Rishi and Lakshmi One-Shot Compilation

A vow for atonement

In his pondering thoughts he sees nothing but her. Her pain, her anger, her anguish. And in the haze of his guilt they greet him menacingly. He sees her when his eyes close, adorned as the betrayed wife she is, and as her eyes line with tears, words venomous, he forces himself back to reality.

It is another harsh awakening he receives, and as shouts grow from the outside of his room he sighs heavily.

His feet find themselves planted on the ground soon enough, and as he takes rushed steps out, to see yet another melodramatic breakdown from the woman his mother wishes to tie him too, he curses under his breath.

His father watches silently, rubs his temples to soothe the shrieking pain whilst his grandmother simply results in rolling her eyes. It makes his brother laugh at her side and at the glares he receives he is rewarded with a slap from his grandmother. Rishi finds himself fighting a smirk, but it falls almost immediately when he looks upon his mother.

She regards him with hostility, berates him for not showing any signs of interest in his upcoming nuptials, and as his patience weans thin with every passing accusation that Malishka soon turns to his wife, he lashes out harshly.

"Enough!" He barks, his eyes ablaze.

"I do not want to hear another word against my wife Malishka!" His mother has the decency to look shocked at his outburst.

"I suppose I have not made myself clear enough mother, but I have no qualms in saying it again so that you and Malishka can understand that I will not, under any circumstance, under any threat be marrying Malishka."

"Rishi." His mother begins.

"Lakshmi Rishi Oberoi." He states her name with a growl, cutting through his mothers attempt to bargain.

He speaks his wife's name with conviction and as his father, grandmother and brother look at him with pride he takes a menacing step forward.

"Is my wife, mother, and I love my wife." He emphasises the words articulately.

"And yet she wants nothing to do with you." His mother shouts back.

He takes a moment, reads the hate concealed in his mother's eyes, and as he shakes his head in mild rage, he scoffs loudly.

"Can I really blame her for that?" He takes a step forward.

"I betrayed my wife, mother. In the worst way possible, I broke her trust, her faith in me. I saw her love and I discarded it, far too busy chasing insubstantial love. Love that was never truly that. I threw away the peace my wife gave me, the support she extended to me, and the shield she became for me all for this woman who has stopped at nothing to push me to a point of infidelity in her own fit of jealousy."

"I betrayed my wife, and you all betrayed the daughter-in-law of this house by trapping her in a hoax marriage that began with a deadline. So if she does not want anything to do with me, so be it, I deserve it."

"So what you won't marry Malishka why? Out of guilt?" His aunt asks, her eyes mirroring the same hostility he sees in his mothers eyes.

He takes a staggering breath. "Guilt? No, never. I won't marry her because I do not love her. Because what I want is redemption from my wife and I cannot do that, I cannot fight for her with Malishka hanging off my arm, can I?" His tone is patronising.

"Rishi..." his mother begins again.

"Enough mother. Listen, for my wife I have taken a vow of redemption, I need to redeem myself for the sin I have committed against her, and only Lakshmi, has the power to guide me to atonement. I will not hear another word against her aunt and if you cannot keep your mouth shut I will arrange for you to move into one of the houses nearby." His aunt looks ready to fight, but at the anger he begins to radiate, is enough to stop any forthcoming dispute from her.