Tug of Fate | When Stars Align Book one

Take the power back

Ananya

Gurgaon, October 1st, 2017

I see him sitting on the far right as I enter the Starbucks. A few girls check him out. And I roll my eyes. If only they knew what lies beneath that exterior.

His back stiffens slightly as I make my way to him, but he doesn't turn around. My heart is pounding a million miles a minute. I focus on my breathing. Deep breaths. I cannot let fear get the better of me.

I take the seat opposite him and place my coffee on the table. He just stares at me. I continue sipping my coffee looking him dead in the eye.

Finally he speaks. "I want you to come home. Enough now. Come home and we will talk about everything. You don't even have your clothes with you. What rags are you wearing..."

Anger flares in me, but I take a deep breath and control it. I am here to make a point, not to be intimidated by him. "I am not coming home right now. I am going to Australia next week. I will be gone for three weeks. I will come and pack my clothes along with Becca sometime this week. But until I return from Australia, I am not coming to live with you."

He looks like he is about to explode. His upper lip curls back and he says with a menacing voice, "You are not going anywhere. You are coming home with me. Have you forgotten that you are not allowed to travel? How can you eve-"

I interrupt him before he completes whatever it was he wanted to say. "I don't give a flying rat's ass whether you and your precious mother want me traveling or not. It is my life and if I want to go I will go. There is nothing in the world that you can do that will stop me. Be grateful that after the stunt you pulled I am still doing you the courtesy of informing you about my traveling plans. If I were you, I would be DAMN FUCKING GRATEFUL for that.."

Heart pounding, but face outwardly calm, at least I hope it is, I sit back. And holy hell does he look turned on. The sheer thought makes me want to gag. I watch carefully as he schools his features and he transforms. I mean, his face transforms. He looks ready to plead.

"Nya, please. Love... let's go home." I am about to speak up but he speaks again, "Okay okay... don't come home. Tell me where you are staying so that I know you are safe.. I am sorry babe, I am so sorry for what I did. You know I am sorry. I don't know what happened to me.... Please babe please, please forgive me. And please forget this madness of going to Australia. Stay here. I will take you wherever you want to go and we will rebuild our relationship, love. Please."

Oh yes he is pleading. Fuck. Now what? I am not prepared for the sweet Rishi. But this is all just his personality disorder, I think. So I close my eyes to gather my courage and my thoughts. I tell him quietly, "I don't know what and who to believe Rishi. You've been suppressing my emotions for years. My feelings. My voice. My light."

And that has me furious – more at myself that I gave that kind of control to someone else. I open my eyes and look at him, really look at him. "Not anymore. You are my husband but you need to stop behaving like you are my God. You aren't. You do not get to tell me what I should and shouldn't do. I am going to Australia. It is important for my career right now. And just like you would expect me to understand your work commitments, I expect you to understand mine too."

He thinks for some time, and then nods. "Okay Nya. Okay. I am sorry again. When are you coming home to pack your stuff? Will you have dinner with me? I will keep it all ready...."