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Mr and Mrs Kapoor (Mr & Mrs Series Book 3)
by Madhuri Tamse.
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For a book peppered with English so incorrectly used, the book is too long, especially when various other factors are just as incorrect or worse.
A born and brought up European woman, thst too a Viennese - presumably German - not only marries an Indian visitor after a mere two days of acquaintance, which is already stretching credibility, but thereafter hunts gor an Indian match for her half Indian daughter who speaks Hindi despite the Indian father and husband spending only half his time with them in Vienna, because she thinks it's more security for the daughter.
What's more, she values joint families and so on as part of evaluation of the prospective match!
It's unclear why, if she thought so well of Indian males and joint families, she didn't move to India to live with her husband.
As to the match she found for the daughter, did she merely pounce on the one who approached her gir his heirloom he was hunting that ended with her, or did she look at other prospects and found him better?
The groom's friend moreover attempts to dissuade him from accepting, arguing that the said groom is too highly valuable a commodity for the said daughter - before he's aware of anything whatsoever about the said daughter; what's more, the groom agrees with the friend regarding his own valuation as commodity in marriage market, despite this proposed bride being not quite an Indian bride in market whether as a commodity or a buyer!
And the final twist, he sees her and is attracted - this sole thread providing the soft porn base throughout the book!
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At a point somewhere in the beginning of this book, author talks of there being no proof of the marriage that took place in Vienna, with a small wedding conducted in church.
This is as ignorant as it gets.
For one, church weddings are recorded by the church authorities in their own, church documentation, hence providing evidence.
For another, it's a legitimate ceremony, once the priest has pronounced the couple wedded, and thereafter it's legally binding, in any part of the world, possibly with exception of societies only bound by islamic law, which only validates islamic procedures between islamic parties.
So it isn't a matter of whether the couple ignores the past or rakes it up, but a genuine matter of whether they divorce one another, before contracting another marriage. Else the said other marriage, of either of the two, can be legitimately broken by the previous spouse making the previous marriage public.
It's also a good question why neither of the couple has found anyone else for five years, much less married someone else, despite the groom being so valuable a commodity as his friend points out (and the groom agrees), and the girl being a half German with such attractive personality as the groom falls for headlong!
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Looking at the author's name, it's a fair question to say, why the Kapoor in the title, why not go for a setting of her own community? It could be that she's genuinely more comfortable in a more cosmopolitan setting, or that she didn't wish to restrict herself to be faithful to reality if she were to set her work against the background of her own community.
But it's perhaps also indicative of the fact that, in the process of denying Marathi - or in any way local - character of Mumbai, those imposing a cosmopolitan tapestry thereon have lost their own individuality. They may claim their roots from time to time, but to natives of land of and around Mumbai, that's just noise to be ignored along with the ever present roar of traffic, especially trains, and has no reality. The reality of the said roots flourishes where the said roots are, and it can't be transplanted to the tough rocky reality of the land that Mumbai lives surrounded in.
This isn't that different from the umpteen diverse 'proper' accents and pronunciations of the language still named English, but the very nomenclature now in quandary - in terminology of various US institutions or organisations, for example, they refer to 'British literature ', either keeping the term 'English literature' to that of US, or generalising it; but the said generalisation is closet racist, since it usually fails to include writing in English language by say, citizens of former colonies.
Another, always quoted as a joke but perfectly real for all that, is the feeling expressed by one US citizen - but felt by most of them - about the English having changed 'their' language - i.e., that of US!
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Curiously, English used in this work isn't just idiomatically Indian - and not deliberately so; it's more of a westernised educated Indian cliques on kjo shows that it reminds one of. There's serious deficiency in their level of English language as they use it, while they deliberately or otherwise speak bad English, translating Indian phrases instead of using correct English ones, and occasionally a Valley Girl lingo phrase interspersed for an effect, to impress audiences about their being world savvy.
