JAANKI POV

"Jaanki, you still have time."

I looked at Papa suspiciously. "What did I do now?"

He leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Run away."

I stared at him. "Papa yawr."

"I'm serious." He nodded solemnly. "Run away. I'll tell everyone my daughter was kidnapped. Media will stop asking questions, and that blue-eyed bat won't become my son-in-law. Everybody wins."

A laugh escaped me before I could stop it. "Pitashree, if I did that, Maa would throw both of us out of this house."

Papa considered this seriously, then sighed. "Fair point."

I was still smiling when a familiar voice cut through the noise.

"Sasur ji."

I didn't need to turn around. Papa groaned. I closed my eyes. Raghav stopped beside us looking entirely too comfortable with the situation.

"Stop giving your daughter useless advice," he said pleasantly. "No matter what you try, I'm going to be your son-in-law."

Papa pointed at him. "Forced one."

"Perhaps." Raghav nodded thoughtfully. "But there's no return policy anymore."

Papa opened his mouth. I stepped in immediately.

"Papa, Maa is looking for you. Near the stage."

He straightened instantly. "Where?"

"Stage. Quickly."

He walked away with purpose. Then stopped. Turned. Pointed at Raghav with great dignity.

"Meri phool jaisi bacchi se dur raho."

(Stay away from my flower like a child)

He left before Raghav could respond.

We both watched him disappear into the crowd. Then Raghav slowly looked at me.

"Phool jaisi?"

I narrowed my eyes. The corner of his mouth lifted.

___________

"Mr. and Mrs. Shekhawat - the most loving couple in this family. Please come to the stage."

The cheering was immediate.

Papa and Maa walked up together. The music started. Papa extended his hand and Maa took it without hesitation. As the music played Papa dropped to one knee, arms wide, singing along with song.

"Main joru ka gulam ban kar rahunga."

Half the crowd was judging. A sitting CM on his knees in front of his wife, but he looked absolutely proud of himself. People were whispering but he didn't care about anyone.

Beside me someone chuckled softly.

"Waisi biwi itni sundar ho toh gulam banne mein kaisi sharm."

(Anyway, if the wife is so beautiful, what is the shame in becoming her slave?)

"By the way, Aap banenge joru ke gulam type husband?"

(By the way, will you become a henpecked type of husband?)

I looked at the stage avoiding his reaction to my question. He leaned slightly closer. Close enough that his voice was only for me.

"Gulam?" A faint smile touched his lips. "Apni biwi ko priority banane ko gulami karna nahi khete isse apni duniya ko sar aankhon par bithana kehte hain."

(Prioritizing your wife isn't called being a slave; it's called placing your entire world on a pedestal.)

It was the first time I had ever been genuinely speechless in front of him. And I'm not going to pretend I didn't feel something because I absolutely did.

____________

The spotlight fall on Reyansh then Ruhi.

"No". Ruhi said immediately.

"Jaise mai to mara jaa raha hu iss doremon ke sath dance karne ke liye."

(As if I'm dying to dance with this Doraemon)

"Main bijli ke khambe ke muh nahi lagti, dafa ho jao."

(As if I'd bother talking to a telephone pole. Go away!)

My cousins dragged them forcefully on the stage. The Ainvayi Ainvayi song started. For exactly three seconds, they behaved like normal human beings. Then Ruhi's elbow landed directly in Reyansh's ribs.

Reyansh glared at her. Ruhi smiled sweetly.

The next step began. Reyansh somehow managed to step directly onto the edge of her lehenga. Ruhi nearly lost her balance.

"Sorry," Reyansh said without sounding sorry at all.

"Liar."

Ruhi looked ready to commit murder.

The music continued. Nobody was actually dancing anymore. They were just moving around each other aggressively.

At one point Ruhi spun. And her bangles smacked Reyansh directly across the face.

"Did you just hit me?"

"Did you just step on my lehenga?"

The music stopped. They were still glaring at each other. The host eventually walked onto the stage.

"I'm not sure if that was a dance or a domestic dispute."

Ruhi pointed at Reyansh. "He started it."

"I didn't!."

After several more performances Reyansh grabbed the microphone with the expression of a man who had been waiting for this moment.

"Now I'll request my best friend Raghav to come on stage."

Raghav didn't even look up and send him a message

"Sale chut*ye jyada bakwas mat kar aur stage se niche utar."

(Shut the hell up and get off the stage)

Reyansh's phone buzzed immediately. Reyansh read it, looked extremely pleased with himself, and folded his arms.

"Fine. If the groom won't dance, I'll dance with my bhabhi instead."

Raghav put his glass down.

"Repeat that."

Reyansh grinned. Raghav stood, adjusted his cuffs with complete calm, and looked at Reyansh.

"Move."

The crowd lost their minds.

The music started. For one moment nothing happened. Then the opening beat of Laila Teri Le Legi blasted through the speakers.

I nearly fell off my chair.

Raghav stared at Reyansh across the stage. Reyansh waved cheerfully from the side. The absolute traitor. For a moment Raghav looked like he was reviewing every decision that had led him here. Then he looked toward me.

I was laughing. Actually laughing.

Something shifted in his expression. He turned back to the stage and started dancing.

I didn't know what surprised me more. The fact that he was dancing... or the fact that he was actually good at it. The crowd descended into absolute chaos.

"JIJU! JIJU! JIJU!"

