"What is it that you want to tell me?" Shreya asked, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"My married life —it's miserable. You may think I am happy but Akshara is so controlling. I can't even go to the bathroom without her permission. It feels like I'm in grade school all over again where I fuck up between 'Can I' and 'May I' and Akshara is the strict teacher who picks at my every word."
"Is that so?" Shreya asked Abhimanyu, trying not to look too excited at Abhimanyu's confession. Instead, she furrowed her brows in concern.
"Yes." Abhimanyu digressed as he nodded his head, trying to not gag at what he was about to say or do next.
"When you came over yesterday. It was the best thing that had happened to me in a while. She and I had another one of our fights and I was feeling so lonely...so very lonely..." Abhimanyu shook his head as sarcasm dripped like acid from his tongue. He felt like gagging, vomiting –but he also knew he had to push through this.
"Abhimanyu..."
"No hear me out. Thank you, thank you, Shreya. For coming to my aid. I may not remember what happened, but you came at the right time –like my..." Breathe in, breathe out. It's going to be okay, Abhimanyu. They are just words. "...Like my guardian angel."
Abhimanyu could visibly see Shreya's chest expand in pride and satisfaction at his confession. "No, never. I will always be there for you, Abhimanyu. Always." Shreya moved forward and grabbed Abhimanyu's hands, gently caressing them with the pads of her thumb.
Abhimanyu felt dirty and used. He hated being touched by Shreya. Akshara's words about body being a temple ---he now felt exactly what she had meant. Shreya's touch felt disgusting on his hands.
"But what...what were you and Akshara fighting about? If you don't mind me asking?"
"No of course not. You are like a friend to me." Abhimanyu took a deep breath before weaving his fictional story. "Yesterday, a girl –she showed up at my doorstep, claiming she was pregnant with my child. She said I slept with her –back when I used to have casual sex and didn't use protection. I don't remember her but she said I was very drunk that day –perhaps I was. Akshara couldn't believe I got another girl pregnant and thought I cheated on her –and you know how dramatic she can be..."
"Yeah, I know." Shreya scrunched her nose up, recalling exactly how dramatic Akshara was a few minutes ago.
"Exactly. So she said a few choice words to me and left. A few hours later, you showed up."
"Pregnant? You got a girl pregnant?" Shreya asked innocently, pretending as if the conniving bitch wasn't the one who planned and plotted the entire thing.
"Yes." Abhimanyu replied through grit teeth.
"What are you planning on doing about it?"
Abhimanyu shrugged. "I don't know. What do you think I should do?"
"Me? You are asking me?" Shreya asked, unable to trust her ears. The great cardiac surgeon, Dr. Abhimanyu Birla was asking her for advice!
"There is no one else I can discuss this with. Akshara –she won't even talk to me –and I don't think she and I are going to make it too far. And I don't want this news getting out to anyone else. So my only option is you...and I just want to say –I trust you. Completely and explicitly."
"Look Abhimanyu...this is completely your decision. What does your heart say you should do?"
"I think she is planning on keeping the child. If she is, then I want to be a part of the child's life. I was thinking maybe I can have shared custody of the child. If it's my child as she claims it is –then I want to be an active part of the child's life. And if Akshara doesn't want to be a part of my child's life –then she can leave for all I care."
There were visible signs of panic marring Shreya's face leaving Abhimanyu with a satisfied smirk. She had laid the trap of the fake pregnancy but little did she know, Shreya herself was going to fall deeper and deeper into it.
Shreya had expected to drive a wedge in between Akshara and him using the news of the pregnancy but Abhimanyu could bet she never expected for Abhimanyu to accept the news of becoming a father without a fight.
"You...you are going to...you want to be a part of the baby's life?" Shreya could barely get the words out of her mouth to form a coherent sentence.
"Yes. I think I am at the age now where I am okay with becoming a father. I didn't think about it too much before –but when the reality struck, I think I am ready now."
Shreya nodded her head nervously, trying not to hyperventilate. "Wow. You are ready to embrace fatherhood."
Abhimanyu nodded his head, relishing in the view of colour draining from Shreya's face, turning it pale. "I am."
"Well, that is exciting." Abhimanyu could tell she was tensed now. Probably trying to think of her next move.
