Ch 7. “My future wife?”

Enjoyyyy babies🌸✨

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AUTHOR'S POV:

The very next day, the phone placed in the living room of the singhania house rang, its shrill ring echoing throughout the house, breaking the morning silence.

Priya, who was busy in her household chores, quickly wiped her hands on her apron and rushed towards the phone, her curiosity piqued. As she picked up the receiver, she realised that it was divya who had called her. She knew that divya was arti's close friend, but she was wondering about why divya had called her out of the blue.

As Priya picked up the call, they exchanged warm greetings, and priya couldn't help but ask, "Waise aaj achanak se aapne call kaise kiya? Koi baat thi kya?" Divya's tone turned serious, and she said, "Actually, priya... mujhe aapse... vivaan ke rishte ki baat karni thi."

Priya's ears perked up, and she asked, "Oh, acha... aap uski shaadi karwa rahi hain? Lekin kiske saath?"

[Oh! You want vivaan to get married? But with whom?]

Divya's next words left priya stunned, "Actually... vivaan ke liye... humein aashvika bohot pasand hai."

[Actually...we really like aashvika for vivaan.]

Priya's eyes widened in shock as she stuttered, "A-aashvika? Lekin..." She couldn't form a coherent sentence, her mind racing with questions.

Divya reassured her, "Don't worry, priya, you can take your time, talk to aashvika, and then you can tell us your decision. We're not looking for an immediate answer." Priya just hummed in response, still processing the news. Divya added, "Until then, I'll send you his photo," and disconnected the call, leaving priya to think for some time.

10 minutes later, priya's phone pinged, and she opened her messages to find a photo from Divya. She clicked on the image, and Vivaan's face appeared on her screen, leaving Priya lost in thought.

Seeing him, a small smile flashed all over her face. She started wondering about how aashvika and vivaan would look standing together and that made her giggle like a teenage girl.

"Yeh toh bada pyaara dikhta hai!" She exclaimed with a soft smile.

[He looks so lovely]

Just then, abhimanyu walked inside the living room and saw his mom smiling while staring at her phone. He sat beside her and asked, "What are you looking at, mom?"

Because of his sudden appearance, priya got scared, "You scared me!" She yelled making him laugh. "Sorry sorry, but what are you looking at?" He asked her, making her smile shyly.

"Maybe... your soon to be brother-in-law's photo?" She spoke with a hint of amusement making abhimanyu widen his eyes. "What?" He yelled making her laugh. She showed him the photo as his eyes widened in shock.

"Yeh toh THE VIVAAN MALHOTRA HAI." He yelled on top of his lungs, making priya cover her ears. "Uff! Stop shouting!" She scolded him while he just sat their in shock.

After moments of shock, when abhimanyu finally came to his senses he turned towards priya and asked, "But will di even agree for this marriage?" Hearing him priya sighed, "We will know that when she comes back home at night," she said making abhimanyu nod in agreement.

At night, after everyone had their dinner, priya had already told shiv about vivaan and he was happy to know that.

Right now, aashvika was sitting in the balcony in a good mood. Today, she went out with rushika to hangout as rushika wanted to lighten up her mood.

Priya and abhimanyu slowly peeked in the balcony and saw aashvika being in a good mood as they decided to approach her.

"You look so happy, aashu." Priya spoke catching her attention. Aashvika nodded at her words and spoke, "Yeah, i went out with rushika today." Nodding at her words, priya and abhimanyu sat beside her.

"Well..aashu.. don't you think that you're an adult now?" Priya spoke making aashvika chuckle. "Mom..i don't think so..i know that i'm an adult now." She spoke making priya and abhimanyu chuckle nervously and nod their head.

"So..i was thinking..that.." Priya spoke nervously but before she could continue, abhimanyu announced in a loud voice. "You should get married di." He straightforwardly announced making aashvika widen her eyes.

"What?" She yelled as priya glared at abhimanyu who was just chuckling nervously. "First listen to me!" Priya said to aashvika, trying to calm her down.

