Bound By Destiny

~Chapter 3~

Unedited chapter ahead!! You may find some errors. Feel free to correct me in comments.

<: Happy Reading :>

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Looking at the wall clock, and the time of arrival for the guests informed by her Chachi, Chandni realised she indeed had a lot of time to prepare whatever was required.

But knowing very well that her Chachi can flip her words, faster than a  coin, she already set the deadline to get everything done, two hours earlier than she was informed.

Quickly beginning the preparation, she started with all the dishes that her Chachi had informed her to cook.

Taking a quick scan, she realised everything in it was Indian cuisine. Sure it's more time consuming to cook it, but unlike any continental dishes, she has expertise in cooking this food, so she can complete cooking it without worrying much.

.

She finally finished cooking and then looked at the time to see that she had actually followed her set deadline.
She then went to her Chachi's room to inform her the same.

She knocked on the door and went in once she was allowed.
"Chachi, the good is done and the living room was arranged in the morning itself." She informed, taking a deep breath.

Her chachi just nodded in response before saying, "Don't you dare come in front of them, I can't handle a bad omen like you in the wedding."

Chandni just shook her head and then went out of the room.
Bad omen.
This is what her Chachi has always called her, and to such a level that now even she believes that she is a bad omen.
She cannot express it to anyone how bad she felt not she can cry.

She has promised herself that she'll never cry. Neither in front of anyone nor when she is alone.

Taking a deep breath, she went back to the kitchen, the only place which was all hers in this whole house.
She did have a room in the beginning, but once when she was seven, she brought a friend over.

Her Chachi realised that Chandni had privacy in the house and she didn't like it, so she threw her out of her own room.

The kitchen was not a place suggested by her Chachi, she chose it herself.
Atleast it's better than the living room, was what she always thought.

She came out of her thoughts when she heard some commotion in the house.
Realizing that the expected guests have arrived she started on her work.

Sure Ritika is the one who's going to take everything out and serve everyone, but Chandi knew that she needed to keep the serving trays and everything ready.

And she was right, because as soon as she arranged a tray with glasses of water, her cousin came in.

Without even glancing at her, she took the tray and walked off.
It was followed the whole time, until Ritika went out with the last serving bowl.
As her Chachi had instructed, she stayed in the kitchen. Having no other thing to pass the time, she started peeling peas when suddenly Ritika came in along with a man.

Chandni looked at Ritika and then at the person she came in with. She got scared and started to look around, finding a place to hide, but it was actually late for it.

"Ritika, who is she?" The person asked, while Chandni focused her attention to the plate full of peas in her hand.

"Uhh... Reyansh, she's my sister." Ritika said and Chandni widened her eyes in horror. The last time Ritika introduced her as her sister, things went pretty downhill for her.

"What? You have a sister and you didn't even inform us?" The man said and Chandni looked up, to see all the family had gathered there.

"What is happening here?" Chandni looked at her chachi who was glaring at her.

"Mom, Ritika has a sister and they didn't even care to inform us about it." Reyansh said to his mother.

"Is it true?" His mother asked, eyeing the girl who has not even raised her head ever since they all came in.

"Yes, actually she is Ritika's cousin." Her chachi reasoned.

"So what? You should've informed us. And why is she in the kitchen, sitting like this and wearing such clothes when she is your daughter." His Grandma asked.

"Actually Dadi, she is my cousin. Her parents didn't used to treat her right. My mom brought her in this house the day she learnt how much this poor soul has to endure." Ritika said, and Chandni widened her eyes at her lie.

"Yes, I couldn't control myself when I knew about everything happening to her. I brought her here, but she couldn't get accustomed to this place. She was so in habit to work and wear like this clothes in her parents' home that she change the way she lives." He chachi said, faking a few tears.

Chandni wanted to object, but couldn't. She wanted to tell everyone that her parents were the best parents in the whole world, but she couldn't. She just sat there until his Grandma called her, "Dear..." She said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"What's your name?" She asked.

"Chandni."

"That's a very good name." The woman praised making Chandni give her a small smile.

"Shilpa, we want her at all the wedding functions, after all she's the bride's sister." The woman literally commanded her Chachi, but the person who got scared was Chandni.

They then followed with lunch, but Chandni was worried about what would happen to her now. She stood in the kitchen as the to be Groom's family drove off.

She had her hands joined, continuously praying to keep her fine today, but luck was not on her side, as her Chachi came in the next moment when the left.

"I told you to stay hidden, was it so difficult for you?" She asked, tightly holding her face.

"I'm sorry Chachi, I didn't knew they would come in the kitchen." Chandni said, trying to remove herself from the strong hold.

Her chachi suddenly left her, which confused her. She looked to see that her Chachi had picked up a rolling pin, the only thing left on the kitchen counter.

"You dare to lie to me!" Her chachi yellled, striking the rolling pin to her back.

She yelped in pain, even though she knew nobody would come to help her.

The hits continued, until her Chachi finally backed off, not before saying, "You'll be in all rituals, but don't do anything to steal my daughter's limelight. For once, behave as if you are not your mother's daughter."

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Hey lovely readers!
Here goes chapter 3

Hope you all like it
Don't forget to vote and comment.

Love,
Author.