Word translations : Mama (mother's brother), mami (mother's brother's wife) , dadi (grandma), dadu (grandpa) , chachaji (father's younger brother), chachiji (father's younger brother's wife), bhai (brother) , bhabhi (sister-in-law) , di (elder sister)
Chapter 1:
6:30 a.m.
29 May, Wednesday, 2024
Anika's POV
I finally exhaled a deep breath after feeling lightness all over my body. Morning workouts have always been my mood lightener because for the rest of the day I'll either be signing deals, attending meetings, meeting national and international clients, attending business parties or dinners or going for land seeing etc.
I stared at the view of the vast garden full of flowers and trees with sitting areas, all inside my land boundary. Since it was morning, the scenery was worth watching.
I was lost somewhere when my phone rang—I groaned at its annoying sound.
Turning around, I picked up my phone from the chair near me before receiving the call, "Yes, Anika speaking".
"Dr. Anika, it's Mrs. Donatella Goodenough here. Good morning to you"
"Oh! Morning Mrs. Goodenough. How come I get your call so early?", I asked tapping the white towel on my face given by one of the maids.
"You're pretty famous to be known worldwide, Dr. Anika", she replied in her elegant tone.
Despite elegance and discipline lingering around her, she was just known as Mrs Donatella Goodenough who was actually good for nothing.
"You have a point. But let's get to the point because I have meetings to attend very soon", I replied sighing silently.
"Yeah sure. Actually I had taken an apointment from your secretary two weeks ago to have a meeting with you. I'd be glad if you walk on the runway representing our newly made dress which has been exclusively designed as per your fashion sense", she replied. I knew this was coming and that's why I had declined the request.
"Mrs. Goodenough, I actually don't have enough time to walk on the runway currently because I'll be on a business trip for one month which starts from tomorrow. I'll be leaving for Italy and I'd be glad if you get someone else. Have a nice day", and I hung up.
I don't walk for brands that are not even known to one tenth of the population in India.
Tucking the phone inside my shorts, I walked out of the gym room to my room on the fourth floor.
The ground floor had the living area, the first floor was my office and study area, the second one was the gym area and my personal space resided in the third floor.
As I walked towards the lift in the third floor, my thoughts went back to somewhere.
Life is unpredictable so no one knows when the people with whom you're cutting your birthday cake with right now is gone the next moment.
Life gives the best gifts sometimes but the worst ones are unbearable at times.
Four years ago, I was cutting my 22nd birthday's cake and the same night my parents marked their date of death.
On their way back to their mansion, their car rolled over on the road due to some hole which had been framed as an accident by the police because of the lack of any proof.
I don't know who did this and why but I knew it was not a fucking accident.
Ever since that night, I'd get nightmares of various situations but one thing was common in them—I lost them every single time. I'm suffering from parasomnia because of that.
I never felt the need of money, never lacked love from my parents, grandparents and my uncle's family but now, I feel empty even if dadi, dadu, mama, mami and my dii along with my cousins still loved me.
Why not when those who made me left me alone to deal with everything?
I sighed at the familiar pain back in my heart.
Once the lift arrived on the third floor, I stepped inside and got out of it on the fourth floor. The fifth floor had the most important part of this mansion—the hacking system, full of super computers and well known hackers. I wasn't so famous and rich without a reason of course.
My mansion was big enough to live with my whole family with enough space left empty and big enough to hide—something.
As I stepped inside the living area, I was welcomed by the sweet aroma of chocolate muffins.
Tying up my hair loosely into a messy bun, I walked over to the kitchen area to see Maya di preparing my breakfast.
Settling down on one of the chairs in front of the kitchen island, I greeted her, "Good morning dii".
She turned around and smiled at me, "Good morning Ani. When will you be off to work?"
I tapped my fingers on the island and thought about it looking at the ceiling, scrunching my face, "Maybe by 8:30. Why?"
Washing her hands she wiped them on the white apron with cherries on it before coming near me.
She settled the free hair strands behind her ears while glancing at the floor once before looking at me.
I knew she was nervous.
Every time there was some news for me which wasn't so good and she knew it, she'd always take a deep breath like how she did right now, before talking about the main thing.
"They'll be here to ask for my hand?", I asked staring at my clasped hands on the island. I glanced up a few seconds later to see her staring at me blankly before she nodded.
"When will they be here?"
"Today evening", she replied as I nodded in response.
I focused my gaze behind her on the open window over the sink and spoke, "Why can't dadi see the reality?"
Dii sat down beside me and placed her words softly, "I don't know or— maybe I do. I talked with her about it. I tried to say that he's not as kind as he seems to be but his smart act of being kind has captured her heart and attention. She just wants your good. You know right?", she asked tilting her head towards me.
I didn't look at her but just nodded nonchalantly.
