In Bharadwaj mansion,
Rakshit pushed open the bedroom door before stepping aside. Looking at Aprajita, he said quietly, "You can go in."
She gave a small nod and walked inside.
The room looked exactly the way she had imagined it would.
Elegant.
Perfectly organised.
And almost entirely colourless.
Her eyes slowly wandered across the space. The charcoal-grey walls blended seamlessly with the black furniture, while the white curtains and neatly arranged decor added a quiet contrast. Everything had its place. There wasn't a single book lying around, not a single cushion out of line.
It didn't feel like a bedroom. It felt like Rakshit Bharadwaj.
Her thoughts drifted to the room she had left behind that morning.
Cream-coloured walls. Fairy lights hanging above her bookshelf. Small indoor plants by the window. A half-finished novel on her bedside table. Colourful cushions her mother insisted didn't match.
It had always been messy but it had felt alive.
This room was beautiful. Yet, it felt strangely lonely.
Rakshit placed her suitcase near the wardrobe before turning towards her. Picking up his laptop from the study table, he said, "Change and get some rest."
She looked at him questioningly.
"I have an online meeting with our overseas investors," he explained, slipping the laptop under his arm. "I'll be in the study for a while."
He walked towards the door before pausing briefly.
"If you need anything," he said without looking back, "...give me a call."
Before she could reply, he stepped outside and quietly closed the door behind him.
The room fell silent. Aprajita stood there for a few moments before letting out a slow breath.
Then, a tiny smile appeared on her lips.
"Liar," she murmured to herself.
She knew Rakshit well enough to recognise the excuse.
There was probably no meeting.
He had simply left because he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable on their first night.
Shaking the thought away, she picked up her suitcase and walked into the dressing room. A few minutes later, she emerged wearing a simple cotton kurti and loose pyjamas, her damp hair falling over one shoulder as she absent-mindedly dried it with a towel.
She looked around the room once again. Her gaze stopped at the king-sized bed. Then shifted to the long sofa near the window.
A small smile crossed her face. "Problem solved."
Quietly opening the wardrobe, she took out a light blanket and a cushion before making herself comfortable on the sofa. It wasn't nearly as soft as the bed.
But it was enough.
Switching off the main lights, she left only the bedside lamp glowing faintly in one corner. The room was soon filled with a soft golden light that barely reached the sofa.
Aprajita lay down slowly and pulled the blanket over herself.
Staring at the ceiling, she smiled faintly and whispered, "Good night... Mrs. Bharadwaj."
The new surname felt unfamiliar. A dream she had wished for.
A reality she had never expected.
Within minutes, exhaustion overpowered the whirlwind inside her mind.
💛
The first rays of the morning sun slipped through the curtains, filling the room with a soft golden glow.
Aprajita stirred awake and instinctively turned towards the king-sized bed.
It was untouched.
She slowly sat up, her eyes lingering on the neatly made bed before a small sigh escaped her lips. "He never came back" A faint smile tugged at her lips.
Of course he hadn't.
Quietly getting off the sofa, she folded the blanket neatly and placed the cushion back in its place before walking towards the bathroom to freshen up.
A little later, she opened her suitcase and carefully searched through her clothes.
Today was her first morning as the daughter-in-law of the Bharadwaj family.
Almost instantly, her mother's voice echoed in her mind. "No matter how modern the family is, don't skip the pehli rasoi, Appu," Malti had said while packing her suitcase. "It's not about the ritual. It's about making your place in the family with love."
A soft smile spread across Aprajita's face."I know ma," she whispered to herself.
She picked out a simple peach-coloured saree and walked into the attached bathroom.
The room felt quiet.
Comfortable.
Private.
Without giving it another thought, she left the dressing room door unlocked.
After all, there wasn't anyone else who would be using it.
---
Nearly an hour later, Rakshit quietly pushed open the bedroom door.
He looked exhausted.
Whether he had actually spent the night working or simply avoided coming back to the room, even he wasn't sure anymore.
His eyes instinctively fell on the bed. It hadn't been slept in.
Frowning slightly, he glanced around the room before noticing the neatly folded blanket on the sofa.
His gaze lingered there for a moment. 'She slept here on the sofa.' A quiet guilt settled somewhere inside him.
