Married To A Stranger

A month Later

“Please don’t say anything to mother and father yet” Sreesha requested Jayanth. She knew it would be hard for them to be disappointed if Sreesha’s theories were wrong about Saadhika, but deep down in her heart, she knew that Saadhika is indeed their little princess.

Jayanth gave her a small smile and nodded and started examining the reports he got from the investigator.

Heeding Karthik’s advice, Sreesha agreed to share her speculations with Jayanth, who jumped into action at the mention of Esha’s name. It doesn’t matter if he had to be disappointed with the result yet again, but he would never let go of a chance to search for Esha.

“Is there anything that could help us, Uncle?” Karthik asked Jayanth, with hope in his eyes.

“There is nothing solid” Jayanth paused a little “But there are no records of Saadhika or her last name. what is even weird was, the investigator couldn’t find anything about her childhood or even her teen years. There were no pictures of hers available expect the ones our investigator clicked secretly.”

“I think our Queen is thinking just like her, A Queen” Jayanth tried to joke, but he knew it was true. He had been thinking in only one way, Sreesha’s theories made him think that maybe he needs to think beyond what he can see or hear. He needs to go out of the box to find answers for what he is trying piece together.

Now that he found away, he would do just that. He would find a way to bring back who they lost years ago.

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“Do you think it is safe to inform Jaykar uncle and Yamini aunty about…” Sreesha cut off Karthik’s words with a sharp look.

“Not a word, Karthik. They may look strong, but Esha’s topic must be still sensitive to them. Didn’t you see how they are with each other? For the first time, I saw them behaving like normal husband and wife but not as slave and master. I would want nothing but to kill Rajat for making them suffer all these years. Everything for what? Revenge? He is the most deranged psychopath I’ve ever heard of. Trust me, I would make him suffer so much, that he would wish for death and nothing else” Sreesha vowed.

For the first time in her life, Sreesha saw her parents taking care of each other… adopted or not, they are the only parents she knew, and she can never call them otherwise. They are her mother and father and it would stay like that for the rest of their lives.

She was not kidding when she wished for Rajat’s demise, in fact, she would watch it sitting in the front row.

“Sree” Karthik called out for her. She was thinking too much these days and Karthik was too worried about her. Sreesha just hummed looking into space.

“What if…” Karthik hesitated, that got her attention, she nodded asking him to continue “what if Saadhika is indeed Esha? What are you planning to do?”

“What do you think, Karthik?” Sreesha countered him with a secretive smile.

“Sree, you are planning something. I’m sure it would make me crazy. You should definitely stop spending so much time with mom” Karthik complained as he had been for the past few weeks.

Yes, Sreesha has been spending more time with her mother-in-law. Sreesha found she needs a mastermind to make different theories of what must have happened in the past. Who else can help her with them other than her mother-in-law?

Of course, she has other reasons too, but it is not the right time.

“Please don’t tell me you’re actually jealous of mom” Sreesha teased him instead.

“Sree” Karthik warned and she sighed in defeat.

“Mom and I have been reading the books about our family” She started “And we found a way to make Esha come home.” Sreesha gave Karthik a pleading look.

“Are you trying to make yourself a prey?” Karthik yelled at her.

“It is nothing like that, Karthik. Please listen to me” Sreesha pleaded.

“No. Whatever you must be planning with mom must stop” he grabbed her shoulders roughly “if you ever try to put yourself and our baby in harm’s way, it would be the last you would hear me talk to you or you see me like your Karthi” Sreesha was flabbergasted. No one knew about her pregnancy except her and her mother-in-law.

“K- Karti… How… I mean” Sreesha stuttered.

“What? Shocked that I know about your pregnancy? Do you take me that dumb, Sree? Of course, I know from the way you move around me when you hide things from me”

“Do you think I would not notice you trace your stomach all the time?”

“Do you think I will not notice mom sneaking out to buy raw mangoes for you in the name of shopping?”

“Do you think that I would be so dumb to notice you walk at a slow pace than usual?”

“Do you think I would not be informed about your doctor to visit a couple of days ago?”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Do you think I was blind to see the medicines you are taking for our baby’s health?”

