Thank you for diving into another emotional chapter of Mine Yes! Forced to be Yours Mr. Devil. This scene was one of my favorites to write—it's raw, vulnerable, and filled with the unspoken tension between Rudra and Anaya. Their journey is one of self-discovery, trust, and the courage to face their feelings, even when it feels impossible.
Did this chapter make your heart ache for them as much as mine did while writing it? I'd love to hear your thoughts, especially on how Rudra's unwavering intensity contrasts with Anaya's guarded hesitation. Your comments and feedback fuel my inspiration and remind me why I love telling this story!
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–PENOLA.S
The garden had come alive under the bright afternoon sun.
Colors danced in the air like little fireflies, laughter echoed between the flower-laden trees, and the vibrant clatter of dhol beats carried across the lawn like a heartbeat of joy.
And yet… in the middle of all that celebration, there stood a couple—not just drenched in color, but wrapped in something far deeper.
Anaya and Rudra.
Their clothes were stained in gulal, cheeks glowing with pinks and reds, and their fingers—still tangled from moments ago—held stories no one else could read.
The entire Singhaniya family stood gathered in the main garden now, a small circle of elders resting under the canopy—Komal, Rakhi, and Dev, sharing laughter, thandai, and affectionate glances at their growing family.
A little away, Ria and Ravi stood side by side, a safe distance from the buzz. Ria had one eye on Anaya and the other on her younger brother, who looked… too quiet.
Ravi's face was calm, but his jaw—tight. His eyes, clouded.
She could feel it.
He wanted to go to Rudra. He wanted to face him. Maybe ask. Maybe yell. Maybe… just stand close enough to understand.
And so when Ravi took a step forward—
"Ravi… ruk ja. Abhi nahi."(Ravi… stop. Not now.)
Her voice was low, firm, and kind. But he didn't stop.
And before she could stop him again, Rudra himself stepped toward them.
Their eyes met.
Ravi's were intense. Rudra's were unreadable. Like they always were.
There it was. That moment. That tension. That unspoken wall between two brothers who were never supposed to fall on opposite sides.
But before it could explode—
Jaya Kukreja arrived.
With Rubi.
Jaya wore a stunning red saree, her elegance untouched by age. Her daughter Rubi, of course, was glowing—not from Holi colors, but from the delusion of being the center of attention.
As they neared the elders, Komal's eyes lit up.
"Jaya! Achha kiya aayi. Par Karan kahan hai?"(Jaya! I'm glad you came. But where's Karan?)
Jaya folded her hands with a polite smile.
"Aayenge, taayi ji. Thoda late hai, par raaste mein hai."(He'll be here, aunty. He's just a bit late, on his way.)
But the mention of Karan was enough to send a chill down Ravi's spine.
He immediately turned to Ria.
His gaze scanned her face, searching for a flinch, a shadow, a secret—anything. Anything that might show that Karan's name still had meaning for her.
But when he found her again, she was standing casually near the lassi stall, sipping from a steel tumbler, cheeks puffed with cream.
So normal. So… untouched.
Before he could ask—
Aarav joined him.
Leaning toward him like a brother with a secret.
"Don't worry. She's drinking the normal lassi. Not the laddu wali."(Don't worry. She's drinking the normal lassi. Not the one with bhang laddu.)
That one line—meant everything.
It wasn't just about lassi. It was a clue.
Ravi looked at Aarav. His eyes narrowed.
He knows.He knows about the bhang laddu plan.
And maybe, Ravi did too.
.______.💕.______.💕.______.💕.______.💕.______.
Just then, Rudra turned to Anaya and gently brushed off a speck of green from her cheek.
His voice dipped close to her ear, just enough for her to feel the warmth of his breath.
"Enjoy your Holi with your friends, Anaya. Main thoda kaam se jaa raha hoon."(Enjoy your Holi with your friends, Anaya. I'm off to take care of something.)
Anaya blinked at him, confused.
He smiled—mischievously.
"Lekin… apni woh waali promise mat bhoolna."(But… don't forget that promise we made.)
And with a wink, he left her there—blushing, stunned, wondering how a man could be so cold and yet so… hot.
He didn't get far though.
Because Rubi stepped right in front of him, holding a plate of pink gulal like it was some sacred offering.
With her brightest, fakest smile, she spoke—
"Rudra… Happy Holi! Mujhe rang lagane doge?"(Rudra… Happy Holi! Will you let me apply color?)
But before Rudra could even form a reply—
Aarav walked straight into the line of fire.
His arm came between them like a protective shield, eyes locked on Rubi with the calm menace of someone who's had enough.
