Sorry for the delay, and please understand that I have a carrier which is a chaos, that's why I couldn't update on Monday since they gave an unexpected work to complete...

Now enjoy the story...

Target for next chapter- 140 ⭐️

🎈I had a question....who thinks it would be better to end the story soon or do you want to continue the story? Please let me know your opinion with reason. Coz i couldn't understand what my readers think about the story...

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Within a few minutes, we reached Karthik's House amid all the traffic and our whole ride was filled with tensed silence. I didn't want to get out of his car because this was the first time I was coming here after my marriage with Karthik. Mainly I didn't want to see Karthik's father and couldn't afford to hear his words to me. Because his words were nothing like sweet.

The thud sound of the car door closing broke my reverie and the next second Karthik waited for me to get down by holding my side of the door. He could read my uneasiness through my eyes yet his stern look indicated that he wouldn't leave until I went with him.

Praying to the Almighty God I stepped towards the house with Karthik and we saw a few pairs of footwear on the terrace. Before he could ring the calling bell the front door opened by Kavya and she was all dressed up for a special occasion.

" Karthik..." she was going to say something but her expression changed once she saw me.

" Karthik,  why did you bring Kayal with you? First of all, I strongly said to you that don't come now and come later. But now you're making me regret informing you about this. " Suddenly her tone turned octave and yelled at him in a lower voice.

" Kavya......who has come? Did they arrive earlier? " we heard Karthik's father's voice in the background and before Kavya could answer him he appeared with a smiling face but seeing us his mood drastically changed into sour like he got a bee sting.

How long he was going to be like this with us?

" Karthik..... what are you doing here and why did you bring this cheap woman to my house?" He shouted.

Already he was at the hospital due to a cardiac attack, he was going to have another one if he was going to keep shouting like this...my subconscious mind mocked at him...

What the hell why was I thinking like this?

Karthik, holding my hand stepped into the house and stood in front of his raging father and asked, " Appa, I'm your son and this is my wife, so no one can stop us from entering inside.  Actually people will badmouth you if they hear that you chased your son and daughter-in-law from your house.

And what will you answer to the relatives and society if they asked the reason for the bride's brother's absence on her wedding day" he asked sarcastically yet calmly.

Then only we saw Aarohi's parents were sitting on the sofa beside them was Pandit Ji who was an old friend of Karthik's father.

What was he doing here?

Before we could decipher the next move, we heard a screeching sound of the car tyre and within a few minutes, I saw Susuila Aunty's family getting down from the vehicle.

Ignoring the cold atmosphere around us a few minutes ago, Appa rushed towards them to receive. He was warmly talking with Susila Aunty,  Sager and Sara while walking them towards the house.

Eventually, Susila Aunty's vision fell on me and immediately her steps halted while her face morphed into pale and I caught the sight of her face paled more when she realised Karthik was standing beside me.

I couldn't pinpoint the fact why she seems distant nowadays and her behaviour was not like anything which I thought about her before.

Suddenly a frame interrupted our sharing of gazes and that was Kavya,  she looked tensed for some reason. " Kayal, can you please take Karthik from here and please use the kitchen side exit? He won't listen to me but I'm sure he'll if you said" Basically she pleaded it.

What's happening here?

" Kavya he is your brother and why are you so...." My words were immediately silenced by Karthik's sudden outburst...

" YOU BASTARD..."

Like a storm, he passed through us and before I could realise what happened, he was beating the hell out of some guy and everyone on the terrace was now trying to separate Karthik from that person.  I too ran towards them and shouted my husband's name before he could kill the person.

" Karthik, what are you doing? Leave him... Karthik...."

"KARTHIK...." Finally, I shouted my lungs out to stop him and hugged him from back. Instantly he loosened the grip on the person and immediately Sager pushed Karthik aside to pull out the person who was under him all this time.

I turned Karthik's face towards me and then only I saw he was bleeding from his nose. I made him sit straight held his nostrils to avoid more bleeding and asked him to breathe through the mouth.

I heard the wailing sound of Susila Aunty and more shouting from behind but I didn't turn my head. All I could think was why did Karthik turn out like a beast and attack the person? Did that guy also come with Susila Aunty?

Still, I could feel the anger radiating from Karthik and he could once again burst out at any time.

"  Sager bring him inside the house  Kavya will get the first aid box. If we want we'll get him to the hospital " I heard Karthik's father's voice.

" Siddarth, walk carefully...let's go inside.."

The hair on my neck stood straight and my body went rigid hearing that particular name even after a long time it brought me the nightmare which I went through on that day.

I didn't dare to turn because  I knew that would bring back the trauma which I had buried inside of my heart.

Old memories started to float on my mind and I felt the atmosphere was getting cold while my heartbeat increased...

I didn't know that I was crying until Karthik wiped my face. " Shhhh... don't cry...I'm here...your Karthik is here.... no one can harm you...." He hugged me tightly bringing me close to him and I buried my face in the crook of his neck to catch a glimpse of his smell to make sure that I was shielded in the embrace of my Karthik so that no one could touch me improperly.

We both sat there on the stone floor of the garden as same as like I hugged him, until I felt okay to move. He didn't complain though I was sitting on his lap for a long time. Rubbing my nose on his shoulder I looked at him, " Karthik...shall we go to our home ?"

" Yeah, but before that...."

" Karthik,  are you insane? How could you hit Siddarth like that?" Kavya stormed towards us while crying.

I tried to stand up despite my giving up legs and Karthik helped me ignoring the displeasure mood of his sister.

