There is this masculine scent in this room that flips my heart now and then as I wait for him.

Right now I am in the WADIYAR Mansion. A place big as mine yet more elite and more expensive.

For example, the room right now I am in , which belongs to my just-been-husband , is leisurely dark and elegant.

Walls black with dust and woodsy panels on the wall behind the bed having night stands on either sides of it and then there is an L-shaped couch with a small round glass table in the middle of the room.

To the left is a big balcony that is opened by two huge glass doors and to the right , just beside the entrance is the walk-in-closet.

And to the opposite of the bed , on the wall behind the couch is the door that reveals the washroom.

It's big and spacious as well.

Overall , everything is good but the minimal stuff makes it less loud and much more intensely subtle.

I like it.

Shivi , my sister-in-law , my husband's younger sister asked me if I wanted a tour of the house to which I was about to say ' yes ' but my mother-in-law said that I must be tired and should rest which - I honestly wasn't.

I am just....... * Sigh *

I don't know - maybe ..... Lost.

Here , I don't know what to do. Because as much as this house welcomes me , the duo father and daughter don't at all.

As I am looking around the room the main door opens with a click and a tall muscular figure walks inside wearing a deep red groom outfit that matches my lehenga.

His height is approx 6' 1" ; quite tall than mine of 5' 5". His arms are full of muscles as even a slight movement makes the biceps flex out of the outfit.

Black dark hair , obsidian dark orbs , so deep and so dark as if I am gazing into an abyss. They are empty and cold. I see them staring at me with no emotion.

There is no hate , no love no nothing. Just endless...... something - I cannot name it.

I do not want to.

" You haven't changed yet? " A cold shiver runs down my spine as soon as those words reach my ears.

Hollow. Empty. Monotonous.

He doesn't hate me ; the feeling is worse than hate.

Will he kill me if he gets the chance?

Maybe yes.

Maybe no.

Who would want to color their hands red by my blood?

Such a waste , it would be.

" For how long are you going to stare? " Another sentence is thrown at me and I blink rapidly , looking away.

" Uh..... I need a place for my luggage. My stuff-

" Take the right side of the wardrobe. " He mutters already walking towards the balcony.

" Ok then. " I nod even though he is out there with his back facing me.

I grab the bags and walk inside the wardrobe where both the sides are acquired by his clothes and accessories.

Working on the right side , it takes me almost twenty minutes to arrange his stuff on the left side while mine on the right.

Taking a long sigh I pick up a pair of salwar-suit along with my undies for a quick shower.

Walking out of the wardrobe I hear a little ruckus in the room and see a little girl standing on the bed with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law near her.

I blink twice and turn to the girl who is glaring at me.

" Get her out! " She shouts in her small voice. " Why is she here? Only papa and I are allowed to sleep together! Only we live in this room then why she?! " Her pink soft lips curl into a pout as I clutch onto my clothes.

She hates you Meera.

Just like everyone.

" No child. Don't say like this. " My sister-in-law speaks softly.

I watch the girl's father from the corner of my eye.

He is there. By the balcony's door. Leaning against it in silence. Watching all of this.

" She is your mumma baby. She is your father's wif- "

" No! She's not!! She can never be!! She will not stay with us! No- Never!! Why are you taking me away from my papa? Why can't I sleep here? Why??" Her eyes are glistening with tears now.

Her voice turning high pitched , trembly and sharp.

" Enough now! " Mother-in-law speaks sternly and I see a lone tear falling down those chubby rosy cheeks. " Come with us. Now. " She asserts and there is this hurt look in those soft brown eyes that makes me take one step forward.

" Let her be. " I blurt out. My eyes locked at the girl who is now looking at me. Another tear rolls down her eyes.

" I will sleep in another room. I can. " I say and face my mother-in-law who shakes her head in negation.

" No. It's your first night. " My heart almost stops working.

" It's fine. " Pain stings into my palm and I realise that I am digging nails into myself.

Oh no.

" She is a child. And if she doesn't like it then I shouldn't stay here. I can sleep in another room mother. "

There is a shift somewhere near the balcony door. I can feel it.

" But .... " She hesitates. " It's a ritual. "

I am about to say something but then shivi mumbles something to her and with a sigh followed by a nod , mother-in-law speaks , " Alright. Urvi can stay in this room but you won't leave. You'll stay in the room as well. "

" No! She won't. No no no no- "

" You want to stay with your father? " Mother questions firmly and the poor girl turns silent again.

With that they walk out but not before passing me an apologetic smile.

I do not know why they are sorry for me when I am the one destroying their peace.

The door closes and silence stretches into the room but before it could turn awkward for the three of us , I look at Urvi and smile at her.

" I am sorry. " I say.

She doesn't reply and just falls on the bed glaring at me with her small and round red swollen eyes.

My eyes wander and find those dark ones which are again caught staring at me already.

" No one dares to make my daughter cry. " He grits under his teeth.

" I....I know. " Mumbling , I press my lips together.

" You better do. " Saying that he dashes into the wardrobe and I stroll into the washroom.

It takes me barely ten minutes to get out of that massive lehenga and makeup and take a shower.

I am quick.

Almost at everything.

Moving out , I see that father and daughter are laying in the bed together hugging each other and this somehow makes my heart ache.

His hair is wet , the outfit changed into white shirt and probably some pants - I don't know. His half body is covered in a blanket. The girl is already asleep.

This man went for a shower somewhere and came and dozed his daughter into slumber in just ten minutes?

He is quicker than me.

Alas!

Urvi , like a child she is , is curled into her father's arms securely as they are half covered in the heavy duvet.

October is usually not a cold month but this year it's crazily going chilly since mid September and even though I shower in cold water people are feeling it as cold as January these days.

Half of the bed's side is empty but I feel as if I shouldn't sleep there. It won't be good.

Urvi already hates me and sleeping beside her won't be a good thing.

So , I walk towards him as slowly and carefully as possible making sure that my anklets don't wake the sleeping girl.

My parents say that I have a loud presence and probably I do because his eyes open wide as soon as I reach by his side.

Yet he doesn't look at me.

" Actually...... I don't want her to feel uncomfortable. So..... can you tell me an extra room where I can sleep for the night. " I say.

He doesn't reply and I inhale lightly before nodding to myself.

Okay then.

" Listen I know you never wanted this. And I am sorry. But now when we are married , I just want to fulfill my duties here- "

" I don't want anything from you-

" I am not willing to give eithe-

My words are stuck in my throat even before I can complete them.

What the hell was I going to say??

His neck cranes at me and I speak lowly , " I am here just to act as a good daughter-in-law. I ask nothing from you. That's why I want to stay in another room. I'll shift my stuff into that room tomorrow as well. We don't have to share the same room or bed. Again..... I am sorry for this. But now that we are bound , you can at least talk to me as if I am a human. "

A flicker in his eyes makes me take a step back.

Anger? Threat? Hate? Or - something else. I don't know.

" Fine. " He huffs out a breath and slowly pulls away from Urvi who is in a deep slumber.

" Follow me. " He says and as we walk out , carefully looking if someone is watching or not , then reach the door next to his room.

" It's a spare room. Close to mine. If anyone had to know they won't have much of a problem because our rooms are beside each other. " He says and opens it.

I nod " thank you. " And then he gives a single hmm and walks back into his room closing the door with a click.

I am alone now.

Again.