Was it the rainy breeze that splashed on his face or the headache inducing loud noise outside, Rhymaan couldn't determine which irked him more!

The last place on earth he ever wanted to be in is any function. Let alone a wedding venue. But to his dismay this time Khurana Mansion itself is the venue!

Stretching his long legs he finally met the destined softness of his bed just to be detached immediately by the summoning from his parents!!

After a long day, this is the worst possible time when Rhymaan wants to have a part in any kind of discussion. Scrunching his perfect eyebrows he impatiently glanced towards his wristwatch.

"Jaldi dikhayiye jo bhi dikhana hain. I feel tired!" Sitting on the far left sofa from the rest, Rhymaan exhibited hurriedness as always.

"Humne aapke doctor se baat kar liya hain. He told me you are quite well since last few months..." Savitri caressed his face with affection, "Dekha kuch nahin huwa.."

"Lekin hoga bohot jald if what I am guessing is right about this late night meeting come brainwashing session!"

"Aapko koi brainwash kar sakta hain?
Khair.. Don't worry.. Hum sabhi aapke special rule ka dhayan rakhne wale hain..." She smiled.

"Ok Daadi. Aab brainwashing... I mean start the important talk please!" Couldn't miss giving taunts while propping his chin on his hand.

"Theek hain theek hain. Let me come straight to the point then.
See this. Priyanka Koshal. Miss Chandigarh bhi jeet chuki hain!" With a bright smile, Madhurima forwarded a picture right before his frowning face.

"Reject." Rhymaan replied with the calmest tone possible.

"Why?" Madhurima's brows got instantly raised at her son's hastiness.

"Not my type maa!" He is direct, no beating around the bush for tonight.

"As you say..
Hmm Next..Rubina Kaur. Architect. Senior post mein hain CZC company mein!" But today Madhurima too is well prepared.

"Reject!" Within one single glance!

"Shilpa Rastogi. Super model and actress. Dekh toh lo, super pretty." She hovered another picture at his disinterested face, "Studied english literature. Bohot pyaari ladki hain."

"Nope! Reject!" He pursed his lips.

"Hadh hain Rhymaan!." Grumbling at her son, Madhurima looked at Savitri's astute expression. A smiling Savitri gestured her to continue, "Ok this one? Anjali Gupta. Doctor."

"Complicated. Reject!"

"Meenakshi Bajaj. Computer engineer. Recently settled with a job, senior developer. Sooo pretty!"

"Too ambitious! Rejected!" Madhurima blinked a few times at the audacity of her son as she sighed at the long list ahead of herself.

"Reject!" For a brief period, only that single word existed in his vocabulary!

"Reject!"

"Reject"

"Also reject.." He must be enjoying this a little too much!

Exhausted out from all her favorite options, Madhurima swung the matrimonial biodata of her least favorite one, "Kiya ye wali dikhana zaroori hain? I still think ye biodata na Munshi ji ne galti se bhej diya."

"Choudhary Ahluwalia ka poti hain na ye? Woh log toh shaadi mein aa bhi rahe hain!" Savitri looked at the photo.

"Mummy Ji...Pata nahin aap logo ko kiya ho gaya hain, Rhymaan ne aab tak ek se ek itni perfect ladkio ke proposals reject kiye hain and you think he will agree for such a simple girl???"

"Aab woh toh Rhymaan hi bata sakta hain..." Savitri smiled at Madhurima's rambling, "Betey ekbar photo dekh toh lijiye shayad aapko pasand aa jaye? Ladki ki aankhein na badi khubsurat hain ekdum jheel jaisi!"

Rhymaan frowned at his grandmother while visibly ignoring the picture and glanced at his wristwatch instead, "Alright. Agar aap logo ka shaadi shaadi khelna ho gaya ho toh can I leave?"

Savitri glared at Madhurima hard while signaling her to speak forthwith.

"Haan woh Rhymaan beta ye ek last one.." Madhurima flashed the picture of a simple girl wearing a mustard yellow dress. Whilst Rhymaan couldn't even bother to stop his lazy yawn let alone sparing a gaze.

"Naam hain, Geetika Ahluwalia. Details bolke fayda nahin hain, but still. No information about educational qualifications. Village girl. Conservative family!"

He thought he misheard, "What do you mean by village girl??" First time raised a query.

Looking at her daughter-in-law, Savitri waved her eyebrows as her eyes sparkled. In return, Madhuri grabbed her temple in frustration.

"Matlab toh saaf hain beta. Gaao ki gawar. Kuch khaas toh bataya nahin iske bare mein but she definitely doesn't have a dressing sense." Geetika's poor photo was being brutally scanned under the high standards of Mrs Khurana.

"Like I care! You on the other hand look so pissed at this last one lol. Anyway..! So are we done now?" Exasperated, he rolled his eyes.

"No. We are not done Rhymaan. You have to select one girl." Savitri was no longer playing the role of an astute one!

"Maa ji we promised ke hum koi jabardasti nahin karenge..." Madhurima gulped her fear and spoke.

"Toh kiya aab hum bhi Samyrah ke liye sari umar intezaar karenge??

