Nine months later,

"What do you think of this?" Jeet shuffled through the heap of mess and lifted a white and baby blue striped tie.

Vinita did the same with a royal red and black one and threw a sharp glance at Priyasha.

She gulped at both of them.

A wedding was a hell of a work, and when it was your best friend's wedding you must experience a roller coaster ride.

Jeet was getting wed. The girl was his colleague and such an amiable person. When Jeet introduced her with Priyasha and Vinita, she secretly asked them to tell her all his secrets. So that it'd be easier for her in the long run, and then she teamed up with the girls. Vinita also was impressed and instantly liked her, despite her nature of judging people in the first meeting.

Vinita shot Priyasha a furious look, which meant, if you dare pick his choice, I'll kill you right here! Although, Jeet noticed none of their silent exchanges, and looked at Priyasha's face expectantly. However, both of them knew, Vinita had been the best among all three of them in the matter of fashion sense.

She gulped once again before mumbling, "I think, Vini's one will look good on you."

Jeet huffed and threw up his hands in disbelief while Vinita's smile widened as she winked at Priyasha.

"You two! Are my enemies!" Jeet complained, "And you!" He pointed his index finger at Priyasha. Although his eyes twinkled with amusement, he faked a fury. "The fatty grumpy cat! You are the crueler one."

Priyasha's mouth widened at the adjectives thrown at her while Vinita burst out in laughter.

"What?" Priyasha picked up the pillow she found beside her and threw it straight at him. It didn't miss its aim and hit Jeet right on his face. Priyasha could tell, he intentionally didn't dodge the attack, considering his obvious quick reflex.

"What what? You are fat." Jeet rubbed his forehead and feigned a doubtful tone. "Look at yourself. You have that suspicious bump around your belly. And... I doubt..."

"Jeet," Priyasha warned.

"... it is growing to be a..."

"Jeet!" She felt her face warming up. Her eyes darted toward Vinita and saw her giggling silently. She couldn't believe this was happening.

"Watermelon." Jeet finished casually.

"Stop! Now!" Priyasha's face flushed as she rolled her eyes huffily at her best friends. This was wrong. He couldn't say that to her. She glared between the two of them, while Jeet and Vinita exchanged a mischievous glance. In response to which Priyasha's blush deepened. All three of them looked at each other and a moment later all of them burst out laughing.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration if she compared her current life with a beautiful dream. Months ago, Abhiraj once told her about his beautiful dream and that he wouldn't give up on it. And truly he didn't.

He had kept his promise. He had given her everything that she had or hadn't asked for. He had made her feel special in every way possible, and despite all the ups and downs they've gone through, she loved that man, beyond her knowledge.

"Isha!"

"There!" Jeet immediately mocked her when Abhiraj called her from outside. "Couldn't he leave you alone, for like at least ten minutes?"

"Shut up. He's not like that. It must be something important."

"Yeah, yeah. It must be something important-important," Jeet casually retorted.

"Jeet, shut up. Would you like to be beaten on your wedding day?"

Vinita chuckled. "Oh, stop you two. How could you manage the bickering all the time?"

Abhiraj called again from outside the room, "Isha?"

"Coming." She raised her voice at him then shifted her eyes on Vinita. "You tell him that!" She pointed at Jeet and huffed. "It's him."

Jeet had already wrapped the tie around his neck and now was fixing it up. He teased, "Why? Do I ever say anything wrong? He cares for you like a psychopath, literally."

"Come on, Jeet." Now Vinita saved her embarrassment. "He loves Priya, and that's the best we could have ever asked for her."

Jeet shrugged but there was a wide smile plastered on his face.

She shook her head, blushing and walked toward the door while asking Vinita, if everything was ready for the ceremony.

Vinita assured her that she would take care of it and she didn't have to stress over that. She could just go and listen to her husband what he had to say.

Priyasha rolled her eyes once again, still blushing before exiting the room.

Abhiraj was waiting outside the room while checking on his phone. A smile broke free on her face without her even realizing as she closed the distance between them, with smaller strides. When he saw her, he took hold of her hand and walked her toward a corner. People were coming and going all around as they should since it was common for any wedding venue.

His eyes wandered around the place for a split second before focusing on her face. He still was a man of fewer words and his reticent demeanor still erupted butterflies in her belly.

"I will be leaving in an hour for the meeting," he said.

"You won't be staying for the ceremony?" She asked him, disappointed.

He averted his gaze on his phone. "Isha, you know how important this project is to me. I have been waiting for Jatayu's moment for so long."

Her gaze dropped on his phone. "Did Shyam say anything?"

He looked up and stared into her eyes unwaveringly. "You don't need to worry about that. Focus on your friend's wedding and..." His eyes dropped on her belly.

Her cheeks burned all of a sudden.

Last month she missed her periods. So, they took a pregnancy test just to be sure. And the result was... positive. She hadn't told anyone yet. Not even to Maya. But her friends seemed to suspect it somehow. She was in fact, nervous.

She blinked as Abhiraj leaned closer and whispered, "Make sure he is safe."

She frowned looking into his eyes. They shone beautifully and she still could get lost in his aesthetic eyes. "How do you know it's a He? It could be a baby girl, and I'd love to have a daughter."

"I'd love that too. But it's a boy."

"How do you know?"

"I have my own ways," he uttered that as a knowing smirk appeared on his lips.

Priyasha's eyes widened with disbelief as she swatted on his arm. "Don't you ever pull that line on me again!"

He smiled softly. His eyes gleamed with love and warmth and longing with a glint of sadness in there. He blinked then whispered after a small pause, "It has to be him."

Her chest tightened at that. Abhiraj had this blind belief that their love baby would be a boy, because it had to be. Jai's absence still hurt him and it hurt her to watch him hurting. She knew Jai meant more to him than he let it show.

Her eyes wavered as she looked away when two ladies went past them, giving them a quick, amusing glance.

She sighed looking back at him, while he still held his gaze on her. She was sure his eyes never strayed from her for once and the thought alone made her face flush a deep shade of crimson.

She shook her head and tried to shift their topic of conversation. She knew anything related to Jai would only hurt him more. The warmth crept up her face when she intentionally teased him. "I still sometimes doubt my sanity that I fell for my kidnapper." He didn't like to be called her kidnapper. He never had. But she often teased him by calling him that and enjoyed the annoyance on his face. It was true the way they met was far from normal, but she didn't regret it anymore.

He groaned. "Don't say that. I agree that circumstances were complicated when we met. But you are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I wouldn't have been here standing in front of you, if it wasn't for you to heal the cracks of my life. My heart, my soul."

She stared at his face and the serious look on his face wavered her inside. The palpitating tremors inside her heart appeared out of the blue when their eyes locked. His gaze was genuine and the determined look on his face made her heart run an extra beat observing the abundance of adoration and love he had for her. No matter how absurd or uncomfortable her man's features appeared, they always enticed her. He still unnerved her at times when he got back to serious all of a sudden, and yet, the same pulled her closer to him.

Abhiraj slid a hand behind her, rested it on the small of her back, then pulled her closer without giving her any time to recede back. Her hands flew forward to rest on his chest as her stupefied eyes widened at the gesture.

"This place is crowded," she hurriedly complained.

"Should I care?"

"Yes. You must."

In response, he said nothing, instead, leaned down and placed a feathery soft kiss on her forehead which made her flush.

She couldn't have asked for more to God. God loved her beyond her flaws and so did her man; and she loved him back beyond his flaws as well.

He pulled apart then held up one of her hands, smelled the mehendi designs drawn on it, then kissed on the flat of her hand lovingly. "I love you."

She smiled as she watched him. "I know."