Did he marry her for money?

It was ten, when they reached home. Priya was still trembling with what she had just experienced but Raj was with her every step of the way by holding her by her shoulders with one hand in hers. As Priya was about to get down from the car, Raj touched her hand and said "You feeling better? "

"Yes, thank you.Raj…." She asked as she looked into his eyes

"Yes ?"

"Thank you for everything. I do not want to forget the beautiful trip I had since morning touring the museums with you because of what happened at the end. So truly thank you" She told him sincerely.

For the first time Raj looked really awkward as he averted his eyes towards the wheel and nodded.

As soon as Priya got down, Raj came towards her side and stretched his hand to hold her but Priya stepped back and said 'No, I am fine now. I think I can walk fine . Thank you"

Raj looked a little taken aback by her stance but recovered quickly and said 'Ok..Shall we go in?" Priya nodded. What Raj didn't know was that Raj's warm hug at the station had left her wanting for more. That cannot be good right? I must not raise my expectations. I will only be hurt by them. She thought

As both entered the gate towards the pathway, Priya watched in shock seeing two people sitting on the front porch stairs. Two people who had caused the misery she was in, two years back. Her parents! What the hell are they doing at Raj's place? Did Raj invite them?How did they know Raj's address? Did he know in advance that they were coming?. Her mind raced with questions with no answers in sight. As they approached the front porch, her parents got up and walked towards them with equal shock on their faces. They were not smiling.

It was her father who broke the spell first with "Priya is that you? You are staying with Raj? What is happening here? Why didn't you let us know ? We are still thinking that you are staying in that bedsit of yours. Can you please answer" , his pitch rising every second.

Priya's heart raced with fury as she heard her father speak to her in that tone for the zillionth time of her lifetime and watch her mother enjoy the scene. As she opened her mouth to let them know what she was thinking , it was Raj who interrupted with

"Hello Papa, Mamma. When did you arrive to D.C? It is a huge surprise indeed."

Priya stared at Raj as she heard him address HER parents with "Papa and Mamma" while she called them "Mother and Father". He sounded as if he was very intimate with them.

"Raj, I had some business deal to close in on in California. I thought I would visit you once so I booked a flight to D.C first. I have my flight to LA tomorrow night..but what is this ? What is Priya doing here? Is she staying here?"

"That is a long story Papa. First let us go in"

Raj led the way as Priya's parents glared at her and got in.Priya silently walked in at the end. At this point she didn't even want to explain to them what had happened. Their response to her problems was either indifference or anger. She hated both.

Raj took her father upstairs to probably explain her presence or some business stuff, Priya thought as she watched her mother settle on the couch opposite her and started ..

"So, you are living with Raj now. If I remember you vowed to leave him two years back and never set your eyes on him ever again. So what happened in between? Change of mind? Or finally you admit that our choice was the best one right from the beginning?"

Priya widened her eyes at her mother's blatant and vulgar attack on her and spoke fiercely "Mother, you are mistaken. I am living here because of a practical issue with my flat. It is not as if I am living as his wife. Raj offered me to use his room till my course got over. Hope that clarifies your misgivings"

"Ha...if you say so. Though I remember the fuss you made when we asked you to marry him. The stress you gave us was enough for a lifetime."

Priya felt tears burning her eyes at her mother's taunt. She quickly gulped the lump in her throat and gave back furiously with "Sometimes I wonder what you get by hurting me with your words? I hope it satisfies you at least that way you will leave me alone"

"Leave you alone? Do not talk as if you have been calling us since the two years you have left our home. It is Raj who calls. But surprisingly Raj never mentioned you when he spoke to your father last week"

"Raj speaks to father often? But why? I know that he helped father pick up his business but once everything was fine , is there still a need? " She enquired because she was indeed curious about why that would happen and why didn't Raj never mention this to her.

"Oh, why wouldn't he call when he owns forty nine percent of the company shares? Obviously he would want to know where his money is going and he is responsible for keeping the board of directors informed about it every three months,"

Priya felt as if someone had punched her in the stomach and her breath was stuck in her throat.She struggled to speak but managed to ask her mother in almost a whisper

"So , you are saying that Raj got these shares transferred to him before our marriage?"

Priya's mom gave a small chuckle and said

"Of course sweetheart. Nobody does anything for free in this world."

"B-But I thought Raj married because his father wanted him to and he wanted to fulfill his last wish in exchange of reviving father's company"

"Well, that may be true but why would Raj's father send his son into a marriage without an advantage at the end of the tunnel?"

