The Indian Tycoon's Marriage Deal Read online

  And then he suddenly looked at Maya as if the thought just crossed his mind. ‘I hope you’re not scared of dogs.’

  Maya shook her head. ‘No…I am not. What breed is he?’ She sat down on her haunches. ‘Hey, Baloo!’ That was all the encouragement he needed. Pulling away from Krish, the dog was soon slobbering all over her. And she was laughing and wrestling to keep him away from licking every inch of her face.

  ‘Irish Setter.’ Krish grinned. ‘That does it…you have got yourself one slobbering devotee for life.’

  ‘I think I can live with that.’ She laughed.

  Krish felt his heart twang yet again. She was definitely one hell of a surprise package. What would she surprise him with next? he wondered uneasily.

  A young woman in her early twenties came rushing out and rescued them both from Baloo’s crazy antics.

  Krish led the way to the cottage. Just as they were about to cross the threshold, the same woman came forward with a traditional thali—a brass plate holding an earthen lamp and assorted colourful condiments and a pot full of rice grains. ‘Bhaiyaa, Bhabhi, one minute.’

  She placed the shiny brass pot bearing the auspicious sign of ‘Om’ in vermilion on the threshold. It was filled to the brim with rice grains. ‘Bhabhi, this is your first time in your new home.’ Maya knew what she had to do. She had to topple over the pot of rice with her right foot, an act signifying that the new bride would never want for anything in her marital home. As she crossed the threshold, the girl put a tiny mark of vermilion paste on her forehead and on Krish’s before stepping aside. Krish smiled and pushed some money into the girl’s hands.

  ‘Maya, this is Rani and if you need anything, just ask her.’

  Rani bobbed her head enthusiastically. ‘Yes, Bhabhi,’ she said in broken English. ‘I help. You ask only.’

  Krish winked at Maya and said, ‘Rani only talks in English.’

  Rani beamed at Maya. ‘I bringing mango lassi. You eating?’

  Maya smiled. ‘Thank you, Rani. I would love to drink some mango lassi.’

  Rani slapped her forehead with her hand. ‘Ah, yes, drinking lassi, eating roti, no?’ And, before Maya could reply, she whizzed off towards the kitchen.

  Maya looked around the large, bright, airy living room. Even without air-conditioning, the room was cool and comfortable. There were indoor plants everywhere and a stark simplicity about the teakwood décor. Krish gave her a quick tour of the two-storey house—which included, apart from several bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, a modern gym, a library stacked with books, a work station, a TV room leading to a sitting area on the veranda overlooking the gardens and a kitchen stashed with every mod-con imaginable. Every creature comfort that she could dream of was available. Finally, he led her to her suite of rooms, overlooking the gardens. Looking at the comfortable double bed, she wondered where his rooms were. And, in a flash, he had read her thoughts.

  ‘I am just across the corridor.’ And then, with a hint of mischief, ‘You’re most welcome to share my rooms, if you like.’

  A hot blush crept up her face. ‘No, thanks, I will be perfectly fine here.’

  ‘It’s an open offer. Feel free to change your mind…any time.’

  Maya’s heart had started an erratic rat-a-tat at his husky, sexy offer and she desperately tried to change the topic. ‘Who looks after the gardens? Rani?’

  Krish gave her a knowing look. ‘Rani’s father, Hari. Okay, I will leave you to your own devices. If you need anything, just let Rani know. And oh, I almost forgot. Tonight you get to meet your pa-in-law at dinner.’

  Touching his lips to her hand in a feather-soft kiss, he said, ‘Stick close to me, and from time to time make sure to give me long loving glances…and you will do fine.’

  She pulled her hand away with a jolt. ‘Right…the just-married lovey-dovey couple act. How could I forget?’

  ‘Eight p.m. Be ready.’ Blowing her a kiss, he turned on his heel and left.

  It was almost as if, with Krish’s departure, the colours had suddenly become muted. The sunny warmth was replaced by a creepy chill that made Maya shiver. She dreaded the thought of facing up to KD in a house full of hostile people. Krish, it seemed, was her only ally. As if! He had made it quite clear that he expected her to play the role of an adoring bride. And she had better, or else KD would kick her off his turf in double quick time.

