Karan merely shrugged and began unbuttoning his shirt.
Her eyes widened in shock again.
“What?” he asked, holding back a smirk, “I’m just obeying my wife. Changing into the sherwani she got for me.”
Mishti huffed angrily, spun around, and walked out of the room without looking back. The man had gone completely rogue and shameless.
***************
The ceremony had begun. Rajat and Avni stood beneath the decorated canopy at the centre of the garden, flushed and glowing, whispering something to each other. Their shy smiles and stolen glances made it obvious how happy they were, how deeply they were soaking in every moment of their celebration.
Mishti, however, was restless.
She didn’t know when or how she had started slipping back into the web Karan seemed to be spinning around her. His soft, almost effortless flirting was a side of him she had never truly known, and the fact that she liked it terrified her.
Just then he saw Karan walking into the garden dressed in a rich ivory sherwani, embroidered subtly with intricate thread work. The sleeves stopped just an inch below his elbows, leaving his forearms bare and unapologetically distracting. The neckline dipped into a sharp V, exposing a teasing expanse of his chest.
The moment he stepped into view, heads turned. Eyes followed, especially women’s.
And Mishti felt a burn straight in her chest every single time someone openly admired him.
Karan didn’t acknowledge any of it.
He walked past the curious glances and lingering stares as though they didn’t exist, heading straight toward Rajat andAbhimanyu, who broke into wide grins the moment they saw him dressed like that.
Even Avni froze. Her jaw dropped slightly in surprise and admiration.
Komal nudged Mishti’s elbow and whispered, “He’s looking extra handsome in traditional wear. I guess you shouldn’t have forced him into it. He was better in suits… don’t you think?”
Mishti rolled her eyes, masking the jealousy simmering inside her.
“Please,” she scoffed. “He looks decent only because Indian clothes finally hide that attitude of his. In suits, it’s unbearable.”
Komal laughed, clearly unconvinced. That was when Mishti’s gaze shifted, spotting Kanika, and she stiffened.
Rajat’s sister, Kanika, who hadn’t been around earlier was back. Kanika walked up to the couple, speaking animatedly to Rajat and Avni, before Avni pulled her into a warm hug. Rajat followed, saying something softly before embracing his sister as well.
Karan, who was standing there, smiled at Kanika when she suddenly grew a little too chatty with him. Mishti’s smile faded, replaced by an instinctive unease. What if Kanika noticed her? What if she casually mentioned to Avni that she was Karan’s wife?
Just then, Komal followed Mishti’s line of sight and instantly understood the reason behind her sudden stiffness. She leaned in and said quietly, “Kanika arrived only an hour ago. She’d flown to South Africa for work, that’s why she couldn’t come earlier. She’s just reached now. But more importantly… VK uncle has already spoken to her about you. And she knows Avni doesn’t need to know about you yet.”
Mishti let out a slow breath of relief. Yet, she still couldn’t tear her eyes away from Kanika, who was very clearly admiring Karan, even though he wasn’t looking at her anymore.
The jealousy burned again.
No matter how firmly Mishti told herself that she had no intention of going back to Karan or continuing that marriage, this feeling of jealousy refused to go away. Watching other women look at her husband hurt her.
Moments later, VK approached them and gently guided Mishti and Komal toward the stage as the rituals were about to begin.
Kanika’s expression darkened instantly as she saw Mishti, but she made no sign of recognition, deliberately looking away as if she hadn’t seen her at all.
Mishti mirrored the gesture, pretending equal obliviousness. She stood beside Avni, fixing a strand of her hair, and that was when her gaze lifted and met Karan’s.
Karan stood holding the engagement ring box meant for Rajat, while Mishti held the one meant for Avni. Their eyes locked, neither of them looking away, neither willing to break that silent connection.
The moment stretched.
Only when Rajat and Avni slipped the rings onto each other’s fingers, and the crowd erupted into applause, did their eye contact finally break. They joined in, clapping along with the rest.
