Chapter - 11
I'll publish the next chapter by Sunday if I get about 1000 votes on this one along with 350+ comments.
Shivanya ~
It was here.
Today was the day my little sister was getting married to the man of her dreams and the glow on her face was the reason I was learning the process of letting go of something I had held onto for so many years now.
"Di, is it finally time?" She asked with a huge smile on her face when I entered the room.
"A few more minutes, my doll. Come, sit with me." I said, holding her hand.
She sat down, her hands fidgeting slightly in her lap. I took one of her hands in mine and squeezed it gently.
"Radhika, you look absolutely beautiful today," I said, my voice soft and filled with love.
"Thank you, Di," she replied, her cheeks flushing with happiness. "I can't believe this day is finally here."
I reached over to the dresser and picked up a small, intricately carved wooden box. I opened it to reveal our mother's antique necklace, a piece that had been passed down through generations. The delicate gold chain and the intricate design of the pendant always reminded me of our mother's grace and strength.
"Here, I want you to wear this," I said, carefully lifting the necklace from the box.
Her eyes widened in surprise. "Di, this is... this is Ma's necklace."
I nodded, my throat tightening with emotion. "Yes, it is. She wore this on her wedding day, and I think she would have wanted you to wear it today."
Radhika's eyes filled with tears as she took the necklace from my hands. "Di, I... I don't know what to say."
I smiled, brushing a tear from her cheek. "You don't have to say anything, Radhika. Just know that this necklace carries her love and blessings with it."
As I fastened the necklace around her neck, I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. "Radhika, there's something I want to talk to you about."
She looked at me, her eyes filled with curiosity and a touch of apprehension.
"You know, our parents didn't have a perfect marriage," I began, choosing my words carefully. "They had their struggles, their disagreements. But they also had love and commitment. They worked through their problems, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. But they never gave up on each other."
Radhika nodded, listening intently.
"No marriage is perfect, Radhika. It's not about finding the perfect person or having a fairy-tale life. It's about finding someone you can grow with, someone you can face challenges with. It's about working through the tough times together and celebrating the good times."
She squeezed my hand, her eyes thoughtful. "I understand, Di. I know it's not always going to be easy, but I'm ready to work on it, to make it work."
A small, relieved smile played on my lips. "That's all I can ask for, my doll," I whispered, holding her hand tighter.In that moment, a wave of emotions washed over me - relief, a touch of sadness, and a fierce hope for her future.
Letting go wasn't easy. For years, I'd held onto the idea of us being this inseparable duo, facing the world together. But seeing the love radiating from her, the happiness bubbling over, it was clear this was her happily ever after, her own path to forge.
Taking a deep breath, I squeezed her hand again. "Are you ready?" I asked, forcing a bright tone despite the lump forming in my throat.
Radhika's smile was a radiant answer. "More than anything, Di."
We walked out of the room together, arms linked. As we entered the venue, a wave of warmth washed over me. The air buzzed with excitement, the decorations shimmered, and there, at the end of the aisle, stood Taran. His gaze, initially fixed on Radhika, flickered towards me just for a few seconds as I walked her down the path that would lead her to him. In that shared glance, a lifetime of unspoken emotions seemed to dissipate. It was as if a dam within me had burst, releasing the torrent of unrequited feelings I'd harboured for Taran for so long. The bittersweet ache in my heart softened, replaced by a quiet acceptance.
Everything would fall into its place.
As I placed Radhika's hand in Taran's, a smile played on my lips. The weight in my chest, a constant companion for years, seemed to lighten a fraction. Stepping back, I watched the joy radiate from them as they exchanged glances. Tears welled up in my eyes, a mix of relief and a strange sense of liberation.
Throughout the ceremony, I kept my gaze flickering between them. Seeing the way Taran looked at Radhika, the way his eyes held only her during their saptapadi around the fire, a sliver of comfort settled in my gut. It wasn't me he loved, and that was okay. It finally felt okay.
"Are you okay?" I heard a low voice coming right from my behind and I turned my head a little to give him a nod with a smile.
" I'm okay sir." I said and his gaze, usually as sharp as a hawk's, held a disarming gentleness that made me instinctively look away this time.
"Just making sure," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine. We both knew the charade wouldn't hold for long. The raw vulnerability I felt after years of suppressing my feelings for Taran was a stark contrast to the professional mask I usually wore.
Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to meet his gaze. "Thank you, Mr. Raichand. It's just... a lot to process but I am getting there."
His eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of something unreadable passing through them. "Letting go is never easy," he stated simply, his voice devoid of its usual commanding tone.
All I could do was nod as we showered flowers on the bride and the groom. Once the saptapadi was completed, Panditji called the parents of the bride ahead for the kanya daan and with a smile, Radhika looked at me.
"Di." She called me out as I walked towards them.
"I'll perform the ritual Panditji." I said, squeezing her shoulder.
"Okay, bring your husband along. This has to be done by a couple." He nodded, looking at me, assuming that I am married.
"I don't have a husband." I replied.
"Panditji, it doesn't matter. Di is everything to me. Please let her do whatever is required. She and only she will perform any ceremony with is required to be performed by my family." Radhika said firmly, holding my hand.
"Absolutely, it is her right. Married or not." Taran agreed with her, looking at me with a smile which I returned.
Stepping forward with Radhika and Taran by my side, I faced the panditji, his eyes questioning but accepting. As I poured the holy water onto Radhika's hand, a lifetime of memories flashed before my eyes – picnics in the park, that sneaky maggi eating sessions when we both were kids late at night, the fierce loyalty that only sisters share.
I wasn't just giving away my sister; I was entrusting her happiness to another man. Glancing at Taran, I saw a reflection of the same weight in his eyes and that was when I could finally release a sigh of breath.
He was perfect for her.
Radhika's vidaai was what I was afraid about.
"Di," she hiccuped, the nickname catching in her throat, "promise you won't forget me?"
A choked laugh, laced with a sob, escaped my lips. "Forget you?Silly girl, who forgets their own world?" I squeezed her tighter, the scent of jasmine mingling with the salt of our tears. "You're stuck with me, my chotu. Always."
Then, Taran caught my eye, his own gaze warm and concerned.
"Take care of her, okay?" I rasped, my voice thick with emotion. "She's the world to me, Taran. You break her heart, you'll answer to me, and you know my anger more than anyone does."
A flicker of amusement danced in his eyes, a welcome distraction. "Don't worry, Shiv," he said, his voice low and reassuring. "Radhika's happiness is all that matters."
"You better mean it," I said, brandishing a decorative dagger – in mock seriousness. "This little thing comes with a lifetime supply of threats."
He chuckled, a rich sound that sent shivers down my spine. "Noted, Shivanya the Terrible. Now come on, wipe those tears. We can't have the sister of the bride looking like a drowned rat in the photos, can we?"
Radhika finally laughed, still crying and I mirrored her expressions and we hugged for one final time before I made her sit in the car.
"Aunty and Uncle, thank you so much for accepting my sister so wholeheartedly. I know you will always take care of her but as her elder sister, it is my duty." I said, folding my hands in front of them.
"Beta, don't worry. Radhika is our daughter now and it is my responsibility to ensure her happiness with Taran." Uncle came forward, cupped my face in his hands and wiped my tears away lovingly.
Aunty too gave me one final hug before all of them left, leaving me behind.
Slowly, the other guests started to leave too. All the hotel bills were already taken care of and all I needed to do was wind Radhika's bridal suite and my room before going home but in the moment, all I could do was go back to the wedding mandap and sit for a while, letting this feeling sink in.
Vihaan ~
The first time I looked at Shivanya wearing the saree mom had designed for her as she walked her sister to the podium, I lost all focus, all sound. All I could see was her. The golden saree shimmered like liquid sunshine, catching the soft glow of the room and swirling around her form in a way that made my breath hitch. The fabric itself seemed to drape itself flawlessly, hugging her curves in a way that both celebrated and concealed but it was not just about what she was wearing, it was also way Shivanya carried herself. There was a quiet confidence in her steps, a subtle sway to her hips that sent a jolt through me.
For the rest of the night, I was a prisoner of her beauty.
Once the celebrations had faded into a dull roar, a headache blooming behind my temples. I wasn't built for joyous chaos, the order of the courtroom my preferred battlefield. Yet, my gaze kept snagging on Shivanya, a lone island of grief amidst the dispersing crowd. Her back was straight, a stark contrast to the way her shoulders trembled beneath her saree. A million unspoken emotions flickered across her face as she sat at the mandap while everyone left.
Dealing with emotions was not my forte. They were messy, unpredictable variables that were a hurdle to my finely tuned machinery of my life. But Shivanya reduced to a tear-stained statue? That was a bane to my existence, a bane to the fact that I love her.
