by M. V. Kasi
“Who?” he asked.
She didn’t reply. She got up and rushed to her phone.
“Are you calling Varun?” he asked as she began dialing numbers on her phone.
She looked stunned. “What do you know about Varun?” she demanded.
“Not a lot. Just that he has been helping you with getting information on the Naidu family.”
She stared at him while continuing to hold her phone, waiting for the person on the other side to answer. “He’s not picking up,” she said.
He didn’t move and watched her closely. “Did you just recall the details of how you fell down the stairs during the charity event?” he asked.
Her eyes flared, either in panic or in shock. “It was an accident,” she said, her voice calm.
Her words made him furious. “Don’t lie to me, Sia. I know you saw and spoke with your uncle before you fell down the stairs.”
She didn’t reply.
“You had revealed the truth about him that night. Why can’t you tell me the rest of it? I can help you—”
“No. I don’t need your help,” she stated.
He leaned closer, until her eyes were firmly fixed on his. “You might not need my help. But you are getting it,” he said with conviction in his voice.
But she continued to insist.”I said I can take care of myself.”
That made him explode. “The last time I checked, you were lying under a flight of stairs. Bleeding and fighting for your life!” He literally growled out the last part.
She stayed silent, frustrating him. He knew that he badly needed to drive home a point before it was too late. “Your uncle knows you are still alive. That means he knows he would lose everything if you want to claim it. He could be dangerous.”
That snapped her out of her silence. “He didn’t push me. I fell. It was an accident,” she softly said.
“I know that. But that’s not the point!” he declared in frustration.
She was surprised. “How did you know that?” she asked.
“I saw it on the hotel camera footage,” he said. “The whole damn thing. Him seeing you. You being upset and terrified. And then the struggle. I know you fell because you wanted to get away from him. If only that damn video could describe your feelings at that time, or even record the conversation clearly. Then he would have been arrested by now and rotting in some jail somewhere. He almost killed you and Anika!”
He felt his hands tremble as he recalled seeing that video footage. He had never felt so helpless and in pain before.
Sia looked at his visibly upset face. “I’m sorry you had to see that,” she said softly.
“It felt like hell, Sia! I almost lost both of you. You have to tell me the complete truth and involve me with whatever you are planning. You and our daughter could be in danger. And—”
“That’s one of the reasons why I don’t want to involve you, Ajay,” she gently interrupted. “Because I want you and our daughter to stay away from all this. It was stupid of me to not think through my plan completely. I was too blinded by my need for revenge.”
She looked at him beseechingly. “Maybe you should just stay someplace safe with our daughter while I deal with a few things.”
He took a deep calming breath to stop himself from yelling at her. “I don’t think I can let that happen, Sia. Our daughter and you are equally important to me. You either let me in your plans, or I will find a way to include myself in them. And you should know by now that I won’t back down.”
When she didn’t reply, he stressed his point further. “I already know most of your plans. The will. The camera footage. Everything. I’m going to always be two steps ahead of you. So don’t think of keeping me in the dark with your misguided attempt to protect me,” he said.
When she didn’t say anything, he asked. “Did you understand what I just said?” he asked.
“How did you find out about the will and camera footage?” she asked instead.
“I will explain to you when we get back home from the hospital tomorrow. But first answer me. Do you understand that you are to include me in all your plans, every step of the way?” he asked.
He needed her to say the words. He needed her to promise him that she would not take any risks without letting him know.
“Okay. I won’t do anything without letting you know,” she told him half-heartedly.
Even though he wasn’t completely satisfied with her answer, he didn’t say anything.
* * *
Sia racked her brain, trying to figure out how to keep Ajay away from everything. But she couldn’t think of a way. And he was right. She couldn’t not involve him.
She felt frustrated. Because for the first time she felt like she was losing control of everything. Until that point, she had played her game of revenge like chess, pushing the pieces around, and expecting the outcome she was completely prepared for.
The endgame had always been in sight. But after knowing the truth about Ajay, and also that head always known about her—everything began to change.
The endgame was growing fuzzier by the second. And all her carefully crafted plans were no longer completely relevant. All because he began to demand from her to change the rules.
Suddenly from being one of her pawns, he took over. He began to move the pieces around, putting several things at stake, forcing her to change her plans on the fly, without even playing the consequences in her head.
She had lost the ability to control him.
The only thing left—was to agree to bring him onboard as an ally.
She didn’t know if she had the energy or the will to fight him anymore.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Sia was discharged from the hospital.
It was a bitter sweet experience. Because somehow, being at the hospital had made her feel like they were in their own bubble, where no external factors affected them. And even though they had a ton of troubles brewing between them, and from the outside, they had simply ignored everything and focused on their daughter. But now, it was time to get back to the reality.
