Parinay (by Basanti)

Part 1 (A B)

Chapter 1A-

He walked to the base of the staircase, stopping for a moment, holding on to the base spindle to calm himself. How did he let things to get to this stage? He was close to walking away, he wanted to take his car and drive to the one place that filled him with peace and a longing that he had never experienced before, and he never would.
He was not happy with this wedding, heck was being forced into this marriage through blackmail. He was the CEO of AR Group, an up and coming businessman who was starting to create a name for himself and the organization he headed. But there were still miles to go before the company could scale the heights, that he and Akash had dreamed of.
He had what some would say a fulfilling life, he was happy and at peace finally. But his Naani the shrewd stubborn woman that she was, had proposed a wedding with Akash's sister in law. And when he had refused, his Naani played him at his own a game, a game he played so often and played so well- she pushed him to a corner and made sure that he had no other choice but to abide by her.
She had used her strongest weapon; her equity in the company founded by her husband, making it clear that if he refused the marriage he would lose the equity and the chance of taking the company forward. It didn't just stop with that. His own sister had told him that she would cut off all her ties with him, cut his access to her children if he didn't get married to the girl who had been chosen for him. He was in two minds to stand his ground and resign from the company that had been his dream from his childhood, go out and do something on his own. But he knew that the benefits of the Raizada surname outweighed the pain and heartbreak of a wedding with this woman.

So Arnav Singh Raizada agreed to this sham of a wedding, making it clear in ways more than one that he was being coerced into this wedding and that his wife would never have his heart, mind or soul.

Chapter 1B

Arnav opened the door to his what was once his room, his personal space that he now unwillingly had to share with another woman. He entered the room and saw it dimly lit with a few candles. The sheer curtains danced to the light breeze from the pool. If it weren't his wedding night he would have complimented the person who had tastefully decorated the room.

His bed had been decorated with strings of flowers and in the midst of it all was seated was the woman who was now his wife. She was dressed in bridal finery in a color that was dear to him- blood red. Before he could pay anymore attention to his new wife, he realised grimly the place she had taken, the payment he had to make with his personal life his love, and the sacrifice he had to make for his dreams. He closed his eyes and tried to calm his rising temper. He reminded himself that she was not responsible for this mess, and that she didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of his irate. She was probably as helpless as he was. Once he had calmed down, he walked towards his new bride.

———————

Kushi heard the door click open and then close. She closed her eyes tightly, telling herself this was it. Her husband was here, a new chapter in her life had begun, a new path had been paved by others for her. She held her lehenga tightly, scared and nervous of everything that the night entailed, to a point where the zari of her lehenga started cutting into skin of her fingers. But then she told herself that she wasn't ready for this and she would tell him that. She already let her foster family have their way, she would be damned if she let her husband too. She waited for her husband to come to the bed and speak to her, but he stood near the door, his own eyes closed like hers.

For a moment she was worried about what was bothering him and unknowingly Kushi took the first towards cementing their relationship and their marriage.

A few moments later she saw her husband walk towards the bed and she looked down, not because she was shy, but because she really didn't know what to tell him. He stood near the foot of the bed, trying not to look at her, 'Erm... Would you like to use the bathroom?'