I squinted my eyes feeling a soft touch on my hair. It seemed like someone was caressing my hair. Opening my eyes, I saw a figure sitting in front of me. But I can't see the face clearly as the figure stood up and started going far away from me. I immediately got up from the bed and tried to go near that person but a voice stopped me.

"What are you doing here, Bani? What have you planned and what is happening now? Do you have any idea about what's happening with your life now? You married an unknown person and now started doing the duties of an ideal daughter-in-law. What will happen to your dreams then?!" The voice of that person shouted at me. It was a female voice and it felt too familiar to me.

"Who are you?" I asked, going near that figure again but suddenly a force pushed me with such an impact that it made me fall on the bed. "Ouch! Who is that?" I looked around searching for the person who pushed me but I could only see the figure standing there. "Hey! What's happening here? Who are you and who was that?"

"Do you want to know who I am?" The voice asked me. I instantly nodded curiously and the owner of the voice started coming towards me. "I'm your......." It was saying something but I couldn't hear it.

"I can't hear you. Say it louder!"

"I'm your sister-in-law!!!!!" The voice shouted in my ear.

"Who?"

"Bani!!! Look at me!!!" It shouted again and I felt like someone pulling my hand.

"Wake up!!!"

My eyes flew open in shock and I gasped seeing Sam and Anusha staring at me worriedly.

"Bani? Are you alright? Why are you shouting in your sleep?" Sam asked me and I looked at her confused.

Who was that person? The voice felt too familiar to me but I can't guess it correctly. Why am I getting the same dream again and again?

"What happened to you, Bani? Why were you shouting? I was waking you up and you were asking me who I am." Anusha explained making me more confused.

Who was that again?... Hey wait! When did I fall asleep?

I quickly turned to see the wall clock and my eyes popped out of the socket seeing the time. It was 10am.

OMG! I slept for 4 hours?

"Bani? Are you alright?" Sam asked me again.

I sighed, nodding at her. "I'm alright, Sam. I'm so sorry for waking up late again. I was awake until 6am and I didn't know when and how I fell asleep."

"That's okay. We know you're an insomniac so don't worry about it. Refresh yourself and come down. We are waiting for you." Sam said, caressing my hair and I nodded at her. They both left the room and I went to do my morning chores.

I had my breakfast along with Sam as the adamant tigress refused to eat without me. That was what happening since the past one week. Only the first day I woke up early and joined everyone for the breakfast but from the second day onwards I started waking up late due to the sleeping pills given by a new doc. Moreover, I was the first person to break the rule of this family about 'gathering together for breakfast at sharp 8am' but thankfully I didn't get any punishment from Sam as she knew my condition very well.

"Bani, let's visit your Mother Grace today. It has been a week since you met her. What say?" Sam asked making my eyes go wide in excitement and I squealed happily. "Okay, let's invite Shreya and Reyansh too. They haven't visit the home yet." She said again and I nodded in agreement.

Sam went to call Shreya and also to get ready while I decided to sit in the hall as I was already in decent clothes to go out. I sighed heavily, thinking how I spent a week here at my husband's home without him. It had been 1 week since I got married to him and I wondered if he would acknowledge our marriage or not. Grandpa and Amar uncle tried to contact him several times but he only answered once to say that he would be back in 10 days and explain them why he left all of a sudden.

Whatever! I'm not going to care about the guy who left me alone here without even saying a bye.

I had gelled very well with my new family here. Abhimanyu bro was a little taciturn but his wife Shreya and baby Rey were completely opposite to him. Shreya couldn't close her mouth once she starts speaking and Rey used to blabber all the time in his baby voice. Just within 4 days, I started remembering all their names and recognize their faces too without looking for reference. They even showed me their family pictures and I secretly stole one of the childhood picture of my mysterious husband. I couldn't get his recent pictures as they said he was back to India after 10 years and stayed here for only a month which led to our marriage and then he disappeared again.

It's true. He's really a mysterious guy. I hope I didn't get married to a ghost who likes to disappear and reappear magically.

I was back to the reality when I felt someone pulling my dress. I looked down to see Rey giving me his toothy smile. I grinned at him, taking him on my lap. "Hello Rey baby, seems like you are ready to go out with us." I said, pulling his nose gently and he giggled at me feeling ticklish maybe. "Where is your mumma and grandma? They are too slow right?" He giggled again and I was about to say something when I felt someone walking near me.

I turned and saw a familiar face in a suit walking towards me but I couldn't guess who he was.

Who is he? I feel like I have seen him somewhere. Maybe a guest? Shall I ask his name? He looks really familiar to me.

