I got married for the second time at the temple. Which i never expected in my whole life. We were about to enter the house of Rudra ji.
I glanced at Rudra ji, he was looking straight ahead with his jaw clenched.
"I'll not welcome her inside our house!! She's just a widowed woman who doesn't deserve a place in this home." My mother-in-law said.
I glanced at her and then lowered my gaze in sadness. She was looking at me with such hatred, and I was used to this kind of taunt, but it still hurts.
My jeth ji took a stand in every situation, even now. My jethani, she was an angel by heart. They're the ones who took care of everything at the wedding, like our mother and father.
"I'll welcome them in…" my jethani said and welcomed us inside.
I and Rudra ji stepped inside at the same time. This house brings me the flashbacks of my past, where I came here crying when I got ruined by my ex-husband. I never thought…. I'll enter this house again as the wife of Rudra ji.
I was looking around the house, it was too big and luxurious. But… I'm not drawn to them. I got sick of these rich people. They're mostly so arrogant and egoistic.
"Take her inside, she looks tired." My jeth ji told Rudra ji.
I stepped inside the bedroom of Rudra ji. It looked clean and tidy.
"This is your room now. You can be a bit free around here." I heard Rudra Ji's voice from behind.
I had so many questions, but I dared not ask. I'm still afraid to speak with him. They're powerful after all. I don't want to suffer any torments again. What if… he beats me like my ex-husband? No..no, it won't happen. He was a monster, but Rudra ji doesn't look like one. But… he sure is intimidating.
"Sit" he said.
I gulped and was about to sit on the ground.
"Sit on the bed." he said.
"B…but, i... I can't sit on the b.. bed, i.. it's disrespectful." I said.
"You'll do what I say. sit on the bed right now!" He said in a stern tone.
My eyes widened a little, and I hesitantly sat on the bed.
He leaned closer, and I moved back. "W..what are you doing..?" I asked.
"Remove your veil and talk. No one else is here." He said.
I removed my veil slowly. I still didn't dare look into his eyes.
"Listen, I know that we're married. And I'll respect you and this marriage as a married man. But… Do not expect any other things. We'll not consummate this marriage, Understood?" He said.
My gaze slowly fell on his face. He was so handsome up close. And… I was right. He didn't like me from the start. Who would even like me, anyway? My brown skin and a poor background will make any man run away.
"Don't be afraid… I'll not touch you. You'll be safe here." He said in a comforting tone.
I simply nodded. It was a relief listening to his words. I'll be safe here, I repeated his words in my mind.
I watched him walking out of the room. But… a question is still lingering in my mind. Why did he agree to marry me? A man who's handsome, strong, and rich.
I still remember the first time I saw him. He had a bandage on his head. That day, when my parents and I were asking for justice at the Panchayat. He and his brother were on my side. But… fate had other plans at that time. My parents got bribed with money and asked the grampramukh, aka my now Jeth ji, to get me married to the man that ruined me. They asked me multiple times if it was okay for me… I wanted to refuse, every single time. but I thought of my family and agreed. Just as I expected, my life turned upside down after that day. I suffered for 4½ years. Only God knows the torments that I have endured in that haunted house by my ex-husband.
But… finally, I'm now free from my chains. The man who took the decision to get me married to that monster by my simple 'yes'. He pulled me out of the void of darkness. I can't believe he's the same man, my jeth ji.
Life has unexpected twists, but I never expected I would even get a second chance in life. If I had taken a stand for myself, I would've never fallen into this mess. Which I regret every single time I breathe.
Rudra's pov
I told her what I had to say. I have no intention of consummating this marriage. I only agreed to marry her out of respect for my brother, and…. I didn't want her to suffer anymore. I know how this world treats a widowed woman.
Afterall, I and my brother had a hand behind her dark past. If only I had intervened that day. I sighed, thinking about it.
~Time skip ~
I avoided going into my room the whole day. It was now nighttime; I was hungry as hell. Tulasi bhabhi's cooking tastes amazing, I can't wait to devour it.
We all sat down to eat. Bhaiya made the women of the house sit with us too. Which I'm happy about. It feels good when we all eat together.
"You can't eat with us! Go away" my mother yelled at Sugandha.
It made me so angry, her constant taunts about Sugandha were getting on my nerves.
"Maa, she's my wife now. I'll not tolerate any disrespect towards her." I said.
Everyone looked stunned by my actions. But I focused on my mother. I was so mad at her.
As always, she started an emotional drama and left back to her room without eating. I had no mood to go after her. Since the day she knew about the alliance between me and Sugandha, she never stopped spitting venom. My brother left to coax my mother, I didn't bother.
"Sugandha, you'll sit and eat with me every single day, from now on. Now sit down and have your meal." I told Sugandha.
We all finished our meal and returned back to our respective rooms.
Author pov
Sugandha was standing near the bed, battling with her thoughts. She flinched when she heard a sudden voice.
"You can sleep on the bed, I'll sleep on the ground." Rudra said.
"N…no, no. I'll sleep on the ground instead." Sugandha said.
"I told you to listen to what I say. Go and sleep on the bed, right now!" Rudra said in a stern tone again.
Sugandha gulped and hurriedly lay on the bed. Rudra smirked; all it needed was a little strictness, and she complied without resisting, he thought.
Rudra was removing his upper garments, when Sugandha noticed this, her eyes widened. She immediately buried her face into the pillow.
"J…ji what are you doing?? Y…you said, you'll not touch me." Sugandha muttered into the pillow.
Rudra furrowed his brows and looked at her. "Who's touching you? I always sleep without any upper garments on."
Sugandha became flustered at his words, 'that means I'll have to see his half naked body everyday?' She thought. Sugandha still refused to look at him. Rudra shook his head and lay on the ground to sleep.
After a few minutes of silence, Sugandha finally peeped out to look. She slowly turned around and gazed at Rudra's sleeping figure.
Her whole face turned red. Her eyes slowly raked down his sexy body. She was astonished by his physique; it looked so manly to her.
She slapped her right cheek for even thinking about such things and lay back down. She kept looking at the roof with her heart racing at jet speed. She clutched her chest and closed her eyes to calm down.
Rudra's lips twitched into a smirk with his eyes closed. He was well aware of his surroundings. Her bangles make a lot of sound, it revealed her little gazing competition. he chuckled lowly, thinking about it.
Time passed, and sleep engulfed both of them. They slept while thinking about each other. God knows which type of thoughts were swirling in Sugandha's head.
Write a comment ...