Two days had passed since the family picnic, and Pari still didn’t know what to do. Every word Ishaan and Varun had spoken echoed in her ears. Varun had tried reaching out to her, but she had avoided him, pretending to be busy with work. She hadn’t spoken to anyone about the partnership yet.
Deep down, she was upset that Varun hadn’t thought it important to consult her—especially after Ishaan reminded him about the value of a life partner and the respect she deserved. Pari felt let down. Varun had made such a big decision without her, despite their engagement.
“Of course Ishaan would value a life partner, after all, he’s my Rey uncle’s son, a man who worships the ground his wife walks on. I’ve been the reason he suffered so much in his life. He should hate me, but instead he stood by me in front of Varun. And Varun—what happened to him all of a sudden? Why would he choose to work with Ishaan? God, I’m losing my mind.” She thought.
Frustrated, Pari tied her hair into a high bun and glanced at the invitation lying beside her. Mithun had left it in her room earlier that morning before leaving for the office. She opened it and read the date, time, and venue of the grand celebration.
When she came downstairs, she froze in surprise—Varun was chatting with Kajal.
“Pari, I was just about to call you. Varun came here to meet you,” her mother said warmly.
Pari forced a smile, then gestured for Varun to follow her. She led him to the garden, settling onto the couch. Varun sat beside her, resting his arm casually on the headrest behind her.
“Pari, are you upset with me?” he asked gently. “You’ve been avoiding me for the past two days. Please talk to me. If it’s about Ishaan, I won’t work with him if that’s what bothers you.” He reached out for her hand, but Pari folded her arms and looked away.
“I’m not upset, Varun, it was childish of me to react that way. I shouldn’t mix business with personal life, so go ahead. Your business with Ishaan has nothing to do with me.” she said calmly.
Just then, a maid arrived and placed a glass of juice in front of Varun.
“Thank you for understanding, Pari. I really didn’t want to go through with this, but my father insisted. After all, Ishaan is family now, and we can’t avoid each other forever. Maybe this collaboration will fix things between us. I don’t want to hold any grudges against him. Besides, he seems changed, so there shouldn’t be any problem,” Varun said, trying to convince her.
Pari smiled faintly in return, though deep inside, she wasn’t convinced by his words.
“You were never the kind of man who would bend for business, Varun. What changed? Why would you suddenly want to work with Ishaan? And why didn’t you think to talk to me before making such a decision? This isn’t you… and definitely he isn’t the Ishaan I thought to be. You don’t seem to be the same anymore ” Pari thought, but quickly pushed away the feeling.
“I know you never really go shopping at boutiques, since your stylist usually designs everything for you, but this will be our first party after the engagement. Let me buy you something special this time. Come with me—I’ll make sure you get the best outfit.” Varun said but Pari thought about his words.
“But Varun, our engagement isn’t official yet,” Pari began, but Varun quickly cut her off.
“I know, Pari. But we both know that we’re engaged. Let the guests assume we’re just friends if they want, but at least let me buy an outfit for my fiancée. Please?” he requested.
Pari finally agreed, and soon they were on their way.
At the boutique, neither of them noticed the car that had been trailing them. Inside it, Ishaan slipped off his blazer and shoes, pulling on a hoodie, sneakers, and a mask to disguise himself. He followed them quietly into the boutique, pretending to browse through outfits while keeping a close eye on Pari.
Pari was casually looking through dresses when she suddenly felt a sharp gaze fixed on her. She looked around with a slight frown, but only saw a few customers scattered across the room.
Maybe I’m just being paranoid, she thought, dismissing the feeling.
Meanwhile, Ishaan had already picked out a dress. He handed it to the assistant and instructed her to give it to Pari. The assistant with a polite smile stood before Pari with the outfit in her hand.
“Madam, you’d look absolutely stunning in this. Please give it a try—I’m sure you’ll love it,” the assistant said, passing her the outfit.
Pari smiled politely and entered the trial room. The moment she slipped into the wine-red spaghetti-strap fit-and-flare gown with a slit, she was mesmerized. The soft fabric hugged her curves perfectly, the slit revealing her smooth, flawless legs.
“This is… breathtaking,” she whispered, twirling once before glancing over her shoulder at the mirror. Every angle reflected sheer elegance. She looked like the gown had been crafted just for her.
Stepping out of the trial room with her hands on her hips, Pari radiated confidence. Ishaan, watching from a distance, froze. His breath caught, his heart skipped, and his eyes refused to leave her. She was radiant—his queen.
” My girl looks divine in everything. Born to rule. If only I could lock her in that trial room and claim every sinful piece of her for myself…” Ishaan thought and his lips curved into a smile. “Soon, baby… very soon” he pat his chest to calm his poor heart.
Watching her glow in excitement, he realized just how much she loved his choice.
“You’ll love me the same way you love my choices,” he whispered under his breath.
Ishaan was ready to pay half the price of the outfit just because he didn’t want to get caught, but all his excitement died when he noticed the change in her face.
Varun gave a disapproving look and shook his head.
