Chapter 74

Nishtha

To say I was shocked was an understatement.

He got us a car, that too the same car which I was saving up to get Neel. I couldn't help but feel in awe about it. I could see his effort. I really could. Now it was one me to either accept it or walk away, and I didn't know what to do.

Currently, I saw him sit with Neel, filing in his US university applications for his Master's programs, while Aai and Baba were resting in their room. I was working when I saw this.

He could have gone home but he's staying.

"Hi." Yuvaan said, noticing me.

"Hi." I replied back, still confused.

"Neel is applying, I'm helping him apply for his universities. You wanna see?"

I nodded and sat near them, "Show which uni's you are applying to?"

He showed me the laptop. I scanned and then spoke, "Damn, these are good."

"Neel, if you get into UC Berkeley and University of Chicago, then where will you go?" Yuvaan teased and I looked at him.

"He'll go to his sister's university." I replied.

"He can go to his brother's university as well." Yuvaan teased back.

"Guys?" Neel said and we looked at him, "Don't flirt in front of me please. I'm good."

Yuvaan chuckled, "Sorry bro."

"I'm not flirting." Nishtha said, "I'm just saying you can go to this same uni as me."

"Well, we'll find out." Neel said.

Once he finished, Neel said that he is going to go take the new car for a drive. I nodded and he left, leaving just me and Yuvaan at home with Aai Baba who were sleeping.

"So?" Yuvaan said, "What do you want to do?"

"If you're bored you can go home." She said.

"Who said I want to go home?"

"I did."

"I'm not going." He said.

"Well, I am." I replied.

"What? Why?" I asked.

I looked at him, then shrugged my shoulder, "Nothing, no reason."

"Tell me, Nishtha." He asked again.

I sighed, "These family friends, they're not friends, or family. They're just snakes. They don't care about anything, bas nazar laga ke chale jaate hai." I scoffed.

He chuckled, "I see."

I looked at him, "Go home. You don't stay."

"Why not?" He teased.

"Because I'm saying so." I said, crossing my arms, "Go home, Yuvaan."

"Arre, but I want to meet them." He said.

I glared at him, "You won't get it, forget it."

I was about to get up when he pulled me down and I landed right next to him. I looked at him as he cut me off before I could talk, "Nishu, no one can put nazar on us, don't worry. If you want, I'll remove the evil eye off us everyday. Okay?"

"That's easy to say." I said, "These guys have - they were the last ones we saw before... the 4 years."

I sighed, "I don't want to play with your beliefs Nishu, but what happened 4 years ago was my fault and my Bua's fault - not theirs. Practically. I don't know about your nazar thing, but they weren't the ones who treated you that way."

"I know, but..." I just stayed silent.

~•~

I got dressed in a blue salwar suit with a white patiala pant and duppata. Knowing that there are guests coming, I put sindoor in the partition of my hair, then braided it and let it rest on my shoulder. I did my basic makeup and changed my earrings and then came outside, where I saw Yuvaan had freshened up.

He dressed in a simple kurta and pants and rolled his sleeves up as he helped Neel pick an outfit for the evening.

Aai was getting food ready in the kitchen while Baba was adjusting the seats outside. I walked to Aai, "Do you need help?"

"No beta, it's all good. Tu bata? Are you ready?"

"Aai, do we have to invite these guys? I mean, you know how I feel about all this and do we really need to like get ourselves in this. Every time they come, something goes wrong. Please Aai, do we need to do this?"

Aai chuckled, "All these are superstitions, don't think of all this. Just don't worry."

I went outside and sat next to Yuvaan, who was now on his watching, typing furiously. He saw me, then smiled, "Hi darling."

I saw him, "Why are you typing so furiously?

"Nothing, don't worry." He held my hand.

"Tell me." I asked again.

"It's just work related drama." He said.

"Hmm, it better be." I said.

We heard the bell ring. I stiffened. I didn't want to be a part of this evening yet here we are. Neel went to get the door while Yuvaan held my hand, and pressed it tightly, "Relax. It'll be fine."

I looked at him, gave him a small smile, and then got up as we heard the voices of my family friends echo in the house.