They reached Sia’s place which had been their home from the past six months during their marriage. Sia was about to walk into the nursery room to place Anika into the cradle, but Ajay led her away from it, towards her bedroom.
“I have placed the cradle in our room. Until she’s three months old, it’s better to keep her close,” he said quietly.
Sia stopped short. “You know I can’t have her close. What if I disturb her sleep with my... nightmares?” she asked.
“You won’t. You already slept next to her at the hospital. And even if you do wake her up, I’ll be there to help out,” he answered.
“No. You won’t,” she said. “You’ll be in your own room.”
There was a loaded silence.
“You don’t have to be worried about me being next to you. I’m not going to demand sex,” he said, and then he ran his eyes over her in a scorching gaze. “At least not until you are ready, and ask me to,” he finished smoothly.
She felt her cheeks turn hot. And stubbornly she attributed it to anger. “I only agreed to take your help for some things, Ajay. I don’t appreciate your high-handed way in handling every aspect of my life.”
He didn’t answer her, but she could see a calculated look in his eyes. “Fine, then. I’ll sleep in my own room and have Anika’s cradle moved in there.”
“No! That’s not—” She broke off and took a deep breath. “But you said she’ll be okay in my room.”
“Yeah. If I was there to help out in case you accidentally disturb her sleep.”
Sia felt torn. She knew Ajay was manipulating her by dangling the temptation of being able to sleep close to their daughter. It was obvious, and it was stupid, but the reverse psychology worked. “I... ok,” she agreed begrudgingly.
* * *
Ajay freshened up in his bedroom. He returned back to the master bedroom to check on Anika. Sia was already standing by the cradle looking over
their daughter.
Moving towards the cradle, he held her hand. “Come,” he instructed gently.
She didn’t say anything. She appeared tired. Even though she had delivered a baby a month ago, the coma had taken a toll on her. She looked too thin in her long sleeveless dress. But despite all that, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.
He knew he found her exquisite, mostly because he was consumed by her, than with her actual appearance. But whatever maybe the reason, his body still craved her the same way it did before.
“I had Kamala prepare a meal for us. Let’s eat now,” he said, his voice husky.
She didn’t argue. And went along with him.
* * *
They spent a quiet evening together. And later that night, Sia had an extra bed placed in the master bedroom for her to sleep in. She was about to slip into that bed, but it was already occupied. By Ajay.
He was shirtless, and was only in his sleep shorts that hung low on his hips.
Heat surged through her cheeks as she admired the deep cuts of his abs and defined muscles that roped around his broad shoulders and arms. Even though he was devastatingly attractive, it hurt to look at him. She couldn’t stop herself, but look at him.
“Are you alright?” he asked softly after a long silence.
“Sia?”
She took a deep breath. “No,” she answered in truth.
He sat up on the bed, looking at her quietly.
“I’m feeling nervous around you, Ajay,” she admitted.
A pained look passed on his face. “Tell me why?” he urged.
She bit her lip in uncertainty. “Because I feel I don’t know you anymore. I feel that the person you pretended to me with me—as a happy-go-lucky guy, with no worries, or past, or... an agenda—I was comfortable with him. I... fell in love with him. But you... I don’t know you, and that makes me feel nervous.”
He got up from the bed and held her face. “I’m still the same guy you fell in love with, Sia. The same guy who loves you desperately.”
Even though he looked sincere, the confusion still lingered in her mind. “I need time getting used to everything,” she said softly.
He didn’t reply. Moving away from him, she got into the big bed they had shared during their happy times, and turned off the lights.
* * *
The next morning, after breakfast, Sia asked Ajay to set up the baby monitor footage on her phone so she could check on Anika all the time.
While setting it up, the conversation they had the previous night—about her being nervous around him—still lingered in his mind. He was determined to make Sia feel safe and comfortable around him. And more than that, he was determined to earn her complete trust.
It was a sad state of things that from talking easily about wanting a big family together, they were now behaving like polite strangers.
“I think I made a huge mistake getting pregnant or even wanting a child,” said Sia.
They were lying on the bed after spending a lazy weekend together.
“Why?” he asked, slowly tracing her palm and wrist with his fingers. “I agree that the way you decided to get pregnant was wrong. But why do you think, you wanting a child in particular is a mistake?”
When she didn’t answer, he prodded. “Does it frighten you to have kids?”
She stiffened at the word frighten, but when she saw that his expression held genuine curiosity, she relaxed.
“I feel I don’t have it in me to be an ideal mother. I don’t even know what an ideal mother should be like. What if our child hates me? What if having a mother like me ruins our child’s future?”
He shook his head in amusement. And then stroking her hair, he pushed it away from her face to see her clearly. “Our child won’t hate you. I know you will be loved as much as you love our child. And besides, I’ll be there to help you,” he said. Then slowly, he smiled wickedly at her. “In fact you’ll definitely need my help. Managing three kids will not be easy without my help.”
