Simran

******

I slipped my arm into my husband's as he smiled softly at me. This smile was solely for me, not for the world. I knew his fake smile, but this one was genuine, real, not some show-off grin. I was well accustomed to his calculated smiles and practiced posture, but what he displayed now was his true smile; how he stood with me was confident yet gentle. This was something he had never let the world see but only me.

For the world, he had everything calculated and measured, even his words. But with me, he was unguarded; he didn't pretend.

I tightened my hold on his arm and took a deep breath. No matter how hard I tried, the nervousness just wouldn't go away. I wasn't someone who had a stage fear or something, but tonight was different. Tonight I wasn't going to walk just as Simran but as Simran Chauhan, and that was enough to put some weight on my shoulders, like I had a huge responsibility on me to make sure I didn't mess up.

"I will be watched."

The words slipped out of my mouth before I could even stop them. That statement was simply driven by my anxiety. We were waiting for Dhriti Di and Dhruv Bhaiya to call us in as they were hosting our reception that night. But it was taking longer than expected, and my anxiety was spiking as we stood behind the closed doors.

"Does that make you nervous?" He asked.

I looked up at him, a nervous smile playing on my lips.

"I am standing beside you. Of course, I am nervous."

He was like a god to the world. And no, I wasn't exaggerating. He was feared but equally respected, too. People might see him as a beast, but he had his worshippers, too. Besides, it wasn't a hidden fact that business personalities admired him, and a lot of women had chased him. I highly doubted that my being his wife was going to stop women from approaching him.

He was someone people held in high regard, while I was someone nobody had ever known. I didn't have a lot of insecurity, but tonight I felt different. Strangely, the woman who never feared anyone much, even stood strong against this beast, was now feeling insecure.

I feared being judged, being seen as less than my husband. A few years back, none of it would have mattered. But now, all of a sudden, it did. I was a strong woman who knew how to give back what I received, but tonight I felt scared. Like I was about to be placed under the world's radar. This wasn't me. But I guess that's what happens when you start belittling yourself, when you see yourself beneath someone instead of as their equal. I was overwhelmed by my husband's fame, and maybe that was the root of my insecurity. As awful as it sounded, it was the truth, and I despised myself for feeling that way.

"You shouldn't be nervous because you are standing beside me." He slipped his arm off my hand and cupped my cheeks.

"You are safe with me..." He assured me firmly yet softly.

I knew I was safe with him. That became clear the moment he chose to shield me from a bullet without blinking, without even thinking twice. I trusted his words, yet somehow that niggling feeling inside me didn't just leave.

"This world should be nervous..." He declared with calm certainty.

"Why?"

"Because you are the only one who has the power to rule me. Always remember that."

He sounded like he meant it. 

But did I really hold that much power over him? 

Did I truly rule the beast who ruled empires and was worshipped by the world?

And if I did hold that power, then I needed to learn how to handle it, because it was too much.

"I have never seen you this nervous. What happened to the wife who chased me with a coconut every morning, huh?" He took a playful jibe at me. I mean, out of every place he chose that moment to make fun of me? Not fair, Mr. Beast.

"That wife is still inside me...just a little occupied," I replied, rolling my eyes at him.

"I think she got scared," he claimed.

I scoffed.

"I am not scared."

A smirk, dark, dangerous yet teasing, played on his features.

"Say that when I make you tremble with both pain and pleasure," he whispered, turning me completely red now.

I narrowed my eyes at him, swatted his hands away, and crossed my arms, now fuming.

Why did he have to piss me off?

A moment ago, I was nervous but excited too. Now I was just annoyed. All because of my husband.

He had mastered the art of messing with my head and ruining perfectly good moments. If there were an award for Best at Ruining a Moment, my husband would win it, mainly because he would be the only one competing.

Suddenly, Di and Bhaiya announced our arrival. There were claps and hooting for us. But my husband had just annoyed me a little, and I wanted to give him a hard time; I wanted to make him plead.

"Firefly, let's go."

"Huh... I won't. You can go alone," I said, imagining how satisfying it would be if he dropped to his knees the moment the doors opened. I guess it was time to exercise my power over him. He claimed I held power over him, so why not use it to test it, right?

