Hi, y’all! Sorry for the update taking this long, but I’m just trying to cope up with everything happening at the moment. Anyhow, here are the responses from the previous episode:
Hi Jitu, thank you so much!
Hi Muntaj, thank you so much!
Hi Naira U Singh, thank you so much!
Hi Vasu, haha I’m glad you liked the episode. I hope you continue liking the story further too.
Hi Riansh Lover, thank you so much! You’re extremely sweet.
Hi Khushi123, thank you so much!
Hi Anu, thank you so, so much! I’m really glad that you’re liking the story and the characterizations, and I hope you continue liking it too. Also, I’d definitely look forward to hearing more from you in the coming updates.
Hi Disco Priya Ravichandran, thank you so much! Marriage might take a tad-bit longer, but I’ll try getting them engaged as soon as possible. I hope that’s acceptable!
Hi Akshaya, thank you so much!
Hi Ehsaas, thank you so much! And Vansh here, really seems to be anything but genuine, lol.
Hi Anhi, jealousy might be a little difficult to include at the moment, but I’ll definitely try seeing if I can incorporate it somewhere somehow. Thank you for reading and commenting!
Hi Shivangi, thank you so much!
Hi KV2711, thank you so much! Another week and hopefully, I’ll be able to update longer episodes more often for some time. Hopefully!
Hi Jayashree, thank you so much! You’re so sweet.
Hi Nifa, thank you so much! Aryan is going to be a positive character, who’d, hopefully, help in bringing Riddhima and Vansh closer to each other.
Hi TSA, thank you so much!
Hi Rianshfan, thank you so much! Yeah, I guess, everyone’s kinda getting busy as the year end is nearing closer.
Hi Sahada, I’m glad I could make you laugh. Honestly, felt like Riddhima’s character was really capable of filing a lawsuit against him, lol. Thank you so much for being so supporting and appreciative, it really means a lot to me!
Hi RiyaVaghani, thank you so much! I’m glad you’re enjoying their ridiculous fights, lol. I’ll try and see if I can fit in Vansh’s jealousy, but can’t be promising yet. And marriage is going to take a while, but engagement will be coming up soon. Or at least, the agreement for getting engaged.
Hi Astha, thank you so much! That really means a lot to me.
Hi Seanna, thank you so much! Oh no, love story ain’t starting any soon. Kyunki Riddhima se bhi zyada ziddi toh main hoon. :p There’s going to be a lot more of Aryan as the story progresses, so I hope it piques your interest!
Hi Diha, thank you so, so much!
Hi NA, sorry for the late update, but here it is!
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BECOMING MRS. RAISINGHANIA – EPISODE 9: GROWING CLOSER
Riddhima walked beside her sister around the premise and looked at how fascinating the regal architecture seemed. She’d fallen in love with this space and there were a few times, when she was thankful to her mother for accepting this invitation. Of course, she didn’t appreciate Mr. Raisinghania’s lingering presence all the time, but she’d seen a different shade of him in the last two days.
Whether it was for her to accept him as a friend or husband, she wasn’t sure, but she’d gotten to know him a little more. As a sudden thought struck her mind, she stopped and looked at her sister, a guilty feeling unravelling within her.
Riddhima: Di, don’t you feel that I’ve snatched away this right from you? Like, all this property, all this status, was going to be yours. But then I just came in between.
Ragini turned around and looked back at her sister as she stood ahead of her. She didn’t know why her sister had suddenly formed such a perception, but it surely wasn’t true. She could never picture her sister in that manner.
Ragini: Are you mad? You must’ve completely lost it. Didn’t you know that I was never interested in this marriage? I never liked Vansh, Riddhima. How can we think of staying together forever then?
Riddhima (scrunching her face): Forever toh kuch bhi nahi hota, Di. (Forever is nothing, Di.) No one stays with you forever; everyone comes and goes. It’s always like a phase. And I think, that’s why people get married, you know? It’s like a bond of s’xu’l commitment, and then you’re just forced to stay.
Ragini: Nahi, Buddhu (Fool)! Marriage is way beyond that. It’s a relationship of love and understanding, where you’re bound together because you want to stay. There’s no outside force, aur (stepping closer to her) it’s definitely not a bond of s’xu’l commitment. Why do you always let your past engulf your thoughts, Riddhima?