Somewhere in the process of picking out the author's atrocious usages in language that irritate - at a level something between thorn in heel and sand in food - one begins to realise that this author is Marathi only in name;
Her first language, her sole language seems to be Hindi. And that's what she's translating from, non stop, as she proceeds with writing in English.
The review consists, for most part, of the mistakes, in language - and idioms - that pepper the book. Mistakes by author in language related matter are just too many, so we'll mark the book and dispense mentioning them after the first few that shocked and surprised.
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Author names her heroine Vidhi.
Vidhi, unlike routinely assumed, isn't female gender but us male, despite the 'i' ending.
It's unclear if the author is unaware of this, or whether it's a silent comment about such ignorance on part of a knowing Marathi author on the modern, western used North Indian seeking Indian roots.
Unless, of course, it's intended to mean recipe. But one doubts that.
A safer bet is, author - and anyone else who named a daughter Vidhi - never stopped to think what the word meant.
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Some of the words and phrases used incorrectly throughout the book includes 'eloped', 'ignore' and 'ignorance', ... 'leave' used instead of 'let go', and much, much more.
'taking responsibility of', ...
'hidden marriage', ...
'kicked him out from this city', ...
'guilt from the past five years' ...
'pops the Champagne' ...
'Fisting my fingers', ...
'Leave my hand' ...
"How dare you?” "“Dare me later, first ... ", ...
" ... he followed me into the house till my room, ... ", ...
" ... If Vansh is my friend, you are my sister. ... ", ...
"“You don’t really seem convinced to me.”", ...
"“Where are you lost?”", ...
"" ... We will progress with this only when you are comfortable. ... "", ...
"“I thought you would be staying to know my preferences,” Vidhi mocks ... "
"The servant gets the juices, and we all pick our glasses. ... "
" ... they have such high egos that they don’t mind ruling their spouses.”"
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"“You are blackmailing me.”
"“No. Please don’t think so. I am just giving you a decent offer. ... "
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" ... I was used to women swooning over me and pandering to my every whim, but Vidhi did no such thing. She was ignorant to my charm ... "
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" ... don’t come here without a prior appointment, which I’m sure you two forgot to take.”"
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" ... She pulled the cake out of the oven and stared at it aghast. It was completely burnt from the sides."
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"“I am not Vansh’s wife.”
"“I wish you weren’t. He deserves someone who understands the sanctity of the marriage, not a runaway bride like you.”
"“Mind you, Rohan. You have no right to speak to me about it.”"
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" ... Do you want me to drop you, or should I just get lost from here, leaving you to find another vehicle for a ‘lift’? ... "
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" ... I assure you, the day I feel that I am capable enough, I will surely take up that role. ... "
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"“Ma’am, Angela D’costa from the Huskin Group is here to see you.”
"“Oh yes, please get her seated in the conference room. I will be there in five minutes.”"
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" ... I pack my stuff and one of my team members whose name I still don’t recall asks me if he can drop me home. I’m about to deny him when he looks behind me and gets flustered."
Isn't it the basic difference between deny and refuse that's one of the first things taught in high school if not earlier? Why's the author using it incorrectly, and didn't her editor catch it?
" ... Huh? He didn’t even wait for me to deny his offer to drop me home. ... "
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"“I and Damini had collated some alliances for Vidhi. We had been there to brief her on the same.”"
Who talks like that? In even official settings, much less in privacy of family and home?
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"“Enough with your plans, Daadi. Holi is still a week away. Now tell me where your herbal oil is, I will massage your feet.”
"Though she denies it, I still fetch it for her and gently massage her feet. ... "
"Rohan scowls at me without my family seeing him. He then greets everyone, takes Daadi’s blessings and tells them he came here to meet them as it had been a long time they had met. ... "
" ... When I turn to thank Rohan, he is still glaring at me for involving him in this matter. He wants Vidhi to walk out from my life as soon as possible so that I am freed from the sham of a marriage which according to him I did only for the Kapoor heirloom ring. He wouldn’t understand how important Vidhi and my relationship with her is to me. ... "
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" ... I had to talk to Vansh and give him an earful about it so that this does not happen again, which is why I am here at VK mansion at 08:00 pm, straight after my office hours."