"Not now, firefly," he said sternly.

He could sound as stern as he wanted, but I wasn't giving in. I twisted my mouth to one side and stared at my nails as if I were too busy admiring the pretty pink polish to care.

"So you won't go inside with me?"

"No. Not unless you plead on your knees..."

I peeked at him from the corner of my eyes. A dangerous flare passed through his eyes, and suddenly it was my turn to feel the hidden threat beneath his calm.

Did I just mess up?

"Just because you rule me doesn't mean I bow every time," he whispered cockily.

Before I could react, he scooped me into his arms.

"Kiaan... put me down..." I protested, my legs dangling.

"I will once the world has seen you in my arms."

"Kiaan..." I tried hitting his chest lightly, but at that exact moment, the doors that led to the grand ballroom opened, revealing a crowd far larger than I had ever expected, all waiting for us. 

He walked in with me cradled against his chest. The spotlight fell on us. Every eye fell on us now; the clapping had stopped, the hooting had died now. Soft music continued to play in the background, but the crowd stood frozen as if they had witnessed a beast with its beauty showing affection to her. Some mouths hung open. Some eyes widened like saucers, and a few women blushed and gushed over us. Some people admired us genuinely, but...there were jealous glances as well, cast in our direction.

But the one expression they all shared was nervousness, just like my husband claimed.

They had just witnessed how important I was to that man, to the beast the world both feared and revered. And at that moment, they understood that this wasn't just a marriage we were in, this was a lifetime, irreversible bond.

They knew, and I did too, that this beast wasn't claiming his wife in front of the world, but he claimed me to be his everything. This wasn't a realization to the world, but to me, which had my breath hitch. He expressed through his gesture that I meant more to him than he ever let the words speak about it.

He didn't hold me in his arms like a trophy meant to be admired. He held me like a warning, a silent promise that anyone who dared to touch what was his would not live to regret it.

To the world, I wasn't his weakness. I was his claim, his source of power, and his line in the sand no one should dare to even think to reach.

He let them see how important I was, but not as something fragile nor as leverage, but as part of his soul.

I was the only one who could calm the storm inside him, the only one who could reach the beast and command it without fear. And everyone knew now... that kind of power belonged to no one else but me, The Beast's Queen.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please recover from the shock," Di's voice rang across the hall, amused and dramatic. "I know, I know it's a lot to take in. But the night has only just begun, and trust me, you are in for much more. So please, a thunderous round of applause for my handsome hunk of a brother, Kiaan Chauhan, and his beautiful, fierce wife, Simran Chauhan!"

The crowd erupted in whistles, cheers, and claps echoing against the chandeliers as Kiaan stepped toward the center stage, carrying me effortlessly.

I didn't look at them now, but only at my husband.

There wasn't a trace of arrogance on his face, no smug pride, no dominance on display. Only something far more dangerous.

Contentment.

Now, this contentment did not seem to be born from his ego... but it felt like it originated after years of silent battles finally won. He had the look of a man who had built an empire brick by brick, and it seemed like he was carrying someone he had fought the hardest battles for. Me.

The thought of it sounded ridiculous, but his hold and his eyes narrated that tale.

"And by the way," Dhruv Bhaiya added, stepping forward with that calm smile, "Simran is fiery. She keeps my brother on his toes..."

He paused deliberately, gesturing toward us.

"...as you can already see."

The crowd burst into laughter now, recovering from the shock. I was still in the same shock of realization, though.

Kiaan's arm around me tightened just slightly in a subtle, possessive way after Dhruv Bhaiya's remark. The crowd laughed, thinking Dhuruv Bhaiya had joked, but only I knew it wasn't a joke.

Standing on that center stage, Kiaan gave me a look that clearly said, The world has seen you as mine, and now no one will dare go against you.

He eventually put me on my feet, though he still held me extremely close. His hand rested possessively against my waist while my arm stayed settled on his chest for support.

