But he held my hand and said,“Come with me.”
My eyes widened in shock, and I stood rigid, pulling my wrist from his grip.
“Kunwar-sa, please let go of my hand. What’re you doing?” I hissed lowly.
“Kunwar-sa, please,” I whispered firmly.“What’re you doing? And why do you even care? I can’t go in there. It is an auspicious occasion for Nandani. I can’t ruin it,” I said, and he looked back at me.
At the moment’s spur, I stepped forward, which caused me to stumble back and hit the pillar behind the curtains.
“I don’t believe in all this. Your presence is important to Bhabhi-sa; so you have to go there,” he said, pointing his finger at me, and I inhaled deeply.
“I can’t,” I repeated, staring back into his eyes.
He declared,“I’m serious; you have no option.”
“Yes, I don’t have a choice. My life is different now. And why do you even care?” I raised my voice slightly.
He stepped forward with an urge, and I shifted onto my toes, feeling his chest against mine. My heart raced in my throat. The anger in his eyes was evident, even though he was trying to conceal it.
“It doesn’t matter. You didn’t live with him, he didn’t care for you, and when the hearts weren’t one, how could a few rituals bind you together?” he asked, breathing over my face.
“No!” I blurt out, trying to calm myself.“It can bind us because I married him, and I am his widow,” I said, blinking nervously and pressing my hand on his chest to keep him away.
It wasn’t right. He shouldn’t have been with me.
His presence was making me weak. Oddly, I was beginning to question my own words.
“No,” he breathed, bringing his palm closer to my cheek. I turned my face away. The memories of the last time we got close, when he tied the holy thread around my arm, still lingered in my mind, and how he sent me away.
It was all a joke to him. I was a joke to everyone.
“Hey,” he called out, his voice dropping low, and before he could touch me, I pushed him away and walked past.
I noticed him following me as I paced faster through the busy corridors. A few attendants walked past me, carrying plates of flower petals, red powder, and ghunghroos23.
“Suman, where’re you going?” Reva asked, stopping before me.
I glanced back at him, who approached closer and took the powered red colour plate from Reva’s hand.
“Get another one,” he ordered, and my eyes widened in disbelief.
“Ji, Kunwar-sa.” She silently walked away, and I felt something dangerous was going on in his mind.
I immediately turned to walk as fast as I could. But he gripped my hand and pulled me to the side, behind the curtains.
Intensely gazing into my eyes, he asked,“You were saying something?” making my heart race. His words were provocative.
I gulped, staring back into his eyes, and pulled myself back.
“What are you doing, Kunwar-sa?” My breath hitched as he stepped closer, forcing me to step back, pressing my back against the wall.
He placed the plate on the flower stand nearby and brought his hand closer to my cheek. I shook my head to stop him.
Tears welled in my eyes, not because of his actions, but because he was so close that I might’ve ended up doing something we would regret.
“You can’t touch me,” I reminded him, turning away, lowering my gaze, almost pressing my cheek against the wall.
“Why exactly?” he asked, leaning closer, his face just a few inches apart. I could feel his warm breath on my face. The anger was evident in his tone.
