Ruhi’s POV
The moment I stepped out of my room after somehow escaping Aayansh, my heart was beating way too fast. I needed a distraction, badly. So I went downstairs and joined everyone.
Riya dii was already sitting with the mehendi artist applying her mehendi. I sat beside her and started talking, trying to act normal, when one guy came toward us.
At first he was talking to her, but the second she introduced me, his entire attention shifted to me.
And the worst part?
He started flirting.
I wanted to leave immediately, but he just wouldn’t stop. No matter how short or cold my replies were, he kept talking like he didn’t understand basic human signals. Even Riya dii could see how uncomfortable I was. She tried jumping in twice.
Finally, she said, “Ruhi, can you bring me some water?” and even gave me a clear signal to run.
But that stupid guy said,
“Oh, let me come with you!”
And I didn’t even know how to say no.
Riya gave me a small apologetic look, silently mouthing sorry.
I walked toward the refreshment table, and he followed me like a lost puppy, still talking nonstop.
“So Ruhi, what kind of guys do you like?”
I almost choked on air.
Was he serious?
I pretended I didn’t hear him and picked up a glass of water for Riya dii. I was literally two seconds away from handing it to him so he’d just shut up when I felt it
A presence.
Heavy. Familiar. Intense.
I turned slightly and saw him.
Aayansh.
Standing a few feet away, arms crossed, jaw tight, eyes burning holes into the guy beside me.
His expression screamed:
Who the hell is this? And why is he breathing near Ruhi?
The guy awkwardly smiled at him. Aayansh raised one eyebrow. A dangerous one.
He walked toward us, slow and confident, like he owned the entire space around me.
“Ruhi,” he said, still staring at the guy, “Riya di is calling you.”
“Oh yes! Yes, she is!” I replied quickly. “She… needs me.”
“Oh, I can come too,” the guy said casually.
Before I could refuse, Aayansh stepped in front of me blocking me completely.
“No. She doesn’t need you.”
The guy blinked. “Uh… I was just trying to talk”
“Exactly,” Aayansh cut him off. “And she wasn’t.”
My jaw dropped.
The guy tried again. “Bro relax, I was just”
“She’s not interested,” Aayansh said bluntly. “So you can go.”
The guy looked at me for confirmation.
I opened my mouth…
But Aayansh grabbed my wrist and pulled me closer.
“She said no.”
The guy finally left.
The second he walked away, I snatched my hand back, cheeks burning.
“What was THAT?!” I whisper yelled.
“What?” he asked like he genuinely didn’t see any problem.
“You can’t just… scare people like that!”
“He deserved it.” and he stepped closer. “He was flirting. With you.”
“So?” I whispered.
His eyes softened.
“So I didn’t like it.”
My heart went wild.
Before he could say more, someone shouted,
“RUHI COME here we need some help!”
I stepped back. “They’re calling me,” I said, and rushed away quickly.
Behind me, I heard him chuckle softly, the kind of laugh that made my stomach twist in the worst best way.
I joined Riya dii again. The mehendi was almost done, everyone was clicking pictures, laughing, gossiping.
But I felt his eyes on me from somewhere behind the crowd.
Not creepy
Possessive.
And somehow, that was even worse.
The host shouted,
“DANCE BATTLE! Bride’s side vs Groom’s side!”
Everyone cheered.
I groaned.
Riya di smirked, “Ruhi… YOU are dancing first.”
“What?! Why me?!”
“Because only you can defeat the Singhania boys,” she whispered.
Before I could run, the spotlight hit me.
Great.
I walked to the centre, praying I don’t trip on my lehenga, and the music started an energetic Bollywood track.
I danced.
Everyone cheered.
Shrey joined me on stage, and I swear I felt someone glaring at us the entire time.
We finished the performance, and I escaped for fresh air.
I hid in a quiet corner.
But then
Footsteps.
I didn’t need to turn to know who it was.
“You danced well,” he said.
“Thank you,” I replied without looking at him.
“You didn’t look at me after dancing.”
“I didn’t notice.”
“You always notice me.”
My breath caught.
I turned to face him, big mistake.
He was standing way too close.
His eyes softened when he saw my mehendi stained hands.
“Tired?” he asked.
“No.”
“You look tired.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re lying.”
“I said I’m fine.”
“You’re not.”
“Stop arguing!”
“You stop first.”
We both froze.
Then we exhaled together.
He gently tucked a loose strand behind my ear.
My heartbeat went crazy.
“Aayansh…” I whispered.
He opened his mouth to say something something big
“RUHI! FAMILY PHOTO!”
We jumped back.
I ran off immediately.
Next Morning Haldi Day
I woke up sore from last night’s dancing, mehendi dark on my palms…
But his eyes, his almost-confession… it all replayed in my head.
No.
No overthinking.
