CHAPTER – 3
Abhyansh and Isha were getting ready for work when Isha turned to her husband who was wearing his tie... She put her palms on his palms, he left the tie letting his wife help him with it.
"You really think I should confront bhai ?", she asked setting his tie and helping him wear his blazer over his waistcoat...
"I know you wanted to see how long will he play these games but it's destroying your peace and I can't handle that, I want you to destroy the peace of the one who had hurt you instead, no matter who he is", he said indirectly telling her about himself too, he meant every word he told her, when she is hurt, he wants her to destroy everything around her, anything that could make her feel better but not her own mental peace which she tends to do a lot.
"Thank you", she said hugging him...
"For ?", he asked stroking her hair
"For not hurting bhai... I know seeing me in distress urged you to hurt him but you are controlling yourself... Thanks for that", she said breaking the hug with a smile... He smiled in return... He thought she didn't notice his fury, but then again, he chided himself for thinking so, his wife right from the start is very good at observing even little things about him.
"The things I do for my Rani sa", he said teasing her... She slapped him on his chest at that, he knew she hated it these days when he said that...
"So ? Whom would you do things for if not for me ? Showing off as if you did something great...", she said and he chuckled, both of them walked to the basement and got into his car, Abhyansh shut down the partition after Bhairav got in the passenger seat and the driver started driving away.
Isha leaned her head on his chest while he kissed her hair holding her securely wounding his arms around her waist, he knew she needed to let something out and he just waited patiently for her to find that comfort in their silence...
"Why didn't bhai tell me ? I was always available for him always, why did he hide it from me ? Instead, I should be the one who should have hesitated in telling about my love for you to him considering his protectiveness, but I told him first even before I told you... I wanted to, though I knew he would scold me. I share every little thing with him then why didn't he ? Didn't he think I would be happy for him or he thought it wasn't necessary to tell me?", she let it out, she knew she was very important to her brother but she wanted to hear her husband assure her that again, she couldn't even imagine her brother loving her any less than he does or did in the past.
"You know you are the most important person in his life, but yes you are right to get mad at him, he cannot treat you like this, especially when you give him so much importance, you told him first that you love me before confessing it to me", Abhyansh said and Isha got that he is upset about her confessing it to her brother before him.
"Looks like someone is upset with me?", she said teasing him for his jealousy... He ignored his wife's teasing and started doing work on his ipad. "Rana sa... Don't ignore me, I don't like it, when I am with you, I want all your attention on me", she said
"You have all my attention when you are beside me, doesn't matter whether I am looking at you or not", he said continuing his work but his left hand that's holding her waist pulled her more towards him.
"Where are you pulling me huh, now I'll have to sit in your lap because there is no space between us now", she said trying to put some distance between them but with his tight hold, the task seemed impossible.
"I would love to make you sit on my lap not just for this drive but for the whole day, every day of our life", he said nuzzling his head in her neck but his right hand kept working on the tab, she wondered exactly how talented her husband is that he could work in his laptop without looking at it.
"Okay enough of your romance, now go and work, I'll meet you at lunch", she said pushing his face away gently, he frowned but hearing her lunch comment, he got happy.
"You'll be having lunch with me today ?", he asked
"Not just today, I'll be having lunch with you every day from now on", she said and a grin appeared before it disappeared with her next statement. "I'll inform Avyan as well, you know, that boy skipped lunch 3 times last week, so from now on, he will have lunch with me only", she added
"Oh... I don't want to disturb you and your brother-in-law with my presence Rani sa, so spare me, have your lunch in your brother-in-law's cabin", he said brooding and she decided to tease him...
"Haa you are right actually, with you in the same room, we can't even have fun", she said and he raised his brow giving her a look of 'unbelievable' and she chuckled.
"Sometimes you behave like a kid", Isha said kissing his cheek.
"I thought we'll have our privacy during lunch but no, how can Rani sa allow that, she had to bring either her brother-in-law Or my brother-in-law in between us always", he taunted making her laugh hard.
They reached their office and left to their floors and started with their work. At lunch, she went to her husband's cabin on the first floor, he reached there.
She started serving the food in 3 plates. Her phone which is on the table just beside Abhyansh's laptop buzzed with Ranveer's contact.
