Page 39 of Mrs. Pandey
Chapter 19
IRA
I was trying to be happy. My family was excitedly preparing for my wedding, just three days away. Today, some rituals were happening at Kabir's house, so we were all heading there.
After a long time, I wore a blue saree, matching bangles, and let my naturally straight hair fall over my shoulders. This time, I didn't curl it. Aryan always liked me in curls, but Prashant preferred my natural straight hair. No one ever believed me when I told them I didn't use a straightener; my hair was naturally straight, thick, and jet black.
I wore a ready-made saree because I didn't know how to drape one myself, and I hated asking my mom for help. Anyway, she was already busy with the ritual preparations. I was casually scrolling through my phone when a notification popped up, and my heart skipped a beat.
Prashant.
He had just sent me a message.
Excitedly, I opened it. He'd sent me a PDF. I tapped to view it, and my world came to a sudden halt. I froze, double-checked the PDF, hoping I was wrong.
His wedding was tomorrow.
He was getting married before me.
I remembered sending him my marriage invitation two days ago. He'd seen it but didn't reply. Not even a dry "congrats." And now? He just sent me his own invitation card. I read the card:
Together with their families,
Prashant & Mohini Joyfully invite you to celebrate their wedding as they begin a new chapter of love and togetherness.
Well, fine. We had moved on. It was for the best. Kabir was a good person, and I was sure I'd be happy with him. Maybe one day, I'd fall for him, and we'd live happily ever after.
I typed out a reply:
"Congratulations to you both! Wishing you a lifetime filled with love, joy, and endless happiness. Thank you for the invitation, looking forward to celebrating your special day!"
He saw it instantly, like he'd been waiting for my reply.
I took two months off work for my wedding, while Prashant took just fifteen days after me and managed to get engaged and married within that short span. How quickly he made decisions, like he couldn't wait to own his beautiful little wife.
Ira, stay strong. Focus on your fiancé, not your past.
I checked Aryan's WhatsApp status. He had posted a selfie with his daughter, Swara, adorable, cuddled against his chest. A smile tugged at my lips. Swara looked like her mother but had hints of Aryan in her eyes.
I wondered, briefly, if I had married Aryan, would I have ever made him this happy? The answer was simple: no. Avni was meant for him. I was genuinely happy for both of them.
Sure, in the beginning, I hated them for breaking me. But I forgave them, eventually. And moved on.
"We've arrived," Mom announced, nodding toward a two-story house draped in marigold flowers.
The driver halted the car. Mr. and Mrs. Rajput approached us quickly, smiles stretching across their faces.
"We're so happy you came," Mrs. Rajput said, her eyes landing on me. "Oh my goodness, you look just stunning, Ira."
"Thank you," I smiled.
We stepped into the house, buzzing with chatter and laughter. Guests were already mingling. Thankfully, I'd chosen to wear a saree instead of a dress as everyone was dressed in traditional attire.
Kabir walked up to me with that same boyish smile. I was even beginning to like that smile and those warm eyes.
"You look great today," he said with appreciation in his eyes. He looked handsome in a navy blue formal suit.
"Didn't I look great every day?" I teased him, raising an eyebrow.
