Chapter-40

Shraddha Kumar Malhotra


I was in trance after reading his entry. It was broken by the knock on the door. There was a maid standing and she gave me a bag of sanitary pads. I was going to close the door when she stopped me. I opened the door widely, Driver uncle entered the bedroom. He was carrying a bouquet of pink lilies. He kept the bouquet on the glass table. Then he again came with a basket of various types of chocolates. There was a small handwritten note attached to it. 

'I hope these all will bring a smile on your lips. Have rest. Take care. See you in the evening. - MM'

I smiled reading the note. I inhaled the fragrance of lilies. Pink lilies symbolise femininity, admiration. I unwrapped the chocolate basket and took out a bar of dark chocolate. I tasted it. I arranged the flowers in a vase and kept it on the table.

I felt happy that Aaron did all this for me. I again opened the diary and turned to the next page. It was a very recent entry of Aaron and it was after a long period of the previous entry.

'Hie, after a long time I'm writing in it. I don't know how and why but my feelings towards my wife are intensifying. Oh, I'm sorry I didn't introduce her. Well her name is Shraddha Aaron Malhotra. She is an MBA gold medallist. She owns a café with her best friend. She is crazy. She is a prankster. She is childish yet mature. 

Yesterday she said I love you to someone. I know when we got married I was the one who said that we will not be husband-wife but will be friends. When I saw her hugging that stranger and telling him I love you, I was so angry. I felt possessive of her. 

I'm discovering different emotions which I never knew. I don't like when she hides things from me. She doesn't speak freely in front of me. She is mischievous. Her laugh is filled with happiness. She takes care of Mom-dad well. She has accepted my sister happily.  She thought I would leave mom-dad and shift somewhere else and she was opposing me for this.

Radha, I care for her. I don't know whether I like her or not but I can't let her leave me. I kissed her. My first kiss which I thought it would be with you, happened with my wife. It was magical. 

Radha, this will be my last entry for you. I respect honesty and loyalty. I don't want me to be the one to break this. I promised myself that I will give my sincerity and 100% to my marriage. 

Radha, Goodbye my love. You will always be my first love. If in future we meet, you will be my past and my wife will be my present and future.'


Aaron.

He loves me. He loves me only. His first love is me. Radha which is me. Oh god, I didn't even realize that Ishaan Brother told me the name of his love. I was so dumb to notice the name and details of the girl he loves. I never thought that the one he loves would be me.

Now as I got to know that he loves me, I feel bad that I got to know so late. How can you be such a mature, pure and honest person? I have never seen a guy like you, Mr Aaron Malhotra. Every day you make me fall in love with you more and more.

I don't understand what I should do in this situation. Should I tell him that the one whom he is searching is me? I'm his Radha. The one whom he loves. But now he started caring for me as his wife. My original identity is Shraddha. I want him to love me as Shraddha instead of Radha.

God, please help me. He is a gem of a person and I'm lucky to have him in my life. He had faced a lot of hardships in his life. Who says that rich people don't face hardships? They have their own demons to face. I want to have you a happy and peaceful life, Aaron. 

I thought, looking at the flowers. 

I will make sure that from now one I'll be with you in your every hardship and problem. You will not be alone to face them. We both together will face them.

I promised to myself. Lunch was provided to me in my bedroom as per my husband's order. I took a small afternoon nap after lunch. In the evening I and mom were sitting on the swing in the backyard. Mom gave me a plate of fruits. I was munching on them. 

"Mom." "Mom." Aaron's shout came. Soon he was standing in front of us.

"What happened? Why were you shouting?" mom asked him.

He looked at me and said, "Nothing." 

"I'll go and freshen up," he said after a minute. 

"Ok, then you can give company to Shraddha. I have to make dinner." Mom said.

He nodded looking at me and went upstairs. After 15 minutes he came into the backyard and sat beside me on the swing. I was fed up with eating healthy from the morning. I usually crave unhealthy food these days. 

"Finish up that plate." came the stern voice of my husband. 

I huffed and ignored him. I kept the plate on the side table and looked towards the front. It was evening time and sunset was taking place. The sky was filled with different shades of colors. There was a cool breeze in the air. 

He picked up the plate from the table and said, "Shraddha eat it. It is healthy for you." 

I thought for a minute and then said. "Ok but then you also have to eat it with me."  "Why me? I don't want to eat." He said frowning.

"Then I will also not eat it," I said stubbornly.

"Ok, Ok. Fine." He said giving up at my stubbornness.

I picked up the piece of fruit from the plate and forwarded it to him. He looked at me and opened his mouth.

'Does he want me to feed him?' I thought. 

I fed him the fruit. His lips brushed on my fingertips. He smirked while eating his fruit.

"I'm enjoying eating fruits," he said, teasing me.

I silently started eating fruits. As there were only a few pieces left so I quickly fed him two more pieces and finished the remaining one. He kept the plate on the table and took out tissue paper from its box. 

I thought he was using it to clean his fingers and mouth but what he did make me stunned. He took my hand in his hand and started to clean every finger carefully. Then he took another tissue and he cleaned my lips. 

After that, he cleaned himself. It was dark in the sky. I was feeling cold so I rubbed my hand together. Immediately I was covered in a shawl. I looked at the source of it and saw my husband covered me in it.

Aaron, you make me fall for you so hard. I'm so so in love with you. 

I saw that he didn't bring a shawl for him so I took him in the shawl. We both were sitting close to each other. He kept his hand on my shoulder. I put my head on his shoulder. We were engulfed in the warmth of each other.

We both were enjoying the silence and presence of each other. 

Soon we were called for dinner. After dinner, I had a bath and changed into nightwear. Aaron was already wearing nightwear. He was reading some files and doing work on his laptop. I looked at him and sat on the bed. I took out a book to read. I kept staring at him. I wanted to tell him that I'm his Radha but I want him to fall for me. For Shraddha.

He sat in front of me and snapped his fingers. I looked at the place he was seating before to see that he was finished with his work.

"Oh, Hi," I said being embarrassed.

"How are you now? Is it painful?" he asked.

"I'm good. It is not that painful compared to the morning." I said.

I remember that I didn't thank him for the flowers and chocolates.

"Thank you for the flowers and chocolate," I said delightfully.

"Did you like it?" he asked smiling.

"Yes, they helped a lot to lift my mood," I said smiling at him gleefully.

"How was the meeting?" I asked.

"It went well. We discussed the moves and steps of the dance. Selection of songs also took place. We will start rehearsing the dance from tomorrow." he said.

"When will you be performing?" I asked.

"This weekend," he informed me.

"So soon? Why so sudden?" I asked.

"Well, the last time I performed was before our marriage when I went to the USA. After that, I didn't have time to sign any contract. It has been almost a month and my fans are eagerly waiting for my performance so we planned this small event." he said.

 "But when will you be practicing? Your schedule is packed for this week. Moreover, Mr Sethi is bugging you to complete the project before a given time." I asked really concerned for his show and the project. He was not going to get time for breath also.

"Well, don't worry about it. I'll manage it. You take care of yourself and have rest." He said and made me lie on the bed.

"Good night." He said and kissed my forehead.

"Good night." I wished him back. He dimmed the lights and covered both of us with a quilt.

He pulled me towards his arms. I snuggled and slept peacefully...............................................