Married To A Stranger

Sreesha POV:

After years I’ve had the best sleep in my life. I sighed in content but frowned when I felt a heavyweight on my waist holding me in place. A rhythmic beat of lub-dub started to lull me back to sleep. It was so rhythmic… so steady… So melodious… and much more addictive.

Whoever was playing the kind of music should be rewarded a ransom number of precious jewels in the world.

A hot wind tickled the space between my neck and the earlobe. I sighed annoyed. My mind screamed at me for not closing the blinds properly. It can be cranky if I didn’t get enough sleep and will show me hell the next day.

My eyes fluttered open when I felt a heavyweight on my waist squeezing the life out of me. My eyes landed on a muscular hand around my waist. I can feel the presence of a hard chest against my back. My eyes wide opened when my senses started working. I asked Karthik to share the bed last night and somehow, we ended up in each other’s embrace. The music I heard in my sleep was Karthik’s heartbeat and the hot wind on my neck was his breath. My lips turned up at how perfect we fit together but turned down when a thought crossed my mind.

What if I look like a monkey with my bed hair and not to mention the morning breath? My hand clasped my mouth almost immediately. It was a real struggle to turn around to face him and I’m sure as hell it would be a dangerous feat to get out of the bed without waking him up.

I almost gasped when I faced him. How can someone look this gorgeous while sleeping? A series of sweat beads adorned his forehead. Only he can look beautiful even with a little sweat on him. I tried to wipe his sweat away but stopped myself when his eyebrows creased a little. He was sleeping like an adorable kid with his mouth a little agape.

A few minutes later, I tried to release his grip on me but failed miserably as it tightened making it hard to breathe. Having no other choice, I shook him a little.

His dark chocolate colored eyes greeted my brown ones. He frowned a little and threw a questioning look at me. When I gestured our position, he almost jumped out of the bed and apologized.

“I’m sorry, Sreesha” he mumbled sleepily.

I smiled a little and asked him to go back to sleep and I head to the washroom to get ready.

He was not there when I returned from the washroom. His mother mentioned, he has a habit to work out early in the morning. I shrugged and make my way to the kitchen to start cooking.

I was fixing his coffee and his favorite breakfast when he entered the kitchen looking fresh.

“Good morning” he greeted, dropping a kiss on my forehead making me blush. I greeted him back and continued working on his breakfast.

“Didn’t I tell you to not to step inside the kitchen and that I was going to hire help?” he asked displeased. I forgot he asked rather ordered me to stay away from the kitchen but what am I going to do all day if he hires someone to take care of our home? I’m not someone to sit and enjoy the luxuries, I would rather work than stay as a trophy wife.

“Please don’t” I mumbled in a small voice “I can’t stay idle and let someone do my work. I love cooking. I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention to my task yesterday, but I promise from now on I’ll be careful” I know my mouth has its own brain but I never knew to this extent. I defied him, twice already. I heard him sigh and breath heavily. I closed my eyes ready to face his wrath but frowned when he touched my cheek tenderly.

“How can I say no to you? ” he sighed almost painfully “promise me you will not get distracted while working” he stated. I nodded frantically and do as he says.

“I have work today. I wish I could spend some quality time with you but as you know our wedding is kind of rushed and I didn’t get more leaves than a few days. I promise, I will try to get a few days off then we’ll go somewhere on a vacation” he said giving me a heart-melting smile.

He doesn’t have to explain himself!

A vacation?

Is he trying to say that he will take me on our honeymoon?

“I still have some time before I go, why don’t we have breakfast together?” he said sipping his coffee.

How can I say no to his offer?

I almost laughed when he suggested that we play twenty questions. But we still played, like excited teenagers to get to know about our current crush. I got to know that his favorite color is dark blue, I already know about his favorite food because his mom told me already. He likes the same music I like. He’s a sports person while I don’t even know the meaning of ‘Touchdown’.

I managed to learn that word from Tej when he was giving me a hard time watching some random game to annoy me. I am sure the word used in Football or was its Rugby? I don’t know.

I was literally shocked when he said that he completed his graduation in the same college I studied, and I get to know that he was two years senior to me. I desperately wanted to ask whether he knew me from there but stopped myself.

I couldn’t ignore the guilt surfacing in me, he was there in the same college as me while I was dating a guy who is not Karthik.

Does he know I dated my classmate during my college days?

If he knows, do you think he would marry you? He is a guy Sreesha, no matter how open-minded he was, a guy will think twice before marrying a girl who was in a relationship before marriage.

I just wish he wouldn’t hate when he gets to know about my past.

KARTHIK POV:

I have been grinning like an idiot all the way to my office. I managed to crack the wall she built around her heart a little. I’ve had the best sleep in years too. Waking up next to her had been my dreams for years. I still can’t believe Sreesha is now my wife.

