The following day, Mohit went to the office alone while Shikha stayed home, still feeling unwell. Throughout the day, Mohit frequently called to check on her. Determined to care for her, he returned home early.

By the next morning, Shikha was feeling better, and they both headed to the office. The day proceeded without incident. As evening approached, Shikha called Mohit.

"Hello," Mohit answered with a smile.

"Hey, my work is done. I'm ready to leave," Shikha said.

"I'll need another 15 to 20 minutes," Mohit replied.

"Okay, then. I'll be waiting by the car. Please hurry," Shikha said.

"Alright, I'll be there soon. Bye," Mohit said.

"Bye," Shikha responded before hanging up.

Shikha made her way downstairs, exited the office, and headed toward the parking lot, which was nearly empty. As she walked toward her car, a voice called out from behind her.

"Shikha!" Samarth's voice was cheerful.

Shikha turned, her face showing irritation. She did not want to engage with him and turned away with a sarcastic expression. Samarth approached her and stood directly in front of her.

"What's wrong? You look upset. Is everything okay?" Samarth asked with concern.

"Yes, Samarth. You don't need to worry," Shikha replied, her voice cold.

"Come on, Shikha. I'm your friend, your best friend. You can tell me if Mohit did something," Samarth said.

"Just be quiet, Samarth. Mohit is my husband. What could he possibly do to me?" Shikha snapped.

"Shikha, I'm sorry, but maybe you don't really know him. He's a loser. He can't handle relationships. He used Richa to get a promotion," Samarth said.

Shikha's anger flared. "Enough, Samarth! I know everything. Don't tell me anything more." She turned away, her face flushed with fury.

"I don't know what story he's told you, but if I had known you were marrying him, I wouldn't have let it happen. You two are mismatched. Look at yourself—you're so organized and well-behaved. And look at him. He's such a mess. He's just using you. Marrying him was like winning the lottery for him. He will never be able to take care of you. Just the other day, he raised his hand against me in the office. He didn't even think that we were in a professional setting. Even in college, he always tried to compete with me. What a moron!" Samarth said.

Shikha could no longer contain her rage. She slapped Samarth across the face.

"Enough!" she screamed.

Samarth was stunned, his hand flying to his cheek. He grabbed Shikha by the shoulders and pinned her against a nearby car. Shikha's eyes widened in fear—no man had ever treated her like this before.

"How dare you, Shikha!" Samarth's voice was filled with fury. "How dare you! Mohit has made you just like him. You've started raising your hand on people now."

Shikha gritted her teeth and pushed Samarth away with all her strength, breaking free from his grip.

"How dare you, Samarth?" she shouted. "First of all, he is my husband, and I love him more than anything. I will not tolerate a single word against him. And yes, I'm proud to be like him." She declared fiercely, "If anyone says anything against him, I will not spare that person, even if they are my best friend. He is my everything, and I trust him. He is the best husband. He loves me deeply and does everything for me, which makes me feel special. He endures all my tantrums and takes great care of me. He never leaves me alone, Samarth. No one has ever loved me this much. He understands me better than anyone else. His happiness is all that matters to me. He is so protective of me. And what are you saying about him? Do you think I don't know you? I know everything about you. I've known you since childhood. You've always used others to get what you want. You talk about handling relationships, but how many have you managed? How many breakups have you had? Count them. You didn't even spare me. You're disgusting, Samarth. Mohit told me how much you tormented him in college. I know everything. I know what you're capable of out of jealousy."

Samarth tried to defend himself. "You can't accuse me like this. I don't understand why you're fighting for him."

"Yes, I am fighting for him," Shikha said, her voice resolute. "I'm fighting for my Mohit. You know why? Because he is my world, my life. I cannot tolerate anyone disrespecting him. Never. And one more thing, Samarth—I know you now. Since my husband doesn't like you, I cannot maintain any relationship with you. You are no longer my friend. Also, I want to see him happy. He always gets upset when he sees you around me, and I cannot make him more upset. So please, never talk to me again."

With that, Shikha walked out of the parking area. She wiped her tears and tried to control her emotions, not wanting Mohit to find out. If he knew, he would not spare Samarth.

Mohit emerged from the office and found Shikha standing by the gate.

"Why are you standing here?" he asked, his concern evident. "You look upset. Did something happen?"

"No, I'm fine," Shikha lied, "Actually, I'm feeling a bit dizzy."

"Dizzy? I think it's your third day. You said the first two days are always tough. Shikha, now you're scaring me. Let's go to the doctor," Mohit insisted.

"Doctor? No, no. Sometimes it happens. Don't worry, it's normal. Let's just go home," Shikha said.

Mohit had no other option but to accept the situation. They both returned home, with Shikha lost in her thoughts. She prepared dinner, and they ate quietly before heading to bed.

The next morning, at the office, Kesha approached Shikha with a concerned expression.

"Hey Shikha," Kesha greeted.

"Hi Kesha. Are you okay? How is the baby?" Shikha asked.

"The baby is fine, dear. How is life treating you?" Kesha inquired.

"Everything is okay," Shikha replied.

"That's great. But I've noticed that for the past two or three days, you haven't seemed yourself," Kesha observed.

"Yes, I'm a bit down. You see..." Shikha admitted.

"Okay, problems are something that God gives us. Usually, after marriage, husbands suffer more during these times," Kesha said.

"I don't quite understand. What do you mean?" Shikha asked, confused.

"You don't know anything, Shikha?" Kesha said, surprised.

"No," Shikha admitted.

"I mean, there hasn't been any intimacy between you and Mohit yet. Oh my God, Shikha, it's been three months now. When will you guys do it?" Kesha asked.

"Right, I know it's important, but we needed some time. So it's been on hold for now," Shikha clarified.

"Time? For this long? You guys are so self-controlled," Kesha said, astonished.

"It's not like that," Shikha said defensively.

"Really? Piyush and I can't stay away from each other. And whenever I'm feeling down, he goes crazy. Since I'm pregnant now, nothing's happening, and I really miss him," Kesha lamented, a sad expression on her face.

Shikha smiled sympathetically.

"Don't you feel like it? I mean, Mohit is so good-looking. How do you control yourself? Tell me," Kesha urged.

"Shut up, Kesha. It's not like that. We're waiting to be in love before we..." Shikha started to explain.

"How cute. But you're in love now, so what are you waiting for?" Kesha pressed.

"I'm feeling down. It's only the fourth day," Shikha said.

"Ah, I see. You should be feeling better soon. So, what have you planned?" Kesha asked.

"Plan? For what? It's not something you can plan," Shikha said.

"But you need to make some plans. That's how excitement builds up," Kesha said.

"Yuck," Shikha replied.

"Yuck what? You don't know anything," Kesha said.

"I know how it's done, okay?" Shikha said, slightly irritated.

"But do you know how much fun it can be?" Kesha asked, her eyes twinkling.

Shikha blushed.

"I've heard it can be painful and that it involves bleeding," Shikha said worriedly.

"For the first time, yes, it can be painful, but then it gets better. You'll feel complete, Shikha. Trust me, he will make you feel beautiful and as if you're in heaven," Kesha reassured her.

"Really?" Shikha asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Yes," Kesha confirmed. "By the way, what will you wear?"

"What do you mean?" Shikha asked, puzzled.

"I mean, you should wear something very sexy that will drive him wild. Although, whatever you wear will be of no use, but at least give it a try," Kesha winked.

"Shut up..." Shikha said, her face turning red.

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