7.

M O K S H

I stared at my wife's retreating figure as her heena was complete and she left probably to get some rest. A small smile grazed my lips, Lasya was affecting me and I had slowly started to admire her the same way Dadaji does to Dadi and Dad does to Mom. Haye mera Dil!
[Translation: oh my heart!]

Lasya had the most beautiful pair of hazel eyes I have ever seen, uski aakhein itni sunder hai ki unmein khone ka mann karta hai, aisa lagta hai unhi mein doob maru!
Nhi nhi jyada ho gaya, agar mai mar gaya toh uska kya hoga!

[Translation: Her eyes are so beautiful that one contemplates getting lost in them, it feels like drowning in them and dying!
No no, it's too much, what will happen to her if I die?!]

"Thank you apna aapa khoye bina unhe jhelne ke liye, I know she gets difficult sometimes", I thanked the henna artist who was packing her stuff. She looked up and me and chuckled at my comment.

[Translation: Thank you for bearing her without losing your temper, I know she gets difficult sometimes]

"You'll receive your paycheck but remember not to reveal any information outside, you won't like the consequences", I threatened as my voice turned deeper. My eyes hardened and I noticed her gulping in fear. Realising this much intimidation was enough I flashed her my infamous smile and walked away leaving her behind.
Chalo meri garhwali ko dhundte hai, bore ho raha hai bohot!

[Translation: Let's find my wife, I am getting very bored!]

Whistling a melody to myself I pocketed my hands in my sweatpant's pocket when I bumped into Nevan who was busy in his phone.

"Akhaan haigiyaan ya button? Kuch dikhai nhi deta kya tujhe, ha?", I scowled at him. "Itna kyu sadh raha hai, subah se tere hi kaam mein laga hua hu", he replied pouting slightly and I gagged at his expression.
Yeah! Imagine a grown-up 28-year-old uncle pouting like a pig. Chii bhai!

[Translation: Do you have buttons for your eyes that cannot see and walk?

: Why are you being so grumpy? I have been busy with your work since morning]

"Chal bata kya khabar laya hai mera kabutar", I asked and watched him glaring at me since I referred to him as my servant.

[Translation:Come on, tell me what news my pigeon has brought]

Nevan was an ethical hacker by profession. He had his tech firm and he knew the cyber world like the back of his hand. While we, Mehrotras had various businesses. The traditional family business was of textiles, we had different miles and workhouses, and the business had managed to dominate every other company out there even the Agarwals who were trying hard to compete against us. After Dadaji, Dad took over the family business and later it was passed on to me, him now being the Vice president. Mom was a professional singer and is currently retired.

Chachu owned his law firm, he was the legal advisor of ours and Chachi was a renowned writer. Vihaan and Vivaan were both in the final year of their graduation while Ziya was in the middle of her degree.

I on the other hand handled the family business and would be soon announced as the CEO but I also had my very own construction company since I had a degree in architecture. I started this company 2 years back and slowly it was expanding its roots coming out as a known name in the market. Bhai! Jalwa hai hamara!

[Translation: I am slaying]

I had asked Nevan to gather every possible information he could about Lasya Agarwal. Since the Agarwals were always under the radar of the media it was fishy and suspicious how there wasn't a tiny bit of clue about Lasya's existence to date. I trusted Nevan in this confidential case, I was sure he was capable of gathering everything about her. Manipulation and the digital world were his keys and he was the best in his field. He very well knew how to play with words and codes.

"Yaar bhabhi toh badi teez nikali, puri duniya ko bas yeh pata hai ki Lasya Agarwal ek famous event manager hai aur Mubarakan ki malkin hai, iske ilawa aur kuch nhi pata", he informed forwarding his tabloid towards me. I scrolled through the information

[Translation: Dear, sister-in-law is so smart, the whole world only knows that Lasya Agarwal is a famous event manager and the owner of Mubarakan, apart from this nothing else is known.]