  A sudden wave of nausea swept over her. What if she lost her nerve? What if KD saw through her? Taking a deep breath, she shook her head vehemently. She grabbed her bag and pulled out Papa’s diary, which she always carried with her. Opening it on a random page, she read the words that her father had jotted down. The pages were frayed but the words were still as evocative as when Maya had first read them:

  How do I rid myself of the shadow of KD? I have tried and I have failed. How I wish God would just take me away. But then what would happen to my sweet little Maya?

  Even in his darkest days, his thoughts had been about her. She closed the diary and held it to her heart. You have to do it for Papa!

  A knock on the door heralded Rani’s arrival with a glass of delicious mango lassi and a plate of savouries. She welcomed the girl’s intrusion but not even Rani’s exuberant Hinglish chatter could divert her mind from the impending evening. Maya tried to focus on the job of selecting her evening wear and decided on a pair of turquoise silk harem pants with a cream-coloured halter blouse with delicate Kashmiri embroidery on it.

  Rani greeted her choice with a delighted squeal. ‘Bhabhi, this will look ekdum beautiful on you. You will make Monica Madam go green…’

  Before Maya could ask who Monica Madam was, Rani realised that she had crossed a line. She stuck out her tongue and excused herself. ‘In that dress, you looking like pari—no, no—fairy! I going now. Bye-bye!’

  Rani’s enthusiasm had brought a smile to her lips. But would fairy-wear be adequate armour for the hostile gunfire that she was about to face?

  CHAPTER FIVE

  AT NIGHT, THE mansion looked even more grand and imposing than it had during the day. The stamp of ostentation was all around. From the heavy brocade furnishings, the antique Louis XIV furniture to the thick Persian carpets and the chandeliers on the ceiling.

  All eyes turned towards them as soon as they stepped into the hall of the mansion. Maya couldn’t suppress a shiver of apprehension. Krish felt the fleeting reaction and caught her hand in his, weaving his fingers through hers. ‘Relax!’ he murmured into her ear.

  ‘Oh, I didn’t know it was going to be a party,’ she said.

  ‘No, this is the way it is every night. It’s nothing special. I guess my father can’t stand his own company.’ Krish’s voice was tinged with sarcasm. Lifting her chin with his finger to look deep into her kohl-lined eyes, he said, ‘You look like a million bucks. Let’s go get them.’ Her heart fluttered wildly as she gave him a brief smile.

  Krish’s hand on her back felt steady and firm as he guided her towards a group of people. These were some of KD’s closest friends, associates and relatives. She could see the curiosity in their eyes as Krish introduced her to them. His charming manner soon put everybody at ease and any hostility remained sheathed as he put on a flawless performance as the besotted bridegroom.

  For a moment even she was dazzled. But she recovered soon enough when he whispered, ‘Put some heart into your smile, jaaneman!’

  A shrill female voice broke through. ‘Krrrrrrish!’

  Maya looked on curiously as Krish’s face hardened and a nerve in his jaw throbbed. Coming straight at them was a huge mass of shiny, shimmering stuff with a voice shrill enough to give a banshee an inferiority complex. Monica Madan, one-time Bollywood wannabe superstar, whose claim to fame were some sizzling-hot numbers for B-grade movies, had clearly lost her battles with age and bulge. Her huge bulk covered with blinding bling, she thundered past Maya and yanked Krish in a bear hug that would have knocked the breath out of anyone who was not as tall or muscular as he was.

&
nbsp; ‘My naughty, naughty Krish! You got married and didn’t even tell your Monica Aunty! I’m so hurt.’

  Batting her heavily mascaraed eyes, she miraculously squeezed out a couple of tears without smudging any of her heavy eye make-up. Dabbing a tissue to her eye ever so delicately, she sniffled, ‘Never mind, Krish beta. All is forgiven. How can I stay angry with my one and only Krish, no?’

  Krish cringed away from the mountainous woman shedding crocodile tears. ‘Maya and I wanted a quiet wedding. There’s no reason why you or anyone else should feel hurt. Maya, meet Monica Madan, one-time Bollywood star and VVIP in the Dev household.’

  Unscathed by Krish’s sarcasm, Monica turned her full attention and girth towards Maya.