"Who is it Rana sa?", she asked pausing the work she was doing.
"Rajput", Abhyansh said, Isha nodded and continued serving them asking her husband to ignore the call and he frowned. "You are ignoring him ?", Abhyansh asked looking at the call history, her brother had been calling her since morning but she wasn't answering.
"Yes", she said
"I thought you wanted to confront him now", he asked her
"I want to, and I will but when he comes to me, bhai has hurt me a lot Rana sa so I can't go to him to confront, he has to come to me this time...", she said and he nodded "My husband carries me on his crown, I am his pride, so I can't bow right ?hum apne Rana sa ke ghurur hai, hum kaise jhuk sakte hai (I'm my Rana sa's pride, how can I bow ?)", she said and he smirked at his queen with a pride-filled face. "Well, it's not just about you, my brother too always treated me like a princess, he never let me bow, that's why I never learned to compromise when it's about him", she added and his smirk disappeared
"You can't see me happy, right? Was it necessary to mention Rajput ?", he asked she chuckled remembering her brother complaining the same way about her husband, Abhyansh glared at her...
"Okay I'm sorry", she said kissing his cheek... Just then they heard a knock... "Must be Avyan, allow him", Isha said, Abhyansh pressed the allow in his tablet hearing his wife, and the display board on the door showed 'Come in' and Avyan entered in, greeted his brother and sister-in-law respectfully.
"Come Avyan, sit here", Isha said and Avyan sat on the big couch at the right side of the cabin. signaling her husband to come as well to which Abhyansh shut his laptop with a bang and walked to the couch, and with the sound, Avyan understood his brother was mad at him.
"Are you a kid ? Should someone sit beside and feed you every time ?", Abhyansh asked and Avyan froze hearing his brother, how did his brother know about him skipping his lunch ? Of course, his bhabhi sa, he so wanted to glare at Isha but couldn't dare to do that in front of his brother.
"Rana sa... it's okay, he won't repeat again", Isha said trying to save her brother-in-law.
"Aap beech mein mat boliye Rani sa(You don't talk in between Rani sa)", he said seriously before looking at his brother again... "Why didn't you skip lunch last week ?", Abhyansh asked his brother strictly...
"Bhai sa, an important requirement occurred and I had to take care of it", Avyan answered trying hard not to fumble as he knew it could bring more trouble as it would trigger his brother's BP and he might shout at him, his brother doesn't normally shout but the fear of him doing that scares everyone including Isha. Abhyansh glared at his brother which made him gulp his saliva, even Isha couldn't say anything as her husband already warned her not to come in between. Isha signaled Avyan and he said, "I won't skip my meals from here on Bhai sa, please forgive me for this once".
"Hm...", Abhyansh nodded and started eating, after which Avyan and Isha started eating. Soon after Abhyansh was done with his food, Avyan got up as he finished much before his brother but couldn't get up before his brother, he took permission from his brother and left from there and as soon as the door closed, Isha turned to her husband, he thought now she would give him an earful for scolding her one and only brother-in-law.
"Good job Mr. Husband, now Avyan won't skip lunch", she said and he shook his head at his wife's unpredictability, she wants him not to scold Avyan but at the same time discipline him in some things. If this is the case with his fully grown-up brother, only god can save him when they have their children.
Isha and Abhyansh got back to their respective floors. In the evening, Isha wrapped up her work and came to Ragini to let her know she would be leaving for home when she saw Ragini's phone buzzing with the contact 'R'. If it was earlier, Isha would never have guessed but now she knows it's her brother that's calling her best friend.
"Excuse me", Ragini said and was about to get up but Isha held her shoulder making her sit on her chair...
"Sit here and talk... I have no problem", Isha said, but there was no smile on her face, Ragini found it odd but she first picked up the call.
"Baby, Is Ishu there ? I'm trying her phone since morning, she isn't picking up my calls", Ranveer said into phone, Ragini couldn't say anything...
"Yes, and I'll talk to you later", Ragini said and is about to cut the call, as she is sh*t scared of talking to Ranveer in front of Isha as she is afraid of Isha suspecting them...
