LOVING A CHEATER

2. why are you here?

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Two months had passed since that night, yet Minal still felt the weight of guilt pressing down on her heart like a heavy stone. Despite the passage of time, the memory of her mistake lingered, casting a shadow over her every interaction with her husband, Sanjay.

Sanjay came back from his trip a week after that night. His arrival brought a semblance of normalcy back to their lives, but for Minal, the facade of normalcy only served to deepen her uneasiness. She longed to confess her infidelity, to unburden herself of the guilt that threatened to suffocate her, but each time she tried, the words were caught in her throat. Together, they paid their respects to Minal's late mother.

As evening fell, Minal found herself in the kitchen, the comforting routine of preparing dinner providing a welcome distraction from the agonizing turmoil raging within her. As she readied all the dishes for the dinner, the shrill sound of the doorbell shattered the quiet calm of the evening.

Minal made her way to the door and welcomed her dear husband. While embracing him, she failed to notice the man that stood few feet apart. Her heart pounded and her breath was captured in his throat, seeing him. It was Prateek, the source of her deepest regrets and most profound guilt.

Her mind raced as Sanjay introduced Prateek as his new friend, her pulse quickening with each passing moment as she struggled to compose herself. With a forced smile, she greeted them both, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of this unexpected reunion.

As they made their way inside, Minal's heart hammered in her chest, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to push aside the nagging sense of guilt that threatened to consume her. But despite her best efforts to hide her unease, she could feel Sanjay's eyes on her and his palpable concern.

"Babe, what happened?" Sanjay's voice broke through the silence

With a forced smile, Minal brushed off his concern, her words hollow and strained as she tried to deflect his questions. But even as she spoke, the weight of her guilt hung heavy in the air.

"It's my headache. It hasn't died down since morning"

Minal's heart raced as Sanjay ushered Prateek into their home, her mind swirling with a torrent of fears. And as they sat down to dinner, the echoes of their shared past lingered in the silence between them.

She couldn't shake the worry that Prateek might reveal the truth. As they settled around the dinner table, Sanjay, sensed the tension that hung heavy in the air. With a warm smile, he began to introduce his friend

"Meet Prateek," Sanjay said, his voice filled with warmth as he gestured towards their guest. "He's actually a new manager in the HR department at work. We've been hitting it off quite well."

Minal forced herself to nod, her stomach stabbing herself from within. No words came out as fear clouded her throat trapping whatever she wanted to say. But before she could dwell on her fears any longer, Sanjay's voice broke through the silence, his concern for his wife evident in his words.

"Why is my wife so silent today?" Sanjay asked, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Normally, she'd be the life of the party with every friend I bring home."

She couldn't keep it all in anymore. Her guilt and the unexpected entry of Prateek overwhelmed her. With a sudden burst of emotion, she lashed out, her words sharp and cutting in their intensity.

"My mother wasn't dead for two months then!" she shouted.

With a stunned silence hanging in the air, Minal fled to their bedroom, her heart pounding and tears rolling down her cheeks. But even as she sought solace in the darkness, she knew that she could not escape the consequences of her actions.

Minutes stretched into eternity as Minal wrestled with her guilt. The sound of her own breaths echoed in the stillness of the room. And then, a soft knock sounded at the door, and Sanjay's voice broke through the silence.

"Minal, I'm sorry," he said, his words laced with regret. "I didn't realize... I should have been more sensitive."

With a heavy heart, Sanjay entered the room. And as he wrapped her in his arms, she felt a sense of peace wash over her, the weight of her guilt lifting slightly in the warmth of his embrace.

"I understand if you need some time," Sanjay said softly, his voice filled with understanding. "But just know that I'm here for you, no matter what."

In that moment, as Minal clung to her husband, she knew that she was not alone. And with his words of comfort ringing in her ears, she allowed herself to believe that perhaps, just perhaps, there was hope for their relationship to go unabated.