I somehow managed to make her feel comfortable around me. I hope it stays like that forever. Each time she closes her eyes thinking I would hurt her; I want nothing but to hunt down the two persons who were responsible for her current condition. Her father, and the rogue who she once dated.

I grinned at the huge building I work, for the first time in years I feel proud of my accomplishments because now I can buy every materialistic thing that my wife wishes for.

The name Shekhar’s stood proudly dominating almost every building around it.

I’m Karthik Shekhar, sole heir of Shekher’s companies and fortune. I started a few companies on my own too and they are one of the leading companies in India but not as famous as Shekhar’s. I started them on my own with no help from my father or others.

Sree-Kar Hotels and Resorts.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

I named them after our names, Sreesha and Karthik. I just wanted to feel her presence in my life so, I did the only thing possible at that time.

Nihal, my best friend always teased me saying I was obsessed with her and that I was a stalker back in my college days. I admit I was a stalker. I used to follow her everywhere and get to know her about every single detail of her likes and dislikes. I never tried to approach her as she already had a boyfriend and he was very well aware of my stalker ways. She was oblivious to my presence all the time.

Nihal says we shouldn’t call a mere attraction as love. And that to love, there should be a lot of physical attraction and chemistry. He always used to tease me that I was living in a dream. But I know, my feelings for her were never a mere attraction and I was truly and completely in love with her.

In my view, love is not just about sating physical needs but to care and respect our respective partner. Growing up, I saw how my parents love each other and wondered if I could by any chance find that kind of love.

I don’t know if Sreesha can love me as much as I do but, for now, my love is enough for us both.

My Sreesha.

I can feel the odd stares directed towards me as I entered my office whistling a happy tune and greeting back everyone who greeted me. My Personal Assistant Lekha, looked at me like she just witnessed a ghost and dashed out of my room stumbling on the door in the process.

Was I behaving that odd?

You tell me. wouldn’t you do the same if you’re one of them? The brooding cold-hearted demanding billionaire who never cared to smile at his employees, suddenly changed his ways and acting all polite?

Not to mention the smile on that face. It can speak volumes!

I just wish that poor girl wouldn’t die of heart attack for witnessing your unusual behavior. I swear to god one day the voice in my head was going to get me killed.

“Who are you and what have you done to my best friend?” an annoying voice harshly dragged me to the reality. My best friend, who I mentioned a while ago, the curse of my life was standing before me grinning like a fool.

“Who allowed you in my office?” I demanded to raise an eyebrow.

“Your PA, who was by the way still in trance. what have you done to that poor hot soul?” he asked winking, taking a seat across mine not to mention still grinning. I just want to slap his grin away.

“What are you doing here, Nihal?” I asked him annoyed by his mere presence.

“Can’t I visit my childhood best friend?” he gasped dramatically.

He is such a drama queen I tell you…

“The reason, Nihal. I know you were in France from the past fifteen days courting your flavor of the month. So, tell me why you are here” I stated.

“Flavor of the month? Don’t paint me as a player okay? I thought she was the one for me and followed her to France but Alas! She was just as boring as others. I just hope I’ll find the one in the coming five years” he said sulkily with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Five years means more girls to try!

And he says I was painting him as a player!

“So? My dear oh sweetest best friend who was once a coldhearted jerk! Please tell me the reason of those smiles that somehow managed to create havoc in your company. I just got a call from a little birdy asking me to check on their CEO as his behavior was quite unusual” he taunted.

“So here I am! His very loyal best friend, Nihal Malhotra” he announced himself.

“Tell me again, why am I still friends with you?” I groaned.

“Because I am irresistible,” he said grinning cockily.

“So? How’s married life treating you? ” he asked, smiling with a genuine interest.

“It is good. We’re good” I answered him, smiling.

“I’m happy for you, Karthik,” He said sincerely.

“I want to personally thank your wife, my Bhabhi, for making you happy. I’m quite vexed with your brooding self and was ready to dump your butt until a few minutes ago” he teased again.

I wasn’t that bad okay!

“When were you planning to introduce her to us?” swinging his chair back and forth. I still wonder how he manages to get all those profits to his company behaving like this.

Like seriously! Who will be scared of him if he acts like this?

“She doesn’t know anything about me yet, Nihal. Maybe soon if the fate allows” I said sulking.

I hate lying to her. I want nothing but to reveal all the secrets about me and my family. But first I need to earn her trust.

“S-sir, you’ve a m-meeting in t-ten minutes ” Lekha interrupted us. The I-am-always confident composure replaced with a stuttering mess.

‘

Maybe I was indeed acting weird’ I thought sighing.

Nihal smirked giving a look that says see-what-you-have-done-to-my-next-prey.