"Hey, Hi! Are you looking for someone here? I feel like I have seen your somewhere. May I know who are you?" I asked him politely.

His eyes widened for few seconds but he quickly composed himself and cleared his throat. He then opened his mouth to say the three words which made my eyes go wide and I immediately looked down being too embarrassed to face him.

"Veeranshu. Your husband."

Oops. Best introduction ever.
Amar uncle said he would be back in 10 days but why is he here within a week?

I smiled at him sheepishly, giving him an apologetic look but he, being the arrogant man I have ever seen, just ignored me and took Rey from my arms. Rey giggled excitedly seeing him and he chuckled, kissing Rey's cheeks.

So rude. Wait! Why did I even give him an apologetic look when he is the one who should apologize for leaving me all alone right after the marriage?

I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily when he raised his eyes and looked at me. I lowered my gaze but feeling an intense stare on me, I raised my eyes again to see him still looking at me without even blinking his eyes.

Is there something on my face? Why is he staring at me like that?

I frowned, rubbing my cheeks to wipe away if there's something but stopped when I heard his sigh. I looked at him with an eyebrow raised and crossed my arms against my chest.

"I...." He stopped when Sam shouted his name from the stairs. He turned to see his mom after putting down Rey on the floor. "Mom...." He called her but I gasped when she marched towards him and slapped him with such a force that made him stumble from the place he stood. I gulped, looking down to see Rey and thankfully he was busy playing with his toys so he wouldn't have noticed what happened there.

"Sam, what are you doing?" I asked but she glared at me with her fiery eyes.

"You keep quiet!" She yelled at me and turned to her son. "How dare you, Veeranshu! Is this how I raised you all these years? How could you simply run away after getting married to an innocent girl?" She shouted at him like a tigress and Rey started to cry hearing her tone.

I quickly took Rey in my arms and started cooing over him. Even his mother, Shreya and all the servants rushed there hearing Sam's voice. All the while I could see him standing there with his eyes fixed on the floor and hand on his cheek. I felt bad for him. Sam shouldn't have treated him that way. He was a grown man and she shouldn't have slapped a man in front of his wife and the servants.

Did he consider you as his wife?
A voice rang in my head but I decided to ignore it. I knew I was angry and upset with his behaviour but at that moment I really felt bad for him.

"Mom, please listen to me once." He pleaded her with a broken voice.

Sam glared at him and held his hand, dragging him into her room. Even though the room was at third floor, yet we flinched at the sound of the door that was closed with a bang. Horror-struck, I turned to see Shreya who was looking at me back with frightened eyes.

"I hope he will be fine." She said and I nodded at her. "So, plan cancel I guess. Isn't it?" She asked and I nodded at her again as I was too shocked to even open my mouth and say something. She shook her head and took Rey from my arms before walking into her room. Sighing, I too walked away from there to the garden to clear my mind.

I was helping the gardener uncle to water the plants when Sam came out calling my name. I turned to her and she smiled at me but I knew it was a fake smile. "Sam, what hap..." She stopped me before I could continue.

"Come inside with me now." She held my hand and started dragging me inside. I entered the living area and was shocked to see the whole family there except my husband again.

Another family gathering it seems. But when did they all reach home?

"Bani, how are you doing today?" Grandpa asked me with a genuine smile.

I smiled back and replied, "I'm doing well, grandpa."

"Bani, do you know that Veeranshu is back?" Amar uncle asked.

Before I could reply him, Sam beat me to it. "Yes, she knows. In fact, she was the one who saw him first." She told them and I nodded yes. I felt like someone was staring at me and I looked around to see HIM standing near the stairs with his hands in his pocket. He instantly turned away when he saw me looking at me.

Thank God, he is looking fine. It means Sam didn't break his bones just now.

Feeling my gaze, he turned to look at me again and this time it was me who turned away. Tit-for-tat, man!

But he's looking so hot in that suit.

Few seconds later, I again lifted my head to look at him but he was not there. I rolled my eyes around searching for him when I felt someone clearing their throat next to me. I snapped my head towards my right and gasped seeing him there.

How did he reach here within seconds?

"Bani? Are you even listening to us?" I heard Sam asking me and I instantly nodded at her. She looked at me raising her eyebrow and smirked. "So tell us what was grandpa saying just now." She asked, giving me her wicked smile.

I will kill you, Sam! Oh God, how do I know what was he saying just now? I didn't even hear him speaking.

"Bani?"

"Sam, I.....I left my watch in the garden so I will go and take it now." Saying that, I turned to quickly run away from there but Sam grabbed my arm and made me stand in my place.

