**SORRY! Submitted the same chapter twice, so here's the actual update.

Earlier that day, at the Suryavanshis' home...

"Ajay, main soch rahi thi ki aaj subhe subhe hi Namrata ji se tareek ke baare mein puch lete hain. Jitne jaldi pandit ji se baat karke decide karenge, utna accha, hain na?"

(Ajay, I was thinking of asking Namrata ji about the dates this morning. The sooner we speak to a priest and decide, the better, right?")

Adhvay nearly choked on his food when he heard his mother's words across the breakfast table. Sirf decide nahi Maa, jitna jaldi shaadi ho sake utna accha.

Vedansh smirked at the excited look in his brother's eyes. Time for some taang-keeching (leg pulling). Setting down his finished coffee mug, Vedansh stood up and kissed his mother on the forehead. "Jaa raha hoon, Maa, Papa. Aur haan, mujhe agle kuch mahino mein Adhvay ka zarurat hoga. Aaj subhe ek naya deal final karne jaa raha hoon, aur usme Adhvay ko hi lead banna hain. Since you're talking about dates, maybe you should ask the pandit to look for some after six to eight months. One year would be ideal."

(I'm leaving, Maa, Papa. And yes, I'll be depending on Adhvay in the next few months. We're going to final a deal this morning, and Adhvay will need to be the lead on that project.)

Adhvay spit out the sip of chai he had just taken, thankfully onto his empty plate, which elicited a poorly disguised snicker from his father. He glared at his brother, running through a mental list of creative curses.

His devil brother only gave him an evil smirk before turning and heading out the door. What Adhvay didn't notice was the wink Vedansh gave to their mom. So, poor Adhvay would have to convince his mother that no such project existed and to please make his shaadi happen as fast as possible.

Madhuri happily twisted her younger son's ear, exacting revenge for his secrecy about Riddhi. "Acha bacchu, toh Maa ko yeh batana zaroori nahi samjha ki tum ek ladki ko pasand karte ho, lekin ab Maa se hi keh raha hain ki shaadi jitni jaldi hojaye utni jaldi karwana."

(Oh really? You didn't think it was important to tell your Mom that you liked a girl, but now you're telling me to arrange the wedding as soon as possible?)

Adhvay held his hands together and pleaded, giving his mother a puppy-eye look, which was difficult with the awkward angle his neck was at. "Acha thik hain maaf kiya. Sirf  issiliye kyunki tumhara choice bohot pyaari hain."

(Ok fine, I forgive you. But only because your choice is a real sweetheart.)

She tapped his cheeks and kissed him on the forehead. "Ab aaram se office jao, main koshish karungi."

(Now relax and go to work. I'll try my best.)

She held up a finger when he tried to interrupt. "Sirf koshish, kyunki Vermas se baat kiye bina main guarantee nahi de sakti." Hoping for the best, he left for work.

(Only try, because I can't guarantee anything without speaking to the Vermas.)

"Toh Namrata ji, humne baat kiye hain pandit-ji se..."

(So, Namrata ji, we spoke to the priest...)

"Ji humko yeh dates bataya gaya ki pandra din baad mangni, aur do mahine baad shaadi. Lekin uske baad..."

(Yes, we were also told that there are auspicious dates for the engagement in fifteen days and the wedding in two months...)

"Arey Namrata ji, toh humare dates match hue! Humko bhi yeh hi bataya gaya tha. Aur hume laga ki yeh best hain kyunki aaj subhe hi bacche bata rahe the ki shayad kuch mahino baad kaam bad jayega, so it looks like the stars aligned in our favor. Of course, kaam se zyaada shaadi hi important hain, toh agar aapko thodi der ke baad dates dekhna hain, toh koi dikkat nahi hain. Bacche jaisa chahenge..."

(Then our dates matched, Namrata ji! We were also told the same. And we think these dates would be the best since the kids were telling me this morning that they have a lot of work in the upcoming months, so it looks like the stars aligned in our favor. Of course, the wedding is more important than work, so if you want to discuss any later dates, then there's no problem. However the kids want it...)

"Ji hum bhi yeh soch rahe the. Bacchon se pooch lete hain, aur ek do din aaram se sochne dete hain."

(Ji, we were thinking the same. We'll ask the children, let them think on it for a few days.)

"Zaroor Namrata ji, uske baad hi final karenge..."

(Of course, Namrata ji, we'll fix the dates after that...)

Back at the Verma's home...

After a moment of contemplation, Riddhi slowly nodded, her blush growing stronger and a small smile on her face. Namrata smoothed her daughter's hair, smiling, But Amar wasn't satisfied with just a nod.

"Toh haan hain, pari?"

(So is it a yes, angel?)

"Ji, papa."

Now it was Avantika's turn. She knelt in front of her sister, holding her hands. "Dekh Riddhi, if you want to wait, toh abhi bata. Hum sambhal lenge, tu chinta mat kar."

(Look Riddhi, if you want to wait, then say so now. We'll handle it, you won't have to worry about anything.)

"Nahi didi, sach mein theek hain."

(No didi, it's really fine.)

Avantika tapped her on the head, making Riddhi scrunch her nose. "Acha ji, matlab dulhan itni utavli hain apne piya ki ghar jane, hmm?"

(Oh wow, the bride is so eager to go to her beloved's house, hmm?)

