Love Finds a Way !!!

Chapter 41

Palak knocked then entered Shilpa's room cautiously. Kumar, the head servant had informed her that Shilpa wanted to see her alone in her room. It was about five thirty in the evening and her parents were to arrive in about an hour or so. She hadn't seen anything of her since yesterday. She had of course met the others at breakfast in the morning. And though they hadn't spoken much to her at least they hadn't been rude either except for that Aarav and to add to the list, Tanish. She did understand Aarav. She had met him a couple of times and knew his arrogance came from the fact that he was the head of the companies. But Tanish? She didn't even know what he did for a living. He was definitely not a part of the Singhania group. That was what Dhruv had told her. And he had had the nerve to speak impolitely with her. Thankfully, his mother had stopped him. She shook her head.

Now she stood just inside the room and looked at the spacious luxury. Not that her room was any less. She had been amazed at the amount of space Dhruv's room had and the beautiful interiors. And she had been told every room in the house was just as spacious and nicely done. But it seemed her mother in-law's room was a bit better than hers. Not that there was a competition. She was thinking more in terms of the way the color scheme, the furniture and the patterns on the rugs and curtains tied up.

"Like what you see?" she heard a mocking voice and came out of her stupor.

She didn't move just stood there as she located the voice. And then she saw Shilpa sitting in the chair near the bay window overlooking the garden beyond.

"Come in," Shilpa said and Palak walked inside.

She stopped in front of the chair opposite to where Shilpa sat.

"Hello," Palak said sweetly.

And Shilpa scoffed.

"Sit," Shilpa ordered and Palak immediately sat down.

Shilpa looked at the girl sitting before her. She was still angry. But she knew the importance of appearances. Her personal issues with Palak and Dhruv were separate. And with her father-in-law stepping in and attending the reception she had felt the need to put things in perspective too. Tomorrow's event had to go unmarred. Virendra had of course, supported her but he had also requested her presence, her amiable presence at the dinner tonight with her family. She hadn't wanted to but she knew she had never given any reason to people to question her image. And so she had asked Palak to come here and straighten a few things for her. If the girl thought just being married to her son would give her their acceptance automatically then she thought wrong. Shilpa maybe a lot of things but to break under pressure was something she had never done. Despite all her theatrics and hysterics and drama she was a strong woman. Palak was a pretty girl she would grant her that and she knew how to dress well. Commendable. For someone who had never had access to proper education or standards of living she sure knew how to present herself.

"Your parents are coming for dinner today," Shilpa stated with a cold calculative smile and saw Palak falter a little.

"Yes," was all Palak could state.

"Do they know the truth about your marriage?" Shilpa asked and then narrowed her gaze. Why did the girl seem a bit startled at that? Had that expression been really there or had she imagined it? Not sure she shrugged it off. It didn't matter if her questions or demeanor unnerved the girl. It was good in a way. Hierarchy should be set right from the beginning.

"I...don't understand," Palak said a little out of breath.

Shilpa won't be easy to please. The woman was sitting before her in yet another beautiful sea green sari and matching jewelry. There was not a wrinkle on the woman's face nor was a single hair out of place. She sat there with a haughty expression but the glint in her eyes couldn't be missed. She wasn't all drama either. It had been one of the facets of her Palak had seen yesterday. And Palak wasn't all too happy about it. She could match drama for drama but she couldn't match the cold attitude of the woman. She seemed like a snow queen. Beautiful but very icy. Or was it just her? But Dhruv seemed to be very unconfident in her presence as well. She squelched the urge to gulp. What did her mother in-law mean when she asked that question? Did she know the truth? But how could she? Nobody knew except select people out of which two were herself and Dhruv.

"Do they know you got married without my approval?" Shilpa asked as she raised an eyebrow.

"They do know we got married in a hurry," Palak answered.

This so wasn't going the way she had thought. When Kumar had told her Shilpa wanted to see her she had thought the woman must have calmed down. And she could play her charming self and get her to come around but it seemed that wasn't the case.

"Did they like Dhruv when they met him yesterday?" Shilpa asked again.

"Yes," Palak responded not yet sure what the woman was playing at.

"Good," Shilpa said and rose from her seat to walk to the window, "there is nothing about him your family won't like," she said proudly, "you, however are a different topic altogether," she said.

Palak couldn't see her face only her back and she didn't like Shilpa's tone. It sounded condescending. But before she could say anything Shilpa went on.

"I have been requested to be nice to them," she said and turned.

Palak looked at her. Shilpa Singhania had been asked to be 'nice' to her parents? For once Palak was a bit nervous. Did that mean she planned to not be nice to her parents? But then what would they think? If her mother in-law insulted them or threw a drama over dinner tonight how would her parents feel? She and Dhruv had given such a false picture to them just yesterday evening. Maybe Kanak was right. Maybe they should have prepared them just a little. At least they would have known what to expect. She had spoken to her mother this afternoon and found out that Chitra had been very nice to them and so had Aarav. Which had, by the way, come as a surprise to her. So she had assumed that all was well and that the same gesture would be extended to them when they come for dinner. It seemed that might not be the case.

"Will you be?" Palak asked slowly.

"That depends," Shilpa said noncommittally and shrugged.

"On what?" Palak asked irritated now.

"On my mood," Shilpa said and smiled viciously, "but that is not why you are here," she said and walked back to sit on the seat she had occupied before.

But when Palak didn't say anything she went ahead.

"Tomorrow is the reception," she said, "and as you well know my wonderful nephew has invited all my friends and relatives," she said sourly, "it will be better if you dress, walk and talk the way befitting someone who I would have chosen to be my daughter-in-law," she said haughtily, "you are supposed to make sure nobody gets a chance to say anything negative. I will instruct you on how you are to behave amongst people you have never met and would never had gotten a chance to meet if Dhruv hadn't made a mistake of falling in love with you," she said angrily, "for now, that is all I wish to say to you," she said as she tried to clamp on her anger over what Dhruv had done and Aarav had supported.

"Thank you for giving me an opportunity to prove myself to you," Palak said charmingly, feeling a bit better. This was all she wanted to talk about. Palak was fine with it. And somewhere she realized that Shilpa was very image conscious. Though she had said that her behavior before Palak's parents would depend on her mood Palak knew she wouldn't do anything to jeopardize her image. Palak was dense most times but where she needed to use her brain she did.

"Don't for a second think I have accepted you or forgiven you girl," Shilpa said snootily, "I am watching you," she warned, "one wrong word and I will throw you out of Dhruv's life, married or not," she said and Palak felt the confidence she had felt a moment ago falter again. And that irritated her. She had never let anyone speak to her in this manner. Yesterday, had been a different day and a different situation. But today was different. However, she decided to keep quiet for now. "Now get out," she barked.

And Palak rose then nodding her head left. She didn't want to get Shilpa all riled up and then throw a fit in front of her parents. What Palak hadn't realized yet was that she was very much like Shilpa. The image she had built in front of her parents and friends she didn't want anyone to destroy it. It didn't matter what she had said or done to make that image. Only Kanak knew her truth and she wanted to keep it that way.

Cut from the same piece of cloth destiny was interested in seeing where these two would head in the time to come.

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