Aghanya went to the kitchen to wash the dishes when her phone vibrated in her pocket. She almost dropped it when she saw the caller id. It almost shocked her to see that name after months. She had almost forgotten about him, almost being the crucial word. Though she wondered about him everyday.
Last she knew he had eloped from his own marriage the consequences of which - Rhea's family and hers had broken off ties.
The caller ID blinked again, the phone's vibration nagging her to pick it up. It blinked in white bold letters.
VARUN
She sighed and picked it up. Well, Viren was still entertaining his ex, so can she. But Viren's ex did not molest her and slashes his wrists. Her inner voice badgered her. But it was done, she had already picked up the call.
'Hello?' His wavering voice reached her eyes. She couldn't believe it was his voice, his voice was devoid of his oozing charisma and self confidence.
'What do want?' She snapped at him,
'Aghanya...' She sighed when she heard her name. 'How are you?'
'Oh fine! All the bruises you gave me have actually healed!' She said sarcastically.
'I'm sorry. I'm terrible sorry, Aghanya. Can you meet now?' He begged.
'Oh why? So you can actually kill me or worse take advantage of me this time?'
'No. No. God No! Please Aghanya, please let us talk. Come to Marine Drive. It's a very public place. If you can't trust me, I wouldn't be able to do nothing. Please...'
'Okay.' She didn't even know why she said that. She did not want to meet him but she was curious, curious about how he was, had he changed. You're crazy! Her mind yelled. Whatever! She shrugged it off. Grabbing her car keys she made for the door as his voice stopped her.
"Where are you going?"
Shit! She cursed. She had totally forgotten about him. Without turning she answered, "Somewhere." She quickly made it out of the door but she heard her door swing open as he followed.
"I'll drive you." It was a statement. Not a question or request. And rightly so, he had drove her. Along the vast stretch of marine lines, she saw him. He was standing there, his hair whipping in the wind. She didn't know why but her gut told her to make the most of it. She told Viren to stop the car and got out walked over to him.
***
He watched her walk towards the man standing watching the sea. He looked closer and growled. It was that bastard- Varun. Before he could get out of the car, she whipped around and walked back towards him inside the car.
"Stay here. Don't come out." She stated very dryly.
Well of course she said that! Wouldn't want anyone to disturb the lover's privacy. He thought angrily. Not even her husband. And the same place where she had almost kissed him on their wedding night. Wow! Aghanya Jha Raizada what an amazing talent she held. He thought sarcastically.
After ten minutes of talking to each other, he held her hand in both of his hands. "That bastard!" He gritted his teeth and looked away to calm down his anger. And in an instant Aghanya opened the car door and sat beside him in the front. The door clicked open again and in the rear passenger seat sat Varun. He glared at him and spat, "What the hell are you doing in this car?"
"Aghanya said, she'd drop me off." He said neutrally.
He calmed his breathing. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel hard and started driving. He occasionally glared at Aghanya who seemed unaware of his discomforts.
In his half glaring session, he didn't notice the Red car parked right in front of him and crashed right into it. He hissed and three of them got out of the car to check it. He had bumped into the car but only the tail lights were damaged and there was a sizable dent on it.
"Ahh!" He groaned.
"I'll just walk from here, it's just a little distance from here. You guys should go too after sorting this out." He waved to both the cars. "Bye Aghanya." He smiled and waved at her.
Well, this fucker! Where's my goodbye? He thought in his mind.
"Now what?" Aghanya's question snapped him out of his daydream.
"Now we go." He started to move to the door of his car.
"What? We can't go like that! Leave your number on the car!" She ordered him. She ran to the car and pulled out a sticky note and a pen out of her dashboard and gave it to him. When he ignored him. She began writing herself.
'We're very sorry.
Call on 97*******7'
He waited for her to stick the note on the glass of the car. She gave him a hard glare and spit out words that set his nerves on fire,
"Typical Viren behaviour. Breaking something and running away."
