Chapter Text
A girl dressed in a red gown was running with some gifts in her hands. She almost stumbled to the ground with the gifts.
She mumbled to herself, "Just a few more and then it will be done."
She was Haruno Sakura, a 23-year-old girl. She was a very simple and innocent girl; every parent would be proud to have a daughter like her. Besides being beautiful with her long pink hair and emerald-green eyes, she was very intelligent too. She had completed her graduation before she turned 20. She always wanted to become a doctor but the studying costs were too high and she didn't want to burden her uncle who had already done so much for her.
She was orphaned at the age of 6 when her parents died during an accident. Since then, she started living with her maternal uncle's family. Her uncle was a kind-hearted and a good man who didn't want to leave his only sister's daughter alone. And hence, brought her to his home.
Not everyone in his family were happy with her arrival. Sakura always tried to make her aunt happy. She didn't want to do something which would make her aunt angry at her.
They also have a daughter, named Karin who was 3 years older than Sakura. It was her wedding that day. The entire family was happy when this alliance happened. The whole house was decorated with lights and flowers. Lots of relatives and neighbors were jealous at the alliance.
Some friends of the bride were enjoying the party and dancing to the tune of the music. The party included bringing some of the best catering from the town including all kinds of delicious dishes to make the grand wedding even more memorable.
And the wedding was supposed to be a memorable one. After all, it was the wedding of the country's one of the richest families' son. The Uchihas were the most successful businessmen of the country. Uchiha Sasuke was the new CEO of the Uchiha Industries after the seat was left vacant by his elder brother, Uchiha Itachi.
***
Uchiha Sasuke was the most handsome and eligible bachelor of 27 years of age. He had a reserved personality, similar to the members of his family. He was rude, arrogant and egoistic. Girls fawned over him because of his mysterious and handsome bad-boy aura. He was extremely proud of it. And being from an extremely wealthy family was an added bonus too.
The news of him getting married was a breaking news for everyone. People were sure that he would get married to the heiress of another company or some famous personality. But contrary to the popular belief, his family had wanted a simple girl from a decent family from their hometown.
***
"Sakura, what is this? Didn't I tell you to complete your tasks before the guests arrived? Don't be so lazy."
Sakura froze in her tracks when she heard her aunt, Aika yelling at her.
She lowered her head as she didn't want to see the anger in her aunt's eyes and mumbled, “Sorry baa-san..."
Her aunt spat in anger, "You were roaming around for the entire day instead of doing your duties."
Sakura lifted her eyes and shook her head in denial and said, "That is not true."
She was working the entire day. She was constantly given tasks to do from other people and she couldn't refuse them. They were her aunt's family members or guests. She couldn't complain because it wasn't her right. She wouldn't show herself to be ungrateful. Her uncle's family gave her food, shelter and also helped her to study. She could do the small chores without any complaints.
Her aunt yelled out, "NOW, GO AND DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE INSTEAD OF STANDING HERE AND LOOKING AT ME."
Sakura nodded her head and started moving when her aunt said, "Don't go and complain to your jii-san. He already thinks that I am the villain."
Her aunt's lips curled in anger and her eyes sparked with fury. She never liked her husband bringing his dead sister's daughter. They weren't rich people and taking care of another person was quite difficult when they were trying hard to meet their own needs to live a decent life.
A waiter came inside the room and looked at Sakura pointedly before saying, "Some guests are looking for you."
Sakura thanked the divine intervention and nodded her head. She just wanted to leave the room. She knew that her aunt never liked her but she didn't have the guts to answer her back. She wiped the tears from her eyes and walked out of the room. She didn't want her uncle to see her like this. He treated her like his own daughter. Many times, she had become the reason for the rift between her uncle and aunt and every time she was blamed.
Karin was her cousin who kept a normal distance from her. She never misbehaved with her. That didn't mean that they were on friendly terms. Karin was the spoiled child and got everything she wanted. She got the parental love which Sakura craved since she lost her own.
Shrugging off her pessimistic thoughts, she stood outside Karin's room and saw the groom's family entering the garden where the wedding would be held. The guests were standing there to welcome the groom and his family.
