Heya peeps!
How are you all?
Before starting the chapter I would love to share a good news with you all. Thanks to your love for this book my book is eligible in the wattys. Since last few days I'm seeing this in writing section "congratulations! Your story is eligible for The Wattys!'. Thanks a ton!
Author POV:
"Hello, Mrs. Kaushal. I'm CA Deepak. Can I have a moment of your busy life please?" He said with a smirk dripping with sarcasm.
"Dee..Deepak. You here?" Adita stammered.
"Why? What did you think you will run away just like that without saying anything to me and I'll send you good luck text?" He hissed.
"No no.. you are gett-"
"Who's there Adita?" Kaushal came from behind when Adita didn't answer him who was on the door. Seeing a stranger on the door he turned to Adita, "You know him?"
"Yeah, he is.. wait, oh my god. Where are my manners? Deepak please come inside. Please." Saying they all came inside while Kaushal was just looking at the unknown guest with curiosity.
Adjusting cushion on the sofa she introduced both of them to each other, "Kaushal meet Deepak. CFO of Phoenix Ltd. where I used to work. And Deepak, this is Dr. Kaushal. Priyam's father."
'She could have said husband. That will be much shorter than Priyam's father to say.' Kaushal thought while
Shaking hands with the guest.
"Hi." He said with a genuine smile but when his smile was reciprocated by scowl, he also dropped his smile.
"Deepak, sit na. What would you like to have? Tea? Coffee? Anything in cold?" Adita asked in her extra cheerful voice to hide her nervousness.
"Nothing." Deepak said rudely.
"Umm... please I insist. Please." Adita pleaded with her eyes on which Deepak just sighed.
"You know very well."
Kaushal was continuously looking at both of them. Sudden tension in the air was not hidden from him but the fact that his wife knows what his senior like in snacks churned his stomach.
"So why did she leave her job suddenly?" Once Adita was out of audible region Deepak asked out of blue.
Kaushal was lost in joining two and two about this unexpected arrival of unknown guest but he managed to grab the words of another one sitting there, "Huh? Her job? Ah.. yeah, that was completely her decision. She decided to take a break."
"Break? Break? You saying break? It's not a break. She completely finished her career and you saying break? At this peak time she left everything just like that and it's a break? You know very well that and still you say break?" Deepak raised his voice. It was looking like he came here to take his class only and was looking for any tiny opportunity to start.
He didn't expect him to behave suddenly like this. He was already annoyed by this man whom he didn't know at all but his wife knew very well even his likes and dislikes and Deepak's questionnaire and tone raged him more, "It's break or not, it's her, it's our personal matter. Why would you bother about that?"
"Hell with your personal! Here this girl gone crazy. Left everything. You saying personal? You didn't even stop her?"
"Why I will stop her? It's her career, her choice." Kaushal made his voice more sterned.
"You didn't stop her because you are selfish." He hissed at him. "You got everything you wanted. You wanted a nanny for your son, you got that. Couldn't you afford a nanny? You destroyed a girl's life. You all just trapped her in these and that fool got trapped. For few days I left her hand and she created this disaster in her life."
"That's none of your business." Kaushal tried to show him his place but he was not in mood to listen.
"IT IS MY BUSINESS. Whatever she does with her career is my business and I know very well how to mind my business. Now I'm back. I'll correct every wrong thing done here. I'll put sense in her brain. I'll make her free from you and this loveless marriage." And listening this Kaushal's head instantly snapped towards him but before he can retort back or ask how he knows about the truth of their marriage their argument had full stop due to Adita's entrance in the room with coffee mug. She looked both of them who were staring at each other like bulls.
"Deepak, here." She kept the mug on the glass table in front of him and picked Priyam from the ground who was busy in throwing toys here and there. "And meet my son Priyam."
Deepak, who just picked up his coffee kept it back on table and smiled looking at the baby.
"Want to hold him?" She asked smiling .
"Of course, give him to me." He got up and extended his hands. Adita moved more towards him to hand him Priyam which was quite normal for anyone who will see this but Kaushal literally counted inches of distance she moved towards him. As if fate wanted to have more fun with him, Adita's feet tangled with the soft toy which Priyam threw few minutes ago and she ended up slipping on that. Kaushal got up instantly to catch her but before he can act she was saved by none other than Deepak. He caught her arm with his free hand.
"Sambhal ke. Hamesha nahi rahunga tumhe thamne ke liye. (Careful. I'll not be here to hold you always.)" Deepak said nonchalantly steading her by holding her shoulder and before Adita can detect hidden meaning behind those words Kaushal cleared his throat to gain their attention.
Looking at Deepak's hand on her arm irked him to the core. He couldn't stand anyone's touch on her wife who moments ago verbally abused him.
