C9 9

Two days later, Mithran was ready to pull out all his hair in frustration.

His father wouldn't listen to any reasoning. He was adamant.

And Chaahat, as always, was cool and composed.

"Okay, Uncle Madan. If only marriage can convince you to go in for the surgery, we will do it," Chaahat said, and Mithran stared at her in horror.

How can she say that without even consulting with him?

How dare she?

"Thank you. Thank you so much. You both will be perfect for each other," Madan cried happily.

Mithran stayed silent, the frustration and rage building up in him in tons. He might burst out anytime. Hopefully, he will be able to control it until he is out of his father's sight.

Soon, Madan was taken in for pre-surgery examinations, and Amrutha Yadav was in the waiting room outside the examination room.

"What the hell, Chaahat? How could you agree to the marriage without my consent?" Mithran thundered angrily.

Chaahat merely raised an eyebrow, seeing his rage.

"Tone down your voice, Mr. Yadav. This is a hospital. And about me agreeing to the marriage, that is something we agreed on two days ago, remember?" Chaahat asked coolly, increasing Mithran's frustration.

"What bloody nonsense are you talking, Chaahat?" Mithran asked angrily.

"We agreed that if Uncle Madan is not ready to see reason, we will go forward with the temporary marriage arrangement. We tried for two days, Mr. Yadav. He didn't agree. What other option do we have?" Chaahat asked.

"Why the hell are you so cool and composed?" Mithran asked angrily.

What irritates him the most is her composure. When he is so worried and frustrated, how can she be so cool about such a big issue? Doesn't she have any emotions?

"You want me to be hysterical in this situation, Mr. Yadav? You want me to panic?" Chaahat asked in surprise.

"Any emotion would do," Mithran muttered under his breath, but it was loud enough for Chaahat to hear.

"What would be the point? Nothing is going to change if I panic, is it? It would be simply a waste of my energy. I don't waste my time and energy on emotions, Mr. Yadav," Chaahat said with a casual shrug.

Goodness! What is this woman made of?

And how different she is from what he actually thought?

He had imagined a docile submissive woman, who wouldn't be able to control her tears in such situations. And here is a woman who is yet to show a single emotion on her face.

"Do you even realize the shortcomings of this plan, Chaahat? After the three months, you will be tagged as a divorcee," Mithran pointed out the obvious.

"How does it matter? I don't intend to marry again. So it is not a big issue for me," Chaahat said.

"It is an issue for me. I don't want to be tagged as a divorcee," Mithran said furiously.

"Well, from what Uncle Madan has told me over the years, I had imagined you to be a bit more progressive than this. Anyways, if you are so worried about the divorcee status, we don't have to get married for real. We could stage a marriage for Uncle Madan's benefit. We would be married only for Uncle Madan's benefits. Nobody needs to know what happens here," Chaahat said.

Mithran stared at the woman in front of him in growing horror.

What the hell is she made of?

Aren't village girls supposed to be more conservative?

Aren't they supposed to see marriages as something sacred?

Why is this woman behaving so out of character?

"Stage a wedding? What do you mean by that?" Mithran asked in disbelief.

"As it is, it would be difficult for Uncle Madan to leave the hospital. So we can tell him that we are bringing in the registrar. We can arrange someone to do the work for us. It will be a win-win situation. In Uncle Madan's eyes, we would be married, when in reality, we wouldn't be. Your status will remain unmarried," Chaahat said without any emotion.

"You grew up in a village, right?" Mithran asked in disbelief.

"I did," Chaahat said monotonously.

"Then how can you even consider such an idea? Aren't you supposed to respect the bond of marriage? Instead of making a mockery out of it," Mithran asked.

"I don't believe in stuff like that, Mr. Yadav. I am more of a practical person," Chaahat said.

"We are getting married. Fake or not. I think it would be better if you call me Mithran," Mithran said, and Chaahat simply shrugged, not much bothered about that.

How does it matter if she calls him by name or not?

Mithran took another sip of beer from the bottle.

"Slow down, Mithran," Shravan said, his lips thinned in annoyance.

It has been an hour since they are here in the pub, and all Mithran managed to do is drink, drink, and drink. Not a single word got out of his mouth.

It is getting late, and any more late, Drishti would be ready with the gun.

"How can someone be so emotionless?" Mithran asked out of the blue.

"Who is emotionless?" Abhay asked, rubbing his forehead.

"Chaahat."

"The woman your father wants you to marry?" Shravan said.

"Yes," Mithran nodded.

"So what's happening? Did you scare her with the contract wedding thing?" Shravan asked.

"She is scaring me with her attitude, man!" Mithran said, gritting his teeth in frustration.

"What?" Both the friends asked in unison, and Mithran proceeded to explain whatever conversation happened between him and Chaahat over the two days.

Shravan burst out laughing, and Abhay chuckled.

"Serves you right," Shravan said, earning a glare from Mithran.

"You were so confident when you walked out of her two days ago. See how it turned out to be," Shravan said, shaking his head.

"Help me out of this, guys," Mithran pleaded with them.

"If your father is adamant, what other option do we have?" Shravan asked.

"I don't know. This is such a mess," Mithran said.

"Maybe she is the one for you. You might even fall in love with her after marriage," Shravan Maheswari, the new love guru, said, making Mithran roll his eyes.

"As I already said, not everyone could be as lucky as you," Mithran said.

"And maybe, maybe you would turn out lucky," Shravan said, Drishti's optimism having rubbed off on him in tons.