Chapter 1 - page 1
Chapter 2 - page 2
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Chapter 9 - page 21
He wasn't in the mood for this. But his friends decided to take an impromptu trip to Nice for this party. Apparently it would be the party of the year and they took his friend's father's private plane from London. To him it was just another one of the same. He had to blow off the date he had with a hot model. But he was sure to find someone at this party that could entertain him.
Then he saw her. It was a fancy dress / masked party. And she was dressed in a lehenga Choli with a short dupatta that did not hamper her dancing. The top was cropped, exposing her flat tummy and the tight fitting skirt rested on her hips, making her hips look even more voluptuous as she was moving them around. He instinctively knew, even though she was wearing a mask that she was Indian.
He remained on the balcony, watching her. At one point she saw him and stopped dancing, unashamedly staring back at him. Then she turned around and started dancing in her group again.
He found that strange, that was not usually the response he got from women. She didn't even smile. This caused him to be even more intrigued. He made his way downstairs and moved in behind her and started dancing with her. She looked around slightly and continued to dance with him, moving away from the group. The music changed from fast paced to slow and he held in his arms. She felt so good. He was surprised at his response to having her in his arms. It was different from what he normally felt with women. Normally he had only one aim in mind. But now he felt like he just wanted to hold her like this forever. She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. She looked as if she was enjoying it as much as he was.
When the music changed again, he took her by the hand and led her outside. She followed meekly. When they were in a secluded spot, he pushed her against the wall and moved his lips closer to hers. But before his lips touched hers, she turned her head away.
"I can't do this, I'm sorry." she said in English
"Why?"
"I'm married."
"I don't mind," he said.
"I know you don't but I do Yash Scindiya, but I DO." she said as she pushed him away.
She took off her mask, gave him a disgusted glare, threw her mask down and stormed off.
He just stood there in shock. He couldn't believe it. He knew she lived in France, but other than that he knew very little about her. He preferred it that way. And he had managed to avoid seeing her for 3 years. And this gorgeous, curvaceous woman was not what he remembered. And of all the parties in all the world her had to choose this one and ended almost making out with his wife.
She stormed off livid. She had immediately recognized him and she knew from the way he was staring at her that he didn't realise who she was. If he had, would have run for the hills. She contemplated leaving at that point but then she decided differently. She decided to play his game and see where it leads.
As expected, he fell for the bait. He was not used to being ignored. Oh no, not the great Yash Scindiya. He was used to women fawning over him. This was a masked fancy dress party, but he was just in a jeans, shirt and a jacket. He wouldn't deign to conform to silly things like following a dress code. She saw how many of girls looked at him, and many approached him, but he refused them, he had set his sights on her.
She was nervous when he came to dance with her, but in the end she actually enjoyed it. Dancing was one of her favourite pass times and he was a good dancer. And when he held her in his arms it felt so good. She wanted to stay there. And she followed him, as if she was a puppet. And she was almost helpless when he attempted to kiss him. She had to remind herself of who he was. And when he said those words, she came down off her high with a bang.
She couldn't believe that she almost fell for his charms too. She who knew exactly who and what he was. When she came back inside, she told her friends that she was leaving and they agreed to leave with her. They had another party to go to anyway.
"So Aarti, what happened between you and the hunk that you went outside with." si.
"Nothing"
"What do you mean? You were so into each other."
"He is nothing but a player and I won't fall for his kind, not now, not ever."
"But ..."
"End of discussion, Simone. We are going to the next party and I am going to enjoy it. I don't want to talk about someone that is not worth my time of day."
"Ok." said Simone.
What was she supposed to have said? That she had nearly made out with her philandering ass of a husband?"
No one at her college knew she was married and she wanted to keep it that way. They went to the other party and she tried as hard as she could to enjoy herself and forget what had happened earlier, but she couldn't. She was so frustrated with herself. She was strong and independent. Especially when she is in Europe she had free reign. Her parents and in laws would have had a fit to see the way she was dressed tonight, but her parents trusted her to live alone in her flat and to complete her studies successfully. And she was. She was top of her class at the fashion academy that she studied at in Paris and she was head hunted by the top fashion houses. She knew of course that she had to go home when her studies were finished. Just as she knew at 17 that she couldn't refuse the marriage proposal that was brought to her by the parents.
He was the 2nd son of one of the wealthiest families in India and she was the eldest daughter of a wealthy family too, but not as wealthy as them. She was to have considered it a great honour that they were interested in her. They saw her at a wedding and liked the way she served her parents and was modestly dressed unlike other girls her age. They were of a similar status and the marriage was fixed. Neither bride or groom was consulted. The arrangements were made by the families.
She saw him at the engagement. He hardly looked at her. Clearly unhappy as she about this whole thing. They both sat stoically through the proceedings and he didn't even look at her when he put the ring on her finger. When they were asked if they wanted a minute to talk outside, he hastily refused.
And the next time she him saw was at their wedding.
