Chapter 112: chapter 112

SRUTHII take a deep breath and square my shoulders. It’s time to face the media and give them a piece of my mind. As I rise from my seat, Gabe gives me a questioning look.“I’m going to claim back what’s mine,” I say, my voice steady with determination, and start walking toward the stage.Moving through the crowd, I hear the questions being hurled at my husband. The flashing cameras, the low murmur of gossip, the clinking of glasses—all of it fades into the background as I focus on Madhav. He looks striking in his black tuxedo, his usually messy hair styled neatly for once. The crowd’s eyes are glued to the stage; no one even notices me as I walk towards the stage.Just as I near the front, a reporter’s loud voice cuts through the noise. “Madhav, can you tell us about your relationship with Miss Anandhi? There’s been a lot of speculation about the two of you.”I watch as Madhav’s jaw tightens ever so slightly before he offers a curt, controlled smile. “My relationship with Anandhi is strictly professional,” he says, his tone calm, leaving no room for doubt. A flicker of satisfaction rises in me at his response—until another question stops me in my tracks.“And what about your relationship with your wife?” a reporter asks, curiosity thick in his voice. “Rumor has it things aren’t going well between you two.”I study Madhav’s reaction carefully. There’s no panic, no hesitation—just a calm, confident expression. He’s aware of the rumors, no doubt. His eyes sweep the crowd, searching for someone before he responds, and then he sees me. His answer catches in his throat, his gaze widening as he stares, completely stunned. I hold his eyes, refusing to break contact as I step onto the stage. The cameras swing toward me, and suddenly I feel the weight of every eye in the room. The air crackles with anticipation.I stop in front of him, smiling warmly. “Sorry I’m late,” I say, my voice carrying through the silent room. My stomach twists with nerves, but I can’t let it show. I just need to play the role—the one that will put an end to all the gossip and rumors.Madhav’s expression softens into a smile that holds a world of meaning. He looks genuinely happy I came. That gives me courage. My eyes scan him slowly, lingering on the sharp lines of his tuxedo, the effortless grace he exudes. I let my gaze linger, giving him a slow, appreciative smile. “You look incredibly handsome in this tux, darling.”Madhav’s eyebrows shoot up at the term of endearment, his shock barely hidden. Before he can respond, I take a step closer, feeling his breath hitch as I lean in. With my heels, I don’t have to stretch to reach him. Without breaking eye contact, I press my lips to his in a bold kiss.The room erupts in a frenzy of flashing lights and shocked murmurs, the cameras capturing every angle, every detail of our embrace. I feel Madhav’s initial stiffness melt away as he wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me closer. I remind myself that this is being broadcast, so I don’t kiss him like I truly want to. I can feel him holding back too. With an audience watching, we keep it controlled, the kiss lingering just a heartbeat longer than necessary, leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind that our relationship is far from a charade.Finally, I pull back, my hand resting on his chest as I meet his stunned gaze. A few whistles ring out, followed by clapping. I glance at the crowd and spot my brother grinning, giving me a wink.His expression seems to say, Show them who you are. Don’t worry about the aftermath—I’ll handle it.Madhav’s eyes shine with pride as he presses a soft kiss to my forehead. A slow smile spreads across his face, a glimmer of approval in his gaze.The sweet show is over. Now for the main event.Turning back to the crowd, I keep my hand on Madhav’s chest as I address the reporters. “I know there’s been some speculation,” I say, my voice clear and steady. “But let me make one thing very clear: Madhav and I are very much in love, and I’m incredibly lucky to be his wife.”Murmurs ripple through the room, and reporters’ hands shoot up, eager to ask more questions.“Mrs. Sruthi! What do you have to say about the rumors?”“Are you addressing Miss Anandhi with this statement?”