Aashvika took a deep breath to calm herself down, as priya spoke, "Today...a marriage proposal came for you." Aashvika looked at her mother and asked her, "Mere liye?"

"Nahi toh kya mere liye?" Abhimanyu exclaimed in a sarcastic way making both the women hit him lightly on his shoulder.

Priya turned her attention towards aashvika and spoke, "Beta...it's time...tumhe apna ghar basa lena chaahiye." Aashvika's eyes narrowed at her words and she spoke in a low tone, "So, you mean to say, that this isn't my home?"

Hearing her words, abhimanyu kneeled down infront of her and spoke, "No. We are not saying that..we are just saying that you should also have someone whom you can rely on." Aashvika looked at her brother as she gulped.

"Since papa has left for his posting....you've always been there for us, you've paid for maa's medications, you've paid for my school fees and now..my college fees. You've worked hard for us, to make us happy and now...we want that you should also have someone who will work hard for you. Who will keep you happy. We want you to be happy, di." Abhimanyu said making aashvika tear up.

Keeping her hand on aashvika's shoulders, priya spoke, "Beta, ab bas bohot ho gaya, ab tere khush rehne ke din aaye hain." Aashvika looked at her mother and while sobbing, she spoke, "But..i don't want to leave you guys." Priya smiled at her words and said, "Who said that you will be leaving us? Hmm? We will talk to you everyday on call and you can come meet us anytime you want! Aur waise bhi! Mere pati abhi zinda hain!" Priya said with a grin trying to reassure her daughter.

Seeing his sister getting emotional, abhimanyu tried to lighten the mood as he spoke in a teasing tone, "But maa..if di already loves someone, then she can tell us! Right?" Hearing this, priya chuckled and nodded as aashvika whined shyly.

Wiping her tears with the soft pad of his thumbs, abhimanyu spoke, "Don't worry di, we will always be there for you." Aashvika looked at her younger brother once again and tightly hugged him. He hugged her back as his eyes also got teary.

"So..is this a yes?" He asked in a low tone as aashvika broke the hug. Sitting back beside her mother, she asked, "But..who is the man?" Priya smiled at her daughter but before she could say anything, abhimanyu spoke in a teasing tone, "See maa! She is already eager to see her future husband!"

Hearing his words, aashvika's eyes widened as she lightly slapped abhimanyu on his shoulders. Abhimanyu laughed as priya spoke, "I will send you his photo, you see it and you can tell us your decision, later on, okay?"

Saying this, priya stood up and dragged abhimanyu with herself who wasn't ready to leave his sister.

Aashvika wiped her tears and inhaled a deep breath. The cold breeze was hitting her face as she stared at the open sky. A minute later, her phone pinged. She opened the phone and saw that her mother had sent her a picture.

When she opened the picture, it was as if the ground had slipped from under her feet. Her breath hitched as she stared at the pic. Her jaw almost touching the ground while her eyes were ready to pop out of their sockets.

"Vivaan?" She whispered as her heart thudded inside her chest.

Out of every other man in this world, it's him?

The man who has occupied my mind since the day i met him.

She thought as she stared at the man in the photo.

"He looks so handsome, as always." Aashvika whispered under her breath while smiling like crazy.

But her smile faltered as she whispered to herself, "But, i don't even know him."

"Then you can get to know him." Priya spoke, standing at the entrance of the balcony, catching aashvika's attention.

Priya sat down beside her daughter and continued, "There is nothing wrong in getting to know him. We are not going to rush you to get married. Besides, he doesn't seem like a bad person." Priya reassured aashvika as she nodded slowly.

Thinking for some minutes, she looked at her mother and declared, "Alright, I'm ready to meet him." Priya smiled at her words and hugged her.

"Okay then, I'll call divya tommorow to tell her about this good news." Priya announced and left, leaving aashvika in her balcony alone.

After making sure that priya had left, aashvika quietly pulled out her mobile and stared at vivaan's picture. Her heart beating faster than ever in her chest. She started giggling like a teenage girl while staring at his picture.

