#CHAPTER:9

AARADHYA POV:

I came home and prepared some lunch for my MIL and me.

It's almost 1 in afternoon, so I called Nikhil and talked with him for a while, but when I heard someone call him.

Then he cut the call saying that he will call me later that turned out into hours, deep inside my heart feels uneasy at his behavior.

So I called him again to make sure he is fine, but to my disappointment he cut the call saying that he had some work.

I prepared some snacks for Rehanth and Riha, tea for both ma and me. When I'm talking with ma about random things to give her some company, we both startled by Riha's voice.

"Ma, I can't find jewerelly here." She said while coming out of cabinet in ma room.

"Because, I didn't have them. I gave it to your sis-in-law." Ma said with a small smile on her face.

"What!?" She shouted

"But I need jewerally for saree to this night" she emphasized every word.

She kept on arguing about jewerelly.

"But Riha, you're a kid those are ancestors ornaments. My mother in law passed those to me, what if any thing happens?" Ma said worriedly

"Ma, you take rest I'll talk to her"

With that I dragged Riha out of room.

She withdrew her hand from mine and shouted at me "I just needed some damn jewerelly and you are making scene of it"

"Riha, those are valuable we can't afford to buy it she cut me off

"Stop with your words" With that she dialed her brother.

I can't believe that he just shouted at me without giving a chance to explain what happened!!

Pushing aside all of my thoughts...I said "sorry, Riha come I will give you"

Opening locker in cabinet, she pushed me aside to look after the good one.

She is looking at both and thinking, may be it suits to saree or not. Turning around she kept those inside, and selected another one which made my heart skip a beat.

"I will take this one" she said while going out.

"Riha, you can take any other"

"Why!? You want another scolding from Pa" while smriking at me.

I gulped down my already dry throat again. But it's my mom jewerelly that I wore it on my wedding day. Other than that, there is no thing called mine in this house.

She went out when I'm in my own thoughts.

I immediately went behind her and called Rehanth

"Yes, bhabhi" he said coming towards me with smiling face.

"Go with Riha, she is going alone for wedding"

"Ok bhabhi" he said and went away

It's almost dinner time and both Riha and Rehanth were in wedding.

I just cooked some thing, I did night routine, I served ma her dinner and waited for Nikhil to come home.

I woke up with sound of door knocking, opening door I came to face with my hubby with heart full smile on his face.

Smile appeared on my face seeing him so happy, but after a second his smile faded.

But never in these months of our marriage we failed to eat together dinner either in silence. May be he is not hungry, I convinced myself and went to eat.

He never knew why I waited for him to dine with him at night.

I hated to eat alone especially when it remembers memories which I wanted to forget.

Those days, I and my mom used to eat together where we used to chat about day.

To my bad, it came to an end with being adopted. Nobody gives me a look whether I ate or not, but deep inside I craved for their love.

With all these thoughts, my appetite died. Keeping it aside, I boiled milk for him. After many days we have a chance to be in same room

I gave him glass and asked him to have it, but he kept it aside by doing something on phone.

If I say, I didn't felt bad then it is absolute lie which cannot be detected.

Silently I slept other side but to my bad luck within minutes I opened my eyes to see him laying on floor.

By insisting him, I slept on floor.

Not on these months, he slept on floor even we didn't share any kind of intimate bond but we always share a bed.

I feel something is off by his behavior...

With that I slept, hoping to start a better day forgetting about today.

Same dream woke me up before alarm, with a smile on my face I woke up and start the work.

Today I have to go to restaurant, so I have to do everything fast.

After cooking breakfast and lunch for everyone, I took water and lemon along with me to our room.

"Good morning" it's nikhil voice, how he knows that I'm here. I know he is kinda off yesterday.

"Very good morning Nikhil" I said while handing him the glass of hot water and squeezed lemon in it.

Then I observed that he is talking to someone on phone.

He nodded and drank while listening to one on call. I stood there like a baby finding their lost home.

"Ok..I will get ready then" he said and hung up the call.

He smiled looking at his mobile and went out to get ready.

With much heavy heart and me saying something to my heart to convince myself, gave tea and breakfast to ma.

"Good morning bhabhi..." Rehanth came and hugged me

"When do you guys came!?"

"I just came back, Sandhya said that she will drop Riha home while they are going tirupathi" he said while yawning.

