Married To A Stranger

Sreesha Pov:

After selecting the dress mom took me into their home. The word ‘Home’ is not the right word to fit this house.

It was a freaking mansion and I felt out of place.

How rich are my in-laws again?

Everything in this place was screaming money!

If they were this rich, why would they select a normal girl like me for their only son or heir like my friends like to call? Shouldn’t they be like rude and behave like snobs? But they are so down to earth and loving me like their own. With the looks my husband got, he could marry some famous actress or model or even some heiress like Anvika.

Then why me?

It’s almost 4 in the evening and the party starts in two hours. Mom ushered me into one of their many guest rooms saying only two hours left. I wanted to tell her that one hour was more than enough to get ready but stopped myself when I saw three girls around my age are setting cosmetics and jewelry near the mirror. I hate it when I had to doll up like a freaking barbie. I hate makeup with a passion.

I mean my face is not a wall to paint!

There is no way to escape now I thought frowning.

“Stop frowning now and let them do their work,” mom said sternly. I nodded sighing. There is no way to avoid this ruckus.

“Keep it natural. Don’t overdo anything. I want her ready on time” she ordered sternly looking at the three girls who were nodding furiously at her every word. Gone was the crazy woman I know, replacing a cold lady.

Has she been pretending like someone she’s not?

“Yes ma’am ” they said in unison. Mom gave them a stiff nod and left the room to get ready for the party.

They started working on me like I was an outline of some art which needed a lot of attention to make it a fine piece.

“Don’t cut my hair, I like it long” I mumbled when one of the girls who have beautiful violet eyes was about to cut my hair. She is beautiful.

“Ma’am, I was just cutting the tips of hair so that I can style your hair,” she said politely giving her well-trained smile.

I really want this torture to end quickly I thought to shake my head.

After what seems like an eternity, they let go of my aching body which is thoroughly plucked, pinched and waxed.

They started taking my pictures making me frown. I’m 99% sure that I would look like a clown right now with all the colors they used on my eyes saying it makes my eyes would hypnotize my husband.

Just wait until your husband looks into your eyes, he would be like a hypnotized lovesick puppy waiting for your command Their words not mine!

When they said I can look at myself I turned around and gasped at my appearance.

I did not look like a clown was my first thought.

Are you freaking kidding me? You look like every bit of elegant lady which you never were my inner self-mocked me.

You look just like your mother-in-law, polished, elegant, beautiful.

I don’t understand whether it is complimenting me or just calling me ugly but the comment about comparing Mother-in-law and me, it sounds like a compliment.

“Ma’am, you’re one of the most beautiful brides we’ve ever seen,” one girl said.

I started admiring myself and didn’t saw someone standing at the entrance of the room. Our gazes met through the mirror.

Karthik was standing at the door crossing his arms across the chest. He said nothing but scrutinizing me like I was some abstract painting that he needs to figure out the meaning behind it.

“You look beautiful” Karthik breathed out. Taking this as their cue those three girls left us alone giggling.

I didn’t even get to know their names I thought to frown.

I did a big mistake turning around to meet his gaze directly. You know why? He looks like a freaking model in his tuxedo. He was exemplary of manliness.

He cleared his throat smirking. Damn! He caught me ogling at him… again. He’s clearly enjoying my embarrassment right now.

“You can ogle at me all you want after all this is all yours,” he said gesturing himself with a sinfully sexy smirk on his face.

“I’m not ogling at you” I snapped defensively.

“Oh really? Let me check again” he said closing the gap between us. we’re too close, like really close to my liking. One wrong move and our lips would touch. His eyes flickered between my lips and eyes then, a strange emotion passed through his eyes that I couldn’t pinpoint. With a jolt, he backed away muttering something under his breath.

Or was it how am I supposed to control myself?

Yeah, like he would say that. He must have thought she was half decent to stand by me.

After all, we just had a moment and he backed away.

Why Am I feeling rejected when he backed away? Am I not attractive enough? Sure, I’m not ready for the next step but knowing I’m not desirable enough for my husband hurts. He was so gorgeous that I couldn’t help but feel like some trash standing next to him.

Argh!! This guy is driving me crazy I thought and looked away from him.

