"Ruhaan?" Radha called out as she entered her husband's room.

She looked around, studying the place, everything looked black, then something pink caught her eye.

Her pink blanket.

"How did that get in here?" She wondered.

Then she remembered.

Last night, she was wrapped up in her blanket while watching the stars, then he came. They talked. She drifted off to sleep. He brought her to his room.

In her quest to flee in the morning, she had left her blanket.

"Meri biwi." Thick muscular arms wrapped around her petite frame as her husband's chin gently settled on her shoulder. (My wife).

Red hue covered her cheeks as she smiled shyly.

"Your mom asked me to wake you up." She reported.

Ruhaan hummed and tightened his arms around her, enjoying the sweet fragrance of jasmine and vanilla in his wife's hair...

~

"What did you just call him?" A strong female voice filled with anger and disbelief, broke the comfortable silence.

The couple pulled away from each other and turned to see Ruhaan's mother glaring at them, more specifically, Radha.

While Ruhaan calmly stood, Radha was shaking in fear, the veneration plate almost fell. Ruhaan had just broken his wife's fast and she had called him 'husband', blessing him with a long life.

Ruhanika stormed into the room and stared at the young lady. Radha was dressed in a red saree, her mangalsutram, visible and vermillion in the partition of her hair.

"I asked a question." The older woman glared at the couple. The tension in the room felt suffocating.

"Mom, Radha is my wife." Ruhaan revealed. Ruhanika thought she was dreaming.

"What? How? When?" Ruhanika asked in shock while turning to take a good look at her daughter in law again.

Ruhaan sat his mother down and together, they both revealed how they met at the temple and the priest mistook them for a wedded couple, gave them a mangalsutram and vermillion then asked Ruhaan to adorn Radha with the sacred marriage symbols.

Ruhanika slowly stood up and approached the young lady, who stood hidden behind her son's tall muscular frame. She inwardly chuckled but still wore her stern look, as she grabbed Radha's hand and pulled her towards herself.

"Why are you hiding behind your husband, my dear? I don't bite. You are welcome into our family. May you both be happy." Ruhanika laughed softly as she looked at the relief and happy look on their faces.

~

"We are not going to accept any stupid marriage. You, Ruhaan, are already engaged to Rhea, Dhruv Mehta youngest daughter. I won't let you take away my chance with the Mehta family over some stupid maid you call your wife." Dev yelled at his son.

That was it for Ruhaan.

He had warned his father twice yet this was the third time he was insulting his wife right in front of him.

The audacity. The nerve. His father or not, he had crossed boundaries and limits.

No one expected what happened next, not even Radha, who stood behind her husband, hiding.

Ruhaan's heavy attacking hand swang back then flew against his father's face before anyone could blink. Everyone gasped while Radha flinched.

"I have warned you. She is my wife so you will accord her with respect. The next time - no there won't be any next time, because you will be gone before you can utter an insult against her, papa." Ruhaan growled at his father, took Radha by the hand and stormed upstairs.

~

"Look, Radha, I cannot marry Ruhaan. I love Rajveer a lot and I am already pregnant with his baby. Plus, I know that you are Ruhaan's wife as well as his love and on top of it all, you're also pregnant. Please Radha, help me." Rhea pleaded earnestly.

Radha stared at the woman silently then slowly nodded in agreement.

She was going to take Rhea's place and marry her husband again.

"Thank you very much, Radha. Happy marriage!" Rhea giggled after they had exchanged clothes, then she skipped away.

It was as if Ruhaan already knew the bride beside him. When she was asked to place her hand in his, he felt his wife's hand. Grinning, he leaned in and whispered, "it's you, meri jaan." (My love).

Radha blushed underneath her veil.

Even after finding out, he kept a neutral face so that no one would notice it. The last thing he wanted was drama.

~

She was a runaway bride who managed to get into the city and the mansion as a maid.

He was an arrogant man who only cared about his family.

They got married thrice, twice accidental, once deliberate. They gave each other a chance in their first marriage, sneaking around and getting cozy with each other until they were caught. Then he was forced into a marriage alliance with his father's friend's daughter. They got married again when the bride eloped with her lover after making her the replacement.

No one but his mother was ready to accept her. Until one night, one accident, an unintended display of bravery and love.

Then a secret was unraveled. A deliberate exchange that lead to twists of fates. And after all that was revealed, still, two people were feeling reluctant to accept her. Will those two ever accept her?

~

Hello, Namaste🙏, how are we doing?

So this is the first part of the book, how did it go?

After reading all the scenes, what do you think the secret might be?

Are you going to give this book a chance? 🥺

This is actually my first Indian novel. I am not an Indian but I love India, so there won't be very detailed scenes of festivals, rituals and acts of worship.

With that being said, stay tuned for mo

re ☺️💕

Please remember to vote, comment and share 💞

Your favorite author,

Julie Cooper.