An old Ambassador car moved slowly up the winding road to Malabar Hill, Mumbai's lofty heart of luxury. It was an odd sight, seeing an old ambassador car amid the usual parade of sleek, premium cars, but today, all eyes were on the passengers inside.
Das and Lily sat in the front seat, garlands of fresh red roses hanging around their necks, symbols of their fresh, defiant union. In her hand, Lily held their newly signed marriage certificate, with their names—Vikram Das and Lily Frost—printed in neat black letters.
As the car pulled into the grand entrance of the Frost family palace, everyone who caught sight of the couple stood rooted to the spot, shocked.
The wheels came to a halt beside the glittering line-up of luxury cars, and Das stepped uot of the car. Walking to the passenger side, he opened the door and extended his hand to Lily. She placed her fingertips in his, and as she stepped out, the servants gasped.
Draped in a vivid silk sari of crimson red, Lily looked like a goddess who had descended to shake the foundations of her family's world. Her expression was serene, but there was a quiet fierceness in her eyes, a fire that no one had seen before.
Inside, the head servant, Goli, took one look at the newlyweds and dropped the glassware he was holding. "Madam Lily… married the criminal!" he shouted, wide-eyed. Panic seized him, and he bolted toward the central hall, calling out in every direction. "Master Ryan! Master Eric! Madam Soya! Come quick! It's true—Madam Lily really married him, the criminal!"
Within minutes, the Frost family's nine sub-families rushed to the main palace, eyes gleaming with a mixture of curiosity and scorn. In the center of them stood Ryan, the family's second-in-command, flanked by his son, Eric, and his daughter, Soya.
A smirk danced on Soya's lips. she had always envied Lily's grace, her intellect, her confidence. Now, seeing her cousin walk in with a man branded as a criminal, she could barely contain her glee.
Then a new voice echoed through the hall—a wail, raw and loud. "Lily, my baby!" cried Ruby, Lily's mother, rushing toward her daughter. Clutching Lily's hands, she trembled with disbelief. "Why didn't you tell your mother before doing this? How could you marry a criminal, Lily?" Ruby's voice wavered, torn between heartbreak and anger.
Before Ruby could continue, her husband, James, placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "Enough... Our daughter made her choice, and Das is now family. He was a criminal once, yes. But now, he's one of us. So don't call him that again." James tone was steady, but there was a glint of warning in his eyes.
Ruby's face twisted in shock. "This is your fault!*" she shrieked, grabbing James by the shirt. "You failed as a father, as a husband! This is why Lily's ended up with him. You let this happen, James! All of this!"
Amidst her accusations, most of the family members snickered, exchanging knowing glances. They found delight in James and Ruby's turmoil, in the scandal this marriage brought upon Lily's family. For years, Lily's poise had made many of her relatives feel inferior. Now, they had a reason to sneer and smirk.
The quiet satisfaction in their expressions wasn't lost on Das. He stood tall, his grip firm on Lily's hand, his gaze scanning the crowd of Frost family members who lingered in the shadows. He saw Ryan watching him with cold eyes and felt Soya's self-satisfied smirk as she stood near her father, relishing the sight.
"Enough!" The voice of authority sliced through the room, and the patriarch, Louis, descended the stairs, his cane tapping against the marble floor. His gaze bore down on everyone, making the whispers fall silent.
"Ruby, your daughter's married a criminal, yes. But the marriage is done, and the documents are proof enough." He looked at Das with a raised brow. "As discussed, James, your family will now be the lowest in command, and the share of resources will drop by ninety percent. Congratulations on the new son-in-law."
James nodded, the expression on his face unreadable as he met Louis's cold, cutting stare. Meanwhile, the head servant, Goli, hurried forward, clutching the Frost family's book of family record.
Louis opened the book and wrote the details of new marriage in James's family branch. He motioned for the new couple to sign their names, finalizing their union in the family's history.
When Das took the fountain pen, Louis asked, "Your name?"
"Vikram Das. Nothing more." He provided no further information as he scribbled his name in the record.
Louis nodded, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the stylish calligraphy of Das.
Ryan, second in command, stepped forward, and cleared his throat. "Now that you're family, you should know the Frost family is one of respect and righteousness. I trust you'll follow the rules, treat us all with reverence, and never forget—"
Before he could finish, Das raised his head, meeting Ryan's gaze with a hard, unyielding stare. "Let me make one thing clear. I'm not here to play by anyone's rules. I'm here because I want to be. And you would do well to remember where I come from." He paused, letting his words sink in.
"I spent years in the criminal zones, starting in the D-zone. You can imagine what I went through there. And what I'm capable of, if anyone here tries to push me around."
A ripple of unease passed through the crowd. Some muttered nervously, while others whispered to each other in low, disbelieving tones. But as Das turned to leave, still holding Lily's hand, he felt the scornful eyes of the Frost family on his back.
Outside the palace, Lily's younger sister, Sony, watched silently, tears glistening in her eyes. She couldn't shake the guilt; her choices had set events in motion that led to this marriage. Yet, as she saw the strength and defiance in Das's stance, she felt a flicker of joy.
With quiet dignity, Das and Lily walked away from the central palace, heading toward the section of the estate that was assigned to James family. They ignored the murmurs, the hidden smirks, the sly congratulations that rang with bitter irony.
In this moment, with his head held high, Das was unbothered by the opinions of the Frost clan. He had more important plans at hand, than entertaining these bunch of self centered people.
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Tq for reading -PeterPan ;-)