I got ready and went downstairs.
The whole house was covered in marigolds and yellow drapes. Kids running around with bowls, aunties gossiping, a full haldi war warming up.
I was fixing my floral bracelet when someone whispered behind me
“Good morning, Ruuh.”
My stomach flipped.
I turned.
Aayansh.
In a yellow kurta.
Looking annoyingly good.
“Good morning,” I said quickly. “Someone is calling I’ll go.”
And I ran.
The haldi function began. Everyone applied haldi to the bride and groom, and after the ritual, Aadi bhai and his friends dumped haldi water on them, starting a haldi war.
I hid in a corner, believing no one would notice me.
Of course I was wrong.
“You can never hide from me, Ruuh,” a voice murmured.
I didn’t need to turn.
Aayansh.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
He bent a little and gently brushed his cheek covered in haldi against mine.
I froze.
Completely.
He walked away before I could even breathe properly.
I stood there for a minute thinking what just happened when I saw my brothers, friends, even Aayansh coming towards me with mischievous eyes.
I knew what was coming.
So I ran.
They chased me with haldi and water bowls, laughing like maniacs.
They caught me, dumped haldi water on me, and we all burst into laughter.
We played, screamed, ran, slipped, shouted
a chaotic, happy, messy moment I knew I’d remember forever.
Authors pov
Night
After a long, exhausting day, everyone rested for a while before gathering again for dinner. Once they finished eating, the families sat together, talking and laughing softly.
A relative from the groom’s side, a talkative aunty walked over and joined the conversation. After a few minutes, she called her son, making him stand beside her as she began introducing him. Then she called Ruhi forward and started introducing the boy to her.
Ruhi stood stiffly, unsure what to do or how to react.
Not far away, Aayansh watched everything, his jaw tightening.
He was glaring at the boy, who was smiling a little too widely while standing a little too close to Ruhi.
Every part of Aayansh wanted to push him away from her… but he couldn’t. Not right now. Not here.
Before he could do anything, his mother suddenly got up then sat back down abruptly, like her legs gave out.
The sudden movement caught everyone’s attention.
Ruhi immediately pushed the boy aside and rushed toward Aayansh’s mother.
“Aunty, are you okay? What happened?” she asked, panic evident in her voice.
Everyone gathered around, worried, but his mother insisted she was fine.
“I’m just tired… I just need to rest,” she said gently.
Ruhi helped her stand and supported her as she walked toward her room.
Aayansh and his father followed them quickly.
Inside the room, Ruhi helped his mother sit on the bed.
His father, visibly worried, asked repeatedly if she was sure she was alright, whether she needed anything.
She reassured both of them. “I’m fine, really. Just tired. Don’t worry so much.”
Then she looked at Ruhi with a warm smile.
“Beta, you should also rest. Go, get some sleep. I’m okay.”
Ruhi nodded respectfully and left the room.
The moment she stepped out, Aayansh sat beside his mother on the bed.
“Mom, are you really alright?” he asked softly.
His mother sat up properly… and suddenly pulled him by the ear.
“Mom! What are you doing?! It hurts!” he yelped.
Even his father protested, “Honey, what are you doing?”
“Shut up both of you!” she snapped, still holding her son’s ear, glaring at him.
She finally let go. Aayansh rubbed his ear, confused and offended.
“What did you do that for?” he asked.
She scoffed. “Why did I do that? Then what should I have done? Sit quietly while someone else tries to take away my daughter-in-law? And my son just stands there glaring, doing NOTHING?”
“Mom!” Aayansh whined helplessly.
His mother pointed a finger at him.
“Stop whining. And listen carefully. If you don’t confess to Ruhi soon, someone else will. And if that happens, don’t come crying to me,I will throw you out of the house.”
His father nodded in agreement.
“I also approve. Ruhi is the only one I want as my daughter in law.”
Then he turned back to his wife.
“But seriously are you really fine?”
She waved that off. “Yes, yes, I’m fine. It was just acting! I needed a way to stop someone from stealing my daughter in law while my useless son just stood there doing nothing.” She mocked Aayansh dramatically.
“Mom!” he complained again.
“Enough! Go to your room. Rest. And think about how you’re going to confess to Ruhi,” she ordered, pushing him toward the door.
She shut the door behind him.
Next Morning
The house was buzzing with excitement.
Today was the big day Aaditya and Riya’s wedding. Decorations, preparations, and chaos filled every corner.
In the bride’s room, Aayansh’s family and his friends had gathered. Four new people had also joined them, talking among themselves as they waited.
The door opened suddenly.
Ruhi walked in holding something in her hands.
“Riya badi ma asked me to give this to you” she began, but the moment her eyes landed on the new faces in the room…
Her hands froze.
Whatever she was holding slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor.
She instinctively stepped back, her eyes wide, breath hitching.
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