Spoiled • 18+ • Arranged Marriage Story

Forty Two

    "Did you not listen? I did it all by myself? Arjun did nothing ...."

     "Don't even. He was in his 30s and you were an 18 year old girl. And besides he came back to blackmail you."

     "I just keep wondering how you uncle got the video. He used that to blackmail me too."

      "I might know where he got that."

   Sakshi stood up from the bed and stared at him.

      "Alright. Years and years ago. When we were about to get married, after the engagement and press release. I got an email. It was an unknown encrypted email id. Which was why I opened it in the first place and it said that I should watch the video and know what my future bride actually was."

     "It was that video?"

     "Yes. The video began playing and I knew at two seconds itself what kind of video it was. I close it and I deletes the video and the mail. I think I wasn't the only one whom the video was sent to. Maybe this person sent it to all my family hoping to break the marriage."

    "You knew what the video was about this whole time?!"

    "It didn't matter like at all. It totally slipped my mind until now."

      "Why didn't you tell me?"

     "I genuinely did forget about it. I thought you must've has a boyfriend who must've felt jilted and everyone has a past. I didn't think it was a huge deal." He shrugged and she held her head and paced her room. She was annoyed because she found that all that she has went though and all that grief was for nothing.

     "God! This whole time you knew. And I couldn't stomach to tell you. This is just ridiculous!" She couldn't help when her tone showed her annoyance.

      He blocked her path putting an end to her pacing. His fingers pressed on her shoulders. "Hey hey.  I'm so sorry, I didn't tell you this before. It genuinely did not matter to me at all. And even if it didn't matter to me, it doesn't minimalise the incident."

     "I know. I know...but I feel like all of this grief was for nothing."

     "That's so not true. I am here. You are here. We are here. Because of good times and bad times. We are stronger because of it. Our love is stronger because of it. "

***

            6 months later

   "How are you coping?" Sakshi asked Dhruv through the computer screen.

    "This feels like a therapy session."

    "Not at all. I just wanted to check in with you."

     "I honestly don't know. It was messy."

     "I'm sorry that it ended in divorce.
But you tried your best. Both of you did."

     "I did see the divorce party pictures though." Sakshi winced as he laughed. Dhruv nodded lighting a cigarette.

    "You've taken up smoking again?"

    She waited until he took a drag, "Yes, no one pesters me about it anymore so..." 

     "Dhruv...You tried. Sometimes things just don't work out no matter how much ever we try." She said not trying to show pity on her face.

      "I know that. I know that I tried my best. I don't think she did. Because let's be honest, it was always me overcompensating."

     She didn't want to get in between them especially when Janvi was family and by default Kushi was too but she couldn't help but agree internally.

     "I don't think I'm the right person to comment on that. How about you take up therapy?"

     "That would truly be ironic. Wouldn't it?" Dhruv laughed but she felt it was sarcastic.

      "How's your work going?"

     "It's amazing honestly. The NGO is going well. We're hosting a charity event this Saturday and I want you to come."

      "I have to decline because I can't be in the same space as you know who."

      "You can't avoid your friends. I promise that there'll be a huge crowd and you won't even know where she is."

     "Fine. I'll try."
  
       She finished the video call and then called her husband. The profile picture blinked. It was a picture of him holding their chubby babies.

     "Hi!" He said.

     "Hey. How are you?"

     "I'm good. Do you want to see what are we doing?" He asked. She nodded.

       The phone then panned to her babies. "We're doing a sensory activity. Say hi to mumma."

       The babies laughed and wiggled their fingers. She laughed too and called their names.

   "Say mumma we miss you... Come back soon, mumma..."

    "Don't project your need in the babies."

    "Damn! I got caught. When are you coming back?"

     "On Friday. Saturday we're hosting a party remember?"

    "Right. Right. I miss you."

      She laughed but it did melt her heart. "I don't. I am busy." She teased.

    "Ah. You're too cruel."

    "You love that in me."

    "I do. I love you, darling." He said.

    "I love you too." She said.

   ***

A/N: Do not ask me how I finished this but God damn that was something.

There will be an epilogue. I'll post it soon.