Everyone gathered in the living room after getting ready. Aryan's well-groomed appearance captivated everyone in the room. The white shirt highlighted the contours of his chest and arms, giving him a sophisticated yet powerful aura. The grey pants accentuated his height, and the black accessories added a touch of elegance. His charismatic presence was undeniable, leaving an indelible impression on those present.
Nita's eyes welled up with emotion as she saw her son, looking dashing in his attire. Overwhelmed with motherly pride, she took out kajal and applied it behind Aryan's ear, a protective gesture to ward off any negative energy. It was a sentimental moment, anticipating the upcoming significant events in Aryan's life.
As they left the mansion, Raj took the driver's seat, Nita sat in the passenger seat, and the grandparents occupied the back seat.
In the second car, Aryan was driving with Abhi in the passenger seat, and Ishaan was in the back seat taking care of the gifts they would be giving to Disha and her family.
As they drove to Disha's house, the atmosphere in both cars was filled with anticipation and a mixture of emotions. Aryan focused on the road, his thoughts dwelling on the unexpected turn of events in his life. Meanwhile, Abhi and Ishaan engaged in light banter to ease the tension, discussing the upcoming meeting with Disha and her family. The gifts carefully wrapped in the back seat added an air of formality to the occasion.
Upon arriving, everyone followed Nita to Disha's house.
Nita rang the doorbell, and Aarti greeted them with a smile as she opened the door.
Aarti: "Welcome, Please come in. We're so glad to have you all here."
Nita: "Your house looks lovely! Thank you for having us."
As everyone entered the living room, they found seats, and Nita warmly embraced Aarti before presenting her with gifts. Afterward, Nita also took a seat on the sofa.
Vijay greeted everyone and took a seat on the sofa. Aarti offered refreshments and snacks to everyone before sitting beside Vijay.
The room echoed with the sound of chatter. Disha realized that Aryan and his family had arrived, so she adjusted her saree and cleared her face. Applying a little compact, lipstick, and kajal, she completed her look with a bindi. Though she didn't want to, she wore bangles and earrings.
Content with her appearance, she sat on the bed, but uneasy feelings started creeping into her heart. Her heartbeat was faster than usual, experiencing this situation for the first time in her life.
Aryan's gaze wandered across the room, taking in the details of Disha's life displayed on the walls. He noticed her laughter frozen in photographs, glimpses of her childhood captured in playful expressions. A soft chuckle escaped him as he found himself unknowingly searching for her, intrigued by the snippets of her life painted on the canvas of memories.
Nita, unable to contain her curiosity, eagerly inquired about Disha, expressing her anticipation to meet her. She said, "Where is Disha? I'm looking forward to finally meeting her."
Aarti, understanding Nita's curiosity, smiled and said, "I'll go get Disha." Aarti went to Disha's room to bring her to the living room.
As Aryan heard that Disha would be coming, his eyes fixed on the stairs, eagerly awaiting her arrival.
Aarti entered Disha's room, noticing the nervousness that tinged the atmosphere. With a gentle and understanding demeanor, she walked towards Disha and sat beside her, taking her hand in hers. Aarti, in a motherly tone, began to share words of wisdom and comfort, acknowledging the significance of this day in every girl's life.
Aarti, with a reassuring smile, said, "Disha, my dear, this is a beautiful phase of life. Embracing new beginnings and starting a family is a journey filled with love and joy. You have our support, and today marks the beginning of something wonderful. Just be yourself, and everything will fall into place." Disha, feeling comforted by Aarti's words, nodded appreciatively, ready to face the moments awaiting her in the living room.
Disha, accompanied by Aarti, gracefully descended the stairs, capturing the attention of everyone in the living room. The room hushed as the spotlight shifted to the soon-to-be bride, and Aryan couldn't help but gaze at her, captivated by her presence.
Aryan's gaze followed the cascade of Disha's silky, open hair, down to her eyes, which were modestly looking down. His attention then shifted to her small, cute nose, and finally, her lips, shaped like poetry. In that moment, Aryan found himself breathless, utterly lost in her enchanting beauty.
Aryan, meticulously absorbing every detail of Disha's beauty, found himself unable to resist the realization that he had never encountered someone so exquisitely beautiful and elegant in a saree, radiating simplicity with every graceful movement.