“What do you say to the claims that your marriage is a sham?”Anandhi looks the most shocked of all. She didn't expect me to make an appearance on the stage. She truly believed Praveen's words and thought Madhva and I weren't close. I give her a wicked smile that makes her fists clench in anger. As much as I’d love to make things difficult for her, I’m not the one to hold grudges.“The rumors are exactly that—rumors. Not facts, not truth. Don’t build stories off someone’s careless words.”“And no, I’m not directly addressing Miss Anandhi’s statement here,” I add, my tone innocent, “because in her post, she never mentioned any names. She only wrote about her ‘favorite person’—that could be anyone. The media is at fault for assuming otherwise. Isn’t that right, Anandhi?”I flash a sweet, innocent smile in her direction. She clearly didn’t expect me to confront her like this. Trapped, she has no choice but to nod along. “Yeah… yes,” Anandhi stammers, nodding vigorously. “The post wasn’t about Madhav. My relationship with Madhav is strictly professional. Stop jumping to conclusions and spreading gossip.”“See?” I say, waving my hand. “There’s your truth. So let’s stop speculating and spreading false rumors just because someone with no place in my life anymore wanted to stir things up.”“Are you talking about Praveen?”“Does he wish you harm?”I raise a hand, silencing the flood of voices with a calm, unapologetic smile. “I’m not here to answer questions about gossip and rumors,” I say, meeting each reporter’s gaze unflinchingly. “Tonight is about supporting my husband. And right now, I’d like some time alone with him.”The reporters try to ask more questions despite my words, but Madhav’s clear voice rings out, “I am sorry, but you heard my wife. She needs a moment alone with me, and most would know what disobeying your wife’s word can do... So, I would like to take my leave. Enjoy the exhibition.”The questions subside as his words sink in, but the cameras keep flashing, capturing every second of my dismissive smile, every look I share with Madhav. There’s a sense of finality in the air, a message that we are done with their prying.I turn back to Madhav, my voice dropping to a softer, more intimate tone. “Shall we, darling?”He smiles, his hand tightening on my waist just slightly. “Lead the way, honey.”With his arm around me, we step off the stage together, leaving behind a sea of stunned onlookers. The whispers and camera flashes follow us, but I don’t care. This is my moment—our moment—and no one is going to ruin it.We escape into an unoccupied room backstage. It’s a small room with a dressing table and chair. Madhav closes the door and locks it. I am finally able to breathe properly. I tap my chest softly to calm my pulsing heart and take deep breaths.“I still can’t believe I did that,” I say, feeling the aftermath of doing something unbelievable. My knees are shaking, and I can still feel the nerves in my stomach.“You were incredible,” Madhav says, pulling me into a hug. I relax, trying to focus on this moment.I just spoke before the media without stammering or hiding behind someone.“Was it too much?”“No,” Madhav murmurs, pressing a kiss on my jaw. “It was perfect. I loved that you stood up for us. And more than that, I loved that endearment.”“Darling?” I ask with a chuckle.“Yes,” Madhav murmurs, pressing a kiss to the base of my neck. My breath hitches as he trails down to place a kiss on my collarbone.“Madhav,” I say, trying to warn him, but it comes out as a plea.“Have I told you how you look in this gown?” he whispers, pulling back to look me up and down.“No, you haven’t,” I answer, feeling a little nervous. I dressed out of my comfort zone tonight. The black evening gown clings in all the right places, with a sweetheart neckline that leaves my collarbone bare, accentuating my shoulders and leaving just enough skin visible to make me feel both powerful and a little uncertain.Madhav’s eyes linger on the neckline, and I feel the warmth of his gaze as he takes in the way the fabric hugs me, how the velvet catches the light in soft waves. “You look… breathtaking,” he murmurs, his voice low, as if he’s seeing me for the first time.I feel a blush rise to my cheeks, his words making me even more aware of every inch of fabric, every inch of exposed skin. It’s as though the gown has transformed me, given me a new kind of confidence, but his attention… his gaze… it’s almost overwhelming.“You don’t have to look at me like that,” I say softly, a little self-conscious, my fingers reaching up to adjust a stray curl that falls on my face, so I have something to do.