The silence soon turned awkward and excruciating as emotions rose sky high and their tolerance dropped down to the netherworld; the amalgamation of the emotions threatened their sanity and whatever little peace was left in their hearts.
"Let's disperse for lunch! It's a happy occasion, let us not taint these memories with any negative emotion for the couple!" announced Shipra, taking over the mic as she realized that the silence could soon turn devastating if not taken care of.
The crowd erupted into whispers and hushed talks once again as they began following the staff guiding them towards the lunch venue, leaving behind the newly wedded couple, their families and their close friends.
"We will go along with the relatives or else it can result in damage beyond any control," Savitha sighed, as she signed to her husband to follow her.
"We will accompany you, Savitha Ji. We will make sure that none of our relatives utter even a single word against Neysa Beta," assured Kalpana, throwing a glare towards Adhrit as she followed the Thapars along with Adhrit's father.
Sensing that the couple might want some time alone with each other, their friends began making excuses.
"Don't let this affect you too much, Neysa. I know that whatever happened was horrible and it is bound to affect you but please don't lose yourself in it. We know what you are and how everything was," assured Shipra, patting and rubbing in soothing circles on the back of Neysa's palm as Neysa gave her a blank look, quite complimenting the lack of clarity in her own mind.
"Take care of yourself and Neysa, Adhrit. Don't let guilt overpower you so much that you end up doing something you would not want to," advised Vivek, following the stride of Shipra and going with the relatives so that they could douse some of the wildfire which had caught hold of everyone present.
It was then that they realized that Mohini had brought a company for herself, whom Adhrit vaguely recognized to be her friend - Sandeeo Singhal. Unlike all the times in the past, he did not feel a pang of jealousy trouble him or wave of frustration wash over him but instead he noted the deep sense of admiration, respect, concern and trust swirling in the man's eyes with a tint of pain and angst as he eyed at Mohini's slightly shivering self.
The potent brew of emotions felt familiar and as wave of nostalgia hit him, he realized that he had witnessed the same aphrodisiac potion in Neysa's eyes for him and it dawned upon him that Sandeep was bearer of scars bestowed by unrequited love like Neysa in the past.
"Thank you so much, Mohini. Your support truly means a lot to me. I don't know how effective you truly were, but I just know that if you did not speak up today, it would have turned into a mess and would be remembered as one of the darkest days of my life. Thanks once again," said Neysa, walking upto Mohini and smiling warmly at her, although she could not manage her usual heartwarming smile.
"Don't, Neysa. I did this for myself and for the sake of my love and sanity. Just no one has the right to take away someone's happiness on their day," replied Mohini, pulling her present out of its cover.
"Here's a gift from my side to the two of you. The credit for the design, however, goes to Sandeep," added Mohini, as she opened the present for the couple to see, with a melancholic strain in her voice and flame of pain burning inside her eyes.
The present was a pair of rings with the couple's initials carved into it intricately, reminding Neysa of a day when she had suggested Adhrit to buy a similar ring with his initials along with Mohini's as Mohini's birthday gift, and causing her to awe at the ironical destiny since that gift never materialized but she received a similar gift from the intended on the eve of her wedding with the same man.
"I had one wish, but only if you consent to it," requested Mohini, still holding on to the gift she had bought.
Neysa was slightly alarmed by the hesitance in her tone but her heart told her that the woman who had just openly defended her relationship with Adhrit would not try to harm it in any way despite loving him unconditionally.
"Sure, what is it, Mohini?" asked Neysa, noticing how Sandeep had stiffened significantly over the conversation.
"I wish to make you both wear these rings myself. Please," voiced Mohini, the desperate tone of hers telling everyone that it would mean a lot to her. While Neysa did not understand what it meant, Adhrit did not want to understand her gesture as it would bring in a fresh wave of guilt to his already bruised conscience.
Neysa just nodded in acceptance as Mohini smiled slightly through the tears which flowed from her eyes without any control as she made Neysa wear the ring.
She took baby steps towards the man she had loved for more than half her life, her eyes betraying the deepest emotions of her heart which she had never voiced and her heaving breaths hinting towards her turmoil - yet, she chose to do it, in an earnest hope that maybe it would help her from moving on from the one whom she would never be able to forget.
"Stay happy, Adhrit. I hope that your happiness never leaves your side and you feel loved forever," wished Mohini, pushing the ring onto his finger over the tear that had dropped onto it before the ring erased its existence.
Adhrit could not bring himself to utter a single word, owing to the turbulence his emotions were causing inside his heart. It was a blur for him when Mohini and Sandeep took their leave and departed from the venue and he was left alone with his newly wedded wife who looked at him with tears filled in her eyes.
"Everyone is so disappointed and in fighting mode because of us. My parents, who were always proud of me, seem to have so many complaints against me today," whispered Neysa to herself, bringing Adhrit back to his senses.
"Nisha! Didn't you hear what Shipra said? None of it was your fault!" consoled Adhrit, putting an arm around her waist and wiping away her tears with his other free hand.
"It was! How could I place such a ridiculous condition? How didn't I inform my parents before taking such an important decision in my life when I told them every single thing?" sobbed Neysa, resting her head against his chest involuntarily as she sought solace and what could be better than the arms of one's beloved to offer shelter in the storm of emotions.
"You did everything for love, Nisha. You are not the only one to be blamed. All of us are equally to be blamed. Your uncle was right. How did I end up propositioning an unmarried girl to be a surrogate?" Adhrit accused himself as Neysa rose up from her position to look at him in the eye to see the pool of love capturing her image with a haze of regret hovering over it.
"Do you regret this, Adhrit?" she questioned, praying the answer to be negative, after all she could not tolerate her love of twelve years regretting to have ever fallen for her and reciprocating her emotions, especially on their wedding.
"What about you? Do you?" he cross-questioned, holding her chin to stop her attempt of avoiding his gaze and forcing her to look up at him.
"Don't cross-question me, Adhrit! I asked you first so I need an answer," she demanded, rather childishly but she just could not bear his silence.
"I would never regret loving you or marrying you, Neysa Thapar. I will forever thank my destiny for giving a love like yours and a soulmate like yourself. It may be a sin to begin our relationship without ending the previous one but for finding such true love, I am sure, anyone would be ready to commit that sin and it may be a mistake to have approached you in the first place but that was the best mistake of my life. I love you, Neysa, and I will do so till death do us chapter," he answered, a smile playing on his lips which only grew seeing Neysa's dazed expressions and pushed him to place a tender kiss at her partition, right beside the vermilion which marked their union.