Priya's eyes filled with fresh tears and they silently rolled down her cheeks. Her heart was squeezing and she did not even know what she was crying for. So it was money all along. Then why pretend to care ? Why make her trust him? Why bring her to this house? Why take her out, why pretend to protect? Her heart was screaming with these questions. The tears didn't stop but she quickly rubbed them off with renewed resolve. She knew that she couldn't stay here any more. She had to move out as soon as possible. She could have forgiven him ( and she had forgiven a little) if he had fulfilled his father's last wish to marry her but demanding a chunk of the company's shares was unforgivable to her. Why did he do that?

"What are you crying for? Don't tell me you have fallen in love with Raj?" Her mother asked.

Priya glared at her and chose not to get provoked with that question instead she asked her mother calmly "When are you leaving?"

Her mother fumed at the question but before she could jump on her daughter, Raj and her father were walking down the stairs. She could feel Raj's eyes boring into hers but she couldn't bring herself to look at him. At this point she wanted to run into her room and just curl herself into a ball and sleep.

Raj came down and stood beside her,their shoulders touching. Priya flinched at the contact and immediately withdrew. Raj seemed perplexed with her behaviour but she didn't care. And to think of it I was in his arms one hour back. She cursed herself for being so easy and trusting.

"Priya, Raj told me everything about your problem. It is good that you are staying in a safe place. We are going back to the hotel now. After my California business gets done, we will come back here and will leave for India after a few days' stay. Shall we leave dear?" Priya's father turned towards his wife.

"Oh sure dear, I am dying to go back to the hotel.it was nice meeting you both here." Priya's mother said without expression, still reeling with anger at her daughter's impertinence.

Priya didn't utter a word as she was too numb to say anything. Her heart was still recovering from what she had heard from her mother.

Raj and Priya walked her parents to their rented car to see them off.

"Bye then" Priya's father waved as he got into the driver's seat, Priya watched all this like a zombie. As the car drove on, Priya immediately turned her back to the house without lingering even for a second as she watched Raj follow her in a bid to catch up with her. But she was not going to give in again! She didn't even know what other secrets he was hiding beneath his cool demeanour. As she reached the house to open the door, Raj grunted and closed her hand with his. Priya recoiled at the touch and drew her hand back.

Raj swore fiercely and turned her towards him , " What is wrong with you? Why do you seem so distant and disturbed? Tell me " His tone was half pleading, half frustration.

Priya for the first time, looked into eyes and said "Nothing is wrong with me. I am very tired now, I think I will go back to bed. Thank you " Sounding as formal as possible hiding all the inner turmoil she was going through.

"Ughhhh, can you cut down the formal tone please for God's sake. Did your mother tell you something?"

"Well, my mother is known to say things to disconcert me. Only this time the blow was too deep"

Raj stepped closer and Priya stepped back immediately because at this point she wouldn't be able to bear his touch as she feared herself in losing into him and shaming herself even further.

Seeing her reaction Raj smirked and said "Did you forget that you were in my arms a few hours back? "

"Yes, I remember distinctly and I am sorry for it. I pray and hope I do not repeat the mistake again"

Raj's fury at her words made him swear loudly and in a second he closed the gap between them and hands drew her closer and kissed her fiercely. Priya beat his chest hard with her fists to push him away but Raj pushed her body to his even closer as his lips dug deeper. This set off a fire in Priya as her body sank into his with his fingers curled tightly on her narrow hip. With every breath she was losing, her primal response doubled with a racing heart beating all the way down to her deep core. She could hear Raj groan as her fingers held onto his shirt , pulling it, tugging it. It was a swish of cold wind that brought Priya back to her senses as she jerked back from his grasp and fell back on the door with her hands on her lips. Raj stared at her , his eyes a deep dark shade as if in agony.

This was insane! I am physically craving for a guy who married me for money! Who hid things from me! She cursed herself and quickly ran to the room. Raj didn't make any attempt to follow her and she was thankful for that. She needed to stay away from this guy.Period!

In the sanctuary of her room, Priya flopped onto the bed and let out a deep groan. She had to move out ASAP to salvage the little self respect she had. And I don't trust myself around him anymore.I have to stay away from him.Her body, still humming with unfulfilled desire, she slept fitfully with nightmares of demons chasing her as she scrambled to find sanctuary in the arms of a familiar stranger. As she woke up around eight, she quickly dressed up for college and packed her bags .She decided to come back home after college and leave but before that she had to beg her friends to take her in for a few weeks else she had no choice but to fall back on Sean, which she didn't want to, at least as of now. As she stepped outside, she found that Raj had already left for office for which she was grateful. She simply didn't have any strength left in her to confront him. As long as he was connected to her parents, it would be very difficult to trust him totally. But what was on his mind? Why did he insist on being with her if it was money he was after. He had already got that, didn't he?