"Come, I will serve you breakfast then go and sleep" I said while ruffling his hair.

"Rehanth, I'm going to start a new job from today. I prepared lunch too, just heat it in oven and serve it to ma and yourself" I said while showing it with my hands where I kept curries and how to switch on rice cooker.

He nodded and said " I will bhabhi...just do your work without any worries" with that he went back to room to sleep.

Then I prepared lunch box for him and waiting to see his smile at least now.

He wore pale blue colour shirt with navy blue pants. I'm just staring at him while he caught me drooling over him.

I smiled "come, today I made"

"I don't have time, my colleague is waiting to pick me.." he said while going out.

I ran after him and caught his elbow and dragged him back.

"Heyy... Aaradhya" he shouted

I handed his box and kept his medicines in his pocket.." wait I will come within a minute" with that I ran in and bought is medicine course to be taken after breakfast.

Here, these have to be taken after having breakfast and those are after lunch. I told him

"Can I go now!?" He irritatedly asked me.

I knew something is upsetting him, so I did the most unexpected thing for both of us.

I hugged him tight, he stiffened with sudden hug.

He pushed me gently and went away.

I waved at him and he closed lift door without looking at me.

Tears leaked from my eyes... without my permission..

How dare they come out at his behavior, atleast they should be happy cause he is treating me good than them.

I wiped them away and get ready quickly by bidding good bye to ma and Rehanth.

By the time 10 in the morning I reached restaurant which is situated in the middle of city, with nice exterior work and grand interior work.

I have to be confident, but I'm shaking with fear by just seeing it.

With shaking hands, I dialed Nikhil number, just to listen his voice

"Hello.." he picked up on fourth ring

"Nikhil" I said in relief

"Hmm" he just hummed without talking or asking why I called him.

"I just reached restaurant, needed to talk" he again cut me off

"Are you a kid!? Why you're informing me... just let me work in peace atleast" he said and hung up

This time, my own tears betrayed me and flowed out saying that, we are with you even if everyone else went away.

Stupid heart doesn't listen to them and again dialed his number but this time it's switched off.

This made me realize one thing, he doesn't want to talk to me, so I wiped my tears harshly and walked straight into restaurant.

I kept on repeating myself you can you can and went to reception and asked for Advith.

"Advith sir is busy do you have appointment" She is about to say something but I asked her name.

"Varsha"

"Ok, varsha. I'm Aaradhya Devraj and here to replace my dad position so, now may I know where is Advith!" I asked again by adding my dad name.

Then she called someone and said her to lead me to Advith.

Wow... this isn't just restaurant but function hall and hotel too..

I can't imagine myself that I'm managing this for a few days. Can I manage it....

"Mam, just go in" she said and went back the same way.

I knocked twice and heard a faint voice of come in

By entering into the cabin...my eyes widened with shock.

You guys want to know why!!!



Isn't good?!!!!!!

Hell yesssssss

By seeing me, he stood up from his seat and walked towards me.

"Good morning mam, I'm Advith assistant manager of 'welcome home' "

"Hi.. Advith I'm Aaradhya"

"Sir, told me that you're going to look after this for a while."

He explained me about the functionality and inner self of Restaurant.

How stock to be maintained, how to arrange everything for a function, our regular chefs working.

My legs are aching, by wandering the whole time.

"Mam, here we provide regular restaurant service for common people and this side we will arrange for business meeting, lunch discussion etc.." he said while indicating area's.

But one thing caught my attention...Nikhil is here sitting in restaurant that too with Yuktha and uncle Girish.

My happiness has no limits by seeing him, I forget everything that happened in morning and excused myself from Advith..

"Nikhil" I called him and all three heads snapped in my direction.

He seems so shock...

"Namasate, uncle how are you, Yuktha when did you came back from abroad!" I asked them.

Uncle is dad's friend and I know Yuktha when uncle used to visit dad and bring her along.

"I'm.good" she said while turning her head away.

"Aaradhya, how are you" uncle patted my head.

"I'm fine Uncle, I forget to introduce Nikhil my husband and nikhil Girish my dad's friend"

"She is Yuktha and Yuktha nikhil my husband"

Later we talked for a while then I asked her..

"So Yuktha I heard from uncle that you're married. When are you going to introduce him to us."

I said and then both Yuktha and Nikhil's face paled.

You can treat me worse but I can't because it's not me

_AUTHOR