“Oh, but I do,” he replies, his eyes never leaving mine. “You should see yourself through my eyes. I wouldn’t have stopped with that gentle kiss if we didn’t have an audience.”“There’s no audience now,” I murmur before I can stop myself, the words slipping out on a breath.Madhav’s smile deepens, and I feel a fresh blush rising to my cheeks. This man makes me bold in ways I never thought possible. I wouldn’t be this forthcoming with anyone else, but with Madhav, I feel safe yet vulnerable. Strong yet fragile.He leans forward to kiss me, and I tilt my head up, my heart pounding, but just a second before our lips meet, I stop him, resting a hand gently on his chest.“I don’t think I’ll be able to stop if we start now,” I whisper, my voice shaky. “You still have a function to host. People will talk too much if we disappear.”Madhav lets out a sigh, a faint smile playing on his lips as he seems to understand. After a few seconds of reflection, he nods, bringing my hand to his mouth and pressing a soft, sensual kiss on the back of it, his eyes smoldering. “I can wait,” he says, his voice thick with restrained desire. “But I can’t promise I’ll be patient.”The way he looks at me, the heat in his gaze, sends a thrill through me. I can feel every nerve in my body awakening under his attention, and I swallow, feeling my pulse quicken. “Then let’s make sure this night ends soon,” I say, barely able to keep the tremor out of my voice.He walks to the door and unlocks it, but before stepping out, he turns back to me, a question flickering in his eyes. “Why did you let Anandhi off the hook? This was a perfect chance to ruin her reputation, to take revenge for her post. Why turn things in her favor?”I smile faintly. “She’s my favorite actress, believe it or not. She has a terrible personality, but when it comes to acting, she’s brilliant. Besides, I wanted to end this tonight, once and for all. If I had blamed her directly, we’d only end up in a petty social media feud, and your name would stay tangled with hers. I didn’t want any name but mine to be tied to you. So, I took a chance.”Madhav looks at me, speechless, before a playful grin tugs at his lips. “Were you… jealous of her?”I huff, crossing my arms as I close the distance between us. “Why else would you think I went up on that stage? I thought I was a sensible, rational woman, but when it comes to you, my rationality vanishes in a puff of dust. I was so jealous, I wanted to scream at her to let you go. She had no right to cli—”Before I can finish, Madhav suddenly shuts the door and pulls me against it. His lips are on mine in an instant, warm and fierce, taking me by surprise. The kiss is quick, almost teasing, leaving me breathless. He pulls back with a mischievous glint in his eyes.“I’m happy to hear you were jealous, but know this—I’m only yours,” he murmurs, his voice low and full of promise.I’m still reeling from the kiss, struggling to find words, as he pulls me out of the room and back into the ballroom, where people are waiting for him, all eyes following our return. He leans in close to my ear, his breath warm against my skin. “We’ll continue this at our home,” he whispers, his tone leaving no room for doubt, before he slips away to resume his host duties.I watch him move through the crowd, poised and graceful, feeling a strange thrill at the thought of our home—our place to retreat, away from the cameras, the gossip, and the prying eyes. The word lingers in my mind, filling me with a quiet, undeniable warmth.Our home.“You have changed,” a familiar voice says behind me.I turn to find my brother looking at me with a proud smile, “I don't think so.”Vikram shakes his head with a happy smile, “Or should I say that you have grown up, Sruthi. Seeing you take a stand for yourself on the stage today, made me realise that you are no longer that little twelve year girl afraid of the world. You have become strong and I am proud of you. ”I realise my brother's words are true. I have changed in many ways after marrying Madhav. My perspectives of the world has changed. I am more strong and confident now, it is all thanks to Madhav. Because even before I started believeing in me, he trusted me with his whole heart.“It is all thanks to your bestie, Vikram,” I answer staring at my husband with a lovesick expression as he showcase jewels to the prime minister's wife.❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