Chapter 75: chapter 75

MADHAV“What? Why do you want to postpone the expo for two weeks?” the event manager asks me in the phone.“Well, because the defence minister is only free at that time,”I amswer.“But, aren't you two buddies or something? Why can't you ask him to make some time for you? Heck! Aren't you his brother in law now?”I groan. I hate it when people suggests to me to take my relationship with Vikram for granted. They think being friends with Vikram gives me a special place and I can act like I want. “The reason you are able to sleep peacefully in the night without the worry of getting attacked by our rival countries is because of Vikram. Do you want me to ask him to spare  some of his precious time and risk the county's security?” I ask.The line is silent for a few seconds, “Well, when you put it like that, things sound bad. I will do as you say and postpone the expo for two weeks.”With a sigh, I hang up the call. The beach looks calm today but my mind is in a turmoil thinking about Sruthi. She looked livid when I got the call from the event manager. He was calling me to confirm the date to be printed on the expo invitations. But he didn't expect me to postpone the expo for two weeks.The Jewellery Expo is a huge deal in the Capital and to me personally. I want things to go smoothly. I want my chief guest to be at his best health when he attends it. I am sure it would take Vikram a minimum of fifteen days to recover from this. Raking a hand through my hair, I get into the house to find the living room empty. My trained ears pick up muffled voices coming from Vikram's room. The door is partially open. I tread to the room with a dread. The first thing I see upon entering is the sight of Sruthi and Pavitran huddled close in the corner of the room discussing something very seriously. They are so immersed in their discussion that they don't even notice me entering. Sruthi is vigorously nodding her head to something Pavitran says and I try not to get jealous. Try being the keyword here. Because, I am jealous and that makes no sense. Okay, kidding! It makes perfect sense. I am possessive of my wife and the green monster in me is growing heads whispering things that makes me feel insecure. Pavitran is the stark opposite to me. While I am a killer who takes lives, he is a doctor who saves them. His voice is gentle and kind and he looks like some sort of angelic hero. While I look like a dark brooding villian. Add to it the fact that Sruthi knows him way before she knew me. I saw the way her eyes lit up when she recognised him.They share some history and that makes me anxious for no rational reason. I clear my throat to get their attention and Sruthi is the first one to look at me. She frowns at the look on my face and I remember to put on a neutral mask. Without removing her eyes off me, she says to Pavitran, “Thanks for briefing me on his condition and taking good care of him.”The next moment, she is in front of me and pulling me out of the room leaving Pavitran with Vikram. I follow her wordlessly. I prepare myself for the conversation that is inevitable now that she knows her brother cannot produce an heir. Though I am not sure how I am going to react. I want to refuse but in reality I won't say no to her. Because, if she wants to have a child with me, then I will give it to her. “Can we stay here for a week?” Sruthi asks. My jaw opens in shock and I blink at her. Okay! That wasn't the question I was expecting. It was a totally random one that I wasn't prepared for.“Why do you want to stay?” I ask and realise the next moment how absurd that question sounds. Of course, she wants to stay here to take care of her injured brother. I shake my head and rephrase the question, “Why do you want me to stay?”“Because, I will be staying here and I am still not sure what happened to my brother or who attacked him. I don't want to take any risks, Madhav. Having you here will make me feel safe.”“I don't think your brother will be attacked again,” I say trying not to show how elated I feel at her last words. She feels safe with me. All those insecurities and jealousy vanished in a puff of dust at her words. Her brows furrow, “How do you know? Wait! You still haven't answered the first question I asked you upon coming here.”I sigh. Time to come clean, “Two days ago, Vikram visited us.”“When? I don't remember it. Are the medicines I am taking tampering with my memories?”“No, it is not. You don't remember it because he visited us when you were asleep. It was in the middle of the night. He came straight after finding his work.”“Why didn't you wake me up?” Sruthi asks glaring at me.“He told me not,” I answer meeting her glare. “He went on a secret mission. I don't know any details of this one but I had gone to these and I know one thing for sure. If he comes back alive from this mission then there is no way the opposite party would have survived.”“Meaning, my brother killed all those he went to meet on this mission?” Sruthi asks.I flinch at her choice of words, “Yes, he did. Usually, I am the one who does the killing but this time he had to it.”“Why didn't you go with him this time?”  “He wanted me to stay with you,” I answer. Sruthi is silent for a few seconds mulling over something in her mind. What would I give to know what is going on in her head right now?  She again surprises me with a question I wasn'tprepared for.“Did you also get injured in these missions?” her eyes are curious and worried.“I did,” I answer not wanting to tell her the whole truth. The truth being that I was the one who would return back badly injured than Vikram. We operated in a way that I was always the main one in the mission with Vikram as my backup. I never allowed him to get hurt or injured because I know how it raise unwanted questions and gossips.Sruthi sighs, “God! This is very complicated than I thought. This is why I stayed out of politics. Coming back to my original question, can we stay here?”“You still want me to stay with you?” I ask. She sighs, “God! Yes, I want you to stay with me because you know I can't sleep peacefully without you by my side. Can you please stay here with me? Only for a week. I promise it–”I place my palm on her mouth to stop her blabbering. She has no idea how cute hse looks when she gets flustered and blabbers,“We can stay here as long as you want and your brother permits.”She surprises me for the third time today by wrapping her hands around me in a hug, “You are the best.”❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