The Arrangement by Chauhan

35) Sunrise

Another turn and they would be parking in another 100 meters. 

How did he wish the day would have ended the way it started? How blissful their morning together was and how dreadful their night had turned to be. Normalcy seemed to be an unfathomable notion these days.

"It won't."

The snarky murmur could be an imagination of his, for, the next second his vision blurred with zillion flashes.

"What the fuck?" Vidyut twisted the steering to not hit any human and applied brakes harshly. His arm shot towards her to avoid the hit while crashing into the small divider had an impact enough for them to fall forward.

His heavy breaths were muffled by the loud buzzing in his head due to the blood rush and then it was those parasites waiting to suck anything out of them. The sounds were roaring as the humongous crowd of media representatives that hoarded their apartment entrance circled them.

Quickly, the adrenaline rushed to his veins and he frantically moved to check on his wife.

"Are you okay?" He unlocked the seatbelt and yanked her away. Her moments turned dizzy while her wide, frightened eyes met his. For the first time in the past hour, he could see her mask fall.

"Yes, are you?" Her shaky nod made him lean and unlock her seatbelt, pulling her in his arms he did a quick once over on her for any injuries.

"Oh god." Vidyut sighed, feeling his heart rate coming down seeing how they evaded a potential accident. He parted from her, cupping her face, he made sure she was fine again. "I thought I lost you."

His breathless whisper met a soft shake of her head and an almost-there assuring smile, one he would give anything to witness again.

"You didn't. I am fine."

'Uttara, is that you?'

'Can you tell us who is Rocky to you?'

'Were you in a relationship with him?'

'Are you still with him?'

'Is this a publicity stunt for your next movie?'

The loud murmurs from outside refocused, so as the desperate clicks from the crowd of tenacious reporters who spread rumors and destroyed the mental peace of individuals for a living.

'Were you cheating on Mr. Chauhan?'

'Is there a past of yours with Rocky Makhija?'

'Did you have an affair, Uttara?'

'Can you step out? We know it is you.'

'Did you sleep with both of them together?'

"These fucking bastards!" The urge to stomp out and slam some heads in his car bonnet made him fist his palm and click the door open.

"No!" Uttara pulled him back, locking the car door again. "You cannot go out. You won't go."

"Tara. I need to smack some sense and sue these bloody suckers. We nearly got in a crash because of them. I won't leave them. Today would be the end of their lives." His rage got the best out of his doctor's brain. He was no peace-loving, composed man but a hungry hound who would draw blood through his claws when manhandled.

"They cannot see us." She stressed reminding him. "The glass is tainted. They cannot confirm it is us unless we step out, Vidyut. Please don't go."

"Do you want me to sit still?" He snapped at her. He has had enough of this world that she lived and strived each day. Maintaining a clean and perfect image every day was a nightmare she lived each day, only to be stripped out of it in a minute.