"Give the phone to Ishu Right now Ragini... I'm hell-worried for her here", Ranveer shouted and his scream was so loud that it was heard out from the phone. He didn't care now if his sister suspected him and Ragini, he just had to talk to her, she hadn't called him for a whole week and when he gathered up the confidence to talk to her, she wasn't picking up his calls and he got hell worried. Reetu who was just sitting beside Isha, cupped her mouth and looked at Isha to gauge her expression but her face was calm like before, there was no change of emotions, Ragini was even scared to look at Isha.
"Give me the phone Ragini", Isha said and Ragini's eyes widened with surprise nonetheless she did what she was asked. "Look Mr. Rajput, firstly, you cannot talk to my friend in that tone, secondly she is at work, disturbing her for petty things isn't acceptable, she is not your sister's personal assistant, if you want to talk to me, then come to see me directly", Isha spoke into the phone and hung up, giving the phone back to Ragini. With Isha's behavior, Ragini understood that Isha had some idea, or she might even know the whole thing, then why did she behave the same with her ? Why didn't she confront her ? Ragini thought
"Ishu... I'm sorry, I..", Ragini started but Isha showed her palm...
"My own brother didn't bother to tell me, how could I have any complaints against you Ragini ?", Isha said, though she tried to conceal, her welled-up eyes gave away her pain.
"Ishu... Please... I'm sorry", Ragini said holding Isha's palms, she felt extremely guilty seeing Isha in pain. "I was scared Ishu... Ranveer wanted to tell you but I...", Ragini started but Isha jerked her hands softly glaring at her friend.
"You are very well prepared with your answers, but guess what ? I'm not interested in hearing any of them...", Isha said getting up... "I'll leave for home now, I'm done with my work boss", Isha told Ragini in her soft tone but it held determination, without waiting for her response, she walked away picking her bag.
Her tears slipped down as soon as she got into her husband's car and the partition was up.
Abhyansh took his wife in his arms wiping her tears gently, his external demeanor was calm but internally he was equally burning with rage seeing his wife's tears.
"Don't cry, we'll make him cry instead...", he said
"I am hurt... I feel betrayed, I can't hide my pain anymore, I might have become strong but I can't stop these stupid tears when it comes to you or bhai... You won't hurt me like this right ?", she asked and he pulled her more into his arms rubbing her back and forearm, wiping her tears...
His heart constricted at the sight of his wife's tears, he never thought he could again get affected emotionally by any human's pain but then his wife entered his life changing everything. He is not much of a talker but his demeanor, his eyes, and his rate of breath told his state to his wife. Isha recognized her husband's distress, she knew any more tears from her eyes could threaten her brother's life and she put a halt on her dam.
"Rana sa... Relax... I'm okay now", Isha said rubbing his arm after a complete silence of 15 minutes.
"Don't ask me to relax, ask your brother to get his ways straight before I kill him", he said with his raging breath...
"Okay, I'll tell him, now calm down, your blood pressure must be so high now", she said rubbing his thudding heart, he slowly calmed down but his anger on his brother-in-law hadn't calmed yet and it will stay until he thrashes him.
They reached home, Isha prepared snacks for Avyan who'd be home in the next one hour, before taking coffee to her husband.
"Rana sa... Here", she said handing him his coffee. She sat on the arm of his chair holding his shoulder for support while he had his coffee.
"Sit comfortably here, the chair is big enough", he said pointing towards the space beside him on the throne chair.
"Can we go see Sharah and Veera", she said leaving him surprised. "Don't be so surprised, it's been so long, so I just want to see them, we can go later if you are busy", she said
"We can go but are you sure you won't be scared", he said trying hard to hide his smirk while she glared at him...
"Stop making fun of me, I just got a little afraid last time", she said
"Little ? They can't stay away from you while you won't let them anywhere near you, I am struggling in between", he said remembering the last time they went there while Isha hit him on his shoulder for teasing her.
Isha likes to see them from a distance while they like to stay near their Rani sa, they kept coming towards her and Isha kept screaming at him to keep them away. This is every time thing and now he got so used to it but he definitely want to change it badly.
"Rana sa, will you take me to them Or not ?", Isha asked and Abhyansh nodded.
"What's the use ? You visited them so many times yet you are scared of them", Abhyansh said while the couple walked towards the back palace.
