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I hit the brakes as we arrived home and turned to look at her, only to find her fast asleep. It's amazing how quickly she can doze off! But seeing her innocent face while she slept, I couldn't help but smile. I unbuckled my seatbelt, opened the car door quietly, and made my way to her side. I opened the door gently, trying not to disturb her slumber. However, as soon as I opened the door, her sleep was abruptly interrupted, and she woke up with a start. She lazily opened her eyes, taking in her surroundings, realizing that we had reached home.
"Come on, we're home," I said, extending my hand to help her out of the car. She gladly took my hand, feeling a bit dizzy herself.
She stepped out of the car, but as she tried to stand on her own, she stumbled a bit, probably due to the remnants of sleep. I quickly supported her by holding her shoulders and softly muttered, "Be careful." Together, we made our way inside.
AUTHOR'S POV
As they entered the house, they found everyone gathered in the hall. Since it wasn't too late, they decided to join the others and spend some time together. Aadhira, now wide awake, was also eager to socialize.
"I want to tell you all something " kabir said after chit chatting for sometime , gaining everyone's attention at once . As he said those words , he could feel Aadhira staring at him with confusion from the corner of his eyes .
Hearing his words , she also became a little curious to know what is going in her husband's mind now. Taking a glance of her ,
As he said , "Well as you all aware of the deal I recently got after working for months a lot , so I need to go on a business trip to london for that purpose."
"Yeah, we know, and I'm really proud of you, my son," his father said, who was also at home today after a long time. Everyone congratulated him once again for his achievement.
He noded his head at everyone's blessings and then held Aadhira's hands infront of everyone , interwining the fingers , he took a glance of her and her heart skipped a beat as he said , "Um, Dad, I wanted to let you all know that this time I won't be going alone. I'm taking Aadhira with me," he finally finished his sentence, looking into her eyes to gauge her reaction However, she just stared back at him, completely blank, unable to process the words she had just heard.
"Wow, that's a great idea! You guys will have some quality time together," his father responded with a smile.
"Very good beta, chalo kuch to akal aa rahi hai ab tere m" (Great job, beta! Finally, some common sense is prevailing in you) his dadi commented with a smile on her face.
"Ohoooo , bhai ! Bhut badhiya , bhut bdhiya , sahi hai . Business trip ke bahane honeymoon pe ja rhe ho...hmmhmm" (Ohoooo, bro! That's awesome, really awesome! You're going on a honeymoon in the name of business tour hmm)" his mischievous brother, Kiaan, chimed in, teasing them both with a sly smile.
Aadhira choked on her breath and her cheeks turned crimson from blushing so hard. But soon enough, kiaan received a smack on the head from their father, scolding him for his antics while he just made a puppy face in response.
But their attention shifted to his mother, who had been silent until now. It seemed like the calm before the storm, and when she finally spoke, her smile faded away.
"Are you sure you want to take this girl? This bad luck, with you?" she said looking Aadhira from head to toe with disgust in her eyes causing Kabir to become angry.
"Momm!" Kabir shouted angrily at his mom.
"What, Mom? Haa? Don't you know how unlucky she is? Just two years after she was born, her father lost all his business and got cheated by his own brother. And you still want to take her with you?" His mom spat out angrily, fueling Kabir's anger even more. His eyes turned red with rage as he burned with anger.
"Enough, Mom! Enough of-" Kabir shouted furiously at the top of his lungs, looking directly at his mother. But before he could say anything else, his father interrupted raoaring at his mother which never really happened oftenly , "Enough of you, Shivani! Mind your language while talking to my daughter-in-law. I used to stay quiet about your foolish behavior towards her earlier because she was your friend's daughter till then. But now, she isn't just your friend's daughter. She is the daughter-in-law of this family, and more importantly, she is like my own daughter. I won't tolerate any nonsense against my daughter. I hope I'm clear," his father said in his deep authoritative voice. He rarely spoke about family matters unless it was absolutely necessary, but when he did, his words were treated as everyone's order.
And in the midst of all this, Kabir held Aadhira's hand tightly, providing her with comfort and strength. But when she heard those words from her father-in-law, it stirred up such strong emotions within her. Her mind went blank, and her vision became blurry from the tears welling up in her eyes. It was the first time someone had taken a stand for her, especially from a father figure. Throughout her life, she had only fought for herself and sometimes for her mother, but she had never experienced this kind of support from her own father.
