Chapter 59

Mayank stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of his light blue linen shirt. The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. He glanced at the packed bag on the bed—just the essentials for the weekend trip. He wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this staycation, but one thing he knew was that he had agreed to it for Niharika.

The thought of spending an entire weekend with her family and their friends didn't bother him—what did bother him was the way she had reacted when he had said yes. It was like she was nervous about how he'd handle it. As if he'd say something out of line or fail to meet whatever expectations they had for their son-in-law.

He exhaled, shaking his head. She underestimates me.

Just as he slung his duffel bag over his shoulder, he heard her soft footsteps approaching. He turned just in time to see her step into the hall, wearing a breezy white kurti with embroidered blue details, paired with fitted jeans. Her caramel-highlighted hair was neatly brushed, falling just below her chest, and her eyes held a certain hesitation, a quiet nervousness she was trying to hide.

Mayank observed the way she subtly straightened her shoulders, the way she pressed her lips together as if mentally preparing herself.

"You're worried," he stated, his voice even.

Niharika blinked, caught off guard. "No, I'm not," she said quickly.

His gaze didn't waver. "Nihu."

She sighed, crossing her arms. "It's just... I haven't met them since I got married. And you—" she hesitated, biting her lower lip. "You've never been in these gatherings before. I don't know how it'll be."

Mayank smirked slightly. "You think I can't handle some aunties and uncles asking about my life?"

"It's not just that. They pry a lot, Mayank. They'll ask about us—how we met, how things are, why we kept it a secret—"

He stepped closer, his brown eyes steady on hers. "Relax. I got this."

She exhaled, searching his face for any sign of hesitation. But all she saw was quiet confidence.

How is he so calm about this?

Before she could overthink it, Mayank tilted his head toward the door. "Chalein?"

Niharika nodded, forcing a small smile. "Chalein."

The moment they reached the Doshi residence, Niharika barely had time to prepare herself before Mayank did something completely unexpected.

"Good morning, Aai. Good morning, Baba," he said smoothly, his voice warm as he bent down and touched their feet in greeting.

Niharika's eyes widened in shock.

Mayank? Touching feet?

She blinked rapidly, watching her parents smile in approval. Yangeeta placed a hand on Mayank's head in blessing, while Mr. Doshi nodded in appreciation.

"Good morning, beta," Yangeeta said happily. "It's so nice to have you both here."

Mayank smiled easily. "Likewise, Aai."

Okay, who is this man and what has he done to the Mayank I know?

Niharika stood frozen for a second before snapping out of it. She quickly excused herself, heading to the kitchen to prepare chai for everyone. Her mind raced. What was that? When did he get so... respectful?

As she carefully balanced the tray of tea cups, she tried to figure out what was going on in his head. Was he doing this just to impress her parents? Or was this his way of proving to her that he belonged here?

She stepped into the living room, setting the tray down on the center table. Mayank was seated comfortably on the couch, making polite conversation with her father. Polite conversation. He wasn't fidgeting, he wasn't on his phone, and he wasn't looking like he wanted to escape.

Who is this man?

"Here's chai," she announced, sitting down beside Mayank. He gave her a small nod of thanks, accepting the cup.

Just as she was about to take a sip, the doorbell rang.

"Oh, that must be them," her mother said excitedly, getting up to open the door.

Niharika inhaled sharply, her fingers tightening around the warm ceramic cup. Here we go.

The door swung open, and in came the family friends—Mrs. and Mr. Deshmukh, the always-curious Mrs. Mehta, and the enthusiastic Kapoors. They were all smiles, their voices filling the house instantly.

"Niharika beta! Look at you!" Mrs. Mehta beamed, pulling her into a half-hug. "We haven't seen you since—oh my, it's been so long!"

"Since before she got married," Mrs. Kapoor added with a knowing look.

Niharika chuckled nervously. "Yeah, it's been a while."

Her mother quickly stepped in, gesturing toward Mayank. "And you all remember Mayank, right?"

Mayank stood up, offering a polite smile. "Namaste."

There was a pause—a beat where the group took him in, as if seeing him properly for the first time.

Mrs. Mehta's eyes gleamed. "Arre wah, such a handsome and sanskari son-in-law you've got, Yangeeta!"

"Haan haan, and working at Microsoft, wah!" Mrs. Deshmukh chimed in. "Niharika, beta, you hit the jackpot."

Mayank glanced sideways at Niharika, amusement flickering in his eyes.

She wanted to disappear.

"Arey, let's all sit, we have so much to catch up on before we head out," Mr. Kapoor said cheerfully.

As everyone settled in, Niharika tried to ignore the way Mayank was way too comfortable. He was sitting there, cool as ever, while she was internally panicking about the inevitable flood of questions. The living room was buzzing with conversation, the air filled with laughter and the occasional clinking of cups against saucers. The family friends had comfortably settled in, discussing everything from their kids' careers to the latest happenings in Dubai. Mayank sat beside Niharika, casually leaning back, occasionally nodding at something someone said. He looked at ease, like he had always belonged in this setting, while Niharika was still bracing herself for the inevitable barrage of questions.

It didn't take long.

Mrs. Mehta, who had been eyeing them for a while, finally spoke up. "Arre beta, we're so happy for you both, but tell me something—why didn't you invite us to the wedding?" Her tone was teasing but laced with genuine curiosity. "We would have loved to be there, na?"

Niharika felt her breath hitch for a second. Here we go.

But before she could scramble for an answer, Mayank smoothly responded, his voice steady and confident. "Aunty, actually, we wanted to keep it lowkey for a bit. It was a little quick, and I had to travel to Italy right after for a conference. Things were moving fast, so we thought it was best to keep it simple."

His explanation was so effortlessly delivered, so natural, that it didn't leave any room for suspicion or further questioning.

"Ohh, Italy! Wah, such a busy life, na?" Mrs. Kapoor nodded in understanding.

"Exactly, Aunty," Mayank smiled. "But don't worry, ab toh aap sabke saath proper time spend karne ka mauka mil raha hai."

Everyone seemed satisfied with that, moving on to the next topic without any awkwardness.

Niharika, who had been watching him the entire time, felt a strange warmth settle in her chest. A pang of pride. He had handled it so well, so effortlessly, that she couldn't help but admire how he had defused the situation.

"Excuse me," Mayank suddenly said, standing up. "I'll just go see if she's okay."

Before anyone could react, he walked over to Niharika, who had excused herself to the side, and smoothly placed a hand on the small of her back, guiding her toward the kitchen.

Once they were inside, away from prying eyes, she turned to him, her voice a whisper. "How did you manage that so well?"

Mayank smirked, leaning against the counter. "I told you I got this. You just don't wanna believe me."

She narrowed her eyes. "It's not about believing you. I care for you, Mayank. That's why I keep pressing this. This was just the beginning, but we're spending the whole weekend with them. You don't know how they are."

He tilted his head, watching her. "We'll handle it well. Trust me."

She sighed, realizing he wasn't worried at all.

Just as she turned to leave, he caught her wrist and pulled her back, his grip gentle but firm. She looked up at him in surprise.

"Glad to know my wife cares about me," he murmured, his voice teasing but with a hint of something deeper.

Niharika felt her cheeks warm. She looked away, biting her lip. "I've always cared, Mayank..." She hesitated for just a second before adding, "Since school."

And then, before he could respond, she slipped out of his grasp and walked away, leaving him standing there, her words replaying in his head.

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