There wasn't much information about her except that she'd worked with renowned names. It was as if the world didn't know who Lasya Agarwal was except for her owning Mubarakan. No appearance at any business parties events or award shows. Won several awards but still didn't make it up to the ceremony. Like she was completely isolated.

But she was active on social media. Mostly spotted with famous fashion designer Samyukt Joshi founder of Dhaage and Prithvi Chauhan owner of Kashish. I scrolled through her Instagram and boy I was left surprised.

"Oh Bhai! Meri wali toh hot nikali- I mean su-sunder hai bohot sunder hai", I rolled down the slides going through her Instagram page. I bit my tongue at my remark and smacked Nevan when he, wolf-whistled at one of her posts.

[Translation: Oh bro! Mine turned out to be so hot - I mean beautiful, very beautiful]

Bidding him bye and still in a daze I walked towards my room not before thanking him. Lasya was a mystery, she was so mysterious and a difficult riddle to unfold. She wouldn't show her emotions at any cost and I know she was planning something really big in that mastermind brain of hers.

If she was smart, then I'm smarter. My now sole focus would be on the Agarwals and Lasya's next move. Wife or not, but if she gets even a single scratch on my family she would have to face my wrath. And at the rate, my family is getting attached to her I fear she'll leave them in a state of despair. I will shield her from all her enemies and my family from her and I'm ready to pass any boundaries when it comes to them. Let the game begin baby!

"Bhabhi you have such a smart-ass personality, I tell you my friends are gonna love you a lot", I was just about to enter our room when I heard Ziya's voice

Both the ladies had gotten so close to each other and I fear the emotional attachment Ziya was having with Lasya. Ziya was soft-hearted and sensitive, she would get attached to people easily and make them the centre of her entire world. And if Lasya decides to break her which I'm sure she won't dare to, but if she did I would break her twice the same even if it meant me tearing myself apart.

"Do you know personality is translated to vyaktitva in Hindi", I let my presence known to both of them and strolled inside our bedroom with hands in my pockets. Both of them were startled by my presence and looked at me strangely. "You scared us Bhai", Ziya said to which I just shrugged my shoulders while Lasya looked everywhere but me, her ear tips still red.

"Well badass personality is translated to gandi gan-", I was abruptly cut in the middle of my sentence by Ziya who yelled at the top of her lungs. "Good God bhai! At least think about Bhabhi, we all are immune to your unfiltered mouth but Bhabhi is still new and gives her some time to adjust. I don't want her to think that her husband is a lunatic jerk", Ziya screeched and Lasya had her eyes wide open like saucers.

The duo looked almost comical and I recorded their reaction laughing my guts off. But the way Ziya had addressed Lasya as her bhabhi had my heart jumping in joy, I felt giddy and jittery in my veins.

Soon it was night and everyone retreated to their rooms after dinner. Tomorrow was supposed to be our reception party and Lasya's first public appearance as my wife and the daughter-in-law of Mehrotras. I knew for a matter of fact that the media and journalists would go gaga over the fact that I didn't marry Raina, which was all over the news and the official announcement.

It would be hard to control the situation since Lasya would be revealed as the hidden elder daughter of Manish Agarwal. There were various speculations before but never a proof for her identity and tomorrow's gonna be a big day.

Dad, chachu and Dadaji had everything covered and under their control, I was aware they were hiding something from me, from the rest of the family and it was something concerning Lasya.

I massaged my temples and gulped an aspirin from the medical box when I heard the door opening and Lasya stepped out from the bathroom in her white pyjamas.
God the woman was obsessed with white, her whole world was white and colourless. Her Insta feed and clothes collection was the proof of it and I swore to make her life colourful and paint her in the colour of love, my love.

"I'm taking the bed, you can take the couch", she announced and walked towards the bed, getting inside the sheets.

"Oh hello, yeh tumse phele mera kamra hai, fir mai kyu couch per sou?", I strode towards her and stood a foot away from the bed glaring at her and she glared back

[Translation: Oh hello, this is my room before yours, so why should I sleep on the couch?]

"Then you are all welcome to go and sleep in the guest room", she smiled sarcastically at me and covered her face with the duvet.