"All the best for pictures..." Di whispered teasingly as she walked past us, fully aware of how much this part would bother Kiaan. She left the stage with Dhruv Bhaiya; both of them were still looking amused by the stunt Kiaan just pulled by carrying me in his arms.

Just as expected, Kiaan wasn't very accommodating or helpful to the cameramen. We were supposed to get our pictures clicked first and then greet the guests, our family and friends, but Kiaan was too adamant about not letting the photographers have even one proper click, as if he had a personal grudge against them.

But it wasn't like that. I knew my man, and he hated being told how to stand, how to pose, where to look. He wanted everything the way he wanted it. And because of that, everything was getting delayed.

Meanwhile, I couldn't even go meet my friends who had been waving at me constantly from the crowd.

"Mr. and Mrs. Chauhan, this side please..."

"Sir, chin up..."

"Ma'am, please ask sir to look at the camera..."

"Ma'am, move a little closer to Sir..."

"Smile, please...."

Kiaan's patience was running out. If I hadn't been there to ground him, he would have already blasted on them. He would hold me tight every time he was told to stand or smile a certain way. Now, the thing was my husband was the one who ordered others, but he never took one. My husband set the rules always; he wasn't the one to accommodate others ' demands or requests.

I realized I would have to do something before things got messy. Either Kiaan would have ruined the photographers' mood and had their jobs snatched, or the photographers would give themselves up. Either way, it was their loss, and they would be in tears. I didn't want anyone in tears on my special night. Besides, the photographers already look like they would weep any moment now.

"Wait!" I held my palm up, stopping the photographer's mid-instruction. They already looked exhausted and extremely desperate to get that one perfect shot and escape to couples who wouldn't make them sweat the way my husband was.

"You need one good click, right?" I asked

"Just one," one of them said, practically pleading with his eyes. He needed my help to be saved from my beast. I gave him a small nod before turning to Kiaan.

"Kiaan, just look at the camera for once... please..."

He genuinely looked uninterested. Throughout the entire session, his eyes had remained on me. Not once had they shifted toward the lens.

"For me... please...." I added, making the most shameless puppy face, blinking rapidly.

He didn't look convinced. If anything, he looked mildly annoyed.

My gaze drifted to my friends standing at a distance, who were still waving and smiling, waiting for me. I wanted to meet them before we began greeting the rest of the guests, which I knew would turn into a long, exhausting ritual. But the way Kiaan kept stretching this photography session, it felt like I wouldn't even get that small moment with them.

"I have to go meet my friends too," I said softly, trying again.

He followed my line of sight, glanced at them for barely a second. At first, his expression was unreadable, but then he looked uninterested before looking back at me.

"They can wait...."

I sighed. It was always a hectic task trying to convince my husband. But I wasn't giving up that easily.

"It's our night, you said. And I want our close ones to be involved too. I just need one small moment with them before you steal me away to meet the guests," I laid out my conundrum in front of him.

He gave me a long look, his expression still as bored as before.

"Fine then. But after the reception, I want you all to myself."

"Done," I replied instantly, smiling. I was just happy that he agreed. I didn't think about the pros or cons of what I had just committed to.

"You have no idea what you are promising me, firefly. You can't go back on your words," he whispered, his eyes intensely fixed on mine.

"I know what I am offering, Mr. Chauhan, and I won't go back on my words."

It was just a moment with him after the reception. I had done that before, and I could do it again. 

What could possibly go wrong?

Besides, even if I hadn't agreed, he would have kidnapped me from our own reception. I knew that man too well, and was aware how capable he was of doing that.

Soon enough, Kiaan finally turned toward the camera. His hold on me tightened slightly, pulling me extremely close. His smile wasn't as wide as mine, but it wasn't fake either. It was soft, low, and only for me. I waited with bated breath, smiling at the camera for the perfect picture to be clicked. Then the click echoed, the photographers checked the picture, and finally exhaled in relief. All of it might sound fast, but it happened in slow motion for me.

"That's a perfect click!" one of them announced, and I released my breath too.

Mission accomplished!!

"Sim... come on..." Nitya called out once she realized the photo session was over.

I tried moving away, but there was a tug at my wrist that halted my steps. My husband was still holding me.

