That evening, as we entered Sharad's warmly lit apartment, I was greeted by the meticulous arrangements Akhila Bhabhi had made. The place was beautifully decorated, with the catering laid out perfectly, ready for Krishna's birthday celebration. Shortly after our arrival, the neighbouring kids poured in, eager to celebrate Krishna's birthday. The party buzzed with joy and laughter, turning into a blissful event. My dear Krishna, the centre of attention, looked adorable in his tiny suit, his eyes sparkling with excitement. After the party, as the kids dispersed, Bhabhi took Krishna to his room, for it was well past his bedtime

As the night drew in, the three of us settled around the dining table, surrounded by Bhabhi's lavish spread of Paneer biryani, aromatic egg curry, sweet carrot halwa, and freshly made butter rotis Then Akhila Bhabhi asked, “Ashwin Bhaiya, you seem a bit preoccupied. Is something on your mind?”With a faint smile, I began to recount the week's tumultuous events, starting from Dolly waking up in my room to the commotion stirred by my paternal family.

Throughout my recounting, Akhila Bhabhi's and Sharad's expressions shifted from amusement to concern, finally settling on a shared happiness, genuinely thrilled about my upcoming marriage. Sharad hugged me and said, "Congratulations, bro! I'm so happy for you," Sharad exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine joy.

Akhila then asked,” What is bothering you, Bhaiya?” In a tone tinged with worry, Ashwin spoke, “Bhabhi, I fear that someone may have tried to harm Dolly. Perhaps they made her drunk. When I tried to ask, she responded sarcastically, saying she didn’t take advantage of me. But I'm not sure; maybe Dolly herself isn’t aware of what happened.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Akhila's smile was thoughtful as she spoke, 'Perhaps in Dolly’s vulnerable state, someone tried to take advantage, but thankfully, she must have escaped, even if she doesn’t fully remember. Stay calm, Ashwin; if there's more to it, she'll confide in you when she's ready. Are you feeling alright otherwise?”

I cut off Akhila Bhabhi and said, “I'm not being shallow; I'm genuinely concerned. I'm uncertain about how this relationship will turn out,” I said., “Hey, why overthink it? Just go with the flow. Maybe this is a blessing from Shivji,” Sharad interjected, trying to reassure me.

I also felt that what they were saying was correct. Akhila Bhabhi continued, “Let’s focus on the wedding preparations, and you should also get in touch with Dolly more often. It’ll make future communication easier.”

Sharad and I couldn't contain our laughter, seeing the excitement in Akhila Bhabhi’s eyes. Then I went back to my apartment and changed my clothes into a comfortable shirt and boxers. Then I went to sleep with a smile on my face.

The next day I contacted Dolly in the morning. She picked up the call in a few rings. “Hello, who is there?”

I replied“Hello, Dolly, it's me, Ashwin. I just thought I’d call you…” I trailed off, unsure of how to continue. Maybe my hesitation was recognized by Dolly so she replied, “ Sir I am good, and thank you for calling. Did you have breakfast ?” Our conversation flowed effortlessly, stretching over 30 minutes. With each passing moment, my heart felt lighter, and a sense of happiness blossomed inside me with this newfound connection with Dolly.

Time swiftly moved forward, and as the wedding days approached, my phone was abuzz with endless calls about preparations. Amidst this excitement, I found myself eagerly transforming my Hyderabad apartment, envisioning it as a haven for us, the soon-to-be newlyweds.