"AHhhhhh" she pressed her hands to her face and left for college. Her body felt weak and the ache in her legs seemed to have magnified two fold as she walked towards the metro. By the time she reached the metro, she felt really faint and sat on one of the benches while she waited for her metro. Her body felt hot and sweaty and a sensation of nausea swept up in her throat. God , am I falling sick? She prayed hard not to as she got onto the metro. By the time she had reached her college, she knew that she was sick. She felt faint, queasy, weak and achy all over. As she stepped into the college she was glad to find Anita and Samaira.

"Hi" Priya greeted weakly

"Oh Hi Priya, why do you look so exhausted? Is something wrong?" Samiara asked with concern in her voice.

"Ah-Ah, yes I am feeling a little sick. I feel achy and queasy and a headache seems to be looming around the corner as well."

Anita quickly touched Priya's forehead with the back of her hand and exclaimed "God Priya , you are burning. How did you even make it to college? C, mon, let us go to the doc on the campus."

As Anita and Samaira dragged Priya to the college doc on the campus, Sean appeared and one look at Priya, he was next to her in a jiffy .

"What is wrong with you? Not well? Let us go to the doc ASAP" He said hurriedly.

Anita and Samaira eyed each other at Sean's outburst. Samaira replied saying "What do you think we are doing? Now if you want to help just come along and don't talk"

"Guys Knock it off. I am burning right now and I think I will puke any minute" Priya said weakly. She was feeling more and more faint, her legs trembling even more.

The doctor at the dispensary checked her up and came back with "viral infection" as the cause.

"Did you travel anywhere recently? Moved in crowded places? You seemed to have caught some bug from there. Nothing to worry about. It will take five days. Just buy these meds at the counter and drink plenty of water and take lots of rest. If it worsens then give me a call.Ok?"

Priya knew where she caught the infection from but kept mum in front of her friends and just said "Thank you Doctor"

As they came out of the dispensary, Anita and Samira insisted that she come to their house till she recovers and Priya was glad to take the offer.

"Thank you girls. I really am" Priya choked with tears.

"Hey what is this, why are you crying? Are you alright? Is something the matter?" Sean asked.

"Nothing, now who will drop me home so that I can take some rest and recover quickly?" She enquired lightly.

Sean jumped to drop her home and just like that she was off to Anita and Samaira's place. The drive was a very short one as they stayed really close to the campus. Priya was drained by the time she reached her friend's home. Sean helped her out and settled her in one of the rooms before saying "Priya you look really bad. I feel I should stay here with you till Anita and Samaira come home. I can skip classes today. It is not a problem"

"Sean, it is ok. I think I am just tired and sleepy.If I have a good sleep I will feel better. You go back please" She told him with a faint voice.

Sean just nodded and left the room and before Priya knew, she was drifting in and out of sleep. Nightmares invaded her mind and she could feel herself drowning in a huge lake and struggling to swim but Raj swam and took her back to the land.She was drenched all over as …..

"Priya….wake up.."

Raj's voice!

Priya woke up with a start and found herself staring at Raj leaning over her bed. She was too weak even to get up and just flopped down on the bed.

"R--Raj… What are you doing here? How did you find this place?"

"Priya, did you think that I would not be able to find you? All I had to do was to tell your friends I wanted to meet you. And it looks like they still do not know what you are to me. Now let us not speak anymore. I am taking you home." He touched her forehead as he spoke and said "God you are burning, please Priya …."

As Raj was speaking Sean burst into the room and bellowed,

"Hey what are you doing? Who are you?"

Raj turned back and looked at Sean with scorn and said " I really don't need to tell you who I am but I very well know that I am taking Priya home and nobody's going to stop me"

In one single movement Raj swooped Priya into his arms and carried her out of the room.

"Raj please, put me down. What are you doing? I am not well. I cannot possibly live in your house with this condition. Try to understand . Please don't be so stubborn. I beg you please.." Priya pleaded but Raj was in no mood to listen.

"Hey Hey, what is this..the lady says she does not want to go with you, then why do you force her? I will report to the cops if you do not stop what you are doing now" Sean yelled as he tried to pull Priya from Raj's arms.

"Sean please, it is not what you think.." Priya felt helpless at the way these men were treating her like one rag doll ..

"Priya you act as if you know him well but do not tell me who he is. What is happening? Who the hell is he?" Sean asked Priya, he was about to lose it any minute it seemed like.

Raj swore violently at Sean's outburst and burst out saying ..

"She is my legally wedded wife. "

Priya closed her eyes in dismay as Sean watched both of them with stunned eyes.

Raj continued to carry her to the car as Priya gave in and decided to not fight anymore. She had no energy left in her. But what would the future bring her if she decided to stay with him?