"He looks so cute." She exclaimed while smiling widely. Then suddenly, her eyes widened as she stood up from her seat with a jolt.

"Shut up aashvika! Kya bole jaa rahi hai!!" Aashvika scolded herself and sat down. But, after a few moments, she once again stood up with a jolt.

"Wait! Wait wait! I'm going to get married to him? I'm Going To Get Married To Him?!?" She accidentally yelled out loud as she immediately covered her mouth. She looked around to see if anyone had heard her but thankfully no one did. She then looked back at vivaan's photo once again while trying to wrap up her head around the reality.

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The next day, it was sunday and priya had called divya to tell her that they were ready to meet her family for the marriage alliance. As divya excitedly rushed in the living room after talking to priya, everyone's gaze fell on her.

Exhaling a deep breath, she announced, "Aashvika's mom said that they're ready to meet our family!" Hearing this, everyone cheered happily.

A few minutes later, vivaan walked downstairs in casual clothes as divya immediately rushed towards him.

"Vivaan, go and get ready. And wear something good!" Divya ordered making vivaan get confused. "But what happened?" He asked making her smile widely.

"We are going to meet your future wife!!" She revealed and pushed vivaan upstairs to get changed.

VIVAAN'S POV:

As I walked into my room, maa's words lingered in my mind like an uninvited guest, "We're going to meet your future wife." The phrase repeated in my mind as i tried to wrap my head around it.

“"My future wife?" Why does this term feel so weird?” I thought, as I slowly dragged my feet towards the shower, my mind a jumble of uncertainty.

I stripped off my clothes, letting them fall to the floor, and stepped into the warm shower. Pushing back my hair, I let out a deep breath as the hot water cascaded down my skin, sending shivers down my spine. This feeling... this was so unknown to me. I'd never felt this way before, this mix of excitement and anxiety that left me feeling like a stranger in my own skin. I couldn't even imagine feeling this way.

"This isn't love, surely it isn't. It can never be love. Me? In love? Never. But then, what is it?" My mind was a whirlwind of questions, each one battering my brain like a stormy sea.

Suddenly the thought of meeting her crossed my mind, "Wait, what am I going to say to her? What will she ask me? What will I do? Is she even going to say yes after getting to know me?" I sighed, the water pounding against my skin, as thoughts of the unknown future swirled in my mind like a vortex, pulling me under.

Pushing aside all the thoughts, i walked out the washroom. I walked towards the closet and took out a black shirt, pairing it with grey coloured pants. I walked infront of the mirror and stared at my reflection. Sighing, i brushed my hair and rolled back my shirt's sleeves. Taking my phone, i walked downstairs and saw maa staring at me.

"What happened?" I asked her while she just smiled and taking some of her kajal on the pads of her fingers, she applied it behind my ears. I just shook my head at her action as we all walked outside. Sitting in my car, along with sahil, atharv and anukriti bhabhi, i drove to her home.

"Waise vivaannn, tum usse kya baat karoge?" Anukriti bhabhi asked me in a teasing tone, making sahil and atharv chuckle.

I cleared my throat and spoke, "Wahi, jo aap aur bhai karte hain." Though my tone was formal, yet it still carried a hint of mischievousness. Anukriti gasped and her cheeks turned pink making atharv chuckle. "Woohoooo!" Sahil hooted, earning a glare from atharv.

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AUTHOR'S POV:

"Chudail, wake up!!" Abhimanyu yelled for the third time, trying to wake up his sleeping sister. But seeing no response, he sighed. He slowly bent down and whispered in aashvika's ears, "Di..wake up.. otherwise your future husband will see you like this." Hearing his words, aashvika immediately opened her eyes and sat up with a jolt. Seeing her, abhimanyu started laughing loudly.

"Ha-muh-haha-toh-hahaha dekho." He said while laughing making aashvika glare at him.

"Suwar ke bacche, nikal jaa, humein taiyaar hona hai!" Aashvika yelled while abhimanyu kept laughing. He left her room while still laughing loudly. "Maa dekho aapko suwar keh rahi hai yeh!" Abhimanyu yelled from outside while aashvika just rolled her eyes at his statement.

