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Aryan blinked as Pakhi freed her hand from his grip and wiped his kiss off from the back. He wonders how she will behave after knowing the truth.
" I am giving you 5 minutes."
He raised his eyebrows, " That's it? Judge sahab does not give this much time for hearing the case-"
He sealed his mouth when she glared at him and he realised that he has to keep his lawyer mind away for now.
" Okay so," he cleared his throat and continued,
" That was all a drama."
She scoffed lightly, " you should have become an actor then. Why lawyer? That seemed organic."
Sarcasm flickered in her voice.
" No, I mean. Yes I knew you were coming," he added.
She rolled her eyes, " I may look innocent but I am not. Do you think I am a fool?"
" Baby, just listen to me-"
" Bolo bhi ab," she irked.
( Say something now.)
" Yes yes. So, I knew you were coming. All that was just a drama. There is nothing between me and Jivika. You'll just have to wait until tomorrow for the proof."
She shook her head, " I won't. I know what type of man you are. You will fool me again. And tell me one thing, didn't you hate her? Then why this.."
Her voice turned low at the end and tears again made a way to her eyes.
" Oh no no. Don't cry again," he panicked.
She looked away from him. He took a deep breath,
" I did hate her but.. got to know so many things me and Jaydev were missing."
" Bhai?"
She looked at his face at the mention of her brother. He hummed and wiped her tears then continued further.
" It's a long topic. Just know one thing, it's related to Eisha."
Frown appeared on her forehead and she felt the story twisting second by second. She cannot process this much at once. He palmed her cheek and she did not jerk his hand this time. Smile formed on his lips and he parted his mouth to speak,
" par Mera vishwas karo. tumhare alawa kisi se pyar karna to door mai soch bhi sakta. Agar tumhara nahi to mai kisi ka nahi hone wala."
( But trust me. I can't even think of loving anyone else other than you. If I am not yours, I am not going to be anyone else's.)
She blinked her wet eyelashes and listened to him quietly,
" It is people's job to mislead. Your friends don't know me, but you know me, right? Am I so lustful that I will stay with you only for your body? I have loved you for many years, biwi. Tumhara pati akela reh lega par kisi dusri ladki ko apne sath nahi rehne dega."
( Your husband will live alone but will not allow any other girl to live with him.)
" But.. they said.."
" Damn them. Listen to your husband. Who do you trust the most in this world? Your brother right?"
She nodded.
" Then my dear, you can ask him. He is the witness of my love for you. He has seen me."
He chuckled and tilted his head to look deeper into her eyes, " itni sundar patni hai meri to fir kyu mai kisi aur ke liye pagal hounga?"
( I have such a beautiful wife, why would I be crazy about anyone else?)
She chewed the inside of her lower lip and lowered her eyes due to embarrassment. Every single word of his screamed his truthfulness and loyalty. He frowned when tears again streamed down from her eyes.
" Do you.. still not trust me?"
She shook her head negatively.
" Then?"
" I," she choked and hurriedly hugged him. She clutched his shirt tightly and burst into sobs on his chest.
" I am sorry. I am really sorry. I don't know what happened to me after seeing you with that woman. I got influenced by my friends and started suspecting you. I am really sorry.."
He smiled and wrapped his arms around her and kissed the crown of her head.
" Apology accepted," he said sweetly. She broke the hug and wiped her tears with the back of her hands.
" I.. will. I will block them. How dare they? They provoked me and tried to separate us?"
His eyes sparkled and he stared at her face lovingly. The outside world is very cruel. Who knows what would have happened to this innocent girl if someone else had decorated her as a jewel in their home.
She blabbered and cursed her friends while he only wondered if he deserved this pure girl? Absolutely.
Agar hoti vo kisi aur ki to mehsoos kar pata wo uske shabdo ki mithaas ko?
Agar hota woh kisi aur ki to kya poch paata uske moti se aansuon ko?
Agar hoti vo kisi aur ki to kya sanjo sakta vo uski masumiyat ko?
Agar hota woh kisi aur ki to kya samajhta uska ladakpan vo?
