A marriage for revenge

Chapter 4

Anjali marched into the mansion with longer than her usual small, graceful steps. The whole family was gathered there for the pre-wedding ceremony, including Kaveri's parents and relatives. The house already looked like it was celebrating the most significant ceremony of the century. The decoration work was in full swing, yet the decorators were running around like headless chickens since there was so much more to be done. The caterers were seen serving the guests and the party organizers were busy entertaining everyone with games and events.

Anjali's light brown eyes turned a blazing shade of anger when she spotted Vinoth grinning ear to ear as he stood in one corner flirting with his soon-to-be wife. He said something in her ear making her go all red blushing. Swallowing down her fury, Anjali stalked them.

How could he be happy after doing what he did to Anu?

She should have decided to talk to Vinoth or with her family in privacy before taking matters into her hands but her brain would always stop functioning properly whenever it came to her little sister and her safety.

Nobody. NOBODY goes unharmed after hurting her sister. Not even her husband's favorite sibling.

"Vinoth.." Anjali's voice boomed so loud in the hall that she managed to grab everyone's attention even though the music was powerful enough to damage everyone's ear drums. Leaving his lovey-dovey display of affection, Vinoth turned towards the voice and found his sister-in-law approaching him with a murderous glint in her eyes. He blinked blankly when she came to stand in front of him.

Without thinking much about the consequences of her actions, her hand flew at Vinoth to strike right across his face. Out of instinct, several gasps were heard around them the loudest being Vikram's.

He couldn't believe the scene unfolding in front of him. His always meek and gentle wife was now behaving like a mad woman. Molten anger rolled through him as he thundered towards her with long calculative steps. His rage was directed towards one woman but he kept telling himself that his wife would never do anything without a reason.

"Anjali, what the hell's wrong with you?" Before she could respond to his presence behind her she was hurdled back so that she could face him.

"Why don't you ask your brother..?" She tilted her head towards Vinoth and threw him a nasty look.

Despite the pounding in his blood, Vikram blinked away from Anjali and turned to his brother who stood there rooted to the ground.

"What did you do, Vinoth?"

"I don't know what she's talking about, Vikram?" Vinoth hesitantly exclaimed.

"Would you mind explaining, Anjali..?" Not able to handle the drama happening around him, Vikram narrowed his eyes at her.

"Akka.." Right then everyone's eyes locked on the frail figure that hid behind Anjali. Anu was standing there fumbling with her fingers nervously as if she has committed a crime that she shouldn't have.

"Akka, let it go. Please.." When the intensity of her action sank in, Anu wanted to turn back time and undo all of her wrongdoings at once but it was already too late. The only thing she could do was to stop her sister from causing further damage.

"How could you do it, Vinoth? I trusted you with her. I thought you would protect her for me? How could you?" Anjali leaned forward and caught the lapels of Vinoth's expensive designer suit.

"Anjali.." Vikram growled in annoyance at his wife. She acted like a child, creating a scene in front of the guests.

Kaveri stood there looking shell-shocked. She had never seen Anjali behaving like this ever, so savagely. For all she knew Anjali was always polite and forgiving. She didn't what could have her fiance done to witness her wrath.

On the other hand, Kaveri's parents were losing patience as the irritation was clearly visible in their eyes. They didn't like the way their future son-in-law was being treated by the woman. Although she was his sister-in-law, she had no right to behave that way as it would be a great dent in their reputation.

"Can I talk to you, alone?" Vikram pulled at his wife's arm expecting her to take a hint to stop at this madness but Anjali wasn't going to give up without fighting for her sister.

"No.. I want to expose him in front of everyone.." She pointed a finger at him, "I want everyone to know what kind of a cheap human being he is.."

"Enough, Anjali.." Vikram hissed in her face making her shut up instantly. He had never spoken to his beloved wife in that tone but she was testing his patience right now. "Either say what he's done or shut up and go to your room.."

Tears threatened to obstruct her vision but Anjali had made up her mind to not let this go without putting up a fight. Blinking her tears away, she raised her chin high challengingly, "You want to know what he's done? Huh?"

She turned around running her eyes to everyone standing there as though she was addressing all and then finally glancing back at Vitnoth. "He misbehaved with Anu. He's been doing it for a while to the poor little girl.."

"What?" Vinoth felt the ground being pulled from beneath his feet on hearing her accusation. "What made you believe I would do something so horrendous like that to our Anu?"

Vinoth still didn't think that Anu was capable of saying something like that about him to her sister. Yes, she would never betray him like that. He believed it was all Anjali's misconception after she saw them talking alone when she entered the house.

"Anu, tell her it's all a misunderstanding. I would never do something like that to you or anyone else.." His eyes were silently pleading to Anu as she stood behind her sister half hiding.

She couldn't keep her eyes on him. In another situation, she would have desperately wanted to help Vinoth but not now. This was a life and death matter for her. If she did what he wanted, she would lose him forever.

"Anu, why are you not saying anything?" Vinoth had never been so scared in his life as he was now. Every word that Anu would utter was going to determine his life. As it is, he could feel Kaveri's shocked yet questioning glare on him but he didn't dare to glance at her.

"Anu.." He stepped closer to grab her, desperate for an answer from her but before he could do that, Anjali stood between them like the rock she was to Anu.

"Don't you dare come closer to her, Vinoth.." She threatened dangerously, pointing a finger at him. "She's the one who told me of all the disgusting things you'd done to her.."

"No.." He couldn't believe what he was hearing but slowly reality began to sink in.

"She's lying.." He whispered at first but then screamed again and again so that he could make everyone believe him, "She's lying. She's lying .."

