9.

M O K S H

I stared at my wife across the room, she looked as if she wanted to be anywhere but here. Her body language was rigid and her smile looked as fake as the expensive brands that get its cheap copy.

She looked tired from the whole overdue. Seriously, I was exhausted too, handling the media, the conference where I had to give the official statement to this event, everything was hella tiresome.

The paparazzi went nuts when we revealed Lasya's real identity. Cross-questioning, new claims, false accusations and whatnot.

Questions arose that Raina was only the pawn in the game and Lasya and I were dating secretly since there was an Instagram post of us being in NYC, USA in the same year.

But hell broke when the Agarwals refused to pass any statement and be part of the conference but rather attend just the reception party for their reputation's sake. To say I was angry would be an understatement because I was agitated beyond imagination.

Like how can someone be so insensitive and toxic towards their own daughter? They refuse to meet her, talk about her, and even acknowledge her presence. At this rate, I feel really glad that Lasya had pulled out Raina from this hell hole, she was just too young to suffer all this.

But what I didn't accept was Lasya herself being the scapegoat in the whole mishap.

"Moksh Mehrotra", a deep masculine voice called out for me and I turned around coming face to face with Prithvi Chauhan. He carried a gruff and cold expression on his face, reminding me so much of my wife herself.

No doubt they were best friends for a reason.

"Prithvi Chauhan", I acknowledged, forwarding my hand for an official handshake. He stared at my extended hand for more than a few seconds, contemplating in his mind but not accepting either.

My male ego bruised a bit because of his negligence but I let it slide because, one, he was our guest and two, he was my wife's best friend. If not I wouldn't waste a second into boring a bullet through his thick skull. No one messes with Moksh Mehrotra and goes out alive.

"I'm sorry on his behalf, he's a bit gone case", Samyukt Joshi who stood beside him shook my hand politely and I passed him a genuine smile, mirroring his expressions and passing a fake smile to Prithvi.

"I hope you are enjoying the evening, and the paparazzi didn't trouble you much", I said with a hard jaw, my aura completely changing to the cold and deadly once

"Oh, don't worry, they weren't so much of a trouble, nothing we couldn't handle. Well, I was wondering where's Lasya though?", Samyukt asked while Prithvi and I glared at each other with hard gaze. And if looks could kill, I am sure both of us would be ten feet beneath the ground.

"She's around, with my sister and family", I answered back. "You left her with your sister? Shouldn't you supposedly be with her, don't you know there's danger looming over her", Prithvi's tone was hard and threatening as if he would skin me alive at any chance he got.

"I said she's with family, which means she's safe and I have the whole area covered and under my control", my voice held a slight terror even when I decided to play cool. The man had successfully managed to get on my nerves and I was finding it hard to control my anger. "As if", he scoffed rolling his eyes

"I'm warning you Mehrotra, a single scratch on her or a single tear from her eyes and I won't waste a second before taking her along with me and burning your whole pathetic world down to ashes", he warned, stepping towards me and whispering in my eyes.

"And before that, I wouldn't think twice before amputating both of your pitiful hands and feeding them off to my Dobermans.... Oops sorry they too have high standards so I wonder if they'll even sniff onto your flesh", a sinister smirk marked my face and I threatened back with the same rage and dread as him

I watched his expression become more intense but before he could march towards me Samkyut stopped him. The tension was so thick and evident in the air that anyone could think that we were seconds away from murdering each other, which we surely were.

"Control boys", his tone was alarming as he stepped in between our glaring sessions. Prithvi and I shared intense eye contact, no one decided to step back and challenge each other. If he thinks he can intimidate me and go away with it, then he's wrong because I ain't backing away.
Let the game begin buddy!

"We have been protective of Lasya all our lives, we have been together basically since our diapers. So his concern is understandable. You seem to be a good man Moksh, but let me tell you I have my way with needles and scissors", his tone held an unknown threat.

He pushed back Prithvi slightly and dragged him away, whispering something in his ears. Prithvi walked away along with him not before throwing daggers through his gaze which I reciprocated with the same hate and anger. Rascal

I closed my eyes, trying to get rid of the anger as my fists clenched tightly making my knuckles turn white. My jaw was ticked and a nerve was popping on my forehead because of the rage.

I took a deep breath and my eyes roamed around the hall and finally settled on Lasya, my wife. My eyes immediately softened and my whole body automatically turned calm, all the anger vanishing in the thin air.

"You are falling in love with her, don't you?", it was Dad who slapped me out of my daze as he patted my shoulder lightly. "How can you be so sure?", I questioned back staring at Lasya who was talking to one of Mom's friends.

