Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: Curiosity Can’t Kill this Cat.**

Raghav was speechless, how did Saree ka Dukaan know Vikram Singh?

Pallavi was shocked as well, how was this man here, how did he know Raghav?

“So sorry let me introduce myself, I’m Vikram Singh Rathore, so how do you know Raghav and his wife, Ms. Deshmukh?”

Raghav found his voice, mainly because hearing Ms. Deshmukh for a second time irritated him for some reason, “She is not Ms. Deshmukh, her name is Pallavi Raghav Rao, my wife.”

Pallavi looked at Raghav for a second, why had he introduced her to such an important person if she was just an embarrassment to him.

“Wow, now I have to know the love story of an infamous jeweler and a small-town saree designer. That sounds like the Heer-Ranjha of the twenty-first century!” Vikram laughed.

Raghav clenched his fist as Vikram threw out ‘infamous’ so casually.

Pallavi noticed the word too, and thought that anyone who knew about Raghav’s real character and his way around sarees was a man she wanted to know more about.

“Raghav, I met Pallavi at her store today, though I didn’t know it was her father’s store at the time, she works like the owns the place. In fact, Pallavi, the sari I bought is actually a wedding gift, for you. Seeing as you designed it, I’m thinking you’ll like it.”

Vikram’s smile was good hearted and Pallavi could sense his kindness behind it.

“Let me just place this bag somewhere and grab a drink, I definitely want to know your story Mr. and Mrs. Rao.”

Pallavi could tell that Raghav’s anger was bubbling up by the second, and she decided to have a little fun.

“Oh it’s not that special, the usual story: kidnapping, betrayal, blackmailing.” She smiled at Vikram.

He laughed, “Wow, like I said, a Heer-Ranjha for this century!” As he left to get a drink Farhad approached the two of them.

“Anna, Mr. Singh came, I didn’t think he would accept the invite, but this is a perfect time to talk to him about adverts in his magazine—“

“Farhad, shut up, I’m just trying to keep this Saree ka Dukaan from putting me out of business in one day.” Raghav growled, glaring at Pallavi.

“I can tell why he doesn’t want to do business with you Raghav, he seems like an honest and hardworking man.” Pallavi turned on her heel and walked away.

A few minutes later, Vikram found Pallavi again, “So, what’s the *real* story behind this wedding, because in all the years I’ve known Raghav Rao, he is not the marrying type.”

Pallavi laughed, she herself had no idea what Raghav had gotten out of this wedding, and at this moment she didn’t care to find out.

Pallavi dodged the question, “I didn’t think I was the marrying type either for a while, but here I am.”

Vikram noticed her dodge and decided to accept it, “So how long have you been designing sarees?”

“Oh for years now, but I only started working in Baba’s shop a couple years ago, after Mand—“ Pallavi stopped short.

Vikram handed her a drink, she noticed that it was a neat whiskey, like his, “after what?”

Pallavi looked at Vikram’s face, he seemed normal, nice, probably someone who had never even thought of tying up a woman in the middle of the street in front of an oncoming truck, and without thinking she started telling her story. Well, select parts of it.

“Mandaar was my first husband, he died two years ago. Vijay Deshmukh is actually my father-in-law, well former father-in-law now I guess. After Mandaar passed away, I took over the shop because I wanted to fulfill Mandaar’s and Baba’s dream of opening a showroom for Baba’s hand-woven sarees. But now, well, who knows what will happen, right?”

“There’s no reason that can’t happen,” Vikram replied, he was intrigued by Pallavi’s story, the smile she was putting on hid a tragic story that he had to learn about. “I’ll tell you what, I’m always looking for local designers, especially for sarees because as you know, every saree from all over India has such a unique story. Would I be able to see your designs sometime, perhaps I can be a small part of your journey to becoming a household name?”

Pallavi was taken aback, “Yes, yes, I would love that. You’re a fashion designer yourself, right?”

“Ah, so your husband told you my story. Yes I am, like most people in our business, I caught the artistic bug from my mother, she spent her whole life collecting sarees from across India.”

Both of them talked for what felt like hours, not noticing or caring about any of the other guests around them. Raghav was watching them from across the room. His eyes narrowing as he saw how openly Pallavi was laughing and smiling. How the hell did this woman manage to ruin everything in his life, but more importantly, what was Vikram saying to her to get her to look as free as she did? He had known Vikram for a long time, and had been trying to get him as a partner in Jayathi Jewels for three years now. But Saint Vikram of Delhi thought Raghav’s antic were below his standard. Raghav had to make his move, even if it was because of how enthralled Vikram seemed to be with Pallavi, he needed to get Vikram to talk business.

“So, if you don’t mind me asking again, how does a straightforward girl like you, marry Raghav Rao?” Vikram’s curiosity could not be quelled.

