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I wanted to know why she looked so sad, why she cried. I asked her, and she said, "Abir, woh...."

I waited for her to continue, but instead, tears rolled down her cheeks. She sobbed so hard, her breathing slowed down. I instantly took her in a hug and said,

"Mish baby, shhh, you don't have to tell me if you're not comfortable."

She cried again, holding my hand in hers. I rubbed her back and took her into my lap, running my hands through her hair and muttering peaceful words in her ear.

She closed her eyes but kept hiccupping. Soon, when I said, "Mishti," and she didn’t reply, I looked at her, sleeping in my arms peacefully. Her eyes were closed, and her lips pouted. I placed her comfortably on her bed and covered her with a blanket. I dimmed the lights, closed all the curtains, and silenced her phone.

I went out of the room, seeing everyone settled in the living room, having a cheerful discussion. Did they not notice her being sad? Thoughts wandered in my mind. I couldn’t understand it. I informed Maa that I was going to the office. Suddenly, I didn’t want to be here.

I settled in my car and drove to the outskirts of the city. I needed some time alone.

I settled onto the grass and looked at the sky. I don't know, there's something I'm missing. Why didn't Bhai tell Mishti anything? Even Uncle and Aunty didn't say anything. Are they not talking to Mishti? Why did she seem so shocked when she found out Bhabhi is pregnant?

I shrugged off the thoughts and looked at nature. It always gives me peace. Watching the sunset, my thoughts again shifted to Mishti. How will our future be? Will she be the strict wife or the cool wife? Will she wait for me at the end of the day when I come back from the office late at night? Will she make my favorite food? Will I be able to make her happy? Will I be her safe place?

Many thoughts wandered in my mind, but almost all of them made me insecure. What if I won't be able to fulfill her expectations?

I didn't want to let these thoughts brainwash me. Standing up, I decided to go back to the house as it was nearly 7:45 pm. I drove towards the Maheshwari mansion.

I went inside and saw everyone laughing and playing around again. I like this atmosphere. There are rare times when our family comes together and spends some time. I settled onto the couch beside Kartik Bhai and asked him, "Bhai, has Mishti woken up?"

"No, Abir, she's still sleeping. I checked on her," Bhai said, and I felt relieved, maybe with the thought that Bhai checked on her?

I nodded at him.

-------------------------------------------------------
As we were immersed in talking, I noticed Mishti coming out of her room. She was in the corridor, looking at us from upstairs. I smiled at her and motioned for her to check her phone. I texted her, "Neeche aajao sweetheart, I was waiting for you."

She saw my text and shook her head, as if denying me. I tilted my head, trying to convince her to come downstairs. She mouthed a "no."

I stared at her again and texted, "Aajao please." I don't want her to be alone  in my presence when already she's not feeling good.

She saw my text and went back inside her room. I was about to go to her room, but she came downstairs in a fresh outfit. Everyone looked at her, and she looked at me and smiled.

Naira Bhabhi called her for something, but I didn't know what. She went with her. I wanted to talk to her, ask her how she was feeling now, but everyone was there. But fine, I don't care about anyone.

I followed them to the kitchen and stood there. Their backs were facing me. Naira Bhabhi turned and looked at me, surprised, and said, "Abir, tumhe kuch chahiye tha?"

I nodded. I knew Mishti heard me and said, "Mishti chahiye thi." Mishti turned, widened her eyes, and stared at me. Naira Bhabhi laughed, came towards me, and said, "All yours."

I went towards her and placed my hands on her waist, pulling her close. She placed her hands on my chest and looked at me with an angry stare, saying, "What was that?"

"Kya meri jaan?" I asked innocently.

"Mishti chahiye thi, ye kya tha? Haan, Bhabhi thi sath mere," she said dramatically, mimicking me.

"Toh mujhe toh tum chahiye, main sach bolta hu haan ni toh," I replied, grinning.

"Acha?" she said, her tone softening.

"Jii," I said, staring at her. She lowered her eyes and said, "Aise kyu dekh rahe ho?"

"Kaise?"

"Aise," she pouted, looking at me. I pulled her closer and said, "Ab aapko dekh bhi nahi sakta?"

"Dekh sakte ho, sirf tum," she said while pulling me even closer. And there she was, my fierce Mishti back.

