I Became His Replaced Bride

Chapter 4

20 years ago,

Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Komal and Raghav have taken their five-year-old son, Aarav, on a family outing. On his insistence, they have visited the amusement park. For the children, the park provided a badge filled with information regarding their identity, parents, and address for security and protection purposes. Little Aarav did not like the plain badge ruin the show of his favourite iron man t-shirt, so he sneakily tucked the badge in his pant pocket.

Komal was not interested in sitting on any of the rides, especially the roller coaster. Her defiant and stubborn son was persistent in going on the roller coaster and the giant wheel. Komal felt a headache coming.

"Mom, I want to ride the giant wheel!"

Raghav wanted to fulfill his son's every wish but he was devoted to his wife equally. Komal though would never admit it, he knew she was afraid of the rides. He wanted to take Aarav on the rides but he also couldn't leave his wife alone.

"Aarav, Mom cannot go on the giant wheel, understand baby."

"No! It's not that you can't go, you don't want me to ride because you think I am small!"

Aarav stomped his cute feet, as if it will make his mother understand. Komal glared at her son, he was making this so difficult for her.

"Son, let's not trouble your mother. She is not feeling good."

Raghav tried to pacify his son, gently holding his small hands. Aarav pouted, snatching his hands back. His eyes welled with tears.

"You made a show of bringing me to the park. You are not letting me have fun. This is unfair!"

Raghav and Komal sighed. They can't argue at that. Aarav, their ever-smart and perceptive son, knew how his parents were. Komal leaned onto Raghav who sat beside her.

"Please bring me medicine for my headache, Raghav."

Raghav frowned at Komal who was massaging her forehead. Gently, he massaged her forehead. Moving to his feet, Raghav said,

"Wait here for me, I will get the medicine from the medical room."

Komal nodded, her eyes closed. Aarav was seething in anger, his parents don't care about him and his wishes. He stormed away from the bench and went in the direction of the giant wheel.

Aarav fell on the ground when an older burly man pushed past him to get the ticket from the booth for the giant wheel. In his fit of rage, he forgot that he has no money. Little Aarav pouted and pursed his lips at his bad luck. One thing was sure, he was not going back to his parents. But, he wants to ride the giant wheel!

"Are you lost?"

Aarav turned around to see a girl softly asking him. Little Aarav stepped back in caution, remembering her mother's warning about talking to strangers. As if the girl sensed his turmoil, she smiled.

"I don't mean trouble. I want to help you."

That's what all criminals say, Aarav recalled how the kidnappers said the same thing to the kid his age in the cartoon he watched.

"Where are your parents?"

Aarav ignored the girl's query and carefully observed her. She looked older than him though she was the same height as him. She had a complexion similar to dark chocolate that he loved and black eyes. She had a bob-cut hair and pink lips. She was wearing jean shorts and a blue t-shirt of a little mermaid. Aarav despised the Disney shows. They were childish.

"Where is your badge?"

Aarav immediately looked at the badge pinned on the blue t-shirt of the girl, memorizing the details just in case. The girl carefully watched Aarav and held her hand out.