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ADVIK

"Mom, you can't do this to me," I blurted out in frustration.

Mom remained seated at her desk, completely engrossed in her stupid computer, as if it were the only thing that mattered. She didn't even bother to look at me.

"I'm talking to you, for god's sake, look at me, Mom," I insisted.

"If you think I listen with my eyes, you're mistaken," Mom retorted, her gaze still fixed on the computer screen.

I felt like smashing the computer into pieces.

Control yourself, Advik. Mom will throw you out if you lose control.

"Mom, no matter what you do, I won't go through with this marriage. I mean it," I declared firmly.

Finally, Mom's attention shifted to me, and she gestured for me to take a seat.

"You don't want to get married?" she asked calmly.

Whenever Mom adopted that calm tone, I knew something was definitely off.

"I don't want to get married," I affirmed.

"Fine," she replied nonchalantly.

I was shocked. "Fine?" I repeated incredulously.

She leaned back in her chair and said, "Yes, I said fine."

I felt elated and immediately got up from my chair, heading towards the door to go back to my cabin.

"Advik Khanna," Mom's cold voice rang in my ears.

I fucking knew it. Mom can't just give in so easily. I'm your son after all, and I won't back down either.

I turned around, taking a few steps towards her desk.

Mom didn't even bother to hide her smirk. Oh, I forgot I was now talking to the Board of Chairwoman, not just my mom.

"Now that you've made up your mind about not getting married, I won't force you," she said, playing with her pen.

She stood up from her chair and went towards the full-length glass window, gazing into the distance.

"Resign from your position and live your life as you want. I won't interfere in your life," she said calmly.

"Mom," I exclaimed in shock.

But before I could say anything else, Mom had turned towards me, and the expression on her face made it clear that she wasn't joking at all.

"Mom, how can you ask me to resign, especially for that girl?" I said in anger.

"The girl's name is Saira Deshmukh. I had promised her dying mother that I would never let Saira feel like an orphan," Mom replied, her face showing no sign of remorse.

"So you're willing to sacrifice your son's happiness for someone else's daughter?" I yelled, completely losing my cool.

"Don't you dare raise your voice in front of me," Mom immediately snapped.

"I'm sorry, Mom," I apologised, lowering my head.

"I'm your mother, Advik. Whatever decisions I've made for you, I've made them after careful consideration and thought," Mom explained.

"But Mom, you know I don't want to get married, and you know the reason," I said, feeling a surge of bitter memories flooding my mind, my fists clenching in frustration.

But as soon as those words left my mouth, I regretted it.

A wave of sadness swept over Mom's face, and she sank into her chair.

"Mom, I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry," I apologised, my heart heavy with remorse.

"Advik, go to your office. We'll discuss this later," Mom said, her attention back on her computer screen.

I can't bear to leave mom alone to dwell on bitter memories of that bastard and hurt her feelings.

Taking a deep breath, I acquiesced, "Okay, Mom. I'm still not sure about marriage. But for your sake, I can meet that girl once."

Mom's eyes immediately snapped to me, a small smile playing on her lips. "Alright," she said.

I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that at least Mom's attention had shifted.

I nodded and left, heading back to my cabin.

But as soon as I sat down, my mind was consumed once again by anger. My grip tightened on the armrest, and my veins started to bulge on my arms, a clear sign of the overwhelming anger coursing through me.

But as soon as my eyes fell on the photo of Mom and Vihaan on the desk, my anger started to dissipate.

"You both are my family, and besides you two, I neither want nor will I let anyone else come into my life. Sorry, Mom, but I'm meeting that girl only to scare her off, so she rejects this marriage herself."

I hate marriage and commitment because they only bring you pain and nothing else. My father made sure this thought stays in my mind forever.

"Saira or Sara, whatever your name is, I'll teach you a lesson so fierce that you'll want to flee from the city," I muttered to myself, my teeth grinding in anger.

SAIRA

After performing the aarti, I placed the plate in the small temple at home and arranged flowers in it, placing it in front of the photos of Mom and Dad.

Then, I moved to the living room and started folding the clothes lying on the sofa, putting them away in the cupboard.

"Mom, look, I'm managing everything on my own. I cleaned the house, so now you're not angry with me, right?" I said softly.

"Yesterday, our neighbor aunty came by. She wanted your puran poli recipe, so I explained it to her thoroughly. Now, I don't know if she'll be able to make it like you. What do you think, Mom, will she succeed?" I wondered aloud.

Just as I placed the last dress inside the cupboard, all the clothes fell down, along with me, collapsing onto the floor.

My eyes started to sting, tears threatening to spill, but suddenly everything felt heavy. I began picking up each piece of clothing and started arranging them again on the side.

The weight of those light clothes started to feel burdensome.

It felt as if someone had placed a heavy weight on my heart.

And then, in a sudden rush, the tears that I had been holding back found their way out, streaming down my cheeks.

I let my tears flow freely. I don't know how long I sat there. But when my tears dried up, I got up and placed all the clothes in the cupboard.

After quickly cleaning my face, I stood in front of Mom's photo.

