Beneath the Facade - Chapter 16: Blindfolded Devotion - Wattpad

Beneath the Facade

Shree Lekha Sharma was known for her bright, innocent smile. But behind that smile was a heavy secret she had carried for years. When she was just fi...

Chapter 16: Blindfolded Devotion

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It had been exactly forty-seven hours, thirty-two minutes, and fourteen seconds since I last saw her.

It wasn't that I hadn't tried. God knows I had attempted every corporate stealth tactic in my arsenal, but my mother and Rudra had effectively turned into a high-security tactical unit, literally hiding her from me at every turn.

We inhabited the exact same palace, walked the same marble floors, and yet, she was completely out of my reach.

I hadn't realized just how deeply ingrained her presence had become in my life until the simple act of trying to catch a glimpse of her became my primary obsession.

The palace felt entirely too big.

I could have easily cracked open my laptop and accessed the main security feed to see exactly which room she was in, but I had sworn an oath to myself that I wouldn't use the cameras.

My mother had specifically looked me in the eyes and said the ritualistic distance was for the ultimate well-being and prosperity of both the bride and the groom.

For Shree's sake, I held back my instincts, resulting in me sulking in the private study like a defeated king.

"Oh, look at that miserable face," Rudra crooned, lazily tossing a leather stress ball in the air as he leaned back against my mahogany desk.

We were supposed to be reviewing the financial integration charts for our return to Mumbai after the wedding, but my Best friend had entirely different priorities. "The mighty Adityanath Vardhan, completely brought to his knees by a five-day ban. You look like someone stole your favorite asset, brother."

I didn't lift my eyes from the documents. "Review the Q3 projections, Rudra, before I reassign you to the logistics department in Siberia."

"Go ahead, threaten me," Rudra chuckled, thoroughly flexing his ultimate advantage.

"But Siberia doesn't have Shree Lekha. Do you know what we did this afternoon while you were locked in your corporate video conferences? We played Ludo. Your future wife is a mathematical genius in disguise, Aditya.

Bhabhi completely annihilated me and Mom, got all her tokens home, and then did a little victory dance while eating sweet mangoes. She looked absolutely adorable. Too bad you missed it."

My jaw clenched so hard a muscle ticked in my cheek. I gripped my fountain pen with a lethal pressure, genuinely wondering if the universe would forgive me if I threw my best friend out of the second-story window.

The man would literally drop dead if he went a single twenty-four hours without pushing my absolute last buttons.

"Get out of my office, Rudra. Now."

"Going, going! Have fun staring at your spreadsheets, you lovesick giant!" he laughed, ducking out of the room just as I tossed a heavy paperweight toward the door.

By the time midnight rolled around, the crushing silence of the palace felt heavier than usual.

I was sitting at my desk, the cold white glare of my laptop screen illuminating the dark room, when the unmistakable, delicate chime-chime of silver anklets drifted through the cracked doorway.

My heart slammed against my ribs. I froze, closing the laptop screen instantly.

The palace was completely dark, empty, and silent. It was the absolute middle of the night.

Mom had intentionally assigned Shree the grand suite in the extreme South Wing- the furthest possible location from my Room-ensuring our paths would never naturally cross.

I had a strong, lingering suspicion that my clever little angel was actively playing along with the game, intentionally staying hidden during the day just to tease me.

But why was she out now?

Driven by an irresistible, magnetic pull, I quietly stepped out into the shadows of the corridor, following the faint, ghostly music of her steps.

The path led toward the grand southern hallway, a magnificent section of the palace currently undergoing architectural renovation.

The walls were partially draped, the scent of fresh lacquer hung lightly in the air, and the regular curtains had been removed, allowing the brilliant, crisp silver moonlight to stream through the massive floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

And there she was.

She was standing with her back turned toward me, completely bathed in the ethereal silver glow of the moon. My breath caught in my throat.

She was wearing the deep, midnight-blue silk salwar suit-the exact one I had gifted her. The rich fabric caught the moonlight perfectly, highlighting the elegant, slender silhouette of her back, her long dark hair falling like a silken waterfall past her waist.

She looked so breathtakingly beautiful, so entirely sacred in the quiet majesty of Kashi's night, that I couldn't take another step forward.

The rule. My mother's voice echoed in my head. You must not see her face.

I refused to let a single bad omen touch her future. I refused to break the tradition if it meant even a fraction of unproductivity for her life.

Reaching into my trousers, I pulled out my crisp, black silk handkerchief. Without a second thought, I raised it over my eyes, tying it securely behind my head.

The world went pitch black, but my senses heightened instantly. Guided entirely by the scent of her sandalwood incense and the soft, erratic rhythm of her breathing, I took a step into the room.

The silver moonlight on the marble floor was exceptionally beautiful tonight, but my heart felt strangely restless.

Over the last two days, I had spent my time tucked away in the warmth of Aunty's care, laughing at Rudra's ridiculous antics and watching Shivam finally smile without a single trace of fear.

It was everything I had ever dreamed of.

Yet, through the cracks of the doors and the whispers of the household staff, I had heard how desperately Aditya was trying to find a way to see me, and how miserable he looked being forced into isolation.

A part of my soul felt a deep, genuine pang of guilt. I was actually having fun playing hide-and-seek with him, but I missed his steady, grounding presence more than I cared to admit.

