Rakta Jeevan

Chapter 1

25 years ago

9pm Naidu House

Even on the cold winter night, the luxurious Naidu house was lively and vibrant with chatter humming through every nook and cranny of the house. The house was fully decorated with marigold garlands adorning every corner and fairy lights dangling down the railing of the stairs. The open and large living room had been removed of any furniture and in its place was now people strewn across the floor, some lazily gossiping while others where busy choosing last minute sarees and jewellery pieces. There was hustle and bustle everywhere. Everyone had something to do or somewhere to be.

Of course they did, why wouldn't they. It was Rajendra Naidu's only daughters wedding in a couple of hours, it was expected for him to celebrate it as big as a festival. She was the light of his eyes, he pampered her like she was the queen, and he was going to ensure that the he sends her off like a queen too.

Rajendra had a megawatt smile, and nothing could change that tonight... or so he thought.

Mahalakshmi POV

In Mahalakshmi's room

"You're so lucky Maha, your to-be-husband works in the city." Ramya vadina said as she braided my hair for the night, "You'll get to experience the city life and see all those big big buildings, of course that's only if he can let such a beautiful girl like you out of his sight," she said with a teasing smile.

(Vadina - Sister in law)

Ignoring the uncomfortable twist in my stomach at the mention of my marriage, I played the part of the shy, blushing bride and ducked my head while a half-hearted smile decked my face.

"Ramya, you talk as if my son isn't a good husband to you," my mother jokingly reprimanded from somewhere in the room, probably packing the remainder of my clothes. They all had a laugh about it and continued some talk about how my in-laws house would look like or what buildings I would get to see first.

I switched off not even bothering to pay attention, I just couldn't. I couldn't pretend to be interested when the one I was being wedded off to wasn't the one that took up every corner of my heart.

I need to get out of here. And I will. Ramchandra my love is coming to get me. Our love was something that was forbidden in our village. It was an unwritten rule that Naidu's and Reddy's weren't meant to fall in love with each other. But we did, and it was the most beautiful thing in my life. I don't regret it for second and I would do it all again in a heart beat.

The day my father brought me the marriage proposal, I decided that if I ever marry, I will only marry Ramchandra. I obviously couldn't tell my father this. I love my father to the end of the world and back and there isn't a single thing he hasn't done for me. Every single thing I needed at any point in my life was given to me by my dad before I even opened my mouth to ask.

Except this marriage.

I never asked for it, but this time he never gave me the chance to say no. "It's a respectable alliance, Maha thalli, this is for your good, my darling," the memory of his voice on that day rang clear in my brain. Oh how I wish I could've told him that this is not good for me, I only want Ramchandra, and if I get married to someone else, I would die, how is that good for me? Why do our families not get along? Mere ego? I know me eloping with Ramu will not make this situation any better, it will only make it 100 times worse, but it feels like I have no choice, no one will ever listen to me. I know my dad and brothers, if I tell them I'm in love, they'll make Ramu disappear and I can't live with that, not when I'm carrying his baby.