Riddhima shrugged her shoulders and matched her sister’s pace to continue walking beside the premise. She knew, love didn’t exist – it was a concept, a theory, people wanted to firm their belief in for living in a fantastical world to avoid the real world. However, she’d never wanted to do that. Regardless of how harsh reality was, it never caused you pain later.
Riddhima: I’ve never asked you why you believe something in particular, Di. Why do you keep asking me when will my perception change? Just because it’s so different from yours, is it? See Di, I really respect you, but…
Ragini (surrendering): UFF! Fine, I won’t ask you anything about it. Can I tell you something, though?
Riddhima: What?
Ragini: You know I never thought of this earlier, but you and Vansh look so good together. It’s like a match that was meant to be together. You know, everyone here has been in absolute awe of your match.
Riddhima: Di, not you too. I’m tired of hearing this and that egoistic b’st’rd can’t stop feeling proud about himself, either.
Ragini (laughing): Is that Vansh you’re talking about?
“What’s being talked about me?”
Ragini turned around at the voice, but Riddhima didn’t need to. She’d gotten extremely familiar with his voice and she didn’t have to check twice. She shook her head, not understanding how he always found his way back to her. She’d guessed, he’d kept an eye on her – like how he’d spied on her before without her knowledge, but this time, he made it more evident and allowed her to know. She didn’t like it, though. It was intrusion of privacy, anyway.
Ragini: Uh, I guess I’ll leave the two of you to talk. I’ll see you in a bit, Riddhima.
Riddhima turned toward her sister, trying to discard her sister’s words, but she’d already begun walking back into the mansion. Riddhima stamped her foot against the ground and cursed her fate. How was she always left alone in his company?
Vansh (walking toward her): What were you talking about me?
Riddhima: Just how egoistic of a b’st’rd you are, that’s all!
Vansh (laughing): You really are no different even when I’m not around?
Riddhima: No chance! Didn’t you say that I wasn’t fake?
Vansh: I guess that was true then.
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Riddhima brushed her fingers along the petals of the flowers in the garden and walked in between the gardens, admiring how picturesque the scene was. She could recollect some memories from a figment of her imagination where her mother used to love gardening – that was when she stayed with her alone and she taught her about several things that piqued her interest.
She’d lost her a long time ago, but she’d never truly disappeared from her memory. Her mother was always there within her, reminding her of small nuances every often.
Vansh: You like flowers, don’t you?
Riddhima (nodding her head): I do. They help me reconnect with myself. (pausing shortly) What about you?
Vansh: Not gardens specifically. I think, bouquets are better. They’re good gifts, right?
Riddhima turned toward him and furrowed her brows in annoyance. How did this man always spoil her mood?
Riddhima: They aren’t. What’s the point of gifting someone something that becomes useless a day later? (looking at him pointedly) Don’t you dare give me bouquets, I’ll throw them at your face.
Vansh: Woah, hold onto your horses! What’s happened?
Riddhima (looking around): Do you see around yourself? These flowers are growing and the place looks beautiful because of the flowers. What’s the point of killing these flowers and gifting them in the form of a bouquet to someone just because “they are good gifts”?
Vansh: But this is high maintenance, bouquets aren’t.
Riddhima (pursing her lips): Even you’re high maintenance, did your family try to kill you?
Vansh: I don’t even know how I’m supposed to react. Did you just compare me to the flowers in this garden?
Riddhima: Why not? I think these flowers are drop-dead gorgeous and…
She stopped in the nick of time, her gaze widening in realization. She was about to say that he was gorgeously handsome and she knew, that’d lead him into thinking that her arguments and dislike for him were unreal. She knew, it’d strengthen his ego and she couldn’t bear that.
Vansh: And? You think I’m gorgeous, too?
Riddhima turned around and laughed, trying to cover up the blatant lie which was supposed to slip past her lips. She hated lying.
Riddhima: I was going to say that you look so bad that drawing a comparison becomes easier. Like, contrasts always help na.