"Acha," I said, rubbing my nose against hers. She laughed at me and was about to say something when we heard Kartik Bhai’s voice - "Oh shit, sorry..."

Mishti pushed me away. I stumbled but managed to steady myself. Kartik Bhai looked at us, and Mishti gulped, lowering her face and turning back to continue her work. I nervously smiled at Bhai and went out, my heart pounding...

Bhai caught us. I pushed Abir away and turned back to continue my work, my heart pounding in my chest. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down, and focused on chopping vegetables. Bhabhi wanted to cook dinner, and though I offered to take over, she insisted on doing it herself. So, I busied myself with chopping and making the salads.

Once I finished my part, I went outside where the butlers were arranging the dining table. The elders settled there while the rest of us arranged ourselves in the living room. I sat on a couch, enjoying my favorite combination of pulao with curd. It’s the deadliest combination, and I love it. As I was eating, Abir sat beside me on my right, and Ahaan sat on my left. They looked at me briefly before continuing with their dinner.

Soon, they finished their meals, but I was still savoring mine, taking my time to enjoy every bite. Ahaan brought me some ice cream, and I muttered a thank you to him. We were engrossed in our conversation when Mumma’s voice caught my attention.

"Toh kal 11 baje subh Pooja hai aur bacho, jaldi uth jana," she said strictly to us. Everyone nodded in agreement.

I smiled to myself, feeling a sense of peace amidst the chaos. The familiar warmth of family gatherings, despite the occasional tension, always made me feel at home.

Soon enough, the Rajvansh family departed back to their house, and Bua and her family went to sleep. I decided to spend some time in the backyard, soaking in the quiet night. The moonlight made everything feel so comforting.

After about 15 minutes, I went back inside. On my way to my room, I saw Bhai and Bhabhi in the kitchen, sharing a bowl of noodles and deep in conversation. They looked so beautiful together. I couldn’t help but smile and silently pray, “Please, God, always keep them happy and together.”

Feeling a warm sense of contentment, I headed to my room. Before going to sleep, I texted Abir: "Thank you for being with me today, Abir. Meet you tomorrow, soon-to-be-husband."

I giggled, realizing it was the first time I had called him my soon-to-be husband since our courtship began. It felt special. I changed into my night clothes, plugged my phone into the charger, and settled into bed.

I didn’t wait for his reply because I wanted his message to be the first thing I saw in the morning. With that comforting thought, I drifted off to sleep.
------------------------------------------------------
I woke up early in the morning because Mumma had instructed us to. I dressed in a beautiful white chikankari kurti and pants, complemented by a red embroidered dupatta.

-her outfit -

As I went downstairs, I saw Aunty (Abir's mumma), Mumma, and Bua sitting together. They all called me over to sit with them. I sat beside Aunty, who told Mumma, "Mishti ki nazar utar lo aaj, kitni sundar lag rahi hai bachi meri."

I blushed at her words.

It was already 10:30, and soon enough, the Rajvansh family arrived. Did I tell you that Abir Rajvansh texted me back? His message said,

"See you tomorrow, wifey. I'm always there for you ❤️."

Seeing his words first thing in the morning always makes me blush. I waited for him to arrive. Aavya and Kyra came to me & complimented my outfit, and I returned the compliment. We were chatting when I saw Abir making his way inside.

- his outfit -

Ugh, this man will be the reason for my death. He was dressed in a kurta with the sleeves folded up and a Rolex watch on his wrist. Those veiny hands and his unshaven look made him look incredibly sexy. My god, this amazing man is going to be my husband. How did I get so lucky? I was staring—no, drooling—at him when I heard giggling from Aavya and Kyra. They noticed my gaze, and I lowered my head, smiling shyly.

Abir came towards me, and his sisters went off somewhere, giving us some time alone. "My god, meri jaan, are you planning to kill me, wifey?" he said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

I blushed at his words but quickly told him to keep his hands to himself because we were in the living room. But does Abir Rajvansh care? Absolutely not.

He took my hand, pulled me into the corridor, and sandwiched me between him and the wall.

"So, Mrs. Abir Rajvansh, how are you feeling today?"

"I'm not Mrs. Abir Rajvansh... yet," I said, tilting my face and looking at him.

