He's Mine, I Claim!

Chapter Three

Kali:

The wedding ceremony commenced, and the bride took her place next to the groom. After the completion of the prenuptial customs, they prepared themselves for the sacred ritual of tying the knot. Arnav, with a steady hand, tied the knot, and then the veil was lifted from the bride's face. I swallowed hard, and Arnav was taken aback.

"Kali? How could you?" Arnav exclaimed, seeing me adorned with the mangalsutra he had just tied. I managed a smirk, concealing the agony that this decision brought me.

"I've already told you, you're mine," I declared.

"I will never acknowledge you as my wife," Arnav retorted, and he departed with his family, leaving me alone in the grandeur of the wedding hall.

I went to his house as I couldn't step back now after marrying him.

"Arnav..."

"Don't say a word. You married me without my consent. I will never accept you as my wife. Leave," Arnav retorted, making me calm.

"Arnav, she's your wife now. Whether you accept it or not, she will live here," his Aunt declared.

"But I will never accept her as my wife," he reiterated, and I was disheartened but hid the pain immediately as I don't want others to know that his words affected me.

"Arnav, calm down. Everything happens for a reason. Now that she's your wife, give her a chance to earn your love. Give her six months, and if she can't convince you, then ask her to leave," His uncle suggested, and Arnav turned to look at me.

"Alright, but she must prove that she's worthy of me," Arnav stated.

"I will do that," I responded immediately, as I don't want to miss Arnav or this family. Arnav acknowledged my presence with a nod before withdrawing to his room. I chose to settle on the living room sofa, not wanting to disturb his peace again.

Arnav's aunt and uncle had somehow convinced him to let me stay in his house. It all happened so fast, leaving me no room for alternatives. Why did everything in my life seem to occur against my will? The whirlwind of events left me feeling overwhelmed and emotionally drained. I had dreamt of marrying Arnav out of love, but now I questioned if I would ever receive his affection. This unexpected turn of events had likely intensified his resentment towards me.

Initially, I had resolved not to cause any disruptions in his impending marriage. However, the thought of losing Arnav compelled me to see him one last time before his wedding. To my astonishment, his bride-to-be was not the innocent woman he believed her to be. She was only interested in his wealth and aimed to break his family. Arnav, an orphan raised by his uncle and aunt alongside his brother, held immense love and respect for them. He treated his younger brother as if he were his own child. Their family was a beautiful blend of simplicity and uncomplicated love. I couldn't bear the thought of such a family being torn apart by a greedy woman. So, I stepped in as his bride, restraining the other woman, and married him. Arnav, oblivious to the truth, despised me for our unexpected marriage.

That night, his aunt assisted me in draping a saree and ushered me into his room for our wedding night. As Arnav closed the door, his gaze swept over me from head to toe, igniting an unfamiliar nervousness within me. Despite never having been intimidated by anyone before, I found myself feeling shy under Arnav's scrutiny. His unwavering gaze left me breathless.

"Look, I am not ready for this. Let's take time until I feel for you," Arnav voiced his feelings in an irritated tone.

I remained silent, respecting his feelings.

"Change your dress and take rest. I am sleeping."

Arnav settled into bed, inviting sleep, and I lay down beside him. Exhaustion quickly overtook me, and I drifted into a peaceful slumber. When I awoke, I found myself nestled in Arnav's arms, a sight that brought a smile to my lips. I had slept more peacefully than ever before. Carefully extricating myself from his hold, I freshened up, ready to face a new day.

I descended to the kitchen with the intention of brewing coffee for Arnav and his family. However, I found myself frozen in place, clueless about how to switch on the stove. I had never been to the kitchen before. In my moment of confusion, I turned to Google for guidance.

Following the instructions I found online, I managed to ignite the stove. I placed the milk on the burner and began searching for coffee powder and sugar. As I reached for the coffee powder on an upper shelf, it slipped from my grasp, causing other boxes containing some type of flour to tumble down as well. The milk boiled over, and in my attempt to remove the bowl, I burnt my fingers. I dropped the bowl and screamed. Arnav rushed into the kitchen, his eyes narrowing as he took in the mess I had created. How could I explain to him that my upbringing had not prepared me for this? Would he yell at me now? I reminded myself to stay calm and patient.

"Why did you scream?" Arnav asked, more concerned than angry. I showed him my burnt fingers.

Arnav gently held my wrist and led me to the living room, where he applied a soothing gel to my fingers.

"Who asked you to do all this?" Arnav's tone was stern, but his concern was evident.

"I thought of brewing coffee for you."

"Did I ask you to do that?"

"No, but..."

"Do you know how to prepare coffee?"

"No, but I googled it."

Arnav smiled, causing my heart to flutter. His smile was adorable. My gaze drifted to his lips, recalling the kiss we had shared. Arnav caught my gaze and understood my thoughts.

"Not again," Arnav said.

"Why not? Our bond is now official," I countered.

"Don't go into the kitchen again. I'll ask the maid to clean it and make you coffee. Don't hurt yourself by attempting tasks you're unfamiliar with. Being my wife doesn't mean you have to do all this. If you're interested in learning, take it slow and learn from my aunt," Arnav advised, skillfully changing the topic.

At breakfast, I attempted to serve everyone, but my inexperience showed when the serving spoon slipped from my grasp. I could see Arnav's frustration as he closed his eyes.

"Kali, you don't need to do that. Come and join us for breakfast," his aunt said, smiling at me. I sat next to Arnav, who stopped the maid from serving me food. Was he planning to insult me? My eyes darkened in anticipation, ready to counter his move, but to my surprise, Arnav fed me breakfast with his hand.

"You can't eat with those burnt fingers," Arnav said, his care for me evident in his actions. Did he truly hate me? Didn't he love me? Why did I sense something amiss?

"Don't think too much. It's just basic humanity, not love. And I could never love a killer," Arnav said.

Hi readers, how's the episode? Does Arnav hate Kali♥️♥️? How would she escape from Kalki🤺🤺🤺? Is Marrying Arnav right or a wrong choice? 🤔 🤔 🙃🙃🤐🤐