Sneha's heartbeat raced as she heard the concern in Viraj's mother's words. Was she really worried about her? Would she understand her fears? But most importantly, will she be able to help her?

"I...am enjoying, aunty." She jumped over the question with another fake smile.

"Your smile isn't reaching your eyes." Meena quickly added.

"I am not used to these kinds of parties, actually. And, I am meeting many new people today. So, I am a little scared, that's it." She added.

Meena sighed when she realized that Sneha wasn't going to share her feelings anytime soon.

"I remember you denying the marriage proposal when we came to your house. And, I asked Viraj about how you accepted it when you were so adamant that day. He said that your father convinced you about it." Meena said.

"Uhh...yes. Papa made me understand it." Sneha continued the lie.

"What did your father say?" Meena asked curiously.

"That he is from a very good and well-settled family. And that I'd be...happy." She answered.

Meena nodded once before continuing.

"Sneha, I know...what my son did with you in Goa wasn't right at all. I did scold him about it later. And I know whatever I'd say on his behalf would be partial. But, I just wanted to let you know that, Viraj has had a...stressful childhood. Due to that, he has always had difficulty expressing his emotions and feelings correctly...as normal people do. He acts on impulse and avoids getting emotionally attached to anyone. With time, he has developed this stubbornness to get whatever he desires. I have seen the change in him because that was not how he was as a kid. I understand that it is not right...but, as a mother, I can't help but feel for him."

'That is why you left him and had a child with another man?' Sneha thought internally. Just like an outsider, she was unaware of the complete truth about the Khatris.

Sneha nodded before replying.

"I...just had different expectations regarding my marriage and...husband." She mumbled and looked at the table cloth.

"And my son doesn't satisfy the expectation?" Meena asked politely.

Sneha looked in the direction of Viraj who was busy in a conversation with a person she faintly recognized as his very close friend.

He looked handsome, no doubt. From this site, he did look well-mannered too. His smile, which was a rare emotion on his face, suited him. But... the exterior wasn't something that one falls for. One falls in love with a person as a whole.

And, she knew that he wasn't the one for her or vice versa.

"No." She muttered with a downcast gaze and shook her head negatively.

"Will it be too much to ask for if I'd request you to at least give him a chance? I am sure he will prove it to you that he can be the man you desire." Meena almost begged.

Seeing the reluctance in her face, Meena continued quickly.

"This is the first time that he is trusting a woman in his life. I have never seen him stand with a girl in his life for more than required. I never thought he'd get voluntarily involved with a girl romantically. And, I definitely had never expected him to smile so much in a girl's mere presence. He seems happy! And, I only have you to thank." She added.

'Why is everyone concerned about his happiness only? What about me?" She wondered.

"You know a man in love can do absolutely anything for his beloved." Meena commented while giving a glance to Viraj.

Sneha thought over her statement.

"But, he doesn't love me."

Meena's brows raised.

"Why do you think so? From what I see, he definitely loves you. If he didn't love you, he wouldn't have gone against his father's wishes." She contradicted.

"If he loved me, he would have clearly seen what I want. But, he wants to mould me into the type of wife he wants instead of understanding me or changing himself into my ideal husband." She politely placed her grievances.

"Did he say anything to you?" Meena asked politely as well.

"He doesn't want me to work after marriage."

"Oh, but that is because it is not safe for the women in our family to be out of sight for longer hours. He is allowing his sister to study is in itself a big thing in the family."

Sneha sighed. Of course, she'd take her son's side.

"He doesn't want me to talk to any man." Sneha added.

Meena chuckled at Viraj's childishness.

"He is just jealous. Don't worry. He will get over it with time." She said making Sneha frown.

'Let it be, Sneha. A mother never finds flaws in her child.' She consoled herself and faked a smile.

Slowly, she nodded.

"I'll try aunty...to understand him." She mumbled to get over this conversation too.

It was clear to her that no one in his family will understand her or go against Viraj. So, why try?

They sat silently for a while before Meena spoke again.

"I haven't met your mother, yet. Would you introduce me to her?" Meena asked which Sneha couldn't deny. So, she nodded with a smile and stood to show her the way.

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.

.

Sneha stood silently beside her mother as she and Viraj's mother conversed about the family and tradition they were supposed to follow soon. Her sister had gone to get a water bottle while her father was taken away by Dev to introduce him to his friends.

"Sneha!" She heard Natasha's voice and she wondered why was she calling her. She was sitting with Ananya and some other cousins of Viraj.

"Mummy, I'll just come." She informed her mother and walked in their direction. It was a relief since she desperately wanted to get away from the women's talk.

"Sneha, come sit." Ananya pulled a chair for her and Sneha sat beside her.

"Jokes apart, Sneha...But, I never thought that you'd say yes to Viraj! Like I thought you knew better than him!" Natasha said as she took a sip of her drink.