"Why would she, Vinoth? A girl so young has no reason to lie about something like that.." He heard someone from the crowd of guests saying out loud.

"No, I swear.." He looked at Kaveri, desperately hoping that she would believe him but the look on her face told otherwise. "Kaveri, I did nothing like that to her. She was the one who.."

"We didn't think you to be such a despicable man, Vinoth.." Another person shouted.

"NO, I am not lying. I didn't do anything to her.. She's.." He could not complete his sentence as Kaveri's father began to drag Kaveri out with him.

"Mr. Sathish. Please wait. This is all a mistake. My brother is a gentleman, he would never touch a girl without her will." Vikram hurried behind him to convince him to stay. He was aware of how much his brother was in love with Kaveri. He would be devastated if this marriage broke.

"Gentleman, my foot.." Mr. Sathish spat angrily, "He's a disgrace. I am ashamed of having any relationship with this family. Mark my words, this marriage is never going to happen.."

With that, they got into their cars and drove off. Slowly the whispers died down, with the guests one by one leaving the mansion building. Now the crowd narrowed down to just the family members.

Vikram looked like he was going to bring down hell when he walked back into the house. Realizing her inner fear, Anu held onto her sister's shoulder as if holding on to her dear life. Tears rolled down Anu's eyes. She hated herself for doing this to Vinoth, the person she claimed to be in love with.

"Anu, come here.." He called her in a firm yet composed tone.

"Anu, don't be scared. Just tell him everything that you told me.." Anjali encouraged her sister with a little push towards him.

Gulping down her fear loudly, Anu took small steps forward with her head bent down.

"Look at me, Anu.." Vikram said and when she didn't obey his command he made himself clear by repeating a bit more sternly, "I said look at me."

It made her flinch but she complied.

"What happened? I want to know everything.." He held her eyes in a penetrating look as if he was searching for answers by peeking into her soul and maybe he was since this involved his dear brother's life.

"H-He.. He tried to.." Anu tried to frame sentences but she failed miserably. "..to mishave with me.."

"He misbehaved or tried to?" Vikram asked raising an eyebrow at her.

"He did.." Anjali confirmed, gazing down as the guilt did not let her keep eye contact with him but her worlds were enough to destroy Vinoth once and forever.

"When? How many times?" Vikram questioned her again.

"Vikram, she doesn't have to answer that.." Anjali chipped in but Vikram shut her down.

"Yes, she does.." He turned back to Anu, "Now, tell me. How many times did Vinoth misbehave with you?"

Her lower trembled in fear and shame, "A-A couple of times.."

"Right. Can you elaborate on what he did to you?"

"Vikram.." Anjali interrupted yet again.

"Shut up, Anjali. Let me deal with this.." The look he gave Anjali made her shiver internally but she wouldn't show it.

"Oh, why don't you interrogate your brother instead?" Coming to stand in front of her sister, she crossed her arms angrily.

"This is not about your sister and my brother, damn it.." He yelled at her, "This is about right and wrong.."

Vikram was losing his patience. He knew Anjali loved her sister too much but not to the extent that she would lose her mind. The girl was clearly lying, it was written all over her face. Any sane person would see it but not Anjali because she wasn't sane at the moment. "

"And yet you are only questioning my sister.." She yelled back at him, this time tears streaming down her cheeks. She felt he was being biased and why wouldn't he? Vinoth was his brother and there was no way he was going to support her and Anu.

"You know what, come here with me. I need to talk to you alone.." He began to drag his wife towards their room in need of some privacy. He wasn't unaware of how much power the girl held over Anjali's emotions. He thought he could put some sense into his wife if they were alone, away from the presence of Anu.

"What are you doing, Vikram?" Anjali chastised him the moment he shut their room door behind him but without bothering to answer her, he captured her lips in a sudden kiss. It was sensual but equally punishing as she whimpered into the kiss but eventually gave in to the kiss. In that moment, Anjali melted in his arms. She could never resist his charms no matter how much she was mad at him.

She returned the kiss which became heated in less than a fraction of a second, making her moan at his touches which were now all over her body, just the way she liked it but then she suddenly remembered something much more crucial.

Anu and her tears.

It was enough for her to push him away.

"Stop it, Vikram. This is not the time for this.." She panted. "I can't believe your brother is capable of doing such a thing.."

Vikram sighed to let off some steam. If it was someone else in place of Anjali, he would have broken their teeth for talking nonsense about Vinoth. He knew his brother too well.

"Don't assume things before anything is proven, Anjali.." He gritted.

"I am not assuming. Did you not see Anu?" She asked, her voice echoing against the walls of their bedroom.

"Yes I did, and it's crystal clear that she is lying.." He concluded bringing tears to her eyes.

"Anu's innocent. She's not lying. It's your brother who's lying.."

"I know my brother, Anjali. He wouldn't do something like this.."

"And I know my sister. She wouldn't lie. At least not when she knows how much her lies could affect my life with you.." She bit back at him.

"That's what I don't understand. Why is she doing this? What's the intention behind her lies?"

"There is no intention behind it and she's not lying Vikram. You are simply too stubborn to accept your brother's mistakes. I thought you are different but you are like any other common man. All you rich people are the same. Dishonest, arrogant, and heartless bastards.."

She realized that she'd spoken too much before she could stop herself.

The hurt was evident in Vikram's eyes and it hurt her as well but she wasn't going to accept it.

"I trust my brother just like you trust your sister. The truth can't hide for too long, Anjali. Let's see who is wrong here and believe me if you are wrong, I will never forgive you.." Vikram said, knowing already too well that their relationship was heading toward destruction.

"Fine, the same goes for you, Vikram. If you are wrong then we are done.."

She said and walked out of the room.