'Now, how will I enter the room?' She bit her lip and began to think. She was contemplating whether to enter the room without knocking. She needed to check whether Karin needed any help.
Finding no other option, she stood near a window of the room and knocked it.
"Nee-san, do you need anything?"
She received no answer from the room and knocked again.
"Nee-san, are you ready?"
She heard something falling and tensed. With concern, she tried once again, "Nee-san, are you fine?"
She couldn't take the silence anymore and opened the door finally the window of the room was open but she couldn't find Karin anywhere. She was shocked to see the wedding gown and the jewellery at the same place where they were kept. The room was messed up and the cupboard was open. She found a note on the desk and started reading it.
Her eyes widened on reading the note.
'I can't do this. I am sorry, I am leaving. I love someone else and will marry him only.
Karin'
The note fell from her trembling fingers and she felt the fear running down her spines. She was scared about the consequences. She was totally clueless about the raging storm that was about to come and change her life.
***
Sakura stood in the room lifelessly. After a few minutes, she heard the sound of an engine of a car and rushed to the window to see her cousin sitting with a guy and riding off without looking back.
She yelled out from inside the room, "NEE-SAN, PLEASE STOP."
She couldn't do anything to stop her. She was afraid now and clutched her gown so tightly that her knuckled turned white. She was trying to control her inner self from doing something without thinking.
Sakura mumbled to herself, "I have to tell ojii-san and obaa-san. Yes...I should..."
She turned to go but she saw her uncle and aunt looking at her with a confused look on their pale faces.
Her aunt asked her with a clipped tone, "Where is Karin?"
Her aunt's eyes were roaming around the room before she looked at the wedding gown pointedly. He uncle's eyes widened in realization and he looked at her wife's horrified expression, who seemed to realize what happened.
In a trembling voice, he said, "This can't be happening...."
His legs were shaking and he was just about to fall when Sakura held him and made him sit on the couch. His face was pale and his entire body was trembling from the shock. His heart was beating fast.
Sakura rubbed her uncle's back and said in a soft voice, "Ojii-san, please, calm down. Everything will be fine. Please have some water."
Her own eyes were filled with tears and she was trying to control her breathing. She always viewed her uncle to be a strong man who stood for her against his family.
Her aunt paced around the room and informed them that Karin's cell phone was switched off. She was also crying while trying to contact her.
Sakura's eyes filled with fresh set of tears watching her uncle and aunt in such vulnerable states.
'Nee-san, why did you have to leave?' She thought in her mind.
Her aunt yelled at her, "You useless girl. If you stayed with her, she wouldn't have had the chance to leave the room. I told you to be with her."
Sakura looked at her with confusion as if to say, 'How is it my fault?' She knew that it wasn't the right time to say this so she kept quiet.
In a low voice which only Sakura heard, her uncle mumbled to himself, "What will I say to them? How will I face everyone?"
His eyes brimmed with tears. He had always tried to maintain a good reputation in the society. When Uchiha Fugaku asked for his daughter's hand, he was extremely happy. He thought that in spite of not earning a lot of money, he had earned the respect of the Uchihas. But he would lose everything now. First his daughter, then his respect.
With concern, Sakura tried, "We can talk to them. We will apologize to them but jii-san, take care of yourself now."
Her uncle gave a bitter laugh and said, "My own daughter didn't think about me but here, you are trying to comfort me."
Her aunt, Aika was pacing around in the room trying to come up with an excuse to cover up the messy situation. She had to do something before anyone knew the situation.
Her aunt stopped in her tracks abruptly and questioned, "Why can't we get Sakura to marry today?"
Her husband looked at her angrily and hissed to her, "Are you out of your mind?"
Aika was trying to clear her point so she continued, "You aren't understanding me. We both know what will happen if there is now wedding today."
"Whatever happens, I will face it myself. Sakura has no fault here so she won't be facing the consequence."
Her started coughing and held his hand over his heart. Sakura rushed to him and made him sit on the bed.
"Ojii-san, please sit down. Don't stress yourself."
She looked at her aunt and thought, 'Why is she doing this?'
Her aunt tried to convince her husband again, "She is also your daughter, right? Why can't your daughter do this for us? We did so much for her for years."
Before she could continue, her husband yelled out, "ENOUGH. Stop your nonsense or you will be facing the worst side of me."