  ‘Trust the Dev men to pick only the most beautiful women,’ she declared after she had given Maya a top-to-toe appraisal. With the flair of a practised drama queen, she tossed her blonde hair, which had probably cost her several hours and a bucketful of cash at some super-exclusive salon, and complained, ‘But they are also notorious for their short attention span.’

  ‘You have no cause for complaint on that score,’ Krish shot back. ‘Your reign has outlasted that of every other woman in KD’s life.’ Krish’s eyes held an accusation that would have sent anyone with less tenacity than Monica running for cover.

  ‘That’s because no one else has loved your father as much as I.’

  Krish’s face hardened into a mask as his eyes glowed with rage. ‘If only you knew the meaning of love.’

  The air crackled with tension. Maya could tell that the hostility between Monica and Krish had a long, tortuous history. Krish’s shuttered down face betrayed his angst and, for some strange reason, Maya’s heart reached out to him. She didn’t want him to lose face in front of this woman, who reeked of guile and cunning from every pore of her being. Nor did she want him to become the victim of salacious gossip among KD’s cronies, as they hung on to every word.

  Edging closer to him so that her body was touching his, she linked her arm possessively in his. ‘When I fell in love with Krish, it was I who did the “picking”.’ She pouted coquettishly at him. ‘As for attention span, you’re not worried that I’m going to lose interest in you any time soon, are you, darling?’

  A murmur of appreciative laughter defused the tension as Krish’s rage-filled eyes turned soft with amusement. He nuzzled her neck lovingly, making her toes curl. ‘I am at your mercy, my lovely Maya!’

  A young woman who was standing closest to them beamed at Maya and put her hand out for a high-five. ‘Good on you, Maya. And you, Krish, you’d better watch out. It looks like you have met your match.’

  Maya did a high-five with her new unnamed ally as Monica shot her a nasty look and harrumphed away to find solace among her friends.

  ‘Nats, I didn’t stand a chance,’ said Krish. ‘By the way, this is my cousin Nats, sometimes also called Wild Natasha.’

  Natasha hugged Maya and said, ‘Krish, you have finally done me proud. Welcome to the Dev parivar, Maya!’ Adding sotto voce to Maya, ‘We’re one family that can put all those soap opera ones on TV to shame.’

  ‘And here comes the patriarch,’ added Krish cynically. KD had stepped into the hall and was being greeted by Monica, with a display of affection that would have done any self-respecting Bollywood diva proud. ‘We’d better go and pay our respects. Nats, don’t disappear. We need to catch up.’

  ‘Don’t worry, I’m not about to disappear any time soon. I just can’t miss out on how KD Uncle is going to react to his sassy bahu,’ said Nats, giving Maya a supportive wink.

  Krish guided Maya across the room towards KD. Maya’s hands felt clammy and a strange sensation gripped her. Anticipation battled with dread as she gulped down the bile that rose to her throat. Never for a moment had she thought that she would come face to face with KD as his daughter-in-law. There was something to be said about destiny. It worked in ways that truly boggled the mind. For now, she had the upper hand. And she had to make sure it stayed that way. She watched as Monica whispered into his ear, and KD turned his attention towards her and Krish. Maya mentally shook herself. Don’t panic. Don’t forget, this is for Papa. Now, breathe!

  * * *

  Krish had been preparing for this face-off with KD for some time now. And yet he had allowed himself to get blindsided by Madam M, the name he had given her when he had first set sight on her as a gawky twelve-year-old. In those days she at least had a figure and the sheen of a starlet. KD had treated her as if the sun shone out of her and every time she visited—which was for weeks on end—his mother would retreat into her own private world, refusing to even talk to her beloved son. It didn’t take long for Krish to figure out that Madam M was his father’s on-off mistress. The very thought filled his heart with rage against his father. The more he saw his mother shut herself away from the public, the more he suffered too. Over the years, as Madam M’s fortunes in Bollywood had declined, KD’s ardour for her also wilted. But even though there were younger, sexier women whose company KD sought out, Madam M continued to have some kind of hold over him—like a bloodsucking leech clinging on to its prey.

