Two years later...

The sound of birds chirping outside the french windows, direct morning sunlight beaming through it which landed on the person sleeping soundlessly on the bed made him stir in the most comfortable sleep he thought he was having with his wife.

As he didn't find her wrapped in his arms like daily, he opened his right eye to peek at the space beside him which he shockingly found empty.

According to him, if he doesn't wakes up with her in his arms, the day doesn't goes too well.

Upon checking his mobile, he came to know it was only 8 AM on a bright summer morning.

Getting up from the plush bed, he walked towards the bathroom whose door was left ajar. If she wasn't in the room at this point of time, then the bathroom was the only other option to look for her.

There she was, on the bathroom's tiled floor, hunched over the toilet seat and puking her guts out which made his heart clench.

She's again in pain because of him.

"Why didn't you wake me up Shree?" Reached his calm voice to her ears as he rubbed her back soothingly, pushing the silky strands of her hair out of the way.

"It's fine. You don't have to disturb your sleep because of this daily." She murmured, getting up from the floor with a support from him and stood in front of the basin's countertop to wash her mouth.

"Well in a way it's my fault." Came his teasing voice which made her smile in between her task.

He continued, "It's my responsibility to take care of you. As I promised you a couple of months ago, we are going to go through this together. If you will be awake, then I will be too."

"I love you Rudra. You're the best life partner I could ever get." She murmured, wrapping her arms around his torso.

"I love you too baby. And thank you for this amazing gift in my life." He replied, placing his big hand over her tiny bump that was prominent due to the satin shirt she wore.

"And this is the ummm- 876th time in two and a half months that you're saying the same thing." She teased, clinging onto him like a Koala.

"Then bear this because I won't stop this in my lifetime." He said proudly, leading them back to their bedroom.

"You look hot." She said all of a sudden, tapping his broad chest with her finger.

"Uhh-"

"That's not fair! I look like I woke up directly after an year and look at you! It's like you can model even after waking up a couple of minutes ago." She now cried.

Mood swings.

"Damn." Rudra whispered to himself, not knowing how to handle her since such mood swings were still new to him.

"Do you know what's for breakfast Shree?" He asked, cupping her cheeks.

"Uhh- how would I? I still haven't gotten down." She shook her head, eyes still glistening with unshed tears.

"It's nutella. Nutella sandwich only for my wife and no one else." He said, trying to brighten her mood.

"You're wrong. Navya is my partner." She huffed, directing towards Shivraj's daughter.

"That's right. I forgot." He faked his expression.

"You did." She nodded with a pout.

"And I am sorry for that. Now come on, let's take a shower before going downstairs." He suggested, running his hand through her silky hair.

"You promised we will spend time together today." She pointed out.

"I know baby. But today, there's a really important meeting. I promise I will leave every work that is tomorrow and will take you out for the whole day." He said, looking all apologetic.

"Fine." She murmured half heartedly.

And as always, he wrapped his arms around her frame tightly, still not crushing her because of the little bundle of joy growing inside of her stomach.

//////////

It was around 9 PM in the night when all of the members of the haveli had resided in their rooms for privacy while Leya was busy sitting on one of the couches in the massive living room.

Rudra had still not returned from office and she was getting impatient every passing second. The reason being, tomorrow was their marriage anniversary and she just wanted to spend time with him. Her pregnancy hormones didn't make it any easy as well.

She was happy.

Happy at herself. Happy at the decision she made. What could be said was that she had a hundred percent satisfaction with her decisions in the past.

On the day of their date, she'd realized how she wanted him in her life. Rudra was the one for her and she was ready to forget everything and come past it.

And therefore she still remembers one of the best days of her life when she made the decision for a lifetime.

Flashback:

"I hope I am going to hear a response from your side today, Leyashree?" Jaiveer Singh Rathore's powerful voice resonated through the haveli.

Leya nodded her head timidly, her hands fiddling on her lap.

She was a bit nervous because of the multiple stares she was getting.

Most of them expected a positive answer from her as she'd figured that by the looks they were giving her although she had made her mind that she'll only do whatever she had decided and wanted.

"I- I want us to be together."