"Let me go... please...." I had lost count of how many times I had pleaded with this man. Sometimes I wondered if he was obsessed with hearing me beg him for small freedoms.

"Remember your promise," he warned quietly.

I didn't reply. That would have been predictable, and he would have dragged me into another intense conversation. He was just dragging this conversation so that I spent some more time with him instead. So, instead of replying to him and getting myself tangled in another exchange of words, I decided to catch him off guard.

I tiptoed, pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, and ran giggling like I hadn't just bargained my entire night away. As I ran, I turned back, and the sight made my heart skip a beat and made me blush harder.

Kiaan was smiling, ear to ear, watching me. And the flashes of cameras immediately turned toward him. After all, it wasn't every day that Kiaan Chauhan gave the world a heartfelt smile.

The photographers made sure not to miss that moment, and I was glad because I wanted to cherish that memory forever.

Finally, I was surrounded by my friends and family.

Niti hugged me so tight as if we had met after years and not just weeks. I didn't blame her, though. She had been crying uncontrollably over the phone when she heard about the shootout at the house, but she couldn't be there for me. She and Arjun had gone on a short weekend trip and got stuck because of a snowstorm, unable to travel back in time.

"I am so, so happy for you," she said, grinning as she finally released me.

"Now don't you tell me that man doesn't feel anything for you. Have you seen him being crazy for you?" She looked like an excited child. First, because two of her closest friends seemed happy, and second, because I wasn't upset... I was glowing.

"I wouldn't call it being crazy for me. I am just taking one step at a time," I replied honestly.

"Oh, please. That wasn't a step. That was a hundred-meter sprint!" she exclaimed dramatically.

Maybe it did look that way to everyone else. But to me, it was just one step. Considering how adamant Kiaan was about having everything his way, the fact that he was accommodating me and my needs at all was a huge deal.

"I knew this day would come soon," Shruti said as she hugged me next.

"What day?" Saavi asked.

"When the beast would introduce Simran to the world as his."

Her smile said she had predicted this long ago.

"Really?" I asked, genuinely surprised. I couldn't have imagined this happening even in my wildest dreams.

"I always saw the way he looked at you." She winked at Di, who simply smiled in agreement.

"I guess I should have believed you when you said this would happen one day," Di said to Shruti warmly.

How had I not noticed it?

Was I blind?

Or was I just too busy misinterpreting everything while everyone else was reading between the lines?

There were so many questions I wanted answered. But I had decided that I would move at my husband's pace. Because I had realized the more I tried to gain control, the more he pulled away.

In a few minutes, I had met almost all of our friends present there.

Jai and Niharika congratulated me before heading off to get their pictures clicked with Dhruv Bhaiya and Saavi. Nikhil and Anvi hugged me, and then Nikhil dragged Anvi toward the food counters. Arjun and Niti joined them soon after.

Meanwhile, Hredhaan was standing a little away, talking to his fiancée, who, by the way, I didn't like much. Though he was standing with her...but his eyes...they were solely on Shruti. And Shruti, unaware or perhaps very aware, was talking to another man, her hand resting casually on that man's arm.

The look in Hredhaan's eyes changed...It wasn't one of irritation, rather something dangerous, a warning instead. It felt like he was speaking through his eyes that if Shruti didn't remove her hand from that man's arm soon, a catastrophe would unfold right there.

But it wasn't Shruti's fault. Shruti was single; she could be with anyone she wanted to be with. It was Hredhaan's fault entirely. He was the one engaged, and yet he was the one watching her like that.

Hredhaan's fiancée, in my personal opinion, was absolutely unbearable, but for some reason, he didn't seem to mind her. At that same time, no one could ignore the silent tension brewing between the Royal Prince and the woman who was desired by many, yet dangerous enough that no man ever dared to truly claim her.

If I had watched them for far too long, I would have said or done something I shouldn't have. So, I left them on their own, knowing very well they wouldn't appreciate anyone interfering in their already explosive lives.

Besides, I already had my handful of husband to deal with.

