His Forced Wife

9 | Her Secret

Vanraj :

I was forced to run out of my house in search of Madame Drunk.
"Malvika!", I shouted as I ran down to the main playground were the whole event was organized.
Unfortunately, I had to enter the crowded annoying place yet again after almost twenty years.

I drew in a sharp breath and started looking for her in the crowd. 
I turned around in the hope to find her when I bumped onto someone.
I turned back.

"Vanraj ji?", Meera stared up at me in shock.
"Oh.. hi.. hey..", I mumbled awkwardly. Akshay was also here for some reason. 
"I thought you didn't like Holi.", Akshay said eyeing me.
"Yeah. I don't. Only if it wasn't for your darling sister who got drunk!", I said irritably. He looked at me with a raised brow.

"Wait.. Malvika drank bhaang?", Meera said laughing.
"Yes. And now she's-"

"Hello Ladies and Gentlemen!", I heard from the loud speaker as the music volume was reduced.
I looked at the small stage that was built for announcements.
"Umm.. this went a little too far.", Akshay said as we stared at Malvika with a mic.

"You know.. there is one very important person with us here!", She said. Meera glanced at me once and then looked back, trying very hard to not smile.
"And that is VANAR-RAJ! Oops, I mean Vanraj.. You shouldn't say the truth this bluntly also na..", She said giggling on the stage.

I sighed, face palming.
"Umm.. not too bad a nickname, na.", Meera whispered giggling. I looked at her with a forced sarcastic smile, hiding my face with my hand.

Meanwhile Miss Annoying Singhania continued, "You know earlier I used to think.. that he is an uncle, but no! He is an aunty! You know what he was doing locked in his bedroom? WATCHING TV SERIALS! THAT TOO ON PRIME SUBSCRIPTION!", She said as if it was the funniest joke on planet earth.
And guess what? Everyone thought the same as the crowd broke into laughter. 

I was done with this. I instantly jogged up to the stage.
"Get down from there Malvika!", I shouted as she looked down at me with a raised brow.
"DJ PLAY THE MUSIC!", She said before keeping back the mic.

Tujh sang baair lagaya aisa..
Raha na main phir apne jaisa..

This one was definitely for those nibba nibbi couples who thought Holi was personally curated for their romance with red gulaal. 

"Malvika can you please get off now?", I asked for the last time as everyone else got involved in their personal Holi.
She stood at the edge of the stage looking down.
"Ok.", She said simply as she placed her leg out of the stage in mid air.

And lost balance.
I instantly caught hold of her, only to lose balance and fall backwards on the grassy ground. My arms wrapped around her docile body, for moments I felt my ribs broke under her weight. She rubbed her cheek against mine, giggling away all the while

Mera naam ishq.. tera naam ishq..
Mera naam.. tera naam..
yeh laal ishq.. yeh malaal ishq..

"I knew.. you would catch me..", She mumbled as she lifted herself up using her hands, looking at me.
I stared up at her, "Also.. See! Now I have painted you in my colour! Hehe! Vanar-raj you lost this time! You lost to me!", She said giggling as she got off me. She sat beside me giggling away, in her own world.

I slowly sat up, as I touched my face, and she was right. Someone had finally managed to get in coloured on Holi.
I did lose, for the first time.

I looked at her.
What was this insane girl? And was she like this? Why was I not feeling annoyed or angry now? 
Malvika slowly stood up, she stopped giggling and started walking. 

I instantly got up and caught hold of her wrist.
"Leave me..", She said, but her voice sounded different. As if she suddenly spoke through profound grief.
Drunk people often do this, I guess. Mood swings.
"When we get home, I will.", I said sternly as I pulled her back to our house. I took her into our room and finally shut the door.

"You are so mean..", She mumbled.
"Thank you.", I stated coldly as I headed to shut the balcony door and window.
"He was also very mean..", She added. I looked at her with a raised brow. She sat on the bed, my 700 rupees bedsheet was ruined. 
Nice.

"Who was mean?", I asked casually as I was about to enter the bathroom.
"My husband..", She mumbled.

I paused and looked at her.
"Who?"
"Hitesh! Hitesh.. Hitesh Kulkarni..", She said. Her voice was numb, broken. I walked down to her.
"You were married?", I asked softly.
She nodded.
I could see a tear roll down her eye, as if she was reminiscing a painful memory.

I bent before her.
I had only seen her either doing crazy stuff or giggling or making reels and boomerangs. Watching her cry made me oddly empathetic.

I gulped nervously and asked, "What did he do?"
She looked at the blank wall opposite to her, behind me, as tears ran down her eyes.
"he-he used to hit me.. He-he used-", And she choked and started coughing. I instantly took the water bottle on the small table beside the bed and handed it to her. She took a sip.
And started crying.

I watched her in silence.
I wanted to hug her, but I didn't know if it would be appropriate.. what if Maa saw? She had told me strictly to not get emotionally attached to anyone.

I drew in a sharp breath as I reluctantly placed my hand on her shoulder.
She immediately clutched onto it, as if that was all she would ever have.

I felt moisture in my eyes. I blinked it off instantly, as I edged closer to her.
"You'll be fine..", I whispered.
"I can't.. I won't.. I am tired-tired of running, from Egypt to Mauritius to Paris to every place.. I am tired of running from myself..", She said sobbing.

She looked at me wiping her eyes.
"Can you find my home? Can you?", She asked. She stirred emotions I had never known I had. 
"I will try..", I mumbled, teary eyed.

"Go to sleep, okay? We will find your home..", I said softly as she nodded.
I slowly made her lie down on the bed. She instantly fell asleep. I stood up and wiped my eyes.

I walked down to my phone, hoping to divert my mind from her crying image.
There was a message from the new secretary.

"Hello Sir!
You had asked me to check for investors in the Pharma business you mentioned. We have one. He is London based businessman and producer, Hitesh Kulkarni."

I read the message twice and then looked at Malvika.
I drew in a sharp breath.

"Set up a meeting with him. ASAP."

...

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