"As soon as I step into the living room, my step falters as it dawns on me this house could have been my home had I and Vansh had a normal marriage. I can literally visualize myself relaxing on the plush white seven-seater sofa, having meals with the family at their 12-seater dining table, cooking meals in the white marble kitchen island, working out in the gym at the corner room and at the end of the day, taking those circular stairs up which probably leads to the bedrooms, specifically Vansh’s bedroom. I can visualize spooning him and sleeping on the huge king size bed, Gosh! The very image of me cuddling Vansh on the bed, my lips grazing the soft line of the hair sprinkled on his chest, while he strokes my back to put me to sleep after a few passionate rounds of love making, with our legs entwined with each other’s brings goosebumps on my skin."
Supposedly there for the first time and that only to tell him off for stopping the matchmaking process set up for her, is she instead on an inspection tour of the mansion, unaccompanied by even a servant?
Or is author attempting to copy a famous Jane Austen scene but with publisher's requirements for soft porn satisfied, rather than keeping it decent as Austen did?
"He does not leave any chance to tease me, but I don’t care."
" ... Vansh keeps the pan on the burner. Vansh has already kept the rice to cook in the Microwave. ... Every single hair on the back of my neck pricks with awareness with his scorching gaze on my body."
"“You don’t have to offer me anything,” he mentions before taking the soiled tissue from my hand and putting it inside the bin."
"She gives me a tight hug and my eyes lock with Vansh’s again. ... "
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"So, wearing a white salwar kurta, and draping a veil around my neck, ... "
That's an atrociously bad translation for the Indian 'odhni' or 'chunari', a covering women use to cover top parts of body, used sometimes as scarf, but not as a veil.
"Taani instantly takes blessings from Daadi and hugs Damini aunty. I am new to these rituals of taking blessings and all, as I have never done it ever before ... "
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"I reach below the tree where I can easily stretch my arms and get her down, but she sways her legs, kicking my arm away. “Nope. I like it here. I am not coming down.”"
"“Vidhi please, get down.”"
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" ... She playfully scolds me why I had left without informing her. ... "
"I peck her cheek and get inside the backseat of my new Audi car. For now, she has also hired a driver for me as I am not very much familiar with the roads. Soon, when I am more comfortable, I’ll ride this baby myself. ... "
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" ... He watches me intently from head to toe before fixing his gaze on my face as I near him. ... "
" ... If that was a mistake, then why did you commit that mistake with me only? ... "
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" ... I am still in the parking lot, from how long, I have no idea."
" ... You spent almost millions hiring private detectives to find Vidhi’s whereabouts, but never succeeded. ... "
That 'almost millions' is curious - does it mean one million, nine hundred and ninety nine thousand, nine hundred ninety nine?
"“But what if she denies?” I mutter. “What if she doesn't want the same thing as I do? ... "
" ... I sit behind on the couch to give Vidhi space to sit in front of me. She frowns at first, and then quickly fakes showing interest in learning as she sees Taani."
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"“Then we shouldn’t delay in checking out that guy’s details. C’mon.”"
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" ... I glance at Vidhi who seems flustered on seeing me shake hands with the man who could be her prospective groom. Damn hell!!"
" ... She is not flirting with him, but this is nothing less than that either."
"He leaves my hand to speak to her."
" ... “Yes, actually a friend of mine is coming to pick me up and even though I denied-”"
"“Let me drop you till the lobby,” he offers and I can’t deny him. ... "
"“Yes, I did. I even found him very genuine, honest and most importantly, he seems to be a keeper, not someone who abandons.”
"“Vidhi, don’t get into that again, please.” he refutes. ... "
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" ... I ask Rohan to reach here soon and he tells me he’s already on his way and would be at VK mansion within ten minutes. ... "
"“I wanted to know where Vansh gets his shoes from. Actually, I have to gift one to a friend soon.”"
