Married To A Stranger

Third Person:

The people in the mansion did wait for their arrival, but they were nowhere to be seen. Karthik’s parents were worried, wreck while Sreesha’s parents were not taking their eyes off the door.

Tej has been tapping his foot annoyed by his helplessness. He called Nihal to track their mobile phones, but it was useless. His eyes sparked when he remembered something.

Hearing the car horn, they all sighed in relief, but it was short-lived when they saw Jayanth Thakur instead of Sreesha and Karthik. Watching Mr Thakur stalking their way made Sreesha’s mother tensed, but her father did not flinch or back down.

“You did not keep your word” Jayanth nodded at JayKar Verma sternly.

“Unlike you, I have four to protect” Jaykar added curtly without an ounce of emotion on his face.

Vinay and Malini Shekar smiled at the reunion but did not say a word to interrupt. It was the most awaited reunion, to say the least. They knew the distance that created between them would not be cleared with the snap of the fingers, but there was always a hope for the start.

“Where are they?” Jayanth asked turning around to face Vinay Shekhar, but all he got was silence. A silence which he never liked. He looked into the eyes of the very man that was responsible for the protection of the princess of this house.

“I’m asking you again, Shekhar. Where the hell are, they? They should have been here an hour ago.” He demanded him grabbing Vinay’s shirt collar.

“We tried reaching them Jay, but we are not able to reach them” Vinay explained trying to get out of his hold.

“What do you mean by that?” he stalked towards him with a predatory glint in his eyes. He was never the one to accept failure.

“We are sure that they entered our territory. We got that news an hour ago. If anything, they should have been here thirty minutes ago.” He gulped taking a step back.

When he was about to say something, he heard Tej speaking to someone on the phone.

“Escort them to Shekhar’s mansion” he heard Tej say and raised an eyebrow at him.

“The car they were using was blasted” everyone gasped except Thakur “And they are safe and will be arriving shortly” he added looking straight into Thakur’s eyes nodding, making everyone sigh in relief.

Jayanth eyes shone with pride looking at Tej. He knew his judgement never fails.

“The people in the mansion can wait” thought Sreesha leaning into her husband’s touch making him groan in agony with the sheer torture she was swirling in him. If only they were not in the middle of nowhere… The thought of making her his again and again for the rest of their lives heightened his senses.

Karthik knew how stupid he was for doubting Sreesha’s love for him, but he was also happy at her confession of love. When he heard her say our family instead of his, he was on the cloud nine. She loves his family as her own. And the trust she had on him had him astounded. He thought she would be jealous when she saw Manoj’s girl in his arms, but all she did was smile at the girl who hates her.

The very thought of losing her to him again clouded his mind dominating his instincts making his insecurities kick in. He was possessive and so in love with her that he could either die or kill for her.

With that thought in mind, he drew her to him without allowing air between them. Lips mingling, hands roaming, feelings entangling, and love vibrating through them. He was so consumed by Sreesha that he forgot to watch his surrounding where danger was lurking for them.

He heard cars speeding up beside theirs, demanding them to open the doors. There were too many people for him to fight and save Sreesha. He looked around to find few men scattered around the car with guns in their hands.

He took his panicked wife in his arms trying to block her view. Good thing they were travelling in a bulletproof car but how can they survive the situation? Their vehicle was stuck between four other cars one at each side. They were trapped.

He knew he needs to get out of that car and fight them, but one mistake can cost Sreesha life, and her life is not hers alone. If there is no Sreesha, there is no meaning for Karthik to survive.

He took off his phone to only find out that there was no network. He was certain that they destroyed the communication system which he installed around this area with the help of Nihal’s company.

There is no way out now. He was no fiction hero to fight and survive with ten bullets in his body but a mere human who has a responsibility besides him.

What he knew was there indeed would be an ambush, and he needs to be prepared for the worse.

He was so worried until he saw a ray of hope.

Sreesha cannot believe what is happening in front of her eyes. It is like watching an action movie, live. She would have been thrilled if they were not the target of the guns which were pointed at them, at her to be precise.

What has she done to anger the men outside? Were they, the same people who were stalking her since the day she was married?

What do they want from her?

She has nothing expensive to give them except the title of Shekhar’s daughter-in-law.

She gulped looking at a guy who was looking at her with a cruel smirk on his face though they can’t see her properly as the glass is tinted black, she shivered in fear. She wrapped a hand around Karthik’s bicep squeezing him a little.

The terrified look on her face unwinds his calm. He immediately reached under his seat stealthily revealing a gun making Sreesha gasp. The gang can’t see them clearly because it was tinted.

Before he could make a move, his eyes caught something, a grenade in one of their hands.

They both thought this would be the end of their beautiful journey.

He thought they could live a long life with her beside him and have lots of children. He dreamt of having her walking in his kitchen barefoot and pregnant. He dreamt of having his daughters complaining about their brothers’ protectiveness. He dreamt of threatening the boys with the help of his sons who dared to eye his daughters. He dreamt of growing old with Sreesha alongside him. He dreamt of having loads of grandchildren running around the house. And one day dying before her and wait for her to reach him.

The knocks on the car windows were overbearing. Sreesha looked at him and closed her eyes sighing sadly.

This is it, she thought. At least she gets to taste the essence of love in this life. She traced the necklace she was wearing and sighed. It was a gift from Karthik’s Uncle. She remembers him saying that this necklace belongs to her. What does he mean by that? Is this by any chance belongs to her parents? The thought of her parents snapped her eyes open.

She needs to know who her parents were before she dies.

But…

She shrieked at the first bullet that hit at her side of the window. She hugged Karthik with the fear of losing him.

Karthik sighed in relief as the lady and the luck both on his side. He saw Sreesha fingers slowly tracing the necklace, which was a gift from Jayanth Thakur himself. He was sure there would be a tracking device in there.

He looked at the watch and noted the time and glanced through the window to find a figure pass through. He calmly grabbed his wife near him and closed her ears knowing fully well what is going to happen.

He counted one to ten in mind when the gunfire started. It just took a few seconds to kill every intruder in the territory and mere minutes to clear the scene.

This would not have happened if they didn’t stop here, he thought before shaking Sreesha.

He panicked when she didn’t move. He checked her heartbeat and sighed in relief. He almost had a heart attack thinking that she was shot.

Ron, Sreesha’s bodyguard, knocked on the door signalling that everything is clear. When the door was opened, he offered to help with unconscious Sreesha in his arms, but one glare from Karthik is all it took for him to retrieve his offer.

He carried her to the other car waiting for them and placed her beside him and signalled everyone to leave the car behind.

Just a few seconds after they passed the area, the car they have been travelling blasted.

He was not a dimwit to think of travelling in the same car which was under the hold of enemies even if it is for a few minutes.