His Unloved Bride | COMPLETED ✓

✿⁠ TO BE BETRAYED ✿

ALAIA

"They are beautiful. I was hoping to grow some lavender and peony. Will that be alright?" I asked the Gardner.

"Why get your hands dirty, Ma'am? Let me do it." He spoke, looking literally scared when I sat on the ground and started layering the soil.

"Please call me by name." I smiled at him. "And look at my hands, don't they look pretty with all the mud-" I pointed my hands in the air.

The old man nodded. He sat next to me and took the shovel from my hand. "You're rich people, doing all this doesn't suits you."

"And you're old, doing all this doesn't suits you either." I counter, sowing the seeds.

The fresh fragrance of muddy soil entered my nostrils, the soft murmur of birds chirping echoes and sun was scattering it's rays in the blue sky. The nature knows how to heal everything and now that I'm gushing with happiness from what happened yesterday at my parents house, everything seems more beautiful than before.

"As you say." He laughed slightly.

"I heard you've a daughter." I said, trying to build up a conversation.

"Yes, she's in school. Her board exams are going on. I'm looking for a suitable groom for her. I'll marry her once she turns eighteen." He answered.

"But she's so young, what's the rush to marry her? Let her complete her education. Why don't you enroll her in college?" I frowned.

But when he didn't reply, I asked. "Is it about money? If yes then I-"

"No, it's not that. Agastya sir is already giving her tution fees." He cut me in middle.

"Then?"

"Because he's scared that I might run away with some boy." A feminine voice made me snap my head to the side.

A pretty girl in her school uniform stood there with her arms crossed above her chest.

Oh. She's his daughter.

The old man shook his head in disappointment and ignoring her, he made himself indulge in his work.

I washed my hands and stood up to face her. She offered me her hands. "Oh, you must be Alaia. I'm Pihu."

I smiled. "How was your exam?"

"Good. Mathematics isn't that hard but I swear, tomorrow's chemistry and I'm going cry because I hate that subject." She sighed.

I raised my brows in surprise and couldn't help but ask to her father. "Let her study. I'm sure she wants the same."

"I want to do engineering and don't worry about my father, he's in doubt because last Sunday we went to his village and everyone there warned him to not give me too much freedom or else I run away with someone." She snickered.

I stiffened.

"Do you want to eat something?" I asked to get away from this situation where I don't even know what to say.

She nodded.

"Woah, this is so yummy." She grinned once I gave her the sandwiches which I made for myself.

I sat next to her on the couch. "Pihu, don't give up on your dreams. I'll ask Agastya to talk to your father about higher education."

"You know you're cooler than Zoya. I'm glad that Agastya married you-" She covered her mouth with her palm. "Shit, I'm so sorry."

I blinked, my heart dipping down in an unsettling feeling. "Y-You know about her?"

"I-I...Mhm. I used to come here with my father. I've seen her, I've met her." She replied, awkwardly.