"Because mere laal, you look at her with those eyes."
[Translation: my dear]

"What eyes?",

"Like she's your home, the one you have never been to, but like you have known her your entire life", he said and even though I wasn't looking I knew he was admiring Mom when speaking those lines

"Maybe she is", I confessed, my eyes still focused on Lasya. Ziya dragged her somewhere before whispering something in her ear.

Excusing myself I followed them and noticed my wife sitting all by herself, completely engrossed in her phone. And I seriously wondered if she had married her phone if not me.
The worthless piece of metal was seriously third-wheeling in our relationship, because either she's surrounded by the Mehrotra ladies or always on her phone.

Seriously Moksh? Jealous of a piece of metal? Your standards are far high!

"Whatcha doing", I purposely used my fake British accent to piss her off and I was successful when I saw her expressions turning to that one of irritation. Told ya~~

"Breathing", she answered bored and continued surfing on her phone. Peeping inside I saw her scrolling through her Instagram page. "mind if I steal your ability to breathe?", I passed on a flirting comment, my eyes filled with glee.

"Why? Are you planning to kill me so soon", my expressions and excitement dropped when she didn't adorn the expressions I desired. I wanted her cheeks to go all red, completely blushy-mushy but she just passed me a bored look, pouring water on all my efforts.
How come she didn't get the pickup line? Huff!

Soft music planned in the background and I extended my hand towards her. She stared at my extended hand in confusion, her hazel orbs looking at me doubtfully.

"No, not slow dancing, I hate slow dancing and I'm not doing that", she cried out, twisting her lips. "I wasn't asking, wife", I replied and ignoring her protest took her hand in mine.

The moment her hands brushed mine electricity rushed through every fibre of me and I felt a spark so unknown yet so deep and precious. Her hazel eyes held confusion, excitement and loneliness, the feeling I hated the most. Because, from this moment onwards I was going to make sure that she would never experience anything that she had in the past and there wouldn't be a single day when she wouldn't laugh or smile.

With a small smile on my face, I intertwined our fingers, her palm was cold against my warm fingers which enveloped her small hand completely in my big one. I pulled her slightly towards me, enough to make her comfortable and not run miles away from my presence.

The previous words of her best friends rang in my ear and I made a mental note to fulfil every dream of hers and make her the happiest if not more.

I gently held her and guided her towards the dance floor, joined by the other couples as well.

"My lehenga is too heavy, and the stilettos are digging in my toes", Lasya complained, her luscious lips pouting slightly and I swear I was awed at the sight, gushing like a teenager.

"Itni si baat", I, with a soft jerk, pulled her towards myself, she yelped and looked at me with nervous yet confused eyes.

[Translation: no problem]

Wrapping my hand around the small of her back, I raise her body a bit and place her on my feet such that she balanced her body weight on mine, not caring if her heels dug into my shoes or not. I placed her one arm on my shoulder and with the other one intertwined our fingers, extending our hands in the classic dance floor.

She looked at me shocked and excited, her eyes wide and mouth agape. "Muh bandh kar lijiye mehraban, makki ghus jayegi", I softly whispered in her ear while slowly swinging our bodies to the tunes of the music. I watched the initial shock settling inside her and she gulped realising our surroundings.

[Translation: Keep your mouth closed, love, the fly will enter. ]

"I don't know how to dance", she said, her voice doubtful and she blinked nervously. "Neither do I, but there's always the first time for everything. Now look into my eyes and copy my actions, hm?", I explained to her as if explaining a child.

She looked unsure but nodded and copied my actions as we slowly swayed our bodies. Her breathing tickled my neck while mine fanned her face. Even with those high heels, she couldn't reach my height, she could reach something above my shoulder.

But there was no need for her to match my height because, I was ready to go down on my knees for her, bow down at her mercy.

And her smell, she smelt divine, a mixture of vanilla and chocolate, just mine!

I admired her face while she looked everywhere but me, completely avoiding my eyes. I noticed her forehead, she comparatively had a small head, a straight button nose, long lashes, light brown eyebrows and a mole just above the right one, but what made her stand out were her hazel eyes. They were unique, brown with flecks of green in them.

I was ready to devote my whole life to her, worship her just to get a glimpse of her beauty and to drown in her deep orbs.

I'd never felt something like this for anyone in my entire life. Yeah, sure, I'd casually dated a few flings here and there during my university days but they were never something serious. At some point I'd given up, expecting the fact that dating wasn't my cup of tea but with her, I felt completely different.

