Chapter 2 No.2

'Did you think of something?'

Anahita typed with urgency, and left a message for Mukund before joining her family in the intensive work of finalizing invites for the wedding. She was past the phase where she would beg her father to meet Mukund or at least try to get to know him. Her eyes caught the glimpse of a square shaped, dark blue invite which was simple and elegant. It had a peacock painted on the back, and the front was customized with a satin ribbon. A crest of their initials was on top.

'So much for the wedding which won't happen.' She thought mirthlessly, and plopped on the couch. She was getting along with others, but her eyes were focused on her phone. She checked her phone several times already. Mukund didn't leave a text. On the other hand, her distant relatives-typhoons of uncles and aunts-bragged about the arrangements in their kids' weddings, comparing every single detail and criticizing the invites.

Anahita yawned, paying no heed to them. She knew the argument was pointless. Nothing would match the glitter in her wedding since Yuvraaj wasn't just any man. He was the only child of Chaitanya Prakash-the mega-industrialist. They owned several renowned brands all over the country. The fortune Yuvraaj brought along was enough to blind a person. If he wasn't thrown upon her, she might've gone to choose him on her own way. But the fact that this marriage was forced on her didn't make her accept him-of course, his attitude was a major turn off.

The guy had the most dazzling face, but he had an awful personality. He never left any opportunity to make her feel insulted. Anahita hated him. Not because he was judgmental, vindictive, egocentric, spoiled, stubborn, stingy, arrogant, predatory, and so on and so forth, but only because he was marrying her out of his hatred for her. She knew he didn't love her, but he wouldn't accept it. He would go to any lengths just to make sure that she wasn't happy and at ease.

It's not like Anahita didn't make efforts to cancel their wedding, but her parents didn't listen to her. They were blinded by so-called Yuvraaj charisma. Which was why she was still trapped with him. Anahita could forget her name, her age, her parents or anything dearest to her, but she would never forget that she was fated to marry Yuvraaj. They were engaged since she opened her eyes for the first time in the world.

He was five then. She was...a newborn. And their parents tied them to one another. They made some stupid promises thereby ruining her life and giving him the access to trouble her for the lifetime. Her parents adored him, and Yuvraaj took advantage of it. He bossed her everywhere. He invaded her life without her permission, and turned it upside down. His dominance and constant bullying only made her resolve harder.

She would never marry him.

'I will never be his slave.' She decided in her mind.

Someone snatched her phone from her, and she blinked at the person blankly. Her mother scowled at her, standing over her. "Why are you constantly on your phone? I am telling you I will burn it into ashes."

"Plastic doesn't turn into ashes, mom. It melts." Anahita rolled her eyes and tried to get the phone, but her mother held it behind her. Anahita made a face, "Mom, give me the phone."

"No. Anu, what's this? We are selecting invites for your wedding." She gave emphasis on 'your' and continued, "Come on, show some enthusiasm and pick one. Tell me which one do you like the most?"

Standing, Anahita smiled ironically and took the phone from her. "You chose my groom without my choice. What's an invite? Pick whatever you like. I am heading to my room." She said, receiving glares from her mother.

When she was on the stairs, her phone beeped and tapped the screen open. Her expressions darkened when she noticed the ID. It wasn't Mukund. It was her nemesis. She didn't think twice before cutting the call. By the time she was in her room, her phone had thundered with continuous rings to the point it could blast. Making a face, she sent him a text that she was busy with her family, choosing invites.

His text popped the next moment. Anahita clicked open the chat box only to regret it. His shameless reply was posing a smirk at her.

'Don't choose a tacky invite like you. Also send me a snap of what you've selected. I can't risk my reputation because of your tasteless picking.'

"Bastard!" She gritted her teeth, typing furiously. 'Die before getting married to me. It will save your reputation greatly. :3' She was tempted to add a few slangs, but she knew better. Even then, to balm her hurt prestige, she suffixed the text with a grumpy emoticon. As soon as she pressed the send button, a reply was thrown at her and her chatbox caught it without a fail.

'If I die, my ghost will come to marry you, and torture you for the rest of your life for wishing for my death. Trust me, mou, it will be really difficult for you to live with a vengeful spirit.'

She wanted to really go to his home and wrung his neck to the death for joking about her miserable condition, but she knotted her desire and threw it in a dark corner of her mind where she disposed of most such devilish thoughts.

'Not replying to me adds to your account of misery.' She received another text from him. Hurt and slightly disappointed, she texted him back. 'Really? Does my suffering provide you with oxygen?'

'No, your red face gives me satisfaction. If you know what I mean. ;)'

Rolling her eyes, Anahita threw her phone aside and took a nosedive on the bed. Eyes staring at the wall vacantly, she felt tears blurring her gaze and a choke building in her throat. "I wish you could understand me, dad."

Slides of the past spinned a scenario in front of her eyes, and she found herself following her father to his study.

"Dad, please, please... Just meet him once." She begged, entering the fourteen by twenty room. Three display cabinets of books, a three-seating sofa, a set of wooden chairs, and a glass table installed before the sofa cramped the room. Mr. Maurya had added finishing touches with an antique gramophone near the windows and a plush, camel wool knitted rug.

"Stop it at once, Anu. I said no and it means no," Mr. Maurya glared at his daughter sternly. Anahita stomped her foot, whining. "But why? How can you determine that Mukund isn't a good guy without meeting him? Dad, please give him a chance."

"Same goes for you." Her father retorted. "How can you determine that Yuvraaj isn't a good husband for you without getting married to him?"

Anahita rolled her eyes, "Seriously. I know him. I know him better than you do. Don't forget you promised me to him when I was just a baby. I know he won't be a good husband. Don't you see it? He only troubles me."

Mr. Maurya hid his smile, "What can the poor guy do? You don't even give him a second glance. He needs to do something to get your attention."

"Can't believe you said it." Anahita muttered disapprovingly, and threw a fit. "I won't marry him. I won't marry him. I won't marry him, dad."

Mr. Maurya sighed. Yuvraaj was mischievous, and he loved to do a number on Anahita, but everyone knew it was only because Anahita never gave him the due attention. Yuvraaj always tried to warm up to her, and she acted ignorant like the pampered princess she was. She refused to play with him, fought with him, and when he retaliated, she took the whole house on her head. The difference between their personalities eventually led her to conclude that Yuvraaj would still be the same-arrogant, sassy, and unapologetic.

"Dad?" Anahita pulled him back to the moment, and he cleared his throat. "Okay, how about this? You guys go and spend some time together. I will talk to Chaitanya. Where do you wanna go?"

"Dad!" Anahita shrieked in shock, her jaw dropping to the floor. She would never go anywhere alone with Yuvraaj. "I don't want to go anywhere. What are you saying?"

"Then stop arguing. You will get engaged to Yuvraaj." He declared, opening his favorite novel. Anahita waited for him to acknowledge her, but he kept flipping pages like he was really enjoying the book.