"Tch, tang mat karo meri pari ko." Namrata hugged her younger daughter close and kissed her head.

(Tch, don't irritate my angel.)

"Waise main chahthi hoon ki tumhe bhi shaan se bheju tumhare piya ki ghar, lekin tum maan hi nahi rahi ho."

(You know, I'd like to send you to your beloved's house with all the pomp and circumstance, too, but you're not agreeing.)

"Maa, phir se shuru mat ho..." Avantika sighed and gave her mother an exasperated look.

(Maa, don't get started again...)

"Namrata, zyada mat soch. Pehle Riddhi ke baare mein sochthe hain, hmm?"

(Namrata, don't think too much. First let's focus on Riddhi, hmm?)

"Theek hain," Namrata grumbled.

(Fine.)

Riddhi gave her didi the most innocent smile, but Avantika narrowed her eyes. She knew what was behind those deceptive smiles. Yeh ladki kuch toh khichdhi paka rahi hain...

(This girl is cooking up some mischief...)

---

"Bhai, what the hell was that?"

Vedansh smirked under his steepled fingers, then tucking his hands in his pockets, he stood up and raised a brow, not bothering to hide his smug expression. "What was what?"

"This morning, your absolutely hilarious stunt!"

"Oh, so you'd rather I make it a reality? No problem, let me set up a meeting with Mr. Mehta."

Adhvay's eyes bugged out. "Don't you dare! Are you really so eager to see me suffer for six months?"

"Oh mere utavle dulhe, thand rakh. Don't you think you should ask your fiancée if she's ok with the engagement and wedding dates?"

(Oh my eager groom, chill...)

Adhvay gave a sheepish chuckle. "Actually, I was thinking the same. I won't let anything happen against the wishes of my angel."

Vedansh lounged against the window. "Hmm, in that case, maybe you should ask your angel her opinion. But you would need her number to do that."

Adhvay was about to whip out his phone and look at the details Bakshi had sent him. "Ah no, Bakshi didn't get her number."

Running a hand through his hair, Adhvay mentally cursed himself. Crap, he was so busy staring at her that he didn't even remember to get her number? What an idiot he was.

Vedansh chuckled richly; there was nothing more satisfying than teasing your younger sibling. "But Maa has her number...and...she sent it you in the message after the dates."

The satisfied smile that appeared on Adhvay's face when he saved her number was as if he'd won the lottery ten years in a row. He sauntered out of the room, not present enough to even utter a 'thank you'.

Had he been a child, he would have been skipping out of the room and twirling with happiness. "Gadha," Vedansh muttered to himself. "Number milke hi udd raha hain, pata nahi kya haal hoga jab shaadi ke din dekhega usko."

(Idiot. He's so excited just to get her number, I don't what state he'll be in seeing her on their wedding day.)

Adhvay shored up his courage and pressed send. 'Hi Riddhima, this is Adhvay. Can I call you when you're free?' Yes, it was a pretty boring message, but that was the best he could do without overthinking.

The next five minutes and thirty-two seconds felt more like five hundred and thirty-two lifetimes. As soon as his phone buzzed, Adhvay lunged at it, nearly dropping it in his hurry.

'Namaste. Ji, aap kar sakte hain.'

(Namaste. Yes, you can call.)

Did that mean he could call her now? Well, it was worth a try. He had waited until the end of the workday just so he could talk to her in peace, without his work schedule interfering.

Letting out a deep breath, he called her, stepping out onto his balcony. She picked up on the second ring, and his heart soared. Just knowing that she was on the other end of the line made him smile, and all his tension melted away.

"Riddhima."

A moment of silence, then a faint "Ji" was heard.

Adhvay's smile turned into a soft laugh hearing her shyness. "Ek bohot zaroori sawaal puchna tha."

(I needed to ask an important question.)

"Ji?"

"Dil se jawaab chahiye."

(I want you to answer honestly.)

"Ji."

Adhvay decided to pull her leg. "Ji ke alawa bhi kuch bolti ho?"

(Do you say anything other than 'ji'?)

"Ji." He couldn't help but chuckle at that.

"Tumhe manzoor hain yeh rishta?"

(Do you accept this proposal?)

He was half expecting her to say 'Ji' again, but after a long pause she replied, "Agar manzoor nahi hoti, toh uss din haan nahi kehti."

(If I didn't accept it, I wouldn't have said yes that day.)

That answer surprised Adhvay, putting him in his place. "Aur pandra din mein mangni, phir do mahine mein shaadi?"

(And having the engagement in fifteen days, the wedding after two months?)

"Hmm."

"Tumhare marzi ke bina kuch nahi hoga. Yeh wada hain mera. Kya tumhe yeh tareek pasand hain?"

(Nothing will happen against your wishes. That's my promise. Are you still ok with these dates?)

"Pasand hain."

(Yes, I'm okay with it.)

"Itni jaldi hain humari ghar aane ki?" He heard her gasp on the other end of the line and could clearly imagine what expression might be on her face.

(You're so excited to come to our house?)

"Par mujhe toh hain, tumhe Mrs. Riddhima Adhvay Suryavanshi banakar apne ghar laane ki."

(But I am, to make you Mrs. Riddhima Adhvay Suryavanshi and bring you home.)

Knowing that the blush would pour off her cheeks if he continued to flirt any longer, Adhvay cut the call. He slept peacefully that night, blessed with dreams of his angel.