Getting lost in her hazel eyes was like listening to a song for the first time and instantly realising that it'd be my favourite for my entire life.

She felt like the constellation of stars in my empty night sky, she was slowly completing my life, she was completing me, completing us. I don't want to name these feelings, love, because it was still unknown to me. But all I knew is, what I felt for her was something more than love.

Because the moon in me was slowly starting to find the sky in her.

"Kuch adhoore se lag rahe ho aaj, lagta hai kisi ki kami si hai, Chehre pe muskurahat hai, magar aankhon mein kuch nami si hai", I air quoted the lines I had read online and saw her expressions changing

[Translation: You are looking very incomplete today, it seems as if someone is missing, there is a smile on your face, but there is some moisture in your eyes]

She lifted her heavy lashes and looked at me with her piercing hazel eyes, "Toh aap shayar bhi hai?", she sounded amused. "Banne ko toh ham aapke liye kuch bhi ban jayenge, aap bas aazmakar toh dekhiye", I replied and watched the corner of her lips twist upward in a soft smile and a red hue coated her cheeks.

[Translation: So you are also a poet?

: I will become anything for you, just try it and see.]

I had rarely seen her smile genuinely in the past 3 days I had known her, it was as if she was hiding a part of herself from all of us, almost shielding it in the fear of ruining something. And I promised myself that from this moment onwards, I was going to protect the smile of this woman, not because we shared a relationship, but because she was my woman.

"I'm tired", she muttered under her breath and rested her forehead on my shoulder. My hold tightened on her and I pulled her more towards me, not leaving place for even the air to pass. I heard her breathing hitched when our fronts brushed against each other.
A raw shiver passed through my spine and I closed my eyes controlling my thoughts.

"Y-you... I-I m-mean, y-your feet m-must be paining from my weight, we should probably stop", she shuttered and avoided eye contact with me because of our proximity. She bit her lower lip and her whole face burned red with the profound blush.

"Khatam karne ke liye thodi na shuruwat ki hai, aap meri fikar mat kariye, vaise bhi mard ko dard nhi hota", at my last sentence I winked at her with a loop side grin marking my face.

[Translation: I have not started to finish, don't worry about me, anyway a man doesn't feel pain.]

But who was I kidding with? I guess in the heat of the moment I had forgotten that the woman in front of me wasn't an ordinary woman. She was Mrs. Lasya Moksh Mehrotra, the tigress.

I was so lost in the daze that I didn't notice her stomping harshly on my foot, her heel digging through the shoes. I hissed, my mouth opened in shock and my eyes widened as the pain shot through my body. She took this as a queue and freeing herself from my hold stepped back.

Still hissing and cursing in pain I shoot her a glare and she reciprocated with her infamous extra sweet, fake smile, dripping with sarcasm. Before I could come out of the initial shock and catch hold of her she vanished from my sight disappearing through the sea of people.

"Kya hua Bhai? Aa gaya swadh? Dekh raha tha mai dur se ki kaise tu bhabhi ke saath ishqbaazi karne ki koshish kar raha tha, mast naina ladane ka try kar raha tha, bana liya na khud ka popat, mil gyi shanti", Nevan teased, sprinkling salt on my taaza ghav, I swear, let this man get married, nhi maine isse iska pura khandaan yaad dila diya toh!

[Translation: What happened, brother? got the taste of your own medicine? I have been watching from a distance how you were trying to flirt with, my sister-in-law, trying to seduce my sister-in-law, making a mess of yourself, found peace\

: I'll remind him of his entire family]

"Abhi khud ki gharwali se Ishq nhi ladunga toh kya bahar wali se ladunga?", I answered, slightly limping on my feet I walked towards the nearest chair and sat on it, giving my buttocks the much-needed rest.

Khade khade toh meri kamar meh hi dard shuru ho gaya tha. hey! Waheguru kya hi hoga mera!

[Translation: Now if I won't flirt with my own wife, then whom will I flirt with? Some outside woman?

: While standing, the pain started in my back. Hey! Lord, what will happen to me!]

Nevan shook his head at my statement and looked at me like a disappointed mom. "Abhi ghur kya raha hai? Madat kar apne dost ki, Jaa dekh Teri bhabhi kaha gyi hai? Agar vho pagal family ke haath lagi toh vho log unhe pagal bana denge", I hissed and gulped a glass of water

[Translation: Why are you staring now? Help your friend, go and see where your sister-in-law is? If that mad family gets hold of her then they will make her mad as well]

"Tu udhar dekh, mai idhar dekhte hu", I pointed him towards the left direction to which he nodded and I walked towards the right one. Kyunki Mai hamesha right hota hu!!

