Next Morning…
Anya was about to leave her room when Grandma entered, handing her a saree.
"Dear, Guruji is coming to our house today. He is quite traditional, so you must wear a saree. No suits in front of him! And make sure you're on time—he dislikes latecomers. He is coming especially to bless you, so don't be late under any circumstances!"
She continued, "Also, he is a celibate. Do not touch his feet, just greet him from a distance. And don't forget your sindoor and mangalsutra. If you need anything, just let me know." With that, she left to oversee the preparations.
Standing nearby, Arnav heard everything and smirked mischievously. Don't worry, Grandma. I'll make sure she fulfills all of Guruji's wishes! He chuckled to himself before walking away.
---
A little while later, a luxurious car stopped in front of the Trivedi Mansion. The entire family was already gathered at the entrance.
Vinay and Vijay were the first to touch Guruji's feet and receive his blessings. The women—Grandma, Poonam, and Pallavi—greeted him respectfully from a distance. Dev folded his hands and welcomed him inside.
Guruji took his seat in the hall as Vedika approached and sought his blessings.
Pallavi leaned toward Grandma and whispered, "Maaji, where is Anya? Why hasn't she come yet? What if Guruji gets upset?"
Grandma sighed, "I told her to be on time, but I don't know why she's late."
Hearing this, Arnav suppressed his laughter. She won't be coming because I've made sure of it! He smirked. Let's see how she gets out of this one today.
Guruji spoke firmly, "We will wait here for her. Let us see if Advik's wife is worthy of being a Trivedi daughter-in-law."
Arnav smirked and called out loudly, "Bhabhi, hurry up! Guruji is waiting for you!" Then, turning to Guruji, he said, "She never takes this long. I wonder what's keeping her today!"
---
Meanwhile, inside her locked room, Anya heard Arnav's voice and chuckled. Now I'm sure you're the one who locked this door, Arnav. You want me to be late, don't you? But that's never going to happen!
Determined, she walked to the balcony and examined the adjacent room's balcony. She then looked down at the height below, fear creeping into her heart. But she took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and climbed onto the railing.
With one swift move, she jumped to the next balcony. The impact caused scratches on her hands and feet, but she quickly got up and rushed downstairs.
---
In the hall…
Guruji's face darkened. "Dev Trivedi, what kind of daughter-in-law have you brought into this house? She has no respect for elders or guests! We have been waiting here for so long! If she doesn't care about us, why did you even call us here?"
Just then, Lavanya spoke up, "I'll go check—"
Guruji interrupted sharply, "Wait! No one will go anywhere. And what were you saying? 'Check'? Has our mother tongue lost all meaning that you must speak in English? Shame on you!"
Turning to the rest of the family, he continued, "Look at what has become of today's generation! Shameful! Dev Trivedi, it seems the elders of this house have forgotten their values, which is why the children behave this way!"
Lavanya's eyes welled up with tears.
Poonam, eager to agree, chimed in, "You're absolutely right, Guruji. English is bad, and their English is even worse! That's why I never speak it!"
---
At that moment, Anya entered, carrying a large brass plate in her hands. She walked straight to Guruji and placed the plate before him.
"Guests and elders are considered divine," she said calmly. "So, before anything else, we must wash their feet as a mark of respect. That is why I was late—I was searching for this plate. I sincerely apologize for the delay. Please forgive me if you can."
Her words silenced Guruji, and after a brief pause, he instructed everyone to begin the puja preparations.
---
After the hawan, Guruji announced, "Everyone will eat while sitting on the floor today."
Hearing this, Anya smirked. Now it's my turn, Mr. Arnav Trivedi. Get ready for payback!
Everyone sat down for the meal, which was made with pure desi ghee. Arnav frowned at the sight of the food.
"This looks terrible," he muttered. "I don't even feel like eating it."
Grandma asked Anya to serve kheer to everyone. She did so, but when she reached Arnav, he immediately said, "Not a single drop for me! Otherwise, you'll regret it!"
Anya smirked wickedly and placed the entire bowl in front of him. Looking at Guruji, she said, "Guruji, my dear Devar ji loves this kheer so much that he wants to eat the whole thing by himself!"
Arnav's eyes widened in horror as Anya successfully trapped him. He glared at her but remained silent, knowing that one wrong word could get him into trouble with Guruji.
Poonam, noticing the situation, said, "But Arnav, you don't even like sweets. How will you eat so much kheer?"
Guruji immediately snapped, "He is a Trivedi! He will eat it! And this is not just kheer—it is prasad! Foolish woman!"
Anya turned to Arnav with a smirk. "Well, Mr. Trivedi, can you finish all of it? Show us what you're made of!"
Arnav had no choice but to glare at her in frustration. Then, an idea struck him.
He picked up the bowl, took a small bite, and suddenly put it down.
"Guruji, I have heard that a wife should always eat from her husband's plate," he said solemnly. "It is believed to strengthen their bond. So, I want my wife to eat the rest of this kheer. That way, our love will continue to grow."
Before anyone could react, he quickly pulled Vedika into his seat and placed the entire bowl in front of her. Then, he shot her a silent warning through his eyes: You better eat it all.
Vedika looked at him in shock, while Anya bit her lip to suppress her laughter. Arnav had played his card well, but the game was far from over.
---
To be continued…