As her words registered he spat back harsh words too,
"Typical Aghanya behaviour. Juggling men back and forth. Wow! What a talent Mrs. Aghanya! First glance, people would assume you're not confident about your meagre looks at all and then boom! Out comes the vixen that entraps men and makes them dance on her little finger."
He knew he had struck a nerve when her eyes glassed over and brimmed with tears but she looked away and blinked them back. She stormed to the car without saying a word and started the engine. He ran towards the card and hurriedly sat beside her inside the car.
The atmosphere inside the car was so stuffy that he had to crack open his window. He expected her to say something but she didn't. Maybe you shouldn't have dragged her looks in between. His mind suggested to him. He did take it too far. Once they reached the parking lot. She slammed the car door shut and stormed out. He got out and then heard the beep of the car being locked.
She even slammed her door shut with a loud bang. She stopped in the middle of her drawing room heaving deep breaths. It was dark except for the small dull night lights.
"Meagre looks? Ha! Why don't you go to your superfluous model girlfriend anyway?! Get out and go to her for all I care!" She yelled so loud that He found it scary.
"Like you went back to him? No thank you, I know how to respect my spouse!" He let out his frustration.
"I did not go back to him! He was apologising."
"For what?" He asked. And when she did not answer, he asked again, "For What?"
She squared her shoulders and looked into his eyes, "None of your business."
"It is my business if you're my wife! Why did he apologise? Did he hurt you in any way?"
Her eyes showed vulnerability until she covered it again with her stoic gaze.
"What is it to you? Just ignore it and elope with your girlfriend to Bora Bora again." She snapped.
He stepped forward and held her elbow. "Did he hurt you?" He asked again. Her silence was enough. "That son of a -" He cursed and moved towards the door, he wanted to punch the daylights out of that bastard.
"Wait. Wait. Wait!" She ran in front of him stopping him. "Why do you act like you care? If you did, if you truly did, you would've stopped it then. But no! You saw it and you ran away! So why now? Why this fake concern? What more do you want? You already have my money!" She yelled but he could hear her voice tearing and her eyes brimming with tears. "What?" He asked confused and frustrated.
What should've followed was more yelling, that's what he had expected. But the complete opposite happened. She moved closer to him in an instant, her fingers trailing his chest shooting sparks everywhere they touched. In the darkness he felt her breath on his neck. His mouth felt parched as if on a summer day. Slowly her hands moved towards his jaw as she pulled him down to meet her lips.
What followed was sparks, bangs and fizzle. His hands dipped to her waist and pulled her closer, as if they weren't close enough. He wanted her, he wanted her so much. He pulled apart and dug his face in her neck, trailing kisses everywhere.
"This is what you want right?" Her whisper reached his ears.
His floozy mind did not comprehend what she was saying. But as her hands fell limply to her side he stepped back and stared at her. I don't want this! He wanted to yell. He did want it though, but he wasn't a misogynist who wanted her when she didn't want him. But that was it, she said nothing and left the room and shut the door.
After a while, he decided to crash on the couch. He did not know what to do. His mind was crippled with fear of the future. He was a broke heir to a failing company stuck in a loveless marriage. Could things get any worse?
The next morning proved that they could. The bell rang so loud that he had a headache when he woke up. When he opened the door, there stood a woman with the most stoic expression on her face.
"Is Mrs. Aghanya there?" She asked.
"Yes." He answered his gaze shifting to the woman's khaki shirt and pants and maroon leather shoes.
"Out of the way. She's under arrest of suspicion in a murder case."
"What?" He asked his mind now fully away. Am I dreaming? He asked himself again and again. But he was pushed aside by two make officers. The female officer walked past the door. Aghanya who was curious as to what the commotion was, was hauled out if her house like a criminal. Her eyes were darting around in confusion as the female officer stated her cause.
"Murder? But whose?" She asked equally should.
"Why? Varun Sighaniya of course." She snapped at Aghanya and pushed past the door. Aghanya gave him pleading looks as she was dragged out by the police.
His life hadn't just gotten worse.
It was Doomed.