'If only it was in my hand.' She thought.

"Don't say like that, Natasha! My brother is the best." Ananya defended her brother.

Natasha couldn't help but choke at her drink and then laughed horribly.

"What world are you in, Ananya! Viraj and best?" Natasha chuckled making Ananya frown.

"So, if your Gaurav is the best then why were you resisting his kisses throughout the party? I noticed the exchange between you two." Ananya asked, a little curiously.

Sneha's brows raised as she realized Ananya's temper rising. She concluded that just like her mother, she too couldn't listen to anything against her brother.

'That is why he is so arrogant and so full of himself.' Sneha concluded. Obviously, if no one found a flaw in you, one is bound to think of themselves as being all mighty.

"I never said Gaurav is the best. But, at least he is not arrogant like your brother and knows how to talk politely! And about ignoring his kisses, I am doing that intentionally. Let me tell you a short trick to make a man mad for you. The more you deny him kisses and his advances, the more he'd want you. So, I am just doing that so that by the end of the evening, he'd be at the height of his arousal and desperation." Natasha explained like a teacher.

"So, you are playing with his emotions!" One of Ananya's cousins asked.

Natasha chuckled.

"Obviously, no! It's for his own good. The more he is aroused, the more pleasure will he get later. I have nothing to gain here." She added with a shrug making the other girls nod.

'Why are they talking so dirty!' Sneha wondered, a little uncomfortably. She wasn't a saint either, but then she only read and fantasized about romance and such things in private. Talking about these things openly was a big no-no in her family.

"Is that what you do with my brother too, Sneha?" Ananya asked curiously.

"What?" Sneha asked in surprise.

"You don't let him kiss you too. I saw in the college." She added.

'Is she crazy?' Sneha wondered in horror.

Ananya's cousins suddenly started laughing. One of them piped in.

"Imagine bhai getting romantic and going crazy at night."

"Sneha, we envy you!"

"Does he behave like Shahrukh Khan with you?"

"Or better...Christian Grey?"

"Nothing....nothing happens like that." She spoke in her defence and quickly sipped the cold drink in front of her.

Sensing Sneha's discomfort, Natasha quickly changed the topic to her fashion industry. And, in a way, Sneha was glad about it.

.

.

.

By 4 pm everyone had lunch together. The soon-to-be families sat together for lunch, talking about the traditions and customs to be followed during the marriage rituals. It amazed Sneha how Viraj took a little too much interest in the topic.

Soon it was time for dispersal and one by one, the guest started exiting the premises. As the host of the function, Viraj had to stay till everyone dispersed. Finally, it was time for Sneha's family to go after everyone left.

"We should go now." Sneha's father said as Sneha's family and Viraj's family stood in a circle.

"Okay, uncle. Thank you for coming." Viraj nodded and smiled slightly at Sneha's mother and sister.

As her parents and sister started walking away, Sneha too followed them when Viraj held her wrist instantly.

"Where are you going?" He asked her.

She turned around and looked up at him.

"Home." She answered as if stating a fact.

"We are going somewhere after this." He stated to which she narrowed her brows.

"Where?" She asked in an accusing tone.

He ignored her question and looked at her father.

"I'll drop Sneha home by 10 pm, uncle." He informed her father.

"It's very late, Viraj." Shankar said and glanced at his daughter.

"Oh, come on, Shankar! Let the children have some fun alone. Till then, we can go and have some snacks at our house. Ananya, take Priya with you to the mall and have fun." Dev said.

And, just like that, everyone had to agree with Dev.

Sneha just watched her parents go with Viraj's parents and her sister followed Ananya to God knows which mall.

When everyone had left, she felt a tug on her arm and immediately faced her fiance.

"You were ready to go home without saying goodbye to me!" He said in a strict tone making her look at him in confusion.

"I was going to say it." She lied since she completely forgot. Her concentration was on talking to her father about it.

He stepped forward and entered her personal space casually.

"Without even giving me the kiss that you promised upstairs?" He asked huskily.

She could only avoid his intense gaze.

"I didn't promise anything." She mumbled.

Viraj placed a finger on her chin and made her look up at him.

"Did I say you are looking breathtakingly beautiful!" He said as if in a daze.

Before she could think about his question, she noticed him approaching her face...more precisely, her lips.

She wondered what his problem was! One moment he would be strict like a professor and in the next moment, he'd be overloaded with love hormone! It was so unpredictable.

Just an inch away, he was about to take the leap and capture those lips that he found irresistible when as usual, she turned her head away and pushed him gently.

A frown cascaded on his face. He was dying to kiss her from the moment he had seen her in the dress. But, she was still resisting him! Though he wasn't surprised and a part of his mind knew that she will deny him, as always, but, there's always hope.