"I am trying Rana sa", Isha said
"I know you are, when did I deny it ? But you need to try harder to get over your fear, have trust in me, they will never harm you, they will give up their life for you but can never even cause a scratch to you...", Abhyansh said taking his wife's palm in his and rubbing it.
"Rana sa, I trust you more than myself, I know you wouldn't let me breathe the same air as them if you have even an ounce of doubt of harm for me", she said
"Don't love them from far, take them into your arms and love them from near, make them accustomed to your touch", he said and she looked at him as if he was an alien. "Today we'll make it possible", he added, What he was saying had a deeper meaning to it, and for some reason, Isha got the seriousness underlying his tone so she just nodded.
Isha knew most of the secret passages to the back palace, but he wanted her to get ready for the worst, during adverse times, Sharah and Veera are their biggest saviors, the biggest advantage is they can never betray Ranawat blood, especially anyone related to Abhyansh. He wants them to get accustomed to Isha, so that they not only love her but also learn to obey her.
They reached the back palace and Abhyansh ordered the limited staff to stay inside their respective rooms as he and his queen needed privacy with their pets alone.
Sharah and Veera ran towards their king as soon as they heard Abhyansh's booming voice. They ran to him and he as usual patted them with love. Isha was standing a bit away and staring at them with love, suddenly they noticed Isha's presence and ran towards her, Isha was about to step back but her husband's powerful tone stopped her from doing that.
"S.T.A.Y RIGHT THERE", he said in his cold and determined tone which no human could dare to disobey, his wife is no exception. She tightly closed her eyes and let them come near her. They wrapped their limbs around her growling happily seeing their Rani sa and now touching her for the first time. She felt her husband's rough palm on her face and that's when she opened her eyes, her labored breath came down seeing him. She burst out crying in fear and Sharah and Veera growled seeing her in tears. Just like they couldn't see Abhyansh in pain, they couldn't see Isha's tears as well. Abhyansh smirked at how well his training worked.
After Isha's breakdown, Abhyansh took her to the middle of the hall and made her sit on the floor, he sat beside her, and Sharah and Veera settled around them...
"Sorry that you are scared so much but please understand my bacha, this is necessary, everything I do is for your benefit, trust me, at one point in time, when everything around is giving you distress and you are in dire need of peace, they will provide you that", Abhyansh said wiping the dried tears and she looked at him with the same innocent eyes he fell in love with every time he looked into them.
Seeing he was really sorry, she slightly nodded her head. "So does that mean I am forgiven ?", he asked and she nodded again making him smile, he pulled her into his lap nuzzling his chin making her giggle as his beard tickled her. Sharah and Veera got happy seeing their king and queen all smiles.
Abhyansh noticed how Isha did not oppose to how near Sharah was to her, Sharah sat near Isha while Veera sat on Abhyansh's side. Seeing her getting slightly comfortable, he thought of helping her get used to them even more.
He started guiding her with how to patt them and how to give instructions that they could understand, and Isha followed him and in no time she got very comfortable with them, laughing at their antics. Sharah licked Isha's cheek making her giggle and Abhyansh was red in a second, he pushed Sharah's head away glaring at it.
"Don't do that Sharah", Abhyansh's voice boomed, Isha pushed away Abhyansh instead glaring at him for shouting at Sharah. "Rani sa", Abhyansh slightly raised his tone at Isha but that didn't go well with Sharah and Veera but they didn't say anything and Abhyansh smirked.
He got successful in training them to realize their Rani sa's pain as they reacted when she cried before and someone offended her, they also reacted when he raised his tone at her, since he was the one who was near her, they thought he was the reason for Isha's pain but they couldn't do anything to him, so to test this correctly he needed someone other than him to make Isha cry or hurt her. He decides to get it done by someone else later but his brother-in-law's fate is so cruel that he visited the Ranawat palace giving Abhyansh a chance to take his revenge for making his wife cry at the same time test Sharah and Veera's protectiveness towards their queen.
"Rana sa... bhai is here", she said showing her phone where her brother texted her as he knew she wouldn't pick up his call and Abhyansh just smirked. He already knew it, Bhairav gave him the info as soon as Ranveer's car entered the premises.
"Text him back to come to the back palace", he said...