He laughed and came closer, so close that if we moved any further, we would kiss. "You have been Mrs. Rajvansh from the moment you called me your soon-to-be husband," he said.

"Acha, aisa bhi hai?" I said mischievously.

"Ji meri jaan, bilkul aisa hi hai," he replied.

I laughed at his words but then asked him because he hadn't even properly complimented me yet. "Main kaise lag rahi hoon?"

"Aap bilkul... meri biwi jaisi lag rahi hain," he said, making me blush again.

"Aur aap bilkul mere husband jaise lag rahe hain," I said, locking my hands behind his neck.

We both laughed when Ahaan came over, placing his hands on his hips. "Aap dono romance baad mein kar lena, but abhi sab aapko bula rahe hain. Chalo ab."

Abir made an irritated face and cursed under his breath. I intertwined our hands tightly, not wanting to let go, and we made our way to the lounge where the pooja was being held.

We sat on the floor with everyone while Bhai and Bhabhi settled in front of the hawan. Pandit Ji muttered some coherent mantras, and we all joined our hands, offering our greetings to God. After about two hours, the pooja was done, and food was served to Pandit Ji. Bhai and Abir went to drop him off. I was with the youngsters, sitting there when I heard Bua's loud voice, "Tumne konsa ghar sambhal liya maa ke baad , na tum sambhal paayi na tumhari bahu sambhal payegi?"

What the heck is this woman doing now? We all went over and saw Mumma with her head down while Bua shouted and taunted her. I stepped in, and Mumma looked at me. "Mishti, yaha se jaa," she said.

Ignoring her, I glared at Bua. "Nahi, ek second, wait. Kya hua, Bua? Kuch galti ho gayi? Bata dijiye, hum theek kar dete hain," I said softly not wanting to create a scene.

But she shot back, "Galti toh tumhari maa se hoti hai hamesha. Aaj tak ghar nahi sambhal paayi, tabhi aaj tum aisi ho. Mere bhai ko bhi fasa rakha hai natak mein."

This was it. I couldn't control my anger anymore. All our lives, she had been taunting Mumma about small things and now she's speaking shit about bhabhi too .

"Enough," I said firmly. "Bua, aapko koi haq nahi hai meri mumma pe chillane ka. Yeh unka ghar hai. Vo jaisa chahengi, vaisa hoga."

"Yeh mera ghar, mere maa baap ka ghar hai," she retorted.

"Unke jaane ke baad yeh ghar meri mumma sambhal rahi hain. Main aapse respectfully keh rahi hoon, apni awaaz neeche karke baat kijiye. You don't have any right to shout at my mother."

"Ab tu batayegi mujhe, Mishti?" she chuckled, mocking me.

"Ji, kyunki yaha par kisi mein  dam nahi hai batane ka. But trust me, Bua, main bohot achhe se bataungi," I said, stepping closer to her.

She took a step back and saw Papa coming towards us. "Bhai, dekh rahe ho, aapki beti kaise baat karti hai," she complained to Papa, her usual drama. I chuckled at this.

"Papa, aap dekh rahe ho, aapki behen kitni achhi acting karti hai. Bua, Mumma se maafi maango," I said seriously, looking at her. All her children were watching me.

"Maine kyun maafi mango? Meri galti nahi hai, main badi hoon," she protested.

"Badi ho iska matlab yeh nahi ke galat hone par maafi nahi mangoge. Badi ho ke izzat dena bhi seekho," I replied.

She was taken aback by my words. "Mujhe mat sikha, Mishti. Main jo kahungi, wahi hoga," she said defiantly.

"Meri maa ko neecha dikhane ka haq aapko kisne diya? Aap yaha mehmaan hain, aur mehmaan ban ke rahiye. Agar aapko yaha ka system pasand nahi, toh aap jaa sakti hain," I said, my voice steady and strong.

Papa finally intervened, "Bas karo dono. Mishti, andar jao."

"Bhai, yeh aap sun rahe hain? Aapki beti mujhe ghar se nikaal rahi hai," Bua said, playing the victim.

"Bua, main aapko nikaal nahi rahi. Main sirf itna keh rahi hoon ki agar aapko yaha rehna hai toh izzat se rahiye. Aur Mumma se maafi maang lijiye. Galti sabse hoti hai, aur maafi maangne mein koi badi baat nahi,"
I stated firmly.