"No way! I never wanted Vansh to know or even be suspicious that I wanted to know his toe size. ... "
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" ... My driver had taken a sudden off today, so though Taani insisted she would drop me to work and also pick me up again in the evening, I had denied. I don’t want to bother her every time. I could manage coming in a cab for a day."
"“She was waiting for her cab, so I thought of dropping her on my way home.”
"“Good you did. Come inside. Have dinner with us. Sameer is also coming in some time.”"
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" ... She always blames me for being responsible for our failed marriage, despite knowing that she is equally responsible for the same. ... "................................................................................................
" ... During Holi too, I hadn’t left a chance to feel his muscular chest ... "
" ... Well, I am not going to let his happiness stay for long. ... "
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"“Don’t lie to me,” she scolds. “Every time you ask me for a hug is when your mood is upset. ... "
" ... I better don’t recall how I melt every time he touches me. ... "
"“He’s gone on his grandfather to be honest,” Daadi continues. “My husband was the same. Ever since he couldn’t get the heirloom ring back for me, he was always upset; especially during his last days.”"
"“And you want me to be your driver again?” he refutes."
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"“You know he drinks to this extent?” I ask Rohan ... "
"“You called me dumbo?” I growl.
"“I did, what will you do?”"
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"Vidhi gets up lazily, rolls her hair into a bun and then climbs down from the bed."
" ... Why am I not remembering anything? ... "
" ... He’s just acting pricey, as I have troubled him a lot in these past years. ... "
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" ... it’s probably on the balcony as that was the first place I went after reaching home to smoke. ... "
"“This is exactly what you did from the last three days. ... "
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"“That's because you were looking for Vidhi Holler, Vansh. And I never used my maiden name. I had my father’s surname. Your detectives were looking for Vidhi Holler and not Vidhi Gupta. ... "
But Gupta IS Vidhi’s maiden name!
Holler is maiden name of her mother, Vianca.
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" ... "That is a man’s reward when he helps his wife with the kitchen chores. And to be honest, I wanted to do the same when I saw you first, baking a cake for your mother back in Austria.”"
Author uses official lingo - 'the same' - in informal or intimate situations, while in reality it's rarely used in conversations of even official nature, including of government circles.
"“The other day when we had gone for dinner, I saw you staring at a woman wearing it at the next table. That’s when I decided to give you this and what better time than tonight to gift you the same?”"
Here, it's even more inappropriate - obviously it's not 'the same'!
" ... I smile, and remove the Mangalsutra from the box and hand it over to him. “Make me wear it.”"
That's a horrible way to express 'put it on me'.
"He happily obliges. He slides the chain around my neck and hooks it from behind. ... "
Obviously author isn't comfortable in English, but that's perhaps true of most of those with expensive, convent or otherwise westernised school education in India.
Correct idiom, 'at the back'.
"Without a word, Vansh opens the box, and as expected, he is stunned. Anybody would be in his place. Vansh Kapoor was behind this heirloom ring for so many years, and today it was finally in his possession. His surprised gaze oscillates between the ring and me as he touches the ring with reverence."
Correct idiom is 'was after this', not 'was behind this'.
" ... I opened her safe deposit locker. I knew the pin for the same as I’d seen Mom entering it once. ... "
Would be easier to use 'that' instead of the offensive, unnatural 'the same'!
" ... You know I hated the very reason we got married in the first place. Plus, I had just known about Mom’s cancer. ... "
'Moreover, I had just come to know' is the correct one. 'Plus, I had just known' is multiply offensive.
" ... secondly, just like how Vansh wants to make me his completely, I too want to mark him as mine forever. ... "
That 'as' is so incorrectly used, and not merely offensive, but also completely unnecessary, it not funny.
"Airport? What’s going on? As soon as she disconnects the call, I ask her the same."
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" ... Vansh doesn't let me get down the car without ... "
" ... Earlier it was just us, me and Mom, whereas now I have a loving husband, a caring sister and an annoying yet protective friend Rohan, ... "
" ... The clients were super impressed by my presentation ... "
That 'super' is bad enough, but then author gets much worse.
" ... I am about to call Vansh to give him this news when the lightning strikes. It’s going to rain here tonight. ... "
Author seems to have no clue about correct use of 'when the lightning strikes'.
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" ... I can’t even imagine what her reactions will be after knowing that both her best friend and her sister kept such a big secret from all of them."
'Coming to know', or 'discovering', would be appropriate there; knowing, 'simply' incorrect.
"“Thank god you are back. Where were you? We all were trying to reach your number for an hour, Vansh,” she scolds.
"“I was on the flight. Why? What happened?”"
When someone, who doesn't know, asks, it's not 'on the flight', which is only appropriate when the one asking knows about the flight. Either 'on a flight' or better, 'in flight' would be better.
"Taani looks between us and her doubts creep in."
'At', not 'between'.
" ... I haven’t called him back. What will I speak to him? ... "
'Say', not 'speak', here. And 'speak to' is worse.
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" ... Daadi proposed my marriage to Taani, and she agreed to it, ... "
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" ... Being your best friend for a long time, she has started developing feelings for you, ... "
'Having been', not 'Being'.
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"“It’s our tradition to gift the groom whatever he asks today from his family,”... "
Give, not 'gift'.
" ... suddenly everyone turns around to stare at the staircase from where Taani and Vidhi are getting down. ... "
Several horrible mistakes there.
" ... whole story behind your and Vidhi’s marriage, ... "
At least one, perhaps more, mistakes there.
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" ... Sameer’s inclination and interest toward Taani were evident from our first meeting itself ... "
More than one mistake.
" ... Vansh holds my hand and makes me wear it. Though he is angry with me, he slides the ring onto my finger ... "
More than one mistake.
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" ... Vansh Kapoor, who never gave a damn to any woman ... "
Incorrectly used there, the 'giving a damn' idiom.
"“How’s my honeymoon couple doing?” Rohan teases.
"“Don’t ask. Vidhi is giving me one hell of a time.”"
It's translated from Indian languages, where that 'don't ask!' is perfect, but not in English.
" ... “In the morning, one of them needed my help as she had a problem accessing her room using her keys.”"
Not natural, usage of 'as' there.
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Prologue
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Author names her heroine Vidhi.
Vidhi, unlike routinely assumed, isn't female gender but us male, despite the 'i' ending.
It's unclear if the author is unaware of this, or whether it's a silent comment about such ignorance on part of a knowing Marathi author on the modern, western used North Indian seeking Indian roots.
Unless, of course, it's intended to mean recipe. But one doubts that.
A safer bet is, author - and anyone else who named a daughter Vidhi - never stopped to think what the word meant.
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"“Give me one last promise, baby.”
"“Mom, don’t-”
"“Promise me Vidhi, that you’ll marry, that you will find yourself a worthy life partner,” she demanded.
"Marry!! How could I marry? Again? I shut my eyes, unable to comprehend how to deal with this request from her.
"“You deserve someone who loves you from the bottom of his heart.”
"“I’m not looking for love, Mom.”"
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June 26, 2022 - June 27, 2022.
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CHAPTER 1. Vansh.
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Author uses idiomatic phrases from Indian languages rather than English - 'Saw' instead of 'See'.
"“Saw, Malhotra?” Daadi continues. “This is exactly how he reacts when we talk about his marriage. Vansh gets speechless, and he has tons of excuses to give and ignore this subject.”
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" ... images of me standing at the wedding altar, in a crisp black suit in the Church, looking anxiously at the woman before me, dressed in a white wedding gown, flashed before my eyes, and I am transported to that day, five years ago when I took the most reckless decision of my life."
Church, alter, white, ... ?????
" ... If she had a problem marrying me, she should have talked to her mother."
Didn't we just had the dying mother extract a promise from her daughter she, the daughter, will marry?