“What did you think, Sree? Do you think I would be stupid enough to make you a bait just because I didn’t know about your pregnancy? Our pregnancy?”

Noticing a thin layer of tears in his eyes, Sreesha couldn’t hold back anymore. She did the only thing she had been dying to do all these weeks, she broke down in front of him.

Sreesha was so ecstatic when she finds out about her being pregnant but stopped herself because she knew Karthik would not let her out of his sight if he gets to know about her situation. Her mother-in-law found her going through cabinets of the kitchen in search of something sour. At that point, she was craving for raw mangoes so bad that she couldn’t hold herself back anymore.

Her mother-in-law promised her that she wouldn’t say a word when she explained what she is planning but, on a condition, that Sreesha should follow her every word and eat whatever she cooks for her with her own hands.

Malini Shekhar knew that it is better if the news is secret for now because it would be a ruckus if word goes out about her pregnancy and she can’t trust any of her staff about Sreesha’s safety these days. She also gave Sreesha a few weeks of time to announce the news to Karthik.

Looking at Sreesha crying like a baby, Karthik couldn’t help but take her in his arms and console her.

Yes, he was disappointed and angry at her, but he knew why she was doing this.

She thought it was her duty to make her parents happy again, so she was trying to do anything and everything to find Esha even if that means keeping herself in danger. He knew she was under a lot of stress these days, so he stopped persisting her to tell him what she was thinking because he knew… he knew all along.

He knew when he found the pregnancy test in their washroom’s dustbin. He thought Sreesha would surprise him with the news and kept quiet. Later, he saw her stress about everything, her eyes following him everywhere with guilt in her eyes. He knew it was not easy for her too… It didn’t miss his notice that she threw up every time she smells his coffee and how his own mother covers it up as stomach bug.

It is not just him who knew, everyone in the house knew about her pregnancy but kept mum just to keep her happy. One day Yamini gifted him books about pregnancy and told him to reach every line without missing a word. The books which were tucked safely in his study table away from Sreesha’s sight.

“I am sorry” Sreesha was apologizing nonstop nor did she stop crying.

Karthik was so angry at him for being this sensitive about her, but what can he do? She was the only weakness for him carrying another weakness in her womb.

How can he stay mad at her when her intentions were honorable?

He kissed her forehead softly, tucking the loose strand of hair behind her ear. Sreesha slowly opened her eyes and met his gaze. He was looking at her so softly, there was no anger in his eyes… maybe his love for her dominated the anger he was feeling towards her.

“I- I am so- sorry, Karthi” Sreesha mumbled, sniffling cutely making Kathik to smile softly.

He kissed her nose making her scrunch when it tickled.

“I want to punish you as well, for hiding things from your husband” Karthik teased her pinching her nose.

“Am I forgiven?” Sreesha asked hopefully making Karthik sigh.

“Trust me Sree, I want to make you suffer for hiding such important information from me, but I didn’t miss a moment of our child, so I can forgive you if you follow a few conditions,” Karthik said, her hand reaching her stomach and tracing it lovingly.

“Conditions? What are they?” Sreesha sighed in defeat “What do you mean that you didn’t miss a moment of our child?” Sreesha demanded when she reminisced what he said.

“Yes, conditions. And yes, I didn’t miss our baby because I always sleep with my hand over your stomach and used to talk to him/her after making sure you are asleep” Karthik answered smirking.

“This is so unfair! You knew all these days and still made me feel guilty. I thought it was all a dream whenever I hear you talking in my sleep” Sreesha started punching his chest.

“So? I have every right to be angry on you” Karthik shrugged nonchalantly.

“I will not follow any rules you make” Sreesha turned around from him briskly but placed a hand over her stomach protectively when she noticed what she did.

“Okay… I would just ask mom to include it to her list of things to do” he shrugged again making Sreesha angrier.

“I would make mom do all my work so I wouldn’t have to face your tantrums.” He said smirking a little.

“But” he stopped dramatically making Sreesha to raise an eyebrow at him.

“My one rule for you is to repeat the words whenever I say ‘I Love You’ to you” kissing her angry pout.

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“It is a match!” Jayanth announced with a huge grin on his face looking at the DNA test in his hands.