Unable to sleep, I had wandered into the high-ceilinged renovation hallway, looking out at the ancient city of Varanasi sleeping under the stars.

I gently pressed my forehead against the cool glass, whispering into the quiet night air, my voice stripping away every single layer of my childish facade. "Mumma... Papa... your Shree is getting married in three days. He... he is a good man. He protects me. I hope... I hope he stays exactly the same. I hope I can be enough for him."

Step.

A sudden, low rustle of fabric behind me broke the silence. My eyes widened, and I quickly spun around on my heels, my silver anklets letting out a sharp, startled chime.

My childish facade snapped back over my features instantly, a gasp escaping my lips.

" Captain?" I breathed out, my voice small.

He was standing a few feet away from me. But he wasn't looking at me. Tied securely across his dark, piercing eyes was a thick, black silk blindfold, completely obscuring his vision.

He stood perfectly still, his tall, broad frame looking incredibly powerful yet completely disciplined in the moonlight.

My heart did a violent, erratic flip. He... he hadn't broken the rule. He wanted to see me so badly, yet he respected the traditions and his mother's wishes so deeply that he chose to walk in absolute darkness just to be near me.

" Angel?" his deep, velvet baritone rumbled through the quiet hall, his head tilting slightly as he tracked the sound of my gasp. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Captain is wearing a funny sleeping mask!" I said, forcing my voice into its soft, childlike pitch, though it held a distinct, breathless tremble. "Is Captain playing a game? Captain can't see Shree! Shree is invisible!"

A soft, devastatingly handsome smile curved his lips. "I don't need my eyes to find you, bachcha. I can hear your bells from miles away."

"No-no! Captain is cheating!" I giggled, stepping back a fraction as he began to walk forward with absolute precision, his large hands raised slightly to map the space. "Shree will run away! Catch me if you can, Captain!"

I quickly darted to the right, my anklets chiming wildly, but Aditya shifted his weight instantly. For a large man, he moved with the terrifying, silent agility of a panther.

Before I could even clear the row of covered pillars, his large, warm hand shot out, his fingers brushing against the silk of my sleeve before his palm locked gently but firmly around my slender wrist.

"Caught you," he murmured, his voice sending a wave of pure electricity straight down my spine.

With a smooth, unyielding tug, he guided my steps backward until my back gently pressed against the smooth, cool stone of the renovated wall.

He followed my movement, stepping in close-so close that the rich, intoxicating scent of his cedarwood cologne completely enveloped my senses.

Yet, true to his fiercely protective nature, he kept his hands firmly planted on the stone wall on either side of my head, maintaining a respectful distance between our bodies.

He didn't touch me. He left the boundary completely open. If I wanted to slip under his arm and run away, I easily could have.

But I didn't move an inch. I stayed right there, trapped willingly within the circle of his warmth, my breath hitching as I stared up at his blindfolded face.

"Why..." I whispered, my childlike voice cracking slightly as a sudden warmth pooled behind my eyes. "Why is the Captain wearing the black cloth? If Captain wants to see Shree, Captain can just take it off."

Aditya leaned down slightly, his jaw tight, his voice holding an intense, reverent softness that made my soul tremble. "Because Your pretty Aunty said looking at you before the wedding day isn't good for your future, Shree.

And I would rather live in absolute darkness for the rest of my life than let a single bad omen or a single teardrop touch you because of my selfishness. I can wait five days. I can wait a lifetime. Just being in the same room as you, hearing you breathe... it's more than enough for me."

A silent tear slipped from my eye, tracking down my cheek. I smiled through the moisture, my heart overflowing with a profound, terrifyingly beautiful emotion. Thank you, Mahadev, I prayed frantically inside my mind. Thank you for bringing this man into my ruined life.

Slowly, I raised my small, trembling hand. I placed my fingertips against his rough, chiseled cheek, feeling the warm, solid reality of his skin, the slight stubble grazing my palm.

Aditya let out a low, ragged breath at my touch, his head leaning slightly into the comfort of my hand.

"Captain..." I spoke softly, maintaining a gentle, sweet facade but letting the words flow clearly. "After the big wedding... Shree cannot call you Captain anymore. Silly Chachi said wives cannot call husbands by their big names, and Captain is a title for the big ships."

Aditya's lips curved into a soft smile, his hand coming up to gently cover my hand where it rested on his cheek. "Then what is my angel going to call me?"

"Um..." I tilted my head, tapping my chin thoughtfully with my other hand, pretending to think hard. "Shree could call you... Big Giant? No-no, Rudra Bhai says you are a giant bear. Shree could call you... Maharaja?"

Aditya let out a deep, vibrating chuckle that warmed my palm. " Maharaja sounds a bit too formal, don't you think, bachcha ? Try again."

I shifted closer, my voice dropping into a shy and incredibly soft whisper that was entirely genuine. "Then... Shree will call you... Aditya Ji. Is Aditya Ji okay?"

The moment the name left my lips, I felt a distinct, powerful shudder pass through his large frame.

Aditya's grip on my hand tightened with an overwhelming, possessive tenderness.

He lowered his forehead until it rested gently against the top of my head, his deep voice thick with an emotion so raw it made my eyes well up all over again.

" Aditya Ji," he repeated slowly, as if tasting the words for the very first time. "It's perfect, Angel. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard."