Thank you so much @DaveyHawkes  for this prettiest banner! I am in love with it. This has captured the essence of the story so well. Love you gal!

This time, my female protagonist is a bit different from the usual ones and so is the male protagonist due to the needs of the story. Yes, she is a bit weak and unsure of herself, unlike my other's.

Please comment you thoughts guys. They mean a lot!🙏🙏

Mythili's POV -

" Lecture dismissed. Your exams start next week and I want all your assignments to be turned in by tomorrow evening. You all already have my mail id." Sangeeta ma'am, our history lecturer instructed us before walking out of the classroom.

" Oh man what is her problem? All she cares about are the damn assignments!" Amita, my best friend whined sitting next to me.

" I know right. Such a nonsense." Hritik, her boyfriend who was sitting right behind us agreed with her and I rolled my eyes at the two of them.

" Stop acting as if you both actually do any assignment. All you do is take mine and paraphrase it before submitting." I said while keeping my notebook in the bag as we were making way out of the class towards the canteen.

" Night out people? It's my birthday!" Viraj said as he walked towards where we were sitting.

" Oh we are on for tonight." Amrita cheered and then sadly looked towards me.

" Enjoy, you guys and a very happy Birthday Viraj. I hope you have a great year ahead." I wished him before standing up.

" Thank you. I hope you could come too." He had a look of pity in his eyes with I loathed.

" Next time. I gotta go now. See you all for the exam." I said before walking towards where my father's car always waits for me as a I slipped in. These were the perks of being born in a household loaded with money but no one to bother for you.

My college is in Vile Parle and home in Powai. This car was gifted to me on my 19th birthday by my father who threw a grand party on the occasion. Ironically, I knew no one who was present and wishing me. In fact, half the people didn't even know who the birthday girl was.

Anyway, I prefer this over the attention now. Al least I am mostly left alone to myself!

It was about forty minutes till I was back home and as I was making way to my bedroom, my younger brother Rajveer threw his tennis ball at my arm, taking me by surprise. It did hurt a bit but all he did was laugh. I picked the ball and threw it back to him, obviously not aiming to him. I wasn't that petty.

As I climbed up the stairs to my save haven, I found a plate of lunch kept on the table properly just like always. I went to freshen up, changed and then sat down to have lunch, alone. Not that I minded it but some company would have been nice.

" Ma'am, may I come in?" One of the maids knocked the door and I nodded my head in a yes, looking at her.

" Your mother has asked me to let you know that all of you are supposed to attend a party tonight. Your designer, make-up artist and hairdresser will be here by 5 so please make sure that you get everything done in time. You are supposed to leave by 7." She said politely before walking out of the room.

" Well here goes my plan of spending a quiet evening." I muttered, finishing up with food and decided to study for a bit for the upcoming exams.

I was majoring in economics and I want to do my MBA in finance or marketing from a good college here in Mumbai because I couldn't even dream of going to any other city to study, let alone a different country. My father was a big believer that feminism is just bullshit and women are supposed to look after their homes and let men earn the money.

I was only being allowed to study because these days, no one would take an uneducated wife. After all, it is her responsibility to teach the children!

As I finished reading the Lorenz curve, which for some reason I was finding too difficult, there was a knock on the door once again.

" Come in." I asked as the door was flung open a team of my mother's team walked inside.

" Let's start with hair and make-up first." The man who had just got in stated and I was first asked  to go and wash my face and so I did.

After that, I was supposed to listen to their instructions and once they were done pulling my hair, curling them, styling them and brushing them before they made a very tight hair bun updo and make-up, I was already annoyed.

" How long?" I asked, tapping my feet to the wooden flooring impatiently.

" Almost done." One of the girls who was putting on something on my face replied.

" Mythili I know that there are two choices for you to dress but I want you to wear the velvet burgundy gown, is that clear?" I heard my mother's voice rang into my ears.

" Yes mom." I replied, opening my eyes to see that she was already all dressed up in a white saree.

" Your father, brother and I are waiting for you in the hall. Get there quickly and mind you, tonight is very important for your father and I will not have you mess it up. You will be courteous, polite and approachable to everyone. You will entertain whoever comes to talk to you and you will do it with a smile." She barked her instructions like she always does before exiting the room.

" Okay mom." I whispered despite being sure that she couldn't hear me.

I slipped into the gown, feeling more exposed than ever. It had a ridiculously deep neck-line and an even more terribly deep back.

I asked everyone to leave me alone after I slipped into the high heels. I had to do something to not draw attention to my back. What was wrong with my mother!

I decided that there was nothing that I could do and just went on to open my hair which thankfully are long. Then I curled them a bit from the bottom and thankfully, they did cover my back and put a few strands ahead so as to not draw any attention to the neck-line.

Mythili's Look -

I took a deep breath before I made way to my family. Please god, give me the energy to look a bit enthusiastic for the damn event.

" Finally. Let's get going." My father saw we descending the stairs and immediately walked out to the car. That's probably how much I repulsed him for being a girl.

" What have you done with you hair?" Mom asked disapprovingly and as much tempted as I was to tell her that I was her daughter and not an escort, I decided to keep my mouth shut and looked at my feet instead.

" Mumma let's go!" Rajveer pulled my mother's dress and for once I was thankful to the little brat as we walked to the car.

" You will be meeting Shivaay Singh Rathore tonight. His mother is looking for prospective wife candidates for him and we owe his company a rather large debt which can be settled in other ways than money." My father finally was talking to me I knew that because he hadn't taken anyone's name before he started to talk.

" I am not ready to get  married yet dad." I desperately tried to curtail my words into this sentence because what I actually wanted to do was just open the car's door and jump out.

" Then get ready. This is not an option that I am giving you. You will woo his mother and do everything that you can to win her favour. God willing, by the end of this month, we will be sending you off with him after you two get married." He paid no heed to what I was saying.

All I wanted to do was ask him what was my fault that I was not born a son and if he had so much of a problem with my existence, why did he even decide to keep me but who was I kidding? I already knew the answer to this question very well. I was raised to marry one day. Marry into a family which would bring more money in the family and after all.

" Yes dad." I had no option but to say this as tears had already rolled down my cheeks. I wiped them carefully as to not smudge whatever make-up was on my face.

There was a wave of silence in the car which was eventually broken by my brother who had demanded that he needed a brand new I-pad since this one was lagging and the three of them happily agreed.

They can go on and keep whatever expectations out of me but I will not be putting a single effort to woo Shivaay Singh Rathore or his mother. I will hide in plain sight in the party, lurking in the corners till it was time to go home and if someone accidentally approaches me, I will send 911 to Amrita who will call me, most probably. But there was no way I'd become the puppet my parents want me to be. No matter what.

" Here we are." Mom announced as we got down from the car and started to make way inside the venue when my mom held my wrist to stop me while dad and Rajveer went inside.

All she did was push all my hair at my back and adjusted my dress to lower the neck-line and I fell more exposed than ever.

" This is how you lure men." She said as shamelessly as she could and put on some of her mist she had in her clutch on me.

" Now smile and look pretty. God has gifted you a beautiful figure. Put that to use." She gave a sick smile and started walking in and I reluctantly followed.

There was so many people there and even though I was used to these parties, they manage to creep the very insides of me.

" There she is, Malini Singh Rathore. Shivaay's mother. You will approach her in a while without making it obvious and warm your way to her." Mom said, pointing towards a woman standing with some other people near one of the tables and all I could do was nod as she left me to join dad who was busy talking.

" Not one minute I am here and I already need some air." I muttered to myself as I took a glass of water from the waiter and saw a huge open terrace attached to the party hall.

" That is going to be my refuge camp for the evening." I said while walking outside in the corners, determined to be ignored but clearly, god had some other plans for me, not very kind ones.

Hey guys! This is the first chapter. Please tell me your honest reviews. I will really appreciate it. I love you all. Until next time. Bye!!