Ragini's POV:

We are married...
I am now in every sense his...
His Ragini ❤️
And he is mine ❤️All mine ❤️ My Siddhu

I smiled when I saw the nuptial chains now resting on my chest. I washed my face and removed all the extra hairdo and tied my hair in a simple bun...in his mother's saree and her jewellery. I loved my newly married look.

Just then I felt someone crush me in my arms. I turned around and squealed as both my besties were here.

Charu and Arsha. I hugged them tightly.

'Oh God you look beautiful girl' Arsha smiled and I bit my lower lip and blushed more.

'We are a little late but we managed to be here... thanks to this beautiful lady and her husband' she said showing me someone hanging there on the video call on Arsha's phone and I jumped happily seeing Malini.

'Oh God you look lovely Ragz.... can't wait to welcome you home.... sorry couldn't be there but we are waiting for you ..for now you have Arsha and Charu...and trust me we are definitely not leaving any stones unturned to make it special for you and Siddhu....tonighhhhht' she said and my eyes popped out.

Shit!!!

While Arsha giggled saying...
'Dont act so innocent....we all know if you are left alone with him here...you will make me an aunt exactly in next 9 months' and I slapped her shoulder and she and Charu started laughing loudly. I turned a beetroot.

Just then I heard a knock on the changing room and Arsha opened the door.

Siddhu was standing at the door and Arsha began pulling his leg...

'Ohooooo look whom we have here... nothing doing Mister...you cant meet your bride now.... everything would be later ok' but Siddhu looked a bit serious...

'Arsha...I really need to talk something very important with Ragini...may I?' but Charu began blabbering something but Arsha probably caught the seriousness in his voice and quickly asked...
'All good?'

He nodded and Arsha looked at me. I nodded. Arsha and Charu left the room and I saw Siddhu walk towards me...

'Ragini...your parents wants to talk to you...they want us to visit Nayak Nivas now' he said and my jaws clenched. My eyes filled with tears.

Author's POV:

It killed him seeing how tough it is for her to have bitter memories of our childhood home. More over Ragini lived 22 years of her life there.

Her eyes filled with tears...
She looked at him and said...
'Dad spoke like that about me Siddhu... how could he' and she broke down badly. He took a long step and quickly embraced her in his strong arms and she brokedown like a baby...She kept crying on his chest as his hand kept caressing her hair.

Ragini's POV:

After sometime I felt better...I looked at him and said...'Why do they want us to visit them now' and he cupped my face saying...
'Look Ragini...It is completely your choice...if you don't want to go we won't...but if you want to then we will go but you will always be by my side'. A sudden possessiveness in his voice made me shudder. He cares!!!
I nodded.

***

My mother gave us both a glass of milk  with sugar and asked us to drink it. 'This is a ritual when daughter leaves to her house after marriage' she said and we nodded and emptied the glass while next my father cleared his throat and kept two suitcases infront of us on the glass table.

We looked at them when Dad said...
'This is the jewellery we made for Ragini for her wedding and this is the cash we accumulated for'

But their words were sharply pierced by Siddhu saying...
'Dowry!!! Right Aunty?' he asked in an extremely strong tone and my mother hesitated but covered up saying...
'No Son...it's a gift'

And he looked at my mother asking...
'So what's the price you have quoted for your daughter aunty' and my mother tried to nod her head and explain him but he was fuming...he stood up at once and held my hand in his saying...
'I think it's time we leave Ragini' and I looked at him. His eyes were red in anger and for the first time I felt his strength while he held my wrist tightly. I kept looking at him but he was still fuming in anger.

'Sorry aunty...but we can't take this' and just when we were about to leave my father said...

'Siddesh...we can't take this house for free from Ragini...she is our daughter...it's wrong...' and Siddhu turned around and looked at my dad ...my father looked reluctant.

Siddhu said a little politely ...
'Look Mamu...This house is not a gift from Ragini to you...it's her house too...she was born here...this house holds memories for her...her childhood, our childhood, our memories with Shalini... there's so much this house gave us all...few things are beyond money and materialistic affairs Mamu please understand...' dad looked at Siddhu with with moist eyes and he held dad's hands saying...

'I am taking away your most precious Mamu...your Ragini...I am making her mine...all mine' he said looking deep into my eyes and that 'All mine' reverberated in my ears again and again...

'Please don't try to tag a price to my Ragini...' he said and my dad nodded and looked at me. He took a step forward and hugged me. I was shocked. Tears flowed down from my eyes saying...
'Im sorry Ragini...I crossed my limits yesterday' dad whispered and I tightened my grip hugging him more and cried badly.

My mother caressed my head too. After sometime dad said...
'Siddhesh...why can't you stay here...'

To which Siddhu said...
'Because I still can't forget what words you used for my wife yesterday Mamu and I'm sorry I would never stay in this house ever. Han....if Ragini wants she can come here anytime as it's her life her choice but where my Ragini was humiliated, insulted and called names...I can't stay there... please forgive me' he said folding his hands while my eyes never left his face.

