BEYOND THE CLOUDS (Completed)

Chapter 51

Even through her foul mood, Shehnaaz couldn’t help but notice the beauty around her. Gstaad was covered under a white blanket of snow, and looked like a paradise land, unscathed by the civilian population.

Anticipating the cold, she had hidden herself under multiple layers of warm clothing but still the chill reached her bones. From her childhood she had been averse to cold and soon enough her nose had started running like a leaking tap.

Her already irritated mood because of this forced honeymoon was doubling over when she saw him absolutely unaffected by the weather.

Why would he choose to come here in this frigid climate was beyond her understanding. Huh obviously !! she smirked inwardly, how does it matter to him, he is comfortably clothed with an add on of the cognac she had seen him sucking his flask from the time they had left the airport. She couldn’t even resort to that as she had never tasted alcohol in her life.

Quaking like a leaf, she got out of the car. “Welcome to yet another of our homes baby” Sidharth smiled, fully aware she was going to ward him off, and she did.

Without even acknowledging him, she breezed past, entering the huge chalet and stood wide eyed staring at the beautiful space afront.

The woody interiors were cozy yet stylish. Another piece of architectural excellence. As she entered further, she saw Sidharth switch on the electric fire place and in a few moments she felt the cold diminishing and the warmth of the house enveloped her.

It was beautiful, but it felt eerily silent. The place was big enough to accommodate atleast 25 people comfortably, but right now it was just the two of them. Surely it must take atleast 3-4 people to maintain this expansive property.

Her tongue itched to ask Sidharth if there was any house help or a caretaker, but since the day of the wedding, she had kept the conversations to minimum and even now she was in no mood for any small talk.

She didn’t even know what room to take, so she wearily just bunched her luxurious faux fur coat to her chest and curled up on the couch near the fire, tucking even her toes inside. Despite the fireplace, the cold was still daunting and her headache was back thanks to the constant sniffling of her nose.

“Sweety why don’t you go to our room upstairs and rest? I will join you in a moment. The first room to your right” his casual mention of ‘our room’ annoyed her, but she promptly rose and huffed to the said room.

As she flopped on the could soft bed, her mind was working again. He had been acting extra sweet since the moment they had started from Mumbai. How can he act like nothing has ever happened? Has he forgotten that I am angry with him? Or is there some other wish that badepapa wants him to fulfil? He did tell her he wished to start a family real soon. Does he want me to produce his kids now? Her soul shuddered with the thought. A kid born out of spite will be another Sidharth in the making, No way can she let that happen. If she ever had kids, it will be out of sheer love and the child will never feel threatened or unloved by his or her own parents. 

She was lost in thoughts when his foot steps could be heard. She shut her eyes close, pretending to be asleep. Shehnaaz didn’t even feel like seeing his face, forget about talking to him. She laid still while she sensed him moving around in the room, wheeling in their bags. Suddenly his phone rang and then she could hear his voice.

“Hello Marcus, yeah, we’ve reached. Thank you for keeping the place spic and span. I hope you have stocked everything as instructed.” He paused to let the guy speak “Ok thank you, and where is the extra bedding kept?” he asked again “cool. And Marcus, just be on standby, incase we need anything” her ears perked up, and she could imagine him smile “Thank you, m sure we will have a good time. You too enjoy your holiday” bidding a good by he disconnected the phone and she could now her him humming, the open and shutting of the wardrobe, the noise of the seal cracking on the bottle of water and then the sound of his footsteps, coming close… closer… dangerously closer.

Her heart had lurched to her mouth as she imagined what he might do next. She felt the bed dip on her side. He was sitting near her now. She tried not to panic and keep her breathing levelled.

Gosh this blind mans buff was really intimidating. She thought when she felt his hand pick hers and the faint touch of his lips on the tips of her fingers. She felt like she might explode any moment now. Even through all the anger, she still craved his touch. She knew that now, because the moment, the Valentino came closer and she knew his face was now looming over hers and her body clenched.

She had stopped breathing as a reflex, and something was telling her, her cheeks were reddening with the familiar blush. She allowed herself a soft gulp, trying not to make any movement. She dared not to open her eyes, cuz she knew if she did, she would find his face, just a few inches apart. She went motionless, mentally just willing him to back off. But he didn’t.

Assuming she was fast asleep, he kept sitting there looking at her pretty face, which was a rare luxury for him these days since she could not even bear to stand in the same room as him. “Even fast asleep, you look so alluring sweetheart” he crooned, gently taming her tousled hair away from the face. “I love you so much Shehnaaz” his breath touched her skin and her breath hitched at that. He sounded so honest. She was tempted to open her eyes just a tad bit to see his face and decide whether it really had the lovelorn expressions that his voice conveyed.

But she decided otherwise and continued with her charade. “I don’t know if you realize, but you have come into my life like a blessing baby” the soft tickle of his breath very close to her forehead made her heart cave a bit. All she had to do was put her arms around him and the immense pain she felt will be gone. The happiness, the love, it will all be restored in a mere second. Her brain ticked fast, trying to conjure up an apt explanation to forgive him, to give him a benefit of doubt just once. But what tumbled out of him the very next moment made her recoil.

“Had this marriage not gone through, I would have gone mad thinking about all that I have lost” what he meant was he would have gone mad if he had lost her, her love and his dreams of a future with her, but to her ears it sounded different. She thought he was talking about Badepapa’s will and the share he would have lost to his parents and a boiling rage shot through her. She opened her eyes wide, shocking him.

“So that’s what it is all about right? My perception of this situation was so correct” she hissed, narrowing her eyes at his blank face. “what are you talking about? And you were awake all this while?” he asked furrowing his brows at her strange behavior.

“Oh yess, I was wide awake, but I wished I would have opened my eyes a few moments earlier, to see your fake expressions when you said you loved me” she wiggled and pushed herself away from him, quickly reaching the other edge of the bed.

“Do you even know what you are talking about Shehnaaz? Because I cannot understand a thing” his arms went up in the air, exasperated. He was tired. Tired of explaining himself, tired of fighting and arguing, tired of just everything. But still he wanted to make one last ditch effort to calm her down and started walking to her.

“Stop right there Mr. Shukla, do not come close to me.” She warned, backing until her back touched the wall “or what?” he defiantly asked “I am your husband Shehnaaz” smirking, he kept walking to her until they were just a breaths distance away from each other.

He had given her enough time, but he couldn’t control himself any longer. Just a little bit of her taste, he wont go any further than that he promised himself, but being so close to her and keeping away was so out of question. She was a wild one he knew, maybe the closeness might loosen her up.

Thinking this, he locked his gaze with hers for a few moments, and soon his eyes travelled on her face and finally stopped at her lips, giving away the blazing temptation to kiss her.

Her lips quivered as he held her face softly and with a half pleading, half triumphant expression, his head bent down, to claim her lips. He was merciless and hungry and swept his tongue into her mouth, taking whatever he could, as if it was his right to do so. Even though his lips on hers had sent her reeling, but the realization of the force he was using hit her harder.

With all her might she pushed him, making him fall on the bed and walked out of the room, leaving him crest fallen

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Love and luck

Sidnaazkidiwani