Namit Jiju and Di stayed beside me while I scanned the area, searching for Kiaan. We were supposed to begin greeting the guests by now, and he was supposed to be by my side. But he wasn't in my sight. It felt rude to keep everyone waiting.

"I will go look for him," Jiju said to me before walking off.

Just a few minutes ago, Kiaan wasn't letting me move away from him, and now he had disappeared without a word.

Weird Man!

'What could possibly be so important that he didn't even tell me before vanishing like that?' I wondered

"Looking for someone?" I heard a soft voice that made my heart stutter.

The voice was familiar, too familiar, too homely.

I turned toward the sound, and Di and I exchanged a shocked look. I went completely still, speechless, while Di gasped and immediately rushed forward to hug them, overwhelmed with their presence.

I couldn't process what I was seeing, because I hadn't expected for even a moment that I would meet them. I had already accepted the cruel fate that they wouldn't be at my reception. As much as I wanted and craved their presence, I hadn't expected anyone from my family to attend. But there they were.

Sonia, Adya Bhabhi, and Ishaan Bhaiya stood there smiling heartily at me. They were standing right in front of me. My eyes instantly brimmed with tears when Sonia rushed to me and pulled me into a tight hug.

"Simmi..." she squealed excitedly.

"I missed you so much," she confessed.

I hugged her back just as tightly, but sniffed as I was quite overwhelmed. We used to share an unbreakable once, and now I have been navigating my life without her.

"Me too..." I replied.

In that moment, it felt like every ache, every unresolved pain, every silent battle I had fought... they just faded.

Sonia and I had been inseparable growing up. We might have been cousins by relation but sisters by choice. Our ages were nearly the same, which made us partners in every mischief. While Di and Ishaan Bhaiya shared their own inseparable bond, Sonia and I had ours.

When we finally pulled back, she gently dabbed the corner of my eyes with her handkerchief, frowning.

"Don't ruin your beautiful makeup..." She complained.

I laughed softly, nodding, still holding her hands as if she might disappear.

"You look so adorable..." Adya Bhabhi gushed before pulling me into a warm, comforting hug.

"And happy too... isn't she, Bhaiya?" Sonia added.

When Bhabhi stepped back, she nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah... she does look happy."

Then she turned to Ishaan Bhaiya, asking, "Right, Ishaan?"

Ishaan Bhaiya didn't just look happy to see me, but he looked guilty, too. Moreover, the two women beside him made sure he didn't forget that.

His guilt wasn't only about what happened that night at the wedding. It was about three years of silence, three years of not reaching out to me. I could feel that weight sitting on his shoulders.

"I am sorry. I have been such a terrible brother to you..." His voice was heavy, strained.

But apologies could wait. Right then, I just needed my brother, who always held me before I fell.

So, before he could even finish, I stepped forward and hugged him. He froze for half a second as if he wasn't expecting that, and then his arms wrapped around me protectively, tightly.

"Are you happy?" he asked softly, stroking my hair the way he used to when I was younger.

I lifted my head slightly but stayed in his embrace.

"Yeah..."

"I thought no one would come," I admitted quietly. After everything that happened that night, I had stopped expecting anyone from my family to stand beside me.

"Well... we weren't planning to initially... but..." Adya Bhabhi trailed off.

"Kiaan Jiju made it possible," Sonia quickly added.

I pulled back from the hug fully this time.

"Kiaan?" I repeated, stunned.

As much as I knew Kiaan, and after witnessing his wrath that night, I never expected him to invite my family or to end the feud soon.

How did he even do that?

And why?

Sonia nodded in response before saying, "He called me one night, being worried for you. He told me to choose either you or the stupid elders. So I chose you."

I was almost certain Sonia had replaced whatever terrifying word Kiaan had actually used for the elders with the word "stupid" in her statement

"What about you two?" I asked, looking at Ishaan Bhaiya and Adya Bhabhi.

"He called us too," Bhabhi replied calmly.

Ishaan Bhaiya sighed.

"Seeing you happy with him... I guess I can look past any misunderstanding I had. Your happiness is all that matters," Bhaiya said, making me more emotional. He gave me a small, genuine smile which carried both warmth and regret.

