I Marked Her Mine

2. Anniversaries & the special announcement!

Calming her heart, Shanaya turned herself to the source of the voice and saw Vansh grinning at her and next to him stood the most arrogant man she has ever met.

Wearing an Armani Black two-piece with a Black shirt and completing the look by Black formal shoes, a man of 6 foot, rectangle shaped face with some stubbles on the jaw and side cheeks and middle length black hair gelled up in the backward was looking at her with reddened deep brown eyes. His symmetrical and a boy next door features with his masculine physical traits were making him attractive and handsome at the same time.

She tried to withdraw her lustrous gaze from his body swiftly, not to get embarrassed and exchanged glances with Vansh, asking him with her eyes to save her from this situation.

Vansh turns his neck in both directions, signalling her' I can't' and stood in the previous normal posture.

Shanaya rubs her hands on her arms to save herself from the uncomfortable feeling she was receiving from Vihaan's end. She shifted her gaze to all the minute things but not him and when could not turn it down, turned her attention to his face and then to his left pierced ear, when she noticed he has changed his diamond stud to the Black Pearl.

With the empty mind and feeling the awkwardness, she bursts out "Why are you gazing at me like you are a hunter and I am your prey?"

A small chuckle erupts from Vansh which instantly vanished as a set of angry eyes met his.

"Damn it! How can he be so intimidating??" she asked herself.

"You exactly know the reason behind it?? Didn't I tell you to enjoy your time here? It was you only who volunteered to do this work. Now I the have f*****g right to know why the work has not been completed?" with an arched brow and furious nose, Vihaan voiced out.

The tone he used had affected Shanaya and her mind told her this is not a way to deal with any person no matter what your relationship was with that particular, but deep down she knows the mistake had been done by her side and she was not the person who would blame others for her faults.

"I am sorry, Mr Rathore! Next time, it won't happen" apologizing, Shanaya avoided meeting her eyes with Vihaan's which were constantly on her.

"I am not here to ask for you sorry, Miss Malhotra, I want to know the reason behind it" setting his hair with his left hand, he spoke in slow volume but with the familiar rude tone.

She paid attention to him addressing her on last name basis, the same way she had done with him but chooses to ignore it. Closing her fist, she opened her mouth to explain " As for today's blue-white theme, I had designed your navy blue suit and a white shirt and had instructed one of my men to deliver it on time, but unfortunately, he could not deliver it on time, as he got a call from hospital where his mother is admitted." She saw both of them listening and before Vihaan could interrupt, she spoke " I just received a call from him and he explained the whole situation to me. It has never happened before to any of my customers and I am sorry from my company side for you to have an experience of this."

She further added in the professional tone" You can ask for compensation as well."

Before she could know, the distance between them diminished and she could hardly keep her breathing at a normal pace. In those three days, she had been staying with them, she had never looked at him for more than 5 minutes in the day, let alone facing him so close.

She saw his lips moving and her ears heard the loud sound "What the f**k! I am not a beggar to ask for compensation. I am Vihaan Singh Rathore and I own the damn world!" but her attention was entirely on his murderous eyes, flared nostrils and the tightly clenched fist.

Before anyone else could say more, Vansh interrupted hurriedly "Bro, please calm down! and please keep this issue on the side" resting his hand on Vihaan's arm, urging him to listen.

Shana was not surprised by the relation or bonding they shared. They might be the first cousin but they had made sure not to insult each other no matter what. They both were protective of each other and were always ready to help each other and had made sure no other person harm them.

Vihaan looks at Vansh and frustratingly move his hand on his hair carelessly, ruining his hairstyle.

Absentmindedly, she travelled her gaze from his Patek Phillipe's watch to his face and that newly turned messy hair.

Before she could be caught by Vihaan looking at him, they heard a man's voice and they all together turned their attention to the stairs of the back gate of the Mansion, to see pair of two beautiful and handsome couples in their 50's, holding the glass of champagne. The Men of the pairs were wearing Blue suit and the women were wearing white saree.

