My heart sank further as I looked at him. It pierced my chest to see him sitting with his knees drawn up to his chest and his head tilted back against the wall.
I gulped silently and walked toward him.
Feeling my presence, he opened his eyes and looked at me lazily.
Inhaling deeply, he thinned his brows and palmed his face in frustration.
“Kunwar-sa, aap apne bistar par kyun nahi so rahe?”“Kunwar-sa, why aren’t you sleeping in your bed?” I asked in a slow, polite voice, pouring all the honey I had in my body.
He stood up on his feet, replying,“Tumse matlab,”“None of your business.”
I clenched my jaw in anger. I couldn’t sleep because of him, and he was throwing fits.
When he tried to walk past me, I grabbed him by his chest and pulled him closer.
His eyes widened in shock as our bodies crashed against each other.
“Hai matlab. Poore gaanv ki upasthiti mein sher banke maang bhari thi aapne humaari. Thodi si ladaai karli to aapke matlab samaapt ho gaye?”“It is my business. You filled the vermilion in my head like a brave heart in front of the entire village. And suddenly, after an argument, it’s none of my business?” I asked, my voice rising slightly but in a whisper, so as not to wake the whole palace.
He stared into my eyes and held my wrists, trying to push my hands down. I tightened my fists even more and stared back into his eyes.
“You are getting married to Princess Rashmika?” I asked, frowning.
He lowered his gaze to my lips, lifted it back to look intensely into my eyes, and nodded.“Yes, I am,”
My anger rose to another level, and I pulled him even closer.
“Don’t you dare, Kunwar-sa,” I warned.
He gritted his teeth.“Vivaah bhi karenge, suhaagraat bhi manaayenge aur chote-chote pyaare-pyaare bacche ko janm denge,”“I’ll get married, consummate, and give birth to small, beautiful kids with her,” he muttered, pushing my hands down his chest.
My knuckles whitened with the strength I was pouring.
But he was stronger, and there was no chance I could hold him against his will.
He jerked my hands low and exclaimed,“Hum dono ke madhya ab koi sambandh nahi, aur na kabhi hoga,”“There is nothing between us, and there won’t be anything ever.”
Hearing him, I gulped and fought back my tears. He walked away, and I couldn’t stop myself from grabbing his wrist and pushing him against the shelf.
His eyes widened with shock.
“Humaare madhya koi sambandh nahi se taatparya kya hai aapka? Itni saralta se bol denge aap. Kuch din pehle to aap ro rahe the humaare liye. Ab aapka prem lupt ho gaya?”“What do you mean by saying that there is nothing between us? How can you say that with such ease? You were crying for me a few days ago; now your love is over?” I asked, and the shelf shook slightly under his muscular frame.
He gritted his teeth and looked intensely into my eyes.
“Natak kar rahein the. Tumhe pata to chal hi gaya tha. Ab ye sab kyun kar rahi ho?”“I was acting. You figured it out, didn’t you? Now, why are you behaving like this?” he asked in a low but frustrated voice.
I couldn’t help but raise my voice.“Aapko samajh nahi aa raha hum ye sab kyu kar rahein hain? Humein nahi acchi lagti Rajkumari Rashmika ya koi bhi, jiske vishay mein aap sochein, baat karein ya chinta karein,”“You are not getting why I am doing all of this? I don’t like Princess Rashmika or anyone you think about or you care about.”
He inhaled sharply and inched forward.
A chill ran down my spine, and I quickly stepped back. My body pressed against the wall, and I looked into his eyes, boring into mine with anger.
“Kyun? Tum hoti kaun ho jiske acche lagne ya na lagne se humein antar padega?”“Why, who are you, and why would your likeness matter to me?” His words infuriated me even more.
I couldn’t help but exclaim,“Patni hain aapki, aapko antar padna chaahiye”“I am your wife, and it should matter to you.”
He thinned his brows and inhaled deeply.
