It All Started With A Forced Marriage

The next morning,

Sunlight directly fell on Arhaan's face, and he woke up.

Arhaan's POV.

I slept on the balcony. I sat up and stretched my hands, yawning.

When I heard someone knocking on the door, I stood up and went inside, where I found Ariya sleeping on the bed. I chucked it and went to open the door, covering her properly with the duvet.

"Good morning, beautiful." I wished as soon as I opened the door, I knew it was Daadi (grandmother).

"Good morning, handsome," she replied, "Ariya uth gay?" (Is Ariya awake?) I nodded in the negative.

"Okay, wake her up, and her outfits are here. Her parents sent her luggage and also her phone," she said, pointing towards the butler who was holding the luggage.

"Keep that luggage here; I'll take it inside," I said. He dropped the luggage and went downstairs.

"Go freshen up and come downstairs for breakfast and give her the phone," she said, handing her phone to me.

I nodded and she left.

I took her luggage inside and placed her phone beside her.

After taking out my outfit, I went to the restroom.

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When Arhaan came out of the washroom, he saw Ariya was already up, and she was using her phone. He looked at her for a few more seconds as she was desperately trying to call someone.

He shook his head and said, in his same bossy tone, "Come to the living room after freshening up," and he left.

Ariya's POV

"Come to the living room after freshening up." He and his bossy tone, ugh, I just hate it.

Damnn Vihan picked up the call. He must be very angry with me. I called him more than 10 times, but he didn't pick up my call.

I was tired once more, and he answered the phone. Before I could say anything, he started, "Oh wow, finally, you got time to call me Mrs. Ariya Arhaan Mehra." He never talked with me in this tone.

"Vihan I." He didn't let me complete my sentence, and he started once again, "I hope you enjoyed your first night with your husband." Tears started forming in my eyes, hearing him.

I sobbed. "Vih. An, please allow me to expound."

"What do you want to explain? Is there anything left, Mrs. Mehra?" he shouted from the other side.

"The thing is, Ariya, you didn't love me that one year was just time passing, right? You were just time passing with me," he said.

Vihan said, "I love you, but please don't behave like this with me. My life is so messed up right now." I cried harder.

"Stop crying first and meet me in the evening," he said from the other side.

I can't meet today as it's Sunday, and I don't want the media to capture us, so tomorrow at college, "I said, wiping my tears."

"You don't love me? hainaa Arhaan?" he asked.

"Vihan, I love you. I only love you," I told him.

"Bye," he said rudely.

"Hello... Vihan... hello? Are you there?" he said, but he had already hung up.

Why are you doing this with me, Ayyiappa (God)?

Arhaan, I despise you; your presence has ruined my life.

I stood up and went to the restroom. I took a shower and changed into a pink banarsi saree as instructed by my mother because I needed to go to my house for pagh phere ki rasam today. Don't give me those looks. I know how to wear a saree. I wore a pink chooda (bangles). I left my hair open and did the middle partition. I filled my hairline...I walked out of the room after spraying perfume and taking my phone off.

_______________________

"Good morning, everyone," Ariya wished, descending the stairs.

Arhaan was sipping his coffee when he heard her voice. He turned his face, his breath hitching. She looked beautiful.

"Bhai, close your mouth," Riyan whispered in his ear.

Arhaan turned towards him and gave him a glare while he made an innocent face and started sipping his bournvita.

"Ariya, my darling, you are looking so beautiful," Usha said lovingly.

"Thank you, daddy." She smiled and touched her feet, and then she touched Santosh's feet, taking the blessing.

"Chalo, let's have breakfast. We were waiting for you only," Usha said, and she nodded.

They were talking about the reception while Ariya was silently having her breakfast, but she was listening to everything.

"I want to say something," she said, all of a sudden, grabbing their attention.

"Yeah, Ariya, say na," Usha said.

Ariya requested softly, "Daadi, can you please postpone the reception because I have my exams at the end of this month and I can't take leave from the college anymore. I have to cover up all the syllabus."

"Of course, beta, then we'll plan for the reception next month," Usha said.

"Even though there is so much workload, it's fine to postpone the reception," Santosh said.

"Thank you," she said softly and started having her breakfast.

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After breakfast,

"Ariya, today is your first rasoi. If you want, you can cook any dessert," Usha said.

"Umm, daadi, I don't know much about cooking, but I know how to make waffles and shakes. Should I make this for everyone?" she asked excitedly, making Usha smile.

"If you want to make it, then you can. You will get all the essential things in the kitchen; just ask the butler," Usha said. She nodded and went to the kitchen.

"Hiii bhabhi, need any help? Wais bhai is very khadoos ( arrogant), but I can help you," Riyan said, stepping inside the kitchen.

"Isn't it awkward for you to call me bhabhi? I mean, I am younger than you," Ariya said, turning towards him.

"Toh kya bolu?" (so what should I call you) Ariya, Choti, Smally, or Shorty? "He asked, and her eyes widened."

"Small is nice," he grinned, and Ariya shook her head grumpily.

Ariya scowled. "I'm not small, okay? It's just that you two brothers are giraffes,"

"But you are short of that, without any doubt," he said, and she stomped her feet in anger.

"You said you came here to help me, but you are actually teasing me," she said, and he laughed.

"Okay, Sally, I'll help you. Just tell me what you need," he said.

"I don't need your help. Thank you," she said with a tight-lipped smile.

"But I want to help you," he said.

"But I don't need your help anymore," Ariya argued.

"Okay, but aap mujhe bhi sikha do yeh sab kaise banta hai (okay then, please teach me how to make all these) so that I can make these for girls to impress them," he said, and Ariya laughed.

After some time,

Ariya simply stared at him.

"Arre, don't look at me like that. I am a very sharif (innocent) boy," he said, raising his invisible collar.

Ariya inquired if her focus was on the waffles.

"Yes, I am his little sibling, but I am not khadoos (arrogant) like him," he said, and Ariya giggled.

"Okay, so the waffles and shakes are ready," she said.

"This seems so tasty, smally," he said, licking his lips.

________________

"It's so tasty, Ariya," Usha said.

"Thank you, daddy," she smiled, taking the waffle.

"Bhai aap bhi tarif kardona (bhai at least say something good about this). It's actually very tasty," Riyan said to Arhaan, who was busy sipping the shake silently.

"It's nice," he said, and Ariya just forced a smile.

"This is a small gift for making the tastiest shake and waffles," Usha said, making her wear the diamond necklace.

"Daadi, it's not needed," she tried to deny it.

"It is.. you are now the DIL of Mehra's," Usha said...

"Arhaan, you have to take Ariya to her home for pagh phera," Usha said.

(Pagh phera is the ritual that happens after marriage.. usually, the bride's brother comes to pick the bride up from her in-laws, but Ariya doesn't have any brothers.)

"The driver will take her," he said, his gaze fixed on his iPad.

"No Ariya, you will take her and it's final," Ram said sternly.

"All right," Arhaan sighed, defeat stoically.

___________________

If they tell you to pose, think about your father's name and reputation, so at least smile, "Arhaan said," and Ariya just smiled and wore her sunglasses.

As Arhaan said, there were media outside, but Ariya being Ariya, didn't care about anything and straightly sat inside the car, ignoring everything, making Arhaan angry.