SUNAINA’S POV

It was decided that our outfits for the party would be customized by Chachi. I was genuinely stunned when I found out she’s a fashion designer—and not just any designer, but the owner of a chain of well-known boutique lines. Though she retired a year or two ago, her legacy clearly lives on.

The party is just a few hours away. The last two days flew by in a blur, with both Mr. Mehra and me completely caught up in work.

Still, the notes, the rose, and the dinner had quietly become our thing, and honestly? I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Chachu and Chachi, along with Mr. Mehra, have already left to welcome the guests who’ll be staying the night in the hotel suite they booked.

Eshu and Pari are taking a nap, and I’m sitting here panicking—because I’ll be attending this party as Mr. Mehra’s date. And I really don’t want to mess this up.

He asked me yesterday. And trust me, I was not prepared. I walked out of my room expecting a white rose, like always—but instead, I found an entire bouquet… and a very handsome-looking Mr. Mehra standing there.

Shocked would be an understatement. I was so baffled, I actually rubbed my eyes just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. To my utter embarrassment, I was snapped out of my daze by Mr. Mehra’s soft chuckle.

Flashback

“Uh, hi?” I stammered—it came out more like a question.

“Hi, good morning, Senorita,” he replied with a warm smile. I nodded, leaning against the wall—I wasn’t ready to start my day just yet.

“Sleepy?” he asked with a gentle laugh.

“Very much,” I admitted, pouting slightly at my ruined sleep schedule.

“Oh, my poor baby,” he said softly. I could hear the smile in his voice—the kind I’d fall for a thousand times over.

“What are you doing here, standing like a watchman?” I mumbled, straightening up.

“Right.” He cleared his throat and held out the bouquet. “Will you be my date to the upcoming party?”

Suddenly, all traces of sleep disappeared. I blinked, pointed at myself, and said, “Mai?”

(Me?)

“Sirf aap,” he replied with a smile.

(Only you.)

THIS MAN LEAVES ME SPEECHLESS.

“Uh… I… me… okay,” I fumbled—but eventually managed to say yes, accepting the bouquet.

“Okay?” he asked, pleasantly surprised.

“Okay,” I said again—this time, with more confidence.

“Thank you! Now come, let’s have breakfast,” he grinned.

This man has no idea of the wonders his smile works on me.

Back to the present.

After making sure the girls were awake and well-fed, I decided to freshen up for the party. I had already taken a long all-purpose shower earlier, so I just took a quick rinse, prepped my skin, and dropped a quick text to the girls letting them know they could come in directly if they needed my help.

I did my makeup first—kept it minimal but party-appropriate—then slipped into my dress. It was a beautiful white corset dress that hugged my curves perfectly.

It was elegant—just the way I like it.

It took me less than half an hour to do my hair. Since I had braided it in the morning, it had turned soft and wavy. I just had to do a few finishing touches.

Wearing my jewellery and heels, I was finally ready.

Just then, my phone rang as I was spraying on my favourite vanilla perfume.

“Hello,” I said, putting the call on speaker without checking the caller ID.

“Senorita, are you guys ready?” Mr. Mehra’s voice came from the other end.

“I suppose. Let me check on the girls and call you back in two,” I said, ending the call and stepping out to check on them.

Thankfully, they were ready too—looking as beautiful as ever. I called Mr. Mehra back and informed him. He told me he’d be sending a driver for us, as he was caught up at the venue and would meet us there directly.

In the meantime, we clicked a bunch of pictures and left once the driver arrived.

Upon reaching, we came face to face with Mr. Mehra, who looked very handsome in a tux.

The girls got out first, and then I followed—with Mr. Mehra’s help, since the corset wasn’t exactly allowing much hand movement.

“Girls, stay with your Di or our parents. Don’t accept any drink or mocktail from anyone. Drink only sealed water bottles. And if someone tries anything, come straight to me, okay?” Mr. Mehra instructed Eshu and Pari. They nodded and went off to look for Chachu and Chachi.

“You look beautiful,” he said, leaning closer so I could hear him over the loud music.

“Thank you, Mr. Mehra. You don’t look bad yourself,” I replied with a smile.

