The Duke's Forbidden Lover (Forbidden #1)

Chapter 3.

A/N: This chapter is extremely long, sorry! But yeah, this is where things really start!

***

A week had passed since then, and grandpa had already arranged her marriage with Mahesh. He hadn't told her about it or discussed it with her.

She had to find out from one of her aunties-the only one of her relatives that didn't blame Nalini for her parents' death. The marriage was happening tomorrow, and she hadn't smiled in that time or even come out of her room at all.

She let out a sigh and looked up at the cross on her bed. Her parents always wanted the best for her...

Would they be okay with this?

Nalini sighed and shook her head. There wasn't any point in dwelling on the marriage anymore-it was going to happen no matter what.

No immediate family were called because most of her cousins lived overseas. And because most of them hated her and blamed her for the same thing her grandpa did. So, a part of her was actually thrilled that they weren't there.

Nalini got up and got dressed to go out. Creaking the door open, she popped her head out to see if there was anyone hanging around her door.

Luckily the coast was clear, and after sparing a quick glance at her grandpa who was looking up at the decorations being hung up, Nalini snuck out of the house.

Her shoulders sagged as she walked down a narrow pathway. Honestly, she had always pictured her arranged marriage to be full of excitement and happiness...but it was the complete opposite.

Taking a left turn, she walked towards the house of Manju aunty. Of course, she wasn't her real aunty-she called her that out of respect, but she had been going to Manju aunty for anything that related to beauty tricks, for as long as she could remember.

With a big sigh, she pushed open the doors and grudgingly walked inside it to be greeted by the familiar cool air.

"Ah, Nalini, honey! I'm guessing the usual?" Manju aunty asked with a huge, million-dollar smile stretched across her face.

She nodded slowly in response, no trace of a smile on her face.

Might as well look presentable for tomorrow.

***

By the time Nalini came out, the sun was setting. She had texted her grandpa about her whereabouts, but she doubted he cared. Either way, she wanted to make sure she told someone, so they knew.

As she walked back home, her eyes were fixed on the ground.

If only God could talk.

Nalini wanted to ask Him a lot of questions. She wanted to know why her destiny was the way it was and why she was cursed with bad luck. Why couldn't she be given some happiness?

She walked past a house she always came across, but usually she would be with Esha.

It was a house that always brought chills down her spill as it stuck out from all the others—the front of the house was painted sky blue, the walls were chipping and the most creepy thing of all, was that there was hardly a proper roof on top. The rusty crinkle shaped door swayed on busted hinges and the inside of the house looked eerily dark.

Nalini froze in her tracks and furrowed her brows as she looked inside. There was nothing but darkness, but it was enough to creep her out.

Gulping, she willed herself to turn away and keep walking but as she took a couple of steps forward, a scream and a choking garbled noise caught her attention.