"Sorry, Mom, I won't cry again. Those clothes fell down, and I cried just thinking about it. It's all sorted now," I said with a forced smile.

Before I could say anything else, my phone rang.

I hurriedly went to the bedroom and answered the call.

"Hello, Saira," came the voice on the other end.

"Hello, Aunty."

"How are you, dear? Is everything alright? Do you need anything?" she asked in a motherly tone.

"I'm fine, Aunty."

"I called to tell you that I've reserved a table for you and my son Advik at The Crown restaurant. I'll send you the address and time. So, make sure to be there on time," she said.

"Yes, Aunty, I will be there," I replied.

"Okay, Saira, take care. Bye," she said and disconnected the call.

I sat on the corner of the bed, lost in thought, where in this world where loved ones don't support each other, Padmini Aunty had been treating me like her own daughter since Mom passed away.

I had no idea about any of Mom's friends because she never mentioned anything about them.

But when Mom was hospitalized, Padmini Aunty used to come to see her, taking care of her as well.

It's been one month since Mom passed away, and Aunty calls me every day to ask about my well-being. She even offered to let me stay at her house, but I politely declined, saying that I wanted to stay in this house with the memories of Mom and Dad for a few more days.

I still couldn't believe that before Mom passed away, she entrusted Aunty with the responsibility of looking after me and my happiness.

And just last week, she confided in me, after much thought, that she believed it would be best for me to marry her elder son. She felt it would provide me with a family's support and ensure that someone would take care of me, bringing peace to Mom's soul.

I couldn't refuse even if I wanted to. Mom had only asked me for one thing, to listen to Aunty and consider her as my guardian.

I had some relatives, but perhaps they felt burdened by the thought of taking care of me after Mom's passing, so they distanced themselves from me.

I wasn't particularly affected by their distant behavior because they had largely forgotten about me and Mom since Dad passed away.

The rest of the day I spent at home. As the evening approached, I began to get ready.

I was wearing a mehndi-colored Anarkali dress and had adorned myself with kajal and a bindi. Ready and waiting, I sat on the sofa. As the time went by, my restlessness grew.

I had never gone to meet someone like this alone before, and the tension made my hands and feet feel cold.

I kept reminding myself that Aunty's son would be as good as her. Nothing would go wrong; everything would be fine.

Aunty had messaged me the address and time, along with a note that she would send a car to pick me up.

Glancing at the time on my phone, I realised it was already time for the car to arrive. Just then, there was a knock at my door.

Opening the door, I found the driver standing there. "Ma'am, Boss sent me to pick you up," he said.

"Boss?" I asked, puzzled.

"Yes, Mrs. Padmini Khanna," the driver replied, and I nodded in understanding.

Locking the door behind me, I got into the car and settled into the back seat. The driver immediately started the car and we began our journey.

As I looked out of the car window, my mind started filling with questions. To stop them, I quickly closed my eyes, leaning back in the seat.

PADMINI

"Mishra ji, has the table been reserved?" I inquired from Advik's PA.

"Yes ma'am, the table has been reserved. And I've also sent a car to pick up Ms. Saira," he informed me.

"Have you made sure everything is in order? I don't want any room for complaints," I emphasized.

"Yes ma'am, I've instructed the waiter to place bugs under the table so you can hear everything they say," he replied, extending the phone towards me.

I nodded, taking the phone and signaling for him to leave.

But he remained standing there, looking uneasy. Sensing his hesitation, I asked, "Is there something on your mind, Mishra ji?"

"Ma'am, it's about Advik sir..." he began hesitantly.

"Mishra ji, you've been working with me for 22 years now. By now, you should understand that I don't tolerate wasting time," I interrupted firmly.

"Ma'am, Advik sir instructed me not to tell you, but..." Mishra ji's voice faltered.

"That he went to meet Saira not to greet her, but to intimidate her, so she refuses the marriage. Advik must have instructed you to make Saira understand how bad he is, right?" I revealed, raising an eyebrow.

Mishra ji's expression turned pale, his discomfort evident.

"How did you.... ?" he stammered, clearly surprised by my knowledge of the situation.

"Advik may have forgotten that I am his mother. And I know him inside out," I said with a sigh.

"What should I do, ma'am? Advik sir has asked me to be at the restaurant by 8 pm," Mishra ji said nervously.

"Do exactly as Advik instructed, but don't let him know that I'm aware of his plan," I instructed firmly.

He nodded and left, leaving me to contemplate Advik's actions.

No matter what you do, Advik, this marriage is inevitable for you. As your mother, I'll always be a step ahead.

🦋

Hey everyone,

Thank you for choosing to embark on this journey with me through this novel.

I'm eager to hear your thoughts on the first chapter. Your feedback means a lot, so please don't hesitate to share your opinions and vote for the chapter.

In this story, Padmini Khanna is also a main character, so her point of view will also be explored. However, if you feel otherwise, please feel free to let me know, and I'll make adjustments accordingly.

If you spot any mistakes along the way, please do not hesitate to bring them to my attention.

With love,

wittywrits