She had a year to prepare for the event but still she was petrified. She didn't know what he would expect from her. Again, he avoided eye contact with her and when she did meet his eyes he looked angry. But when she saw him mingling with his friends, he was happy and laughing. They had guests from all over the world, thus was the influence of the Scindiya's. Politicians, royalty and captains of industry. He had been at boarding school in England, and not just any school, Eaton. Where he hobnobbed with the upper echelon of British society.
But it was not like she was a country bumpkin. She has just finished high school. She had the best education that money could buy and everyone had agreed that she could pursue her dream of studying fashion design in Paris. As her darling husband was not in India most to the time anyway, he was in England "studying."
The wedding was obviously a lavish affair and after the homecoming rituals he carried her to their room, again not meeting her gaze. She was shivering inside. She had heard about him and she knew he had quite the reputation. And this was precisely why she did not want anything to do with him.
But she had nothing to fear. He simply deposited her on the bed and went to the shower. The idiot did not even bother to speak to her or ask her if she needed help. This place was new to her. She got off the bed. Struggled with her jewellery, but by the time he got out the shower, she had the jewellery off.
He wanted tell her that she could go and shower and where she could put her clothes, but she stormed past him to the bathroom. How rude he thought. After he sacrificed so much for her. He was trying to not to let her see his anger, but her really resented her for what he had to do. He was only 21. He had a life. He was in his final year of university and the following year he would start at the family business' London branch. He did not need a wife to cramp his style. And he especially did not need a traditional Indian bride that would be touch his feet at the drop of a hat and had nothing better to do than cook and clean. He knew that it was what his mother expected and so that was the type of bride that they chose for him. He could already see that his friends found this whole thing of arranged marriage ridiculous. He struggled to defend it because he had trouble believing in it as well. Only his respect for his parents and grandparents propelled him to do it.
He took his pillow and a blanket and went to sleep on the couch.
He heard her come out of the bathroom and she was slamming things around. He got so irritated.
"What is your problem?" He jumped up.
"Nothing your highness. Absolutely nothing."
"Is that sarcasm I detect?"
"Tubelight can't even tell what sarcasm is." she whispered under her breath.
"Did you say something?
"I said goodnight." she said angrily and switched the light off and got into bed.
They both battled to fall asleep their anger at the other keeping them awake.
She was up the next morning the do the rituals before he was awake.
Everything went down well for her. Even his mother was pleased with her. After breakfast he went out with his friends from England. He didn't worry about her.
Again she was seething. He just left. It was the day after their wedding and he just left. She was humiliated. There were still guests at home. And now her mother in law acted as if it was her fault. How on earth was she supposed to stop him? She hardly knew him.
He was home for dinner was all his millions of friends. And she was their servant.
"Next time you leave this house, please inform your mother. She seems to think I keep tabs on you and can make you stay here."
"I am an adult. I don't have to get anyone's permission to go anywhere."
"I am not interested. I said tell you mother. Not me."
"Then next time don't speak to me if you don't want a response. Married one day and already acting like a nagging wife." he said as he slammed the bathroom door behind him.
"Patience, Aarti, Patience. Soon he will be gone and you will be in France. At least them you will have a reprieve."
This was her mantra for the duration of the time he was there. Which was only two weeks. He was supposed to be home for a month but he made up some lame excuse to leave before. Their interaction to that point had been minimal, as both preferred it that way and when he left they were both hugely relieved. And that was 3 years ago.
He had been so careful to plan his trips to India when he knew she wasn't there. He was not in the mood for her. She had irritated him from the get go. She strove to be the ideal bahu, but if his mother found out how she spoke to him, she would have had a heart attack. What would she think about her perfect bahu then?
He was not about to stop living because he was married. He didn't even know how she had managed to convince his parents to let he study and live abroad alone, but he was glad that he did not have to see her when he
was home. First their semesters clashed then he sort of figured out when she would be home when he started working and just never went at that time. She didn't contact him and vice versa. He was quite surprised that she didn't contact him but not unhappy.
He continued his single life in London. His family family was ok with it, as long as he was discreet. That was the Scindiya way. He had no shortage of female admirers and he had no trouble using them for his carnal pleasures. But he knew what his responsibilities were. He had started to work at Scindiya Enterprises and in the last couple of years and he made himself known as the a real go getter and a master at his craft. He was much more than just SP Scindiya's son. And he also knew that someday he would have to finally live with his wife. Especially as she would soon be ending her college career and would have to move back to India.
Imagine finding her like this, at this party, in that sexy outfit, In fact so sexy that he could not keep his eyes off her, and neither could quite a few of the males at the party. She had obviously recognised him and now he wondered what she was playing at. Dancing seductively with him and even leaving the venue. He desperately wanted to kiss her until that very rude awakening.
After the initial shock had worn off, he had gone back inside to find her. Eventually he saw her walk out of the door with her friends. He was tempted to go after her but he didn't know what he would say. In any case, he was trying to avoid her. Wasn't he?