Sunaina's Pov

Thankfully the bride's seating area was the same as I had told the workers. As I was going towards the common seating area, I heard someone calling me.

"Hey Sunaina," Kimaya, my spoiled cousin—apparently my mother's favourite—said. Wow, the day couldn't get any worse than this.

"Hey Kimaya," I replied with a tight-lipped smile and saw my mom approaching us.

Good God, why are you following me today lady?

"This is the height of irresponsibility, Sunaina. Where were you? Why are you late?" mom said, disappointed.

"Mom, I accidentally fell asleep and woke up late," I replied.

"Wow, learn something from Kimaya. She arrived an hour earlier to help," mom said, starting her 'praise Kimaya' rant.

"It's okay, aunty. She must be tired. I'll check if something is missing or not," kimaya replied sweetly to mom—too sweetly, so much that even sweets could fail to match the sweetness.

"Thank you, sweetie. I can never rely on this brat. Come, let's go. I'll introduce you to Avi's in-laws," mom said, breaking my heart again.

I was single-handedly handling every freaking thing, and this is what I got just because I was late by a mere 45 minutes.

Not that I want any sort of appreciation, but at least she could care about my feelings. Is it too much to ask?

Fuck, I need some fresh air. I went towards the garden area to calm my thoughts.

Why are my parents like this? Why can't they appreciate my efforts for once?

All my life, I’ve craved some love from my parents, but got nothing.

Just because I don't dress like a slut or attend their so-called business parties, I am a brat? At this point, I feel like—am I even worthy of it?

My thoughts were interrupted by someone wiping my tears. It was bhabhi.

Hell, I wasn't supposed to cry. Not today.

"What happened, Sunu? Why are you crying?" bhabhi said, worried.

"Nothing, bhabhi. Something went in my eyes and I just came to attend a call," I lied. well atleast tried to

"Don't lie. Tell me what's wrong," bhabhi said, stroking my hair.

"It is nothing, bhabhi. Don't worry," I tried again.

I didn’t want to spoil her mood and cry buckets because of my insensitive mother.

"Won't you tell your bhabhi bacha? Hmm?" she said softly, and that was it. My tears started falling on their own. She hugged me and tried to calm me down.

"Why is mom this rude to me, bhabhi? Did I do something? She never acknowledges me. She is good with everyone, but me. All my life, all I craved was my parents’ love and attention, but I was brutally ignored by them. Am I not worthy of love?" I cried, hugging her and mumbling in between my cries.

that's what I needed the most, a shoulder to cry on, a person who radiates nothing but motherly warmth.

"No, bacha, you are the best person. It's not your fault. Come on now, stop crying. Hmm? Let me tell you—I am proud of you. The way you are handling everything is so commendable. You are worth spoiling. I am sure they'll understand someday, and it'll be too late to amend this fragile heart they broke," bhabhi said, wiping my tears.

"Really?" I asked, still sobbing.

"Yes, my baby, you are," she said, smiling and stroking my hair so lovingly.

"Okay, let's go. Wipe your tears—everyone must be waiting… hmm?" she said softly. I nodded and she helped me fix my makeup and hair.

"Bhabhi, don't tell this to bhaiya. He'll get worried," I said as we were walking towards the lawn.

"Don't worry, I won't," she reassured me.

"Where were you guys? We were wait—Sunu, are you okay?" Nishika bhabhi said.

"I am okay, bhabhi, relax," I assured her.

"Okay, let's go," she said, skeptical about my lie. I ain't telling her and making her worried for no reason.

"Bhabhi, you both go and sit. I'll look after the guests," I said to bhabhi and reassured nishika bhabhi too.

Thankfully, they went while I greeted some guests and checked food counters once again for reassurance.

We don't want my grumpy mother to have something crawl her favourite guests' ass now do we?

"Bhaiya, I told you the starters should be hot. What's this? Why is this cold?" I said irritably to the waiter.

"Sorry, madam, I'll change it," he said hurriedly and went to make changes.

"Oyye shortcake, were you crying?" the jerk asked.

"None of your business," I said and turned to leave, but he held my hand and said, "Stop lying. I can see through your lie. Is everything okay?" he asked genuinely.

I had no heart to be rude to him, so I calmly told him

"I am fine. Let me go, please."  and tried to free myself from his grip, but he was not letting me go. Keyword: tried.

"Adhvait, woh, Adhira aunty is calling you—Sunu, what's wrong, baccha? Are you okay?" bhaiya came to call him but saw me too.

Fuck, dude… why God… why me...

"I am fine, bhaiya," I told him.

"Stop lying. Your eyes are red, which means you cried, didn't you?" he said, and that jerk raised his eyebrow, asking the same.

Aaarrrghhhhhhhhh

"Can't you see? I said I’m okay. Everyone is hell-bent on asking the same question—I AM OKAY. I AM FINE, okay? Now let me go, please," I said—nope—almost shouted at them.

"Okay, okay, jwalamukhi. Why are you erupting on us? Go," bhaiya said, and I stormed off, not before showing them my tongue.

(jwalamukhi- volcano)

I heard them chuckling at a distance, which made me smile too.

waise ye itne bhi bure nahi hai . ( They're not that bad)

"Arre bhaiya, ye disposable glasses lagwao aur bride ke pass snacks bhijwaiye," I told a waiter and he nodded and left.

(Arre bhaiya, please put some disposable glasses here and send some snacks for the bride)

" Sunu di, chalo mehndi lagate hai," Pari said, coming towards me.

