Sacred Marriage

Chapter 18

Author's POV:

In the soft, golden light of morning, Siya woke up to find Abhiram sleeping on top of her. The warmth of his body against hers, his head resting so innocently yet provocatively against her chest, his leg entwined with hers. A blush crept onto her cheeks as she realized the intimate position they were in.

Glancing at the clock, she saw it was already 9 am. "Shit, I'm late," she muttered, trying to free herself from his grasp. Despite her efforts, he tightened his hold and snuggled closer. After several attempts, she finally managed to slip out of his embrace, carefully placing a pillow where she had been lying, hoping he wouldn't miss the warmth too much.

Before leaving the bed, Siya leaned over and gave Abhiram a soft kiss on his forehead, smiling at his peaceful face.

Unbeknownst to Siya, Abhiram had actually woken up when she first started to move and try to get out of bed. He could feel her trying to slip away, but he chose to pretend he was still asleep. He tightened his embrace subtly each time she moved, enjoying the warmth and closeness.

As Siya replaced herself with a pillow and kissed his forehead, Abhiram kept his eyes closed and maintained a steady breathing pattern to keep up the act. Inside, however, he was smiling, amused by the situation and charmed by her gentle care. Even though he pretended to be asleep, he appreciated the sweet gesture and felt a quiet joy knowing she was trying so hard to not disturb his sleep.

After slipping out of bed, Siya tiptoed to the bathroom. When she returned, she found Abhiram still asleep. She quickly got ready and headed downstairs. As she entered the dining area, she saw everyone gathered around the table, having breakfast. Siya went up to the elders and respectfully touched their feet.

"Sorry, Dadaji," she said apologetically, "I'm late today."

Mom smiled kindly and reassured her, "No problem, beta. You were tired from the Diwali celebration yesterday. And remember, this is your home. You can sleep as much as you want. No need to apologize."

Dad, also at the table, nodded in agreement. "Yes, don't worry about it. We understand you needed the rest," he added warmly.

Her mom gave her a critical look. "Siya, it’s not very responsible to sleep in so late, especially when you have responsibilities in this house," she remarked sharply.

Her Di chimed in with a smirk, "Exactly, and it sets a bad example. We all managed to get up on time."

Siya's mom voice turned sharper, her words slicing through the air with a cold edge. "Frankly, Siya, you're not cut out for this wealthy household. You can't even manage simple tasks like waking up on time," she declared, her disapproval evident.

Her Di nodded in agreement, adding fuel to the fire. "Yeah, you're not suitable for Abhiram. He deserves someone more responsible, someone who can handle the demands of this family," she chimed in with a smirk.

Just as the tension reached its peak, Abhiram entered the room, his presence commanding attention. His gaze hardened as he surveyed the scene, his jaw set with determination. "That's enough," he said firmly, his voice brooking no argument.

Turning to his mom and di, he spoke with unwavering authority. "Siya is my wife, and she is more than capable of handling anything. I won't tolerate anyone disrespecting my wife in my presence or in this house."

"Siya is our daughter," mom said firmly. "She has every right to rest as much as she needs. We love her just as much as we love our other children."

Dad, the patriarch of the family, nodded in agreement. "Absolutely," he affirmed, his voice carrying the weight of authority. "Siya, beta, you don't need to worry about chores. We have servants for that. Your well-being is more important to us.