“Muskan, are you even serious right now?” one of her friend whispered, leaning closer with disbelief in her eyes. “She’s your sister-in-law? Look at her! Who wears a saree to a club? I mean—did she think it’s a school farewell party or something?” she laughed mockingly, tossing her perfectly styled hair over her shoulder.
Muskan's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Her eyes scanned Saanvi, who stood at the entrance awkwardly, clearly out of place amidst the glittering crowd and pulsating lights of the club. Unlike the others in short dresses and glittering heels, Saanvi was dressed in a simple black saree—elegant, yes, but far too traditional for this setting.
“Oh God,” Muskan muttered under her breath. “Did Dad really choose her to be the daughter-in-law of the Singhania family?”
Kritika snorted, shaking her head in disbelief. “No offense, Muskan, but she’s not even in the same league as Viyansh. Just look at him—confident, stylish, everyone in the room looks at him when he walks by. And then look at her. She doesn’t even know how to stand properly here.”
Muskan crossed her arms, her face tense. “I know, right? I still don’t understand what Dad saw in her. She doesn’t fit into our family—definitely not into our lifestyle or status. This world isn’t meant for girls like her.”
On the other side of the club, where the lights weren’t as harsh and the music wasn’t as loud, four warm faces approached Saanvi with genuine smiles.
“Heyyyy, bhabhi!” Vedant said cheerfully, waving as he walked up to her.
Saanvi blinked in confusion, unsure if they were actually talking to her. Her nervous hands clutched the edge of her pallu tighter.
Sensing her hesitation, Vedant chuckled and began introducing everyone with a dramatic bow. “Okay! Let me make it easy for you. I’m Vedant—the youngest and clearly the most charming member of the Singhania family. This here is Vihaan bhai, the second eldest. That’s Anaya didi—our fashion queen and second youngest. And this beauty here,” he said, pointing to a warm-smiling woman, “is Emma—bhai’s best friend’s wife… though we treat her like one of us.”
Saanvi managed a smile. “Hey everyone.”
Vihaan stepped forward, extending a friendly hand. “Now that you’re going to be a part of our family, let me officially welcome you, bhabhi. We’re happy to have you here.”
The word bhabhi struck her like a wave—foreign, heavy, but warm. She gave a small nod and returned the gesture with a smile, though her heart was racing.
Anaya beamed and stepped closer. “Finally! I get to meet my bhabhi. You’re looking really beautiful today, by the way.”
“Thank you,” Saanvi replied softly. “You look stunning too,” she added sincerely.
Emma hugged her without hesitation. “You’re absolutely lovely, Saanvi. Viyansh is lucky.”
“Thank you,” Saanvi said again, still overwhelmed by the sudden affection from people she had never met before.
Vihaan tilted his head. “Have you met Viyansh bhai yet?”
“Umm… not yet,” she answered, her voice barely audible.
Vedant grinned and pointed across the club floor. “He’s right there—talking to Shaurya bhai. Come on, go say hi!”
Saanvi followed his finger nervously. Her eyes landed on Viyansh, who stood tall, dressed in all black, deep in conversation, his aura distant and intense.
Vedant nudged her playfully. “Don’t worry, bhabhi. I know he looks scary and yeah, sometimes he gets a bit grumpy—but trust me, we’ve got your back!”
Vihaan immediately smacked Vedant lightly on the head. “Ignore him, bhabhi. He jokes too much. Viyansh isn’t like that. He’s… different, but not unkind.”
Saanvi gave a faint nod, her heart thudding in her chest. With hesitant steps, she began walking in the direction of Viyansh, each step echoing in her ears as the club music faded into the background, replaced by the sound of her own nervous thoughts.
"What the hell just happened to me a few minutes ago?"
That thought echoed in my mind as I stood there, dazed.
The moment my eyes landed on her, everything else faded into the background. I couldn’t look away — as if something about her held me captive without even trying. I don’t know why, but she felt like an unwritten story calling out to me… like a page I had been waiting my whole life to read.
"You seriously can't take your eyes off her, huh?"
