Still Aditi's POV

"Hey." Aarav nodded a greeting to me, which I returned. Shubman gripped my waist protectively. I jabbed him in the ribs telling him to quit glaring.

"Uh, man. I just wanna clarify something." Aarav chuckled nervously.

"I wasn't whistling at your gal. I was trying to get someone's attention." Aarav explained, Shubman relaxed visibly.

"I have a feeling we'll be good friends in that case." Shubman smiled and told him easily. My phone pinged, I frowned and checked who it was. Deepika. I excused myself from the living room to attend the call.

"Hello?" I picked up the call.

"Hey..." Deepika's voice was uncertain.

"What's wrong?" I asked immediately. Deepika sighed on the other side.

"You know dadi? (Grandma?)" Deepika told me carefully.

"Haan. (Yes)" I frowned.

My so-called 'grandmother' hated me.

Why?

Because her son married some low-life woman that he loved. I was a product of that 'immoral' marriage. She ignored my existence for the twenty-one years of my life.

"She... she wants to meet you." Deepika was hesitant to continue.

"Just spit it out!" I knew she wasn't telling me everything.

"She wants to meet you. I can't refuse, she has more right to become your legal guardian than me. You have to go to Chennai." Deepika blurted out. I massaged my temple.

"Give me her number," I demanded, Deepika agreed and messaged me the number. I typed the number onto my keypad. My finger loomed over the call button. I bit my lip but pressed the button. On the third ring, she picked up.

"Hello?" A papery and rustic voice answered the call.

"Dadi?" I pressed my lips together and asked.

"Aditi!" I could see Dadi smile from all the way in England.

"I'll have Kumar message you your flight details," Dadi grunted and called out to someone. There was some cross-talk but the phone call crackled and Dadi spoke once more.

"Call me on video-call. I want to see you." Dadi signed wistfully. A small hope lit inside of me that I could, just maybe, have a loving grandmother. But I shoved that thought away reminding myself that she disowned Papa because he married my mother. Dadi accepted my video call request. Dadi was a well-aged woman. She had wrinkles all over her face, they looked like cracks. Her eyes were commanding and were completely different from Papa's eyes. I remembered them for some reason. They were a captivating and gentle shade of brown. They changed colors according to his mood, when he was angry they became the color of dark chocolate.

"You have Ganesh's eyes." Dadi's soft remark broke my thought. I saw her eyes tear up at the mention of my dad. She wiped her tears away quickly. Dadi's eyes were a commanding color of black. They were the kind that chilled you to the bone. They seemed to look into my soul and analyze me.

"Your beautiful, Aditi." My grandmother smiled warmly. I thanked her.

"Is your door closed?" My grandmother asked, keeping the same kind tone, I nodded.

"Aditi." My grandmother's voice changed to a strict voice.

"Your Aditi Roy. A Roy from Mumbai." My grandmother continued, she was preening at the word 'Roy'. As if it was some brand.

"Technically speaking that Divya isn't your real guardian. I am." Dadi waved off Deepika. The woman who raised me.

"Dadi, her name is Deepika. She raised me." I intervened.

"Whatever, she's that wretched sister of K-" My grandmother stopped herself before she could complete the word. She didn't have to complete the sentence, I knew who Deepika was related to.

Kavya.

My mother.

"Now my dear. We've been offered an alliance." My grandmother started.

"An alliance in what?" I interrupted once again, a look of annoyance flashed on Dadi's face.

"Company merging." Dadi signed patiently.

"Who's the company?" I felt as clueless as a student was in Calculus.

"Roy Enterprises and Singh Corp," Dadi told me carefully.

"Our company?" She egged on my suspicions.

Wait...

I'm the grand-daughter of some crazy rich grandma who owns a big-shot company in India?

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" I demanded.

"My dear, I don't know why Ganesh didn't tell you," Dadi answered blankly but there was a hidden meaning behind those words.

Because I was the product of an outer-caste marriage.

"So, I want to meet you." Dadi clapped her hands.

