𝟏. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠

"dil mein achanak dard sa utha hai

lagta hai fir se ishq hone wala hai."

She rang the bell of the temple one last time before walking out of the temple. Turning around, she joined her hands one last time in front of Lord Shiv's statue before descending the stairs of the temple.

Her phone buzzed as she took it out of her purse which was hanging on her shoulder.

"Ji papa?" she received the call when she heard her father's voice.

"Beta, jaldi ghar aa jana. Bahar bheedh badhne lagi hai," her father warned her from the other side, while she muttered a small 'Okay' before hanging up the call.

[Dear, come home soon. The crowd is increasing outside.]

She put on her helmet and started her scooty, while driving towards her home.

She neared her house's entrance gate where many locals and journalists were standing, trying to enter the gates of the house. As soon as the security guards spotted her, they made way for her to go inside without getting bothered by the crowd.

She hurriedly went inside the gates with her scooty, feeling relaxed when she was finally in.

Parking her scooty, she took off her helmet and without glancing back at the crowd, she walked into her mansion.

"Angel, I was scared!" her father came rushing towards her, while she chuckled.

"Scared of what, papa? Hum toh bas mandir gaye the," she replied, taking out the prasad she had brought from the mandir from her purse.

[Scared of what, papa? I just went to the temple.]

She offered it to her father, who gladly took it in his right hand before eating it.

"Papa, where is bhaiya?" she asked, trying to search for her elder brother who was no where to be seen.

"He went outside to meet the opposition party's leader's son. He is in competition with your brother," he told, making her nod in understanding.

"By the way, elections are starting tomorrow, beta. These journalists and local citizens will come here regularly. So, I want you to go to your chacha ji's house, you'll be away from these people then," her father suggested, while she nodded.

"Okay, papa. I'll stay there until the elections are going on. I hate this chaos," she said, making her father chuckle.

"I know you hate this, lekin fir meri beti lawyer kaise banegi?" he asked dramatically, making her chuckle.

[I know you hate this, but then how will my daughter become a lawyer?]

"At least there wouldn't be so much shouting and chaos in the court, papa. And all I want to do is fight for justice, what justice is going on outside right now?" she asked while rolling her eyes.

Her father laughed, before one of his bodyguards approached him, "Sir, you should go outside and address the crowd. The media is dying to see you."

Her father nodded, "Angel, beta go and rest. I'll attend them and come back."

She nodded and went upstairs to her room to relax.

☆

She rang the doorbell of her chacha ji's house, only to get welcomed by the beautiful face of her chachi ji.

"Aakriti!" she exclaimed and embraced her in a tight hug, while she hugged her back.

"How are you my butterfly?" she asked with a warm smile. "I'm fine, sweetie. You?"

"Fine as wine," she replied, making her chuckle. She made her way inside her house, sitting down on the couch in the living room.

Her chachi ji brought water for her and sat down on the couch in front of her. Aakriti drank the water, the cold liquid defeating the heat in her body.

She settled the glass down on the table. "How are Aryan and Sakshi? And Sakshi's husband?" Chachi ji asked.

"Aryan bhaiya bilkul theek hain. Aur Sakshi di aur jiju bhi," Aakriti replied, while she smiled.

[Aryan bhaiya is all fine. And Sakshi di and jiju too.]

"Chacha ji ghar par nahi hain?" Aakriti asked, while she shook her head.

[Chacha ji is not at home?]

"Rajneeti, beta. Woh bhi inhi sab cheezon mein fas gaye hain," she replied in a disappointing tone.

[Politics, dear. He is also stuck in all these things.]

"I know, chachi. I hate politics! I don't know why people favour this so much. There is no rule of the law followed properly and there's literally no equality!" Aakriti complained, while she chuckled.

"Your father is himself a leader, beta," she said with a small laugh.

"So what, chachi? Humne toh papa ko bhi yeh sab bola hai. Even he agrees on this with me," Aakriti said, and she nodded in agreement.

[So what, chachi? I have in fact said all this to papa. Even he agrees on this with me.]

"Once you're stuck in this, there's no going back," she admitted, making Aakriti nod in response.

"Hum lawyer banenge na, toh in saare neta logon ki akkal thikane laga denge," Aakriti confidently said, while she chuckled.

[When I become a lawyer, I'll make sure these political leaders know their potential.]

"Haan, bilkul!" her chachi said with a small smile, making her smile too.

[Yes, of course!]

Aakriti went to the guest room in her chachi's house and arranged her stuff, by the time her chacha ji came back.