Caught in the act of staring at Disha, Aryan, nudged by Abhi, quickly averted his gaze, desperately looking everywhere but at her as she had already reached in front of him.
She folded her hands in front of her and greeted everyone, including Aryan, with smile and a traditional namaste.
After that, Aarti made her sit beside Aryan, and Disha's hands started sweating nervously.
Nita complimented, "Disha, you look absolutely lovely today."
Disha, blushing slightly, replied, "Thank you so much, Nita Aunty.
Raj, curious, inquired, "What are your hobbies, Disha?"
Disha, with a hint of nervousness, replied, "As for hobbies, I enjoy reading, and I like spending time with my friends.
Grandpa asked Disha, "What are your thoughts about marriage and family, my dear?"
Disha replied, "My parents are the epitome of a happy and enduring marriage, celebrating 29 years together. They've taught me the true essence of commitment and love. As for family, it's a support system, a source of strength, and a place where one finds unconditional love and acceptance."
Grandpa smiled warmly, praising Vijay and Aarti, "You've done a splendid job in raising Disha. Her values and outlook are truly commendable."
Nita, with a warm smile, suggested, "Why don't you two have a little private chat? Get to know each other better."
Family members encouraged the idea, nodding in agreement.
Grandma chimed in, "Yes, it's a good idea for them to talk privately. Communication is key in any relationship."
Aarti suggested, "Why don't you show Aryan our backyard garden, Disha?"
Disha nodded and led the way towards the back door, Aryan stood up and followed her through the back door into the backyard.
The small garden had two chairs on the side with a tea table, creating a pleasant setting.
Disha gestured for him to sit down, but without acknowledging her suggestion, cut to the chase, Aryan directly posed the question, "Why did you accept my marriage proposal?"
Disha, who had maintained composure until now, struggled to conceal the resentment building within her. Slowly, the disdain began to reflect in her eyes. With a glint of hatred, Disha questioned, "Why? Why did you send that proposal when you're well aware that I don't have any liking for you?"
Aryan, though expecting this from Disha, felt a twinge of sadness hearing it from her. He maintained his composed demeanor and explained, "My family was pressuring me about marriage, and they assumed a connection between us. So, I agreed with them, sending the proposal, fully expecting you to reject it without a second thought."
Disha was shocked to learn this new information. Until now, she believed that Aryan sent the proposal because he might have feelings for her. However, realizing that he doesn't like her either, and both families are already excited about the marriage, Disha felt a sudden weakness. She sat on the chair, uncertain about what to do next.
Observing Disha's reaction to the situation, Aryan suggested that the only way out is for her to say no to the marriage. He didn't expressed his inability to refuse the proposal, fearing that Vidyut might come after her. With his family already fond of Disha, they might willingly accept Vidyut's proposal as well.
Aryan said, "I've already sent the proposal, so I can't back out now. It's in your hands to decline."
Disha, with tears in her eyes, expressed, "I wanted to say no, but my family is so happy with this proposal. They believe you're the right one for me. I couldn't bring myself to decline and hurt their sentiments."
Observing the tears welling up in her eyes, Aryan couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. He wished he could erase the distress he had unintentionally caused her.
Aryan, carefully absorbing everything Disha shared, finally responded, "I suppose marrying you is the only option, considering our families' sentiments. We need to find a way to make it work."
Disha turned her gaze towards Aryan, waiting for him to elaborate further.
Aryan expressed, "I'm willing to go through with the marriage for the sake of our families. We can play our roles, fulfill responsibilities, and ensure everyone around us is content. However, I must be honest that I may not be able to offer genuine love and care in this relationship."
Disha, after a brief silence, nodded and said, "I'm willing to go through with this, but I have a few conditions.
As Aryan was about to ask her, approaching footsteps silenced them completely.
Abhi approached them with a smile and mentioned that everyone is calling them.
Abhi grinned and teased, "What's taking you two so long? Did you start planning the entire wedding already?"
Aryan shot a glare at him, and Abhi swiftly retreated to a safer distance.
Aryan suggested to Disha that they could meet at another time to discuss this matter further.
Aryan said, "Let's meet some other time to discuss this in detail. Right now, we should join everyone."
Aryan gestured to Disha to adjust her look, noticing the tears in her eyes that had become evident.
