First Night ~

When I woke up, I realized I was resting in Vikrant Ji’s arms. His hand was around me, holding me close not too tightly, just enough to keep me near.

For a second, I didn’t even move. I could feel the warmth of him, the quiet rise and fall of his chest.

The moment I shifted, he looked at me. His expression didn’t change much, but his voice, low and steady, broke the silence.

“We’ve arrived,” he said.

I nodded quickly and sat up straight, trying to compose myself. He stepped out first, then reached out his hand to help me.

His grip was firm, reassuring the kind of touch that said a lot without any words.

I wasn’t feeling great, still weak and burning up from the fever, but at least the short rest had helped a bit.

A small sigh escaped me as I thought, I really should’ve taken those medicines.

The house… no, it wasn’t just a house. It felt like a mahal. Grand, imposing, and impossibly beautiful.

Every corner reflected royalty, from the towering pillars to the ornate carvings on the walls.

The interiors were decorated so meticulously that it felt like stepping into a dream.

The entire place was bathed in the soft, golden glow of earthen lamps, lining the hallways and balconies, flickering gently like the stars themselves had decided to descend for the night.

For a moment, I forgot I was exhausted from the fever.

It was time for the Griha Pravesh, the sacred house entry.

Through my veil, I stole a glance at the mansion’s interior. The sight made my heart skip a beat.

Only one word came to my mind.

Wholesome!

For my entry, my mother-in-law had placed a metal pot filled with rice at the threshold, and several servants held plates brimming with flowers, their colors bright and inviting.

Saraswati Ji gracefully circled the arti plate, her movements deliberate and soothing, and placed a red tika on my and Vikrant Ji's forehead, a ceremonial mark of blessing.

Then, with a gentle smile, she twirled a wad of money around us, handing it to a nearby servant.

In her soft, melodic voice, she said,

“Push this with your right leg, bacha.”

I hesitated for a moment, then carefully nudged the kalash.

It rolled forward with a soft clink, marking the symbolic start of my journey into the house.

Hand in hand with Vikrant Ji, I stepped inside, leaving the threshold behind, feeling a strange mix of excitement, anticipation, and quiet wonder settle in my chest.

It was time for the second rasham, where I had to place my feet in the red-colored liquid in the plate and walk over the white cloth. I gently put one foot after the other, completing the ritual carefully.

As I moved toward my room, I lost my balance due to weakness, but Vikrant Ji held my hand tightly.

Then he asked in serious tone, “Are you okay?”

I nodded.

Saraswati Ji noticed it too, and she came closer to me, asking softly,

“Bacha, are you okay?”

I nodded in agreement.

Saraswati ji smiled softly and said, “Aaram se bacha, apna dhyan rakho,” while gently patting my head.

("Be careful, child.")

I nodded, a gentle smile spreading across my face.

Our room ~

Then he helped me to his room. As he opened the door, I couldn’t help but pause, every corner was adorned with roses, and a heart made entirely of petals lay on the bed.

The walls were decorated so beautifully, it was almost like stepping into a dream.

I peeked through my veil, my cheeks warming as I took it all in, feeling both shy and amazed.

He gently guided me to the sofa, his hand warm and reassuring in mine.

My eyes kept drifting to him, the quiet strength in his presence making me feel safe, even in this overwhelmingly beautiful room.

On the bedside table, a glass of 'haldi wala dudh' (turmeric milk) waited.

He reached to hand me the glass, brushing my veil aside. His gaze lingered on me for a moment, sharp and unreadable.

I felt my heart skip a beat, but he didn’t flinch. Without a word, he slid the glass toward me.

“Drink this. You’ll feel better,” he said, his voice calm and controlled.

I was starving, so I grabbed the glass and drank it in one go.

Vikrant’s sharp eyes widened slightly, as if surprised by my boldness.

“Vah… all at once,” he thought.

His expression was unreadable. I let out a quiet sigh of relief after drinking the milk. Without a word, Vikrant took the glass from me and pulled the handkerchief from my hand, which I had been holding since earlier.

“Rat bhar le kar sone ka plan hai kya?” he said, wiping the milk from my face that had left little traces like a moustache.

(“Planning to sleep the whole night while holding onto this, huh?”)

I felt my cheeks burning with shyness. In this whole world, except Saanvi, no one had ever treated me like this after my parents passed away.

Then he got up and walked into the bathroom without saying a word.

I was exhausted and still not feeling well. I collapsed onto the sofa, just wanting to rest for a while. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

A servant stood there, holding a glass of milk in his hand.

“Malkin, disturb karne ke liye maafi chaungi. Badi Malkin ne aapke liye haldi ka doodh bheja hai. Aapki tabiyat thik nahi lag rahi thi na?”

(“Malkin, I apologize for disturbing you. Badi malkin has sent turmeric milk for you. You weren’t feeling well, right?” )

I nodded with a small smile and took the glass, closing the door gently behind me.