☆

He sat on the huge chair like a king, his aura dominating and scaring every other man of his who was standing by his side. He was going through the important files as it was just one day left for the elections to start, and his mind was completely packed up with various thoughts.

"Sir," one of his men interrupted his thoughts while he shot his gaze up to look at him, a shiver running down the spine of the man under his boss's gaze.

"The opposition party's leader Aryan Arora is here," the man informed while he simply closed his eyes and massaged his temples by his fingers.

"Send him in and all of you get out," he ordered and all his men left the room. Soon, the door opened again and Aryan Arora walked inside, taking the seat in front of him.

"Aapse mil kar accha laga, Mr Malhotra," Aryan Arora spoke up, while he finally shot his gaze up to meet his eyes.

[It's nice meeting you, Mr Malhotra.]

"Would prefer if you call me by my name. Formalities are nothing inside the walls of my mansion," he said with a sly smirk.

Aryan Arora smirked as well, "Jaisa aap chaahein, Mr Nirwan Malhotra."

[As you wish, Mr Nirwan Malhotra.]

Nirwan's smirk dropped, while he finally came to the main topic, "I didn't expect you would come here."

"Ab itne pyaar se invite kiya hai toh kyun nahi aata, Nirwan ji?" Aryan Arora asked with a smirk.

[You have invited me with so much love, why wouldn't I come then?]

Nirwan tightened his fists, his unnecessary irritation taking over him, "Correction, invite nahi kiya hai. Elections sar par nahi hote toh aapki party ke baare mein sochta bhi nahi."

[Correction, I haven't invited you. If the elections wouldn't be near, I would never even think about your party.]

Aryan Arora broke into laughter, his smirk increasing even more, "Kya yaar, janab! Aap toh naraz ho gaye. Kabhi mazak nahi kiya kya?"

[Really, man! You got upset. Haven't you ever joked?]

"Mazak nahi kiya isliye pichle teen saalo se aapki party se jeet rahe hain hum," he savagely replied, making Aryan Arora's smirk drop in an instant.

[Our party is winning from yours for the past three years only because I never joked.]

"Our fathers share an unbreakable bond, Nirwan. It's better if we get along too," Aryan Arora said in a demanding tone, while Nirwan chuckled.

"Hairani ki baat hai aap itne kam samay mein 'Nirwan ji' se seedha 'Nirwan' par aa gaye," Nirwan said while slightly laughing.

[I'm surprised how you shifted from 'Nirwan ji' to directly 'Nirwan.']

"However, let's not forget that what we are in right now is democracy, and this democracy does not follow the tradition of 'Raja ka beta raja banega.' Instead of carrying on with what our fathers had done, let's search for our own competition, Mr Aryan Arora," he added, leaning back in his chair.

Aryan tightened his fists, feeling insulted by his words, "So you may also understand that your party winning the elections is not a tradition too. I bet you Arora Supremacy will win this time."

Nirwan smirked, a challenging chuckle escaping his mouth, "Aise hi thodi shart lag jaati hai, Mr Arora. Agar aap shart haar gaye toh humein kya milega?"

[Bets are not made so easily, Mr Arora. If you lose the bet, what will we get?]

"Jo aap chaahein," Aryan proposed without a second thought, making Nirwan's smirk widen.

[Whatever you want.]

"Aur agar hum jeet gaye toh?" Aryan demanded, while Nirwan chuckled and spoke confidently, "Don't ask. You'll not be winning either way."

[And what if we win?]

Aryan's smirk dropped and he stood up, before walking out of the room. Nirwan leaned his head on the chair, closing his eyes before muttering, "Jo main chaahun?"

[Whatever I want?]

☆

"You did right coming here, Aakriti. A calm and peace loving girl like you would never be able to tolerate the media," Aakriti's chacha ji told her, while the three of them were gathered on the dining table.

Aakriti nodded in agreement, before looking around to spot her chacha ji's daughter, Shivani.

"Where is Shivani? I haven't even met her since I came here," Aakriti asked, while her chachi ji went towards the stairs and shouted for Shivani to come downstairs.

Her cousin sister slowly descended the stairs, eyeing Aakriti weirdly. Yes, they never went along. Since childhood, Shivani showed a hint of jealousy towards Aakriti.

Aakriti too didn't like her behaviour and ego, but because she had an acceptable attitude, she never complained about her. And also because Shivani was three years younger than her.

She has always learnt to accept everything the way it is, that's what she calls the teachings of God which she will cherish and follow for ever.

"How are you, Shivani?" Aakriti asked while Shivani sat down on a chair to have dinner.