Running a hand through his hair, he walked towards the dressing room.
The door was slightly open. Assuming it was empty, he pushed it open without thinking.
The next second, he froze.
Aprajita stood before the full-length mirror, completely unaware that he had entered.
Her long, damp hair rested over one shoulder as she carefully adjusted the pleats of her saree. Humming softly to herself, she tucked the final pleat into her waist before lifting the pallu over her shoulder.
At that exact moment, she looked up. Their eyes met in the mirror. The colour immediately drained from her face. "S-Sir..."
The word escaped her lips before she could stop it.
Realising he was standing there, she instinctively clutched the edge of her pallu against herself and turned slightly away, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
Rakshit looked away just as quickly. "I'm sorry," he said immediately, taking a step back. "I thought the room was empty."
His voice was unusually hurried. For once, the ever-composed CEO sounded flustered.
Without waiting for another word, he stepped outside and gently closed the door behind him.
Leaning against the wall, he shut his eyes and let out a long breath. "Brilliant, Rakshit," he muttered under his breath, rubbing his forehead. "You're not living alone anymore."
Shaking his head at his own carelessness, he quietly walked away from the room, deciding to give her all the time she needed.
Inside the dressing room, Aprajita remained rooted to the spot. Her heartbeat refused to slow down. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she pressed a hand against her chest and let out a nervous laugh.
Of all the awkward moments she had imagined after marrying Rakshit Bharadwaj, walking into each other like this had never been one of them.
💛
A few minutes later, the dressing room door opened.
Rakshit instinctively looked up.
Before he saw her, he heard her.
The soft *clink... clink...* of glass bangles echoed gently through the room as Aprajita walked out, adjusting the end of her saree.
The sound lingered in the silence. It was unfamiliar.
For years, he had made sure his room remained almost noiseless. Even the wall clock had been chosen because its hands moved silently. He preferred quiet. It helped him think. It helped him work.
Yet now, every movement Aprajita made carried its own gentle melody. And strangely, he didn't mind it.
Aprajita stopped a few steps away from him and nervously clasped her hands together. Looking at him hesitantly, she said, "I... didn't realise I should've locked the dressing room."
She lowered her eyes before adding softly, "I'm sorry."
Rakshit shook his head almost immediately. "No." His voice was calm. "You don't have to apologise."
He looked away for a brief moment before continuing, "I'm the one who walked in without knocking."
A faint smile appeared on his lips. "I forgot..." He glanced around the room before looking back at her. "...that I'm not living alone anymore."
The awkwardness between them eased ever so slightly.
"It's alright," Aprajita replied with a small smile.
Walking towards the dressing table, she opened the small jewellery box resting on it. Carefully picking up her mangalsutra, she clasped it around her neck before reaching for the tiny silver container beside it.
Rakshit remained seated on the edge of the bed without saying a word. His eyes unconsciously followed her reflection in the mirror.
She took a small pinch of vermilion and slowly filled the parting of her hair. Then she adjusted her pallu, and the soft music of her bangles filled the room once again.
For the first time his room no longer felt empty.
Aprajita could feel his gaze through the mirror. Her heartbeat skipped.
*He's looking at me.*
Warmth spread across her cheeks, but she carefully kept her expression composed.
Without turning around, she broke the silence. "You don't have to stay away from your room."
Rakshit looked at her reflection. She adjusted one last bangle before meeting his eyes through the mirror. "You can sleep on the bed," she said gently. Pointing towards the sofa, she added with a small smile, "I'm comfortable there."
Rakshit's brows drew together immediately. "That sofa isn't meant for sleeping."
She finally turned around to face him."I really don't mind."
"I do." The words escaped before he had time to soften them.
Both of them fell silent. Realising how it had sounded, Rakshit cleared his throat. "I mean..." He searched for the right words before saying quietly, "...while you're here, you're my responsibility."
His voice was steady. "So you'll sleep on the bed."
"And you?" she asked softly.
"I'll manage."
A faint smile tugged at her lips. "You already managed one night"
For a brief moment, the contract between them seemed to disappear.
There were no clauses.
No conditions.
No signatures.
Just a husband and wife standing in the same room awkwardly arguing over who should sleep on the bed.