"I want to present you as my grand-daughter to the Singh family." Dadi grinned and she seemed so innocent at the moment. I smiled and agreed. I walked out to see Shubman and Aarav tackling each other.

"What in the name of England's Pudding?" I frowned.

"I win." Aarav announced, Shubman grunted and stood up.

"I'm taking a little trip to Chennai," I informed Asha, Asha nodded knowingly. Shubman on the other hand had a delighted grin plastered on his face.

"Our next Test is in Chennai!" He grinned and twirled me in the air.

"That's perfect!" I shared his happiness.

"Talking about that. I'm pretty sure we should start packing." He chuckled and put me down. I shoved him out the door instructing him to pack for hot weather.

"I'm always hot-" He flirted, but I interrupted his sentence by slamming the door in his face.

Packing was done in a matter of minutes.

Yay for family.

*** At the Roy Bungalow ***

"Dadi?" I called out, the word echoed around.

"Ahh! Aditi." Dadi hurried toward me. Dadi was wearing a simple black dress that draped just below her knees. Her white hair was pinned in an Indian Style Braid. Overall, she fit the role of super-rich grandmother pretty well.

"My dear! Your even more beautiful in person." She gushed and hugged me. The air was knocked out of the lungs.

"Now, let's get you up to date." Dadi titttered and hummed. She started to recite our family story.

"So, the Singh's wanted to merge our companies to form a larger and more productive company." My dadi continued to talk.

"We needed a whole new blood-line for that. So what better way to seal the deal, than attending one of their family events." Dadi smiled. She ushered me to my room and told me to change. There was a lengha on the bed.

And it wasn't to my liking.

The V-neck dipped a bit too much for my liking. The top was a tad too high as well. Overall, just too much cleavage showing... to top it off there was a deep thigh-high slit on the skirt. The shawl was a transparent red and gold. The theme of the lengha was red and gold, it seemed regal. I put it on and twirled around in it.

"My gods! Your... You're a showstopper." Dadi breathed from behind me. Dadi was wearing a purple silk saree.

*** At The Party ***

I made a friend at the gathering. Apparently, it was the engagement party of one of the Singh's cousins. A tall and handsome approached me.

"May I have a dance?" He flashed a charming smile.

"Sure?" I was hesitant, Dadi gave me a thumbs up. He wrapped an arm around my bare waist and led me to the dance floor. After a few minutes, I disliked him immediately. He was a total pervert. I left the party early to get to bed.

*** Next Day ****

"Aditi. I have some news." Dadi's voice was blank. I hummed a response and stirred my coffee. I wasn't feeling very hungry.

"You're getting married."

"Okay..." I spoke nonchalantly. But stopped when I realized what I said.

"What!!" I roared with outrage.

"Are you serious?" My British accent peeked out.

"Yes, very much so." Dadi shrugged.

"The Singh's and I decided it would be best to get you married to their only son." Dadi shrugged.

"It would be a good way to seal the deal as well. The child you give birth to will take over the succession line of both families." Dadi smiled as though it was a great deal.

"You can't make that choice for me!" I gritted my teeth.

"Yes, I can. I'm your legal guardian and grandmother." Dadi was oddly calm...

"You aren't worthy to call yourself my grandmother!" I bit back harshly.

"You didn't even bother attending your own son's funeral." I played my trump card.

"DON'T BRING GANESH INTO THIS." Dadi's eyes were wild and angry. My legs turned into led.

"Either you agree. Or I'll ruin Deepika's life." Dadi shrugged.

What did Deepika do to deserve this?

Nothing.

I knew what I had to do.

"Fine." I sighed and sank into my chair.

"What if.." I trailed off. "Nevermind."

"Tell me." Dadi clenched her jaw.

"What if I'm in a relationship?" I bit my lip and asked her.

"Then cut it off. Today." Dadi shrugged.

*** At the Hotel Shubman was Staying at ****

I whimpered with fear when the elevator doors creaked open.

"Shubman! Your girlfriend is here." Hardik chuckled in a sing-song voice when I entered the team room. I bit my lip trying to get control of myself.