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" ... Taani and everyone related to her is my family. That’ll never change.
"To be honest, seeing the kind of friendship Taani and I share, my family had asked me if we were in love with each other. I had cringed away because I had never seen Taani in that light ever. Thankfully, they didn’t propose to Taani and increase my embarrassment, but I am sure even she would have refused them instantly as I did. She was, is, and will always be my best friend. That’s it. When I never showed any interest in looking for a bride or even meeting anyone suggested by my family, Daadi stopped pressurizing me. But every time we are in public, she doesn’t miss a chance to introduce me to women she and my aunt have already liked.
"Just like my family keeps coaxing me to marry, they also want Taani to look for a man who would love her the way she deserved to be loved, but Taani has no such plans any time soon, just like me. She is afraid to trust and commit to someone, and I – well – I am still soothing the scars of my past with the hope that one day that guilt will go away."
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"I stare at Taani blankly. Is she serious?
"“C’mon, Vansh. You know my father had re-married a European woman when I was hardly three years old. I told you all that, didn’t I?”"
Hence - church wedding.
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"“But you lost their touch, didn’t you?” I raise my suspicion."
Theirs the literal translation from Indian languages again, a la westernised educated Indian cliques on kjo shows, unashamed or even proud of deliberately bad English.
Not that those westernised educated Indian cliques are good at any of the Indian languages.
And a deliberately adopted valley girl language a la Southern California circa mid-eighties, just to offset the proper English taught at the convent school parents sent these kids to -
"I rolled my eyes. Like seriously? A woman who is twenty-five years old and has lived her whole life in Europe, who is half European and half Indian wants to do an arranged marriage in India, that too with her half-sister’s choice? That’s ridiculous."
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"“Okay, I’ll help you. Now tell me, what time do we have to go to the airport tomorrow to pick her up?” “Sharp at 05:00 pm.”"
Are we missing something?
Since when do flights from Europe to India arrive in India at anything other than close to midnight - or, more normally, small hours? ................................................................................................
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June 27, 2022 - June 27, 2022.
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CHAPTER 2. Vansh.
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Bit of a Kites situation in the couple meeting as supposedly strangers, while still legally married, but in fact only wed, not cohabited.
"Had Vidhi left me at the wedding altar, I would have still understood, but she left me after taking our marriage vows on the very night that she and I could have started our journey as a couple. I can never forgive her. And now, meeting me after five years, she is acting like I was the one at fault, the one who ran away. It’s so unfair. The way Vidhi is standing, with a haughty and a superior look on her face, I will change that soon. ... "
" ... Vidhi didn’t leave a future address when she eloped from my life."
" ... The woman I have been searching for madly for the past five years is back in my life. But the way she ignored me and failed to recognize me, tells me she will not make this easy for us."
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June 27, 2022 - June 27, 2022.
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CHAPTER 3. Vidhi
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" ... Why is the world so small? When I flew from Europe to India, I never expected to cross paths with Vansh ever again. Though I knew his business was based in India, I always prayed that such a situation never arises where we have to face each other again. And even if it did, it never crossed my mind that he would recognize me and expect me to acknowledge him too. When Taani introduced us, I could read the confusion in his eyes. He was shocked to see me again, and that’s natural, but he was keenly observing all my gestures and expressions as if trying to gauge what I was feeling after meeting him after all these years. I am not happy to meet Vansh, and no matter what he does or tries to do, this can never change. Now I am skeptical if permanently shifting to India was a good idea or not? I don’t want Vansh to be a bother in my life again."
She's aware she's still in wedlock, or... ?
Or she expects validity of legal marriage to be limited to country of wedding? Continent of wedding? Non-transferable across a specific longitude, or Greenwich?
" ... first floor of the villa, which had two bedrooms. ... "
But they'd discussed ground floor vs top floor. Was that only first?
" ... I’ll have to learn those traits from her and follow the same until I stay in this house."
Correct idiom or phrase would be 'as long as', not 'until'!