And somehow that ordinary little disagreement felt far more personal than either of them was willing to admit.
💛
Aprajita walked into the kitchen, only to find the household staff already busy preparing breakfast. The aroma of freshly brewed filter coffee filled the air, and the sound of vessels clinking together echoed through the spacious kitchen.
The moment they noticed her, everyone paused. "Good morning, ma'am," one of the cooks greeted with a respectful smile.
Aprajita smiled awkwardly as she shook her head. "Please... just call me Appu."
The elderly cook chuckled softly. "As you say, ma'am."
She couldn't help laughing. Some things, she realised, were never going to change.
Looking around the kitchen, she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and asked, "Actually... I wanted to make something."
The head cook stepped aside politely. "Of course. What would you like to prepare?"
Aprajita thought for a moment before smiling sheepishly. "Kheer."
The cook's face brightened. "I'll help you."
"No." She immediately shook her head, laughing. "If you help me, my mother will somehow find out."
The entire kitchen burst into laughter.
"My mum made sure I learnt at least one sweet properly," Aprajita explained as she took the casserole. "She refused to let me escape the kitchen until I got it right."
"And what happened?" another cook asked curiously.
She grinned. "After countless failed attempts... this is the only dish I've successfully trialled and tested."
The elderly cook smiled warmly as she stepped away from the stove. "Then the kitchen is all yours."
"Thank you," Aprajita replied with a grateful smile before getting to work.
---
Around nine o'clock, Aravind walked into the dining room with the morning newspaper tucked beneath his arm. He had barely settled into his chair when a familiar sound drifted into the room.
*Clink... clink...*
Rakshit instinctively looked up. He didn't even realise when he'd begun recognising the gentle sound of her bangles.
A moment later, Aprajita walked in, carefully carrying a casserole with both hands. She moved cautiously, making sure not to spill anything as she approached the dining table.
Rakshit was already on his feet. "You don't have to carry that," he said, reaching out instinctively.
She smiled politely and shook her head. "It's alright. I can manage."
He stopped where he was, watching her place the casserole carefully on the table.
Without wasting another moment, Aprajita turned towards Aravind and bent down to touch his feet.
"Bless me, papa," she said softly.
Aravind's eyes warmed instantly as he placed both hands over her head. "Khush raho, beta."
She smiled before opening the casserole and serving him a bowl. "I made this."
Aravind looked inside the bowl and then back at her. "Kheer?"
She nodded proudly. "I made it myself."
He blinked in surprise. "Appu beta..." A smile spread across his face. "You know how to cook?"
She laughed immediately. "Uncle..."
Realising what she'd said, she smiled sheepishly and corrected herself. "...papa."
Both Aravind and Rakshit looked at her with amused expressions.
She pointed towards the bowl and admitted, "This is the only thing I know how to make.Ma refused to let me leave the kitchen until I learnt it properly."
She shrugged dramatically. "So after years of training, this is my greatest achievement."
Aravind laughed wholeheartedly. "Then I should consider myself very lucky."
"You should," she replied with mock seriousness. "Because ma says I still burn rotis."
Rakshit lowered his eyes, hiding the smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Aravind tasted the kheer and closed his eyes dramatically. "Hmm..."
He nodded thoughtfully before opening them again. "Your mother trained you well."
Aprajita let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. "Thank God."
She clasped her hands dramatically and looked upwards. "I'll definitely call Ma and tell her you approved."
"You'd better," Aravind replied with a grin. "Otherwise she'll think I'm lying."
The two of them drifted into an easy conversation after that.
They spoke about Malti's strict cooking lessons, Ram Gopal's habit of sneaking extra sugar into desserts, and the countless disasters Aprajita had created while learning to cook.
Every few minutes, another burst of laughter echoed across the dining room.
Rakshit remained unusually quiet. He ate his breakfast slowly, saying very little.
Instead, he found himself watching them.
His father was laughing, not the polite smile he offered guests.
Not the restrained conversations they usually shared over meals.
He was genuinely happy.
Rakshit couldn't remember the last time the dining table had sounded like this.
Aprajita sat across from Aravind as though she had always belonged there, effortlessly filling every quiet corner of the house with warmth.
And for the first time in years, the Bharadwaj mansion no longer felt like a house filled with echoes.
