Dedicated to SvShri

He knocked the door for umpteenth time but there is no response...he searched for the spare key again which he unable to fish it out frustrated him more.

"What the hell is she doing inside...."he kicked the door muttering curses.

To his surprise the door opened with a thud unable to bear his kick.

He moved his fingers over the wall to reach the light switch...he is still not familiar with the things in this house even though he is living here for more than a month.

"Where did she went leaving the house unlocked..." he shook his head in disappointment

He walked towards the kitchen undoing his tie making it hang loosely around his neck.

The kitchen looked exactly how it looked in the morning... used coffee cup and plates left dried and unwashed in the kitchen sink.

Moving towards the refrigerator he took a cartoon of fresh juice and moved out of the kitchen uncaring about its state.

Slouching on the couch he switched on the television and started sipping the juice directly from the cartoon.

After sometime he got bored and moved to his bedroom thinking of getting freshen up and hit the bed as he is tired to the bone after a hectic day in office.

He walked ever so slowly dragging his feet....eyes drooping...

His eyes shot open seeing the sight in front of him....A girl lying on the floor curled like a prawn hugging her knees...next second he was sitting next to her holding her head on his lap..

"Regina...regina..."he called her patting her cheek which was covered with traces of dried tears

"Shit..."he cussed when there is no response from her.

His hands shivered when his right automatically moved towards her nose to check her breathing. He sighed in relief when her slow breath caressed his fingers.

Lifting her unconscious form, from the ground he placed her in the bed adjusting the pillow and coverd her lower torso with the quilt.

Fishing for the mobile from his pocket he dialled the number of his sister who is a doctor...

"Come to my house right now...." He ordered once the call get connected

"Hey viky what happened you sound tensed anything serious" she asked  sensing the panic in her brother s voice

"Vida I want you here with in 15 mins....regina is unconscious I don't know why please don't test my patience" he literally yelled

" Ok ok don't panic I will be there in 10 mins...." Vida spoke gathering her things from the table and rushed out of her cabin.

Disconnecting the call he sat on his knees on the floor next to the bed...her face is so tired, covered with tears, those shining eyes are closed and swollen in all crying, her nose exhaling and inhaling slowly, her ever pink lips are now dried, lifeless

His right unknowingly cupped her cheek....

"vick...." She mumbled her voice very low that he might have missed if he is not sitting so close to her

He felt an acute pain in his heart as if someone tugged it...

Her lips opened again but he can't hear anything... he moved closer to listen to her words...

"No...one....loves...me..." she mumbled word by word

"Mom....take....me...with....you...." she continued her voice trailing he barely heard her.

Freshly formed tears rolled over her cheeks as she go on repeating the same.

He sat on the floor holding her right palm pondering over recent happenings....how his dad compelled him to marry her against his wish... how he got married to her as all his arguments went in vain in front of his dad...how he threw her out of his room on their wedding night...how they lived these thirty plus days like a stranger inside the same house... he knew nothing about her other than her name...

It's not that he is against the idea of marriage but  somehow he didn't  wanted to marry at that time... He was a self made man in his whole life but he was forced to act according to his father in this marriage which made him dislike the whole idea.All the frustration he took on her lashing her out when she came to his room on their wedding night ....he don't remember even a word he spoke that night...all he remember was she running out crying...both of them didn't made a move to speak to each other from that day... He will leave for  his office early in the morning will return late and enter into house  using his spare key only to see her sleeping in the couch...thirty plus days passed like this...

His reverie was broken by his sister's arrival

"What happened Vicky?" she entered with a question

He stood still not knowing what to answer

"Jesus...She looks so pale..." Vida exclaimed once her eye caught Regina's lying form

"Will you please wait outside till I examine her" she spoke in a hard tone checking Regina's pulse

"What is the need? Iam her husband..." he questioned

"Looking at regi, I don't think that you exercised this right before Mr.Viktor "She barked

"Vida..."He snarled

"Are you leaving now orelse iam calling dad "She threatened taking her phone out

Viktor moved out stomping his foot hard showing his disagreement

It's almost fifteen minutes he is pacing the living room anxiously there is no response from his sister. He jerked when the calling bell rang before he could attend the door vida came running to the door and welcomed a middle aged women carrying two three bags in her hands. Vida hurriedly took her inside instructing her about something which made him panic.

"vida..." he tried calling his sister.

He got a murderous glance as response.

Viktor sat on the couch holding his head...his conscience pricked him for ill-treating a innocent girl. The middle aged women left after half an hour giving him a you-are-a-jerk look.

He walked towards his room unable to hold back...opening the door ajar he peeped inside...

