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Chapter 10
KAVYA
The function was unfolding with an almost surreal smoothness, as though the entire crowd had forgotten whose celebration it truly was. Laughter and chatter filled the air, and everyone seemed so genuinely happy, so invested, that it felt less like my marriage and more like theirs. Faces I barely recognized glowed with warmth, strangers speaking to me as if we had shared years of memories together. Their words were kind, their smiles reassuring, yet each interaction only deepened the hollowness inside me.
Saurav, on the other hand, kept his distance. He moved through the room like a shadow, careful not to come too close, his eyes avoiding mine as though I carried some invisible contagion. Perhaps I did. Perhaps the truth I carried within me was a kind of disease, the one that could destroy not only him but my sister’s life if it ever escaped my lips.
I scanned the hall, the glittering decorations blurring into a haze of gold and crimson. Avni had left an hour ago as she had some urgent work, and I missed her presence. Rhea, however, stayed by my side, her quiet loyalty a lifeline. She seemed to sense my unease, hovering close, offering small reassurances with her presence alone. Her occasional squeeze of my hand, her knowing glance, told me she understood more than she let on.
Surrounded by music, laughter, and the fragrance of marigolds, I felt like an imposter in my own story. The celebration carriedon, vibrant and alive, while inside me a storm raged and the desperate urge to confess. Yet I swallowed it all down, forcing a smile, because one wrong word could shatter everything.
"Oh god, Tanya is here," one of Saurav's cousins blurted, eyes wide as if an alien had walked in.
"Tanya, shit!" Rhea cursed beside me, clutching her dupatta like it was a shield.
I frowned, leaning closer to her before whispering, "Who is Tanya?"
Rhea's eyes darted toward Saurav, who was busy talking to his father, oblivious to the storm brewing. "Tanya is Saurav bhai's ex..." She lowered her voice dramatically. "She's a real witch. I heard she did something to him because he almost lost his mind and was about to marry her. God knows why she's here."
"Maybe to congratulate us," I said with a hopeful smile.
Rhea snorted. "Congratulations is the last thing on her list."
I turned to look at Tanya as she strutted toward us. She wore a red anarkali suit, her long shiny hair bouncing like it had its own fan crew. Her skin was flawless, glowing like she had been dipped in moonlight. "Why does she look familiar to me?" I muttered.
"You don't know? She won Miss India last year," Rhea explained, rolling her eyes. "She's quite popular."
"Oh..." My eyes ran over her again, hypnotized. She was too perfect to be true like a goddess who had stepped out of amagazine cover. She reminded me of Disha Patani: tall, thin waist, high cheekbones, lashes that could sweep the floor, and wavy hair that looked like it had been styled by angels. Meanwhile, I was fat, chubby, short, and my hair looked like a bird had built a nest in it.
"Tanya...!" Saurav's voice cracked with surprise when he finally noticed her. He rushed toward her, almost tripping over his own feet. "What are you doing here?"
"You got married?" Tanya's voice was sharp, like she was accusing him of a crime. "You said you would never get married!"
Her beauty evaporated in that single frown. She looked like she was seconds away from slapping him. I blinked. Why was she so angry? She was his ex, wasn't she?
"Why is she angry?" I whispered to Rhea.
"Because she was his ex," Rhea replied flatly.
"Exactly, she was his ex. Then why is she angry?"
"Because she wasn't the one who broke things off. It was Saurav bhai. You know he's famous for being a heartbreaker."
"Okay..." I mumbled, fixing my eyes on the drama unfolding. I wanted her to slap Saurav and break things off him from her side. If she would not slap I would slap her for putting her hand on my husband's shoulder without his consent.
"Are you okay, Sweety?" Mr. Chauhan's gentle voice made my eyes pull away from them. "You look tired."
I looked at him, and something in his eyes told me what it meant to have a real father. I had never known fatherly love, but seeing this man, I started to feel it.
I nodded with a smile. He smiled too but his was real, unlike mine. "Have you eaten since morning?" he asked warmly. "Let me bring you my favourite soup." He grinned widely before walking away. I watched him head toward the food counter, his steps lighter than I'd ever seen.
"It's rare uncle likes anyone this easily," Rhea whispered, twirling a strand of her hair. "You must have cast a spell on him. He looks so alive after a long time."
"I don't think so," I smiled, glancing at Saurav. "Where's Saurav's mother?" I asked curiously.
"She ran away with her lover years ago," Rhea said bitterly. "She was-"