It finally felt like a home.
💛
After breakfast, Aprajita picked up her handbag and walked towards the parking area. The morning sun had just begun warming the driveway, where a neat line of luxury sedans and SUVs reflected the golden light.
Her scooty stood exactly where it always had, squeezed between the expensive cars as though it had confidently claimed its own little corner.
A smile found its way to her lips. " Some things don't change."
She slipped on her helmet, adjusted the strap beneath her chin and inserted the key into the ignition.
"Aprajita."
She paused before turning around.
Rakshit was walking towards his car while the driver stood nearby, handing him the keys. Without breaking stride, Rakshit unlocked the car and looked at her. "Let's go together," he said simply.
She blinked in surprise."...Together?"
"In the car." He said it as though there was nothing unusual about it and continued walking towards the driver's side.
Aprajita frowned before calling out, "One minute."
Rakshit stopped and turned back.
Looking at him with complete innocence, she asked, "Are you worried that both of us driving separately to the same office would waste petrol?"
He stared at her without saying a word.
Mistaking his silence for confusion, she continued, "Don't worry. I still earn enough to fill my scooty's petrol tank."
For a long second, Rakshit simply looked at her. Then he asked slowly, "Do you honestly think I'm worried about your petrol expenses?"
She tilted her head thoughtfully before giving him an uncertain smile. "...No?"
A quiet breath escaped him, somewhere between disbelief and reluctant amusement.
"Leave the scooty here," he said, turning towards the driver." Get the keys from madam"
Then he opened the car door and looked at her again. "Come with me."
There wasn't even the slightest hint that this was a request.
It was a decision.
Aprajita looked from him to her scooty before removing her helmet with a small sigh. "Okay."
She handed both the helmet and the keys to the driver, who accepted them with a respectful nod, before walking around the car and settling into the passenger seat.
A moment later, Rakshit started the engine, and the car rolled smoothly out of the Bharadwaj mansion.
For the first few minutes, neither of them spoke. The only sounds inside the cabin were the soft hum of the engine and the morning traffic outside.
Then Rakshit broke the silence."You've started talking back."
Aprajita turned towards him in confusion. "Hmm?"
He kept his eyes on the road as he replied, "The Aprajita Sharma I know follows instructions."
He changed gears before continuing."She speaks only when necessary and she never argues."
A smile tugged at her lips."That's because you're my boss."
Rakshit raised an eyebrow but remained silent, waiting for her to explain.
"In the office," she said matter-of-factly, "it makes perfect sense to speak only when required."
She glanced at him before adding with a teasing smile, "Working under someone like you... that's the smartest survival strategy."
The corner of his lips almost twitched.
"Outside the office..." she continued, leaning back comfortably against the seat, "...I thought I'm your wife."
Rakshit's hand paused ever so slightly on the steering wheel.
"So," she said with complete seriousness, "until we reach the office..." She looked at him and smiled. "...I'll talk back."
For the briefest moment, Rakshit almost missed shifting gears.
Recovering quickly, he shook his head in quiet disbelief. "You know this marriage...."
"I know," she interrupted gently, not letting him finish.
Her smile softened as she looked ahead through the windshield. "I know exactly what this marriage is."
There was no accusation in her voice.
No sadness.
Only acceptance.
"But I talked freely in my parents' house," she continued after a moment. "I can't suddenly become a robot just because I've entered yours."
Rakshit didn't answer.
Her words lingered in the quiet cabin."And besides..." she added, turning towards him again with an innocent expression, "talking back wasn't mentioned anywhere in your contract."
This time, he couldn't help letting out a quiet sigh. "You didn't even read the contract."
She smiled to herself. "I read what was important."
The words made him glance at her for a brief second.
It was exactly what she had told him the day she'd signed it.
*I read what I needed.*
For reasons he couldn't explain that memory refused to leave him.
He looked back at the road.
Beside him, Aprajita rested her elbow against the window and absent-mindedly hummed a tune under her breath. Every time the car rolled over a speed breaker, the soft *clink... clink...* of her bangles filled the otherwise silent cabin.
A week ago he would've found the sound distracting.
Today, he simply tightened his grip on the steering wheel and continued driving.
Without asking her to stop.
