Page 2 of Twisted Deceit
Aadhya Kanwar, hold on to yoursinglestatus dearly; it won’t last long.
Chapter 2
Aadhya woke up the following morning to the sound of water splashing against the rocks not far from the resort. She chose a room with views and private access to the beach over one close to the large indoor pool on the lower level. Her friends' group was given an exclusive offer to upgrade to individual suites when they arrived, and her friends were psyched by their luck. While they all chose suites by the indoor pool on the lower level, she was happy to pick the only one on the upper level with ocean views.
She loved the ocean since she grew up in a desert with oases and artificial water bodies inside the mansions. The feel of waves hitting her feet calmed and relaxed her. It was the main reason for going on the trip with her friends, despite how dejected she felt when she heard that she had to marry a Thakvar heir. It was not a choice but a matter of when the marriage would happen. She was going to buy as much time as possible at any cost.
She felt guilty for not being able to share the joy of her friends as she was contemplating how to handle the Thakvar alliance. She knew she had no choice as per the rules of the land but needed to devise a plan to reject the alliance. She slowly pushed aside the thin sheets and stretched, feeling every tight muscle.
The stress of her unpredictable future did not sit well with her, and this trip she was on might be the last one she would ever make. She could not go in and out of the Singoor area with so much unrest. There was no way she could finish her last semester of education even with the online option, as there was no internet in Singoor.
The disturbances that started after her parents passed away in a fire accident continued. Savage clans’ attacks were rampant.
For almost two years, she stayed home, too traumatized to leave her aunt’s side. The place she fled from as a child with her caretaker, Meenabai, after the clan wars broke out in the region and had hoped never to return except to spend time with her aunt. She let out a sigh and reminded herself that she should make the best out of the three-day trip before she would be yanked back into the Singoor area.
With that thought, she planted her feet on the polished wooden floors and walked toward the heavy shutters that shut out the bright light from the outside. She opened the heavy doors and felt a fast chill from the cool breeze from the ocean. Her lips curved up, enjoying the feel of air in her long, dark hair. It was as if magic was in the air, and all her worries melted away.
She stepped onto the balcony and let out a laugh when she saw the sandy beach through the gaps in the palm trees. “So beautiful.” She wanted to explore the beaches but didn’t want to go by herself, and it was too early for any of her friends to be up. She had promised her aunt that she would not go anywhere alone, no matter where she was.
Her aunt cared for her deeply, and even though she was thousands of miles away from Singoor, her aunt worried a rival clan might kidnap her or, worse, hurt Aadhya. Very few people in the Singoor area knew how she looked because her aunt would make her wear a veil covering her head and face. More for safety than to keep up with the traditions. She didn’t enjoy wearing the veil as it obstructed her views, especially when they went to the oasis close to her home.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” an angry voice growled with a foreign accent. Aadhya was suddenly pulled out of her thoughts. She looked to one side as the voice seemed close to where she was.
Surprised by how clearly she could hear the man, despite how each building was constructed, she wondered if there was a level above her suite. The views would be incredible from a higher level.
“I can’t believe that’s what Grandma said.” The conversation continued as Aadhya approached the balcony's edge and looked up. Surprisingly, there was another level above her suite, and it was only in the structure she was in. All others were only two levels, except for the one she was in. She pressed her lips, annoyed that she wasn’t given the top-level suite, but quickly brushed it away.
“Dad, you need to convince her to start the treatment? She can’t tie her recovery to my marriage. I’m too busy with work to focus on a relationship.” The man’s words made Aadhya’s ears perk up. “I bet I can convince her. Let me talk to her.”
Moments of silence later, she heard another growl. “Great! She knows I will convince her to start her treatment and get ready for surgery. That’s why she doesn’t want to talk to me.” The man was upset.
Despite how annoyed he sounded, Aadhya sensed the affection in the man’s voice. “I’ll be back soon and get her to agree. I know she wants me to get married, but she can’t hold her treatment for that?”
There was a gap in the conversation as the person on the phone spoke. “No. I will not have an arranged marriage. Not discussing it, Dad.”
“I know.” He laughed. “Tell her I get my stubbornness from her.” And the conversation was over, and she heard footsteps right over her.
She stood on the balcony, almost in shock. She didn’t know if she should feel better about the fact that men had such pressures to have an arranged marriage and not just the women from Singoor.
*****
Later that day, Aadhya smiled, looking out into the ocean, the cool breeze in her hair, the warm sand caressing her bottom as she sat on the beach. It was mid-afternoon, and she felt like she had eaten six times already that day. The resort had world-class service, with staff walking around the beach and bringing food and drinks to them. They had a waiter dedicated to each one of her friends.
The food was so tasty, the drinks so refreshing, she almost forgot about the arranged marriage proposal hanging over her head.
“Ma’am, would you like to try this Pineapple and Passion fruit refresher?”
Aadhya looked away from the water to find her ever-friendly waiter holding a shot glass of the drink. She smiled, taking a small portion of the drink. “Thank you, Rosey, for the drink.”
“You are welcome, ma’am. The chef is preparing finger foods that I think you will like.” The young girl said with pride in her eyes.
Aadhya shook her head, smiling. “I don’t know if I can eat or drink anything more after this.” She held up her small glass of refresher.
The young waitress was not going to take no for an answer. “No, Ma’am. The chef will time it so you can try the finger foods. Enjoy!” With those words, the young woman left Aadhya to herself.
She looked to her side, wondering if one of her friends wanted to try her drink. She smiled when she found half of her friends’ group fast asleep after some back-to-back alcoholic drinks and massages on the beach. The rest of the girls had ventured out to check out the rest of the resort. Aadhya stayed back with the excuse of keeping an eye on the girls in slumber. Her friends didn’t need a nanny while they relaxed on the beach, but it was more for her to have some alone time.
She downed the refresher drink and let out a low moan. The drink was energizing, and she felt invigorated. If only she could halt time and savor the calming and relaxing moments without having to face her reality in Singoor.