So much for westernised expensive schools in India.
"“You didn’t have to promise Mom to take my responsibility, ... "
Correct expression is 'take responsibility for me', not 'take my responsibility'.
Or does Vidhi, too, speak Indian westernised educated clique English, despite being half European by DNA and completely European by bringing up?
Why? She didn't even have her Indian father around all that much, assuming his influence destroyed any possibility of her retaining proper English taught in Europe!
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" ... Though Dad left us enough money to survive, it was replenished when Mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. ... "
One may safely bet author intended opposite of 'replenished' there.
" ... she left no stone unturned to set my future. ... "
Would anyone outside India, anyone European, comprehend that?
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June 27, 2022 - June 27, 2022.
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CHAPTER 4. Vansh
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Mistakes by author in language related matter are just too many, so we'll mark the book and dispense mentioning them.
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"Vianca Holler, Vidhi’s mother, the woman who was solely responsible for her daughter’s marriage to me five years ago, was now dead, and I couldn’t even mourn her. When I had met her for the first time, Vianca looked stressed and adamant about getting Vidhi and me to tie a knot. I still remember the first time I had met Vianca Holler in her little mansion. That was supposed to be a business meeting, but it turned out to be a lot more than that. That was also the first time I met her daughter, Vidhi."
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June 27, 2022 - June 27, 2022.
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CHAPTER 5.
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Vidhi
Mistakes galore continue, including wrong use of 'ignorance'.
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Vansh
Perhaps one would continue quoting hilarious mistakes by the author, after all!
" ... She just ignored staying around with my family and also agreed to the fact that she has her preferences ready about the type of man she needs as a future partner. ... "
"That’s what I want to know. Why? Why did Vianca Holler want another groom for her daughter when she herself got Vidhi married to me? And why did Vidhi give her consent? We might not have legal proofs of our marriage, but whatever vows we took in the church before the altar still hold value in my heart. And I wouldn’t let Vidhi stamp those vows so easily."
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June 27, 2022 - June 27, 2022.
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CHAPTER 6.
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Vidhi
" ... I cross my fingers, hoping Taani doesn't get suspicious of seeing Vansh’s sudden interest in me and my welfare. ... "
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Vansh
" ... I know my friend circle. They don’t leave any chances to gawk at beautiful women, and Vidhi is like a jackpot for them tonight. ... "
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June 27, 2022 - June 27, 2022.
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CHAPTER 7. Vansh
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" ... Already I had committed the blunder of marrying without their permission and blessings, and upon that, my wife had ran away. Where would that leave me in their eyes? I didn’t take the risk and kept pushing this revelation further."
"“Vansh, had I known that man, I would have literally cut him off from my life. Such people don’t deserve a family or anyone’s affection. I swear, if I knew him in person, I would have kicked him out from this city, country and even this world.”"
" ... If she is so happy to forget you ever got married, why are you interested in digging old graves? Forget you ever got married to her. ... "
" ... When I couldn’t move on with this guilt from the past five years, how can I possibly do that now when Vidhi would be right under my nose?"
"“She is my sister, and I know she is good at judging people.”
"“How do you know that? Just because she gave a one-liner outside mentioning that, you can’t leave her with the wolves.” I scoff. “Come on, Taani, you can’t ignore this.”"
"Everyone circles around the large table when Rohan cuts the cake and pops the Champagne, ... "
" ... Fisting my fingers, I ask Taani to hurry up. ... "
"“Vansh? What are you doing? Leave my hand.”
"I don’t. Instead, I hand the ticket to the Valet to get my car. Vidhi struggles to free my hold on her. ... "
"“How... How dare you?”
"“Dare me later, first, cover yourself up if you are that uncomfortable. ... "
"“The first time I saw you both, I realized you are a couple. Most of the signal breaking incidents are because of married couples.”"
This from the police officer who's stopped them for speeding; he's only just met them.
"“Vidhi, stop. We need to talk,” I say, but she quickly unlocks the door and gets down."
