Chronicles Of My Darling Husband

13. Lochan (Part 3)

I'd like to dedicate this chapter to some of my readers who have consistently supported me, faithfully voting on every chapter. Thank you all so much :*

And if you can, please leave a comment as well. ;)

@Yasjonas, VidyaPuthran7, Sria_16, 12ashu34, alekhyahasini, vinnyvind, Renuka70 and peeks51

I am sure I have missed a few of you, I'll try to add you guys in the next chapter! Thanks again.

--

Breathe in... Breathe out... In... Out... In...

The door to her room burst open like a sudden clap of thunder, catching her off guard. "What the heck!?"

Devika leaned against the door frame, a playful smirk dancing on her lips. "Well, well, what's keeping you locked away in your chamber for so long?"

Nishita perched on the edge of her bed—or was it the edge of her sanity—nervously gnawing at her nails. "Did you see him?"

See? With a towering height of at least five-foot-eleven, Mrs. Singh's son commanded attention. He embodied the epitome of a model son from a North-Indian household: fair-skinned, strikingly handsome and tall, impeccably fit, and boasting a remarkably successful—very, very successful—career. He outshone every male lead from a Star Plus serial in appearance and... Obedience!

For heaven's sake, why on earth would he agree to an arranged marriage when he could have his pick of any woman? When he could marry... anyone he desired from this whole universe—or even from another universe!

Perhaps he had experienced heartbreak in the past, maybe he was nursing a broken heart over a lost love who had married someone else. Maybe Mrs. Singh was attempting to pawn off a Devdas onto her.

Perhaps he sought refuge from his mother's relentless pestering by marrying a random woman, thereby silencing her and gaining the freedom to live on his terms—with one... or more affairs around the world—and conditions.

Or maybe... Maybe he wasn't interested in women at all; he might be gay, seeking marriage as a means to conceal his true identity and evade societal expectations.

All these scenarios seemed entirely plausible.

But the way he had looked at her—as if he had been anticipating for long to see her—spoke volumes. His eyes had held a tale, a narrative yearning to be told, and it had conveyed a fraction of his story. Oh, they... They had hinted to her of his happiness, murmured of his longing as if he had been waiting for this chance to hold her in his arms for ages.

Her entire body ignited at the memory of him pulling her closer, his tangible rock-hard chest pressing against her soft bosom. Her toes curled involuntarily, and she blinked rapidly, trying to banish that raw scene from her mind.

"Whom?" Devika swatted Nishita's fingers away from her mouth, halting her attempt at self-cannibalism midway, and she paused herself from thinking about the sensation of two strong arms encircling her waist.

Nishita stared at her friend. "Viki... He's looking at me like..." She struggled to find the right words. "... like I'm a freaking oasis discovered amidst the barren expanse of the Thar Desert!"

Devika chuckled. "I noticed," she said, gesturing with her hand like an arrow pointed at Nishita's lips. "His eyes lingered on your face as if they were conspiring to steal a kiss."

Nishita flushed. "Shut the fuck up!" Pushing herself off the bed, she stood upright. "I wanted to talk to him, to see if there's potential between us," she groaned, "But if he keeps up with that creepy vibe, I might have to reconsider this whole idea and stick to my fantasies about Shravan."

She paced across her room, scratching her scalp and mentally scolding herself to wash her hair—it had already been three days!

"Forget about Shravan; he's into someone else," Devika announced, scrunching her nose as she watched Nishita clean her nails.

Nishita heard a sharp crack inside her ears—like the loud sound of a ceramic plate shattering on the floor—and realized it was her heart breaking. "What!?" she gasped. "Who?"

Devika gave a pout with a dismissive shrug. "I can't reveal any confidential information," she said, noticing Nishita's surprised expression. "Nishu, I have promised him I wouldn't spill."

Wow!

That hit her like a stab in the heart and back, dual action to maximize the effect.

Sure, she wasn't head over heels in love with Shravan, but there was a spark. Since their first day of college, he had been her anchor, guiding her through every hurdle from student elections to examinations to... Well, now, he belonged to someone else.

Perhaps it wasn't Mrs. Singh's son who played the role of Devdas, but she herself.

Oh, Shravan, there go the walls of your palace!

Her subconscious began demolishing the beautiful marble palace of her first innocent crush.

"By the way, he mentioned that he's always seen you as a little sister," Devika whispered. "I'm sorry, Nishu."

Gasp! Sister! Great!

Thanks to her delusions, she had seen him as a potential lover while he viewed her as a sister. Could it get any more awkward? What kind of shitty Bollywood movie was this? And amidst this swirling love drama, a man was sitting in the living room of her home... The man who had gazed at her as though she were... She was a goddess!

"Nishi..." Her mother interrupted her self-rant, standing near the entrance of her bedroom. "You don't need to embarrass me in front of the guests. Sometimes, try to behave like a typical girl and make me proud."

Nishita narrowed her eyes. "Would you prefer I appear like a pig, like this... All sweaty in front of that... That guy!?"

"Nishita!" Her mother closed her eyes, seemingly trying to maintain her composure. "Please, get ready quickly. Jagdish Ji has taken time out of his busy schedule to meet you, respect that. Your Papa and Mami will also join us soon."

Devika chuckled. "Don't fret, Maa!" she said. "Your daughter will have that Jagdish Ji wrapped around her little finger soon."

"Enough!" Indira tapped Devika's head in an attempt to admonish her. "You girls, come out soon."

"Okay," Nishita replied, heading towards her wardrobe to select a fresh outfit.

Jagdish... His name sounds rather old-fashioned.

--

A/N

"Mere Naseeb Mein" and so many remixes which were released during that era were so freaking good. I still vibe to them while dancing my way to my job. lol XD

This song is spot-on for the chapter because Nishita is utterly bewildered by everything going on around her and nothing is under her control. Poor Nishu!

Vote share comment :)