Artful Deceit & Love

23. Impression!

Mridula's POV

By the time I reached home, I was drowning in guilt as I checked Vaibhav's messages. All of them were concerned about why I wasn't picking up the phone. I wonder if his sister-in-law told him about me, shopping with Uday and how would he react to all of this...

As I made my way to my room, I was greeted by a few of our relatives that had come for my sister's wedding. I plastered a fake smile on my face as I pranced toward my room. But rather than entering my room, I walked to the adjacent room which was my piano room. Once I walked in and glanced at my piano, I heaved a sigh of relief.

I peered out of the large window behind the piano to notice the approaching night. I dropped my handbag on the sofa and then took a seat on my comfy cushioned piano bench. I let my finger drag once through the keys of the piano, sounding an unrhythmic tune.

As I dragged my fingers through the keys, my mind kept playing all that had happened today. An unexpected day with an unexpected man!

I missed a key and the appalling sound echoed in the soundproof room, making my face etch up in frustration. Now, I can't even concentrate on something that brings me joy because of that dreadful man!

"I was looking for you, Mridula!" I turned my head to notice my mom enter my peaceful sanctuary. She asked me if I was feeling well! Mothers always know when their children are worried about something. But I didn't want to trouble her, so I brushed it off by telling her that I was merely tired.

"I heard that you paid the designer...And I had told you not to do that!" She chided.

"And I had told you just the opposite...!" I replied back as I got back to playing the piano, a little less out of tune this time!

"Oh! Now, your parents can't even buy anything for you...that's how independent you have become...Don't forget that we have raised you!

"Mom, are you trying to emotionally blackmail me...you know that never works on me...!" I turned around and focused my attention completely on my mother. A hint of realization made its way to her face. This trick works on my sister, not on me!

"Yes, I know that! But you can spend a tiny fraction of your father's money...After all, it belongs to...!"

Before she could finish, I dived in, "Me...And someday, I would inherit all of this!"

I know that as part of the royal customs, I would inherit everything that my father owns through his royal bloodline as his firstborn. And I have accepted that! Apart from a small fraction of that wealth, my sister would only inherit the family business. It was something that I was very adamant about. If I am getting most of the old money, my sister should at least get something that she has worked on diligently.

"I don't know what is your obsession with not taking our help!"

A memory of the past, wired up in my brain and I faintly smiled at her as I got back to playing the grand piano. A conversation in high school fortified my wish that I just couldn't sit and enjoy the luxuries that my surname had to offer me.

~~~~~~

"I am sorry that I couldn't answer back, I was..." I shook my head in denial. This sound like I am making an excuse! You are making an excuse, Mridula!

I stared back at the mirror, "I would just tell him the truth...the truth that his girlfriend has the ability to utterly embarrass herself in front of his archnemesis!"

My phone pinged with a message. It was from Vaibhav, agreeing to meet at a cafe near my office after work.

As I was heading out, I received a call from Meera saying that she had some important to share with us and I should reach Anika's hospital at sharp five in the evening.