[Translation: You look there, I will look here

:Because I am always right!!]

I roamed my eyes amidst the sea of people but still didn't find any sight of Lasya. "Zi? Where's your sister-in-law?", I questioned Ziya when I saw her passing by. "Don't know, I saw her going towards the room behind the staircase", she informed, to which I nodded

I briskly walked towards the staircase when I heard the voice of the same vicious woman from our wedding day, "Mann nhi bhara tumhara itna sab karke ki tum abhi bhi besharmo ki tarah tamasha bana rhi ho? Bhulo mat jis aadmi ke saath tum rangraliya manane meh khoi hui ho vho tumhari behen ka mangetar tha jisse tumhein dhoke se shaadi ki hai"

[Translation: Don't you think that after all this you are still making a scene like a shameless person? Don't forget that the man with whom you are busy playing house was your sister's fiance whom you married through deception]

The psycho woman had held Lasya's wrist in a tight vice-like grip, intentionally digging her nails into her flesh making her hiss.

"Enough ma'am, no one has the right to hurt my wife, mother or not, stay away from my wife", I stepped in between, veiling Lasya from her and detached her wrist from the woman's hold.

Both the women stared at me in shock, while I tenderly held my wife's delicate wrist and softly feathered it.

It was red and surely it was going to leave a nasty bruise. My jaw clenched tightly and my eyes hardened at the audacity of the woman.

She called herself a woman of two daughters but she was far away from being one, hell she wasn't even a sensible person yet.

"Phele bhi kaha tha, aur abhi bhi khe raha hu, meri biwi ki taraf aakh utha kar bhi dekha toh mujhse bura koi nhi hoga. Aur agar aainda se meri biwi ko chot pohochane ki galti se bhi koshish ki toh mujhe chote-badho ka lihaaz bhulne mein seconds bhi nhi lagenge", my voice was loud and clear, enough to scare her off. Her eyes widened and she gulped looking at me.

[Translation: I had said it before, and I am saying it now too, even if you looked at my wife, no one would be worse than me. And if in future even by mistake you try to hurt my wife, I will not waste even a second in forgetting that you are older than me.]

She had the same hazel eyes as Lasya, but hers were ugly, only my wife's got the beautiful ones!

She looked no fool to not notice the threat in my voice and scurried away as if her tail was on fire.

"Aisi toh badi sherni banti ho, tab kyu kuch nhi kaha?", I turned towards Lasya, my voice raising a few decibels high, which I instantly regretted when u noticed her flinching at my tone. Shit!

[Translation: you behave like such a big lioness, where was your voice back then?]

"Tumse matlab? She's my mother and she has all the right to", she fired back, recovering from the initial grief and glaring at me super pissed as she jerked her hand out of my hold

[Translation: it has nothing to do with you]

"Oh really? Like a fool I am defending you, taking a stand for you and here you are throwing tantrums", my gaze was hard on her and I stared at her pissed at her impudence. I took deep breaths to control my bubbling-up anger.

"Then don't! Mai nhi aai thi tumhare pass minnatein girate hue ki mera saath do, meri madad karo ya mere liye stand lo", she spat, her jaw clenched tightly, the fire completely visibly in her eyes. I gazed into her eyes a minute longer, searching for something but I found nothing except rage.

[Translation: THEN DON'T! I did not come to you pleading to support me, help me or take a stand for me.]

"You know what, you're impossible, woman", my voice was harsher than I intended. I fisted out the small box from my pocket and thrust it into her hand before turning on my heels and walking away.

The box had the wedding ring which I customised for us since we hadn't exchanged rings in the first place because of the circumstances. I'd threaten the jeweller to get the design ready in a single night itself, I even paid him double the amount when he refused to get it done in time for me. But this wasn't the case.

Initially, I had planned to properly propose to her in front of everyone, I knew she wasn't a fan of flashy stuff and overdoing it. But it was my way of letting the world know that I was her man and she was mine.

But she had to ruin everything because of her mood swings. I seriously could not understand the mood swings of this woman at all, I couldn't pinpoint the emotion she felt at the moment. She would be happy at one moment and the other blazing and erupting lava like an extinct angry volcano.

I was beyond angry and super pissed. Clouded by rage I didn't know when I grabbed the wine bottle and rushed towards the parking lot. Completely unaware of the blunder this foolish decision of mine was going to make.