“Show me,” he said, reaching for my dupatta. I pushed his hand away.
“Shut up,” I snapped, rising from the couch.
“Kya? Patni ho humaari, hum dekh nahi sakte ki tumhe kahaan lagi hai?”“What? You’re my wife. Can’t I see where it hurts?” he asked. I gritted my teeth.
“No.”
He thinned his brows. I walked past him toward the chamber entrance, and he followed silently, muttering,“Suman, I promise I didn’t ask her to do that. You know how she is. She loves me the most, and when you threw the milk at me, she might have thought you were trying to hurt me… maybe that’s why she avenged me.”
I stopped and glared at him angrily.“But you taught her how to bite,”
He nodded slowly.“Yes… Maybe I should have taught her not to bite the nipple,” he admitted.
My eyes widened in shock.
“What?” I hissed.“Do you even know how much that hurts? Nandani would’ve killed me!”
He frowned, lowering his gaze.
“Come on, Suman,” he said, looking up.“You know Bhabhi-sa deserves that. She forces me to do things against my will and irritates me sometimes,” he said with a slight grin.
I chuckled, shaking my head.
“But that doesn’t mean you can take revenge like that!” I retorted.
He inhaled deeply.
“Then how am I supposed to avenge her? Tell me!” he asked, frustrated, as we walked toward the dining hall.“Bhai-sa would kill me if he found me playing any prank on Bhabhi-sa… so the next best option is her daughter,” he added with a wide smile.
I shook my head.“I hate you,”
“Please, love,” he pleaded softly.“I’m sorry. I didn’t know she would bite that hard.”
I shot him a glare, letting him know the conversation was over for the time being.
Walking into the dining hall, I joined Nandani and Princess Aishwarya.
Kunwar Agastya looked at me pleadingly, but I ignored him throughout dinner as a silent punishment.
Afterwards, I was left alone with Badi-maa to talk while Nandani and Princess Aishwarya went elsewhere. Not even the brothers were to be seen.
“Everything settled down well,” Badi-maa said. I nodded slightly, feeling a nervous flutter in my chest. There was something about her that made me uneasy, though I couldn’t place it.
Thankfully, after some time, Nandani and Princess Aishwarya returned, beaming at me.
“Come, let us leave you to your room,” Badi-maa said. I touched her feet before walking away, still feeling a subtle sense of wrongness I couldn’t identify.
As I entered my chamber, I noticed the delicate lamp decorations and the soft, floral glow. The curtains had been changed to maroon; the carpets were a deep red. The room was bright with countless lamps, yet the light felt muted and intimate. A chill ran down my spine as I took in the setting.
“Do you like it, Suman?” Princess Aishwarya asked. I nodded, giving a timid smile as they guided me to the bed, covered with red rose petals and scented lightly with lavender.
“It’s beautiful,” I murmured, looking at them.
Nandani stepped closer and smoothed my dupatta.“This is important for you, Suman,” she said. Her voice was soft but serious.“Tonight will change everything between you and Devar-sa. You’ve had many painful experiences, but don’t let any of those memories shadow your moments with Him. It’s a special night for him, too. Love him with all the emotions in your heart. Just as you have longed for love your whole life, he has too.”
I lowered my gaze and nodded, feeling the weight of her words.
“All the best, Suman. Have fun,” Princess Aishwarya said, and I offered a weak smile in return.