"It's okay we know you didn't listen to us as you were busy looking at someone here." She said with a mischievous smile while wrapping her arm around my shoulder and my eyes widened in embarrassment. I quickly shook my head no and turned to see HIM looking at me with amusement playing on his lips. I was about to deny but stopped hearing Sam again. "Sweetie, Veeranshu suddenly left right after the wedding as he received an emergency call from US. One of his regular patient was having a serious heart disease that's why he immediately rushed there without informing us and moreover he was staying at a low network coverage area that's why he couldn't contact us on time."

"Oh." That was all I could say because I felt like Sam was hiding something from me. She was not even looking into my eyes while explaining it. I was sure that she was lying to me or maybe to all of us but I decided to not ask her anything until she reveals it herself.

"See pa, even Bani didn't take it serious so forgive him for this time please. I will make sure he don't repeat this behaviour again." She told grandpa while hitting her son's shoulder gently. The whole time he didn't even open his mouth but was just standing there like a statue.

I wish a mosquito to bite him now so at least he will make a move to beat it.

"Look Veeranshu, this is the first and last warning to you! If I see you disappearing again without informing your wife, then you will have no place in this mansion anymore! She came here as your wife so it's your responsibility to make sure she doesn't regret for getting married to you! DO NOT!!! I repeat, do not leave her alone again otherwise the consequences will be very bad!" Grandpa warned him and he instantly agreed.

"I promise I won't repeat this again, grandpa. She is my responsibility and I will make sure to not leave her alone again." He assured him while looking into my eyes and I gaped at him.

Someone please hold me! I'm falling now. This is the first time we made a proper eye contact.

So the way he called you 'his responsibility' doesn't matter to you right?
A voice rang in my head again but I decided to royally ignore it as I always used to do.

"Okay everyone, get back to your work." My dearest mother-in-law ordered and everyone dispersed to do their own work but not before greeting their lovely brother who came back after a week. I stood there rolling my eyes between my mother-in-law and my husband after everyone left. They both were speaking something through their eyes and I cleared my throat to get their attention. As I expected, both of them turned to look at me and I raised my eyebrow at Sam as my husband immediately walked away from there. "Yes, sweetie? Do you want to say something?"

"Good try, Sam. But unfortunately, I'm smarter than you." I told her and she widened her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing, Sam." I gave her a tight lipped-smile and walked away from there as I didn't want to ask her anything because she wouldn't hide anything from me without a reason.

***********

It was fifteen past six when I was in Anusha's room playing with Rey. I was curious to know what my husband was doing as I knew he didn't go out since he came back. I really wanted get away from there but I didn't know why I was not making any attempts to go to my husband.

Why should I do it? He's the one who said he won't leave me alone again so he's the one who should make attempts to talk to me.

"Bani, can you stay here with Rey for a while? I'm going down to meet my friend who came here to pass me some books." Anusha asked and I nodded at her. Once she left, I immediately picked up Rey and made my way towards my....I mean his bedroom.

"Shall we go inside, Rey?" I asked him and he grinned at me. "Come on, say something. I'm confused now." I pouted at him and he giggled at me. "Arghh!" I sighed and slowly raised my hand to knock the door but immediately pulled back when the door opened revealing the Greek God who was standing in a sleeveless t-shirt there. I gulped, looking at his muscular body but he was just staring at me with an expressionless face.

At least he should learn how to smile.

"I...hmm..actually you...Rey...I..." I was about to say something but he beat me to it.

"Hmm Hi, how are you?" He asked me with a very tiny smile that was on display for just 2 seconds.

"I'm fine. How are you? How was your journey? Sam told me that you are a successful cardiologist in US. I'm so proud of you. You know, at first I was upset because you didn't even say bye to me that day but then Anusha and Roshan told me a lot about you and I...." I stopped, widening my eyes when I realised what was I blabbering there.

OMG! Can I just go and drown myself in the middle of an ocean?

But I don't know how to swim.

I did a facepalm and looked at him shyly. He was looking at me in amusement and I lowered my head feeling too embarrassed to face him. As pouring fuel on the fire, Rey clapped his hands excitedly out of the blue and Veeranshu chuckled at him or maybe at us. I quickly held Rey in my arms securely and ran away from there without looking back.

I have never felt so embarrassed in my life before.

Hey sweethearts, the hero has finally entered into the story 😂 I know this chapter was little confusing as I wrote it from Bani's PoV so the next chapter will be about Veer's PoV and hope you all could get some answers from him regarding his magical disappearance 😉

P.S. This is just the beginning so don't expect me to reveal everything now. I like to drag on 😜 but don't worry I will reveal one by one soon.