They all smiled when they saw them and one of the men, who seem to be a few years elder than the other one, moved forward and speak with enthusiasm" Thank all of you who have taken out the time from their busy schedule to share our happiness. We, The Rathores, Thank you for attending my brother's 3oth and my 33rd Wedding Anniversary".

Everyone clapped and youngsters shouted with happiness" Happy anniversaries Uncles and Aunts".

Vihaan, Vansh smiled and waited for their parents to say more.

Shanya saw the resemblance between Senior Rathores, and the younger Rathores standing beside her. She could see Vansh's eyes matching with his father Mr Shiv, the elder one and smile matching his mother Mrs Shakti. Even though Mr shiv was the eldest Rathore, Shanaya heard from Vansh that his father was not ready for the children until he saw his brother Mr Surya becoming the father of Vihaan and his elder sister Avni.

She clapped hard when Mr shiv finished his Thank you speech and hugged Mr Surya, who moved forward along with his wife, Mrs Chaya.

Mr Surya was just the elder version of vihaan, but without anger and dominance, and would smile a lot, while Mrs Chaya was a beautiful woman whose Brown eyes matched with Vihaan.

"Just like my elder brother said, We are thankful for attending our wedding anniversaries. And On this day, I would like to thank my late parents who choose the perfect bride, my brother and sister in law, who make her feel at home and lastly to my wife " Speaking with warmth and a smile on his face, Mr Surya extend his hand to his wife and clasping them, spoke again " Dear wife, We have spent 30 years of our life together, which was a full roller coaster, with pain, struggles, moments, happiness, but Whatever I am, I am because of you, your strength and your motivated words. I love you and I hope I will continue leaving like this for centuries, with you beside me, fighting with me, helping me, loving me and supporting me" kissing on the palm of her hand, he looked in her eyes with warmth and love.

Shanaya saw everyone clapping, whistling, and her eyes stopped at Vihaan, who patted Vansh's shoulder with care. She had the knowledge of Vihaan's care and love for his family, but that was the first time, she was actually witnessing it.

Her attention returns to Mr Surya who ended his speech with "At the end, We have a special announcement to make" and move toward the left side, letting Mr Shiv took the centre.

"Well we do not know whether we should be happy or sad to announce this, but our eldest child, Avni Rathore is going to get married to her love of the life Anubhav."

The announcement was received with enthusiasm by all the members present. The youngsters shouted with happiness, Vihaan and Vansh clapped hard and Shanaya could not be more overwhelmed. They all kept clapping and shouting when a strikingly beautiful girl resembling Mr Surya, Mrs Chaya and Mrs Shakti in the 30s wearing Dark Blue lehenga came and stand beside Mr Shiv. She was a girl of 5"4" height, with an oval face and big eyes magnified with kohl, black hair that was made in a bun, red lips and the neck adorned by a diamond necklace. She had completed the simple yet beautiful look by diamond and blue pearl earrings, matching her dress.

Mr Shiv engulfed her in his open arms and kissed on he head. He places his right hand on her right shoulder and spoke:" A week earlier when she told us about Anubhav, we became sad thinking that she will be leaving us soon, but then we realized she had found her mate and we became happy for her."

"She looks beautiful in the dress you have designed, beautifool" Shanaya attention shifted to vansh when she heard him complimenting her.

"My dress has nothing to do with it, baby. She is already beautiful and charming" responding back, she kept on looking at Avni, who was smiling to something Mr Surya had said and a smile found its way to Shanaya's face.

"I never find her beautiful" Vansh replied back.

"Yes, the same way I never find you attractive" she spat back and winked at him when she saw his horrified expressions.

"Can't believe that you took my sister's side rather than mine?" Vansh said in an unbelievable tone.

"I guess you have forgotten that she is my friend before we even met!" emphasizing 'before we even met' she turns her attention to Avni.

Vansh was about to respond when Vihaan looks at him and before he could defend himself, he heard him ordering" I am not here to listen to your rubbishness. Get a room, if you can't stop behaving like immature child" and saw him casting a look at Shanaya who kept on looking at Avni with much more seriousness. He chuckled inside himself at her behaviour, knowing too well how much she was trying to avoid Vihaan's glares.