Tere Liye | ✔

Chapter Eight - The Awaited Union

Earlier comments on this chapter has been deleted as they would not make any sense with the revised version of 'Tere Liye'. Just a note to old readers, those comments are still very special for me and I have them stored with me to cherish forever. I just don't want any confusion for new readers.

Hope you enjoy! :)

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There was a peaceful silence that surrounded her when she got off the car, smiling at her destination. It was the same garden Arnav had brought her to before their marriage, to introduce her to his Mama.

Mohan had already left when she turned around, most probably as per Arnav's orders and she took in a deep inhale of the fresh air before pushing the garden gate open. She walked inside, feeling the exquisite beauty of her surrounding mesmerizing her just like it did the first time. 

Twigs snapped under her feet as she sauntered further inside, looking around in search of the one who held her surprise. Her lips stretched at that word and she held her chest to control her erratic heart, still trying to get a glimpse of him. 

A presence was what she felt behind her the next minute and automatically knowing who that was, she was about to turn around when an orange cloth blocked her vision. She gasped when she realized it was a blindfold.

As a reflex her body tensed up a little, until she felt his breath hit her shoulder as he whispered in his ears, his voice steady and comforting enough to reassure her, "Shh, it's me."

Khushi released the breath she had caught in her throat and clasped Arnav's hand tightly as he intertwined their fingers. 

"Come." Wrapping his other hand around her waist whilst his left one held her hand, Arnav encouraged her to resume walking, which she did, silently. Well, silently until she felt like they were walking for like five minutes now.

"Arnavji, where are we going?" She asked, unable to resist her curiosity.

"Almost there, Khushi." Arnav's reply did nothing but peak her desire to rip off the cloth that prohibited her from looking around, building such a suspense in her mind. However, true to Arnav's words, they must have indeed reached for he stopped walking just a minute later. 

Khushi frowned when he removed his hand from her hold, creating a distance between them. She didn't say anything though, letting him do what he planned, until she no longer felt his presence near her anymore.

"Ar-arnavji?" Khushi called out, her voice stumbling with a sudden fret for a second.

She got no response from him and she waited for a few more seconds before at last removing the blindfold, almost messing up her perfectly set hair in a hurry. 

Her eyes squinted as her head whipped in every direction, but except for trees and flowers she saw nothing. Her frown deepened, looking at the setting around her that seemed new to her eyes. The trees, the fence that was just behind her, the new flowers, all this was not here when she first came and that was when it dawned at her. They were further deep into the vast garden. 

She turned her head to look in front of her again and that was when she noticed the small cottage residing in the middle of the landscape. The air as if grew quieter as she approached the wooden cabin. A strange sense of easement was what she felt when she touched it's cold door, before pushing it open. 

And just like that, the second she peeked in, all the movements in her body ceased and her breath left her - leaving her to gape at the sight in front of her.