My Ruination

Chapter 18.

I suppressed a frown forming on my my face. Walk right into his study? The study I haven't even seen before even though I am his wife? This woman was definitely not related to Darsh but she was close nonetheless. My blood was boiling in my veins but I have never been a rude person. So I just said, "I am sorry, I have no idea." And turned away from her.

"You have no idea where your boss is?" She said with a dramatic flair, like I had no idea the world was ending. "Are you seriously dedicated at your job? And what is with your outfit? I mean...it is so...indecent for your job." I loved what I was wearing. It was a black corset top with the straps tied like a bow on my shoulder with plaid skirt and knee-high boots. I slammed the cleaner and tissue back on the countertop as gradually as possible. She looked like a decent woman, wearing a floor-length blue dress but she was starting to grate on my nerves with the elitist air surrounding herself.

Neerja hurriedly walked in beside me and read the room or maybe she had been overhearing all this time but decided not to step in until now. She said, "Miss Nafisah, I request you to please maintain your boundaries when addressing her. Mr Kaushal will not tolerate any disrespect against her."

Nafisah scoffed at the notion, "Zaeden will pick a fight with me for the disrespect of his employee. Yeah, I don't think so. And besides, you know the clothes are inappropriate. " I was never a fan of women putting down other women for no other reason but male validation. And I don't think Nafisah was completely oblivious to the fact that Zaeden was now married.

"Does a mere employee have a 35 million euro ring on her finger, Miss Nafisah?" I said, silencing Neerja and raising my left hand to flash the ring. "Or does she have another 25 million necklace on her neck?" I tugged at my mangalsutra, "But I think you knew exactly who I was and I think you didn't like that." I said, my words perfectly polite and my voice melodiously low. There was a difference between us showing our displeasure with each other and I would like to maintain that.

Nafisah does not protest or react to any of my implications, staring at me with dulled expressions but I knew how hard it was becoming for her not to throw a fit. Before the tension could get any sharper in the room, Zaeden came down the stairs and called, "Nafisah." in a deep, husky voice. He was still wearing his three-piece suit from the morning, but the shirt looked slightly crumpled and his hair disheveled like he ran his fingers through them multiple times. He just looked like he fired 15 employees for one wrong step and plotted world destruction in his study and he could be ready for more.

"Zaeden." Nafisah sprinted out of the kitchen and judging from her body language, she was going to jump straight into his arms. Great. A dull ache developed in my chest and my anxiety peaked in a very uncomfortable way. Why is this bothering me so much? I shouldn't care so much about his intentions. I don't care. It's just the disrespect that hurts, I convinced myself.

Zaeden might have guessed her actions too because before she can jump and maul him, he grabbed her arm to hold her back and gives her an handshake. I can't really see her face but I can tell she is not too pleased. "Zaeden is loyal, Maahi. He does not care for any other woman." Neerja assured from beside me. Or maybe because he hates physical touch that does not initiate. "You do not have to vouch for his loyalty or assure me like a child. I do not care." I announced, a little harshly.

"Really? I could see your face and tell you wanted to throw her out of the house before she stepped in." She said, biting her frail bottom lip to hold back her laughter. "Get an appointment with an ophthalmologist please, you need a cataract removal urgently." I said, grabbing my purse and phone and heading out.

"Zaeden, how about we have dinner tonight at our favorite restaurant? You, me and Darsh? Just like old times?" Nafisah said, her voice especially rising for this particular sentence. She is maintaining her distance from Zaeden but barely because she knows he will have someone throw her out and not look back if she breached his boundaries. Darsh, however, stares at her like she hung the moon up for him and that makes me mad too. He is a just a child and it is the easiest thing to become a child's favorite. Just learn their favorite rhymes by heart and spend time with them. Zaeden does not reply to her offer but he does not turn her down either. I hope you burn in the darkest pits of hell and when you beg for water, they serve you the blood of filthy pigs.

"Yes, Daddy. I want to go." He said, jumping to get his father's attention. He looked up at me after hearing my boots clacking in place and said,"Maahi, you should also come with us." He said, bouncing with excitement. He does not understand the power dynamics in this room just like he would not understand why does Nafisah frown at his suggestion. I don't want him to be in the middle of this tug-of-war, infact, I don't want to participate in this war either.

"I am sorry, Darsh but I have some important plans. Maybe next time?" I promised and walked out, feeling a heavy set of whiskey eyes burning on my back. I know Darsh cared about my presence or lack thereof but I had a lifetime full of expierences of feeling uninvited, left-out or just an extra. Now I had built walls around my heart that protected me but also hid how broken it was.