Chapter 4 : Ashwath And Tiya's Marriage

**Morning, Aryan Palace**

As Ashwath looked at Tiya, she grew silent and lowered her head. Seeing her suddenly go quiet, Adit teased, "What happened, sister-in-law? You were laughing just now. Did my brother give you a silent scolding?"

Tiya stared at him in shock and muttered, "Sister-in-law?"

Everyone turned to look at her.

Grandfather asked, "Child, aren't you my grandson's girlfriend?" This question made the ground slip beneath Tiya's feet. She stammered, "Girlfriend? Whose?"

Hearing this, Grandfather gave Ashwath a puzzled look. Sensing the situation slipping out of hand, Adit quickly jumped in to defend his brother, "Oh, my dear sister-in-law, are you upset? Is that why you're saying this? Did you and my brother have a fight? Don't worry, sister-in-law, brother is going to marry you, that's why he brought you home! And don't worry, no matter what happens, I'm always on your side. We'll team up and give brother a hard time together."

He winked at Ashwath, trying to avoid their grandfather's gaze. Tiya was dumbstruck. Ashwath shot her a sharp look, silently reminding her, "You seem to be forgetting that you owe me a crore. You can't pay it back, so it would be best if you do as I say. Just go along with it."

Tiya understood the hint and softly said, "I'm sorry."

Ashwath then asked his grandfather, "Grandfather, you don't have any objection to my choice, do you?"

Grandfather chuckled at Ashwath's question and replied, "Objection? Do you really think I would object? My dear grandson, if I had any objections, I wouldn't have let you enter the house last night. I'm thrilled that you've brought home a wife for me. Now, just get married soon. I don't know how much longer I'll live, but I'd love to see my great-grandchildren before I go."

Hearing this, Adit laughed, "Grandfather, children aren't something you can pick up at a market, buy, and bring home. It takes time to have children. And who said you're dying anytime soon? You're not going anywhere! You've got to see all our kids, not just my brother's."

Continuing Adit's lighthearted banter, Pratyush added, "Exactly! Grandfather, you always get sentimental. You've got to live at least 200 more years!"

Hearing his grandsons and the others, Grandfather smiled and said, "Well then, if you want me to live 200 more years, tell my grandson to marry his bride—today."

Everyone was stunned, except for Ashwath, who seemed unsurprised, as if he'd expected this.

Grandfather looked at Ashwath and said, "I've spoken to the priest, and he said today is an auspicious day."

Listening to all of this, Tiya was left speechless. Her mind was racing, "Marriage? What's happening to me? God, what do you want from me... Marriage?"

Her entire body began trembling. Ashwath noticed her growing anxiety and reached under the table, tightly gripping her trembling hand. But instead of calming her, the touch seemed to send a jolt through her, intensifying her nervousness.

Ashwath leaned over and quietly said, "Calm down. Why are you shaking so much? I'm not sacrificing you, am I? Remember, I'm your boss, I saved you. Understand?"

Hearing this, Tiya tried to compose herself. She was used to hiding her pain. After all, she had mastered the art of concealing her emotions during years of enduring mistreatment from her stepmother and sister while pretending to her father that everything was fine.

Ashwath began applying pressure to the acupressure points in her hand. Tiya, though still shaken, felt that Ashwath's touch was giving her a strange sense of calm—positive, not negative.

Excited, Adit exclaimed, "What did you say, Grandfather? Oh my God! My brother's getting married! Today! Wow! Wow, my brother's wedding! But, Grandfather, in such a short time…"

Grandfather cut him off, "You all know we'll be keeping this wedding secret. There are too many people who would want to harm my grandson's bride, and I won't allow that."

Ashwath tried to reason with his grandfather, "It doesn't matter to me, Grandfather, but how long can we keep this hidden? Sooner or later, we'll have to tell everyone. And besides, with me around, who would dare harm us?"

Adit, irritated, responded, "What do you mean by 'who would dare'? We all know exactly who could do it. I think Grandfather is right."

A few hours later, Aryan Palace was buzzing with excitement, with everyone shouting and celebrating as if it were a festival. But Tiya was still in shock, unable to comprehend what had just happened. She had gotten married. She had simply gone along with the whirlwind that was Ashwath Aryan, doing everything he told her to. The wedding had taken place with only a few people present—family members and some of Ashwath and Adit's close friends, who were now drunk and passed out as if it had been their wedding, not Ashwath's.

Tiya stood in front of the large mirror, staring at herself in disbelief. She looked like a queen. She was dressed in a stunning pink designer bridal lehenga.

Pink was her favorite color, and she had always dreamed of wearing such an outfit at her wedding. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at herself, hardly able to believe it. She truly looked like a queen married to a king. The caretakers of Aryan Palace had done a marvelous job of preparing her. She looked at the vermilion in her hair, remembering the moment when Ashwath had applied it, the wedding vows, and the whole ceremony.

Her eyes fell on the necklace around her neck—a mangalsutra, but it was designed in such a way that no one could tell it was a traditional mangalsutra. It was more like a thin designer chain necklace with a double "A" symbol, a delicate and beautiful piece of jewelry. She looked at it carefully.

She wondered aloud, "Double A means? What is sir's full name?" and began thinking.

Just then, Ashwath walked out of the bathroom in a bathrobe and said, "Double A means Ashwath Aryan."

Startled by his voice, Tiya panicked and fell to the floor. She looked up at Ashwath, who was drying his hair and staring at her with an odd expression.

"There's no need to be so afraid," he said. "I'm not going to force myself on you. I have a solid reason for marrying you. And since you owe me a crore, you'll do whatever I say. Understand?"

Tiya quickly nodded her head in agreement.

Ashwath asked, "Why don't you speak? You always act like you're mute or deaf."

Frightened, Tiya replied, "Yes, sir. I understand."

Ashwath's tone grew stern, "Good. Now, let me explain what you need to do."

He grabbed Tiya's arm, helping her to her feet. She was trembling with fear. Ashwath sat her down on the sofa and sat beside her.

"You'll have to follow my every instruction. And now that you're my wife, I'm sure you know what a wife's duties are."

Tiya whispered, "Yes."

Still in his firm tone, Ashwath continued, "I've already sent a two-week leave application to your college dean. And get one thing clear in your little mind: you belong to me now. If you even think of betraying me or leaving me, I can't guarantee what I might do to you. And don't worry, no one here will mistreat you the way your family did."

Ashwath laid out all the rules and regulations Tiya would have to follow, and all she could do was nod along. What else could she do?

**The Next Morning, Aryan Palace**

The sun was high in the sky, but Tiya was still peacefully asleep. Ashwath was seated on the sofa, working on his laptop with a cup of coffee in one hand and his other hand typing away. Some files were spread out on the coffee table. Just then, Tiya shifted in her sleep, and a loud noise broke the silence of the room.

*Thud.* And then came another sound, a painful cry, "Aaaah!"

Hearing her scream, everyone rushed toward the room but stopped at the door.

Abram said, "Wait! Ashwath's married now. We can't just barge in like we used to. Walking in like this would disturb their privacy."

Ohas added, "I think this scream is related to something else."

Rachit, laughing, remarked, "You seem to know a lot. You're single yourself! We all know he's unromantic. He's never had a girl in his life before, so what would he even do? He'll have to learn."

Ohas retorted, "Don't forget, you're single too!"

And they all burst into laughter.

Why did Ashwath marry Tiya? Was this just a way to avoid Charvi, or did Ashwath truly like Tiya? And now, in this new home, could Tiya really step into the roles of sister-in-law, daughter-in-law, and wife?