Praise The Husband

Chapter 38

Rudransh groaned as he woke up, immediately sensing that something was wrong. His hand instinctively reached out to the other side of the bed, but it found only cold, empty sheets. Sundari was gone. Panic surged through him, and he jumped out of bed, quickly getting dressed. His heart pounded as he ran through the corridors of his palace, calling for his shadows to begin the search for Sundari.

"Find her!" he barked at the shadows, his voice echoing through the grand halls. The air was thick with tension, the palace's usual serene atmosphere replaced by an ominous stillness. He mounted his horse, determination etched on his face. As the shadows spread out to scour the land, Rudransh rode hard, following closely behind.

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Meanwhile, Sundari awoke to the gentle caress of a hand on her face and hair. She smiled sleepily, thinking it was Rudransh, and snuggled into the hand. But as she felt the coldness radiating from the touch, she immediately pushed it away and opened her eyes.

She found herself in an unfamiliar bed, naked, with a sheet pulled up to her chest. The room around her was dark and foreboding, filled with ancient, eerie decor. Shadows danced along the walls, cast by the flickering flames of black candles. Her heart pounded in her chest as she turned to see a tall, grey-skinned man beside her. Confusion and fear washed over her as she tried to make sense of the situation.

"Who are you?" Sundari's voice trembled as she asked, trying to back away from him. The bed's ornate canopy, covered in dark, heavy fabric, seemed to close in around her.

The man's eyes narrowed, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "I am your destiny, you husband, Sundari. We were meant to be together, long before Rudransh came into your life."

Sundari's heart raced. "I don't understand. What do you mean by destiny? How do you know me?"

His smile faded, replaced by a look of dark intensity. "You were promised to me. The villagers performed a ritual, binding you to me, and now that bond cannot be broken."

Sundari shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "No, that's not true. I belong with Rudransh. I was forced to marry your corpse therefore the marriage is invalid."

The man laughed, a deep, chilling sound that echoed in the dark room. "Forget about Rudransh," he said, his voice dripping with menace. "You are mine, Sundari. You were always mine. I don't care if you were forced or not, you are my wife."

Sundari shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "No, I don't know you! Where is Rudransh?" She glanced around, desperately searching for an escape, but the room seemed to offer no way out.

He leaned in closer, his eyes gleaming with a terrifying intensity. "He cannot help you now. And it infuriates me to think you have been with another man. How do you sleep with him?!"

Sundari clutched the sheet tightly around her, feeling vulnerable and scared. "Please, let me go. I don't belong here."

The man laughed again, louder this time, more menacing. "You think your love can save you now? I have found the purple grass you seek. Isn't that what a good husband does? Provide for his wife?"

The man's anger intensified as he continued, "You have betrayed me, Sundari. You have broken the sacred bond of our marriage by sharing your bed with Rudransh. But don't worry, I have a plan to make you see the consequences of your actions. Husband I will help you repent for your mistakes."

Sundari's heart sank as she realized the dire situation she was in, trapped in this dark, oppressive room with a man who seemed to embody her worst nightmares. She felt a wave of despair wash over her.