My feet, usually so surefooted, seemed to have a mind of their own, taking me towards the her.
She didn't hear me approach, her gaze fixed on some unseen memory. The urge to clear my throat, announce my presence warred with a surprising shyness I had never felt before tonight. Not even when she looked at me with her big, doe eyes. Finally, a cough escaped my lips, a sound that belonged to a nervous teenager fumbling with a love note more than the powerful attorney I was known as.
She snapped up, surprise giving way to a mask I knew all too well – the one she wore in the courtroom, a shield against the world. "Mr. Raichand," she said, her voice tight. "Shouldn't you be leaving too?"
This formality, this professionalism served as reminder of the composure I carefully maintained at work when it came to her. "I am in no rush," I mumbled, cursing my inability to form a coherent sentence in her presence. "Besides, I wanted to..." I hesitated, searching for something that wouldn't sound patronizing. "I wanted to congratulate the sister of the bride."
A ghost of a smile, sadder than tears, flickered on her lips. "Thank you."
"You did well today," I blurted, the words tumbling out like a lovesick poet fumbling with a sonnet. "Radhika looked radiant, but you..." I trailed off, searching for the right words. Being in love with someone and holding yourself together seeing him marrying your own sister took strength and she did it with all her grace. "You held everything together," I finally managed, my voice softer than it had been in years.
A flicker of something akin to gratitude, or maybe even a sliver of something more, crossed her face. "Thank you," she whispered again, a tear tracing a glistening path down her cheek.
In a move that surprised even myself, I knelt before her on the plush carpet. It wasn't a graceful movement, more of a controlled descent to avoid further awkwardness. But before she could react, I hesitantly reached out, my thumb brushing away the tear with a gentleness that surprised me. The contact sent a jolt through me, a foreign electricity that left me breathless.
"Shivanya," I began, my voice rough with a vulnerability I hadn't known I possessed, "you were strong for everyone else.Now, you can just, be."
She looked at me with her eyes full of emotions swirling within them. I braced myself for her to pull away, that professional barrier snapping back into place. But then, to my astonishment, she leaned into my touch, a soft sigh escaping her lips.
"Mr. Raichand, I am sorry, I didn't mean to."
There was a tremor in her voice that betrayed her attempt at composure. I knew pushing the boundaries further would not be fair to her, so I said, "Come on, I'll drop you home."
"I can't go home just yet, sir," she replied, wiping a stray tear that escaped down her cheek. "There are a lot of things I need to pack before leaving."
The sight of her, hair cascading down her back as she fumbled with a tissue, sent a warmth through me. Taking a deep breath, I decided to gently step in.
"Why don't I help you pack?" I asked, my voice calmer than my racing heart. t wasn't a question, more of a statement. I knew she was exhausted, emotionally drained, and the last thing she needed was any additional burden.
She shot me a surprised look, her lips parting in protest. "Mr. Raichand, I can manage—"
"Let's not waste time with arguments, Shivanya, you are not winning this one." I said.
She was too tired to continue to resist and with one nod, she agreed and started to walk ahead, letting me follow.
We reached the corridor leading to the rooms. The floor, polished to a high sheen, reflected the soft glow of the overhead lights. Lost in thought, Shivanya didn't seem to notice the slight wobble in her step.
My breath hitched. In a flash, I was across the space, my arm wrapping around her waist just as her foot seemed to buckle.The gasp that escaped her lips was muffled against my chest.
For a breathless moment, we held each other. I could feel the warmth of her body through the saree, her heart hammering a frantic rhythm against my ribs. The scent of jasmine, faint but intoxicating, filled my senses.
Slowly, I let go, careful not to move away completely. Her eyes, wide and startled, met mine. A blush crept up her cheeks, staining them a delicate pink.
"Thank you, Mr. Raichand," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper.
"Vihaan," I corrected gently. "Call me Vihaan."
A wry smile played on my lips as Shivanya continued to address me as "Mr. Raichand" despite my request. It was a small rebellion, a way for her to maintain a shred of professional distance.
It was a game, a dance we'd begun. But for how long, Miss Chopra? How long can you keep your gaze downcast, denying the spark that ignited between us?
You will see it, I will show it to you what it is to truly love and be loved.
Radhika's Look ~
Shivanya's Look ~
Hey guys! This is the next chapter. Hope you all like it!
Thank you for reading the book.❤️
I'll publish the next chapter by Sunday if I get about 1000 votes on this one along with 350+ comments.
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