Pallavi had to dodge again, partly because the story would most likely be unbelievable to any normal person. “So is there a reason you don’t do business with my husband but decided to come to this party anyway?”

Vikram smiled, “Avoiding my questions only makes me more determined, Pallavi. But yes, I do avoid business with Raghav. I came tonight because despite my, er- difference of opinion with how your husband does business, it’s always important to give people second chances. Also I never turn down a night of dancing and free drinks, I am a through and through Indian after all.” Vikram smiled, “Though if Raghav can get a girl like you, I might have to reconsider my decision regarding Jayathi Jewels.”

At that moment, Raghav walked up to them, he put on a fake smile, “Glad to hear it, Vikram, I of course would be delighted to have you on board.”

Vikram smiled, he had no idea how a kamina like Raghav Rao married Pallavi Deshmukh, but if finding out meant getting into business with him, he might just do it. “Well I’m planning on meeting with Pallavi to look at her designs soon, so why don’t we make it a double meeting?”

Raghav nodded silently, glancing at Pallavi. Why was she smiling at this guy? What had they been talking about before he had walked up?

Just then, the deejay made an announcement, “So, now that we’ve all gotten to know each other, let’s get to some dancing!”

The room cheered, and Amma motioned to Raghav and Pallavi to dance. Raghav gave his Amma a look like he was ten and she had just told him to eat bitter gourd. Amma sighed and tried to get Pallavi to agree with her eyes. While Pallavi knew how to be the perfect daughter-in-law, this was perhaps the one thing she wouldn’t listen to Amma for.

“Raghav, if you’re not going to ask your beautiful wife to dance, do you mind?”

Before Raghav could say anything, Vikram held out his hand to Pallavi.

She took it reluctantly and Vikram smiled, pulling her to the center of the hall where other young couples were dancing. Vikram and Pallavi danced a quick waltz, moving across the hall with Vikram leading Pallavi around the other couples and farther and farther away from where Raghav was standing.

“Don’t worry, I’m not a great dancer either, so I’m not going to try to lift or spin you or anything,” Vikram smiled at Pallavi.

Pallavi laughed, “Why do you think I’m a bad dancer?”

After the dance ended, Vikram and Pallavi walked back over to Raghav, “And now I leave your wife back in your capable hands. Hold onto her tight, she’s a great dancer.” Vikram’s eyes barely flitted to Raghav’s direction, it was almost as if he didn’t even notice anyone other than Pallavi.

Pallavi laughed, “I’ll have you know, I’m a professionally trained kathak dancer.”

Vikram raised his eyebrows, “Oh well, now that’s definitely something I have to see to believe. But another time, I’m afraid. I have to be getting home.”

Raghav wished him goodnight, but his eyes narrowed as he realized that yet again, Vikram acted as if he wasn’t even there.

Though the party fizzled out around twenty minutes later, Pallavi’s smile didn’t. Even as Aai and Nikhil gave her worried looks as they left (Sulochana and Amruta haughty and scowling as usual), Pallavi was still smiling. Vikram wanted to look at *her* designs, she was ecstatic. Even being married to Ghamandi Rao couldn’t ruin that news. As she helped Amma and Keerthi tidy up, Raghav also noticed the change in Pallavi’s demeanor. He may want Vikram Singh Rathore’s business, but he didn’t like the effect Vikram was having on Pallavi. Then he realized what he was thinking about and cursed himself as he went up the stairs to his room. Why the hell should he care if Vikram was talking to Saree ka Dukaan, he probably didn’t even like her designs and was just being polite for the sake of politeness.

When Pallavi walked in the room, smiling, Raghav’s anger bubbled up again. She came out of the bathroom, changed out of that gorgeous white sari into a plain kurtha and pajamas. As she approached the bed, Raghav kept staring. What was it about Saree ka Dukaan that enchanted people, first Amma, now this Vikram? Did no one realize her innocent face was just a mask?

“Listen, I don’t want you to meet with Vikram.” What Raghav wanted to sound like a suggestion came out as an order, and he realized his mistake as soon as he saw Pallavi’s reaction.

“Excuse me. Firstly, you don’t tell me who I can or can’t meet. Secondly, you should be happy, the man clearly thinks you’re corrupt or shady, and because of me he agreed to meet with you.”

Raghav clenched his jaw and grabbed Pallavi’s wrist, “Who the hell do you think you are? If I want to get into business with him, I can get into business with him.”

Pallavi’s anger was back in full force, her good mood basically gone, “fine then, no one is stopping you. And as to who I am, well because of *you,* I am Mrs. Pallavi Raghav Rao. So, if I want to meet with someone about my work, no one in this world can stop me, especially not you.”

Pallavi turned her back to him, indicating that the conversation was over.

Raghav, furious and confused, knew he had no other way to physically stop her from meeting with Vikram, partly because he wanted to keep his meeting, and partly because he was afraid that a small part of him was feeling jealous.

Chapter 15