I buried my face in my hands.

Halfway through he pointed directly at Reyansh. Reyansh kept clapping dramatically from the side, making exaggerated heart shapes with his hands. The song ended. Standing ovation.

Raghav walked off stage straight toward Reyansh who immediately started backing away.

"Listen, you're not actually going to-"

"I will absolutely kill you."

Then the music changed. Softer. Tu zarrori sa song played and every single person in the mansion turned to look at me.

My stomach dropped.

Raghav's expression entirely changed and he came towards me and held out his hand. The crowd went completely silent. I stared at his hand. Then at him. Behind me Ruhi started a chant.

"Go for it Jaanu!"

I placed my hand on his. The applause faded into the background as he guided me to the centre of the dance floor. For a few seconds, neither of us moved. The music floated around us, soft and unhurried, while the entire mansion seemed to be waiting for one of us to make the first move.

Raghav did.

Tu zaroori sa hai mujhko zinda rehne ke liye

His hand settled lightly against my waist, and pulled me closer making my breath hitched. I placed my free hand lightly on his shoulder, trying very hard not to acknowledge how close we suddenly were.

Dhadke aankhon mein dil mera

Jab qareeb aaun tere Mm.. dekhoon main jab bhi aaina Haan tu hi roobaroo rahe mere

"Relax, Tempesta."

"I'm perfectly relaxed."

He looked unconvinced. "Really?"

"Yes."

"You've been counting your breaths for the last thirty seconds."

I blinked. "Chamgadar wali harketien mat kijiye."

(Stop acting like a bat)

A faint smile appeared on his face. I looked away before he could see the embarrassment creeping onto my face.

The music carried us into another slow turn. For the first time since I had met him, there was no argument between us. No challenge just Comfortable silence.

Maangu na koi aasmaan do sitaron ka jahaan...Banja tu mera humsafar na mujhe chahiye koi muqaam. Dil hi kaafi hai tera mere rehne ke liye

It should have felt awkward. Instead...

It felt strangely peaceful. His perfume lingered in the cool evening air, carrying the faint scen of sandalwood and cedar.

"You know," he said quietly, "this is the first time you've stood this close to me without threatening bodily harm."

I looked up. "Don't get used to it."

"Keep smiling like this." He whispered near my ear.

"It's temporary."

"Good. Then I'll keep giving you reasons."

My steps faltered for barely a second.

He noticed. My gaze remained on him.

"You've been staring a lot tonight." He said.

"I wasn't staring."

"Hm."

I stepped directly on his foot. He looked down. Then back up at me with complete patience.

"Violence already?"

"You deserved it."

"Because you got caught?"

I had no answer for that. He knew it. The small smile that appeared confirmed it.

"Jhoothi"

I laughed before I could stop it. He looked at me for a moment without speaking and something about that look made my heart do something entirely inconvenient.

His fingers tightened around mine for the briefest moment before he spun me gently across the floor.

"If you keep smiling at me instead of throwing daggers," he said quietly near my ear, "I'll definitely not survive this wedding.

I opened my mouth. Closed it.

The music stopped.

Applause came from everywhere. His hand was still at my waist. That fact arrived a second later than it should have.

I stepped back. Too fast. The crowd noticed.

Reyansh looked pained. "I'm witnessing things against my will."

Raghav rolled his eyes. "No one's forcing you to stay."

I was about to say something when the room tilted. Just slightly. for a second, The lights softened strangely and the noise around me became muffled like someone had turned the volume down without asking. I blinked. It was gone as quickly as it came.

I reached for the nearest chair. A glass of water appeared in front of me.

"Drink."

"I'm fi-"

"Tempesta."

He didn't raise his voice. He didn't repeat himself. Yet something in the way he said my nickname made arguing feel pointless.

I took the glass and drank. Slowly. The cool water slid down my throat. Within moments, the strange heaviness inside my body began to disappear.

My breathing steadied. The lights sharpened. The music returned. The world quietly slipped back into place.

Only then did I realize Raghav hadn't looked away once. He was still watching me wth quiet concentration, as though waiting for confirmation that I was completely alright.

Across venue Richa bua stood very still. Her fingers had tightened around her own glass. The moment color returned to my face she looked away. As though she had been watching for exactly that.

Reyansh appeared beside me."Bhabhi. You look tired."

"Because I'm surrounded by idiots."

He nodded seriously. Pointed at Raghav. "Especially that one."

Raghav didn't even look at him.

______

The evening wound down slowly. Guests trickled out. The mansion began to empty. I was standing near the staircase talking to Maa when my phone vibrated.

Unknown number. Again.

Why do strange things only happen when he is around you?

My breath caught.

I looked up immediately. Across the courtyard his gaze lifted and found me instantly as though he had always known exactly where I was standing.

A strange unease settled in my chest.

No. This wasn't a coincidence anymore.

The messages. Their timing. Every warning had appeared when Raghav was near. Every time something unexpected happened, he already knew what to do. Had already been one step ahead of something I hadn't even seen coming yet.

I looked back at my phone. The number had blocked itself again.

My thum

b hovered over the screen for a moment. Then quietly, without telling anyone, I took screenshots of every message and moved them into a hidden folder.

Whether someone was trying to warn me or manipulate me-I wasn't going to ignore it anymore.

How was the chapter?

Lot's of love and puchiisss ❤️ 💋