Silence. That's what was the vibe here. Pin drop silence as Leya could clearly hear her harsh breathing.

She didn't dare to look at Rudra. She suddenly felt embarrassed how she gave her response.

Like, that's it?

That's how she says?

That's how everything gets over?

"I am sorry for what I did earlier as I didn't know whether we were compatible enough to marry each other, but after the period of two months, I can say I am ready to marry him." Saying this, she released a breath of relief.

"Whatever you say is final." Came Jaiveer Singh Rathore's bare nod.

Everyone started expressing their happiness with Leya's decision as they even congratulated her, but the one person she still didn't conversed with was her love. Her Rudra.

Why was she shy all of a sudden?

It's the old Rudra only. The one who pleaded her to accept him or the one who did everything possible for them to be together.

Where the elders started talking about the marriage plans the very next moment, Leya was standing in one corner, looking down on the marbled floor, still fiddling with her hands as she does when she's nervous.

A gasp came out of her mouth as she was suddenly dragged by someone way stronger than her, who lead her to a secluded corner in the haveli. This all happened so fast that she didn't get the time to process anything.

"Thank you Leya." Were the first words she heard and that's when she knew, it was finally the time when she'll talk with him.

"You don't need to thank me. I did what I thought is the best for us." She smiled at him, trying not to show how much she was affected by his handsome self.

"Well, I do know I am the best." He smirked proudly, crossing his arms.

"Cocky much Yuvraj Sa?" She teased.

"Only for my to-be wife." He winked, circling his arms around her.

"I have put all my faith in you Rudra. Please-"

He didn't let her complete this time.

"You don't need to say it Leya. There won't be a time I will give you a chance to complain. I love you and I promise to do that forever." He said softly, cupping her cheeks.

"I- I love you too. A lot." She whispered.

And the very next moment, he crashed his lips onto hers for the second time ever in their intimacy. The kiss was creating wonders inside her body. She felt exposed as he explored her mouth, barely leaving any spot with his skillful tongue and lips.

And the clouds above in the sky smiled at the union of the two souls who were lost in each other, pouring their hearts out at final.

Flashback ends.

"Whoa, whoa! Why are you sitting here at this time? Shouldn't you be asleep by now Shree as per your schedule?" Came Rudra's voice that turned stern each passing sentence.

"I was just waiting for you. You have crossed all the limits Rudra. Who comes back at home at 9:30 PM?" She whined, hitting his chest as he'd by now taken the seat beside her on the couch.

"Baby, it was more than 11 before we got married. See, I have changed myself." He pointed out, loosening his tie.

"It's been almost two years that we've been married Rudra!" She snapped.

"A little slower baby." He reminded her softly, while taking out something from his bag that made her click her tongue.

Rana Sa must be asleep by now and he would not definitely appreciate noises and ruckus at this point of time.

"Here." He said while forwarding something towards her.

"What's this?" She asked with a frown.

"The blueberry donuts for which you called me in the evening because of your cravings." He replied with a look of remembrance.

"Uhh- but I have already eaten a pack of nutella for compensation." She reasoned making Rudra look at her in bewilderment.

"Baby, how many times I have told you to eat Nutella in limit? Now-"

"Okay, okay I know! Now give me a kiss." She said clutching his collar while climbing on his lap.

"Oh, I will do a lot more, but inside our bedroom." Saying this he winked at her and lifted her in his arms, now running to the direction of their bedroom.

And the whole way, it was Leya's giggle that only gave him more power for the task he'd planned for the both of them.

And this is how the Runaway Bride, ran away from her wedding only to end up in her ex to-be fiance's house and marry him all again. All that she gained from this was the trust and knowing the compatibility between them.

******

PS: Yeah, so finally it's a wrap up for Runaway Bride. Not to be partial but in the intial period I was most excited about this story which eventually faded because of some problems I had with it. Sometimes what you think, you are not able to potray it just because it doesn't seems right. Unpublishing it felt the best option earlier, but the support and love this story received had me rethink everything and I decided to publish it again, this time with a better concept and more of reality. I do know it was a bit unreal, but then who are we kidding? This is a fictional book and you can write whatever you're imagining so I did the same. Anyways, enough of my rant.

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