The accidental vows

Chapter 5: Our First Night Together

Janvi’s POV

I was feeling extremely nervous, wondering what we would even talk about. My heart was beating fast, and my hands were cold with anxiety.

Just then, Raj entered the room.

The tension in the air became heavier. His face looked pale and sad. He glanced at me but didn’t say a word and walked straight into the washroom. I sat there, my mind spinning, unsure how to react or what to expect next.

A few minutes later, Raj came out of the washroom dressed in his nightwear. Even in such a simple outfit, he looked effortlessly handsome. But there was sadness in his eyes that I couldn’t ignore.

He looked at me for a moment before finally breaking the silence.

“Why did you agree to this marriage, Janvi? We don’t love each other. You could have refused. Now both of us are stuck in an awkward situation.”

I lowered my eyes and replied softly, “I know this situation is awkward, and I know you love Priya. You don’t have any feelings for me, and you can't see me as your wife. But I agreed to this marriage because Uncle requested me… and he’s like a father to me. I couldn’t say no when I saw his health and tension. If my agreeing to this marriage could ease his pain and give him peace, I was ready to sacrifice my own feelings for his happiness.”

Raj listened quietly before asking, “But what about your life? Your happiness?”

I smiled faintly. “My happiness doesn't matter as much when compared to our parents' well-being. Besides, there was no one special in my life. I never loved anyone… except you.”

I kept the last part hidden in my heart.

Raj stared at me for a moment, his expression unreadable. After a few seconds, he said, “Okay... You should change into something more comfortable now.”

I nodded and softly said, “But I don’t have anything to wear.”

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Raj walked over and opened it. Kajal Mom stood there with a small bag in her hands.

“Your mom sent this for you, beta,” she said with a warm smile. “You can use these for tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll buy everything you need. Okay, my child?”

She hugged me gently. “Goodnight, beta.”

I smiled and hugged her back. “Thank you, Mom.”

After she left, I opened the bag and saw some nightwear and basic toiletries inside. I was feeling very uncomfortable with the heavy jewelry, lehenga, and my tight hairstyle.

I took the bag and placed it on the table. Then, I slowly began to undo my hairstyle. I removed the pins one by one, letting my hair fall loose, and carefully removed the flowers entangled in them. I sighed as I finally combed my hair properly.

Next, I started removing my heavy jewelry—my earrings, necklace, bangles—and finally reached for my dupatta. But as I tried to remove it, it got stuck with my blouse hooks and pins. I was struggling and getting frustrated.

Raj noticed me struggling. “Shall I help you?” he asked softly.

I got nervous and stammered, “Can you please call Mom to help me instead?”

He nodded and stepped outside to check. After a few minutes, he returned and said, “Sorry… Mom has already gone to sleep. I’m afraid you have only one option left—me. Should I help you?”

I hesitated, my heart pounding, but finally whispered, “Okay.”

Raj stepped closer. His warm breath gently touched my skin as he softly moved my hair over my shoulder to one side. My heartbeat quickened.

He then carefully started removing the safety pins that were attaching my dupatta to my blouse. His fingers grazed my bare skin slightly with every movement, and I couldn’t help but shiver under his touch.

I didn’t know why… but I was melting with his every touch.

What was happening to me?

Raj carefully removed all the pins and finally helped me take off the dupatta. I let out a breath of relief.

“Thank you,” I whispered softly.

He nodded and stood up, walking toward the sofa. But as he turned, my mangalsutra accidentally got tangled in his kurta. I gasped, feeling nervous once again.

Seeing me struggling to untangle it, Raj stepped closer and gently helped free my mangalsutra from his kurta. His fingers brushed against mine briefly, sending an unfamiliar sensation through me.

“Thank you… again,” I said shyly, avoiding his gaze.

He smiled faintly and moved back to give me space.

I quickly picked up my nightwear, clutching it tightly, and hurried into the washroom to change. After changing into my comfortable nightdress, I returned to the room.

I carefully folded my lehenga and placed it aside. Then, I gathered all my jewelry, bangles, and accessories, and placed them safely in a box. Once done, I sat at the dressing table, applied some moisturizer, and combed my hair gently.

All this while, Raj remained quietly seated on the sofa, working on his laptop. He didn't disturb me, and I appreciated his respectful distance.

After a while, he finally looked up from his work. “You must be tired. Go and sleep on the bed. I’ll sleep on the sofa,” he said calmly.

I immediately protested, “No, I’ll take the sofa. You should sleep on the bed. The sofa isn’t big enough and you’ll be uncomfortable.”

But he firmly shook his head. “No, I have some work to finish. I’ll be up late. Please, just go and rest on the bed.”

Seeing his determination, I finally agreed. I walked toward the bed, lay down, and covered myself with the blanket. My body was completely exhausted from the day’s emotional rollercoaster.

Within minutes, my eyelids grew heavy, and I drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.