॥The Wrong One॥

 The next morning, Kayana was up before the sun. Walking around the bed, she swept her hands over the duvet, hoping to flatten the slight bumps in the cover. Her mind wandered to the night before. Vodia hadn't come back to the room. 

Kayana laid waiting on the bed for him to come back from the bathroom, the only source of light within the room was the ray of moonlight that had somehow weaved it's way inside through the closed the curtains. It had shone in the spot that Vodia had droppped the letter. Raian's letter. 
 

Shaking her head, Kayana continued placing the pillows back on the bed. 



Her wedding night had not gone as planned. 



Given that she never wanted Vodia to find out about the letter, it was better that he found out now, rather than later. 



A thought struck at Kayana, forcing her to sit down at the edge of the bed, her gown still falling around her. She lay a hand on the round post, her eyes widening. 
What if Vodia had called her parents? Her father? And told him of this letter? 



Bringing a hand up to her face, she covered her mouth. What if he was just going to return her to her parent’s house? That would be like a slap to the face for her father. 


Standing up abruptly and turning to neaten out the corner she was seated on, the door behind her opened. 



Immediately a masculine smell enveloped the room causing Kayana to still. 


Footsteps stepped inside, and she heard the click of the door closing. Turning around slowly, she came face to face with a fully dressed Vodia, buttoning his cufflinks and looking over her head to the still closed curtains. Taking long strides he reached both his arms out and pushed the covers back.

Sunlight streamed into the room and accentuated Vodia’s expressionless face as he looked at her. 

Wearing a light blue shirt tucked into black khakis, Vodia looked very much like the businessman her mother had told Kayana about. 

Looking at him cautiously, Kayana walked towards him, her hands out stretched towards his tie. Seeing him not flinch, Kayana continued to do his tie for him, never looking up towards his eyes. 

Once she was done, she stepped back, silence reigning in the room. 

She felt, rather than saw Vodia move forward, his right hand going behind her to touch her hair. He slid his hand down the length of it, stopping at the bottom, his hand resting just above her waist. 

Her breath caught in her throat as she became aware that she hadn’t even brushed her teeth yet. 

Leaning down, Vodia whispered in her ear. 

“I’m glad you’re not wearing your scarf.”

And with that, he removed his arm and walked around her to the bathroom. 

Kayana stood motionless, her heart beating rapidly, her breath still caught. 

Her waist still tingled from where his arm had been, and she remained unmoving as she continuously heard his words in her mind. ‘I’m glad you’re not wearing your scarf. 

She wasn’t wearing her scarf? Kayana’s eyes widened as realization hit her. 

Where was her scarf? She looked around the room, and saw the door to the walk-in-robe shut. 

Making her way towards the door, she heard the tap in the bathroom shut off. Walking faster, she opened the door and closed herself inside the small closet. 

Walking forwards in the dark, Kayana used her hands to feel for anything of hers that could be in here. Missing a step, Kayana landed on the floor in a large thud. 

Sitting up and pulling her legs beneath her, she cradled her elbow. The door to the small room opened slowly and she saw Vodia step inside. Sliding his hand on the side of the wall, he turned on the light. 

Kayana saw a glimmer of amusement in his eyes as he saw her sitting on the floor, lowering her eyes again, she dropped her arm into her lap. 

Closing the door behind him, Vodia walked forward to kneel before her. Putting his hand into his pocket, he produced the crumpled letter from the night before and dropped it into Kayana’s lap, leaning back so he could sit down properly.  

Kayana fingered the letter in her lap and looked up at Vodia, a confused expression on her face. He simply looked back at her and nodded. 

“Vodia ji?” She questioned.

“Did your father know?” He replied. 

“Ji?” 

At this point, Kayana’s voice had lowered from the closeness of Vodia, her eyes stayed lowered. 

“Raian.” He forced out. This was not easy for him. He did not think he’d be talking to his wife about her past lovers. “Did your father know?”

Vodia’s question caught Kayana off guard as she lifted her eyes towards Vodia. Seeing the look in his face, Kayana knew it was time to tell him everything. Everything from Corin to her parents, to her fathers plan. 

Anything that Vodia decided to do after that was his right. 

“Yes Vodia Ji.” She replied, looking straight at the man who was now her husband. A husband she didn’t want. 

Vodia sensed there was more Kayana was going to tell him, and so he sat. Quietly, patiently. 

He wanted to know. 

“Continue Kayana.” His deep voice sounded in the enclosed space. “Tell me who Raian is.”

Looking up, Kayana made up her mind.