( If she had belonged to someone else, would he have been able to feel the meaning of words?
If she had belonged to someone else, would he have been able to wipe her pearls like tears?
If she had belonged to someone else, would he have adorned her innocence?
If she had belonged to someone else, would he have understood her innocence?
He smiled and added a few more lines to his poetry.
Pyar karna aata nahi tha.
Dil ko sambhalna aata nahi tha.
Kisi par qurban hona aata nahi tha.
Sikhaya hai uski pavitra aankhon ne sab,
Sikhta deti pyar vo usko bhi jiski..agar hoti kabhi vo..
( I did not know how to love.
I did not know how to control my heart.
I did not know how to sacrifice myself for someone.
She has taught me everything through her holy eyes,
She would have taught love even to those whom she.. belonged.)
" W..what?"
She uttered, unable to decipher his gaze. He shook his head lightly and leaned in to kiss her cheek. He put her head on his chest and exhaled heavily before saying,
" I am very selfish for you. I want you only for myself."
She blushed and smiled shyly. She wanted to reply similar but considering the situation and place, she chose to keep her mouth shut.
" Ab chalein?"
( Shall we go now?)
She asked.
" Why? Don't you want to cry anymore-"
" Shut up," she slapped his chest and stood up.
She forwarded her hand which he grabbed then both stood up and left the terrace together.
As they reached downstairs, Kumud took everyone for a dinner where Pakhi did not have a peaceful time because of the man- Aryan's boss who is popular among his people for his strict nature.
Pakhi frowned, stopping the spoon just an inch away from her mouth when she caught Akshat wiggling his eyebrows at her.
She put the spoon in her mouth and pulled the sleeves of her husband sitting beside her.
" Yes?"
Pakhi looked at him, " can you talk to your boss? He is.. weird."
Aryan frowned and glanced at Akshat. Pakhi too turned her gaze at him and found him eating his dinner silently. She narrowed her eyes angrily.
Kumud was the witness of Akshat and Pakhi's communication through gestures and chose to break the silence.
" Let him be, Pakhi. He is just teasing you."
" Tsk! Why did you intervene? I was having fun," Akshat said to his wife, causing Sahir and Akshat to chuckle.
Pakhi frowned, " why?"
Akshat looked at her with amusement which he surprisingly only shows for her.
" Because he says he finds you adorable just like his sister-"
" Drop it, I never did," Akshat refused and interrupted his wife.
Pakhi grinned, " do not lie, Mr. Pratap. I know you. Everybody does. I am so charming."
Her self-praising words caused everyone to laugh at her. Aryan wiped the corner of her lips where she had accidentally stuck a bit of food.
" You know, Pakhi. Akshat never has been this soft to anyone except his wife and women of his family," Sahir informed her.
Pakhi gasped dramatically and Akshat made a face.
" I am touched," she said with a full dramatic voice.
Akshat blinked and looked at Aryan before saying, " I am taking my words back. She's so dramatic."
Aryan laughed and agreed.
" I am touched," Pakhi repeated one more time.
Akshat took a deep breath and everyone somehow ate the food while spending a good time together, forgetting that they saved Pakhi from a deadly incident.
In the night, Pakhi sat on the couch in the guest room and waited for her husband who suddenly had some work to do and he went with Akshat and Sahir.
Her wait did not end soon. But because she was exhausted, she dozed off in sleep. The time she woke up, she found herself in the air.
She grasped anything for support and realised that it was Aryan's shoulders. She took a breath of relief.
" You came? Why did you take so long?"
He put her on the bed and started removing his shirt, " had a work."
He threw the shirt on the ground and climbed on the bed. She shifted aside, letting him make enough space for himself. It wasn't needed because in the end, he intervened in her space.
Pakhi frowned and grabbed his right hand, " your knuckles? Did you fight?"
She interrogated and glanced at his bruised knuckles worriedly. He sighed and pulled her into his embrace,
" yes. Had to take care of people who hurt you."
She moved a little back and looked up at his face, " what did you do to them?"
" Leave it-"
" Tell me. I insist," she said.