"I'm getting late. Will see you in evening." He said on which just Adita's nod irked him more. He lifted his bag and walked towards door to go. Out of habit he turned back to kiss on Priyam's forehead but today there Adita was not standing instead he saw her taking Priyam from Deepak.
"I'm going Adita!" He yelled irritatedly.
Adita turned her head towards him and nodded, "Ok, Drive safely." and with this Kaushal's patience broke out. Stomping his foot he again yelled, " I'm going Adita."
And this caught attention of her, "Oh, sorry. bye. Priyam say ta ta to Papa." she said moving priyam's hand in bye bye. Kaushal looked at them disbelieving and went away shaking his head. Once he was out of the door Adita hurriedly closed the door thinking he was gone but Kaushal was still standing there. He was deeply hurt by this behavior of Adita.
'why this hurry? I'm not even out of the sight and she closed the door. what so special in him that she couldn't bring my son just to say bye to me?' His mind sadly mumbled.
Nonetheless he went ahead towards the escalator but his mind couldn't follow his steps, it was still stuck in the drawing room of his apartment where his wife was alone with a stranger, at least for him. Just few minutes spend with him and he already didn't like his vibes. He roared the vehicle's engine and looked above towards balcony of his apartment hoping Adita will be standing there with Priyam trying to move frantically in her hand but today his stars were hell bent to deny his every wish. Sighing he drove away.
"sale ki himmat to dekho. mere ghar me aake mujhe dhamki deta hai. Hota kon hai voh, mujhe sikhane wala ki meri biwi kya kare. (Look at the the audacity of this moron. Who the hell is he to teach me what shall my wife do or not?)" he punched on the steering wheel angrily. "senior hai to senior ki aukat me rahe. waise ek baat to sahi keh raha tha ghadha bahut bholi hai ye Adita jo in ghadho ke influence me aa jati hai. ( Senior should be in his limits. By the way he was right on one thing that this Adita is very naive who let this jerks influence her.)" He was talking to himself to let out his frustration. His phone rang away but he cut the call as he was about to reach the hospital.
"What the hell innocent she is dumb why to giving so much importance to any random person. Shameless creature didn't hesitated once before touching anyones wife. I was right there to hold her. Are jyada se jyada gir jati. doctor hu main dekh leta. Tut jati haddi, to jor det....(Max to max she may fall down but I'm a doctor. I could look after her. She might have fracture, I'll fix...)wait what the hell i'm saying!!! this two will make me insane. Kaushal shut your mind, don't think about them." Saying he parked the car.
"good morning Doc."
"good morning Bella." his usual gentle smile towards the receptionist. This was the quality which makes Kaushal special. He never let his inner turmoil affect his professionalism. Never once in the entire seven hours anyone could even guess that just few hours back he was mentally killing a person.
His stars finally felt pity on him. His day in hospital wasn't as hectic as daily. No surgery, no long queue of patients. He just had few appointments and a meeting with the head surgeons. He was coming out of the meeting room when he felt the tight slap on his back, he turned his head to snap but controlled seeing Karthik as it is his patting style. "Are we free?"Karthik asked in his over enthusiasm voice which shows he has some gossip which is not letting his food digest until he spill to entire hospital. he was not gossiper but he was one of them who spread happiness.
"Will you go away if i say no? " Kaushal asked knowing his answer.
"Noppe. Aww baby you know me very well. let's go." he started dragging him but stopped after a step, "your place, my place?" he asked cheekily.
Kaushal glared at him disgustingly making him laugh whole heartidly, "Ok ok! your cabin,my cabin ?" having no option Kaushal pointed towards his own cabin, "Sometimes I really think to ask bhabhi to confirm your sexuality."
Inside the cabin karthik dragged the chair towards Kaushal's rotating chair but Kaushal instantly stopped him remembering Doctor seema's incident.
"sit there, sit there. my hearing power is perfectly fine." said Kaushal.
"woah bro, I'm married and father of a princess but ok fine." said Karthik.
"Now spill the beans. "Kaushal ordered.
"Aww smarty pants! How do you know I have something to share." Karthi asked smilingly.
"If you are dancing around hospital that means there is something. So, come to the point." Kaushal said in duh tone.
"You know Dr. Abhimanyu?"
"Yes, that new anthesiast right?" Kaushal confirmed.
"Yes yes you know what?" He dramatically paused and continued to answer Kaushal's rose eyebrows," He and Dr. Sara are getting married to each other." He said clapping his hands.
" Wow!! But wait, what?? Dr. Sara? I believe she is married?" He frowned.
"She WAS."
"What do you mean she was? Her husband was fit and fine few months ago in party." Kaushal was more confused now.