"It is. In fact, I plan on calling her in a few hours. I want to be there the next time she goes to her doctor's appointment. She is carrying my child. I want the best for my child."
Shreya let out a distressed laughter. "Of course."
"So shall we go?" Abhimanyu offered, standing up from the bench.
"Yes, of course, You must have work to get back to." Shreya nodded.
"I enjoyed talking to you Shreya. Thank you." Abhimanyu gave her a forced smile, trying not to gauge his eyes out and break all his teeth for even having to put them through this misery.
"No problem, any time." Abhimanyu could see Shreya was trying to remain calm, but her mind –he could tell was working in overdrive.
And a part of him was thoroughly enjoying Shreya's panicked state. Good. That is exactly what the bitch deserved."
~*~
As Abhimanyu entered his cabin, he came across to Akshara leaning against his desk, waiting for him.
"So? How was it? How did it go?" She asked him keenly as he stepped up to her, wrapping his hands around her waist, pulling her up to him.
"It went...okay I guess."
"Did she buy it?"
"Oh please. Are you underestimating me? Of course she bought it. You should see her face Akshara. She was panicking the moment I said I wanted to be a part of the child's life. All the colour drained from her face and she couldn't even form coherent sentences. But thankfully, she doesn't know we are onto her."
"Good. And just so you know, I never underestimated you. I knew you would be able to get under her skin. You have a talent for that."
"Why does it sound like an insult?" He pondered, biting her lips.
"Does it? I never noticed." She smirked.
"By the way, the angry cheated wife bit you pulled there, the catfight? Marvelous. I'd never seen anything like that. You were amazing. Remind me to never get on your bad side."
"Thank you." Akshara's cheeks flushed. "And you are my bad side. And my good side. You mister, are a part of me. Good and bad."
"Look at you getting all romantic." Abhimanyu brushed his lips against hers again, teasing her. He then took a deep sigh. "However, there is one thing though..."
"What? What is it?" Akshara asked, furrowing her brows.
"I feel dirty, you see. After talking so flirtingly and politely with her. I feel like dousing myself with acid." He smiled, looking down at her as he brushed his lips against hers.
"You smell dirty too." She teased, deepening the kiss.
"My body does not feel like a temple." He reiterated her words to her.
"Good. It shouldn't. Because if it did feel like a temple, some of the things we do –we wouldn't even find a place in hell." She giggled, biting the lower corner of his lips. "But I am sorry you had to sit through all that."Akshara wrapped her legs around his waist.
"I guess...there are ways you can make up for all the pain and suffering you put me through." His voice was hoarse, seductive, as his hands pushed aside the thin material of her shirt to come in contact with her creamy flesh.
"We haven't christened your cabin yet, have we?"
"No, I believe we haven't." Abhimanyu agreed, looking around his cabin. "In fact, I think we can do the honours right now..."
Akshara giggled as Abhimanyu grabbed her bottom and seated her on his desk, pushing his files away. Abhimanyu's mouth went to Akshara's, submerging her lips in a passionate and breathtaking kiss whislt his hands explored every nook and cranny of her body. The kisses were playful, soft, gentle before they began to turn heated.
"Abhi..."Akshara moaned against his tongue as her hands caressed the back of his head, pulling him into her.
Abhimanyu stepped in between Akshara's legs, letting the heat and tension radiate off his body. As they continued to kiss and explore each other's bodies, Akshara's phone went off.
"Wait, wait, wait..." She pulled away from Abhimanyu's grasp and checked the newest text message on her phone.
"It's Sadia. The nurse. I had her on the lookout for Shreya. She just texted me that she just saw Shreya leaving." Akshara turned to look up at Abhimanyu. "I think our plan worked. She is spooked."
"She is probably going to visit Riva." Abhimanyu added.
"I think so too. We should go too. We won't get a better chance than this to expose Shreya and Riva."
Abhimanyu nodded his head. "I guess christening my cabin will have to wait." He said, disheartened.
"I am afraid so." Akshara sighed, disappointed too.
"Let's go." He helped Akshara jump off the desk and they both quietly snuck out of his cabin and made their way toward the parking lot.
They had just about gotten into their car when they saw Shreya pull out of the parking lot.
Akshara and Abhimanyu gave each other a hopeful nod, before Abhimanyu keyed the ignition and put the car into drive.