He waited for her to glare at him or give him a dressing down for presuming that she would have three children with him. But surprisingly, she only looked at him wistfully.
Ajay wanted that wistfulness and ease back in her eyes. He wanted to make whatever promises he had made to her in the past, come true.
“Done,” he said, handing over the phone to her.
“Thanks.” She paused for a second, looking uncertain. “I need to step out for a couple of hours. Can you stay with Anika while I’m gone?” she asked.
“Where are you planning to go?” he asked.
She hesitated a while, before replying. “First, to Varun’s place.”
He frowned. “Why?”
“I have been trying to reach him. He usually gets back to me promptly. And even if he’s away, like he usually is once in a while, he doesn’t stay away for more than two or three days. It’s been more than a week now,” she said, with worry creeping into her tone.
“You don’t have to go,” he said. “I can ask someone to check on him.”
“No! He doesn’t like it when strangers visit him.”
“Then we’ll both go. You are not well enough to go out by yourself yet.”
“I’m perfectly fine, Ajay.”
“No, you are not.”
“The doctors said so.” Her tone held irritation.
“Well, the same doctors were trying to revive you from a coma until a week ago. You still look weak and tired.”
“Don’t try to control me, Ajay. I said I am fine,” she snapped irritably.
“I’m not trying to control you. All I’m asking you to do is to take it easy for a week or so. Until you recover completely. And meantime, if you have any urgent things to do, I can help.”
She watched him with a stubborn look on her face.
He pressed more. “We’ve been through this conversation already, Sia. You need to start taking my help.”
She didn’t reply.
Before he could completely convince her, the phone rang.
Walking towards the intercom placed on one of the bedroom walls, he answered the call. “What is it Kamala?” he asked.
“There is a man asking for Madam,” Kamala’s voice said through the intercom.
“Who is it?” asked Sia.
“He says that... that... he is...” Kamala’s voice sounded uncomfortable.
“Who is it?” Sia asked impatiently.
“He says his name is Manish Goyal. And that... he is Madam’s... husband.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
There was an absolute silence in the room, and then Ajay stiffened. .
But before he could respond, Sia spoke to Kamala. “Don’t send him in. I’m coming out to meet him at the main gate.”
Ajay frowned. “I’d prefer if you stay here so I can check who it is. We don’t know who this person is. And he could be dangerous.”
“I know him,” Sia replied softly.
That stunned Ajay. Before he could say anything, Sia turned on the camera on top of the cradle and strode out.
He followed behind her, fully expecting some kind of violent confrontation with the man at the gate. But the man who was waiting outside the main gate, had a broad smile on his face as he watched Sia approach him.
“Let him in,” Sia instructed the watchman.
“Oh my god, Sia! Finally! I really wanted to get here much earlier,” the man exclaimed as his eyes pursued her.
Not responding to the man in anyway, Sia led him to a small sit out area outside in front of the house. Only after they sat down, did she show her true feelings.
Her eyes turned cold. “Why are you here, Manish?” she asked him flatly.
“And why are you claiming her as your wife?” Ajay asked in an equally cold tone.
“Who is he?” the man asked Sia.
“My husband,” she replied.
The man looked at Ajay and then at her, with a hurt look. “You got married again?�
� he asked. But Ajay could make out that the man already knew it, and he was simply putting on a show.
“How is that any of your business?” Sia asked.
“It is my business, Sia. Because you can’t be his wife!” the man cried out. “Because you are my wife. Because we are still married!” he said.
There was utter silence.
There was no panic, and no drama on Sia’s face. And no protesting either. “How?” she asked simply.
If only Ajay could claim to feel the same inside. His brain was desperately trying to process what he was hearing. He was more than simply stunned. But pulling it together quickly, he remained alert, in case the confrontation with that man turned ugly.
But the man looked apologetic rather than agitated. “The lawyer we both hired to apply for the divorce... Turns out he never saw through the case. He just made up fake paperwork. And apparently, we are not the only couple he did that to.”
Sia watched the man with an unnerving look. “I see,” she said simply.
“Sia, it’s not just that...” the man moved his lawn chair much closer to her, and watched her with an imploring look. Ajay was ready to smash that man’s face. But he waited to see if Sia needed his help.
“Sia, I missed you,” the man said.
“You are missing me after five years of no communication between us?” she asked.
“No. I have been missing you from much a while. Especially when I could not have any meaningful relationships with anyone else. Because what we had between us... I know I can’t find it with anyone.”
Sia didn’t respond to the bullshit the man was feeding her.
“What do you want, Manish?” she asked him coldly.
“Nothing, Sia. When I found out that our divorce didn’t go through, I was happy. It made me want to turn into a better man for you. I know I should have told this before, but I was waiting for the right time. I was still figuring out what to do in my life. And now, I know that having you with me will be more than enough.”