(sunu di, let's go and apply mehandi)

"You go ahead, Pari. I'll apply after making sure everything is okay," I told her.

"You go, we males will handle everything," the jerk said from behind, startling me.

"Why are you everywhere, idiot? You scared me," I said, glaring at him.

He chuckled and said, "Well, I apologize, scaredy princess. But you can go. Devesh and I will look after everything."

"No, thank you. I can't let our guests work. I'll handle it myself. I don't want to be called a brat again," I said and muttered the last part under my breath.

He was about to say something but was cut off by Kimaya's screeching voice.

"Hey Sunu baby, won't you introduce me to your friends?" she said, eyeing that jerk whose eyes were on me.

"Hi Kimaya baby, in case you forgot, my name is Sunaina. And why don't you mind your own business?" I said with a tight-lipped smile.

"Sure, see you around," she said, still eyeing him.

I'LL PLUCK THOSE FUCKING EYES OUT.

"Go butter my mother. It'll help you secure your job," I said sweetly, and Pari tried but could not stop herself from laughing, which fumed that plastic bottle. She stormed off somewhere else.

"A friendly advice, guys: stay away from that leech, or else she will haunt you in your dreams," I told them, making faces. Pari laughed, while he just smirked.

"Go. You guys were going to apply mehndi," he said.

"Yes, di. Let's go," Pari said and dragged me.

"Wait, at least listen—" "NOPE, WE ARE GOING. THAT'S IT. I'VE TO CONVINCE ESHU DI TOO," Pari said dramatically, cutting me off. Sighing, I followed her quietly.

We reached the bride's seating area. Bhabhi and Nishita bhabhi were getting their mehndi done by the artist, and Ayesha was sitting beside them, too engrossed in her thoughts. Pari took a seat beside Nishika bhabhi and kept her head on her shoulder. Bhabhi smiled lovingly at her and dropped a kiss on her forehead. Pari is a baby. I took a seat beside Ayesha and nudged her lightly, breaking her chain of thoughts.

"Ooye, all okay?" I asked.

"Yeah di, just thinking about something," she said, smiling, which never reached her eyes.

"Are you sure? You can tell me anything," I said, genuinely worried.

"Yeah, everything is okay," she said, assuring me.

"Why are you not applying mehndi then? Do you not like it?" I asked her.

"No, no. I just don't want to," she said hesitantly.

"Arre, but you like it, right? Then you should apply it," Nishita bhabhi said.

"Oh—okay fine," she said, sighing.

"Hey, you don’t have to if you don’t want to," I whispered in her ear and she just reassured me with a small smile.

An artist started applying mehndi on her hands and Pari’s mehndi also started. Suddenly, Ayesha's stomach rumbled very lightly. I wouldn’t have heard it if I wasn’t sitting beside her.

"You didn’t eat anything, did you?" I said, fake glaring at her.

"Uh, I’ll have something after this dries," she said, smiling sheepishly.

"Wait here," I said and went to get a plate of food for her.

"You’re not allergic to anything on this plate, right? Or something you don’t like?" I asked her after serving a plate.

"No, but how will I eat?" she said, pouting slightly.

"I’ll feed you. Can I?" I asked her and she just nodded.

"Pari, are you hungry?" I asked, and she nodded too.

Shaking my head at them, I started feeding them and gave a few bites to both the bhabhis too.

I love feeding my people with my own hands.

Soon, all of them finished having their meals. So I asked them, "You guys want something else?"

They shook their heads, and I just nodded and went to dump the plates and washed my hands. After coming back, I saw all the males present beside their lady loves.

"Baby, do you want to eat something?" Devesh bhai said, helping bhabhi get up as her mehndi was done.

"Nope, Sunu fed all of us while you guys were busy with your so-called guests," bhabhi said, glaring at him.

Damn, pregnancy hormones at their peak. All the best dev bhai.

"I'm sorry, baby. It was important," Devesh bhai said, holding his ears, and she just ignored him.

"Why don't you guys feed them some ice cream? It's so hot." I tried to change the topic, and thankfully it worked. Devesh bhaiya mouthed 'thank you'; I just smiled at him.

Bhabhi's pregnancy hormones are wild, y'all.  Bhaiya went to get ice cream for bhabhi as the girls denied.

"Bhaiya, you sit beside bhabhi. Why are you running away here and there?" I said to bhaiya, glaring at him, and he just sheepishly smiled and sat beside bhabhi.

"Sunu, when are you planning to eat?" bhabhi said, raising her eyebrows—and that got the attention of the males: Devesh bhai, bhaiya, and that jerk who was busy on his phone.

"You didn’t eat. As far as I know, you skipped your lunch too, didn’t you?" bhaiya said, raising one eyebrow, giving me an 'I dare you to lie' look.

"I had lunch and I’m not hungry, so I’ll have my dinner later," I told him, and he was not satisfied with my answer.

"Promise?" he said, extending his pinky finger. I just chuckled, said the same, and sealed the promise.

"Fine, are you done with your mehndi?" he asked bhabhi. She just nodded.

"Come, let’s go. I’ll drop you to your room. You can rest for an hour, then we’ll have a photoshoot," he told bhabhi. She just nodded again. Devesh bhaiya and bhabhi too left with them. Nothing was left to do, so I sat to get my mehndi done too.

After 15 minutes, Pari and Ayesha were done with their mehndi too and were sitting beside me to accompany me.

He too was here, engrossed in his phone.

"Di, do you have any boyfriend?" Pari said randomly.