Kitna dukhi rehne lage ho jab se london se wapas aaye ho... Infatuation hona gunah nahin hain. Aur saza maat do khud ko. Shaadi ho jayegi toh sab theek ho jayega!! Kyun ki philhal pyaar toh hone se raha..." As Savitri took one step towards Rhymaan, he stepped back while showing his palm to stop her.

"Dekha shuru ho gaya aapka rule.. Aapke daadi hain hum phir bhi isko manna padhta hain humein! Ye sab uski wajah se hain... She triggered your.. " She sounded hyper this instance.

Tightening his perfectly chiseled jaw, Rhymaan articulated unwaveringly, "Hmmm..That's not how it works Daadi! I mean marriage.

I don't know what are you guys even saying. How many times do I need to clarify am not even interested in Sam. She is..." He rectified, "Was my friend!! Just a friend. And that was so so back in the past. Feels like a decade.
Trust me Daadi, it has nothing to do with my current state. Rather you guys are the one who keeps chanting that useless name in front of me when I had already long forgotten."

"Aahh so you moved on? Zara aapni current dosto ki list batana? Un mein se koi toh hogi jo aapko pasand ho? Usi se karwayenge aapka rishta." Savitri's eyes bored into him.

"It's not necessary to have a company of women. I have my research paperwork to keep me busy anyway. Umm aur.. Kisne kaha I don't have any female friends?.. You guys should check my insta dms..." Pressing his lips together, he showed his official Instagram account filled with spam.

"Oh please bhai. Aap toh rehne hi do. We all know the truth. It's one way DMS jo ke baas aapke paas aate hain. None is denying your craze amongst girls. But how many have you befriended? Ye bhi choro. Reply ka hi bata do??" A young Annie giggled in the middle, not exactly understanding the depth of where the conversation is headed, "Waise instagram se yaad aaya aapne kiya socha woh Arijit Singh wali music video offer ke bare mein? At least do that for my sake no?? I can brag in front of the entire class..." She stopped in the middle after getting burned by her mother's death glares!

Vijay who was silently spectating everything intervened, "Rhymaan..Dekho beta...Isse pehle tum kuch decide karo pehle meri ye offer sun lo. Ye Ahluwalia family ki poti ka rishta hain. Tumhe toh pata hain na woh 900 crore wali deal??"

"Oh, so this is a transaction Dad??" Taking a clear jibe at his father, Rhymaan smirked.

"See there are different perspectives to see things.

Ahluwalias are prestigious. Didn't you say beta tumhe aapni career pe concentrate karna hain?? This is a golden opportunity. Tum khud gaye thhey na zameen dekh ne???

Waise bhi this girl is very simple and cute. Just meet her once then let's fix a date." Vijay tried to reason.

"So why you all played this farce when you have already decided? Why Dad?
You simply can't decide this with a snap of a finger! It's my life!" Rhymaan turned towards the hallway to leave.

"Toh hum tumhe kab keh rahe hain ke abhi shaadi karwayenge?"

"This topic shouldn't be a concern at all. I am only 22..ffs.."

"Beta you are not a simple 22 year old lad.. You are my special child.. My miracle baby." Vijay's voice pitched a little higher.

"Please dad don't start about that now." Rhymaan's concealed insecurity was about to take a small peek.

Meanwhile in Hoshiyarpur Punjab.

"Kaun aaya hain Geet puttar? Kitthe jaa rahi hain aise bhag ke?" Rano yelled from the kitchen as a running Geetika stopped her racing feet immediately.

"Ji..Woh.. Meri saheli..." Speaking softly, she lowered her lashes, "Mere kuch kitabe uske paas they toh wahi lautane aayi hogi. Main jau mummy?"

"Itna toh mainnu maloom hain kudiye ke teri saheli hain. Par.. Uss saheli ka kuch naam toh hoga?" Slapping on her forehead, Rano glowered at her innocent daughter.

"Nandu... Mera matlab hain Nandini ke ilawa aur kaun aata hain mujhe dekhne..." Like always, Geetika twisted her stole in nervousness, "Brij Veer ji jaise sabko dara ke rakhte hain, ye toh kismat hain meri jo kamse kam Nandini mujhse dosti karne ke liye raji ho gayi!"

"Toh tujhe kiya 1000 dost chahiye? Saccha dost ek hi kafi hoti hain.." Rano waved her hand in a hurry, "Accha chal jaa jaldi. Brij ka aane ka waqt ho gaya hain waise bhi. Srif 15 minute hain there paas Nandini se milne ke liye...Aaj ek nayi pakwan(recipe) sikhana hain tujhe.."

Geetika was about to complain about the 15 minutes but then didn't want to waste any more time. Pursing her lips she dashed out as quickly as possible. Colliding with someone she almost lost her balance.

"Oye ruk tu is waqt bhag ke kaha chali?" Brij roared with a terrifying glare.

"Ye lo siyappa... Veer ji ko bhi abhi aana that.. Aaj toh mujhe koi nahin bacha sakta... babaji" She could feel her nerves becoming colder with each passing step that Brij took.

Right before an angry Brij would strike her, Geetika swiftly squeezed her eyes shut! Didn't even dare to let a gasp escape!

*************