"Aditi!" Shubman's face brightened up when his eyes landed on me. He rushed forward and twirled me in the air.

"Close your eyes," Shubman instructed me. I was hesitant, but I agreed.

"Aditi Girish." Shubman started, I winced at the word Girish.

You're a Roy.

Dadi's words echoed inside my head.

"I love you. You have me wrapped around your finger. I need you, your more important to me than, Oxygen, food or water. Heck, I would even give up Cricket for you." Shubman chuckled and continued. A sinking feeling of dread snuck up on me.

"Open your eyes." Shubman chuckled. My eyes fluttered open to see Shubman on one knee.

"Consider this a promise ring." Shubman smiled and opened the box.

"A promise that I'm forever yours." Shubman continued.

"And a promise that your forever mine." He breathed and looked at me in the eye. Tears threatened to flow out but I controlled them. The rest of the team plus the kids and wives watched with a smile on their faces.

"I'm not yours." My voice was hoarse.

I need you to hate me, Shubman.

"What?" Shubman frowned and stood up. He clutched the silver ring in his right hand. He stuffed it into his pocket and caressed my right cheek.

"What's wrong?" He held me close to him.

"I guess my proposing was a bit out of the ordinary... We have only dated for a month..." Shubman trailed off not letting me talk.

"Don't touch me," I whispered Shubman's jerked away.

"Aditi, what's wrong?" Shubman demanded.

"Can you not tell that I used you! For Pete's sake, why are you so naive?" I gritted my teeth trying to hide the emotions that were threatening to burst out. Shubman's eyes widened. The people gathered around's face's rippled with surprise and mild disgust.

"Aditi-" Shubman started but I knew I would lose control the moment I look at him.

"I hate you. My subconscious got the better of me, So I'm breaking it off. Bye forever." I sassed and swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Never knew she was that type of girl"

"Ugh! What a gold-digger"

"Poor Shubman"

I blinked back tears and ran outside. I sat in the dining hall. It was empty. I sobbed uncontrollably.

I'm sorry Shubman.

I heard a chair scraping against the floor. I peeked out of my hands to see Virat bhaiya.

"You're supposed to hate me," I mumbled.

"Oh please. I'm not an idiot." Virat chuckled.

"I didn't buy that act for one bit." He shook his head.

"I don't think Shubman did either." He added softly.

"Come on... tell your bhai what's wrong." He nudged me. Before I could stop myself, the story flowed out.

"You have one messed up grandmother." Virat shook his head, amazed. I grunted.

"I can talk to your grandmother-" Cheeku Bhai suggested but I cut him off with a sharp shake of my head.

I don't want more people to get roped into this.

I stood up, brushed past my tears, and walked out of the hall. Shubman was blocking the way out. Before I could side-step him, he grabbed my wrist.

"Cut the act," Shubman grunted.

"Aditi, I know you." He pulled me to his chest.

"You suck at lying." He murmured into my ear. My heart-rate started to increase rapidly.

"I used... I used you.." I stuttered unable to form words. He kissed my neck.

"Oh please," He chuckled and traced circles on my back.

"Tell me what's wrong. I'll fix it." He told me with determination.

"This is wrong." I gestured to the two of us. He kissed my jaw.

"Doesn't feel like it." He laughed obviously amused at my discomfort.

"Aditi. I've known you for around ten years. I can tell when your lying." Shubman sighed. I shoved him away.

"I changed," I told him blankly and left the hotel.

"Aditi!" Shubman's voice came from behind me.

"Aditi!" He called out once more.

"Aditi Girish." He tried again, this time I stopped and turned around to look at him.

"It's Aditi Roy," I grunted and took a good long look at him. Shubman deflated a bit. I hailed a cab and went back to Bungalow.

I looked out the window of my bedroom.

I love you too, Shubman...

****

Hey....

Don't kill me...

I needed a plot-twist. So who do you think the fiance is?

I can give you one thing.

Singh's Son:

Arrogant.

Sorry once again.

~ Ria.

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