"Someone might come here." She quickly gave an excuse.

"No one is here now." He immediately added and tried to capture her lips again by bending to her level.

"The waiters or others..." She said and stepped back before he could launch on her.

Viraj sighed. The desperation was making him irritated and a little frustrated. Why can't he kiss the only woman he wanted to kiss!

"Fine. Torture me as much as you want." He mumbled and held her wrist again to exit the hall.

.

.

.

Sneha looked at the huge building as they entered its parking lot. She knew they were quite far away from their area. After all, it was already 6:30 pm by the time they reached here. And, the sun had almost set.

"Why are we here?" She asked. It wasn't a hotel, she concluded. It looked more like a residential area.

Viraj only smiled as he drove towards his reserved parking area.

The idea of him taking her into a room gave her chills. What if he is expecting her to sleep with her in that sense! Why else would he bring her here? She wondered and her mind went crazy at the thought.

Because no matter what, she will not have sex with him, she knew. No matter how crazy he or his father is, she will not form a physical relationship with him. Because, it was something that she only wanted to have with her husband...whom she loved...and not feared!

"Viraj, why are we here?" She asked sternly, her tone getting strict. It did take him by surprise.

Viraj slowly reversed the car and aligned the vehicle according to the lines drawn on the floor.

"My house." He answered her when he had successfully accomplished the task of parking.

"Your house is in KYG." She said, again sternly.

"Why are you talking like that?" He chuckled. "And, this is my house. Come, I'll explain." He said and proceeded to exit the car.

Sneha followed suit and came out as well.

"This is a residential building with many penthouses. I bought one for myself from the profits of my first investment. It was a huge risk but I was content with the result." He said as they walked towards the elevator hand-in-hand.

"You bought a house!" She exclaimed because it was a big thing for her, even though it might not be for him.

"Hmm. Someone told me once that one day, I should get a home for myself. So, I did. And that is why, it is special to me." He said while recalling his biological mother once telling him this. As a child, he took her words seriously just like all other advice. And, as an adult, he couldn't help fulfilling them, one by one. The tasks made him remember her...something he loved more than hating her.

As they entered the elevator, she noticed him press the number 32 on the panel. There were 35 floors in the building. A faint melody played in the elevator with a sweet fragrance.

"Ask away." He said after a short pause.

"What?"

"I know you have many questions."

"Why don't you live here then?" She asked curiously.

"The family house is near to my place of work and more convenient for safety and security reasons. This is just a penthouse where I can't have my armed guards. But, whenever I feel like taking a break or just being alone, I stay here to my heart's fill." He answered.

"Why did you take such a high floor?" She asked after a short pause since they were still in the elevator.

"3 2 is...my mother's birthdate." He said.

"32? But there are at max 31 days!"

"I mean... 3rd February...is her birthdate." He elaborated.

"Oh." She said and then looked at the floor.

"Come." He said and held her wrist again to guide her out of the elevator.

Sneha looked at the grand door at the end of the wide and heavily illuminated corridor. There was a strange box at the side of the door that she realized was a scanner. It was higher than her maximum height and she concluded that it was apt for Viraj's height.

Viraj let the scanner scan his right eye before the door clicked open within three seconds.

"The only security I have here is this scanner and my gun." He informed her and she nodded as he opened the doors.

As soon as she was about to step in, he surprised her by taking her into his arms in bridal style.

"What..." She was about to complain when he answered her.

"I told you this house is special to me. And, you are the only woman who is entering this place of mine. Since you are my soon-to-be wife, your first entrance here must be special, isn't it!" He said with a genuine smile.

Sneha just stared at him with wide eyes.

Viraj's smile fell on seeing her reaction.

"You know, in the documentary that I watched, the woman smiled at her man when he did this." He added, expecting the same result from her.

"You watched a documentary?" She asked in surprise.

Viraj's smile turned sheepish and he entered inside. Closing the door with his foot, he took her inside the lavish penthouse. The lights had switched on automatically and the room was already air-conditioned via the centrally installed system. Finally, when they entered the heart of the hall, he slowly kept her down on her feet.

"I am not as experienced in the field of romance as you are. So, I watched ten documentaries on it to learn some ways to make you smile since most of the time you are only scowling at me."

"What makes you think I am experienced in the field of romance?" She asked in shock. Whatever made him think that way!

"Well, you are a girl." He replied as if it would suffice.

"So?"

"Aren't girls romantic inherently?"

"You can't generalize it." She said.

"Are you not?" He asked.

"No."

"That is why you get so strange when I try to kiss you!" He said as if he had revealed the reason behind his misery. Before she could defend herself, he stepped forward and smiled. Touching her cheeks, he spoke.

"Don't worry. I'll try to be the romantic one in our relationship." He said in a reassuring tone making her raise her brows.