"Glad Kiaan made you apologize. Otherwise, I would have," Di muttered, still glaring at Bhaiya.

Ishaan Bhaiya immediately held his ears in mock surrender while Di rolled her eyes. He looked to Namit Jiju for help, who had come back, but Kiaan wasn't with him. Jiju simply shrugged, clearly enjoying the scene. After all, it was Bhaiya's fault.

"Come on, Sammy..." Bhaiya teased, pulling Di's cheeks.

She swatted his hand away, only to hug him the next second, though not before landing a soft punch on his chest.

While Di made him apologize at least three more times for dramatic satisfaction, Adya Bhabhi stepped closer to me. Her voice lowered when she said, "Kiaan worships you, Simran. Your husband is one of a kind."

My breath came in low breaths now.

"I was honestly scared Ishaan wouldn't agree to come," she continued. "But I don't know what Kiaan said to him on that call. He was washed with guilt afterward."

I stood there, absorbing every word.

"And you know I am usually the only one who can convince Ishaan," she added softly, "but Kiaan doing that... surprised me."

"You are blessed, Simmi," Sonia whispered, her eyes shining with happiness for me while mine burned with unshed tears.

At that moment, the need to find my husband grew stronger. I didn't know what I would say to him when I found him, but I needed him with me, to ground me. Only he could stop those overwhelming emotions from taking control over me.

Namit Jiju told me he had found Kiaan and that he would come to me soon, yet for some reason, I couldn't ease my restlessness. Maybe it was intuition. Maybe it was the overwhelming emotion niggling inside me. But his being away from me for that long didn't sit well with me

Every other friend joined us again to meet Sonia, Ishaan Bhaiya, and Adya Bhabhi. Meanwhile, I slipped away quietly, making sure I didn't catch anyone's attention, to find my husband.

While looking for Kiaan, I ended up near the restricted area of the ship. All of a sudden, I saw someone there who wasn't supposed to be there at all. It was just a flash, so I thought maybe I imagined it. But my intuition kept warning me, and I didn't ignore my intuition.

I followed the person, the same woman who once tried to destroy me. When she came fully into my view, I wasn't just shocked, I was too stunned to react.

Rhea.

She was walking straight toward someone, a man who was standing at a distance. I followed her quietly to see who the man was. But what I witnessed had my steps halted.

Because...it wasn't just anyone she was walking to, but the one man I had been looking for. My husband.

Rhea walked closer to him and held his wrist. He didn't free his hand, and he let her hold him, as she owned him. She leaned in and whispered something into his ear, smiling seductively. I could feel my heart pounding, not because of anticipation but because of fear of what was coming next.

The flash from three years ago, when I had gone to meet him and found him closer to her, played in front of my eyes. The same scene was replaying in front of me.

I kept telling my mind, this wasn't happening, like this wasn't real, like this was some kind of nightmare I was stuck in. But the reality in front of me narrated a very different tale.

He gently placed his other hand on her waist and grabbed her closer, just like he had grabbed me close only a few minutes ago. My eyes burned more with the tears threatening to come out now. And then....he walked away with her into a room while I stood there like a fool.

The door shut loudly, but it wasn't the sound of it that echoed. It was the sound of a crack that screamed. That sound of the crack didn't come from anywhere outside, but it came from inside of me.

It was the sound of my heart breaking.

And what did I do?

I stood there frozen. Again. Because I just witnessed myself being destroyed. Again.

******

Hi Lovelies,

I hope you all are doing well. But are you? I mean, after reading this chapter, are you really okay? 🤔

Ab mujhe Best Reception Ruin Author ka award mil hi jana chahiye, hai na? 😂

Why did Kiaan do that to Simran, guys? Just why? 🤔

Ab kya Simran paani mein kud jaayegi ya Kiaan ko fenk degi? 🤔

But jo bhi hai...dil tham kar baithna kyuki aage aane vale chapters aapke dil ke liye hanikarak ho sakte hain 🥹

Do share your views about the chapter. It would mean a lot to me. ❤️

P.S --> Friday ko milta hain 🙇‍♀️

Thanks,

Shrishtee