“I already drank the milk… I’ll leave this for Vikrant Ji,” I thought, placing it carefully on the table beside the sofa.

I sank back into the cushions, and before I knew it, sleep quietly claimed me.

After some time, Vikrant came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a bathrobe, water still dripping from his hair.

He found Ishita sleeping on the sofa like a little child. Carefully, he lifted her into his arms and laid her on the bed, tucking her in gently.

But the water from his hair fell on her, stirring her awake. Seeing Vikrant so close, Ishita’s heart raced, and she squeezed her eyes shut in fear and nervousness.

Vikrant glanced at her for a moment, and without taking another step toward her, he turned and went to change his clothes.

Ishita, still unaware of his intentions, slowly opened her eyes. The sight of him so close made her heart skip a beat. She wasn’t prepared for anything like this at all.

A sudden shadow of a dark memory flashed through her mind, and a wave of fear gripped her.

Her throat felt dry, her hands trembled uncontrollably, and a cold shiver ran down her spine. Panicked, she hurried toward her luggage, frantically searching for something.

While she was searching Vikrant appeared from behind, now in a simple nightshirt, moving with that same calm, controlled air that always seemed to surround him.

Her chest tightened, the calm in him only made her own panic feel louder. Every part of her wanted to step back, to escape, but her legs wouldn’t obey. She froze, caught between the fear rising inside her and the strange, unspoken tension filling the room.

“Ishita?” he called, his voice calm, yet carrying that cold edge.

Her body reacted instantly. Panic surged, and she jumped to her feet, eyes wide as she looked at him. She felt… exposed, like she was hiding something she shouldn’t.

Vikrant noticed her strange behavior but didn’t press further. His voice remained calm, controlled.

"You must be tired. Go and change first. And don’t take a bath, okay? I don’t think you’re well."

Ishita nodded, clutching her dress as she hurried into the bathroom. Vikrant watched silently as she disappeared inside, his expression unreadable.

Ishita stood in front of the bathroom mirror, studying her hands. They had stopped trembling. “Good, it stopped on its own… I don’t like taking medicines,” she whispered to herself.

After a while, she stepped out in her dark blue, cozy dress. Vikrant was sitting on the bed, arms folded, eyes closed, looking as if he was resting. She walked slowly, but the soft jingling of her payal caught his attention. His eyes opened slowly, and he called out her name.

“Ishita?”

She looked at him, trying to read his expression.

Vikrant’s voice was calm, “Take the medicines. You will feel better. We will visit the doctor tomorrow.”

Ishita paused, wondering how he knew that she was ill 🤧 🤒. Then it clicked he had touched her hands earlier. That must be why.

She took the medicines silently and slipped into bed. Vikrant turned off the lights, leaving the room in darkness. Her nervousness spiked for a moment in the quiet, but soon, exhaustion took over, and she drifted into sleep.

The next day...

Vikrant woke up, his eyes catching the soft image of Ishita sleeping beside him. Her peaceful face was almost angelic, and for a moment, he just stood there, watching her with a quiet intensity.

His gaze lingered on her, tracing the lines of her face before he finally turned away and went into the bathroom.

An hour passed, and when he emerged, dressed and ready, Ishita was still asleep, her chest rising and falling gently in her slumber.

The movement in the room disturbed the silence, causing her to stir. She slowly opened her eyes, her gaze immediately snapping to Vikrant, who was now fully dressed in a coat.

Panic flickered across her face as she quickly glanced at the clock on the bedside table.

It’s 6:20 a.m.

Her heart skipped a beat. She had set her alarm for 5:00 a.m. but hadn’t heard it go off. She nervously checked her phone, wondering if maybe she had turned it off in her sleep, or if something had gone wrong.

Just then, Vikrant’s calm voice cut through her thoughts.

“I turned off the alarm. You have a fever, right? I thought it might be better for you to rest.”

Ishita froze, her mind racing, unsure how to react. She hadn’t expected him to be so considerate.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she placed her phone back on the table, not sure whether to thank him or remain silent.

Ishita was a bit angry because why he turned her alarm off but happy to see him caring and panicked about what her mother-in-law would think about her? Then she rushed to the bathroom and completed her work as soon as possible.

One hour later...

Ishita stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her dark green saree, the fabric cascading perfectly around her. She applied a light touch of makeup, trying to keep it subtle, but her mind was elsewhere. What will my in-laws think of me? The thought lingered heavily in her mind.

She struggled to wear the saree but managed to drape it roughly for the time being, planning to seek help from a servant later.

She sighed, running a hand through her hair, trying to calm her racing thoughts. The moment felt overwhelming.

I need to focus. I have to prepare food too... The realization hit her as she hurriedly made her way downstairs, her mind spinning with the weight of everything she still had to do.

As she made her way towards the kitchen, ready to get started, a voice called from behind her, soft yet commanding.

“Ishita bacha.”

She froze, her heart skipping a beat.