Vansh: Did you throw away the bouquet I gave you back in Mumbai when I came to invite you for the Musical?
Riddhima: I wanted to, but Ma asked me to keep them and take care of them.
Vansh: Don’t lie, Ms. Goenka! Mrs. Goenka would never say that. She’s allergic to flowers.
Riddhima: If you know, then why did you give them to us?
Vansh: Because you like flowers and I knew…
Riddhima (interrupting): Are your spies this useless? Like, they told you about me liking flowers?
Vansh: I saw you the day you’d come to our house, Riddhima. You couldn’t stop caressing those flowers when you were absentminded.
Riddhima: I was being… myself.
Vansh: I know. (shoving his hands inside the pockets) How did you grow fond of gardening, though?
Riddhima slowly began finding comfort and solace in his presence and she allowed her worries to drown for a minute. For a minute, she didn’t want to be opinionated.
Riddhima (absentmindedly): Mummy was very fond of gardening. She used to tell me all these small facts about flowers, you know? (smiling) And she always used to teach me how to preserve florals. She was the one who taught me how the flowers from a bouquet can be preserved.
Vansh: And you still remember?
Riddhima (nodding her head): I remember most of the things she told me. It’s perhaps why, some things would never change for me. It’s been so long since we’ve parted ways, but I don’t think I can ever forget her. She was the one who taught me how to love (weeping internally) and then, one day, she just made me believe love didn’t exist. She taught me that ‘love’ was fictional, something that wasn’t true and you never love anyone.
Vansh: Do you not love Mrs. Goenka?
Riddhima: I don’t love anyone. I respect Ma and I respect Di, too. But I don’t love anyone. Love, Mr. Raisinghania, doesn’t exist…
As the name slipped past her lips, she let herself fall back into reality and pulled up the guards around herself. She didn’t want to share her perspectives with someone, not him, especially. She knew, he’d take advantage of her weaknesses and she didn’t want that.
Vansh (walking toward her): Why did you – Ah!
Riddhima stared at him as he screamed and quickly made her way toward him, seeing the way the thorns had pierced into his skin. She saw the blood roll down his leg and wet the fabric of his trousers, and she pressed onto his skin harder, trying to get the thorns out from his skin.
He leaned onto her for support, his hand falling over her shoulder and he felt an exchange of current and warmth between themselves. He felt her blow air onto his wound and he tried balancing himself, not wanting to burden her with worry.
Vansh: I’m fine, Riddhima. It’s just…
Riddhima: You’re not going to be fine this soon. The thorns pierced into your skin, you need to bandage this or else, you’ll continue bleeding.
Vansh: It’s going to be fine. It’s nothing…
She placed a finger on his lips and quietened him, looking into his eyes directly. She’d never stood this close to him and as she looked into his eyes, she felt herself transpire into another world – away from any chaos and worries.
Moments later, he heard someone cough.
Vansh (looking at Riddhima): You’ve caught a cold?
“No. But I was really expecting I could bring you two back to reality.”
They turned around, staring at Aryan as he looked at the two of them, his hands laced behind his back. Vansh noticed the smirk that outlined his lips and shook his head in annoyance.
Vansh: Why are you here?
Aryan: We were all thinking of going around the city, so I thought, I’d ask you two. But looks like, I shouldn’t have bothered. (folding his hands across himself) So, everything’s set between the two of you? Do we get to attend the marriage now?
Riddhima: No way! I’m not marrying him. He can’t be my husband.
Aryan: However, he can be your friend? I thought, you told me you take time to make friends?
Riddhima (furrowing her brows): We aren’t friends either. Anyway, if you can excuse me. He needs the first-aid for now.
Aryan: All okay?
Vansh: Absolutely. This friend of mine is just worried for me.
Riddhima (clenching her teeth): We aren’t friends!
Vansh: Soon, Ms. Goenka. Soon!
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That’d be it for this episode. I don’t know how likeable this episode was, but it was crucial in order to portray Riddhima’s comfort around Vansh which she constantly refuses to agree for. The next episodes might have quite some drama, so I hope that piques your interest and y’all continue reading. Finally, please let me know what you think of this episode and also, if any changes are needed, do suggest. Thank you for reading!