"No, Rubi. You can't. Kyunki yeh couples waala Holi hai. Aur main bhool gaya tha ki tum toh… abhi tak single ho."(No, Rubi. You can't. Because this is couples-only Holi. And I forgot—you're still single.)
Rubi gasped, taken aback by the insult disguised as sarcasm.
Before she could recover, another voice chimed in.
Janvi, her arms crossed from the side, smirked.
"Waise bhi… Rudra bhaiya already full colorful ho chuke hai. Tum kya nayi Holi invent karne wali ho kya?"(Besides… Rudra bhaiya is already completely colored. You planning to invent a new kind of Holi or what?)
Ria giggled from behind her lassi.
Even Ravi couldn't help the smirk that twitched on his lips.
Anaya stood not far, her eyes still following Rudra. She'd seen Rubi approach him.
She'd also seen who stopped her.
And her heart—just a little bit—felt warmer.
Because even in his silence, even in his distance… Rudra was never alone.
He was surrounded by people who chose him.
And somewhere, slowly… she was starting to believe—she was one of them too.
.______.📑.______.📑.______.📑.______.📑.______.
The garden was now a riot of colors—red, yellow, green, pink—each hue clinging to skin like memory.
The laughter of women echoed as they playfully smeared gulal across each other's cheeks, their sarees turned into canvases of Holi's joy. Even the breeze smelled of spring and nostalgia, of sweets and something deep—perhaps longing.
Somewhere in this whirlwind of chaos, three girls broke away from the crowd, still glowing from the burst of colors.
Ria, Janvi, and Anaya.
Their cheeks dusted with pink, laughter still fresh on their lips, and their steps full of the lightness that comes when women feel safe, seen, and together.
Janvi wiped a smudge off Anaya's nose and teased,"Aaj toh tu poori gulaabo ban gayi hai. Rudra sir ko warning deni padegi—dangerously cute intern alert."(Today you've turned into a full Gulabo. Rudra sir needs a warning—dangerously cute intern alert.)
Anaya blushed, her fingers curling around her dupatta as she tried to suppress her smile.Ria rolled her eyes and flicked color on both of them again.
"Oye bas karo. Let's go terrace pe… thoda thanda hawa milega. Misha toh already apni bidaai mode mein chali gayi hai."(Okay stop it. Let's go to the terrace… we'll get some cool breeze. Misha's already in her bidaai mood.)
Their eyes followed Misha, who was with Grandma Komal under the shade of the mango tree. She was laughing, yes, but her eyes? They had that soft shine of someone trying not to cry too early.
"Who knows… agle hafte issi time pe woh kisi aur ghar mein hogi." Ria whispered, more to herself than the others.(Who knows… this time next week, she might be in someone else's house.)
The three stood in silence for a beat, watching Misha hold Grandma's hand like a lifeline. Then Janvi took a deep breath and said—
"Chalo girls. Emotions later. Pehle—Lassi."
They giggled and flagged down a passing waiter, who came balancing a giant tray full of frothy lassi glasses.
He grinned, placing the steel glasses down with pride.
"Yeh drink nahi hai, madam. Yeh toh Holi ka jaan hai. Piyo… aur bhool jao duniya."(This isn't just a drink, madam. It's the soul of Holi. Drink it… and forget the world.)
Ria raised her brow, eyeing the heavy glass.
"Waah… yeh toh serious business lag raha hai."(Wow… this looks like serious business.)
Anaya smiled, lifting her glass slowly.
"Should we… terrace?"
"Should we?""Definitely."
With that, the trio—Ria, Janvi, and Anaya—picked up their lassi glasses like queens raising toasts, colors clinging to their fingers, anklets chiming with every step.
The sun hit their backs as they began walking toward the house. The marble under their feet slightly warm, the glass sweating cold in their hands.
They walked through the door, giggling about something Janvi said, and reached the foot of the stairs.
But eyes were watching.
Rubi.
Standing alone at the edge of the garden, her eyes narrowed the moment she saw them disappear into the house.
Her mind twisted the moment like a knot.
"Ab toh sab busy hain… finally." she muttered to herself.(Now everyone's busy… finally.)
And then her eyes found what she was looking for—
Rudra.
He stood a few feet away, under the shade of the old tree, his back slightly to her as he spoke to Ravi and Aarav. The trio looked deep in discussion—brothers talking with serious expressions, their bond visible even through the tension.
Rubi's lips curved into a sugar-sweet smile.
She turned around slowly, walked to the table where the waiter had just kept another tray of lassis—and casually picked one up.
It was heavy. Sweet. Cold. Deadly.
She turned, lassi glass in hand, and began walking—soft steps, confident sway in her hips, every move choreographed like a predator waiting for the perfect moment.
As she neared the boys, her fingers tightened around the glass.
"This time… I'll make sure he notices me."