"Mai kyu apna room chor kar guestroom mein jau? Maine nhi jana. Aur log kya sochega jab unhe pata lagega ki naya navela pati apna room chor kar guest room meh soh raha hai, kahi unhone soch liya ki tum mein hi koi dikkat toh nhi", I acted as if I was deep in thoughts and watched her staring at me from the gap of the duvet

[Translation: Why will I go out of my room and sleep in the guest room? I won't leave. And what will people think when they find out that the newlywed husband has snuck out of his room in the middle of the night and is sleeping in the guest room, what if they think there's some problem with you?]

"Char log, char baatein", I looked at her horrified at her answer. This woman was so hard to convince, you asked her about something and she fired back with her remarks and comebacks.

[Translation: the more the people, the more the talks go around]

"I'm sleeping on the bed and that's final", I announced and jogged towards the other side of the bed. "No, not happening", she yelled and rolled to the other side covering my space.

"Yes", I replied and pushed her body and watched her go rolling to the other side

"No"

"Yes"

"No"

"Yes"

"No"

"Hella yes"

"Joh karna hai karo", she huffed and angrily turned towards the other side facing the door and covered her completely with her duvet.

[Translation: do whatever you want]

I smirked at my victory and took the other comforter for the cupboard. I didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable with sharing the same duvet. Laying on the bed I placed a pillow between us and closed my eyes dozing off to sleep.

In between the night, I woke up feeling something tickling my neck. Still asleep, I moved the thing away from my neck but all in vain. Opening my drowsy eyes I looked below and my eyes came in contact with a mass of brown hairs.

My eyes widened and I realised I was all over Lasya while she lay like a brick on her side. In the middle of my sleep, I'd moved towards her side cuddling her, or more like spooning her. I had the worst habit of cuddling in sleep, over the years since I'd the bed all by myself I would use the entire bed in my sleep. But today unintentionally I'd moved and was cuddling her. Not my fault, habits take time to change!

She was facing the door and sleeping soundly with the soft rhythmic rise and fall of her chest. I balanced myself on my elbow and admired her sleeping form. She looked peaceful in her sleep and not the witty and wild Lasya. Meri jangli billi!
[Translation: my wild cat]

Her body wasn't too soft or too rigid, yet it was cuddle-able for me. She was warm and her presence made my heart at ease. I don't know what she was doing to me, but all I knew was, she meant something, something to me.

She smelt of vanilla and chocolate, a mixture so unique like her. I squinted my eyes, trying to get a better look at her features when I noticed something, she had a small dimple on her chin. It was light, not too prominent until you looked closely. And her chin dimple gave an adorable look to her face, a bit childish and cute.

I tucked the strand of hair that was obstructing my view behind her ear and saw her turning around and now facing me. Maybe it was my biggest mistake that I misunderstood her for a heavy sleeper because I saw her expressions changing in sleep. She furrowed her eyebrows and then she opened her hazel orbs gazing deeply into my brown once.

Her eyes were sleepy and both of us froze at our proximity, one single mistake and we would end up locking lips. I liked my dry chapped lips and noticed her eyes go from heavy to wide as if realisation dawned upon her. She stared at me as if sensing a ghost, sleeping far miles away from her eyes.

The next second passed in a blur and I was in dazed by the spell she cast on me with her enchanting hazel eyes that I wasn't able to comprehend what happened. My own eyes opened wide like saucers when I felt a sharp pain and my body flew to the floor.

Lasya had practically kicked me out of bed with her strong moves and I being a fool couldn't work my reflexes against her. I felt a sharp pain shooting in my body from the waist down and I swear I could see stars.

Haye isne toh meri kamar tod daali.... koi baat nhi abhi jane de raha hai, har kutte ka din aata hai, kabhi Mera bhi ayega aur tab mai iski kamar todunga!

[Translation: Alas, she has broken my back... No problem, I am letting her go, for now, every dog's day comes, someday mine will also come and then I will break her back as well!]

