good Morning Bhabhi" Aryan wished his sister in law with a warm and welcoming smile. Riddhima smiled and wished Aryan and her father in law, who were having a discussion over something in the living room. Her father in law gave her a smile in return and asked her to join but she politely denied because she knows she have to make food for them as today is her first day here.

Riddhima entered inside the kitchen. Uma smiled looking at her daughter in law..

"Good morning Riddhima beta"

"Good morning aunty"

"Niklo mere kitchen se bahar." Uma said a littler louder giving Riddhima a pointed look.

"But Aunty

"Phir Aunty? Hey bhagwan kya karun mai is ladki ka. " Uma face palmed in disbelief.

"Dare you call me aunty again. Maine tere kaan khechne hai phir." Uma slapped lightly on her cheek.

Riddhima who was not able to decipher what was she trying to say but when realised, she smiled in embarrassment.

"Sorry aun i mean Maa. Aaj se aap meri maa hain." Riddhima side hugged her making a pout while Uma laughed at her antics holding her close.

Then they decided the menu and Uma asked Riddhima if she need any help as it's her first rasoi.

Riddhima denied, according to Riddhima her cooking is okay. She knows almost every dish. Soon she made the breakfast and it was the result time. Everyone was there even her husband too.

She stood there beside the last dining chair, the nervousness was making her glued to that spot. Her eyes scrutinised each and every face when they gulped down the morsel.

Her mother in law smiled, father in law showed thumbs up and Aryaan praised her for the delicious delicacies.

"I swear bhabhi I have never eaten something like this. It's out of this world. So yummy!" He was saying all this with mouthful, he liked the food so much that he couldn't even stop eating for a second.
Riddhima sighed being content. But the next second her eyes went to her husband who was eating like he was on a gun point and if he didn't then someone will shoot him.

She wasn't waiting for some huge praise but at least he could say that he liked her food.

"Riddhima why are you standing there come sit with us and have breakfast."

Uma told her and passed the container toward her side. Riddhima nodded her head and sat beside Vansh who stiffened with a mare brush of her shoulder with his and that didn't go unnoticed by her.

"Vansh beta, did you talk to Ishani?" Ajay, his father asked.

Vansh nodded his head "She said she will come soon."

"Why now? When she was supposed to come to her brother's marriage she denied now what?" Uma asked making an angry face. Her daughter always tests her patience. "You have given too much freedom to her Vansh." She added.

"Atleast someone has freedom to do what ever they want." Vansh said curtly. His parents passed him a pointed look while Aryaan was busy having food. Riddhima watched them.

What does that mean? Isn't he allowed to take his decisions?

Breakfast was a silent affair afterwards no one tried to talk, they had their food and then went on to do their daily routines. Riddhima was having a house tour with Uma. It's not a house actually it's a bunglow. According to Riddhima this house is too big for five people now six but that doesn't make any difference. Even her house was big but this is too much to ask for.

Uma stopped the servant who was going upstairs with a tray of black coffee in her hand. She grabbed the tray from her hands and passed it to Riddhima who was looking at her cluelessly.

"Riddhima take this to Vansh's room." She said dismissing the servant.

"Me?" Riddhima asked with a horrid face.

"Yes beta you. You are his wife. This is your duty from now onwards." She passed her a convincing smile which Riddhima tried to imitate but couldn't.
Riddhima gulped looking at the closed door.

She was still trying to fathom should she enter because this was not giving her good vibes. Not having any other option, she knocked the door and waited but he didn't replied or opened the door. She knocked again still no response. She unlatched the door and it got open. Taking a step further, she entered inside.

The room was giving her cosy vibes. She placed the tray on the table she saw beside the bed. Her eyes went to the walls where huge photo frames were hanging. She knows the face present in every picture frame. Ragini!

Every wall was filled with their photographs. She looked at the person beside Ragini. The only difference was that, this Vansh was laughing freely while the Vansh she is seeing these days doesn't even smile.

"Why are you here? "

Riddhima heard a voice, not any voice but his. Her eyes went saucers still looking at the photographs. She knew he was behind her. His voice was sounding offended. She started feeling that coming here wasn't a good idea. But now she has to face him.

                      ★★★★★★

Here is the first chapter of DEN. I hope it was worth a read :)

So Riddhima is married to Vansh who is no so interested in this marriage courtesy his love for his first wife. While Riddhima is in love with him since her college days.

What do you think will happen. Will Vansh say something he shouldn't and what will Riddhima do?

Share your thoughts with me. I am open to answer all your thoughts and suggestions.

One more thing I want to say that our show is going off air. Don't be sad guys. Cherish what we got in this journey, our precious RraHel❤

Keep supporting and reading all the Riansh books because that's how we can still keep them in our hearts.

Love Love❤