Shaurya's voice broke through my trance, his teasing smirk pushing me back to reality.
"It's nothing like that," I replied, my tone sharp and composed—masking the strange turmoil bubbling inside me.
But he wasn’t wrong.
There was something different about her.
While everyone followed the party theme—short dresses, glitter, sequins—she walked in draped in a plain saree. No flashy makeup. No desperate attempt to grab attention. Just raw simplicity, and yet she commanded the room.
Not because she tried, but because she didn’t.
She chose comfort over trends, grace over noise.
She wasn’t like the girls trying to be seen.
She was the kind of girl who didn’t even realize people were watching her.
I noticed when she felt out of place… when a group of girls whispered and threw judging glances her way. Her smile faltered for a second—but only for a second. She stood straighter after that, chin up, as if daring the world to question her.
"You’re thinking about her again, aren’t you?"
Shaurya nudged me knowingly.
I didn’t answer. I just narrowed my eyes and looked away.
But my gaze, as if pulled by some invisible force, drifted across the room… searching for her.
And there she was.
Laughing softly with Vedant and his group, unaware that I was watching her all over again.
After mustering all the courage she had, Saanvi finally decided to approach him. Her heart pounded with every step as she made her way toward the corner where Viyansh stood, flanked by his ever-charming friend, Shaurya.
As she neared, her eyes briefly met Viyansh’s — just for a fleeting second, but it felt like time slowed down. Something in his eyes made her breath hitch, but before she could process it, Shaurya broke the tension.
“Heeyyy, Saanvi,” Shaurya greeted with a wide smile. “I’m Shaurya Oberoi. Childhood buddy of Viyansh — practically family now.”
Saanvi returned a polite smile. “Hey,” she said softly, her voice barely audible over the music in the background.
Shaurya chuckled. “Well, I’ll leave you two to talk. I’m sure you have a lot to get to know about each other.”
With a teasing wink, he walked away, deliberately giving them space.
Now it was just the two of them.
Except it didn’t feel like a conversation — more like two strangers standing awkwardly together. Viyansh remained glued to his phone, fingers scrolling endlessly, face unreadable. Saanvi shifted uncomfortably, her eyes darting around the room, trying not to let her irritation show.
“Really? This is how grooms behave? I’ve seen enough TV shows to know that guys are supposed to at least try to make a conversation. But this one?”
“Busy in his phone jaise shaadi sirf meri ho yeah to bin bulaye mehmaan ho...huh akdu kahi ka.”
Trying to shake off the awkward silence, she prepared herself to say something, but before the words could form, a waiter appeared beside her.
“Ma’am, would you like a drink?”
Saanvi blinked, confused. “Haww… Do I look like a drunkard to you?”
The waiter looked startled. “No, no ma’am! I didn’t mean—”
“Then why are you offering me a drink?” she snapped, her tone sharp.
The poor guy stumbled over his words. “I… I just meant we have a variety — juices, mojitos, red wine, whiskey—”
“Oh wow,” she interrupted sarcastically. “So now red wine and whiskey aren’t considered alcohol, huh?”
The waiter opened his mouth, unsure how to respond.
“Rehn do,” she waved her hand dismissively. “Whether it's whiskey or wine, sab ek hi baat hai — excuse to drink. I don’t fall for all that.”
Viyansh finally lifted his gaze from his phone. His expression didn’t change, but he was clearly watching now — silently observing her mini meltdown.
“If you don’t want alcohol,” the waiter tried again carefully, “we do have soft drinks and mocktails—”
“And what’s the guarantee you haven’t spiked that too?” she questioned, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. “Kya pata kisi ne meri supari de rakhi ho. Main TV serials mein dekhti hoon — log juice mein bhi kuch mila dete hain.”
The waiter looked ready to disappear into the floor. Meanwhile, Viyansh was still watching — and for the first time, something close to amusement flickered in his eyes. This girl… she was dramatic, blunt, and completely unfiltered. Nothing like the demure, silent type he had expected.
Just then, a sleek, bold-looking girl sauntered up to him, confidence dripping from every move.