"Ohh!! That's the bad thing bro, I wish he was dead." Seeing Kaushal's deep frown he continued, " Have you ever seen even a tiny smile on sarah face in last one year since she got married. And who will smile in that stupid loveless marriage."
"But marriage is not game. It is a special bond, it's a special feeling which blossoms with the time." Kaushal countered.
"Bullshit!! You call him husband? That good for nothing guy, you saw that fit and fine bastard in party but didn't see that bitch beside him? That bastard when he couldn't come over his feeling for his girlfriend why he had to marry are Sarah? I have seen pal, how much Sarah has suffered in this one year of her marriage. She pretends to be just fine but her puffy and red eyes tells her entire story. Her husband never gave her attention, care forget the love."
And this was the last thing Kaushal heard before he was lost in his own la la land.
'but I care for Adita. I even give her attention right?' he himself nodded.
' but Deepak gave her more in just few minutes. But ....'
"Woah buddy where are you?" Karthik drummer his fingers in table seeing him lost.
"But..." Kaushal trailed off realizing he himself didn't know what to say. Loveless marriage can drive anyone away, this sudden realization completely shook him. The hatred for him and care for Adita he saw in Deepak's eyes was haunting him.
"But what? This Abhimanyu guy is perfect for her. He has made her realize that she deserve a better man. Finally she divorced him yesterday and now getting married to Abhimanyu. That satisavitri bhartiya nari was not ready even after all this but our Abhimanyu is not hero for nothing he proved this with his actions."
"But don't you think Sarah should given him one more chance? What if he change himself for her later?" Kaushal said.
" Change?? He wasn't ready at all for this divorce but they found something as in if husband doesn't talk to wife at all then wife has right to seek divorce or something that's in law I don't know much." Karthik explained as much as he knew.
"See he was ready to change himself."
"Are you dumb Kaushal? You don't understand? That bastard wasn't worthy of her just because she is woman she has to give chance again and again? She can't remarry? People has to move on, remarriage is such a blessing for people like her, I thought you will understand this better." Karthik stood up in rage.
Kaushal eyes widened on his sudden change of mood, "no, no you are getting wrong I didn't say she can't-"
"Leave it. I'm getting late" with this he left the cabin and Kaushal huffed defeated.
Adita's POV:
Whenever I think my life got some peace and stability, fate had to show me a different side. I knew this was unavoidable. I have to face to Deepak at some point but unexpected is something I must always expect in my life.
After arrival of Deepak my mind went completely blank. How I introduced him, what did I do in kitchen, how Kaushal went I don't know at all. Everything is happening on its own. First time in my life I'm scared of Deepak. Once Kaushal was out of sight, I quickly bolted the door to avoid any interruption between our talk.
I was sitting on the armchair and on my opposite was sitting Deepak on the sofa with a complete silence in the room except the little sound Priyam was making on Deepak's lap. To cut the thick silence I took Priyam from him.
"Sooo.. anything you would like to say?" He said with nuetral expression.
I gulped, "ye.. yes so many things. But please, please Deepak first listen to me let me explain things from my side and than decide whatever you want to say." Seeing my pleading face he didn't say anything but averted his eyes.
" Deepak, Deepak please at least listen to me once-"
" What?? He interrupted me loudly but after looking at Priyam's halted movement and wide eyes his tone softened, " I know you always have explanation. After all this is what I taught you for two years. Now say whatever you want before I change my mind."
" I know I have disappointed you, Infact I have hurted you deeply by not telling before doing this. But that time I didn't know how to tell you, what to tell you. I myself didn't know what I was doing for whom I was doing? I just had to do it anyhow. Time demanded this from me." I tried to make him understand and still a calm expression on his face worked as confidence booster for me. "You seeing this baby. Just for few minutes you held him and you got so attached then you yourself imagine how could I leave him alone without a mother. How can I abandon my son when his own mother left him. I was the one to have him in my arms for the first time when he was born. I have heard those heart wrenching screams of his mother. While dying that lady showed her faith in me, she gave me his guardianship trusting me more than her husba-"
"What you have his guardianship?"
Deepak interrupted me in middle.
"Yes, I have his legal guardianship. Kanak ha-" again he goes here with interruption.
"Then what the hell was the need to marry him? You are already his motherfigure." He exclaimed.
"Why?", I sighed,"I had my own reasons too!"
*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*
Author Note:
*Peeking behind the shield*
I know, I know this time I crossed all the limits. But delay was not intentional. I could have posted a note about the delay but I myself didn't know when I was going to post this chapter.
Coming to the chapter, how it was? So finally we coming on why Adita married Kaushal when she already had guardianship.
If you like the chapter please consider it to vote and share. Don't forget to drop a comment for the author in the comment box.
:-)
See ya in the next update!
👋