“Raian was my boyfriend, Vodia ji. His sister, Corin was like my sister. She was my best friend.”

Vodia simply nodded, respecting Kayana’s need to get her story out. Vodia appreciated honesty. 

“We were together for a short while. I did not want to disgrace my parents, but I was promised that we would be together.” Making eye contact here, Kayana spoke the words directly towards Vodia. “He was to be my husband.”

She saw a slight shiver go through Vodia at the mention of husband. 

“One day, his father caught us,” Kayana stopped here as she saw Vodia stiffen from the insinuation. She hurriedly tried to correct herself. “He found out we were together by the way we acted. Nothing more.” 

“He gave Raian an option of either leaving me, or asking my father for my hand. My father and Raian’s father were best friends and so we all thought this was a good idea. Except Corin.” Swallowing the lump in her throat, Kayana knew she had to continue. She had gotten so far already, and Vodia deserved to know. 

“Corin had already told my father of what was happening. She had gone behind my back,” She crushed her hands into fists, shocked at the amount of anger she felt at Corin. “She ruined my chance to be happy.”

“And my father?” She let out a sarcastic laugh, shocking herself. “He made all this happen.” She gestured between the two of them. “He forced this on me. He forced this on you. He forced Raian to leave to Balu, using his love for me as an incentive.” Reaching up, she wiped her eyes, not even realizing when she had begun crying. 

“He forced Raian and I apart. For money.” 

Vodia continued to simply look at Kayana as she told her story. His wife had been robbed. She had been robbed of a chance at happiness, simply for money. 

Standing up, he pushed a hand through his carefully made hair, making wisps of it fall onto his forehead. 

His heart clenched as he heard Kayana sob quietly behind him. 

His emotions and feelings towards this girl shocked him at how intense they had become in the short time he had known her. His mind wandered back to the first time he saw her, and he realized, he couldn’t blame anyone but himself for this happening. 

It was his proposal that had given Ryda Drewett a way out. 

_-_-_-

“Therefore, Mr. Ryda, it would be more beneficial for us to meet on the Tuesday of the coming week to discuss this further. Making a hasty decision would not be for the best.” Madkun Lakin reasoned with Ryda Drewett.

Letting out a chuckle, Ryda replied “As you wish Madkun ji, as you wish.”

Turning to the side, Ryda acknowledged Vodia’s presence in the meeting. 

“Vodia, Madkun ji, do have some lunch before you leave, my daughter has made a special menu for today.” 

Though he was speaking to both father and son, Ryda looked at Vodia with a glint in his eye. 

“Pita ji, we must-“

“Nonsense Vodia beta, we must have something before we leave. It would be rude not to.” His father chastised him, making Vodia smile slightly. 

“Very well, pita ji.”

“Kayana! Set the table beti.” Ryda simply spoke, as if he was speaking to the room he was in. Vodia assumed somebody heard him, as the door to the kitchen merely opened, and a small figure stepped out, clad in a forest green skirt and black top, its head covered loosely with a sparkly cream scarf. 

The head looked up and Vodia’s own bland eyes met the most sparkling hazel eyes he had ever seen. Once their eyes had made contact, he saw hers slightly widen, her tongue darting out, lightly wetting her bottom lip, before she realized her actions and lowered her head again.

“It is done Pita ji.” 

She looked up at once more, looking straight at Vodia, her eyes crossed, before turning around the disappearing once again through the door leading to the kitchen. 

Vodia let out a gruff laugh, that must be Kayana. 

“Vodia? Vodia, it’s time to eat.” Madkun repeated, a small amusing smile playing on his lips. 

He faced his father at that moment, and understood the question swimming in his eyes. 

Did Vodia like Kayana? 

Nodding slightly, Vodia stood up, earning a slap of approval on the back from his father. 

Vodia liked Kayana.

_-_-_- 

This was not the girl he had initially chosen. 

This was not her. 

He walked closer to the broken girl on the floor. 

Extending his arm towards her, he waited until she looked up at him, her eyes large, making her seem vulnerable. 

He left his arm infront of her, waiting for her to place her tiny one In his. Once he felt her soft palm, he pulled her up towards him. 

“Pack your things.”

If possibly, her eyes widened even further. 

“J-Ji Vodia Ji? Di-Did I do som-something wro-wrong?”

Removing his hand, he simply turned around and opening the closet door, stepping out. 

“We’re going to Balu.”

॥The Wrong One॥ 

I would love to hear how you feel about this chapter and all your thoughts on what's going to happen next :D. 

Also, who's team Raian ? Anyone team Vodia? 

Hugs, Shay.