“Adhika? Kya hua? Why are you crying?”
He asked hysterically and she peeked out of the blanket to see if he was actually there or had she finally lost her sanity.
When she realised he was actually there and she wasn't dreaming, she got up with a jerk and started hitting his chest while crying.
“Kyu aaye hai ab yaha? Kyu chinta dikha rhe hai? Abhi bhi jaaiye! Kariye mujhe avoid! Go! Leave me alone. Just like you've been doing since the past two days.”
Adhyant knew he had fucked up bad. He held her wrists which were hitting his chest and pulled her in his arms.
“I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry!”
He repeated the apology again and again while she hiccuped and cried in his chest.
“Why were you avoiding me? Meri kya galti thi Adhyant? Maine aapse kaha tha aap mere paas aaiye? Wo sab kariye? Nhi na! Aap mujhe saza kyu de rhe hai?”
He was tongue tied. What could he even answer to that?
“Kisi ko jaanti bhi nhi mai yaha. Kiske saath apni baatein, apni feelings share krungi aapke alawa. Aur aap hi aise mujhse dur bhagenge toh kaha jaaungi mai Adhyant. I felt like killing myself. Itna dum ghut raha tha mera inn do din mai.”
“Adhi! I'm sorry. Lekin please kabhi aisa step mat uthana.”
“Aap phir kabhi mujhse dur mat bhagna. Promise me Adhyant. Koi bhi issue hoga hum baat krke sort out krenge. Lekin ek dusre ko avoid nhi krenge. Promise me!”
He did and continued to rub her back. He kissed her head and she looked at him with narrow eyes.
“Maani nhi hu abhi mai. Gussa hu abhi bhi.”
He chuckled at her antics.
“Toh kaise manaye aapko?”
“Wo toh aap sochiye na. Gussa bhi aapne dilwaya tha na. Puchh kr dilwaya tha?”
He laughed and asked her if she'll go out with him tonight.
“Bahar? Aap aur mai?”
“Hmm! Tumhe kisi teesre ko invite krna hai?”
He teased and she gave him a stink eye before biting her lip in excitement.
“Kaha jaayenge?”
“Sochte hai! Tum haan toh kro.”
“Hmm! Ab aap itni koshish kr rhe hai toh thik hai. Mai maan jaati hu.”
She obliged making him bow down in gratefulness. He decided to tell her about Ananya the next day. Let tonight be happy and stress free. He'd also have to figure out what he had to do with Ananya if she does decide to come to him. He didn't want to leave Adhika. No! She was the one he wanted.
Ananya, on the other hand, was waiting for Aryan to come home. The new discoveries she had made didn't let her sit in on place for long. She was restless. What if Aryan knea about it all along? What then?
Aryan reached home at his usual time and grinned at her when she opened the door. He pecked her lips lingering them for a little longer. Nothing unusual. His daily routine since they've been living together.
After dinner, they moved to their room and Aryan pulled Ananya in front of him, her back against his chest as she sat between his legs.
“Are you ready to tell me what's bothering you yet?”
She turned to look at him and raised her eyebrow.
“Jabse aaya hu you look stressed about something. Bataogi kya baat hai?”
She gulped and turned in his arms. He pulled her closer such that her legs rested on his thighs and she sat facing him, still between his legs.
“Aap mujhse kabse pyaar krte hai?”
He frowned at her question but answered nonetheless.
“Jooth nhi kahunga. Shuru se toh nhi. Lekin jaise jaise tumhe jaana aur samjha, ye realize kia ki tum andar se bhi utni hi khubsurat ho toh khudko rok hi nhi paaya to fall in love with you.”
Any other time she would have smiled or even blushed at his words. But right now, she was more focused on establishing his innocence.
“Jab-jab aapne mujhe pehli raat dekha tha-toh kya khayal aaya tha aapke mann mai?”
His smile fell a little, on a very microscopic level and if Ananya wasn't looking at him so carefully she would have missed it. It was his smile that fell, but why did it feel like something in her stomach fell too.
“To be honest. Uss waqt tumhe dekh kr laga ki ye khubsurat, hoor ki pari iss bandar ko kaise mil gyi? Kisi miracle se kam nhi tha. Selfish ho gaya tha mai. Ki ab jo bhi ho tum meri ho. Koi nhi chheen skta tumhe mujhse. Ab ye pari iss bandar ki hi hai.”
She braced herself for the real question.
“Aapne-aapne shaadi se pehle apni hone wali biwi ki tasveer dekhi thi?”
His smile was gone. Vanished. Something went off in his mind and his expression darkened.
“Koi ghar aaya tha Anya?”
Her eyes got glassy when he didn't answer but asked something so specific.
“Aap mere sawal ka jawab dijiye.”
“Kaun aaya tha?”
“Jawab dijiye Aryan! Aap jawab kyu nhi de rhe? Aapne nhi dekhi thi na tasveer? Boliye Aryan!”
“Anya! Listen! Wo jo koi bhi tha. Don't trust them jaan. Whatever they said wasn't true. I am your husband.”
She broke into cries. Why was he justifying instead of answering her. Not innocent. He was no innocent. He knew she wasn't his wife. And yet he lived with her as one. Yet he consummated a relationship that didn't exist between them. Yet he made her commit a sin.
How will she ever show her face to her family? How will she explain that it wasn't her fault? That she was innocent. That she wasn't aware.
“Ye kya kia aapne Aryan! Kyu kia? Sab jaante huye bhi. Ki mai aapki patni nhi hu. Kyu mujhe andhere mai rakha aapne? Kyu mujhse ye paap karwate rhe Aryan? Kyu?”
**************************************
Please do leave your comments.
Also, please vote for the story.😊🙏🏻
Laters!!😘❤️
