Married To A Stranger

Sreesha POV:

Tej, the only family who loves and cares for me. The only person in the world who have seen my best and the worst still stayed with me.

My brother.

I wonder what were the reasons that lead him to marry me off, to a stranger no less, when he was so against of my father’s selection.

He fought my every battle like it is his. He protects me like he was the elder one among us. He grew up too fast protecting me from my parents’ wrath and the evils who plays as angels outside the house.

I missed him so much. I want nothing but to hug him, but he betrayed me in the worst way possible. He promised me, to never let anything happen against my will yet he decided to break it himself.

Sure, god blessed me with Karthik, who behaves like a gentleman. What if it is someone who is just like my father or worse?

“Di! ” my heart melted when he called me ‘di’. I was pulled into a bone-crushing hug. He clutched to me in Octopus grip making it hard to breathe.

Octopus grip, seriously?

Do you want me to degrade his huge body by comparing his hug with a leech?

Eww!

“T-Tej… c-can’t breath” I gasped out. His gripped loosened almost immediately making me stumble back.

“Sorry di, it’s just I missed you so much” he confessed, scratching his neck.

I missed you too, Tej.

“Sure, you did,” I said sarcastically, narrowing my eyes at him.

“W-what? Of course, I missed you” he said desperately. I rolled my eyes at him and asked him to leave.

“Did he hurt you, di?” He asked gritting his teeth, his soft brown eyes darkened with fury.

“Answer me, di. Did he say or do something you don’t like?” the tone he used was dark. Never had I witnessed this side of him. Sure, he was protective of me all the time but now, he looks ready to kill.

“Of course not. He is nice to me” I mumbled, confused by his sudden change of aura. He relaxed immediately and gave me an innocent smile.

“Good. Or I would have killed him” he said, giving a charming smile. I rolled my eyes at him, again.

“Why are you sad then? Tell me what happened, is it father again? Or mother tried to lecture you again?” he started his guessing game.

“It’s you. I don’t want to talk to you. Get out of here” I ordered, gesturing to the door, making sure my voice is harsh.

“What? What did I do?” I almost laughed at his confused stature. I forgave him already, okay?

I’m bored and who doesn’t want a bit of entertainment and treated like a princess right?

“You broke your promise remember? You said you wouldn’t try anything against my will, yet you agreed to this marriage and didn’t help me out” I scowled.

“I- you… di. K-Karthik ” he started talking in gibberish.

“Get out now” I showed him the way out, giving a defeated sigh he left. I smirked at his back.

Now Sreesha, ready to be pampered by your little brother with lots of love and chocolates (yum).

Tej tried everything to get me out of my room but I turned down all his attempts.

He asked me to have lunch with him.Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

I don’t want lunch, dude.

He begged me to watch my favorite movie with him.

As much as I want to see him cringe with every dialogue in the movie. Nahh… I’ll pass.

He tried to lure me to take me out, but my mother rudely interrupted his proposal saying new brides can’t roam on the roads.

This time it’s not me okay?

Then an hour later, he knocked on my door. I wiped the grin off my face and pasted a fake frown and opened the door. He was standing there with lots of my favorite chocolates in his hands. I snatched them away from him and slammed the door on his face.

As much as I’m feigning anger at him, I don’t want him to burden with the heavyweight of chocolates. So being the best sister in the world I am, relieved him from the burden.

Things I do for my brother…

Don’t get me wrong okay? What if he eats all the calories and loses his muscles which he always says as his pride? So, I kept all the chocolates in my stomach safely not even leaving the smudges on the wrapper. After licking and making the wrappers chocolate-free, I opened the door to come face to face with my little brother and handed him all the chocolate wrappers safely.

Phew! My work is done here now.

Slamming the door on his face, again, I jumped on my bed cuddling to my almost ex a. k. a Mr. Cuddles.

My friends named this side of me as Sreesha v 2. 0. This version is only available to Tej and a few close friends.

So, don’t you dare check on play store for me.

Sreesha v 2. 0 is limited okay?

Karthik POV:

Sreesha!

The only girl who has the power to make me crawl on my knees, yet she is unaware of it. When my parents asked me to marry a girl of their choice, I declined without thinking twice.

A few weeks ago:

My mom forced me to go along with them and see the girl. I hate to disappoint her, but I don’t want to hurt the supposed girl.

I’m a heartless man. I don’t have the heart to love and care if I marry this girl. I’m still not over the one who I lost my heart to.

I hate these traditions like going to the girl’s house and examine her like she was a thing on sale. I despise each and every tradition that degrade a girl’s self-respect yet here I am doing the things I hate the most. All for one woman’s happiness, my mom.

No, I’m not going to marry the girl whose name is still unknown to me. I can’t ruin her life with mine. I’ll just say we’re not compatible and say sorry.