“Pari, don’t you think this is revealing too much? Let’s buy this, and you can wear it in our room after our marriage.”
Pari stood shocked at his words. More than that, she was confused by the sudden changes in him after the engagement. He knew she didn’t like being controlled—she had always enjoyed her freedom in everything. And now, for the first time, she had fallen in love with an outfit, and Varun was stopping her from wearing it.
“Are you really serious, Varun? This is beautiful!” Pari twirled around to show him how much she liked it, but still, Varun gave a displeased look. Frustrated, she pulled a random off-shoulder bodycon dress and entered the trial room. When she walked out, Varun once again shook his head.
“No, Pari. This doesn’t suit you.”
Pari looked at herself in the full-length mirror before turning her attention back to him.
“This looks good, Varun. You’ve only seen me in formals and casuals, and this is the first time you’re seeing me in party wear—that’s why you find it odd. This is how women usually show up to parties,” she tried to convince him.
Varun, however, handed her another outfit, and when Pari saw it, it was just a plain gown with a closed neck.
She walked back into the trial room and sat on the chair, feeling frustrated.
“What’s his problem? Why is he suddenly reacting like some possessive boyfriend? Arghhh… of course, we’re engaged and still trying to know each other, but he already knows me well! So why is he behaving so weirdly?” she muttered to herself.
Pari changed into the gown and stepped out. Varun’s face lit up with a wide smile as he clicked her photos.
“You look beautiful, Pari. Now lets find a shirt to match your gown.”
Pari nodded reluctantly and returned to get changed. When she walked out, she saw Varun had already chosen his shirt.
“You chose your shirt already? Don’t you think it’s only fair that I should choose your outfit too, if you got to choose mine?”
Pari folded her arms across her chest, clearly feeling bad.
“Pari, it’s just a shirt, unlike women’s outfits. I only had to match the color of your gown.” Varun pinched her cheek with a smile, dismissing the conversation as he turned to pay for their outfits.
Pari shook her head and sat on the couch, scrolling through her mobile.
“I chose the gown he wanted because this is our first shopping trip together, and I didn’t want to upset him. Every time there’s a party, Mom chooses a shirt for Dad, and I always wished I could do the same for my man. I know it’s wrong to expect Varun to be like my dad or Rey uncle, but… but… I don’t know what I’m feeling right now.”
Pari was lost in her thoughts when the assistant handed her a bowl of ice cream. Pari looked up in confusion.
“Ice cream? Do you give ice cream to all your customers?” she asked.
The assistant only smiled, placed the bowl in her hand, and walked away.
“At least this might cool my mind,” Pari thought, starting to eat the ice cream. Just then, Varun returned and sat next to her.
“Don’t you think it’s fair to share with your boyfriend?” he teased.
Ishaan, hidden at a distance, clenched his fist. His blood boiled at Varun’s words.
“No, Pari. Don’t do it. I’ll break his jaw so badly he won’t be able to eat again,” Ishaan muttered under his breath, holding it as he anxiously waited for Pari’s reaction.
Pari slowly emptied the bowl, placed it on the side table, and then turned to Varun.
“Varun, I agree we’re engaged, but didn’t we already talk about this? I need time, and there definitely won’t be any intimacy until marriage. Sharing and spending time together is fine, but let’s take it slow. I’ve always seen you as my friend, and jumping into this suddenly feels weird. So, please… give me time.” Pari smiled gently as she spoke.
Varun forced a smile and bobbed his head. He didn’t say anything more, and soon they left the boutique together.
Later that day, Ishaan arrived at his office and instructed his PA not to disturb him. He opened the gallery on his phone and played the video of Pari twirling in the outfit he had secretly chosen for her.
“A real man can be possessive, but he would never stop his woman from living her life. If I had chosen that outfit for you, Pari, I would’ve been possessive too but also proud to see you carry it with such confidence. I would’ve been happy if you had fought him instead of giving in to his wishes. This isn’t you, Pari. You’ve always hated when I interfered in your life—so what’s stopping you now? I hope you realize the truth very soon. I’ve waited too long, and I don’t mind waiting longer… but it hurts to watch you with him. That bastard has played his part too long, and now he’s begun showing his true colors, even without knowing it. For me, that’s a win-win.”
He then played the next video—the one where she ate the ice cream. His fingers gently brushed over her lips on the screen. Before his thoughts could run wild, Ishaan turned off the video, forcing himself to focus back on his work.
Pari returned home and saw that the stylist had already arrived with the outfits for the party. Kajal was busy picking a shirt for Mithun, while Mithun stood there looking at his wife like a lost puppy. Pari bit her lower lip, her mind wandering back to what had happened earlier at the boutique.
“Get a grip on yourself, Pari. This is all new for Varun too—maybe he’s just confused with everything. He must be learning as well,” she reminded herself, pushing the thoughts aside before stepping into her room.
She quickly changed into a silk shorts-and-shirt set and then called Ishika and Adhvika over for a girls’ talk but her mind wasn’t convinced.
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A/N:
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