The beginning

The house was brimming with celebration. Laughter echoed through the hallways, guests buzzing with joy-and a sprinkle of envy.

After all, the most sought-after bachelor of the business world was officially off the market.

He was none other than Mr. Siddharth Roy-the enigmatic CEO of Roy Industries, a legacy business passed down through generations. Under his sharp leadership, the company had reached unprecedented heights, earning him the prestigious "Businessman of the Year" award five years in a row.

But tonight wasn't about boardrooms and deals.

Tonight was about his wedding.

Siddharth's mother, Mira, scanned the crowd with a mix of joy and exasperation. "Siddharth!" she called, her voice sharp. "What is this behavior? Why are the bride and groom not together? Where is Nandini?!"

Siddharth stiffened at her tone and quickly looked around the hall. ((Not that he had a collection of wives hidden somewhere))

His gaze landed on a quiet corner, where Nandini sat nervously, wide-eyed and visibly overwhelmed-like a timid deer in a lion's den.

He walked toward her, observing her anxious posture, the way she flinched at loud laughter or curious stares.

When Nandini noticed him approaching, her lips curved into a small, shy smile. Siddharth's features softened for the briefest moment before he caught himself and returned to his usual stoic mask.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his tone cool.

"Ah... I was just sitting," she stammered, unsettled by his detached voice.

"Come on. Amma is looking for you."

Together, they walked toward Mira, who had tears glistening in her eyes as she took in the sight of her son and his new bride side by side.

"Come here, both of you," she said emotionally. "Finish the family rituals and then go upstairs to rest."

Siddharth's friends, ever the pranksters, started teasing them, causing Nandini to blush and lower her gaze.

"Enough, you monkeys!" Mira scolded, though the smile on her face betrayed her amusement.

"But Mamma, just this once!" Ashok, Siddharth's childhood friend, pleaded. "We never thought Sid would be the settling-down kind!"

"Later, Ashok! First, let them finish the rituals," Mira said, handing Nandini a decorated pooja plate and giving Siddharth a small ceremonial bell

Nandini's POV

Ahh... I'm so tired. Mentally and physically.

You might ask, why? Well, let me tell you -my husband's family is HUGE. And when I say huge, I mean forty members huge! And each one of them? A certified chatterbox.

Like, hello? Has anyone ever heard of the word introvert? Clearly, they haven't. Except for my dear husband, of course.

He's the only one who's quieter than me. In fact, he's spoken exactly two sentences to me since the wedding. Two. And guess what they were?

We reached his bedroom (our bedroom now, I guess). I started removing the heavy accessories while he went to freshen up.

Now, before he comes back and I lose the chance-let me tell you a bit about myself.

I was Nandini Gopal. Now, I'm Nandini Siddharth Roy. Fancy, right?

I lived a simple, sweet life with my mother and younger sister. It was always just the three of us a small, happy family.

This marriage? Totally unexpected. Mira Amma-my now mother-in-law-visited us one day with a marriage proposal. My mom was hesitant at first because, let's be honest, we aren't exactly royalty. But Mira Amma said she didn't care about money -she just wanted a good daughter for her family.

I've always been the silent, introverted type... except with my close friends and family. So yeah, this sudden jump into the spotlight-terrifying.

I saw Siddharth only once before the wedding, during our engagement. And let me tell you something-I regret not looking at him properly back then.

Because damn, my husband is very handsome.

Like, dangerously handsome. The kind of face that screams: "Don't even think about looking at me, or I'll pluck your eyes out and frame them in my study." That handsome.

So here I am-married. After 22 years of living the peaceful, single life.

Maybe waiting this long was worth it, if I end up with a man like him.

But let's not get carried away with compliments. His behavior? Yeah, that's another story.

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