“Mom asked me to escort you to the party,” he said scratching his neck like he’s nervous. I should be the one who feels nervous as this is my first high-class party, he has no right to feel nervous.

I wanted to tell him that All copyright for the word nervous is reserved under the name of Sreesha Karthik Shekhar.

Really Sreesha, can you think anymore weird than this when I thought I know you better you had to go and prove me wrong? Do you want the copyrights on the word nervous? I feel pity for myself for being your conscience my inner self-mocked me.

Hey, you can’t blame me. This is my first ever party other than college parties. This one is the elite party and I don’t belong to them.

“Don’t worry too much, Sree, just be yourself. You don’t have to impress anyone there. All you have to do is smile and pretend like you’re listening to their ranst about fashion and lifestyle. I’ll be at your side all evening as much as possible but I’m sure mom won’t leave you alone” he said in a soft consoling voice.

“Now don’t freak out, we need to act like we’re so in love with each other or else some people might throw rude comments at you,” he said placing his hand on my bare waist. I shuddered visibly when his palm started tracing circles on my bare waist.

His touch is making me crazy… or maybe wild. How can his one-touch set my heart on fire? I peeked at him through my eyelashes, he smiled at me softly and kissed the side of my head leading me to the party area.

We made our way through the backyard, my mind stopped working looking at the people who scream money with their branded clothing and the way they elegantly carried themselves like they were acting in a movie or something.

“Now I would like to introduce my beautiful daughter-in-law Sreesha Karthik Shekhar” mom announced in the microphone like I was some heiress. Everyone turned our way and started scrutinizing me under their calculative gazes making me squirm. Some nodded in approval while some started glaring at me and some looks were judgmental like I don’t belong here.

“Ignore everyone and just look straight ahead. No one is better than you. Don’t pay heed to anyone who tries to point out your flaws. You’re perfect the way you are. Don’t let them see your fear as they try to feast on it. And please put your insecurities aside, just know I chose you… and only you. You’re the most beautiful woman in my life other than my mother. Now give me a smile” He whispered in my ear, leading me to his mother.

Is he trying to make me cry? He doesn’t know the power of the words he just told me… he doesn’t know what his words meant to me. How can someone be this perfect?

I gave him a genuine smile and squeezed his hand. He smiled and returned my gesture and added a kiss to my hair.

“This is my beautiful daughter-in-law Sreesha Karthik Shekhar” mom introduced me to a group of ladies and squeezed my hand in assurance.

“God! She’s so beautiful Mrs. Shekhar I wish I could find a girl as beautiful as her to my son that boy needs to settle down already.” a lady in her early fifties said pulling my cheeks. I thanked her blushing.

“Dear, this is a very good friend of mine Mrs. Malhotra, mother of one of your husband’s childhood best friends” mom introduced her to me.

“Tell us about her Mrs. Shekhar as far as I know she doesn’t belong to our society. I bet she’s some low-class girl who trapped your son in her evil clutches for money. What did she threaten you with? Is she with a baby? Is that why you rejected my precious daughter for this scum?” a lady said who looked kind of familiar.

She thought I was a gold-digger. Oh god, everyone must be thinking the same here. I don’t belong in their circle. I can feel the tears forming in my eyes.

“Low-class girl, you say? I think you have short-term memory loss or was it amnesia Mrs. Sharma? Isn’t that the same class you’re from before you marry Mr. Sharma? And I don’t think twice to send you there if you ever try to hurt my daughter. It’s a promise… You know I keep my promises really well.” mom said in her cold calculative voice, which made me shiver, but I was surprised to see she’s still smiling like it is normal conversation and that she just didn’t threaten her friend. Mrs. Sharma gasped taking a step back if she was some cartoon character, I could practically see the smoke coming out of her ears.

Mom just threatened a lady who might be as rich as her just because she insulted my background. I glanced at mom who was talking to the kind lady like nothing happened.

“Mom, is everything alright?” Karthik asked making his way towards us with a frown on his handsome face. Mom nodded giving him a smile.

“Everything is absolutely fine Karthik, we’re just talking about Mrs. Sharma’s background,” she said giving the evil lady a cold smile. If looks could kill mom would be under six feet now.