We started from our house in a less expensive car. We didn’t use this car from years, what in the world was my dad thinking? I let it pass, maybe it is mom’s wish as she thinks it is their lucky car. I rolled my eyes at this and slipped in the passenger seat making my dad scowl.

I gave a look that says ‘deal-with-it’.

My dad can’t stay away from my mom. He says it’s love. If only I didn’t do what I did a few years ago…

Don’t even go there Karthik!

I immersed myself in candy crush game and never once lookout to see where we were going. As long as they will not disturb me, I’m fine staying in one place.

The car stopped in front of a weirdly familiar house, I brushed off the feeling and followed my parents.

We’re invited by the person whom I hated the most. He was the reason for a loved one’s misery.

What are we doing here in this man’s house?

Before I say or do anything my father gripped my wrist and nodded as to say no.

I sighed harshly before following the cruel man. We were led to the living area. I received a message from my father giving me a list of lies to say.

Karthik Shekhar.

Manager in an MNC.

Earns 40, 000 per month.

Have connections to the Mafia.

Who in the sane mind would want to marry their daughter to the guy who has connections to the mafia?

‘He would ‘ my father expression said it all.

This is it, there is no backing away now. I had to marry this girl no matter what. But I can’t play with her life, I can’t love her like she deserves.

Still, I answered the man to all the questions he fired at me feigning honesty. No one could read me. I always maintain a neutral look on my face.

He nodded and gave me a small smile like he knows what I am playing at.

If only he knows…

My mother nudged me when the girl sits on the mat. One more thing that I hate the most. A girl should be treated as equal. If I’d a sister I’d have done anything she asked for and protect her from all the evils in the world.

I ignored my mother and took out my iPhone again this time I want to play Pokémon Go and leave this house but I’m not fortunate enough to follow my heart now.

“I don’t have a choice mom, do as you wish,” I said sighing dejectedly.

“She’s beautiful Karthik. One look at her and say you don’t want her; we’ll leave right this moment” mom said giving me an evil smile.

That smile is not good at all. It means trouble. I always laugh at my dad’s misery every time he gets that look.

I glanced at the girl and stood up to leave but when my eyes landed on the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen, I stilled.

My brain stopped working. She looks exactly the same. She hadn’t changed a bit. After years of waiting finally, I came face to face with the girl I was in love with.

The very girl who took my heart away without her knowing.

My father patted my shoulder and gesture me to sit to which I obliged in no time.

Sreesha!

The love of my life looked at me with no hint of recognition. Of course, she doesn’t know me. This is the first time we met each other officially.

Now my anger towards the man hiked ten times. He messed with the wrong one and I intend to make him pay for his deeds.

First, I’ve to marry Sreesha and take her away from him.

“It’s okay if you don’t like her son. I can always cancel this marriage for you. Let me have a word with her father” mom feigned innocence when I very well know her sources provided her with the much-needed information.

“Dare say that again mom, I’ll kidnap dad to some unknown place and cut every source of communication between you” I threatened her.

In 26 years of their married life, they never stayed apart from each other. They’re still madly in love. That did the trick. She muttered something under her breath.

Now I can have the same love in my life with Sreesha beside me. My love is enough for both of us for now.

Geez, I sound like a girl right now.

Scowling at me, my mother said okay to the match and asked them to look for an auspicious date for our marriage.

I want to talk to Sreesha desperately. When I asked her father’s permission to talk to her, he downright rejected the idea saying he would never allow a guy to talk to his daughter.

Someone tapped on my shoulder from behind. I turned to see Sreesha’s brother. He asked me to follow him to the backyard.

“I know who you are Karthik Shekhar,” he said, making my blood froze.

“Don’t worry, I’ll not say anything to my father, but I want you to promise me my sister’s safety. I already took a lot of risk by taking your father’s advice. I knew you had a crush on my sister years ago but that doesn’t mean I trust you completely” Never in my life, someone stood up to me let alone threaten. I like him already.

So, he was the one who was helping my dad.

“I love her.” I said, he gave me a blank stare “I love her, Tej. It’s not just a mere crush. If it is, I’d have given up on her when she had a boyfriend” I said smiling genuinely for the first time in years.

“Good to know but you have to know what happened after the day you left” he explained how her life turned upside down and the things which made me furious.

“Treat her well, Karthik. I share the same blood as my father, dare hurt my sister and I wouldn’t think twice to kill you if you ever did. I don’t care if you hold the power to ruin me, I’d be ready to die after killing you so, never think I care about my life than my sister’s”

I couldn’t help but admire him. I couldn’t help but think how beautiful their relationship was.

“I’ll protect her with my life, Tej. And I promise you to treat her like she deserves. Like a Queen. My equal. Just have a little trust in me” I said confidently.

He gave me a brief hug and nodded calmly. But I can see that he was happy with my words.

I asked him to move in with us after my marriage with Sreesha but he downright rejected my offer.

Two weeks and you will be mine forever, Sreesha.