RUDRAKSH'S POV

"You bastard, you couldn't even tell us?" Aryan says walking into my office without permission, Siddhant not far behind him. The only people who come through that door without knocking is my family and these two idiots.

I look up from my laptop and see both my best friends glaring at me.

"What?" Siddhant says, "we get to know about your wedding from aunty, that too because she called to invite us?"

"What the fuck dude? We are the only friends you have, we have been together since we were in knickers and we aren't even informed?" Aryan added.

"Are you two done?" I say looking at them, already tired of their shit. It isn't even a big deal. I am just getting married and they know I have never been overly excited about that. I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Guys, calm down. It all happened too soon, I just met her day before yesterday."

"Holy shit. And you're okay with that?" Siddhant asked, they both look surprised. I mean I am always in control and I always do what I want to, and now I agreed for an arrange marriage.

"Do you see me ever finding a girl for myself?" I don't wait for them to answer, "obviously no, and maa as you know is very adamant on getting me married, so it's her wish I am fulfilling. And maa likes her and honestly she's not that bad."

"Did I just hear the Rudraksh Malhotra say 'she's not that bad', did he just say that he likes a girl?" Aryan looks at Siddhant, they are both amused.

"Excuse me, when did I say I like her? I just said she's not that bad. So I can spend my life with her, it can't be that difficult."

Aryan and Siddhant burst out laughing, and I can't help but roll my eyes.

"I am very curious to meet bhabhi ji now, she must be special to make you say yes in one meeting." Aryan said wiping his fake tears.

"No, do you really think that way? He must have done background check and all I am telling you." Siddhant said, now they're both looking at me for answers.

"Well. Obviously, I couldn't believe everything because my mother said so. I love her but she can be naive at times." I explain. I know it's not fair to know almost everything about Shivani and she doesn't know a thing about me but I am ready to answer any questions she has for me. Not that I believe in fairness but it's my wife we are taking about.

They laughed again, clearly amused by the situation. I was getting married, and they knew it wasn't out of love, but out of obligation. They were my childhood friends and they knew me better than anyone else.

"So when do we get to meet this 'not that bad' girl of yours?" Aryan asked, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"Listen guys, vo meri hone wali biwi hai, you can pass comments on me but if you say anything to her or even about her that displeases me, I will ensure you both pay the price of it."

Translation: she's my fiance, my to-be wife.

"Woah, someone's suddenly being extra protective about their wedding and our bhabhi ji. What happened, did you fall in love with 'not so bad' girl and now you're all possessive?" They said in sing-song voices.

I roll my eyes and shift my attention back to my work.

"Dude at least tell us when are we meeting her?" Aryan questions.

"I will let you know, now get lost."

Aryan and Siddhant let out a dramatic groan before finally taking the hint and leaving me alone in my office. Their curiosity may have been piqued, but I wasn't ready to share too much information with them just yet.

They were my childhood best friends, but somehow they turned out to be even more idiotic than I thought was possible. I knew they would tease me for days to come.

I can't focus on my work anymore because all I can think about is my encounter with my sweet and innocent wife at my home office yesterday, As the memories of Shivani's blush filled my mind, I couldn't help but smile. She had blushed so red, it was almost as if the room suddenly went two degrees warmer. She had stopped breathing altogether, and now I wonder how she's going to react when I meet her again.

I pick up my phone and dial her number, a strong desire to hear her voice suddenly hitting me. I didn't know why I wanted to hear her voice so badly, but I wanted to.

I hear the phone dial for a few seconds before she answers and a soft and warm voice greets me, "hello?"

A wave of contentment washed over me as I hear her voice, a feeling I had never experienced before. It was as if her voice alone soothed my soul. I couldn't help but let out a small smile, happy to hear the sound of her voice.

"Hello, Shivani. How are you?" I respond, attempting to keep my voice neutral, even though I was already yearning to hear more of her voice.

"Um.. I am good." She whispers, barely audible.

That moment of contentment I felt just a few moments ago turned into disappointment when I heard her response, or rather, I heard her lack of response. Her voice was barely audible, and she only managed to mutter out a single "I am good." There was no warmth or excitement in her tone, just a robotic response. At first, I wondered if I had dialled the wrong number, but the thought of talking to Shivani again had me hoping that she would at least sound more alive.

I decided to be patient with her instead of getting angry.

"How are you?" She asks after a beat of silence.

Before I could answer the question, she said, "I have to go I am so sorry, I will call you back." Something was definitely off, she sounded scared, maybe someone was around her, but she was only talking to me, I am her fiance, why would she be afraid.

"Please father, I did not know.." A slight sob escapes her mouth.

"Mother did not say anything about it. They asked me, I had to say something." She says.

"You useless dumb bitch." I hear Ranveer in the background.

"I needed the publicity that's why you're marrying that Rudraksh. I don't give a shit about what kind of marriage you want. I WANTED THE MEDIA THERE!" His voice booms through the speaker. And then I hear a thud. And then the call ends abruptly.

I stared at my phone in utter shock, my heart racing inside my chest. A sudden sense of unease and worry set in my chest. My heart hammers in my chest, my worry growing with each passing second. I dials Shivani's number again, but it goes straight to voicemail. I can't help but imagine the worst scenarios playing out in my mind. I try calling again, but still, nothing.

I pace around my office, my mind racing with different thoughts, wondering what could have happened to Shivani. I clenched my fists, feeling powerless and frustrated. And I don't like feeling this way.

Did shivani lied to all of us, me, maa, my family, was all those talks and smiles she was passing to everyone a lie? Does she even wants this marriage? Or was it all for her parents?

If that's the case, then I am mad, extremely mad. But I couldn't just sit and do nothing. I had never been the type to worry about someone before, but She is my fiancee. Just the thought of her in danger sends me into a protective mode I didn't even know I possessed.

I bolt out of my office, my mind racing with possibilities of what could have happened to her. I continue trying to contact her several times, but the phone is now switched off.

I am not panicking but I need to see her, I need to ensure she's okay.

I burst out of my office calling my driver to get the car out. But before I could board the elevator, my phone rings and I see shivani's name popping over.

"Hi, I am sorry I had to cut your call. My mother had called me." She's lying, I know why she had to cut the call, I clench my jaw. I absolutely hate lies. She clearly doesn't know I over heard what went on there. But she still sounds afraid so I don't make a big issue of it now.

"Are you coming tonight? My friends want to meet you." I question, I take deep breaths to keep myself calm.

"Of course I am coming." She laughs lightly, but it sounds forced, "mai apni mehandi thodi miss kar sakti hu."

Translation-"I can't miss my own mehandi obviously."

Well good then, it's great that she's coming because I want answers and I won't stop till I get them.