Nadia's
We hadn't spoken much for the past half hour.
No—we hadn't even looked at each other.
No… I hadn't even tried to look at him to guess whether he had tried in the first place.
Shit… what am I even blabbering about?
I had changed my hairstyle while waiting back at home, but now I felt uncomfortable. My hair fell loose like a spring breeze, soft and free, yet my wedding attire felt stiff and heavy against my skin. I couldn't stop worrying that my hair and this dress looked completely out of place together.
A horn sounded.
My gaze suddenly darted toward him on reflex.
"So, you finally found the courage to look at me?"
"What? No… not at all—I mean, why wouldn't I look your way?"
He caught me off guard. He hadn't even turned toward me, yet he noticed my glance in a second.
"Aren't you tired?"
He chuckled softly.
"Don't worry. I won't lose the bet. Tonight isn't the time to get tired and doze off."
My cheeks flushed, but he didn't even flinch. His composure stayed annoyingly calm. I swallowed, trying to moisten my dry throat.
"I won't sleep either… After all, the bet money isn't something easy to give up."
His lips curved slightly into a faint smile.
I could tell he was tired. Honestly, I was too. Neither of us had slept properly in two nights.
For the past five months, I had talked endlessly whenever he called. I could chatter without pause for hours. But now, sitting beside him, alone in this car, I couldn't even form a proper sentence.
"How long?"
He finally turned to look at me.
Our eyes met for barely two seconds—no more than that—yet in those two seconds, it felt like his gaze had taken in every inch of me.
"Hmm?"
I paused, forcing myself back to my senses.
"When will we reach your home?"
"It's our home from today."
His words sounded more like a statement than an answer—as if it were something I had to remember and accept.
I said nothing, but the meaning of his sentence unsettled me. It irritated me in a strange way, the thought of accepting an unfamiliar place as my home in less than twenty-four hours.
"Don't think of it as somewhere you don't belong," he said calmly. "Make yourself at home. We'll be there in about ten minutes."
I turned to look outside. The road was dark and deserted. It was already 10:14 p.m., and not a soul was in sight. That heavy silence made me uneasy. Something about this place already felt wrong, though I couldn't find the right words to explain it.
A few minutes later, he turned the white seven-seater into a narrow lane and stopped in front of a cobalt-blue painted house.
I hadn't properly noticed the house color this evening.
Now, all I could think was—how?
I didn't mean to sound rude, but how were we supposed to live here?
He stopped the car and told me to get down. My mind was still processing everything; I heard him, but the words barely registered.
My uncle Rayan's family was waiting for us, and I finally felt myself breathe again.
Uncle Rayan sat on the sofa, while Aunt Samira stood near the kitchen doorway, smiling warmly at me.
Neil drove the car into the shed.
I tried my best to keep my face composed, but I failed.
"Here, sit."
My father-in-law pushed a chair toward me while remaining seated in his own. This was not what I had expected.
Both my in-laws had already changed their clothes, and somehow that made everything feel stranger. It wasn't their style of dressing that bothered me—it was the awkwardness of everything around me.
My mother-in-law was in the kitchen making something simple, like rotis. She didn't even smile. I knew they were tired, but nothing here carried the warmth or festivity I had imagined.
I glanced at Uncle Rayan. He patted the sofa beside him, asking me to sit there instead.
Ignoring the chair, I crossed over and sat beside him.
"Dear, don't think too much," he said gently. "Just be patient for tonight. Tomorrow we'll go visit your parents."
I nodded, my eyes wandering around the hall crowded with a dining table, chairs, and a refrigerator.
"Everyone begins married life like this," he continued. "You have to build your own kingdom. Your mother spent her first wedding night in a hut. And besides, you won't be staying here for long."
A strange sense of relief washed over me when I heard my uncle's voice.
"Nadia, go get changed, honey. It's almost eleven. Freshen up and come eat dinner," my aunt called, while still speaking to my mother-in-law.
I looked around for my luggage. Neil—my husband of the past fifteen hours—had already brought it in from the car and placed it inside the room.
Yes, there was a room.
Probably my room from now on.
I stood up and walked inside to take out fresh clothes and a towel. My aunt followed me in.
"Nadia, which dress are you going to wear?" she asked, staring at the clothes in my hand. "What is this? Why did you bring something so plain? Nothing fancy? Nothing to attract your man?"
"I want to sleep comfortably, Auntie. I need something easy to wear."
"What? Sleep?" She looked shocked. "This is not the time to sleep. Rest can come later. Everything must happen at the right time, honey."
Her words made me feel nauseous.
She was a woman herself—she had gone through this once. Why would she say something like that? We weren't even close enough to discuss such things.
Knock knock.
The door opened, and Neil stepped in.
"Excuse me, I need my towel."
He slipped quietly inside, took his towel and toothbrush from the cupboard near the door, and left without another word.
After he went out, my aunt finally gave me space to change. She offered to help, but I refused.
Once everyone left, I became aware of the silence in the room.
It was small—cozy enough for two people to stay close. But if we ever had children…
No. No, what was I even thinking?
Why was I judging already? My parents had chosen this family for me. I had to trust them.
My eyes wandered around, searching for signs of my husband's presence. Strangely, I found nothing. No clothes, no watch, not even a pair of slippers. It was as if the room belonged to no one.
Confused, I sat down on the cot in the corner.
The door opened slightly again. This time, the knock was softer.
"You can go freshen up now."
Neil had come to show me the bathroom.
It was outside, behind the house in the backyard.
My grandparents' house had a similar arrangement, so I wasn't disappointed. Besides, I had known this long before—Neil had once mentioned it during one of our phone calls.
I removed my custom-fitted wedding outfit and took a long bath.
After changing my sanitary napkin, I slipped into my nightgown: baby pink satin, decorated with soft grey and pink rose prints at the hem, with delicate lacework along the neckline.
When I stepped out, I searched for a trash bin and found one near the back door. I carefully disposed of the used napkin before heading back inside.
The moment I entered the room again, a strange sensation tightened in my stomach.
I couldn't tell if it was happiness, fear, or shyness.
Sharing a room with a man was entirely new to me.
But the room was empty.
Later, my mother-in-law served me dinner. I had no appetite. The atmosphere in the house had already unsettled me, and the meal itself didn't help—the tomato-based vegetable curry was exactly the kind of dish I disliked.
I forced myself to eat a few pieces of roti before returning to the room.
There was no mirror.
Thankfully, I had packed everything in my small suitcase.
I combed my hair carefully, smoothing every loose strand into place. Then I applied moisturizer, lip balm, and a little kajal.
I didn't want to appear unpolished on the most important night of my life.