He tenderly tucked her strands of hair behind, " tortured them before killing."
A glint of fear sparkled in her eyes which he did not want to see for himself. She blinked her eyes and covered the fear. She put her head back on his chest and wrapped her arm around his torso,
" You are so cruel. I don't know why you enjoy doing this?"
She closed her eyes to sleep and he smiled. He kissed the side of her head and closed his eyes to sleep as well.
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Shruti dared not to divert her gaze from her food because her husband has been trying to trouble a lot with his teasing. How did he turn out to be the teasing machine? She misses her cold husband.
" Ignore me as much as you want. In the end, you will be with me."
" Whatever," she mumbled and he was the first one to finish his food. Because servants were eating, Shruti did the dishes and quickly went upstairs.
" Jay?"
" Hn?"
He turned around and she glanced at the wooden box in his hand. The same box he doesn't let anyone touch and in which he has preserved the memories of his Eisha.
She walked toward him and glanced at the photograph in his hand. It was his, Eisha and Aryan. She smiled. They look young.
" Is she Eisha?"
She took the photograph and he smiled, " hmm."
" She's beautiful," Shruti said.
He sighed softly, " I am going to burn..all this."
She frowned, " why?"
He shrugged his shoulders and took the photograph from her, " not this one but the rest of the things."
" Are you doing this for me? If yes, you do not have to. I am a secure girl. If you think I'll be jealous of your late girlfriend, then you are a fool."
" It's not like this. I just want to. I have some love letters, her pictures, her bracelet and many more things. I don't think I need all this anymore. I want a fresh start."
" Jay," she cupped his cheeks.
" You cannot let go of your past-"
" Let me..please."
She sighed and moved her hand down. He closed the box and put it back in its place and kept the photograph above it.
He came to her and put his hands on either side of her waist.
" Are you ready for re-marriage?"
" Re-marriage?"
He hummed and rubbed his tip of nose with her.
" It's not like your father will let us go. And I want a proper marriage."
She circled her hands around his neck, " if we remarry, then we'll have to live separately until our wedding."
" That's difficult," he lifted her in his arms and added, " par dulhan bankar to vapas aaogi mere paas."
( But you'll come to me as my bride.)
She shook her head, " let it be like this. I don't want to live separately, otherwise I'll climb to your window to meet you."
" What a wife I've got! This should be my line."
He chuckled and put her on the bed.
" Par tumhe fursat hi kahan ye sab bolne ki? Mujhe hi kehna padta hai," she scoffed dramatically.
( But where do you have the time to say all this? I have to do all this.)
He laughed and climbed up on the bed.
" I don't do all this useless work. I am a protector of the law, I do everything legally."
" Oh mere SP Sahab, ab isme to kanoon na dhundho. Aisa sab karte hain waise bhi."
( Oh my SP, don't look for any law in this. Everyone does this anyway.)
He shook his head in disbelief, " what can I expect from Aryan's sister."
" Well well, you should thank my brother. He convinced our elders that is why we didn't have to do anything. He's more sensible than you in this matter."
" Does it mean I am sensible in other matters?"
She shrugged her shoulders and wrapped her arm around his torso and put her head on his chest, " kind of. Bhai is so dramatic and I feel scared for him, but he escapes every time."
He put his fingers into her hair and feathered her hair gently.
" Jay, do you remember what you said in the initial days of our marriage?"
He recalled those days when he used to pray to get rid of her as soon as possible. He hated her and didn't want to spend an hour with her. Feelings were mutual though. A point came when he thought to leave for Goa just for his mental piece but oh, the table turned and she joined him. The Goa trip turned out to be the turning point in his life.
" I do, so what?"
" So, don't you think you can ever defeat me?"
He chuckled and shook his head, " never."
" Good," she smiled and closed her eyes but gasped when he suddenly pushed her on the bed and hovered over her.
" And do you think you can make my life hell?"
He uttered against her lips.
" I can- ow!"
She hissed as he bit her chin.
" Jay!"
She slapped his chest. He started leaving multiple kisses on her face. He left a long peck on her lips then lay in his place and pulled her into his embrace.