"Alright, you?" Shivani asked in an uninterested manner, while Aakriti softly replied with a smile, "I'm fine."

Her chachi served them dinner, while Aakriti closed her eyes and offered a small prayer to God before proceeding to eat.

"By the way, Aakriti, there is this one leader and a very good friend of mine. His daughter got married just yesterday and tomorrow is their reception party. Do you want to come?" her chacha ji spoke up, while she nodded.

"Of course, chachu. I'll come," she replied with a smile.

"I've also invited your father and Aryan. And I guess Sakshi and Arjun will be coming as well," he added, while Aakriti smiled.

"Papa, bhaiya aur di bhi aayenge?" she exclaimed in excitement.

[Papa, bhaiya and di will also come?]

"Aur Arjun bhi," her chachi added, but her smile dropped a little.

[And Arjun also.]

Arjun Rastogi, her elder sister's husband. Though she was happy her sister got a rich husband, her brother-in-law never felt good to her.

In almost all her meetings with Arjun, Aakriti felt weird by the way he used to behave with her. But again, her acceptable attitude never allowed her to complain about him to her sister or anyone else.

"Tu chaahe toh Surbhi ko bhi bula le," her chachi insisted, and Aakriti's face lightened again at the mention of her best friend's name.

[You can call Surbhi too if you want.]

"Surbhi can come?" she asked in confirmation, to which her chacha ji nodded as well.

"Thank you!" she thanked them, before starting to have her dinner.

☆

"Ya toh main yeh reception mein jau ya elections ladu!" Nirwan roared in front of his assistant, Nikhil.

[Either I go to this reception or fight the elections!]

"Sir, Ashish sir asked me to tell you this. He said it's important," Nikhil replied obediently, while Nirwan signalled him to leave.

He left his room while Nirwan dialled to his mother, "Yes, Nirw?"

"Mom, what the fuck is going on? Elections are starting tomorrow and we are going to a reception party?" Nirwan asked in irritation.

"Nirw, we have to go. It's the Rathores' party, we can't deny them," his mother encouraged him, while he sighed.

"Rathores? The real betrayers? Don't you remember, mom? They are in touch with the Arora Supremacy too," Nirwan said, while his mother sighed.

"Kabhi toh politics se bahar ka socha kar, Nirw. Woh humare family friends bhi toh hain," his mother said, while he finally gave up.

[Can't you think out of politics even for once, Nirw? They are also our family friends!]

"Fine, but I'm not going to stay there for more than an hour. And also, I'll be really engaged in my elections' work, so it would be better if not many people mind me there," he warned.

"Yeah, no one will mind you. All I want is you to be present there. See you tomorrow then," she said before hanging up the call.

Nirwan closed his eyes and massaged his temples, before walking towards the bathroom. Taking off his clothes, he stepped under the cold shower.

His mind always races in situations like this where he has to keep himself calm. After Aryan Arora's interaction and the thoughts of elections, he has already been tensed up.

And now yet again a shitty marriage to attend.

He doesn't even know any of those who might be at the wedding, let alone the bride and the groom.

After he stepped out of the shower, he sat down on his bed and opened the drawer before pulling out the sleeping pills.

The sleeping pills were his only support after she left him. He had sleepless nights and he never fell asleep on his own after her death.

Not at all when he was accused to murder her.

He took the pills and opened his gallery, going through the same old pictures of her he had in his phone as memories.

"Tum kyun chali gayi, Aakriti? Aisa konsa gunah kiya maine jo tumne mujhe chhodh diya?" he muttered under his breath while adoring her picture, tears welling up in his eyes.

[Why did you leave me, Aakriti? What mistake did I make that you left me?]

He never cried for her in front of anyone. Even when she died, he didn't shed a single tear. And that was why people believed he purposely murdered his wife.

Only if they all knew what he actually lost. She was not only his wife but his whole damn reason to live.

"Saat saal ho gaye hain, Aakriti. Aaj tak kisi ne mere dil nahi jeeta. Aur ab toh lagta hai ki shayad tumhari jagah koi le hi nahi sakta," he whispered, a lone tear streaming down his cheek.

[It's been seven years, Aakriti. Nobody won my heart till date. And now I feel nobody will take your place.]

He immediately wiped it and placed his phone on the nightstand, before closing his eyes and drifting to sleep, the sleeping pills having their hangover on him.

I hope I didn't fuck up the first chapter.

Also, you have to wait for the leads to be together. The first five chapters are all about the actual plot, so please read them carefully even if you find them boring.