Veiled Affection: Secrets Of Heart.

Chapter-10.

Murugan.

Oh my God, those lustrous lips of hers are killing me slowly. It’s addictive, like a bane that is oh so hard to leave without a taste.

I kissed her. I bloody kissed her.

I loved it, and oh hell, I loved it.

I was working on a poultry farm that is being built near the old one, but for heaven's sake, can I concentrate on it? No! The scene of her breathing heavily, with messed-up hair, her lips swollen and her skin so soft and flawless to touch, keeps playing in my mind.

I was tending to the farm when suddenly, my phone rang, startling me from my thoughts. I looked at it and saw that it was Radha.

"Radha?" I asked, but she was silent for a moment.

"Radha? What happened?" I asked, worry etched on my face. She usually doesn’t call me unless necessary. Now that Mom has gone to her sister's house, I was afraid something had happened to her.

"Radha, someone has called you," a male voice said. I frowned. Who the bloody hell is it?

"Radha, I think I dialed your husband’s number. Come fast," the same man said, and I immediately cut the call, putting everything aside, and dashed to my house, hoping to hear Radha laughing with some man.

I stormed in.

There was a man around Radha’s age sitting there. He might be as tall as I am, slender in build, and he looked very young, like the heroes in movies. I saw Radha hitting him playfully on the shoulder, laughing at whatever nonsense he said.

I gulped. She looked so happy and carefree with him. She has never been like this with me, not even in the past. I cleared my throat, and both of them looked at me, one with a smirk and the other with confusion.

I glared at him, trying to warn him with my eyes to get the hell out of here.

"Mama, you came early today," she said, and it wasn't even a question. I nodded and sat beside her.

"Mama, this is my best friend from college, Bhaskar. He’s working as a software engineer in Chennai," she said. He looked like a modern man who would fit right in beside Radha. That realization pierced me with pain. I glared more at him, and he just smirked, which irked me to my core.

"He has come here to invite us to his wedding," she said, and I snapped at her, feeling a breath of relief.

"What?" It came out more as a whisper.

"Yeah, Mama. He is marrying my other friend, Janaki. They fell in love with each other when we were in our second year, and they have been inseparable ever since," she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. I looked away, glancing at him. Now I felt okay looking at him.

"Yes, let me introduce myself properly. I am one of the twelve friends that Radha has from college. I’m marrying a friend named Janaki," he said, and I extended my hand to him with a smile.

"What, Radha? I’ve come this long, and you didn’t even make me your homemade food, which is the only reason I came here," he said with a pout. This was the first time I was seeing a grown man pout. What the hell? I looked at Radha, and she chuckled, leaving for the kitchen, probably to make something for him.

"So, Mr. Murugan," he began after a moment of silence. We held a daring eye contact. "Do you love our Radha?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at me. I looked at him, surprised.

He sighed. "I understand you are her mama and that she knows you from a young age, and she has her reasons to hate you, but she still loves you. Radha is someone who would love even the person who hates her and would forgive if we just ask her to. I’m not saying she’s naïve, but she is too good for this world. We want someone who would love her for who she truly is. She hides her pain easily and doesn’t tell a soul, even if they are indebted to her for life. She doesn’t rely on anyone, so tell me, do you love her?" he asked, and I looked away.

"Our marriage didn’t happen on the basis of love, but it started long ago with friendship and care. However, I’m afraid she is not the Radha that I knew, and that scares me. You know what happened, which is why you are so protective of her around me," I said, and he looked at me, perplexed.

"Do you know you both are the same?" he said, and I looked at him, confused. "Never mind. It doesn’t always have to start with love. Friendship is a good start. If you feel that you don’t know her now, then get to know her. You’ll see she hasn’t changed a bit," he said. I sighed and looked at him with a thankful smile.

"Please do come to my wedding; you will see that I’m not the real competition waiting for you there," he said, heading towards the kitchen as Radha called him.

What did he say?

Radha.

"Are you happy?" Bhaskar asked me while I was frying papadam. I looked at him and smiled. He made my day today after two long years. I nodded, but he frowned at me. I switched off the stove and looked at him.

"I am at peace," I said, and he looked confused.

"I am at peace because I am with Mama. I don’t know whether I love him the same way as I did years ago, but I am at peace knowing that we are renovating our emotions and feelings for good," I said, and he nodded, understanding.

"So Janaki was saying that you are taking her to Ooty, but she wants to go to Alappuzha," I said, and he looked at me with a tint of red on his cheeks. I laughed at him.

"Oh, madam, where did you go, huh?" he asked, but before I could answer, a voice startled me. There was Mama standing against the kitchen door, looking at us.

"We didn’t, but we are going to a secret place after your marriage directly. I planned it, but your friend was saying no because she had work," I said, and Bhaskar looked at me as if I had kicked a puppy. What the hell? I looked at Mama, who was laughing at my expense and smirking at me.

"Mama," I called out, fully aware that my cheeks were flushed with embarrassment.

"What I’m saying is the truth," he said, walking away before I could do anything.

"Radha, I will make you talk to Janaki about this behavior of yours. Janaki will give you detailed information on how to behave." No, no. Janaki is bad news. The details will be very detailed, and it will be incredibly awkward. Janaki doesn’t care, though.

Oh my God. I am going to kill my Mama.

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