Disha immediately began to wipe tears from her face, not wanting her parents to worry about her.
After that, Disha followed Aryan to the living room.
In the living room, everyone was eagerly waiting for Disha and Aryan. Nita and Aarti exchanged smiles, and the family atmosphere was filled with joy and anticipation. As Disha entered, she tried her best to compose herself, hiding the traces of tears. Aryan, with a calm demeanor, joined the family, leaving the intense conversation behind for the moment.
Excitement rippled through the room as Nita shared the news. She exclaimed, "Two days for the engagement, and by the end of this month, we'll be celebrating the wedding! It's going to be a whirlwind of joy and preparations." The family exchanged smiles and began discussing the arrangements for the upcoming events.
Aryan and Disha exchanged glances, and Disha's heartbeat quickened as the realization hit her that she would be married in just a few days.
Following lunch, Aryan and his family bid farewell to Disha and her parents, receiving gifts from Vijay and Aarti as a celebration of the upcoming occasion.
Lying on her bed in comfortable clothes, Disha received a message from an unknown number.
The message from Aryan contained the address of his office along with tomorrow's date and time.
Disha responded with a simple "Okay."
Disha, considering tomorrow will be Sunday, wondered why Aryan will be at work. Deciding it had nothing to do with her, she ignored it and sought solace in a book to calm her mind.
Back at home, Aryan and his family arrived, and Aryan retreated to his study. Without delay, they all immersed themselves in preparations for the engagement, which was set to unfold in the grandeur of the Singhania mansion.
After numerous requests, Aryan reluctantly emerged into the living room, where a designer awaited him to present some designs for the outfit he would wear at the engagement.
Having shifted through various designer suits, Aryan settled on a white shirt paired with a blue tuxedo suit. Nita, being in charge of outfit selection, approved of his choice.
After Aryan selected blue, Nita instructed everyone to choose outfits in varying shades of blue, ensuring a coordinated color theme for the engagement day.
One by one, everyone selected their outfits and had them approved by Nita. She personally chose a light blue saree for her mother-in-law and a navy blue suit for her father-in-law. Nita also picked out clothes for Vidyut and his family, anticipating their possible presence at the engagement.
After finalizing the outfits, they began selecting jewellery. Nita had called her jeweller, who arrived with a variety of jewellery options.
Nita asked Aryan, "Why don't you choose a ring for Disha?"
Aryan hesitated, "I'm not sure about Disha's preferences. Could you choose the ring for her?"
Nita, in full mother-in-law mode, ignored Aryan's hesitation and urged him to choose a beautiful ring for her soon-to-be daughter-in-law.
Nita insisted, "Come on, Aryan, you're going to be engaged to her. Choose a beautiful ring that you think she'll love."
As Aryan sifted through the collection of rings, he contemplated which one would best suit Disha's taste.
The unusual sight of Nita giving orders while Aryan quietly followed them sparked laughter among everyone present. It was a rare and amusing scene, considering Aryan's usual role of giving orders that everyone else would follow.
Ignoring the laughter and teasing from everyone, Aryan pointed towards a particular ring, and Nita followed his indication.
The diamond ring Aryan pointed to was an exquisite piece of jewellery, featuring a dazzling, round-cut diamond at its center. The diamond sparkled brilliantly, catching and reflecting light with every movement. The stone was securely set in a tasteful and elegant platinum, adorned with smaller diamonds that added a touch of sophistication. The overall design exuded a timeless and classic charm, making it a perfect choice for an engagement ring.
Nita was pleased with Aryan's choice, and she took the ring out to showcase its beauty to everyone.
With a satisfied smile, Nita held up the ring and exclaimed, "Aryan has an excellent taste! Look at this beautiful diamond ring; it's perfect for Disha!" The room filled with approving nods and words of praise for Aryan's selection.
Everyone left to their rooms, leaving Nita and Grandma in the living room. The two women continued their discussion.
Nita and Grandma carefully selected their own choice of jewellery, ensuring they complemented the outfits they had chosen. Additionally, they picked out a beautiful diamond necklace set for Disha.
The preparations for the engagement continued with dedication. Nita and Grandma were deeply engrossed in discussions, ensuring every detail was taken care of. The workers diligently executed their tasks under Nita's instructions, and Sameer, Abhi and Ishaan lent a helping hand in various aspects of the preparations.