"Pagal kahin ka." She mumbled and immediately stood up from her bed and locked the door. Fixing her hair, aashvika walked towards the shower.

After taking a refreshing shower, aashvika emerged from her room looking radiant as ever in a gorgeous pink suit that perfectly complemented her complexion. She let her hair flow freely down her back, the soft strands framing her face.

With a subtle touch, she accentuated her eyes with a swipe of kohl kajal, adding a hint of mystery to her gaze. A soft nude lipstick added a touch of elegance to her smile, and a delicate bindi adorned her forehead, giving her an extra dash of traditional charm.

As she settled herself on her bed, the warm sunlight streaming through the windows highlighted her features, making her look like a vision. Aashvika opened her phone to scroll through instagram reels but a message caught her attention as she saw that ishani had texted her.

Ishani: Hieeeeee!!

Aashvika: Hi!!

Ishani: Guess what??👀

Aashvika: What??

Ishani: I am back from the wedding!!

As aashvika read the message, her eyes shone with excitement.

Aashvika: Really???

Ishani: Yeahh!! Btw, what are you doing right now?👀

Aashvika: Woh-💀💀

Aashvika texted unsure of what to say.

Ishani: Kya?? Bol na!!

Aashvika: I'll tell you later when we meet! Chal byee!!

As aashvika set her phone aside, a sudden wave of nervousness washed over her, catching her off guard. She felt a flutter in her chest and her palms grew damp. Her gaze drifted to the mirror, and she caught sight of her own reflection- a mix of uncertainty and apprehension stared back at her.

Images of vivaan flashed through her mind, and her cheeks began to warm, flushing a soft pink. She gulped, trying to steady her breathing as it grew shallower.

"I'm... going to get married?" she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible. The thought sent a mix of emotions swirling through her. The woman who had closed all doors to love was now contemplating marriage?

Aashvika's mind grappled with the reality, trying to wrap itself around the idea.

"Can a marriage be without love?" she asked herself, her brow furrowing in confusion. She had always believed that love wasn't made for her, that she'd never allow herself to love someone, or marry someone just to leave her family alone, yet, here she was, all dressed up, ready to meet her, future husband, maybe?

"But a marriage can be without love! Yeah! Why can't it be?" She tried to reassure herself. "There are many marriages where there is no love."

But the voice in her head wasn't satisfied. "But are they happy?" she murmured, her doubts resurfacing. The question hung in the air, unanswered, deepening her confusion. There was no one to provide her with answers, no one to ease her doubts.

Aashvika pushed herself up from the bed, her movements deliberate. She walked to the corner of her room, where a small, serene idol of Lord Krishna sat. With gentle hands, she lit a diya in front of the deity, the soft glow illuminating the space. She joined her hands together, closed her eyes, and let a silent prayer flow from her heart.

"Bas hamesha ki tarah sach kuch sambhaal lena, Krishna ji," she whispered, placing her trust in her beloved Krishna. The familiar words brought her a feeling of calm, a reminder that she wasn't alone.

Opening her eyes, aashvika felt a quiet resolve settle within her. She walked back to her bed, picked up her phone, and cast one last glance at her reflection in the mirror. With a steady breath, she turned and walked out of her room.

She made her way to the living room, where priya and abhimanyu were seated on the couch, engrossed in conversation. Aashvika greeted her mother with a gentle smile, and priya's eyes lit up with approval as she took in her daughter's appearance.

Aashvika settled down beside priya on the couch, her fingers scrolling through her phone as she waited for whatever was to come next. The atmosphere in the room was filled with a mix of excitement and nervousness, as they waited for the much awaited guests.

Aashvika do you really think that you're not going to fall in love with that goddamn greek god?? 😭😭💅🏻

Also, the term future wife truly sounds sooo cutee lile ehehehe makes me wanna giggle like a women in love!!

And then i remember that they're fictional- nvm-

Anyways, do share your thoughts and don't

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