“Chale, Ms. Date?” he asked mischievously.(Shall we, Ms date?)

“Chalo, Mr. Date,” I replied, chuckling.

(We shall, Mr date.)

Soon, we went inside. He introduced me to some of his acquaintances and made small talk with them. After almost an hour, I started feeling both hungry and bored. So, I gently tugged on Mr. Mehra’s sleeve, and he gave me his full attention instantly.

Leaning near his ear, I whispered, “I’m hungry and bored. Is it okay if I go and accompany Pari and Eshu?”

“I’ll come with you—just give me two minutes,” he replied, leaning closer. I nodded.

“If you don’t mind me asking, Mr. Mehra—it’s the first time we’ve seen you accompanied by a date. You usually attend these parties alone. What changed?” an older gentleman asked teasingly, as his wife chuckled beside him.

“Nothing much, Mr. Das. I just found my lady. We’ll invite you to the wedding—if I manage to live up to this beautiful girl’s expectations,” he replied, tugging me closer with the hand that had been resting on my waist since the moment we entered.

Saying I was blushing would be an understatement.

The couple chuckled and gave us their blessings. After a minute or two, we excused ourselves and walked straight to the table where Pari and Eshu were seated.

“Did you guys eat something?” I asked as we reached them. They shook their heads, pouting.

“Aww, my babies. Let’s go get some snacks,” I said. They nodded and stood up.

“I’ll join you guys in a few minutes. Be careful,” Mr. Mehra said, and walked away after I gave him a quick nod.

We, however, headed straight to the food court, got ourselves some delicious snacks, and settled down at a table. Mr. Mehra joined us after a few minutes.

“Aren’t you eating, bhai?” Eshu asked, leaning forward slightly.

“No, Eshu. It’s almost time for the announcement, and I won’t get a chance to wash my hands and eat, so I’ll eat afterward,” he explained.

“Here,” I said, offering him a slice of pizza. He raised an eyebrow.

“You shouldn’t do this on an empty stomach. Come on, take a bite,” I insisted, gesturing toward the pizza. He shook his head slightly but eventually took a bite—and just like that, I fed him a few more snacks.

Soon, his secretary came over and informed him that it was time for the announcement. We all walked toward the stage together. I leaned in and whispered a quiet all the best to Mr. Mehra, and he nodded with a smile.

“Hello, ladies and gentlemen. First of all, thank you for giving us your precious time and blessing us with your presence,” Mr. Mehra began, standing confidently at the center of the stage. “I’m sure you’re all aware of the main reason we’re gathered here, so without further ado, I’d like to invite Mr. and Mrs. Das on stage to do the honours and lift the veil.”

After a countdown from ten, they unveiled the project.

My breath hitched at the name.

Tears welled up in my eyes.

I couldn’t even focus on what Mr. Mehra said next.

NAIN GROUP OF HOTELS

It read, as the curtain dropped revealing the inauguration plaque.

Soon, it was over, and Mr. Mehra stepped down and came directly to me. I looked at him, silently waiting for something. He pulled me into his arms and whispered, “I know this came as a shock to you, and I totally understand. I know I’m a jerk for doing this, and I’m very sorry. Please forgive me. I’ll answer whatever questions you have—let’s go.”

Taking a deep breath, I muttered, “Right now, you’re needed here. We’ll talk when we get home.”

“No, listen—” he began.

“It’s fine. I won’t run away from here. You can relax,” I assured him.

After an hour or two, the party began winding down, so we all returned home. Mr. Mehra, however, stayed back at the venue, since he was hosting the event.

As we reached home, I was immediately engulfed in Chachi’s arms.

“Talk to Adhvait beta, before you jump to any conclusions, okay?” she said gently.

I nodded at her with a small smile.

I went straight to my room to freshen up. After an hour or so, I heard Mr. Mehra’s car roaring back into the driveway.

He must be tired. I don’t want to disturb him. He needs rest. But I guess this conversation can’t wait. So, after a while,

I knocked on his door, and he opened it almost instantly.

