Married To A Stranger

Sreesha Pov:

“Sh-Shimla?” I stuttered.

“Yes, my dear wifey, we’re going to Shimla,” he said smirking.

“How?” I never told anyone about my undying love for Shimla, not even my friends. Then how the hell he got to know about this?

“How what?” He said feigning innocence.

“Don’t act smart, Karthik” I warned him.

“Why should I try to act when I already am,” he said winking “God, you ask too many questions woman, let’s go before we miss the flight” he added dragging me with him.

When I stepped on the land that I always dreamt of, I found myself grinning ear to ear tugging my hand somebody started dragging me to the exit sign. Soon enough we’re sitting in a car with me drooling over the view. I didn’t utter a word after landing and never glance at his side, I nearly forgot that I was here with Karthik. I turned to him giving a small guilty smile.

“Glad you decided to acknowledge me, I thought you forgot me” he grumbled glaring at me.

“It’s your fault to take me here with you, I can spend rest of my life here playing with the snow and admiring the view,” I said dreamy look.

“What is so special about this place anyways?” He asked… no more like demanded.

“I don’t know, but I have a thing for snow, I always wanted to visit Shimla,” I said faking a smile.

“Why Sree? Why this place? I always thought you would want to go other countries, actually I planned to take you Italy and then Paris” he said shaking his head.

“Then what changed your mind?” I asked him curiously.

“Tej” he answered in one word.

“How the hell did he know about this, I never mentioned this to him, no one knows,” I said shaking my head trying to remember if I ever told Tej about Shimla.

“He may or may not read your diary years ago?” He said more like a question.

Oh God! My dairy? I kind of tore and burned every page of my dairy after Manoj left me and swore to myself not to write anymore.

“B-but I d-destroyed it,” I said more to myself.

“About that, he might have stolen your bucket list before you destroy it?” he offered, scratching his head nervously.

My Bucket lists?

My eyes went wide when I realised how silly the list could be “Please tell me you didn’t read it” I asked him desperately.

“No. He didn’t give me the list and said he will tell me what to do when it is needed” he said pouting “I want to know what is in it and I want to fulfil all your wishes” he added holding my hands.

The car stopped in front of a five-star hotel, his hotel, Hotel SreeKar. Karthik took my hand and intervened our fingers. His posture completely changed when we entered the hotel like he was a completely different person stiff, cold and emotionless. The hotel manager ran towards us and greeted us politely. I greeted him back while Karthik gave him a stiff nod.

I looked around when Karthik was talking to the manager about something, the interior was breathtaking. A particular painting caught my attention it was a woman with a smile on her face, yet you can still detect the pain and sadness in her eyes. At the bottom of the painting, a signature ‘MM’ caught my attention.

Wish I could meet this Artist and ask him to draw our portrait.

Stop dreaming stupid! He must be some famous Artist; you would never get a chance to meet him.

“You like it?” A very familiar voice distracted me, I smiled at Karthik and nodded.

“I love it, the artist must have poured his heart in this particular painting,” I said sighing, leaning my head on his shoulder.

“Do you know who the artist was?” I added tilting my head to look at him.

“I don’t know, I will ask the manager about it later, come on let’s get some rest” he said leading me to lift. We reached the topmost floor when the doors were about to open, he closed my eyes making me shriek.

“Karthik, why are you behaving like a kid? Let go” I chided him lovingly with a big smile playing on my lips.

“Shh!” loving the feeling his breath tickling on my ear, I sighed leaning into him “patience wifey” he said in a way that literally made me weak. He took my hand into his free hand and lead the way. A soft click indicated we’re in his penthouse, my palms were sweating and my whole body becomes rigid when I inhale my favorite scent which used to calm my nerves but now it’s making me hell nervous.

He slowly removed his hand which was blocking my eyes, adjusting my eyes to the light, I looked around and found a trail of roses petals on the floor.

I followed the path with him behind me, the path leads to a dim lighted room, everything was perfect until when my gaze falls on the bed. I gasped when I found the 3 words which I craved for all my life and was dying to hear from him were written on the bed with rose petals.

Karthik Pov:

I was giving instructions on the last-minute arrangements to surprise my Sreesha, when I lost the warmth of her next to me, I freaked out and started searching for her. I sighed in relief when my eyes caught her admiring a painting.

The whole stalker thing was getting on my nerves lately and to add more misery there are few minor problems in the company. I thought of having a long vacation, but work is important at the moment. I kind of have a feeling, someone was messing with my company to distract me from focusing on Sree.

My phone pinged indicating a message, it is from the manager confirming everything was perfect. I make my way towards and found her pouting at the painting. She looks more adorable pouting like a kid.

I took her to the elevator and covered her eyes when we reached the topmost floor making her shriek. After locking the door securely, I removed my hand from her eyes. It took a moment for her to adjust her eyes to the light.

When her eyes fell on the trail of rose petals her eyes widened but followed the path and reached our destination, where I poured my heart to let her know how I feel about her. Seconds later her eyes landed on our bed and gasped.

I kneeled in front of her and took her hand into mine, she gasped again when she saw a ring in my hand.

“Sree, I know we’re married in different circumstances and I hid a lot of things from you. I still have a lot of things to explain to you, but I promise to tell you everything when we return home. All I wanted to know is ‘Do you trust me?’ ” I said waiting for her answer.

“I trust you with my life, Karthi” she said tears running down her cheeks.

“That is all I want” I sighed in relief “I love you Sree, I loved you from years now. I didn’t tell you before because I thought you would freak out at the sudden revelations. Now, is the time to ask you something which I never had a chance to do it on our engagement day, Will you be mine forever Sree?”.

Sreesha Pov:

“Will you be mine forever Sree?”

“Sree, please tell me something or anything… your silence was killing me,” he said shaking me a little.

“This is not a dream?” The words left my mouth involuntarily.

“God, how could you think this was all a dream? Here I was kneeling in front of you like an idiot and you think you’re dreaming? Sree, I’m serious about what I said earlier I LOVE YOU and I’m asking you again WILL YOU BE MINE FOREVER?”

“Yes, yes, yes, a billion times yes stupid, do you even have to ask me? I love you so much ” I said hugging him.

“You love me?” He asked a little surprised.

“No, did I just said I love you? Nah… I loved Mahesh babu” I said smacking his head.

“Who the hell is he? You are mine” he said slipping the ring on my ring finger before crashing his lips on mine.

“You’re mine” he chanted between every kiss we shared.

His every touch, every kiss, every whisper of love, every bite, every mark on my skin made me fall in love with him again and again and again.

That night he showed me how much he loves me, and I loved him with the same passion. With our breathes mingling, our heartbeats racing and our souls claiming what is rightfully theirs.

Before we slip into dreamless sleep he mumbled “who is Mahesh Babu?” to which I laughed enjoying his jealousy.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

I know I’m evil.