Feeling overwhelmed, Aadhira gently removed her hand from Kabir's grip and walked towards his father. Without saying a word, she tightly embraced him, feeling as though she had finally found a father's love in him. His gentle caress on her hair brought her a sense of comfort and warmth.
"And listen, Shivani, just so you and everyone here understands clearly, let me tell you something. It was only after Aadhira was born that her father's business started flourishing. If her uncle cheated her father, then why should she be blamed for it? I don't want any more discussions about this topic in our family. Aadhira is like the laxmi (goddess of wealth ) of our house, and she will be treated only like that , that's final," he said, gently patting her back as he instructed Kabir to take her to their room.
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They both sat on the bed in their room, as Kabir took Aadhira with him in their room following Kabir's father's instructions. After which everyone also retired to their own rooms one by one, Aadhira remained on the bed, hugging Kabir tightly and softly sobbing. Kabir gently rubbed her back, trying to calm her down.
"You know what, Kabir? No one has ever done this for me before. Thank you so much," her muffled voice came as she mumbled this , her face still buried in his chest.
"What?" he asked, a little confused.
"It's okay, Aadhira. You're my wife, why would I tolerate anyone saying anything against you?" Kabir shrugged, trying to reassure her.
Upon hearing his response, a smile formed on Aadhira's face, and she shook her head as she clarified, "Yes, you did take a stand for me, and I appreciate that, but I was actually referring to Uncle Prateek."
"Oh, really? I see how it is! So, I don't matter to you?" Kabir said, his face scowling in fake mock offense.
"Oh, come on, Kabir! Don't be so dramatic. You know what I mean," she said, playfully pouting, her sobs fading away before she even realized it.
"Alright, alright. But I know if Uncle Rajat was here, he would have done the same," he replied when Aadhira immediately shook her head in disagreement, and he raised his eyebrows, giving her a quizzical look but stopped the moment realising she can't tell him about her father now.
"Nothing," she replied, shaking her head and avoiding the topic. She stepped off the bed, intending to change into something more comfortable. However, before she could move, he gently grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. She turned to look at him to know the reason of this.
"Wait, I have something for you," he said, getting off the bed and heading to the cupboard.
"What is it?" she asked curiously.
"I have something special for you," he replied with a smile, reaching into the drawer and pulling out a card.
"Here, take it," he said, placing the card in her hands. Aadhira furrowed her brows in confusion, which he quickly understood.
"It's your bank account debit card, you silly miss," he said, touching his nose with his fingers playfully to which she scrunched her nose and replied,
"But I don't have a bank account, Mr. Oversmart," she said, mimicking his actions.
"Yeah I know and that's why I got it opened for you on your name" he replied, stating the fact with a proud smile as she made an "ooo" face.
"But still, I want you to use my credit card for any purchases, okay?" he stated, nervously scratching the back of his neck as he placed his credit card in her hands.
"But how can I take this? It's yours, right?" she said, expressing her concern. He shook his head in a negative motion.
"No, I actually opened your one account jointly with mine, so we're sharing the same bank account now. Along with that I also opened another one just for you, in case of emergencies, and I'll keep depositing money in that as well. But for regular purchases, we'll use our shared account, alright? And before this thought cross your mind , Let me make it clear , that you are not answerable to me for any of your purchases" he stated looking deeply into her eyes , that held a promise a conviction.
"But... Kabir, why did you do this?" she asked, her voice filled with confusion.
"What do you mean, Ira? You have your own needs and I don't want you to rely on me for every little thing you want to buy. I know how hesitant you can be! So, take this and consider it final," Kabir replied, determination in his voice.
"But Kabir-" she tried to protest, but Kabir gently placed his fingers on her lips, silencing her. She felt a wave of emotions overwhelm her, leaving her speechless.
"You're my wife, Aadhira. You have every right to me and everything I have. Everything that's mine belongs to you first. Jab life share kar sakte hai to bank account kyu nahi? Itna to karne do na mujhe apni biwi ke liye"(And besides, if we can share our lives, why not a bank account? Let me do this for my wife atleast) he replied with sincerity, making her smile and speechless.
"Kabir, there's something else I wanted to tell you. I don't have my visa, passport, or anything to come to London with you," she said putting her worries in front of him
"Ooh, for that? Don't worry about it, I've already applied for it. Tomorrow, we have to go for the interview, alright?" Kabir said, causing Aadhira's eyes to widen as she gasped. "Interview? Are you mad? Why didn't you tell me earlier? What will we do? Oh god," she started panicking, pacing around the room.
Kabir quickly grabbed her elbow, stopping her in her tracks and catching her attention as she looked at him when snaked his arms around her waist to hold her at place. He gently cupped her cheeks, trying to calm her down. "Shh! Why are you stressing so much? They'll just ask you simple questions, and I'll be there with you, alright? So don't worry about it," he reassured her, making her release a sigh of relief.
"Okay, but when did you get it done?" she asked after a few seconds, as the thought crossed her mind.
"Okk but when did you got it done ?" She asked after few seconds when this thought came into her mind .
"Come on, wifey, where else do you think I was busy these days? And remember those papers I sent with Kiaan for you to sign?" he asked , shrugging his shoulders when she nodded remembering the same.
"Your husband doesn't leave anything incomplete, wifey," he proudly declared, raising the collar of his shirt with a smirk on his face.
"But I didn't understand one thing," he said, leaving her a little confused. She asked him what it was, and he replied, "Why did you sign those papers without even asking a single question? I thought you would have questions, so I was prepared. But you didn't ask anything, not even one thing. Even though I'm your husband, you could have questioned me. What if I was taking your money or something?" he put her doubt in front of her.
Upon hearing his question, a small and faint smile appeared on her face as she replied, "I didn't ask anything because when you have nothing to lose, why would you be afraid of losing? And as for money, you already have more than enough. What more could you take from me?" She completed looking into his eyes with faint smile , a smile that screamed that there is so much behind that, that she bas been through.
"And what if... what if those papers were divorce papers?" he asked, closing his eyes not even wanting to use that word and trying not to be affected.
"I am not illiterate, Mr. Kabir Malhotra. I can read the papers," she replied mockingly looking straight into his eyes and dismissing the topic while making her lips into a tight smile knocking some sense into when he nodded in understanding.
"Yeah, but I just wanted to make one thing clear. If you ever have any doubts about me, come to me. I'll answer you because I am always accountable to my wife," he said sincerely, his eyes filled with honesty. Aadhira smiled at his words and replied, "Okay, Patidev," as she went to change, a never-ending smile on his face as she thought about how her life had taken a complete 360° turn. Her own father didn't allow her to move to a different state or city, but here her husband was taking her to a different country.
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As she slipped into her comfortable t-shirt and lower, she quietly climbed into bed, careful not to disturb her peacefully sleeping husband. But as soon as she settled in, she felt a hand gently caressing her stomach, pulling her closer to him and she felt goosebumps at that moment. Her back pressed against his chest, and she couldn't help but freeze in that moment. It wasn't something new for her, but every time he did this, she felt a wave of something new and special wash over her.
"Sleep tight, Mrs. Kabir. There's a surprise waiting for you in the morning," Kabir murmured in his deep, sleepy, husky voice sending shivers down her spine, but as soon as the word "surprise" hit her , she couldn't contain her excitement. So, she turned her face towards him and called his name , but he didn't respond with his eyes closed , though she knew that he hasn't slept yet and is just pretending to sleep to avoid her questions and don't tell her about the surprise so she also rested her head on his shoulders, and placed her hand gently on his torso. Burying her head in his chest, she closed her eyes, ready to drift off to sleep.
But suddenly, she felt a touch on her legs near her thighs, causing a jolt of sensation to ripple through her core. Before she could process what was happening, he gently took one of her legs and placed it on his own, near his waist , wrapping it around his body.
"Now sleep , I know you like to sleep like this only and your leg eventually comes above my stomach when you get into deep sleep after an hour so why not now" he whispered, causing her cheeks to turn an intense shade of red as she blushed uncontrollably. She tilted her head slightly to steal a glance at his face, but his eyes remained closed.
"Sleep, my dear wife. Don't stare at me like that. You can do it any other time," he replied, a small smirk playing on his lips, even with his eyes still shut. Her embarrassment overwhelmed her, and she buried her head in his chest, trying to hide her blushing face. But the moment she buried her face in his chest only he knew how many butterflies he felt at that moment. Within minutes, they both drifted off to sleep, wrapped in each other's warmth.
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Her peaceful slumber was abruptly interrupted by the gentle rays of the morning sun, sneaking through the partially open curtains and tickling her closed eyelids. She squinted her eyes, gradually awakening to her surroundings and shaking off the remnants of sleep. With a contented sigh, she let out a satisfying yawn and reached for her phone on the nightstand. As she glanced at the screen, her smile widened in relief. It was only 7 in the morning, and she hadn't overslept as she expected so she don't have to rush anything.