" Let's sleep now."
And they did exactly what he said.
Jaydev's eyebrows scrunched together when he heard sounds of music in the background. He took no second to depict that it's Shruti. Who wakes me up so much in the morning with so much noise? His good gracious wife.
Koi roke koi aaye,
Jitna bhi mujhko samjhaye..
Mai na sunungi kabhi..
Apni hi dhun mein rehti hu,
Mai pagli hu mai ziddi hu,
Kehte hai ye to sabhi...
Koi nahi jaana,
Ke armaan kya hai mera..
That's literally Shruti's anthem. Jaydev hid a smile and covered his head with a blanket, wanting to sleep more but was it possible?
" Jay! Jay! Look at me."
When he did not react, she came to remove his blanket.
" I know you are not sleeping."
He groaned, " shut the damn music!"
" That's my favourite. Now, look at me."
He sighed heavily and removed the blanket from his head. He looked at her from head to toe. She shyly tucked the strands of her hair behind the ear, " how am I looking?"
" Gorgeous."
She squealed, " I knew."
She waved her hand at him and went back to complete her left-out makeup. He chuckled lightly and sat up then stretched his arms.
" Why do you hear such music in the morning? You should at least play soft music like some old classic songs."
She made a face, " energetic songs provide us energy."
" I am very energetic, baby."
He got down from the bed and she asked while wearing her bangles.
" I don't think so."
" I'll show you on our wedding night."
" Okay-"
She gasped, " you are so dirty."
" You are so dirty."
He mimicked her voice and grabbed her mobile from the nightstand.
" Don't you dare change the music-"
Before she could complete her sentence, he changed the song and played a song which matches his calm personality.
" Don't change this now."
" I will."
She said, even though she is not going to do this. He hummed the song and went to the bathroom to do his business. Meanwhile, she searched for a good outfit for him. He frequently wears leather jacket type outfits so she chose to make him try something different.
She ironed his clothes and put everything on the bed. She feels like his wife- well, she is actually his wife.
When he came back, wrapped in a towel, she called him because he was going to find clothes in almirah.
" What?"
She grabbed the pink shirt from the bed and showed him, " wear this today."
He made a face, " why didn't mami throw it? I won't."
" Please Jay," she insisted.
" I won't wear pink. I hate this colour."
" Spit your hatred like you did for me. You'll love it like you love me now," she blabbered while beginning to make him wear the shirt.
" I didn't understand your theory."
" You cannot even. I have to explain things to my students more than twice. Only intelligent people can understand me."
She started buttoning up the shirt.
" Aren't you too full of yourself?"
" I was," she looked up at his face and batted her eyelashes, " now only you live in me."
Both burst into laughter.
" Shut up. Don't try this. Aryan is better at this."
" I agree," Shruti did the last button and went to bring his white formal pants. She handed it to him which he wore after removing his towel. He buckled a brown belt which she gave him.
" Aww! Look at my husband. So handsome. So hot."
She cupped her cheeks while complimenting him.
" You are literally so dramatic-"
He stopped in the middle when he stood in front of the mirror and saw his reflection.
" I actually look handsome."
" Right? You look 2 years younger."
He glared at her through the mirror and she just laughed. He grabbed the comb to brush his hair but just then his mobile rang. She grabbed it from the nightstand and told him, " it's bhai."
" Accept the call and put it on speaker."
She accepted the call and put it on speaker while walking closer to him.
" Jay?"
" Yeah?"
" Can you come right now?"
" Why?"
He frowned and put the comb down. She followed him with the mobile as he walked toward the couch to wear his shoes.
" Just come-"
" But why? Is there any problem?"
Silence came from Aryan's side for a minute which seemed suspicious to Jaydev.
" Aryan? What's wrong-"
" Eisha.."
He stopped his movement and Shruti's full attention shifted to her brother as he added,
" It's about Eisha. She.. has not much time left."
Jaydev looked at his wife whose expression he failed to read.
The person whose case he had just opened did not know that he was going to get such a big shock about her so soon.
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