RUDRAKSH'S POV

I sit in the middle of my hotel working and waiting for my to-be wife. She's five minutes late and I don't tolerate lateness but I can't say anything because maa will murder me otherwise if she gets to know. She specifically warned me to not treat this as a business deal and try to talk to her. I mean I will try but can't promise because I am not used to being friendly and charismatic, I am more of a straightforward guy. But I do have to consider that whether I like it or not she will be my wife, mine, and I have to spend my entire life with her, so it's not a harm for us to at least be on talking terms.

Just as I'm starting to get annoyed by her delay, Shivani walks in, and my breath catches in my throat. She's even more beautiful than I expected, the photo I saw of her does no justice to how beautiful she is, with her dark hair and piercing brown eyes. She looks stunning in that black kurti, I'm taken aback by her elegance and grace, and for a moment, I forget all about my annoyance.

As she approaches me, I can see the nervousness and fear in her eyes, and it doesn't sit well with me. I don't like seeing her like this - she looks like a trapped animal, and it makes me feel uncomfortable.

She sits in front of me, "I am so sorry I couldn't find this place, the hotel is too huge and I got lost, I couldn't see anyone to ask for help, I saw a staff member and-"

I interrupt her, "it's okay shivani." I reply surprising myself. She nods and looks everywhere but me.

"Listen, I just wanted you to know that I am not sure what you're expecting out of this marriage, all I can give you is respect and loyalty, once we marry, I am yours and you're mine, end of the story."

She looks at me with wide eyes, shocked by my outburst.

"I mean it Shivani, if you have someone else you like you can leave I won't mind but if you try anything after marriage I won't take it lightly and trust me I am not a good enemy to make." I glare at her. She looks scared but that's what I want, I want it to fit it in her head that she will be mine.

"Do you get it?" I ask in a harsh tone.

She looks at me, fear evident in her eyes, "yes sir."

sir. She called me sir?

"It's Rudraksh for you, you are going to be my wife, you have rights to call me by my name." I say.

We sit in silence for a while. She looks in her lap as if trying to muster courage for whatever she wants to say to me.

She doesn't look up, but whispers, "I will always be yours if you marry me but you shouldn't marry me." Her voice is barely audible, if I hadn't cleared the hotel for our meeting, I would never be able to hear her.

"Why would you say that?" I ask, because why would she not want me to marry her, unless she likes someone else I don't see a problem with getting married to her, she has a clear background, no scandals, in fact she's a good girl, good academics, no expelling from school or college, no involvement in anything that could make me doubt her credibility although, I won't say I trust her but she looks fine and she's very beautiful and maa likes her, she always knows what's right for me.

"I could give you a list." She laughs, I don't really know her but I can still say something's not right.

"What do you mean, shivani? Do you like someone? Now's the right time to tell me because you won't and can't elope from the wedding, it's better we cancel it now if you already have someone in your life." I say making it clear to her.

"No, but have you seen me?" She finally looks at me, she looks defeated, her eyes shine with unshed tears and I don't know what to do because I am not good with handling that, "I am not what you want, at all, I am not smart or beautiful or confident, I am not strong and you need someone by your side, who can walk beside you and I am someone who will always walk behind you because I am nothing in front of you. Can't you see it."

I'm taken aback by her words, and for a moment, I'm at a loss for what to say. She thinks she's not good enough for me? That she's not smart, beautiful, or confident enough? I look into her eyes, and I see the genuine belief in her words. It's like she's convinced herself that she's not worthy of me.

I sit there for a moment, looking at her with a mixture of disbelief and irritation. How could she think such a thing about her life?

"You clearly don't know anything about me," I say with a scoff. "If I didn't think you were smart, I wouldn't be marrying you. And if you think I only care about looks, then you're wrong." I continue, my gaze fixed on her. "Confidence is something you build up by facing your insecurities head-on, not something that magically appears out of nowhere. It takes time and effort."

I watch as her lips tremble, and she bites down on her bottom one. The sight of it makes me feel an unexpected emotion in my gut - one that I've never experienced before. Sympathy? No, I don't do sympathy.

She looks down again, avoiding my gaze as she speaks.

"I don't want to become a burden for you, because as you said it will take time and efforts."

The air is thick with tension between us, and I feel a stirring of something inside. It's a mix of frustration, annoyance, and something else. I take a deep breath, trying to center myself before responding to her.

"I don't know what you're talking about, shivani," I say with a weary sigh. The emotions swirling around inside me make me feel uncomfortable. "The moment you become my wife, you will be my family and I may hate the rest of the world but never my family, I do anything for them, so you don't have to worry about being a burden, you won't be, no matter what."

I watch as a tear rolls down her cheek, and I feel conflicted. I've never seen anyone cry over marrying me. Her vulnerability is overwhelming, and it scares me because I don't know what to do with it. But the problem is I want to do something about it, take it away somehow. Damn it. The sight of her crying, her eyes full of vulnerability, stirs a feeling within me that I don't understand.

I feel a strange urge to touch her, to wipe her tears away, to comfort her and take away her pain. I try to tamp down these new feelings, telling myself that it's just a moment of weakness, a moment where I'm not fully in control. But I am not someone who is ignorant of their emotions because maa always taught us all that it's better to face what's going inside, it usually solves the outer problems.

And deep down I know whether I like it or not I will care for her, and that she won't be alone in her darkness. I don't know what she went through in past to think like that about herself, but I know from now on, she will never once get a moment in her life which will make her doubt her self worth, and that's a promise I make to myself, and I am a man of my words, I will keep this promise.

"If that's your list Shivani, of why I shouldn't marry you, it doesn't scare me away. I am going to marry you." I look straight in her eyes to let her know I am very serious and I won't back away because I have this powerful urge of saving her from herself.