His chest continued to pain and his forehead was damp with sweat.
Sakura looked at her aunt with glossy eyes and said in a trembling voice, "Obaa-san, what are you saying? How is it possible? I am not the bride."
And once again, she became the reason of her uncle's and aunt's argument. Why was she the reason every time?
In an angry voice, Aika sneered at her, "Shut up, ungrateful girl. I asked you to be with Karin. If you stayed with her, none of this would have happened. Are you happy now?"
Sakura clutched the side of her wrinkled gown and looked down. She had no idea what to do.
'Is this really my fault?'
Her aunt tried to manipulate her again, "This is the time you repay our favor. I will handle everything and everything would be fine. If I had another daughter, I would have asked her instead of asking you. Can't you do this, Sakura?"
Aika looked at her husband and continued, "Daichi, she will be happy there. Think about it."
Now that Daichi thought about it, he had to agree that it wasn't a bad idea. But everything depended on Sakura. He looked at his niece hopefully with guild-ridden eyes.
Sakura was thinking about what her aunt said. She knew that her aunt and uncle always provided her with everything. Her uncle always supported her and if it wasn't for her uncle, she would have been in a orphanage. Or worse, she could have died. They were her only family.
'And we are supposed to do anything for our family, right?'
Her uncle hesitated before saying, "Sakura....I.."
Sakura looked at him confidently and said before he could ask the question himself, "I will marry him."
***
After few hours, Sakura sat on the comfortable bed with her head low in someone else's wedding gown and jewelry. Her face was covered with a translucent veil from the starting of the wedding ceremony. Her new husband didn't even care to look at her.
She was married a few hours ago to someone who was supposed to be a cousin's husband. Her husband, Uchiha Sasuke. Yes, she knew his name...only. She knew nothing about him, except that they were very wealthy and powerful. They could bring down her family anytime.
She was nervous, scared and alone. How will they react seeing her?
What will be her husband's reaction when he realizes that he got cheated?
She was her cousin's replacement.
She never dreamt of marrying like this.
'Kaa-san, tou-san.'
A sob escaped from her mouth. She was alone. Her aunt had said that she would manage everything and will come the next day to tell the truth.
She just wanted this to get over as soon as possible.
***
Sasuke sat on his chair and said over the phone to his secretary, "I want the presentation to be presented tomorrow. Make sure everyone is informed."
"What?"
"Is there any problem?" Her was getting angry at his secretary. He didn't like repeating himself. He already wasted a lot of time during his wedding and wanted to get back to his work as soon as possible.
He sat in his study room working on his next meeting. He got married a few hours back and was supposed to be with his wife though he wasn't interested at all. He had never wanted to marry like this. He didn't even know the girl's name or how she looked. He was shocked when his father had informed him about the alliance. It wasn't forced on him per se but that didn't mean he could refuse his father.
He never got himself involved in a serious relationship. He was just an arrogant playboy to everyone, though that wasn't entirely a lie. Maybe that was the reason why his family wanted him to get married. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't see his parents standing in front of him.
When his father cleared his throat, Sasuke realized that they there standing so he said, "Kaa-san, Otou-san, what are you doing here?"
His mother looked at him with a warm smile on her face and said, "That should be our question? You should be with your wife now, son."
Seeing the smile on his mother's face made a smile break on his lips too. If this marriage made his family happy, then he could try also. He was a good son and he would do everything to make his family happy.
He pointed at the open files and said, "This needs to be done."
His parents chuckled when they saw that their little son had grown up to be a responsible young man now who was also married.
His mother said, "We are very proud of you, Sasu-chan. You are my sweetest boy."
His mother ruffled his bluish-black spikes of hair and he smiled at her. Only his mother could get away doing this. The arrogant billionaire was still a momma's boy.
A new voice spoke, "Well well, kaa-san, I thought I was your favourite son."
Itachi entered the room with a mock hurt expression on his face. Sasuke threw a smug smirk in his brother's direction to which Itachi ruffled his hair.
"Go to your wife now, otouto. She must be waiting for you."
Sasuke groaned and left the room after wishing his parents goodbye.
'Time to settle things now.'
CONTINUED-