"I know. But since things aren't in my control now, I'll use my other ways to get things done as per my wish", I replied.
Biting on her lower lip once, she asked, "What are you up to?"
I faced her before replying, "Just trust me".
"You know I always do", she replied back.
I nodded.
I don't want to marry that man. He was a literal pain in the ass. I hated him. I hated the way he was so perfect and better than me. I hated it when some random man proved himself better than me in my family members' eyes.
Things were going in its usual flow until he arrived in my life and things were happening so fast that I'd literally lost the grip from it.
Flashback
"Yes dadi?", I voiced out, receiving the call. She had called me two days ago and it was unusual to get her call so soon again.
"How're you dear?", her smooth voice echoed from the other side. She was aging like fine wine and the way she was so elegant and professional even at this age, it was somy I'd always admired and learnt from her.
"I'm good as you know. You had called me just two days ago then why again today?", I asked rolling the paperweight on my office desk.
"Why? Can't I call my granddaughter dearest?"
"Ofc course you can and you know it well dadi. But you're mostly busy so I wondered", I replied staring at nothingness.
"Yeah. Actually it's about the most un-talked topic between you and me", she replied.
"Isn't it marriage?", I asked right away and the moments of silence confirmed it. I knew her because after all, I had learnt all these strategies of slowly putting the point in certain situations in such a way that the person infront of you cannot deny.
"You're right. We have selected a boy for you", she replied.
"Dadi I had told you I don't want to get married now", I replied standing up from my chair, prior to sauntering over to the glass wall of my office room. It was a tall skyscraper, granting a good view of Jaipur city.
"I know beta but things are better when done with planning. You wanted to be independent and strong, which you are now. And you have name and fame too. Dear, please listen to us now", she spoke sweetly.
She'd always been sweet to her grandchildren despite her strict behaviour with her employees and in her business life.
I never denied her, known to the fact that she always did what was good for me.
"Fine. Who's that guy?", I gave in with a sigh. I didn't want to argue with her.
"That's my child. It's Arnav Rai Mehrotra. Don't you know him?", she replied and I knew she must be smiling now.
"I've heard about him a lot but never saw him", I replied glancing at my right hand.
"Hm, it's okay. He's India's elite Law Firm owner, owner of Obsidian Exotics Law Firm. He's wealthy but what attracted me was the way he, himself came to our home to ask for your hand. He told me that you both are good friends and his family has been searching for a good, compatible partner for him. Since he knew you, he talked about you to his parents and they're willing to tie both of your knots", she replied.
I was speechless for a moment. How come I be friends with him when I didn't even know him?
"Dadi he's just a random stranger then how can you accept his offer? He's being absurd because—friends? We? Really? This man is brain dead", I almost yelled, feeling shocked and frustrated by the way some random man fed my grandmother such absurdity.
"Anika, first of all your language. And it's not an offer, it's a proposal. He's well mannered as much as I have examined him. Just give it a chancem I'm not saying this without knowing who he is", she spoke strictly this time.
I sighed.
Arranged marriage, was something I always ignored. I wanted to have a love marriage but never had the chance to fall in love. That's why I lack friends or—maybe because of something else.
"Do as you wish. But I'm not going to India now because I've businesses to deal with", I replied massaging my temples.
"Don't worry about that. His family is there in Paris for a few days. Your mami and I are coming over there to your place in a few days", she replied happily.
I just hummed and hung up.
I then dialled another number, as the line got connected after three beeps.
"Yes babes. How come you spare some time for your lost bestfriend?"
I rolled my eyes, "I want you to take out someone's details".
"Of course you wanted something or else why will you contact me", she mocked from the other side. Her dramas are never ending.
Rooh Arora, my bestfriend from college. She was a mixture of beauty, boldness and sweetness. She'd always been supportive and a great help to me. Her father was an Italian businessman and mother a housewife.
We both lived in Paris in one house but she was at her boyfriend's house for a few days now.
The way she just kept talking about him and all, felt so cringey to me. It was maybe because I never felt it and was never really attracted to such things. She was madly in love with him and the same goes to him.
"Will you do it or shall I hire someone else?", I spoke.
"I will but what'll I get?"
I sighed, "Victoria's Secret's limited edition's first perfume after release".
There was a moment of silence before a hard squeal was heard from her side, making me detach the phone from my ear. She was too loud at times.
"Got you baby. What's his name?"
"Arnav Rai Mehrotra"
And there was a moment of silence before she said, "Tell me you're joking".
"And why'd I joke in between my work?"
She sighed,"Your not-interested-in-guys ass is so annoying at times. He's known worldwide and you're asking who he is?"
I sighed frustratingly. First dadi and now this girl.
"Fine. I'm sending you his picture and his details", she replied. I just hummed in response and cut the call.
That's how this mess started.