Aai Baba welcomed them and they sat down on the couch, with Yuvaan and I behind Aai Baba, by the door.

"This is Yuvaan," Aai said, "Nishu's husband!"

Yuvaan went towards them and touched their feet and then stood next to me, "Hi." He said. I also went and touched their feet then we all sat opposite each other, Yuvaan near me.

"So," Savirtri Aunty, the family friend, spoke, "I heard about your family, Yuvaan, CEO of YUVA, what a big deal!"

"I haven't officially taken over yet." He replied.

"What are you waiting for?" She asked him.

"No real reason. I'm expected to take over in a few months, once Dad officially retires."

"Nishtha really picked the best out there, didn't she?" She said, more like mocked me.

"Nishtha and I picked each other long back Aunty. I don't think there's anything as "best" in it. I picked the best one as well then." Yuvaan replied.

I looked at him, Wow.

"Haan beta, I mean... class bhi toh kuch hota hai, you two have a very different class and the love stories in university usually don't last."

"That's not true Aunty. Nishtha and I worked out and my sister and her fiancé are also lovers from college. They're also getting married."

"Ah your sister is getting married?" She asked.

"Yes." Yuvaan replied, "In 2 weeks."

"Congratulations! Who is the groom?"

"Dhruv Sood."

"Dhruv Sood? Your business rival?"

"Yes, but we don't think that way when it comes to relationships and family."

"I was toh expecting it to be Neel, I assumed that Rupali would want both her children associated with the Nanda household, right?" She looked at Aai, who didn't know how to respond.

I felt an anger rise in my chest.

This is how they think of us. This is exactly why I didn't want them to come home. I was upset.

I didn't know what to say.

I held Yuvaan's hand, who I know was going to give her a reply which she herself will not be able to handle. Yuvaan looked at me and I shaked my head in a no, telling him to leave it.

He pressed his lips together then nodded.

"I think it's time for dinner." Aai said and she quickly went to get the food out.

Everyone seated on the table and I noticed Aai was speeding up the serving and giving food. I know why she was doing that. She wanted them to leave as well.

Why invite them then?!

I sat quietly eating while they spoke to Aai Baba and Neel. I didn't want to talk much because they've always been rude to me and I never ever understood why. I never realized why because as far as I know, I haven't done anything wrong.

"So Nishtha," Aunty said, "Tell me. How is life being married to him now?"

Here we go.

"It's good Aunty." I replied, shortly.

"Good? Aur bata! You must be living the life, aren't you?" She said.

"It's going good, Aunty. It's only been 3 months, so we still need time to get adjusted."

"But, we've been together for over 4 years now, so it's not a big deal. It's nothing new, and honestly we don't prefer talking about our marriage out loud. Some things are better private, aren't they? Yuvaan added and held my hand under the table.

I looked at Yuvaan, admiring his ability to handle such people without hesitation.

"Interesting." Aunty said and stopped.

The rest of the dinner went on silently, with just conversations about business and politics. I was able to stay silent, which made me happy.

Then, I took the stuff inside and kept myself busy in cleaning the kitchen to give Aai a helping hand so she doesn't have to do much once we go home. I spent almost 20/30 minutes in cleaning and arranging the dishwasher.

Then, I heard them all leave so I fixed myself and was heading out when I noticed Aunty and Yuvaan talking next to my room. I didn't want to pry so I ignored and headed outside but was halted in my track when I heard Aunty's words.

".... She's not worth you, and I know her from her childhood, she's a very bossy and quiet girl. Kisi se baat nahi karti, kuch nahi karti, and I'm sure you need someone who can handle an empire as yours."

I froze. My own family friend is spreading such lies about me, it made me so upset.

"Aunty." I heard Yuvaan cut her off, "She's my wife now and I don't appreciate that my wife is spoken to like this. Whatever she is, it's fine. I have been with her for over 4 years now, we know each other inside out and there's nothing new I could hear which could change my mind, so if you'll excuse me."

He was going to leave when she caught his hand and spoke, "Nothing new you'll hear which could change your mind? Really? I guess that means you don't know about her."

"Know what?"

"You really don't know? Her condition."

No. Is she going to? No.

"What condition?"

"Nishtha can't have children, Yuvaan."

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