I am no longer related.

Ch-77

"But Babai, if you go and ask her forgiveness she would forgive you," Nandini said.

"Nandu, you know… I don't want her forgiveness. That makes me more selfish. I am opting to die and drown in guilt. That's all. As for now… we need to take care of our little bride," Ramakrishna said as he petted her head.

"Babai, don't touch my hair," she said with a pout. He laughed as he let out his harmless laugh into the wide garden without any negative emotions. The positivity that exuded from his body covered the whole garden making others feel at ease. Laya noticed her uncle laugh out o carelessly for the first time in her life. Unknowingly she walked towards him but stopped at a distance hearing his words when his laughter died down, which was unnoticed by Rama Krishna and Rahul.

Just then Abhinav walked towards Nandini to pass her phone as Krishna Uppalapati, her soon-to-be husband was online. But Laya just dragged him with them and stood closer to their place where they sat down to talk. Abhinav said nothing as he also eagerly started listening to their conversation. After all, it's the first time to sees his father talk with someone. Abhinav pressed the power off button on the phone and held it tight. For his phone, if he presses the power off button once, the call would cut. And Nandini got the same brand. It's just that he doesn't know that Nandini didn't enable that button, and the call wasn't cut.

Krishna Uppalapati wants to talk with his fiance. He didn't hear her voice after the engagement. Even though they would get married in fifteen days, he wants to hear her voice. Because of his swift return to New Zealand, the marriage was held hurriedly. And today he has to assist surgery, he was on a video call, while he instructed the main surgeon who was doing the surgery which was supposed to be done after twenty days. That was after his return to New Zealand. But in the world of doctors, life and death was a normal thing. No one knew when the patients get complications. And one of his patients should be fine, but his condition worsened, and have to undergo surgery suddenly. And he was on a video call while he assisted the doctor on how to perform the surgery.

After the five long hours of surgery, he hung the call. Then he remembered that he had a fiance. With a smile, he took his phone and called her. But Abhinav attended it. He waited till he handed her phone to her. But was shocked to hear the faint voice and words of the people.

"You don't want to marry him?" Ramakrishna put out his doubt in front of Nandini without any hesitation after his laughter died down.

"Babai…." Nandini trailed. Krishna turned on the speaker so that he could hear those small noises and turned the volume to the higher notes.

"Just answer me. I don't want the mistake that happened to Laya repeated to you," he said, shocking Laya who was a bit far from them. Even Rahul raised a brow at his words.

"I don't know, Babai," Nandini said honestly.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Babai, I never wanted to leave this place. I mean this city or state. But If I marry him, I have to leave this. And I am in the final year of my graduation. I would have to discontinue it," she said.

"Babai… I don't understand why dad is so eager to send me off. Can't he even wait for a year? So that I would turn twenty-one, and would finish my degree? But… no! He was in a hurry to get rid of me. What did I do?

"A stranger comes into my life wearing the title of husband. I have to be obedient to him, cater to his needs, do his laundry, cook for him, do dishes, mop the clothe, and take care of every little thing. Then what about me? Who will take care of me? On whom shall I depend?

"I don't know if his parents were talking truth or not. I saw his irritation when they said he would resign from there. What if he doesn't resign and continues to work there? And top of that he is a doctor. He would leave me alone there. To whom I shall talk? Since he is a doctor, I won't even dare to talk to him casually. What if I called him when he was a surgery? Or what If I called him when he was treating a patient? I can't put someone's life at risk with my single simply call. My normal calls or some lovey-dovey calls aren't that important compared to a person's life.

"He would have many priorities. To the point, he won't even have the time to eat his food. If I marry a person like him, would he have the time to remember me? He would remember me during his break time, spare time. That's all. I have to wait for him at home all alone. And for this life, I have to discontinue my studies. Is this fair, Babai?" Nandini asked.

"At least, Laya Akka got a good husband. Even if the one I am marrying is good, what is the use? I would be welcomed with loneliness. I grew up with people around me not alone. Some people think of me. But if I go there… I won't have anyone. I have to wait… wait… wait… wait… then again I have to wait. In the past six years of his life, he never returned to his home to see his family. I mean he only visited once in these past six years. If he doesn't even have time for him to see his parents, then would he have time for me.

"There I will be his maid, cook, washerman, and his…. His…. his… bedroom maid," Nandini couldn't get herself to say those words out. She took the time to say the right words.

"I understand," he said.

"Good things come the hard way. See… your sister… isn't she happy now?" Rama Krishna said with a smile. Nandini nodded.

"Take care. He will come back here. Don't overthink," he said as he got up from his seat and walked to his room. Nandini's words made him realize his treatment of his wife. He regretted not treating her well. He was further ashamed of his behavior.

Laya, Rahul, and Abhinav were silent at her words. Indeed, what Nandini said was right.

Krishna Uppalapati was stumped for his words. He was one of the youngest doctors, he was successful. He was a perfect and dream boyfriend for anyone. But his fiance's words made him feel like he didn't even fit to be a husband or a boyfriend.

His heart broke when he heard her last words. She said… she was his maid. And his bedroom maid. Does she feel she was his prostitute?

Maybe.

If he thinks from her shoes, she was right too. She never felt like she would become his wife, but his maid. Even though the voices were low and a bit distant…he has to thank the technology for helping him hear her thoughts.

Just then he heard a different voice.

"Abhinav, why are you here?" Laya asked.

"Akka, Her fiance called. I came here to give her a phone but seeing her talking to my dad, I cut the call. Now, stop pulling my ears!" he yelled in enough tone that Nandini wouldn't hear him.

"Now… act like you didn't hear anything and go to your room," she said.

"But akka, don't you have responsibility?" Abhinav asked.

"What do you mean?" Laya asked.

"She is feeling like that. Don't you wanna go ahead and talk to pedananna?" he asked.

"I couldn't even utter a word for my marriage. Also, I and he never talked after my mother-in-law almost killed me. I know I am being selfish, mean, and willful but the thing is Pedananna wouldn't change his mind when he decided to do something. And my surname changed, I am a nobody in the house. Except for the last line of blood in my body. I am not the right person to talk to or put a finger in this thing," Laya said.

Laya wanted to tell these things nicely but everything came out rudely. Hearing her words, Krishna realized it was time for him to cut the call. As they were talking about their family things. And he knew… that Nandini's brother already crossed a no for him, and his sister also crossed a no for him, and his father-in-law's brother also crossed a no for him. It seems like one by a third of the house crossed him no.

But he doesn't want to cross a no for this marriage. He would do everything he needs to and would prove to his soon-to-be wife she was wrong. But again… when he thought that how she disliked him, he decided that he should cross a no for this marriage. He immediately called parents from both sides and arranged a meeting the very evening.

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"Laya, you were rude just now," Rahul said to Laya the moment they entered the house.

"I know. I don't know why but I can't hold my emotions still these days. And If I talk to Mr. Raghuram, there is a less percent of him accepting the things. Even if he did, what if he cancels the marriage? I will be called a black omen by the relatives. And again... Nandini would be happy. I am confused about what to do. I need to think before taking a decision," Laya said.

"I am tired of these comments. Now... I am pregnant, I don't want others to call my child too," she added as she went to her bed. if not for Sitamma's pleading she wouldn't agree to stay here till the wedding.