Broken I

44

HRIDHAN

Anything doesn't matter when my wife is having a fever, and this family won't allow me to take her to the hospital.

"Avanga unga amma illaya ?" Arna asked, her head resting in my lap.

"Illa," I said softly.

"Neenga enkitta solli irukkalam la ?" she asked.

"Unkooda irukka oru nimisham ennaku romba precious athula theva illatha vishiyatha pesa interest illa... Ana na munnadiyae sollirukanu sorry," I said, caressing her head.

"Illa, paravala," she said, snuggling closer to my torso.

"En appa yarukittaiyum solla koodathunu solli iruntharu. Nithya kooda theriyathu," I added.

I really didn't wish to hide it from her. I never spoke about it, and it went the same way. I have never seen her as my mother nor spoken of her that way. No one knew this. Even Abhi only found out recently after his marriage that I wasn't his elder brother but his step-elder brother.

My mother died when I was ten. I lost her. After that, I was never truly a part of that family. Abhi was always the priority in our house. But Abhi was my priority despite being my stepbrother. He has always been like my own brother. Even after knowing the truth.

We are so close that no one would believe we're brothers. We're more like best friends. I don't wish for anything from that house, but I can't stand them taunting my wife.

I can bear anything for myself, but not for her.

We're back home now. This feels comfortable—the homely feel I missed. I don't care if that family despises me anymore. They wouldn't even consider me as their family.

That's doesn't matter me.

We checked with the doctor on the way back. Arna was against my decision to step in, but I was sure she would be fine. So yeah, she is fine. The doctor prescribed some medicines.

My baby took them properly and is now sleeping in my lap. It was always one of my wishes to make her sleep in my lap.

Finally.

I kept watching her as she snuggled closer to me in her sleep. Her fever had decreased slightly. I missed her so much that I couldn't describe in words.

I couldn't get leave as our team had a project in its crucial situation.

The next day, since it was Sunday, we both decided to go out. It had been a long time. We both reached the bookstore since Arna loves novels.

"Ithu ?" I picked up a book for her, and she took it from me, reading something on the back cover.

"Ama, itha ethuku eduthinga ?" she asked as she flipped through the pages.

"Chumma than," I replied, watching her with a smile.

"Intha nga vechurunga," she said, handing the book back to me and continuing to search for something else.

"Yen ?" I asked curiously.

She turned towards me and pulled my cheek. "So cuteu."

I pouted, and she replied, "Na atha already padichuten."

I glanced at the book in my hand, 'Twisted Lies.' I felt a bit stupid for not checking which book it was. She had already finished reading the Twisted series and had a small inclination towards it.

I knew!

I placed the book back on the rack and searched for something else to gift her. She prefers romance with some thriller, so I needed to find an edge-of-your-seat book with sizzling romance.

There were so many books to choose from. Not the 'Shatter Me' series because I planned to surprise her with that one day, so not today.

I had spoken to Aradhya one day, and she told me that Arna had a curiosity about 'Shatter Me.' It had been on her TBR for a long time, and it seemed a little costly with the whole series.

I turned to look at her checking a book. I bent down and saw the title: Haunting Adeline

She closed it and placed it back on the rack.

"Yen vangalaya?" I asked, leaning on the rack, watching her move like an angel in a light blue saree.

"Illa," she said.

"Yen ? Nala illaya ?" I asked.

"Appidi nu solla mudiyathu," she replied. I went to take the book, but she held my hand, stopping me.

"Enna, baby ?" I asked.

"Ennaku pasikuthu. Oru coffee koodikalama ?" she asked with a pouty look.

"Seri, okay."

We walked out after paying for a small novel she had already chosen. Arna held my arm as we walked, giggling as she talked about Alex.

"He is just amazing," she said, her eyes twinkling.

"Ohh," I replied.

"Athula oru line solluvan parunga, na sethuten. 'That's my girl. Hate me. Don't cry over me. Never cry over me. I'm not worth it.'"

"Oru emotional aa pochu," she said, doing a little jump and holding my arm tight.

"So, you like him ?" I asked.

"Like ? That's an understatement, Hridhan," she answered.

I smiled, watching her excitement. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and seeing her so happy made my day.

"So, Alex is the best ?" I asked as we reached the cafe.

"Yaru sonna ? Oh god, we have Mr. Larsen, Hridhan! 'I know seventy-nine ways to kill a man, and I can make seventy of them look like an accident,'" she quoted excitedly.

"You know what ? I will scream! Oh, Mr. Larsen is just top-notch."

I knew she could scream for sure.

"Antha line padichutu ennala siripa control panna mudiyala," she said, as I ordered a coffee for us.

"So, fixing on Mr. Larsen ?"

"How can we ? We have Josh, right ? Christian ?" she asked.

I realized her list was never-ending.

"Yaru Christian ?" I asked.

I knew Alex was from Twisted Love, and Mr. Larsen from Twisted Games, and Josh from
Twisted Hate. I hadn't completed reading those. But yeah, I went through Twisted Love and started Twisted Games. A few chapters into Twisted Hate.

If I wasn't wrong, Christian should be the last lead of the Twisted series.

"You are asking who is Christian ?" She literally screamed.

"Shhhhh....." I urged.

She turned around like a kitty cat and giggled as no one noticed her.

She turns towards me with a cutest success smile.

"Arna," I heard a voice.

___________

It's seems everyone liked hridhan's development on last chapter 😌❤️

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