Chapter 2

Drishti Singhania was pacing the room like a caged tiger. Damn! she muttered under her breath.

She just hoped everything will be alright and she could escape from here without any harm.

Her phone rang at that exact moment and when she saw the caller ID she sighed in relief.

About time he called, she thought. She picked up the call on the second ring.

“I have been waiting and waiting for God knows how long,” she said to the person on the other end of the phone aka her best friend Siddharth Agnihotri. In short, Siddhu.

“Don’t exaggerate. It has been only ten minutes since my last call,” he said and she can literally see him rolling his eyes at her. He always does that.

“Whatever, Siddharth Agnihotri. What’s the status now? Is everything set there?” she asked straight to the point.

“Yeah almost. Kiara bhabhi went ballistic when she realized she was being kidnapped. Now she is getting calm and listening to bhai. We are on the way to airport. D? I think it’s better we come and pick you up from there. I don’t think it’s safe to leave you alone there.” Siddhu said and it was her turn to roll her eyes.

Are you guys wondering which bhai he is talking about? Oh yes, it’s the same brother she had a huge crush on when she was a teenager. Look what a wonderful kind hearted and generous girl she is, to help her ex-crush get married to the woman he loves. And how brave she is to carry on with this drama to help the man she once dreamed of marrying, that too giving up on a vacation with her beloved family.

Okay! That’s a bit of an exaggeration. She didn’t dream of marrying him. She just had a teeny-weeny crush on him which changed into brotherly affection when she got to know him dearly.

“Do I look like a damsel in distress to you, Siddharth Agnihotri?” She asked arrogantly and heard him huff in irritation.

“Moreover, what’s not safe is bringing Kiara bhabhi back here. These people don’t know that she got kidnapped early in the morning. And if they see her coming here with a man in tow, you know right what will happen? Heads will roll. Yours and mine included.” She said dramatically.

“You are right,” Siddhu said with a sigh.

“I am always right,” she said smugly.

“Now don’t start your self-praising, Drishti. How are you going to escape from there? Do you have a plan?” He asked making her sigh.

She really doesn’t have a plan for that. And just because she doesn’t have a plan for escaping, don’t make the mistake of thinking that she is dumb.

She is not! She is smart as hell! In fact kidnapping, Kiara bhabhi from her wedding was her own wonderful idea. She is one hell of a matchmaker! And the blissful marriage of her parents is a prime example of that.

Okay back to the topic! How do escape from this place?

Before that, she will have to talk to the ex-groom of Kiara bhabhi and apologize. After all, he is an innocent party here and he needs to be informed prior.

***

Somehow she convinced a young caretaker of the orphanage to let her talk to the ex-groom and man! Doesn’t she regret it? To think that for a moment she felt sympathetic to that asshole jerk…

Haa!

It doesn’t matter, you or her. You are looking very beautiful. Drishti? Isn’t it? Much more beautiful than Kiara, honestly. So I don’t mind marrying you.

That’s what the bloody jerk said. But who was he kidding? No one messes with Drishti Singhania! Ever!

She had poured the hot cup of coffee onto his lap and told him this is how she will be waking him up every morning if he is ill-fated enough to marry her. And the jerk had run off terrified. Good riddance!

Now she can hear the commotion outside about the groom running away from the wedding. The authorities will come in and apologize to Kiara bhabhi, that’s her under the veil. And she would gracefully accept the apology and make her escape. Perfect plan!

Now tell me! Aren’t I smart? Drishti had a smug look on her face when she thought of what was going to happen next!

***

Shravan was checking his mail when he heard the commotion. He looked up from his phone to see his parents and Grandfather talking with the orphanage authorities and the atmosphere was tense. Very very tense.

Grandpa clutched his chest and stumbled on his feet and Shravan rushed towards them. Somehow they consoled Tej Maheswari and then he came to know the issue. One of the grooms had runaway. Irresponsible idiot.

If he didn’t want to get married, why the hell did he wait till the last minute? He could have informed me at least a day before. Now they will have to deal with a hysterical female.

“Dadu. Relax. We will talk to the bride. We will explain. We can get the other nine couples married today and find a better groom for this girl and get her married soon,” he tried to make dadu understand but he was adamant.

“No! I can’t break one girl’s heart and get the other nine married. They all will have to be married today. If not, the curse of her tears might haunt all the others too. I can’t let that happen,” Dadu said.

“We don’t have any other option Bauji,” Pratap said and Anuradha nodded in agreement.

“We do,” Tej said in a dangerously calm voice which made the hairs on the nape of his neck rise.

Why does he get the feeling that he is not going to like this one bit?

“What is it papa ji?” Anuradha asked.

“Shravan will marry her. The girl will become the daughter-in-law of the Maheswari family,” Dadu decreed and everyone else stared at him in astonishment.