Love at First Sight… Until He Said Son-in-Law
Explore the amusing and heart-wrenching story of Riya, a lively 21-year-old, who experiences a rollercoaster of emotions at a social gathering. Her hopes of love are dashed when the handsome young man she admires turns out to be her mother’s friend’s son-in-law.
It was an invitation to an annaprashan, the rice-eating ceremony of her mother’s friend’s grandson. Riya, 21 at the time, accompanied her mother, as her father had office commitments and her brother had been away for years pursuing higher studies and then a job. Who knew she would fall in love at the ceremony?
Riya took the day off, excited for the event. She hadn’t been to a social gathering in ages, and she thrived on such occasions. Known as a chatterbox, Riya loved making new friends, laughing, and getting others to laugh along with her.
At the event, her mother quickly immersed herself in conversation with her friend, while Riya felt someone’s eyes on her. She glanced over her shoulder and, lo and behold, there he was—a strikingly handsome young man throwing glances her way. Riya was floored. She had been single throughout school, college, and now in post-graduation. Like many her age, she secretly dreamed of being admired, maybe even proposed to, imagining the drama that would follow at home:
“WHAT?! LOVE MARRIAGE? NO!! YOU WILL MARRY THE ONE WE CHOOSE FOR YOU!”
Her heart raced, painting vivid scenes of future romance as the mysterious man continued to gaze at her. ‘What a perfect day!’ she thought, silently thanking her stars for accompanying her mother to the function.
Just then, her mother called her over to introduce her to someone. “This is Namit Sharma Uncle, Smita Aunty’s elder brother,” her mother said. Riya greeted him politely with a ‘Namaste,’ but couldn’t shake the feeling of those eyes still upon her. Sure enough, the handsome stranger was still watching, even as she conversed with the uncle.
And then, magic. The uncle turned to the young man and beckoned him to come over. He approached with a warm smile, exchanging pleasantries with Riya’s mother. The uncle patted the young man on the back and said, “Meet Krish. He’s an ophthalmologist.” Riya’s heart skipped a beat—handsome, intelligent, and a doctor to top it all off! “He runs the ABC Eye Clinic, an excellent doctor,” continued the uncle. Riya’s heart melted further.
And then came the moment she had been waiting for. The uncle added, “He’s my youngest…” Riya’s heart soared. This was it—he was the uncle’s youngest son! Fate was on her side, or so she thought, until the uncle finished his sentence: “He’s my youngest son-in-law.”
Son-in-law.
Riya’s world shattered. She stared at the uncle in disbelief, her eyes wide with shock, before turning to Krish, who quickly averted his gaze. Anger and humiliation flooded through her. All her romantic daydreams about love, family drama, and fighting for the man of her dreams vanished into thin air. The uncle, oblivious to her inner turmoil, said casually, “You wear glasses? You should consider laser surgery at Krish’s clinic.”
Riya’s mind screamed, I’d rather go blind than let that traitor touch my eyes! If he knew he was a son-in-law, why had he acted like a son without the “in-law” label attached? He wasn’t D for Doctor; he was D for Dragon, burning hearts without mercy.
And that, as they say, was the end of love at first sight for Riya. From that day forward, whenever a handsome guy looked her way, she would remind herself, He must be someone’s eldest or youngest son-in-law.
In the end, Riya had an arranged marriage. No drama, no chaos, no dates—just a barrage of unsolicited advice. And Riya, well, she listened to the advice, did nothing about it, and continues to do nothing to this day.
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