" Mai , maafi nahi mangungi. " She said while staring at me.

"Bua, maafi mangiye," I said, stepping closer to her. From the corner of my eye, I saw Abir and Bhai entering the house.

"Aap aisi kyu hain? Aaj bata hi dijiye mujhe. All our lives, aap mumma ko taunt karti rahi hain, aaj bhi aapke taunt ruke nahi hain. Har cheez se dikkat hai aapko. Mumma ne aapko kaha hi kya hai? Mumma pe nahi toh ab aap bhabhi ke peeche pad gayi. You know what, Bua? Jab bhi aap yaha aati hain, tab kalesh hi hota hai. Aap yaha aaya hi mat kariye. Jiske liye pooja thi, usi ko bura feel karva rahi hain aap. You need to understand this, sab aapki marzi se nahi hoga. Hame batana band kijiye, please. Aap yaha aaya hi mat kariye, kisi ko aapki zaroorat nahi hai yaha pe. Jab bhi aate hain, hamesha taunt karte rahte hain mujhe ya fir mumma ko."

As I said this, Papa's voice roared in the hall, "Mishti, enough!"

"Lekin Papa, kyu enough? Aap aaj mujhe andar nahi bhej sakte. Yeh jab bhi aati hain na, Papa, Mumma ko insult karti hain, Mumma ko taunt marti hain, rulati hain, mujhe bura bura kehti hain. Aur aaj she insulted Bhabhi too. Papa, aaj aap Inka stand nahi le sakte. She's insulting your family, Papa," I said, holding Papa's hand.

"Tu mujhe bura keh rahi hai na, Mishti? Par asliyat mein toh tu manhoos hai iss ghar ke liye. Teri vajah se is ghar mein kalesh hota hai. Tu jaha bhi hoti hai, waha khushiyan nahi ho sakti. Kaha tha maine Maa, Baba, aur Bhai ko ki tujhe anath aashram chod aayein. Lekin nahi, teri maa aur meri maa ne tujhe rakha. Warna tu aaj anath aashram mein hoti. Bhai toh tujhe ghar bhi nahi lana chahte the. Agar us din Bhagwan ne is ghar mein ek aur ladka diya hota, toh aaj yeh ghar khush hota. Are tere maa baap toh tujhe paida bhi nahi karna chahte the. Tu unwanted thi, Mishti. Isliye shayad Kartik ne tujhe nahi bataya ki woh baap banne wala hai, kyunki use bhi pata hai tu manhoos hai," she spewed with venom, depicting her hate for me.

I stood there, shocked, knowing my truth. I could feel tears in my eyes, but this was not the time to think about me. It was time to take a stand for my mother.

"Still, it doesn't justify your taunts. At least main logo ko hurt nahi karti. Lekin aap, aap toh apne Bhai ki wife ko hi hurt karti hain, unke bachho ko aisa bolti hain..."

As I was speaking, Papa came towards me and held my hand tightly, enough to leave marks. "Mishti, enough! Main baat kar raha hoon na," he said.

"Aap baat nahi karte, Papa. Aap baat ko taal dete hain aur sab kuch phir normal ho jata hai. You don't take a stand, Papa," I said to him and turned to address Bua again.

"Bua, you know what? Aap sorry bole bina toh jayengi nahi. Abhi tak I was respecting you, ab nahi..."

I was speaking to her when Papa held my hand and I turned towards him. He slapped me.

My superhero slapped me.
My papa slapped me .

"Papa! Uncle!" voices came hurriedly as he slapped me. He looked angrily towards me and said, "Mishti, is ghar se jao abhi. Aur jab tak main na kahu, tab tak wapas mat aana."

I stood there, holding my right cheek with my hand, looking at him with tears in my eyes. I couldn't believe that the man I adored all my life had slapped me and told me to leave his house. This was the first time he had ever slapped me.

Today , his words broke something, no one would ever be able to heal .

___________________________________
3K+ words .
How was it ?

What will happen now ? Any guesses .

Bua ji hate butten 👉🏻

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" Entwined Destiny " to their reading lists . Thank you so much . I'm grateful to you guys .

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Next chapter tab hi ayega jab aap log ache se votes and comments kroge because everyone is silently reading but not voting .

Thank you for reading 🤍
~ Author T