“Hey, come in. I was waiting for you,” he said, stepping aside. I walked in, and he closed the door behind me.

“Sit. Do you want something?” he asked. I shook my head and sat on the sofa. He sat next to me, keeping a respectful distance.

“So…” he began, turning toward me.

“Why would you do that?” I asked, facing him.

“Look, I understand that uncle and aunty want us to get married, but this is completely unacceptable. What if we don’t work out? What if you find someone you love? What would happen then? This is completely wrong,” I blurted, saying whatever came to mind.

“Bolo bhi kuch ab,” I said, watching him sit there silently, while I was dying of anxiety.

(Say something.)

“Aap bolne doge toh mai bolunga na, Senorita,” he said, sitting up straight.

(I could speak only after you let me, Senorita.)

“May I?” he asked, stretching out his hand, asking for mine.

“Okay, first of all, I did this because I wanted to,” he began as I placed my hand in his large ones.

“But why?” I whispered, overwhelmed.

“Because I want you to be an irreplaceable part of my life—someone I want to cherish forever,” he said, looking straight into my eyes. His eyes held a kind of sincere emotion I had never seen before. It made me want to gaze into them for hours.

“But what if we don’t work out? Then what?” I asked, finally voicing my biggest insecurity.

“Why would we not work out? Just because your parents’ marriage failed doesn’t mean ours will too. I’ve seen two successful marriages in my family, and I intend to make ours the third. I know many ‘what ifs’ are running wild in your mind, and I’m ready to face them with you—together. And of course, only if you agree,” he explained softly.

“Your Ma and Pa had an arranged marriage, and until death, I’ve seen them love each other deeply and passionately. My Chacha and Chachi had an arranged marriage too, and I’m sure you can see—they still love and respect each other just like they did in the early days,” he continued, his voice as soft as a cozy blanket.

“I don’t know if I can do this. All my life, I barely saw my parents show affection toward each other. I don’t know how this works,” I admitted softly.

“We’ll figure it out together, my jaan. You don’t have to worry about anything,” he said gently, caressing my hand with his thumb—making me nod.

“So, are you willing to give us a chance?” he asked, looking at me with an expression I couldn’t quite read.

“I’m nothing but a broken human. This marriage will do nothing but add to your emotional baggage, Mr. Mehra. Please don’t ruin your life for me,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

“I wish you could see yourself the way I see you. Being with you is my privilege, Senorita, and I would love nothing more than to support you and love you with everything I have—if you allow me,” he replied sincerely, his voice firm and steady.

“I am,” I said, smiling softly, tears brimming in my eyes.

“You can take your time, jaan. You don’t have to rush into making any decision,” he said, his voice as gentle as it could be.

“I’m ready. Please don’t make me regret this,” I said, sniffing, my tears threatening to escape.

“Can I hug you, please?” he asked, unable to contain his happiness.

“Yes,” I said—and the moment the word left my lips, I was pulled into his warm embrace. I couldn’t help but notice how perfectly we fit together, making a soft blush rise on my face.

“I won’t let you regret giving me a chance, Senorita. I’ll make it all worth it. I’ll make myself worthy of being yours in every way I can,” he murmured, his face snuggled into my neck.

“Thank you. You don’t know how much your ‘yes’ means to me,” he said, finally pulling away from the hug, making me smile wide.

“Uh… I should go,” I said after a few quiet moments of him just looking at me.

“You should get some rest now. Today was tiring,” I said, trying to gently pull my hands away from his grip, but he held on tighter and shook his head.

“Abhi na jao chhod kar ke, dil abhi bhara nahi,” he sang, looking into my eyes—making me blush profusely.

(Don't go, my heart isn't ready to let you go, yet.)

“Jaane do naa, please,” I said, wiggling my hands.

(Let me go, please.)

“Kabhi nahi,” he replied—but still loosened his grip anyway. I took the opportunity and ran straight to the door.

(Never)

Should I do this? Nahhh... maybe it’ll be too much.

Okay, whatever. Let’s just do it.

I quickly ran back, leaving him standing there, confused. I gave him a quick, tight hug and then dashed to my room, shouting, “Bye!”