Chapter 04 : The Beauty sleep

Rayansh's driver brought the car to halt and announced the arrival of the wedding venue. His bodyguard, Raj who was sitting in passanger seat jerked off from his sleep. He blinked his eyes adjusting to the light and turned to look at his boss who was sleeping peacefully.

"Ray, we reached." Raj announced a little loud as he stretched his hands to shove away the remaining sleep.

"Oh, Vrinda aunty --" He purposely said a little louder than before. Rayansh got a jump scare hearing his mother's name and opened his eyes.

"I'm up. I'm up." He threw his hands up in air as he let out desparately to tell his mother that he was already up as his half asleep brain thought he was still at his house. In his room. And on his bed.

"Dusht! Paap lage ga tumhe."[You wicked person! You'll be punished for this sin.] Rayansh muttered squinting his eyes on Raj as he let out a heartily laugh while the driver stifled back his laugh looking at him pout and glare at him.

A knock on his window made him turn towards it while Raj stopped laughing and instinctively unlocked his side door and got out of the car. Rayansh recognised the person and rolled down the glass while Raj was now standing behind that person, inspecting him through the scanner of his eyes. Rayansh gave Raj a small nod, indicating there wasn't any harm making him relax down his intimidating aura.

"That was scary." The person muttered loud enough for them to hear. Raj frowned at that while Rayansh chuckled as he got down from the car.

"I'm Vansh Rathore, sir." Vansh held out his hand for a handshake as he introduced himself.

"Sir? Please call me, Ray." Rayansh frowned as he extended his hand for holding his for handshake. Vansh smiled in return.

"Vrishank informed me about you." Rayansh told him while Vansh was still shaking their hands in daze of his charm.

"Thank you for coming." Vansh withdrew his hand and genuinely said while Rayansh nodded giving him a half hearted smile.

"I was forced to." Rayansh muttered under his breath.

"Sorry?" Vansh furrowed his brows in confusion.

"I guess. I'm not late." He added with a quick smile looking around.

"No, rituals are about to start. Let's go." Vansh informed as he directed the way to them.

"Raj, don't be too close. People might think we are dating." Rayansh winked at him while Raj rolled his eyes and followed them from two metres away. It was true people as in media thought they were dating and there were few articles stating those rumours as well.

The articles blew up when a picture came floating by of Raj holding Rayansh in his arms as he had a dramatic-bollywood-like-fall due to a stone in the middle of the footpath and they were looking into eachother's eyes. And history of not dating anyone played a huge role in supporting those rumours.

"Rayansh Dubey!" Tej exclaimed with wide eyes as Vansh and Rayansh walked towards them from the rare used exit of the wedding hall.

"You are seriously standing infront of me." He dramatically slapped himself thinking it wasn't a reality and one of his dreams.

"Yes. I am." He chuckled as he forwarded his hand for a handshake.

"I and Prakash uncle are big fan of you." He informed as he gently shook his hand with his while his eyes were already in heart shaped. Glinting with love and admiration.

"Thank you." Rayansh replied warmly as he withdrew his hand.

"Uncle, might faint seeing you live." He joked as they walked towards the Anya's waiting room, unknown to the chaos.

"Any more blames or questions? Please feel free because I am really free for an interview today." Anya looked here and there and then folded her arms and raised one of her hands at her eye level to look at her freshly painted nails. "And to argue too."

They heard her voice through the crowd. Vansh and Tej halted in their track hearing the words that came out from Anya. They looked at eachother with worry and shock as they hurried their steps towards them. Because they never heard her speaking in that particular tone she was speaking in today. Until and unless there was something really big happening.

Rayansh walked behind them clueless and was amused as her figure came into his view. Her back was facing him while she was looking down at her nails. Few strands from her bun were brushing against her cheeks as they were left for the same purpose. He tried to get the view of her face but was unable to as his concentration shifted to the conversation that was going on around him. About how her groom ran away and how her friends felt about it.

