MY AVERAGE LIFE

Part 79

Sharath Pov:

I glanced back at the screen where her parents' faces were etched with mixed emotions. Shivani had left me to face them, her warning still ringing in my ears: *"Be careful. They're my parents."* As if I could ever forget. She was mine, but so were these responsibilities now.

I cleared my throat, leaning forward slightly. "Ma'am, could you give us some space? There's something I need to discuss with sir."

Her mother, who had been watching me with a hesitant but kind expression, smiled warmly. "You're getting married to my daughter. Call me mom."

That caught me off guard. I wasn't someone who got emotional easily, but the way she said it... it struck something deep inside me. My lips curved into a smile, one that I knew wasn't my usual smirk but something softer. "Thank you, Mom," I said, my voice carrying an unexpected sincerity.She smiled back at me, understanding the weight of the moment, and left the room.

Once she was gone, I turned my attention fully to her father. This was the harder part."Sir," I began, my tone steady but direct, "when I came to your house the first time, I had every intention of asking for your daughter's hand in the way you would have liked. Respectful, traditional, formal. But you invited another man into the conversation."

His face remained stoic, but I saw the flicker of recognition in his eyes. He knew exactly what I was talking about.

"That man tried to come between us. He didn't succeed, not even 0.01%, but he tried. And when that happened, I snapped back to my original character. The one you probably don't like." I paused, letting that hang in the air before continuing. "But let me make this clear: it was a good thing for me. It reminded me of who I am and why I won't compromise when it comes to her."

I leaned back slightly, my tone softening just a fraction. "I've already told you about my family. They don't care about me but my brother and sister—they'll be happy for me. Beyond that, it doesn't matter. Because my focus isn't on them. It's Shivani. She is my life, my everything, and I need her to breathe. I'll take care of her like she's the most precious thing in this world. Because she is."

I could see her father's expression shift slightly—still cautious but with a glimmer of something else. Trust? Respect? I wasn't sure yet.

"And as for the man who dared touch her," I continued, my voice hardening. "She might have told you I 'took care of him.' And she doesn't ask questions about what that means. But since you're curious..." I met his gaze head-on, unflinching. "He's no more."

Her father's expression changed instantly—shock, anger, and maybe a hint of fear. He leaned forward, his voice low. "What if my daughter asks about him someday?"

I didn't hesitate. "I will never lie to her. The only thing she's ever asked of me is to tell her the truth when she wants it. And I will keep that promise for the rest of my life."

The weight of my words hung in the air. I knew what he was thinking. *A monster.* And I wasn't about to deny it. I didn't care about anyone else's opinion except Shivani's. But for Shivani's father, I needed him to understand one thing.

"You may think I'm a monster, sir. I won't deny it. But the only person who can tame me is her. And I'll never let her go, especially not when she's the one who asked me to marry her. No one can reject her—not me, not anyone. Any order she gives will never be ignored, because she's my queen, and I'll treat her like one."

Her father was quiet for a moment, his face unreadable. Then, he spoke, his voice measured. "So, this is how you talk to your father-in-law? You don't sound like you're asking for my blessing."

"She wanted me to be myself when talking to you," I replied with a smirk. "She thinks I'm the same with everyone as I am with her. She's naive about that. I'm not."

His eyes narrowed slightly, disbelief etched in his features. "You mean to tell me you're being yourself like this just because my daughter wants you to be yourself?"

I nodded, my smirk growing wider. "I'm no one to deny her anything. She gets what she wants."He sighed, shaking his head. "I don't like how you talk. But I can see it. You're gone for my daughter. And I also know you're only asking me because she wanted you to. If it were up to you, you wouldn't care whether I said yes or no."

I chuckled softly. "You got me, sir."

He leaned back, his expression resigned. "Fine. As you wish. But only because of my daughter.""Same here, sir," I replied smoothly, just as Shivani stepped back into the room.

She was radiant, her excitement shining through as she looked at me expectantly. I couldn't help but smile. "Baby, your parents accepted me," I said, watching her face light up.

She rushed to sit beside me, practically bouncing with excitement. "Nana, is it true?" she asked her father eagerly.

He glanced at me before answering. "Yes. Even though I still don't like him, I know he'll make you happy. So, yeah."

She pouted at his words, her lips forming the perfect curve that tested every ounce of my self-control. "Nana, you shouldn't say that. He's sweet!"

I chuckled, barely holding myself back from kissing that adorable pout right then and there. *Later,* I told myself. Once the call was over.

Her father sighed. "Yeah, whatever you say. But we need to do a few things. So, you come today—no, right now."

I blinked, startled. "Why now?" I asked, still distracted by Shivani as I imagined ways to claim that pout for myself.

Her father's smirk was unmistakable. "You're the one who wants to get married in a week. I'm hurrying for you. If you don't want to, she can stay there. But if you want this done, send her right now. And by the way, I'm keeping track of time. If you're even a minute late, I'll extend the marriage date by another week."

Mentally, I cursed myself for going too hard earlier. *Should've gone easier on him,* I thought, now paying the price for my boldness.

But as I glanced at Shivani, her radiant smile told me it was all worth it.