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June 27, 2022 - June 27, 2022.
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CHAPTER 8.
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Vidhi
" ... he followed me into the house till my room, ... "
" ... If Vansh is my friend, you are my sister. ... "
"“You don’t really seem convinced to me.”
"I shrug at Taani’s remark. I can never be convinced of that."
"“Vidhi?” Taani shakes me a bit to break my trance. “Where are you lost?”"
" ... We will progress with this only when you are comfortable. ... "
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June 27, 2022 - June 27, 2022.
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CHAPTER 9.
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Vansh
"“I thought you would be staying to know my preferences,” Vidhi mocks ... "
"The servant gets the juices, and we all pick our glasses. ... "
" ... they have such high egos that they don’t mind ruling their spouses.”"
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June 27, 2022 - June 27, 2022.
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CHAPTER 10.
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Vansh
"“I feel your grandpa’s soul will rest in peace only when we get his most cherished heirloom ring back into this family, where it rightfully belongs.”
"Awed by the beauty and the significance of the ring, I determinedly looked at my grandmother.
"“Daadi, I promise to bring it back one day.”"
"For almost nine years, I left no stone unturned to find the present owner of that ring. Seemed like the ring was passed on to almost three different owners all these years, and it was now in Vienna, Austria. I had graduated by then, cleared my master’s degree, and also had taken over my current role as the CEO of Verve TechCorp from my uncle. Attaining success at a young age had boosted my confidence, and from the time I got the details from my sources on the current owner of that ring, I couldn’t wait to make contact with that woman and negotiate the price to buy it back from her.
"Vianca Holler owned ‘Noor’, and after repeated phone calls, she finally agreed to meet me in person. My friend, Rohan, decided to fly with me to Austria when I told him the reason for my trip. It was supposed to be a surprise for the rest of my family, especially Daadi, for whom I was doing all this. Nine years of relentlessly searching for the ring had finally paid off as I was on my way to Austria to finalize the deal with Vianca Holler.
"My first meeting with Vianca Holler had gone smoothly. She showed me the ring, and my eyes turned moist realizing how happy Daadi would be the moment she holds this again in her hand. The ring had evoked an emotion within me whose significance only I knew. All these years, I had waited for this one moment to have the Kapoor’s heirloom ring back, and today while holding this vintage gemstone in my hand, I promised to pay any price to restore it to its rightful place."
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"“You are blackmailing me.”
"“No. Please don’t think so. I am just giving you a decent offer. ... "
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" ... I was used to women swooning over me and pandering to my every whim, but Vidhi did no such thing. She was ignorant to my charm ... "
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" ... don’t come here without a prior appointment, which I’m sure you two forgot to take.”"
" ... She pulled the cake out of the oven and stared at it aghast. It was completely burnt from the sides."
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June 27, 2022 - June 27, 2022.
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CHAPTER 11.
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Vidhi
" ... I was a little hesitant to open the locker without her permission, but desperate situations calls for desperate measures. So, without further thought, I opened the locker and found all her reports safely hidden inside."
"“You lost it?” he yelled at my mother. “How?”
"Mom was in tears as she explained.
"“I don’t know, Vansh. It was in my locker and no one has access to it. Not even Vidhi. Tonight, when I opened it, the ring was missing. I don’t know what to do. With these entire wedding preparations, I didn’t pay much attention to it.”"
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June 27, 2022 - June 27, 2022.
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CHAPTER 12.
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Vidhi
"“I am not Vansh’s wife.”
"“I wish you weren’t. He deserves someone who understands the sanctity of the marriage, not a runaway bride like you.”
"“Mind you, Rohan. You have no right to speak to me about it.”"
" ... Do you want me to drop you, or should I just get lost from here, leaving you to find another vehicle for a ‘lift’? ... "
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June 27, 2022 - June 27, 2022.
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CHAPTER 13.
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Vansh
" ... I assure you, the day I feel that I am capable enough, I will surely take up that role. ... "