“Bappa, please help my, Tai.” Sayami voiced out which got suppressed by another one.

"Anyone in their sense would never want to marry her in their family." Still one of them had a nerve to speak up.

"But I would." Before he knew, the words left out of his mouth and everyone turned towards him as now he was put at the center of attraction. Raj's eyes widened in shock as he covered the distance between them.

"What are you trying --" Raj hissed behind him. Knowing how sensitive Rayansh is at times. He didn't want him to make decisions he might regret later.

"I know what I'm doing." He turned to look at him and then heard few whispers around him. "Trust me." He gave him a small assured smile and walked ahead.

“Who is he?” Prachi nudged her boyfriend, Vansh who turned to look at him, shocked.

“Rayansh Dubey.” Tej informed as he turned back to look at the source of voice.

“Can we trust him with our Anya?” Anushree asked her husband as they stared him.

“I guess yes.” Vansh answered instead.

“No guesses please.” Manini and Sayami said at the same time as they look at this unknown person while Chetna was too stunned to speak.

“I assure you.” Rayansh mumbled as he halted for a second infront of Sayami, whom he assumed to be the bride's sister. He gave her a small smile and turned towards the crowd to meet face-to-face with his bride who had turned to look at his face while a meter of distance still between them.

"I want to have a word with you." Prakash said standing infront of him, blocking the way of their a-meter-distance-meet.

"Who are you?" He asked cautiously as Raj stood next to him with a faint panting.

"I am her father." Prakash said in nonchalant tone and walked towards the waiting room not before ordering him. "Follow me."

Kaveri and Rayansh followed Prakash to the waiting room. As they entered the room he gestured his wife to close the door behind them.

"Why do you want to marry my daughter?" Prakash asked seriously while Rayansh chuckled hearing him. But it was more in nervousness looking at his aura.

"Sorry. It sounded like an interview question to me." Rayansh mumbled scratching the back of his neck while Prakash remained unfazed.

"I know you are a celebrity. And I don't want you to regret this later. I prefer my daughter's happiness over 'what will people think?' or even if my reputation is at stake." Prakash said firmly while Kaveri nodded positively in acknowledgement.

"I am glad she got such caring parents and I assure you. I'll keep your daughter happy." Rayansh said softly as he recalled Anushree's words about marrying Anya to Anya's aunt's friend son.

He knew her parents would ask the same question he was being asked to that person and her parents might even give in for the sweet words. Although he was offering them sweet words he really meant them unlike that person who was unknown to him but very well known by her friends.

I am just trying to help.

The entire wedding ceremony went in blur. Infront of the scared fire they vowed to take in the responsibilities that came with the title of husband and wife.

"Aata pasun tu yachi bayko ani ha tujha navra. Chala, vadilancha ashirwad ghya." [From now onwards you are husband and wife. Please take blessings from the elders.] Priest said as the wedding ritual was over. Anya sighed and nodded at him while Rayansh stared at the priest trying to decode his words.

Anya stood up while he was still sitting on his place. Looking at her standing and fixing her attire he hurriedly stood up. She walked towards her parents direction and bend down to take their blessings while he followed her in tow. They then walked towards some of the other relatives and took their blessings as well.

It was time to bid farewell to her family and friends. She stood their blankly as she was engulfed in her mother's arms who was crying buckets. She just patted her back in order to calm her down. Kaveri pulled out of the hug and sniffed as she wiped her eyes with the end of her saree pallu. Anya's eyes softened a little. Prakash walked towards her and patted her head affectionately while she gave him a small smile.

Sayami who was standing at the little distance didn't knew what to do. Go and hug her sister or just stand there watching her go. She chose second option, thinking it will be easy to let her sister go smilingly rather than looking at her crying-mess face. But when Anya just extended her arms towards her for a hug she bolted towards her and threw herself in her arms. Before she knew she was crying wildly while Anya rubbed her back to calm her down and occasionally pressed kisses on her head, blinking back her own tears.