  Krish hadn’t seen her in almost a decade. It was pathetic how she clung on to her Bollywood notoriety and behaved like the Queen Bee, never mind that her days of glory were long gone. His contempt for her knew no bounds and yet he’d let her get under his skin, almost as if he was reacting to her as he had as an adolescent. Tonight too, he’d nearly succumbed to his desire to tick her off in the presence of KD’s friends. That would have been disastrous—he would have ended up playing into her hands. If it hadn’t been for Maya’s intervention, he would have come across as a callow youth who couldn’t keep his emotions under control. But it was amazing how Maya had intuitively sussed out Madam M so quickly and defused the situation. The more he was getting to know his wife—it felt strange to think of her as his wife!—the more he was fascinated by her.

  But now it was time to face KD. He smiled at Maya and said, ‘Ready?’

  She inhaled deeply. ‘Let’s do it.’

  As they approached KD, Maya switched on her smile and hoped that her face didn’t betray the intense emotions that were churning within her. She took refuge in the Indian custom of the bahu, showing respect to her pa-in-law by keeping her gaze lowered. Folding her hands in a namaste, she said in a low voice, ‘I hope you will give us your blessings.’ Try as she might, she just couldn’t make herself call him ‘Papa’ or ‘Dad’.

  KD turned his cold eyes on her and said, ‘Blessings are to be earned, young lady. You have done nothing so far except marry my son, and that too against my wishes.’

  ‘You’re right, Dad. Now that we are done with the formalities, perhaps we should leave,’ Krish said promptly.

  ‘Not so fast, Krish. Whether I like it or not, what’s done is done. And I’m sure our friends would like to meet your wife.’

  Looking across the hall, he caught Natasha’s eye, and she came across instantly.

  Natasha’s chirpy ‘Hello Uncle!’ brought a reluctant smile to KD’s grim face. ‘Natasha, will you please introduce your sister-in-law to our guests. Krish will join you in a moment.’

  Natasha took Maya’s hand in hers. ‘With pleasure, Uncle. See you later, Krish.’

  KD turned to his son, his voice a mixture of anger and exasperation. ‘Why do you insist on going against my word every time, Krish?’

  Krish smiled. ‘I believe in keeping my promises, Dad.’

  ‘Hah, promises! Trust me, sooner or later, that girl you have married will break her promise and give you hell.’

  ‘That won’t be the first time that someone would have broken their promise to me,’ Krish shot back.

  ‘Oh, come on. Nothing is all black and white! Life is about compromises. I guess you will learn that your own way. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.’

  ‘Warning noted,’ Krish said curtly. ‘I believe you have something to tell me.’

  ‘Hmm…you’re right
. And strangely, enough, this is also about a promise. One that your mother made to me—many years ago.’

  Krish’s face hardened imperceptibly. ‘Really? And I’m guessing it has something to do with me?’

  ‘Of course. Let’s go to my den. I have something to show you.’

  * * *

  Maya was still getting used to the shock of being introduced as the new Mrs Dev. Losing track of who was related to whom, Maya went into autopilot mode, making the right noises, laughing at anecdotes about Krish’s childhood and answering curious questions about her family without revealing much. She felt more than grateful for the hours she had spent with Krish working out the nitty-gritty details of their ‘love story’. Not that she would admit it to Mr Know-it-All Krish! Strangely enough, now that he wasn’t by her side, keeping a watchful eye on her, she felt a little bereft. Almost like a boat that had gone too far out into the river from its moorings.

  The thought came as a bolt from the blue. What was wrong with her? Till yesterday, she’d found his presence overbearing, even stifling, her nerves constantly on edge. And today she actually wanted him to be around, and be introduced to family and friends as a real Dev bride would be? It didn’t make sense at all. She needed to keep her focus, and getting all cosy and friendly with her husband was definitely not on the agenda. She had made it this far only because she had a promise to keep. To herself. And to Papa.

  * * *

  Krish’s mind was in turmoil. A few moments ago, he could have sworn KD had been totally taken aback that he had actually followed through on his promise of bringing Maya home as his bride. KD was just not used to anyone defying his orders. While his marriage to Maya would be a definite blow to KD’s grand plans, Krish also knew that KD would hit back hard. Just how hard would be revealed soon enough. The thought that it had something to do with his mother filled his heart with even more bitterness. She was long gone but, even now, KD insisted on tormenting her departed soul. Bracing himself for KD’s assault, he entered the rich teak and leather lined den. KD pulled out an envelope from his desk and handed it to Krish.