And that's how I spent the second night of my marriage being kicked out of the bed by my wife!

~

It was the late hours of the morning when I opened my eyes and found myself alone in our room. Yeh, female kung-fu panda kaha gyi?

[Translation: where has this kung-fu panda gone?]

I yawned, stretched my hands above my head and discarded the t-shirt I was wearing. It was unusual for me to wake up this late, per kya kare, biwi raat ko sone de tabhi na!

[Translation: But what to do, my wife doesn't let me sleep at night]

Taking a quick shower and calling for a quick brunch in our room I started working. I needed to make sure that the security was strict around us for today's event since I couldn't afford to take any risk.

Time seemed to pass in a blur and it was evening. I was kicked out of our room by Ziya on the pretext of her bhabhi aka my wife getting ready for the event. I was pushed into one of the guest rooms where my outfit for the reception party lay on the bed.

My eyes squinted and I glared at the off-colour clothes. No doubt it was an ivory coloured 3 piece suit and shiny brown shoes. I clicked my tongue, no doubt the outfits were decided by my wife's best friend who might have boycotted my stylist and influenced him into making us wear whites.
Koi baat nhi, dharampatni ke liye kuch bhi.

[Translation: No problem, anything for my wife.]

Now I was curious to know why she was so obsessed with whites. I know she was sophisticated and classy but this collection of hers wasn't quite making sense to me, I was confused with the reason unknown to me.

Taking a quick shower I stood in front of the vanity table and stared at my skin care products placed on the cabinet.

Firstly I exfoliated my skin to get rid of the dead skin cells and clogged pores on my nose, rinsed my face and placed the brightening pad on my forehead and cheeks. I scrolled through the Instagram page of Lasya to pass some time. I swear she was the walking goddess with her looks and sense of fashion.

A few minutes later I discarded the pads in the dustbin and applied the face serum, gently massaging my face. Followed by the deep cleaning, hydration mask and toner I completed basic before make-up skin prep with my moisture, I'll do the rest of the skin care before bed because I'd skipped them for the last two days and my skin needed hydration and pampering. Soon I would have Lasya join me and we would together click weird selfies with a face mask and post it on Instagram. Haye

Getting into my clothes I walked outside and sat on the chair as the makeup finished with the final touches and my hair. After an hour or two I was finally ready and walked back towards our room not before admiring myself and and passing a flying kiss to myself through the mirror.

With a satisfied grin, I walked into our room only to freeze on my feet.

Lasya stood with her back facing me, dressed in a gold lehenga she looked no less than an enchantress. She was so busy with her phone that she hadn't noticed my presence. I could see her through the mirror and I swear I felt it like a dream.

My breathing caught in my throat and my hands became sweaty. The blouse had full sleeves with tassels on the sleeves as well as the end of the blouse, resting perfectly on her slim waist. Her hair was in a sophisticated bun and covered with a heavy veil. Her wrist was adorned with the bridal chuda I'd ordered for her along with the darkest shade of Heena.

Subtle nude makeup but she looked no more than a goddess. My Goddess! Haye kisiki nazar na lage. Kisiki toh pata nhi per meri hi nazar lag jani hai isse toh! Thu thu thu

[Translation: Hey, no one should cast any evil eye on her. I don't know about anyone else, but I will only cast an evil eye on her by this! thu thu thu]

My eyes roamed her body and settled on her deep-neck blouse. It was translucent because of the net veil but still gave a view of her exposed back.

She hadn't tied the strings yet and her back was on a complete show since it was supported only with two hooks. Apne pati per itna trust nhi hoga jitna unn doh hooks per hai maharani ji ko!

[Translation: she will not have as much trust in your husband as she had in those two hooks of the blouse!]

My cheeks burned red and I gulped, something twisted in my pants when her exposed back came into my view. She had a mole just between her porcelain back, it stared at me making me feel hot. She was sexy, she was so damn sexy. Holy shit!

Hey Ram! Yeh aurat meri jaan lekar hi manegi!

[Translation: oh god! This woman will surely kill me!]