"Why are you crying?" Raj whispered to Rayansh, amused at his reaction.

"How could one not cry looking at this emotional blockbuster?" Rayansh sniffed as he rubbed his nose with the back of his hand.

"I'm not sure who the bride is." Raj muttered glancing between Rayansh and Anya. Rayansh was crying openly while he was just returning his home back while Anya was leaving her home and family behind but wasn't shedding a single drop.

"Insensitive people like you won't understand." Rayansh countered back rubbing off his small tears from cheeks while Raj just rolled his eyes.

"Take care." Anya mumbled to Sayami as she pulled out of the hug. She wiped her eyes away using her thumb as Sayami gave her feeble smile.

They both settled inside the car as driver ignited the engine. Raj had arranged a bike for himself to closely follow the car because Rayansh told him to do so. Not wanting to make Anya uncomfortable with the car packed with complete strangers. Strangers as in men species.

Anya was looking outside the window at the hues of the evening sky that were mixed of purple, pink, blue and orange. She didn't knew how her life was going to be from here onwards. Her parents, after talking to him, her husband now, asked her opinion for the marriage. Looking a hope in their eyes she didn't object it and just went with the flow.

But in reality she wanted to ask them does her opinion really matter? If she had said no, will they willing take all the taunts thrown on them by their relatives and other people of society? Does she not matter to them over this society? Was she always supposed to follow their words and not live as per her own thoughts? Why should she be always the perfect one? Why couldn't she have flaws? Was she just a trophy that they would show off? Will her feelings every considered? Will their relationship be not strain if she had objected it? Are they willing to let live their daughter with a complete stranger just by listening to his few words? Was she really their own daughter or a adopted case? Will they be at ease if ---

"I live in a joint family. Will it be okay with you?" Rayansh's soft voice made her hault her thoughts.

She turned to look at him. She stared him almost glaring him with her sharp eyes as her nose flared. She held herself back from saying anything she would regret later. He shifted a little in his seat looking at her aura.

She must have got it from her father. He thought recalling the encounter with her parents.

"Or we can stay ---" He started only to get interrupted by her as she gave him a small positive nod.

What's that supposed to mean? He looked confusedly at her.

She meant okay. I guess. He nodded to himself.

Why do I end up with ice cubes out of all people?

He thought to himself but looking at her squinting her eyes he knew it wasn't the case. She heard him loud and clear as from the corner of his eyes he could see driver holding back his laugh.

The audacity!

She exhaled deeply and turned to look outside again. He was the root cause of all the mess she was in right now. If only, he hadn't jumped in like a hero she would have been travelling back to her house and rest there for some more years and didn't had to go through all this marriage shit.

She turned to glare at him as his knee brushed against hers but he was now sinking a little in his seat with crossed arms around his chest and his right leg was folded, that was resting crossed on his other thigh. His eyes were closed as his head was resting on the headrest.

Sleepy head.

Here, I am fighting for my life and he is sleeping peacefully.

"Bhaiya, how much time it will take?" She leaned forward and asked the driver.

"More than two hours." He replied looking at his watch for the time.

"Are we going to Mumbai?" She asked frowning after calculating the distance between two places.

"Yes." He replied to which she just nodded positively and leaned back in her seat.

What was this fellow doing in Pune, then?

That fellow is also your husband now. Her inner conscience reminded her.

She ignored that inner voice and sighed. She closed her eyes for a minute and opened it. She thought of having a nap but she knew her body, it won't rest until it felt safe. Now she was everything but safe. An unknown driver, an unknown road and an unknown husband who was taking his beauty sleep.

Glossary:
Bappa - addressing the lord Ganesha.
Tai - addressing elder sister

A/N

A day early than promised because the book got 200+ views from 0 on Wattpad and it really means a lot to me. *Yayy! doing victory dance *

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