💛
The black BMW rolled smoothly into the company basement, its polished exterior catching the attention of everyone nearby. A few employees who had just parked their vehicles paused mid-step, exchanging curious glances as the CEO's car came to a stop.
Rakshit switched off the engine and stepped out without a word. A moment later, Aprajita got out from the passenger side, adjusting the pallu of her saree before picking up her handbag.
Together, they walked towards the elevator.
Neither of them spoke. The silence between them wasn't awkward anymore.
It was simply... familiar.
As the elevator doors opened into the lobby, conversations around them noticeably slowed.
"Good morning, sir," the security guard greeted respectfully before turning towards Aprajita with an even brighter smile. "Good morning, ma'am."
She paused for the briefest second. *Ma'am?*
Only two days ago, she had walked through these same corridors carrying a laptop in one hand and coffee in the other, blending into the crowd like every other employee.
Today everything felt different. The security guards stood a little straighter.
The receptionists smiled a little wider. Even colleagues who had barely acknowledged her existence before now wished her with surprising enthusiasm.
Some smiles were genuine. Some were reserved for the CEO's wife.
Aprajita greeted each one with the same warm smile, making no distinction between either of them.
Beside her, Rakshit acknowledged everyone with his usual brief nod before continuing towards his cabin without breaking stride.
She watched him disappear behind the glass doors before making her way to her own desk.
She had barely placed her handbag down when someone suddenly threw an arm around her shoulders.
"Mrs. Bharadwaj!"
Aprajita laughed before turning around."Good morning to you too, Reshmi."
Reshmi narrowed her eyes dramatically and folded her arms. "Forget good morning," she declared. "Can someone please explain what both of you are doing here?"
Aprajita blinked innocently. "...Working?"
"Working?" Reshmi repeated, looking utterly scandalised. "You got married yesterday!"
"So?"
"So?" Reshmi almost threw her hands into the air. "Normal couples disappear for at least a week after their wedding!"
Aprajita let out an exaggerated sigh. "I married my boss," she replied, glancing towards Rakshit's cabin, "...not a normal man."
Reshmi waited expectantly.
Aprajita pointed towards the entire office floor and whispered dramatically, "His first wife is this office."
Then she tapped her own chest. "I'm just the second one."
For a second, Reshmi stared at her. Then she burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"You are impossible!"
Aprajita laughed along with her.
Only she knew that joke had hurt more than she'd let it show.
Still smiling, she shrugged casually."Work doesn't stop just because we got married."
Reshmi shook her head in complete disbelief. "Fine. Forget leave."
She leaned closer. "At least tell me you're going on a honeymoon."
"Honeymoon?" Aprajita echoed before laughing softly.
Lowering her voice, she looked around dramatically and whispered, "He can barely tolerate me talking for five extra minutes."
The conversation in the car flashed through her mind.
"The Aprajita Sharma I know never talks back."
A smile escaped her lips before she could stop it. "I've already started irritating him."
Reshmi looked thoughtfully between Aprajita and the CEO's cabin. "You know..." she began slowly, "...I honestly don't understand your equation."
Aprajita tilted her head. "What equation?"
Reshmi pointed towards Rakshit's cabin. "Sometimes you both look like complete strangers."
She paused before smiling."And sometimes it feels like you've known each other forever."
For a brief moment, Aprajita's smile softened. "Maybe... both are true."
Before she could answer, someone called out from across the office. "Reshmi! The manager's looking for you."
Reshmi groaned dramatically and threw her head back. "There goes my peaceful morning."
She squeezed Aprajita's hand affectionately before stepping away. "We're continuing this gossip during lunch."
Aprajita laughed and waved her away."Go. I'll survive until then."
Reshmi hurried off, still muttering complaints about managers and meetings.
Left alone, Aprajita instinctively looked towards the glass cabin at the far end of the floor.
Rakshit was already seated behind his desk, flipping through files with complete concentration. His expression remained calm, focused and unreadable, as though nothing in his life had changed over the last twenty-four hours.
Watching him, Aprajita smiled faintly.
To everyone else, they were newlyweds beginning a new chapter together.
To Rakshit, it was another working Monday.
And to her, it was the first day of learning how to love her husband...
Without ever letting him know she already did.
💛
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