Regina was still lying unconscious on his bed...a saline stand stood next to the bed...her right attached to IV.... Vida was sitting on the bed hold Regina's left palm tears brimming in her eyes. He knows how much vida loved regina... why not they are bestie s from college days...

Gathering his courage victor entered his room with two cups of coffee... he very well knew his sister's theory of any problem can be solved over a cup of coffee

"How is she?" he asked placing the tray over the bed side table

"Good" vida replied in one word

"Coffee?" he asked pointing the tray.

"No" vida spoke getting up from bed

"Iam going now... Mary sister will come here to look after regi...I will come and see her tomorrow" vida spoke gathering her things

"No need for nurse...I will handle..." he answered

"What will you handle viktor?" she snarled making him wince on her tone

"She is not any of your business to handle.... For heaven sake she is a human being...more than that she is your wife...you dammit..." she threw her bag on the floor which made him jerk from his place

"Vida... language...keep in mind that iam your elder brother..." victor shot back

"Hell to our brother sister relationship...look at her...what sin she did other than loving you to her heart..." vida broke down on the floor

"Vida..."he ran to his sister to hold her

"Why did you do this to her vick? She already went through so much... "she sobbed fisting his shirt

He picked her up and made her sit on the couch of his room...brushing away her tears he gestured her to speak...

This is time he saw his mother whom he lost in his early childhood in the form of his sister.

"Why can't you stay here for one night? " Victor questioned

"Vick its already 7 let me go I will visit tomorrow...." Vida spoke sipping the nth cup of coffee

"Ok then I will drop you home" he got up picking his car keys

"NOPE" vida choked her coffee

Victor shook his head as if he understood something.

"Vick shall I ask mary sister to stay here tonight" vida asked one last time standing on the doorstep

"My dear baby sister.... are you planning to arrange a bone... i know to take care of my wife..." victor stressed the last two words.

Vida nods at her brother who is standing smiling

"Ask your tiger to drive carefully" victor whispered hugging her near the elevator

"What?" vida gasped

"What ...what... ask your driver to drive carefully" victor jeered

She smiled a sheepish one before hitting the buttons of the elevator

Victor moved to his balcony only to see his sister leaping on one tall male figure

"What kind of nickname is tiger" he laughed remembering her sister's actions an hour before

He noted her mobile vibrating continuously while she was busy in kitchen when he peeped into that to look who is calling the name
🐯tiger🐯 smiled at him ...vida grabbed the phone from him before he could answer the call.

Seeing the car crossing the premises he thought to talk to his dad about his sister petting a wild animal

His mobile pinged with a text from his sister.

"BTW U make awesome coffee" the text read.

"I want to meet your tiger" he texted back smiling.

He sat in the couch of his room waiting for his wife to wake up...

Victor moved to wash room sensing her gaining conscious... slowly regina opened her eyes welcomed by her husband standing with a bowl in his hands...towel hanging on his right shoulder

"How are you feeling now?" he asked placing the bowl down

"Fine..." she spoke trying to get up and winced when she pressed her right hard

"Don't put stress on your right vida gave you an iv" he spoke helping her to sit straight

She traced the mark on her wrist which proves his statement

He extended the water bottle placing the empty bowl on her lap signing her to wash her mouth. She tried to protest but compiled to his order when he threw a deadly stare. Once done he moved out and came with a bowl of soup in his hand.

"Drink...you didn't eat anything from yesterday" he placed the tray on the bed.

Her stomach growled acknowledging the fact...she tried lifting a spoon full of soup from the bowl but failed as her hands are still weak. Seeing this he moved a chair next to the bed and sat taking the bowl he took a spoon full of steaming liquid and extended to her mouth.

"isss... its hot... You burned my tongue " she spoke fanning her tongue with her left

"uff...sorry...sorry" He made her drink some water from the bottle.

Next time took spoon of liquid and blew on it making it bearable heat and extended to her mouth who was watching him with wide open mouth. She took the liquid only after he signed her. After finishing up the bowl he made her sit comfortably and moved to wash the dishes.

She got up from the bed slowly seeing him coming inside the room...

"Hey careful" he hollered seeing her stumbling

"Where are you going now?" he questioned

"To sleep...in the couch..."she muttered

"You are not well...I will sleep in the couch today "He made her lie on the bed

Sitting on the couch he browsed random stuffs not knowing how to kill the time. While she kept changing position trying to sleep.

His mobile pinged showing arrival of text

"I got to know that u make awesome soup too" the text from his sister read

"When did she informed her..."Viktor laughed in amusement

"When am I meeting Tiger? " he texted back

He waited for her sister's reply...