What is he made of? Why is he so good?
How did I get so lucky?
My eyes filled with tears.

Just then there we heard the calling bell and mom opened the door to see Mukund Bhavaji at the door.

'All the arrangements for the Ratri Pooja (Night prayer) is done.'
It was already late evening, we directly left to Venkatramana temple and offered our prayers to Lord Veera Venkatesha as this is a tradition amongst our community folks to seek blessings from our devoted.

Post Pooja a dinner was organised by Mukund Bhavaji at his home which was near the temple. We were going to stay at Mukund Bhavaji's house tonight upon his continuous insisting and blackmail.

During the buffet, I saw there were so many of my uncle's and aunts who were genuinely happy for us but then there were many gossip magazines too. My mother greeted them all politely trying to follow all social norms trying to act the perfect host. While I noticed Rohit and Rohit's parents were also present there. All the while Rohit kept giving me dirty stares and I chose to ignore him. How shameless could he be to attend my wedding dinner...Wooow!!!

Siddhu probably felt my discomfort and held my hand tightly in his...interwined our fingers...I looked at him and his smiling face suddenly brought peace in my chest. I was outside in the balcony space talking to my friends Arsha and Charu while I heard hush hush gossips about me, my broken engagement with Rohit, Rohit's broken engagement and me-Siddhu living in together and what not. Some of the aunties were real juicy content bloggers and were cooking a lot of gossips already. It hurt but I knew the truth so I didn't care to explain. But then my eyes fell upon Rohit was spitting fire at me and his parents were looking at me top to bottom and whispering something.

But Siddhu held my hand and walked towards them and bent to take their blessings. I really didn't want to do that but then I'm Siddhu's copy cat. I followed him like a tail. While suddenly Rohit's mom said...
'Siddhu looks like you fell for external beauty...she is beautiful indeed...I mean you look like a joker but atleast you need to grow a family tomorrow na...she...out of all she is a diabetic... there is no guarantee she can conceive a healthy child tomorrow...I pity you son' she said spitting venom and my eyes welled up and I walked a little away from there while Arsha and Charu squeezed my hands. I was trying my level best to not shed tears.

Just then I heard Mukund Bhavaji shouted...
'Siddhu nooooo stop...nooo' and I turned around to see Siddhu had choked Rohit by his neck and his legs were hanging up there in air. His parents were begging Siddhu to put him down but Siddhu was acting possessed. I closed my mouth with my palms and ran towards him...

While Mukund Bhavaji kept shouting...
'Siddhu no....put him down...stop it... enough put him down... there's a crowd looking at you...'

To which Siddhu shouted saying...
'Let them see Bhavaji...let this be a warning to anyone trying to blabber things about my Ragini once and for all...

First!!! I don't take shit about my wife from anyone!!! Mind you anyone and he glared at everyone including my father who put his head down.

Second!!! I don't care if she had a past, she was going to marry someone or she liked someone...she is my present, my future and my forever!!!

And last but not the least!!! If a gutter born larvae like you would another time try to ever...I mean it everrrrr try to character assassinate my wife I will slit your throat like a fucking cold blooded murderer!!!
She is my Ragini...
A man whore like you need not tell me about her and her character.

I don't care about what was her past!!!
If you existed there or not!!!
What you did and what you didn't!!!
But I know one thing for sure which I would do ...

Break your bones and feed them to stray!!! Watch it!!!' saying Siddhu dropped him down. He was shivering while my cousin Amitash charged at him saying...

'You are a blind man Siddhesh...She is not worth it...she is with you for money and nothing else...'

And my eyes filled with hot tears and they continuously rolled down my cheeks and this time Siddhu rubbed his forehead and looked at Amitash silently and before he could understand he slapped him so hard that Amitash fell down on the ground.

'Listen...you...you and you all...
Ragini and I were married to each other a year ago... I married her because I didn't want her to marry this ugly pathetic creature who was trying to fill my brains saying shit about my wife's character...
I knew he was a dog and I couldn't let my Ragini go to a looser like him!!!

And for those who think she married me for money... get this in your brains straight and upright!!!
She has paid me for everything she used while staying in my house inspite of being my wife. From a hairpin to an aeroplane. Even our flight tickets... Ragini paid for her own. And honestly I'm proud of her.

My Ragini doesn't need my money or my name...she is an independent individual and I'm proud of her!!! Infact I'm lucky to have her!!!

And yes she's lured me uncle... she's lured me aunty...with her honestly, her straightforward nature, her fearlessness... her ability to even adore and love a looser like you Rohit who only took her as an object...

Anyways your loss is my gain!!!
You would never know her value
I do...
Have always known...
The reason why I treasure her...
And mind you another time anyone barks a word about my wife I will chop them alive...

I married my wife only for one reason!!!
Get that straight and printed in your brains...

I married my wife because...
I love her!!!

Got damn hell yes I love her!!!
I LOVE MY RAGINI!!!'
He shouted and breath held...my eyes filled with tears... and I froze!!!

He...He loves me...
My Siddhu loves me...