Five Weeks by Shruti Omar (any book recommendations .txt) 📕

Anahita was speechless, after she heard Yuvraaj. Her baseless hate for him morphed into guilt that begun to eat her alive. He was contradicting every assumption she had for him in her mind; every allegation was refuted with his actions. It started to sink in her head why her dad was so obstinate with this wedding. It was all making sense to her now.

Her smile slipped down from her lips and she focused on the clothes in her hands. She begun to fold them neatly, having Yuvraaj clung onto her. He was humming a local tune and swayed taking her in his arms. Intimacy had different meanings for them now and with the company of his, it soothed her. He was like a lifebuoy, a whiff of pure morning breeze – fresh as that.

Upon her inexhaustible silence, he kissed a path from her neck to his jaw line and murmured, nuzzling in her hair, “What happened?”

“Nothing, was just recalling how dimwitted I had been throughout my life. I blamed you for everything because it was easier. I never really give this thought a chance that you could be suffering as well.”

“Anahita,” Yuvraaj coaxed, crawling his palm over her fisted ones and his lips touched her shoulder, “That was past. Keep it buried in there only.”

“No, I can’t.” She freed herself and blinked severally to stave off tears, “I hurt everyone. My family. Your family. Most importantly, you, Yuvraaj. I ruined it all. I ruined everything. I am really sorry."

"If you're really sorry, you can do my laundry regularly and kiss me every time,” he tried to cheer her up and peppered kisses on her neck. She deeply sighed, biting down her moan and slanted him a look, “You came to help me, didn't you?"

He grinned, "Of course! Give me a moment to kiss you and then I will do whatever you ask me." Without waiting for her response, he spun her around and dived to capture her lips in a prolonged, deep smooch that left her scarlet. She slapped his chest and redeemed herself, moving to hand him the folded, ironed clothes. “Go and pack them in your bag.”

"O...Kay" He managed the ironed clothes in his cradled arms and frowned at her, "But why not in your bag?"

"I have so many things to keep. Like gifts and whatever we've shopped. So, some of my clothes would go in your bag." She told him, padding to the wardrobe when he gripped her shoulder to stop her and she winced, making him spasm. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"No!"

"Then why did you wince?" He threw her tidy, folded clothes on the bed and pulled her closer, searching her face, "Did you get hurt somewhere?"

"What the hell, Yuvraaj!" Anahita widened her eyes at the messed up clothes and glared him, “You came to help me or trouble me? Now who will fold them again?"

"Ah! I thought..."

"Shut up and fold them now." She bellowed, sprinting inside the bathroom and bolted the door from inside. Thank God!!! She leaned on the washbasin, looking at her reflection, "What did you do, Anu? Why the hell did you do this? What if he had found out? What you would've told him?"

Turning her back to the mirror, she slowly slid down the shoulder of her dress and looked at the newly earned tattoo of his name's initial. It's flawlessly carved on her right shoulder joint with wings on the larger sides. Softly, she traced her fingers on the tattoo she got done three days back when they were out for horse riding and his bitchy friend Julie had ran into them.

"You're totally mad, Anu!" She grinned, rubbing her forehead and pressed her lips, "This man has gotten you crazy. Ugh! I love you so much, Yuvraaj."

She just wished that he liked her too, because she couldn’t picture a life without him. She knew she had ruined their relationship but she wanted to build it again on trust, love and faith. Now, their union was getting to an end and she feared that if she couldn’t exhibit her love to him, he might leave her. There was absolutely no denying that he took her on honeymoon to give her a chance to run away with Mukund but what was the warrant that he still wanted that?

Will he really leave me? Doesn’t he like me the same way I do? Her conscience appeared on the mirror and rattled questions but Anahita reasoned pertly, “He is happy with me."

He can pretend as well. He is good in pulling up pretence.

"He asked me to trust him. He made me understand that trust is important."

Just, because he wants to make these days bearable. You both were getting on each other's nerves. He has to do something to make peace. Her conscience smirked and Anahita tensed.

"But...But...he kisses me so much. Doesn't that mean he likes me?" she desperately tried to find one reason, one solid reason to trust him enough to reveal what she thought of him and that she was ready to be his laundress.

He kissed you even before you agreed for that twelve days deal. He kissed you back in India as well. He is a control freak, he loves to exercise dominance and how could he probably like you after knowing what was your agenda for this marriage. He is just making peace till you are with him and he wouldn't want to do anything with you just like your parents.

Parents!!! Anahita sighed, slumped her shoulder down. It would always be a canker sore to her that how easily her parents left her alone. Her father, apparently, had time to call her mother in law but she was dead to him. Her mother not for once asked how she was doing despite knowing the emotional state of hers when the marriage happened but not for once, her mother bothered to ask how she was coping up with Yuvraaj and his family. It was sheer luck that Yuvraaj has been more understanding than her parents could ever be but still.....wasn't Anahita their daughter? Was the prestige and fame everything?

"Anahita!" A soft tap on the door brought her out of her reverie. "Yes?"

"Come out. I have packed the clothes and we have to leave for hiking, remember?"