"If he passes my test I will make dad to accept" without getting one he texted back

"Thank you Vicky..... Love you...." She replied next second

"Love you too..." he texted back smiling

"BTW what is the syllabus? " She texted back

"Surprise... go sleep good night..." Victor replied chuckling

He looked towards the bed to check on regina but she was still squirming trying to sleep.

He stood up closing the laptop sighing. Climbing on the bed he covered himself with quilt and pulled her by her waist into his embrace shocking her.

"Sleep" he spoke tightening his hold on her waist who was looking at her wide eyed

He pushed her head down placing it on his chest...

A lone tear escaped from her eye wetting his t-shirt...Viktor lifted her chin up and brushed another drop rolling down her cheeks

"Sleep" he whispered again

She kept looking at his face as if she is seeing him for the first time

"Vida loves you, dad loves you..."he spoke remembering her mumblings

"Your mom left you here hoping to see you smiling...she will be worried looking at you crying like this" his thumb brushed another drop of tear rolling down her cheek

"Do you want her to be sad seeing you?" he questioned looking into her eyes

Regina shook her head in negative

"Good...be good girl and sleep now...you are very tired..."he caressed her head

She hugged him tight and closed her eyes feeling loved for the first time in her life

"She suffered a lot in her childhood....her parents died in a accident leaving her as orphan.....her relatives left her in a orphanage were she was beaten and left starved..... They even made her beg for a piece of bread.... Growing up she studied well and joined in college in merit thats were we met and clicked well since we both longed for motherly love..... she longed for love but none cared for her this developed a self loathing mentality and self harming thoughts.....the only good happened to her is you vick.....she loved you...will always love you.... she didn't even opened up about her feelings thinking that you will also leave her alone its me who found out and talked to dad  that s why dad compeled you to get married to her...she still longs for affection Vick...please leave her if you feel she is not worthy or if you don't want her in your life because of anyother reason but dont hurt her.... she is already broken beyond repair...  "His brain replayed the words of her sister....

"If you are not feeling well or if you feel like talking to someone you can call vida anytime, if you are ok in speaking with me you can approach me too. We all care for you regina" For first time in these days he pronounced her name.

She swallowed a sob which tried to escape and nodded

"why did you locked yourself and cried like this for whole day ? you got dehydrated.more than that You didn't had any food for last two days, your BP, blood sugar everything lowerd making you slip your consciousness. You are a doctor don't you know the consequences of the stunts you pulled"he questioned looking at her face which was adorned with a wide smile

"Ian scolding you and you are smiling " he glared her

"Iam happy because this is the first time someone scolding me to take care other than vida" she spoke smiling more broadly

He don't know why felt pained looking at her smile.

"you are not skipping food...Promise me" he continued

"Promise..." she whispered slowly  drifting into sleep

Without disturbing her he  pulled her right hand and examined her wrist which is raw of syringe marks he placed her hand softly over his chest.

He looked at her face which is calm and clear... No shadow of sadness although she went through lot already. He himself don't know what kind of words he threw on her...
He felt ashamed for being selfish not even looking her as a stranger. Even though he lost his mother he had his father's support but he himself felt many times for not having a mother to share his heart. He understood the amount of pain she might have went through without a single person to care for her

His mobile pinged disturbing him...he picked the phone caging her between his arms not wanting to disturb her sleep.

"Vick regi have issues in sleeping alone" the text from her sister read

He remembered how he saw her sleeping on the couch even though he threw her out on thier wedding night.

"She will not sleep alone anymore" he texted back

"Vick pls ask her not to skip food" the text read

"OK " he texted back

Ping another text arrived....

"Uff this girl..."He muttered

"Promise me that you will treat her good" next text pinged

"One more text from you iam calling dad now and telling him about that monkey you are dating" he punched each letter hard

"He is tiger you monkey" her reply pinged next second.

He switched off the phone and threw it over the couch unable to bare his sister.

Meantime regina drifted into deep slumber cocooned between his arms...her slow breath hitting him made his heart swell in happiness

He smiled remembering how happy she was when reciting her vow in their wedding but he was least interested on it at that time.

"In the name of God, I, Viktor, take you, Regina, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. I promise you: I will be faithful to you and honest with you; I will respect, trust, help, and care for you; I will share my life with you; I will forgive you as we have been forgiven; and I will try with you better to understand ourselves, the world and God; through the best and worst of what is to come, and as long as we live. This is my solemn vow. "Victor promised mentally and kissed her head pulling her more into him.

This time he took the vow whole heartedly.

(A:N  so if you u guys reach here thank u so so much for reading....
I have typed urgently so no proof reading  may have many grammatical.  So bunny  aka @SvShri
here I have posted a os as your birthday gift.... Hope u like this  Many more happy returns of the day dear... may god bless you with a 🐯 soon 😉.

)