After placing her phone back on the nightstand, she turned her attention to the other side of the bed, expecting to find her husband there. The memories of the previous night flooded her mind, causing a rosy blush to spread across her cheeks as she remembered how much he observes her action. However, her excitement quickly turned into a frown when she realized that he wasn't there.
She reached out, pulling the blanket aside in hopes of finding him, but he was nowhere to be seen. Perplexed, she sat up in bed, contemplating whether he might be in the bathroom or the gym. Leaning back against the headrest, she called out for him, but received no response. Finally, she concluded that he must be in the gym.
As she surveyed her surroundings, her gaze landed on something peculiar. Curiosity piqued, she swung her feet over the edge of the bed and frowned at the sight of an object covered by a cloth.
Aadhira's POV
I couldn't contain my curiosity and eagerly approached the covered object, but my attention was immediately diverted to the left side of the bed. There, I was greeted by a stunning, oversized photo frame showcasing a picture of myself. I couldn't help but be captivated by the image, as I looked absolutely beautiful in it. I found myself unable to tear my eyes away and a beautiful smile made it's way to my face unbeknownst to me.
After thoroughly admiring the first photo frame, I turned my gaze to the right side of the room, only to discover yet another exquisite frame displaying another one of my own pictures. I was completely awestruck by the sight.
It was a picture of me wearing a lovely pink kurti, the same one I wore when I accompanied him to buy the engagement ring. Little did I know what the future had in store for us. Lost in my thoughts, a hand suddenly wrapped around my waist from behind, and I instantly recognized Kabir by his familiar scent. My throat felt heavy, filled with unspoken words.
He gently rested his chin on my neck, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine. The goosebumps on my body were proof of the effect he had on me.
"Do you like it?" he asked, tightening his grip around my waist and pulling me even closer, our bodies pressed together. My breath caught in that moment.
"Liked it? Are you kidding? This is beyond amazing, I absolutely loved it!" I replied, emphasizing the word "loved" as it was the only word I could manage to say with the heaviness in my chest.
"So easily?" he teased, joining in. "Not so easily, wifey. You deserve nothing less. There's so much more for you to love," he said, cutting me off before I could respond. Then, he turned me to my right, revealing a huge and beautiful photograph of us hanging on the wall. It was the selfie we took together last night. In that moment, it felt like all my dreams had come true. The way he went above and beyond for me, words couldn't express it. Overwhelmed, I turned around, facing him, tears welling up in my eyes. I immediately pulled him into a tight hug.
"Hey, what's up, Aadu?" he asked, immediately concerned.
"Didn't you like it?" he asked again, gently cupping my cheeks and wiping away my tears. I managed to regain some control and shook my head, indicating a "no."
"Then what happened?" he asked, his eyes filled with worry. Again, I shook my head, unable to find the right words to express how overwhelmed I was by everything.
"It was all just so much more than I expected. I didn't know how to react," I finally replied. Before I could say anything else, he completed my sentence, "So you cried?" I nodded, and he playfully slapped his forehead, saying, "oh meri Jaldevi , pehle apni iss free ki water supply ko band karo tum"(Oh, my magician. First, let's turn off this free water supply of yours!)His words caught me off guard, and a snort of laughter escaped my mouth. We both burst into laughter together, finding humor in the moment. Only he can do this, making me laugh in between my cries.
"Haa , bs aise hi raha kro haste haste , perfect. Now no more crying okk" (yeah just keep laughing like this, perfect. Now, no more crying, okay?) he said, gently wiping away the last tear from my left cheek with his thumb. I nodded in response before replying, "Okay, but everything is just so new to me, so..."
"Get used to all of this because it's a high time, and I want my wife to recognize her worth and realize how much she deserves, okay, Mrs. Kabir?" he said, making me look at him instantly. As soon as our eyes met, time seemed to stand still. We locked eyes for a moment, and I couldn't even tell you how long it lasted , his beautiful eyes were different, filled with emotions that were never there before.
"Okay, so there's just one more thing, sorry, two," he said, correcting himself and playfully biting his tongue. He looked at me with a big smile as he held my hand and led me forward.
I turned my head towards him, amused by his statement, and asked, "What's next?"
"See for yourself," he replied, shrugging his shoulders. He moved behind me and gestured for me to walk ahead of him towards a covered photograph. Its size and shape made it clear that it was a photo frame, but I couldn't help but wonder what was so special about it. I was eager to find out.
