Chapter three: Business Alliance
"Kartik." Dev called out, bringing Kartik back into the moment.
Krishna Aggrawal chuckled nervously.
Alike every orthodox Indian father, Krishna Aggrawal immediately thought, upon Kartik's freezing, that his daughter had done something wrong.
Dev gave him a reassuring smile when Kartik shook hands with Shruti, coming out of his thoughts.
"He got lost because he was lost in your daughter's beauty." Dev laughed heartily as everyone sat down.
Kartik chuckled along, unsure of how he was supposed to react to this specific comment.
The couple looked at each other while the two men were grinning widely.
Kartik felt nervous and self-conscious enough that he couldn't tell his father to leave.
He figured the most he could do was kick his father lightly in the shin and then hint him to leave. But then, as it happened in the movies, he would probably end up kicking Shruti instead.
Shruti Aggrawal, however, wasn't self-conscious.
She cleared her throat and then looked at her father.
Her father nodded, the grin still intact.
"Come on Devji, let's leave these two kids alone." Krishna said as he stood up.
Dev nodded, as he patted Kartik and the two men left, talking excitedly about something.
Quickly Kartik and Shruti moved to the far ends of the table.
"Why didn't you tell me?!" He glared daggers at her.
Shruti narrowed her eyes.
"Because I didn't want to have those awkward sexual tension which we are now having." She replied as she sipped on the water.
"Oh, that did a lot good, eh?" He said sarcastically.
She sighed. Her brown ringlets bounced against her shoulders as she shifted and straightened up.
"Look, I have to get married, alright? Let's get to business." She said as she met his eyes.
"Do you want to get married?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Frankly? No. But if I want to run the company, I have to get married."
"Are you marrying me because it's my company you are going to run?" Kartik narrowed his eyes.
Kartik had a pretty happy-go-lucky nature. He always had jokes for everyone he met and a friendly approach. But he hated it when people used him.
Shruti narrowed her eyes in return and somehow, she looked intimidating.
"No." She said, barely opening her mouth at all. "You are the first guy I have been showed. And anyway, I didn't choose you. It was between your dad and mine."
Kartik nodded.
"Consider it a business alliance if you will." Shruti offered.
Kartik's shoulders relaxed. He then smiled at her.
"Okay. Let's talk about marriage then." He grinned.
"Alright. I don't know how these arrangements work. So, I need help here." She said.
"I don't know that either. We'll figure this out together." He promised.
"Okay." Shruti nodded, not knowing what else to say.
Kartik decided to break the ice.
"I don't know if I should say it but, the sex was pretty good." He smirked with a twinkle in his eyes.
Shruti laughed. It was not quite a melodious laughter, it was sort of manly actually, but it made Kartik's heart sway.
"Well, for what it's worth, it was pretty good for me too." She chuckled.
"At least our wedding night won't be boring then." He said, straightening his back against the chair, tapping his finger against the table.
Shruti smirked slyly.
"Who said you are going to get some action after marriage?"
"Sweetheart, we are going to be married. Why not have fun if we are doing it?"
Shruti nodded. "I'll consider it." She joked.
"Come on. You want a piece of this. No one rejects this." Kartik said, gesturing at his body.
Shruti laughed again, shaking her head.
"So it's a yes then right? We are doing it ?" She asked once more.
"We are doing it." Kartik nodded, agreeing it.
"Though I want a proposal first." Kartik said.
"A proposal?! For what it's worth, you should be proposing to me!" Shruti replied, shocked.
"Oh, that is so sexist. My sister will hunt you if she hears that." Kartik warned her.
The Roy family, though seemed royal, was a lot to take in. It seemed like all crazy were filled in one family.
"Hey buddy, you came here to marry me. Propose or I reject you." Shruti gave him an ultimatum.
Kartik didn't show it but he was grinning internally. This girl challenged it.
She wasn't taking his sh*t like the others did. She was taming him and even if that sounded wrong, it just felt right to him.
"Okay. Because you asked me so nicely, I'm doing this." Kartik declared.
He stood up and took Shruti's small hand, which perfectly seemed to fit in his, and went down on one knee.
"Shruti, though I've met you only two times, I am willing to marry you because I like the sex with you." He said in a soft voice. Then raised it. "You seem strong, funny and smart. So, will you marry me?" He asked aloud.
Shruti nodded, smiling widely.
The few people around them began to clap. Indians weren't used to such romantic gestures. To them, it was a huge sin to publicly display romance.
Thankfully, the youth is more accepting.
Shruti whispered 'yes' though it didn't really come out.
Seeing Kartik, kneeling in front of her, her heart swelled. Though this was a business alliance, maybe getting married to him won't be so bad.
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