The Unwanted Rose|Completed✓

The Unwanted Rose|3

I've always wondered what it would feel like to be the center of someone's universe - to be loved so deeply that they can't help but fall for you, over and over again. To have all their love and care directed solely at you, with no one else even coming close. To be enough for them, irreplaceable. But, unfortunately, I've never known that feeling. All the love that could have been mine was meant for her-Pari

Falling in love is a tragedy when there's no one to catch you, no one to save you from the fall. I fell for him, not once, but for a lifetime. I believed we could be two bodies with one soul, two minds with one heart-the kind of love where actions spoke louder than words. And his actions were loud and clear to me. I was his princess, and he was my Sid. But I failed to see what was in his eyes; his heart never belonged to me. It was hers from the moment he laid eyes on her. He loved her, breathed her, and could only see her. This time, his words spoke louder than his actions, and they made me realize that sometimes words are crucial to understanding where you stand in someone's life. I was just a princess, but she was his angel. They were meant to be-after all, she was my husband's girl.

***

The shrill noise of the alarm jolted me awake, and when I saw the time, I freaked out. I was alone in bed, though, and realizing Sid had left early, I breathed a sigh of relief. Don't get me wrong-I loved waking up with him, but making breakfast? Definitely not my thing.

A wide smile spread across my face as I checked the weather report-it wasn't going to rain today. Rain always ruined my mood, not to mention my clothes.

I got up, completed my morning routine, and headed into the kitchen. The fresh smell of pancakes hit me instantly, making my mouth water. I followed the scent until I reached the dining area at the far end of the kitchen. My smile widened as I spotted the love of my life lying horizontally on the table, waiting for me. I gazed at it, completely tempted. Ugh, I couldn't wait to devour this baby. Rushing to the table, I sat down and eagerly dug into the delicious treat.

"Hey, that's mine," came the irritating voice I knew all too well-Karthik, my husband's best friend from college. We had shared several classes back then, but somehow, we never got along. He'd always tried to steer Sid away from me, claiming I wasn't his type. According to him, I was too loud, too wild, and far from what Sid needed. His constant jabs pissed me off enough that one day, I punched him in the stomach. I'm not usually aggressive, but something about Karthik made my hands itch every time I saw his face. He had a special talent for getting under my skin, a spoiled brat who didn't know how to treat a woman with an ounce of respect.

Karthik was brutal in a verbal argument, always striking when I least expected it, leaving his words to sting long after the exchange was over. He was harsh-no, vicious, really. He didn't just hate me; he despised me. When Sid and I were about to get married, Karthik made one last desperate attempt to "save" his best friend, warning him that I wasn't his type and that marrying a "shrew" like me would ruin his life. Yes, he actually called me a shrew.

Just the sound of his voice had my blood boiling. I met his glare, my face blank but my temper simmering just beneath the surface. His big brown eyes were narrowed at me in pure hatred. And yet, it irritated me how annoyingly good-looking he was-thick eyelashes framing those eyes, a cute button nose, and a princely face that, if it weren't for that perpetual scowl, would have been almost irresistible.

Too bad his attitude ruined the package.

I glared back, fully embracing the shrew he thought I was. If he wanted a fight, I was more than ready.

"Take a picture, it lasts longer," he smirked, his eyes lingering on mine.

"Sure, I love pictures of natural disasters," I shot back, flipping my hair dramatically. His gaze flicked to my hair, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Natural disaster, huh? Look who's talking," he muttered, eyes fixating on my hair again with that familiar, infuriating glint. Instinctively, I touched it, frowning when I realized there was nothing wrong. I scowled, and he burst out laughing.

"Shut up. What are you even doing here?" I snapped, stuffing more of the heavenly pancake into my mouth to distract myself from his annoying presence.

"Did you forget, princess? This is my house too," he replied sarcastically, his gaze still locked on me as he leaned in slightly.

I clenched my teeth. "Don't call me that!" I hissed, feeling my anger bubbling up.

"Why, princess? Did I hurt your feelings?" he mocked, his voice taking on a childish tone, but his eyes never left mine. There was always something unsettling about the way he looked at me-too long, too deep. As if he was trying to see something beyond my words, though his next comment always ruined the moment.

"Yes, your voice is a constant pain in my ears," I shot back, trying to ignore the way his gaze lingered. But this time, I caught something different in his eyes-something I couldn't quite place. It made me hesitate for just a second.

"Well, your presence is a constant pain in my ass. Why don't you just disappear?" His words were sharp, but the way he looked at me, like he was trying to cut through something else entirely, made my chest tighten. I'd asked myself that question so many times before-why don't I just disappear? Those thoughts had haunted me in the past, before I found Sid and some sense of purpose.

I took a deep breath, trying to push away the sting of his words. Leaning in closer, our faces only inches apart, I locked eyes with him again.

"Go to hell," I whispered, my gaze never wavering from his.

****

"Why are you upset, princess?" Sid asked when he noticed the look on my face.

"Why does Karthik despise me so much?" I finally voiced the question that had been spinning in my mind for as long as I could remember. It wasn't just his disdain that bothered me-what truly gnawed at me was how much his words affected me. Being an orphan, I'd always known my place within my family, which was at the very bottom. My brother and I had endured their harsh words, but they had never touched me the way Karthik's did. That insolent brat's words always managed to hit deep, making my heart ache in ways I didn't want to admit. I hated him for it, and I hated that Sid never seemed to care about how uncomfortable Karthik made me.

"Ah, I think he's jealous," Sid said with a chuckle, his eyes twinkling with the same warmth I always saw there.

"Jealous? Of what?" I asked, suddenly intrigued.

"Of us," he replied in a matter-of-fact tone. I frowned, more confused than before. Noticing my expression, he elaborated.

"He thinks I stopped giving him time because of you," Sid explained. "We were roommates since college, and I promised him I'd never leave the dorm. But when I did, he blamed you. So, he takes his anger out on you."

"He's petty to still hold onto that," I remarked, disgusted by Karthik even more.

"I don't think he hates you anymore. I think he just enjoys getting on your nerves," Sid said, his tone light, but it only made me more irritated. Then, he pinched my nose playfully when I scrunched my face in annoyance.

"Don't think too much about him. He's an idiot," Sid added. I nodded, though a small part of me wished he would take my discomfort with Karthik more seriously. He opened his arms, and I couldn't resist snuggling into him. As I settled in, he ruffled my hair and kissed the top of my head.

"Sleep, princess. You look tired," he whispered. I nodded again, letting the warmth of his embrace lull me to sleep.

****

Finally, chapter 3 is out. Do tell me your thoughts about it.

I was confused about what to name him Karthik or Ayush. What do you think?

Do you think Karthik is an idiot?

Do you think our main lead is antagonistic or a shrew?

Do you enjoy the rain?

Do you like pancakes?

Vote, Comment and Share.

Do.

And I love you guys♥️