Ishita turned toward the voice, only to find her mother-in-law, Saraswati Ji, standing with a warm expression. Her presence was calming, yet full of authority, as she looked at Ishita with soft eyes.

Without thinking, Ishita bent down and touched her feet, a sign of respect.

Saraswati Ji smiled and placed a hand gently on her head, blessing her. “Kush raho! Sada suhagun raho! Ab tabayat aachi hai?”

(“May you always be happy and fortunate! Are you feeling good now?”)

Ishita nodded slightly, offering a small smile, her gaze lowered as she felt her nervousness ease just a little under the warmth of the blessing.

“Beta, itni jaldi mein kahaan ja rahi thi? Kuch chahiye tumhe?” Saraswati Ji’s voice was soft, laced with concern. Her eyes studied Ishita carefully, sensing the young woman’s anxiety without needing her to speak it.

(“Beta, why are you in such a hurry? Where are you going so early? Do you need anything?”)

Ishita, still feeling that strange mixture of shyness and worry, took her phone out and quickly typed her response:

“I need to prepare breakfast, maa. That’s why I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

As she showed the phone to Saraswati Ji, her fingers trembled slightly, unsure of how her mother-in-law might react.

Saraswati Ji smiled softly, her voice warm but firm as she spoke, “Beta, the food is ready. We were waiting for you.”

Ishita’s eyes widened in surprise, and she apologized again for being late.

Saraswati Ji smiled warmly and said, “Koi baat nahi beta, humare ghar mein sab kaam servants hi karte hain. Waise, aaj tumhara pehla din hai, toh tumhe apne haathon se meetha banake Vikrant ko khilana hai.”

(“It’s okay, beta. In our house, the servants handle all the household work. However, today is different. It’s your first day, so you need to make something sweet with your own hands and feed it to Vikrant.”)

Ishita’s heart skipped a beat at the thought, her nerves flaring up as she processed the importance of the moment.

Ishita nodded and was about to leave for work when her mother-in-law stopped her, speaking sweetly,

"Agar tumhe kisi cheez ki madad chahiye ho, toh mujhe bula lena, beta. Ab se main tumhari bhi maa hoon.

Aur ek baat aur, Vikrant apne papa ke saath meeting room mein hai.

Toh pehle un dono ko unki green tea de dena. Servants ne shayad already bana li hogi."

(“If you need any help, just call me, beta. From now on, I’m your mother too. And one more thing, Vikrant is with his father in the meeting room. So, give them their green teas first. The servants must have already prepared it.”)

(They have a meeting room in their home)

Ishita nodded and made her way to the kitchen.

As she walked toward the kitchen, she thought to herself, “Oh, I almost forgot. I’m no longer at my Chachi’s house. I don’t have to worry about preparing food anymore.”

She typed and asked, “Is the green tea ready?” to one of the servants.

The servant nodded and handed her the teas. She then walked towards her father-in-law’s office and knocked on the door before entering. Inside, Vikrant and his father were deep in conversation.

Yashvardhan Ji looked up and said warmly, “Arre bahu, aao aao beta.”

(“Come in, beta.”)

Ishita slowly walked inside, placed the tray on the table, and bent down to take her father-in-law’s blessing.

"Sada sukhi raho beti!" he said, his voice full of affection.

("Always stay happy, my daughter!")

She carefully placed both teas on the table, one near Vikrant and one near her father-in-law, and quietly stepped out of the room.

Afterward, she headed into the kitchen and began preparing the halwa. She focused on every step, making sure everything was perfect. Her mind wandered for a moment, but she quickly refocused, determined to make it right.

The sweet aroma filled the air as the halwa slowly came together. After some time, it was ready. She served it in a beautiful bowl, garnishing it with finely chopped cashews to give it a touch of elegance. The dish looked as perfect as she had hoped.

Now, Vikrant was sitting in the hall, deeply focused on the documents in front of him, unaware of Ishita’s movements in the kitchen. His parents, Saraswati Ji and Yashvardhan Ji, were sitting nearby, quietly engaged in conversation.

Ishita entered in the hall, holding three bowls filled with warm, fragrant halwa. She walked up to them, carefully placing the bowls on the table, one by one.

Saraswati Ji smiled and said softly, “Ab tumhe apne haath se Vikrant ko halva khilana hai aur pair chu ke aashirvad lena hai.

(“Now, you have to feed Vikrant the halwa with your own hands and take his blessings by touching his feet.”)

Vikrant glanced up at his mother, his expression unreadable, but there was something in his gaze, something almost distant, as if he didn’t quite approve of what she’d said. He didn’t respond to the words, but the look on his face said enough.

Ishita, a little nervous but still determined, took a spoonful of the halwa and offered it to him. Without a word, he ate it, his face betraying nothing. She placed the bowl aside, then slowly bent down to touch his feet.

Thanks for reading !!

Naina.writz

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Don’t forget to drop a comment and stay tuned for the upcoming chapters!

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