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Pratap Walia takes a deep sigh of relief the moment he hears my response. But I don’t let him enjoy his relief for long, and the very next second propose what I have in mind.
“I’ll give you the car back along with the investigation report only if you sanction the approval of the Mashaal Project.”
“Ayaan Shergill,” he bellows. “You are crossing your limits.”
“I’m not crossing any limits. I’m simply reminding you that there is no room for any more negotiation now,” I shout back.
There is complete silence on the phone line, and I know he must be fuming at my audacity.
“I will ensure that your image is cleared in the media, retract all the allegations, and in return, you have to give your blessings for Meher and my marriage. This is the sole purpose of our deal. Nothing more, nothing less. Is there anything else I can help you with?” I challenge him, ready for whatever he throws my way.
“Nothing for now except for a piece of advice,” he mutters in the same annoyed tone. “Tone down your attitude because my daughter hates such high-handedness.”
I snicker. “My high-handedness is only for you. As for your daughter, she’s only going to see my loving side.”
And with that, I disconnect the call, wondering if Pratap Walia and I should commence a scoreboard too, like Meher and me, to maintain who won which round? It would be fun!
*****************
Two Weeks Later
Two weeks have passed, and it feels like a whirlwind of events, each moment racing faster than the last. I kept my promise to Pratap Walia, and the press conference was my first step towards fulfilling my side of the marriage deal. With a heavy heart, I withdrew all the allegations I had made against him. Even Dad supported my decision, stating that Pratap Walia was not involved in his accident. However, I deliberately didn’t mention the black Audi, the primary evidence of the accident, which is still in my possession. This vehicle has the potential to rekindle the controversy and shift the blame for the accident onto Pratap Walia again. This could jeopardise my marriage deal and the dreams of being with Meher.
Three days after that press conference, I dropped another bombshell upon the media and society—I announced my marriage to Meher. The news erupted like wildfire, and the rumours began to fly. People started speculating if my decision to retract the allegations was due to my upcoming marriage to Pratap’s daughter. I knew people would talk, but I refused to justify myself. I had made a choice based on my heart and conscience, and I was prepared to face the consequences.
I knew that once the wedding was over, the gossip would fade away, and life would be normal again. Supporters of Pratap Walia seized the opportunity and turned the political tide in his favour once again. They started their propaganda, using my support and withdrawn allegations as ammunition for his upcoming elections.
As the wedding week approached, we were all swept up in a mix of emotions ranging from uncertainty to excitement. Dad was making a remarkable recovery, his enthusiasm for the upcoming event palpable. Despite my protest, he was actively participating in the marriage preparations. The idea of him blessing me on my big day filled my heart with immense joy and gratitude.
The wedding planner became the mediator, coordinating between the Shergills and the Walias, as Pratap Walia and Dad would never sit together to discuss the arrangements. The tension between the families was apparent, but we all had to set aside our hatred for the sake of this marriage.
Meanwhile, I kept wondering about Krish, who was in Austria. The storm he had warned me about was brewing in the distance, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something untoward was about to happen. Yet, amid all the confusion and uncertainty, Meher and my love for her remained my only anchor in all this drama.
However, even the anchor can bring about its own storm. Meher and my communications in the last two weeks were restricted to brief text messages, and she was still holding on to her disapproval of the way I had proposed this marriage to her father. Though I had cleared Pratap Walia’s name, I had yet to win her forgiveness completely.
But whatever brief texts we exchanged were enough to know that the Shergill Mansion and the Walia House buzzed with activity. Two families, entangled in a long battle of enmity spanning decades, were getting ready to unite because of our marriage. The media touted it as the event of the year, and the entire country was waiting to see this alliance. Among the excitement were whispers and curious looks from people who couldn’t believe that two families with a bitter past could come together. It was the talk of the town, fuelling both interest and suspicion. But our love story was written in the stars, and nothing would stand in its way.
I’d heard from Meher that she was trying her best to convince Devika to return to Walia House and help her with the preparations. But it was not fruitful yet. Knowing that Meher was stressed due to this separation between Aksh and Devika, I felt compelled to take charge, despite having no interest in the other matters concerning the Walia family. My only focus was on Meher and her well-being. I promised myself to fix everything that was bothering her and keeping her away from enjoying our wedding.
MEHER
As we drive towards Simran’s boutique, my heart races with excitement and disbelief. Today is the day of my wedding attire fitting, and it feels unreal that in just one week, I’ll be marrying Ayaan Shergill.
It seemed impossible for Ayaan and me to be together ever. The enmity between our fathers ran deep, and it always felt like fate didn’t want anything to happen between these two families. But here we are, against all odds, on the verge of getting married and officially becoming husband and wife.
True to his word, Ayaan has cleared Dad’s name and withdrawn every allegation against him. It warms my heart to see my father once again receiving public love and support. He may still be struggling to accept Ayaan as his son-in-law fully, but he’s putting on a brave front and taking care of the wedding preparations with the help of a wedding planner.
Aksh bhai is actively involved in the wedding preparations, fuelling Dad’s worry. But thankfully, he has chosen to ignore it for now. Dad doesn’t want any more trouble or media attention, especially with elections just around the corner. Even Bhai’s resignation from the NEP political party is still pending, probably to avoid unnecessary rumours and questions.
These last three weeks have been a rollercoaster of emotions. Convincing Dad to accept Ayaan as my partner was not an easy task. The tension in the house was noticeable, and every moment felt ominous. However, Ayaan’s marriage proposal was so well-crafted that my family had no choice but to accept it.
Amid all these moments of uncertainty and doubt, the truth is that I love Ayaan. He still sets my heart on fire. The thought of marrying him feels like a dream come true, a dream that I’ve held close to my heart for so long. In the past, we hid our love from the world, but now, we proudly proclaim to be together forever. The shadow of our past misunderstandings still lingers, but it pales in comparison to the overwhelming joy of becoming the wife of the man I love beyond measure. I know that this marriage will have its challenges, but I’m ready to face them.
I am so excited to walk towards the mandap where Ayaan will be waiting for me to exchange vows and promises of eternal love. Our love story may be unconventional, but it’s uniquely ours, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s a new beginning, a chance to mend old wounds and build new bonds of love and understanding.
As the car comes to a stop outside Simran’s boutique, my heart races with excitement. Today is not just about trying on my wedding dress; it’s also an opportunity to spend time with Devika bhabhi, who is accompanying me for the fitting. Although I have convinced her to be a part of all my wedding functions, I know bhabhi is still undecided about returning to Walia House and forgiving Aksh bhai. It pains me to witness the rift between the once inseparable love birds, and I hope they can find their way back to each other.
“Shall we?” Vishnu asks, opening my car door while the driver opens the door for bhabhi.