He inhaled and exhaled deeply before facing his sister. " You already knew about him, right? That's why you didn't want me to come today for your wedding date fixing" he asked with seriousness.

" Karthik, try to understand. This marriage is finally going to happen after many problems. That's why Appa asked me to wait until they fix the date to inform you.  Because we know you will get angry if you see Siddarth and know about his presence. Even we can't prohibit him from participating in his own brother's wedding events.

Leave about Appa,  I informed you about today's event, even though opposing his word, because I was restless without your knowledge we are deciding this, but you didn't respect my words when I asked you not to come now.."

" Enough Kavya,  enough ... Today I understood the priorities of our family... If they want that fucker's presence in the wedding more than mine, It's okay don't worry,  nothing will happen to your marriage because of me or my wife. "

Today you all kept me far in the dark because of that bloody molester who tried to destroy my wife's dignity. As a woman, you knew well how much she faced because of that bastard... Don't accept Kayal as a daughter-in-law of our family but at least you both could have thought that she's a woman. Yet you and Appa, both are taking his side knowing his character...

It's okay never mind....

Send me your wedding invitation once you decided everything. I will be there as a stranger and your marriage will happen without any barriers." Saying that he held my hand and walked towards our car.

" Anna, please don't talk like this.  I need you in my life. What will I do without you? " She followed us until Karthik stopped near the car and got me inside the passenger seat.

" But today your actions didn't seem like that Kavya..." Without saying more he got inside the car and left the premises.

I could understand how important him to participate and do every work in his one and only sister's wedding arrangements but now he's hurt due to his family's actions and I couldn't stop feeling guilty that I was too the reason for their resentment. Why Karthik had to face these issues because the only reason he was married to me.

During dinner, he didn't eat more than three morsels and went to the room earlier.  After cleaning the kitchen, I went to the bedroom and saw he was talking with Ryan Bro on call but disconnected it once I entered.

Seeing me, he spread his hands out and lifting his chin he signaled me to come near him. I hugged him quickly and nudged my face on his chest. I didn't want him to feel loneliness like I felt. I knew how much he loved his family.

On the other side, Siddarth's re-entry made my heart palpitate with the terror gripping my nerves. I couldn't accept that he was roaming outside freely and anytime he could come behind us.

" Don't worry about anything. Until I'm alive he can't do anything to you. " He assured me holding me tight like he read my mind.

*

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*

Kavya's wedding happened after a month of the all chaos.  Karthik looked after some of the wedding arrangements since he couldn't avoid his responsibility as an elder brother of the bride although he was not interacting with his family as before.

I convinced him to not mess with the marriage occasion if he happened to see Siddarth during the times. Because all we want is a memorable wedding for Kavya and Sager...

Ignoring my protest Karthik got me all ready for attending his sister's wedding as I was gracing my presence with him as his Wife. It was the first time we were attending a family function together. The important thing was even Kavya invited me to her wedding and she asked me to forget the bitter memories.

On the wedding day, She was very beautiful in a Red and pink mixed Kanchipuram Saree with all that traditional jewellery. Both, Sager and Kavya looked like made for each other couple while standing on the Mandap with a traditional outlook. From my deep heart, I wished them for eternal love and happiness.

I couldn't afford to look at Karthik's father's face when we attended the wedding.  He was fuming but controlled it for his daughter. His eyes were only enough to describe how much he hated my presence. 

On the other side, there were so many questions and judgements from our relatives. At one point we both ignored their comments and opinions even Karthik scolded some of them who started to abuse me verbally. 

But this time I didn't mind their words and it's all because of Karthik and the confidence he had in us.

About Susila Aunty, she only greeted me once but not even a word after that. Sara and Sager both talked with me as usual, and there were no awkward feelings.

Thanks to God because only three times I caught a glimpse of my nightmare, Of course, Siddarth. Whenever I felt his eyes on me I held Karthik's arm tightly and I was so grateful that he didn't budge from my side knowing my inner turmoil.

Until we were leaving from wedding hall I was like walking on eggshells and holding my breath in my throat...

Because one side was Karthik's father and Aarohi and her parents. On one side Siddarth and Susuila Aunty and the other side I had to face every passing comment from Karthik's relatives. 

Once we settled down in the car I leaned onto the seat and started to take a relieved breath as I escaped from the gang of goons.

Hearing a laughing sound I looked at the person and my husband was laughing seeing my current state. I forgot about him totally, because I saw he had unshed tears in his eyes when Sager tied the nuptial chain around his sister's neck. I could understand his emotions and I respect them. His laughter gradually decreased and we both were looking at each other's faces with some untold emotions flooding through our eyes while a small smile adorning our faces.

I can spend my whole life like this.

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On a subsequent day, when I was at the bakery and working in the kitchen, Ruhi informed me that I had a visitor and waiting on the no. 13th table.

" Who's that?"

" He refused to tell me his name Akka. But he said he wants to talk to you regarding an important thing. "

" How is he looking like?"

" He's around Karthik Anna's age. And more importantly, he's looking handsome like Anna" I smiled at her description and went to see the person stopping her jabbering.

Reaching to the no. 13th table I searched for the person but there was no one. But I saw a paper under a salt bottle and something had written on it.

Hesitating for a bit I collected that paper and the thing that was written on it,

' I am very SORRY '
                  - Siddarth

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🎯 Whom did watch Amaran movie? I literally cried watching that...It's not a movie but an emotion... What are you guys thinking about the movie .....

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