“Hey, Viyansh,” she purred, ignoring Saanvi entirely. “Your fiancée doesn’t seem too interested. Why don’t we have some fun instead?”
She leaned in provocatively, her voice dripping with suggestion.
“Believe me, we could have so much fun together…” she added, subtly trying to draw attention to her cleavage.
Before she could get any closer, Viyansh’s expression turned stone cold.
“Dare to touch me again, and the consequences won’t just sting — they’ll destroy you.”
His voice was low, laced with fury and warning, the kind that didn’t need to be shouted to make someone tremble. It was dangerous — the kind of tone that froze blood.
The girl in front of him flinched slightly, clearly startled, but tried to hold on to her confidence. She forced a playful smile, though her eyes betrayed her discomfort.
“Oh come on, Viyansh,” she said, trying to sound casual. “I know you’re bored out of your mind here. Why not have a little fun? Just you and me—”
“I said,” he interrupted, his voice rising now, sharper, more venomous, “stay the hell away from me. What part of that don’t you understand?”
He took a step closer, his presence towering over her.
“Keep those filthy hands as far from me as possible.”
His sudden outburst hit her like a slap. The flirtatious smirk slipped from her face, replaced by shock and fear.
“And if you ever try something this cheap again,” he growled, his eyes blazing, “you’ll regret the day you were born.”
She couldn’t find words. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed hard, fear finally overpowering her arrogance. She took a shaky step back.
Without another glance, Viyansh turned and stormed away, his jaw clenched, his fury unmistakable.
Saanvi was still deep in her dramatic argument with the poor waiter.
“I’m telling you — mojito ya mocktail sab excuse hota hai peene ka. Alcohol chhupa kar dete hai juice ke naam pe!” she declared.
The waiter looked like he regretted ever approaching her.
It was only when she finally took a pause to breathe that she glanced to her side — and noticed the space beside her was empty.
Her brows furrowed.
“Kaha gaye?” she murmured. “He was just here a second ago.”
She turned around in a slow circle, scanning the entire lounge area of the club. The crowd moved like waves, music thumping in the background, but Viyansh was nowhere to be seen.
Confused, she stepped forward, weaving through the guests, her eyes searching every corner.
“Yahi toh the… itna suddenly kaha chale gaye?”
Saanvi stood in the middle of the crowd, still scanning the area, confused and just a little annoyed. Her eyes searched every corner of the club but found no trace of him. It was as if he had vanished into thin air.
“Bade ajeeb insaan hai,” she muttered to herself.
“Na hi koi baat ki, na kisi cheez ka jawab diya... aur bina kuch kahe chupchaap chalte bane.”
She frowned deeper, arms crossed as thoughts swirled in her mind.
“Mute toh nahi hai kahin? Hmm… possible toh hai. Varna kuch toh bolte… at least a polite goodbye? Huh.”
Just then, a familiar voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
“Heyyy Saanvi!” Akansha walked up to her, slightly breathless. “Did you meet him?”
Saanvi nodded, letting out a frustrated sigh. “Met him? Yes. But ‘talked’? Not really.”
Akansha raised a brow. “Why? What happened?”
“I don’t know,” Saanvi said, clearly puzzled. “One moment he was standing right beside me, and the next… poof! He disappeared. I’ve looked around everywhere. He’s not in the lounge, not near the bar, not even near the exit.”
Akansha thought for a moment, trying to offer a possible explanation. “Maybe he had to take an important call or attend to something urgent. That could be why he left suddenly.”
“Maybe…” Saanvi mumbled, still unconvinced. “But he could’ve just said something. Even a ‘wait here’ would’ve been enough.”
She sighed again, glancing around one last time. The music felt louder now, the lights too bright, the crowd too suffocating.
“You know what?” she said, turning to Akansha. “Let’s just leave. We’ve been here long enough. And honestly… I don’t feel comfortable anymore.”
Akansha nodded immediately. “You’re right. It’s already pretty late. We should head out.”
Together, the girls began walking toward the exit, heels clicking against the marble floor, leaving behind the chaos of the club.
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