Married To A Stranger

Karthik heard her whimper in her sleep. He reached out immediately and started rubbing her back. He wanted to kick himself for he was one of the reasons why she is in this state. If only he had enough guts to tell her truth or gave her hits little by little from the start, this wouldn’t have happened. He wants nothing but go back to the past and make her fall in love with him instead and not that bastard. He was so bloody bound by his word to his duty that he had to leave Sreesha in harm’s way. If only he knew that Sreesha was his intended bride a few years ago… if only he obeyed his grandmother and take a glance at the picture, she tried to present him.

If only he didn’t interrupt her rant about her intended and show Sreesha picture instead. If only he was clever enough to read his grandmother, he would have known that the girl he loved is none other than his fiancé. His grandmother is the conniving old fox hid the fact that they are same and encouraged him to pursue Sreesha.

Being the brainless moron, he was, ignored her sly smirk and thought she too liked Sreesha. Who wouldn’t? She’s the most beautiful girl in the world.

He stilled when he heard her mumble something.

“Tell me” her voice crocked at the end.

He took her face into his hands and planted a kiss on her forehead. Good thing he had enough sense to feed her last night, her cheeks gained a little color. She was ghostly pale yesterday. It was not the first time he fed her with his hands but now he is feeling different. She’s still here after knowing everything. And he couldn’t ask for more.

He explained everything to her last night. From the day he first laid his on her to the day Manoj confronted him. He told her how he used to stalk her everywhere from her classes to the canteen or to her home. How Tej used to give him blank looks. How Manoj would give him stink eyes. How he was always saved by the fact he was nerd, so no one thought he was indeed stalking Sreesha but merely there for lecturers. How Nihal would tease him saying what he felt for her was not love but an obsession.

How he would be happy all day when he sees her smile or drags his day gloomily when he sees her in a foul mood. How he used to share every single detail of her to his friends both Nihal and Anvika. How Anvika would tease him saying that she would play jealous best friend card whenever he is with Sreesha.

How he confided in his grandmother about his love life… how she used to encourage him to pursue and purposefully kept Sreesha’s identity to herself.

Now that he thinks of it, his grandmother wanted him to look at Sreesha as the one he chose but not like his duty for their family. And she succeeded in her scheme. He fell in love with Sreesha irrevocably.

And finally finished with “You’re never my duty, Sree. You’re my life”.

Sreesha, of course, slapped him for god knows how many times and kissed the life out of him.

He smiled at the memory.

And he is grateful for the fact that she is still here beside him and no one can take her away from him. Not ever her sperm donor.

“Stop smiling. I still didn’t forgive you for hiding everything from me” she said glaring at him. “Now, tell me what I want to hear” she demanded him cutely.

Of course, Karthik would find her cute and beautiful even when she was furious and messy.

“Gladly, my Queen,” he said and started reciting ‘I Love You and Only You’ for hundred times.

It will be his punishment until she says otherwise. He had to make up for every second he wasted stalking her instead of approaching her. Who knows she might have ended up falling in love with him then?

‘Little did she know saying I love you to her would never be a punishment to him.’ He thought, shaking his head.

“I don’t want to go” she whined, afraid of what she had to find out further. Yes, she is disappointed that they kept things from her, but she knows enough for now and very happy with her life. They just need to make sure that Satan to stay away from her family that’s all she’s wishing for.

But the other side, her brain which is otherwise called a bizarre cat by her heart, was very curious to know everything that happened and still happening around her.

“We can stay in if you want,” Karthik said, joining her on the couch where she was having a thorough fight with both her brain and heart.

“How can you say that? I want to know everything” she stated glaring at him.Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

“Of course, my Queen. Let’s go” he responded giving her his arm to lead her to the dining area where everyone is eagerly waiting for her.

“Stop mocking me, Karthik” she demanded exasperatedly.

“I am not mocking my dear wife. You are indeed a Queen if not a real one, you would still be the Queen of my heart and I have every right to call you one” he declared, reaching out for her hand.

“Just remember whatever they did or still doing is just to keep you safe” he mumbled dropping a kiss on her forehead.

“Even my pare- I mean my adopted parents?” she stuttered, looking away from him.

“If what I hear from my father is true, if your mama trusted him enough to give you to him. Then I think the answer is yes. I think he has his reasons to behave the way he did” he explained, patiently.

“Tej would still be my brother, right?” she mumbled covering her face partially with her hair. I laughed at her naivety; she slapped my chest frowning.

“My dear naïve Sreesha, do you have any idea how he hovered on you when I took you home unconscious? I thought he would punch me for not keeping you safe. If there is anyone who can love you for you, I have a tough competition from your brother. Blood or not, he is still your little brother and you are still his troublesome sister” he explained pinching her nose making her swat his hand but smiled, nonetheless.

“Let’s go and meet family then, husband, what are you waiting for?” he gave her one of his brightest smiles when he heard her call him husband.

He’s so whipped, and a proud one in that.

Looping an arm around her waist he led her to the dining room, smiling like an idiot.

When they were descending stairs, everyone was watching her like a glass doll which was on the verge of falling from a wall.

She smiled at everyone and turned to Tej and warned, “If you think you’re free from being my brother, think again”.

Tej reached Sreesha in two long strides “I will kill you if you ever make me worry this way, di. Who said you’re going to get rid of me? You’re stuck to be my di for the rest of our lives” he warned her shaking her shoulders before bursting into tears.

Sreesha hugged him tightly and started cooing him like she always did when they were kids. He grew up too fast to take care of her. He stood strong for both of them until now. Sreesha was guilty that she is the reason he never gets to enjoy his boyhood and proud that he did it for her.

“I am not a kid, di stop cooing” he complained, wiping his tears to his shirt sleeve.

“You are always a kid to me Dumbo be aware of that. Even after you get married and have your own kids, I will still treat you like a kid” she said ruffling his hair.

“Diii” he whined, making his hairstyle right.

“Look at you whine, you are still a kid,” she said sticking her tongue at him, mocking.

And that’s when the chase started, Tej started chasing her around the house while she runs away from him mocking making everyone laugh at the brother and sister duo.

“Karthi, save me” Sreesha reached Karthik and hid behind him.

Suddenly all the laughter left from Tej and he became very serious all of sudden.

“You and I have a lot to discuss, don’t you think brother-in-law?” Tej said mockingly.

Karthik nodded understanding his meaning.

He is finally going to taste the punch Tej is going to throw at him.

He will not defend himself as he deserves it than anyone else.