We moved towards it slowly, and then he finally asked me to remove the cloth. So I did, and as soon as the cloth fell from the photo frame, I couldn't help but gasp in awe. Before me was a stunning, hand-made sketch of myself. It was more than just beautiful; it was absolutely breathtaking. It was a sketch of me dressed as a bride . The artist had captured every feature and contour so perfectly that it could easily be mistaken for a photograph. But the name written below it, "AADHIRA KABIR MALHOTRA ~ IRA ♡," in bold letters, was proof that it was a handmade masterpiece.
"You...you got this made for me?" I asked him, but to my surprise, he shook his head in denial.
"Then?" I asked, feeling a wave of confusion wash over me.
"I made it," he replied, his tone nonchalant as if it wasn't a big deal.
"What?!" I exclaimed, my eyes widening like saucers at his statement. I pointed my finger at the sketch and said, "So you're telling me that this amazing sketch-" I paused, turning my finger at him this time, "-was made by you?"
He simply nodded with a smile, shrugging his shoulders casually.
"When did you learn all of this?" I asked, feeling amused.
"I didn't learn it, Aadhira. I've always had an interest in sketching. I used to do it a lot in college and even won several awards for it. I decided to make a sketch of you as a bride because I knew you might not have many pictures from that day. Hence I decided to give you a beautiful memory," he explained. I looked at him with adoration, realizing what a talented husband I had. I'm not very skilled in this area, and only I know that.
"And you know what, I'm absolutely terrible at arts ! I used to get in trouble for not completing my art homework," I said with a giggle. He chuckled in response.
"No worries, I'm good at art and you're amazing at singing and playing the guitar, which I can't do. I wonder what talented kids we'll have," he said in the midst of his laughter. My laughter suddenly stopped as his words sank in, and I looked at him with an amused expression. But the determination in his eyes told me that it wasn't just a joke. I couldn't help but blush deeply.
"Don't ogle at me like that! I'm not joking, let's think practically now," he replied, winking at me. In response, I playfully hit him on the shoulder with my fists.
"Don't try to hide that blush from me. It's my reward for all the hard work, isn't it?" he said, teasingly.
"Shut up, Kabir! Please stop with the flirting," I replied, trying to hide my smile. He finally stopped teasing me.
"Okay, okay, fine. Just one last thing," he said.
"What? No way, Kabir! How many of my photos have you actually framed?" I asked, curious and slightly concerned.
"That much are needed to make you believe that how much beautiful, amazing , charming and pretty you are and you look every single day and time." He replied and I couldn't help but stare at him as if this is the only view I want for the whole of my life.
"Now open this," he said, handing me a gift wrapped in colorful paper. I couldn't contain my excitement and eagerly tore open the wrapping like a child. He chuckled at my impatience.
"Take it easy, Aadhira. It's not going anywhere," he teased. I completely ignored him because all I wanted was to see the picture inside. My gaze landed on a photo of myself that he had secretly taken yesterday. It was a candid shot, but I have to admit, I looked pretty good in it.
"When did you take it?" I asked suddenly.
"When you were busy eating," he replied.
"But you should have told me," I replied.
"Why? You were looking so beautiful at that moment that I couldn't tear my eyes away from you. I quickly grabbed my phone from my pocket to capture that mesmerizing sight right in front of me," he replied.
"Did you just say that I was looking beautiful?" I asked.
"No! I said you are beautiful, not just in looks, but in every way. Do you understand the difference, my scatterbrained wife?" he said, playfully tapping the tip of my nose.
"Now tell me, how was it?" he asked me.
"It was... it was just so amazing that I can't even find the right words to explain how absolutely fabulous it was. But why did you do all of this?" I finally asked.
"I did it to make my wife realize just how beautiful she is, how much she deserves, and to never settle for anything less," he replied.
"This is the best day of my life. Thank you so much for putting in so much effort for me," I said to him, and in the next moment, I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He reciprocated by placing his hands on my waist, bringing us even closer together.
"Thank you, Mr. Husband, Mr. Amazing Handsome Husband," I said, my voice muffled as my face nestled against his neck , and I could see his ears and neck turning red with his body suddenly felt warm because of our proximity. I pulled away slightly and planted a kiss on the tip of his nose, surprising him.
"Thank you for the compliment, my beautiful wife. Now I hope you realize just how charming you are, and you won't forget it. So, keep that in mind, Mrs. Kabir. We need to get ready for your interview, so let's be quick," he said, heading towards the bathroom with his towel.
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Chapter 34 and 35 and now 36 are already available on SCROLLSTACKS as chapter 31 and 32, you can go and read.
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