“Can I take my wife with me, so I could introduce my beautiful wife to my friends?” he said stressing the words my wife and beautiful looking at his mom and turned to Mrs. Sharma raising an eyebrow. Not before taking my cold fingers into his, placing a warm kiss on them.

“Of course, Karthik, take her with you and don’t leave her alone as this is all new to her ” mom said in a warm voice which is familiar to me.

″Where is dad, mom? I didn’t find him anywhere” he asked his mother.

“Talking to Mr. Sharma and other business partners,” she said rolling her eyes.

Karthik nodded leading me to a table filled with only two people.

“Guys, this is my wife Sreesha, Sree this is Nihal and you already know Anvika,” he said.

Anvika gave me a warm smile and waved at me. She looks like a princess.

“Hello Bhabhi, do you by any chance know black magic?” Nihal guy said earning a glare from Karthik while I frown at him.

What the hell?

Black magic?

“Don’t mind him, Sree he’s just exaggerating” Karthik said glaring at his friend.

“I didn’t mean to offend you Bhabhi, but this guy right here has been behaving weirdly from the day one after your marriage wearing a goofy smile on his used to be stoic face and adding Sreesha before and after each word. So, I thought you used some magic on him to change him from cold-hearted bastard to a lover boy” he added smiling goofily and winced when someone smacked the back of his head.

“Stop hitting me you devil. Karthik ask her to go away, I don’t want to talk to her ” he said glaring at Anvika, who was smiling at him innocently.

“Hey, I know we didn’t meet in right circumstances before but, let me introduce myself properly. I’m Anvika Sharma best friend of your dumb husband” she said with a playful smile.

“I’m sorry if my mom said something to make you uncomfortable” she added apologetically making my eyes as wide as saucers.

“Mrs. Sharma is your mom? But you’re so sweet and she was…” I blurted out and covered my mouth with my hand.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean it that way. I-” I tried to cover my slip of words which she brushed away waving a hand.

“It’s okay Sreesha. Don’t worry I know my mom can be blunt and rude ” she said smiling.

“I’m sorry Anvika, I didn’t really mean it that way,” I said looking down at my feet.

“It’s okay dear. I understand leave it. Let’s talk about your husband here. I can always tell you about all his embarrassing adventurous childhood stories and show you lots of pictures of him” she said wiggling her eyebrows.

“Hey, don’t drag me into this and I told you to destroy all those photos a long time ago. Why do you even have them now?” Karthik said in a panicked tone.

“I was about to… until I heard someone say that ‘If you don’t have my most embarrassing pictures with you, never believe that I am your best friend even if I say otherwise.’ So being the best, best friend in the world, I saved all of them.” Anvika said, controlling her laughter.

“Bhabhi you have to see his baby pictures,” Nihal said tapping on his phone while Karthik was trying to stop him. Nihal showed a picture of Karthik at the age of 5 in a cute Superman dress. All of us burst into fits of laughter while Karthik looked annoyed by the little stunt pulled by his friend.

“Who is she?” I asked them, pointing to a cute girl in Princess dress posing to the camera.

“Take a guess,” Nihal asked trying not to laugh.

“Anvika?” I said in a duh tone.

“Darling I was more like a tomboy at that age,” she said smirking at my husband.

“No way” I yelled when the realization hit me. The girl in the picture is not a she… but a ‘he’. As in my husband.

I burst into fits of laughter followed by Anvika and Nihal, Karthik was just looking at me embarrassed.

“I told you to get rid of that picture” Karthik mumbled when Anvika promised to WhatsApp the picture to me.

“You’re so cute in this Karthik,” I said laying my head on his shoulder when we’re left alone at the table.

“That’s so not cute, it’s embarrassing” he mumbled kissing my crown.

“I like it,” I said trying to fight the yawn that escaped from my lips.

“We will leave in a few minutes,” he said chuckling.

Later Karthik introduced me to a lot of people. I’m tired and I want nothing but my bed right now. As if sensing my tiredness, he excused himself and took me with him. When the body hit the soft mattress, I slipped into a dreamless sleep.