Words Count - 2476
Attached Song - Delicate
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[Surfraaz Mehta]

The problem was my wife, not their marriage.

I glanced at Neha, to know, if she wanted to say something to me.

"I think, they should stay here." I declared, at her lack of answer. Yes, I was insecure of Viraj's presence in this house, but my heart wanted them to stay. Perhaps, it was a test for Neha, that my heart wanted her to attempt or, make her get over him.

As I said that, Neha dashed into our room. But, I knew, she was happy, complete contrast to what Maa thought she would be feeling.

"I'll make her understand." I assured everyone, seeing Kiara's genuinely concerned eyes looking at the closed door.

"Thank you. I realise, how she must be feeling. It's all my mistake. I shouldn't have agreed for the marriage in the first place." He mumbled with remorse.

"It's fine, Viraj bhai. What's done, can't be undone." I told him, nonchalantly.

"Everything would be fine. Take care of Kiara." I patted his shoulder, passing a smile at my Bhabhi.

As I knocked on the door, Neha opened the door, instantly and in the next moment, I was engulfed in a bone crushing hug.

That was unexpected.

"Thank you, my idiot. You don't have any idea, how great a help you did for me! You are so cute." She exclaimed. She was not the same weeping destressed girl, I saw the last time. It was my fiesty angry bird, celebrating her victory.

This gave me another reason to not celebrate marrying this girl, I've ever loved. This gave me another point to add on my to-do list; to not fall for my wife.

Wasn't I crazy to think, we ever had a chance?!

Still involuntarily, a smile tugged on my lips, seeing her dancing on her own tunes. A carefree yet charming girl, that are what describes Neha.

Dragging me to the bed, she made me sit on the bed and went away with my coat.

"What's happening?" I pondered.

She came back with a notepad in her hand. And, sat on the beanbag beside me.

"Idiot, I need your help." She spoke coherently. I can still be happy being her idiot, her best friend.

"Say." I spoke.

"Tell me, which type of girl does Viraj likes?" Her question made me cough.

"How do I know?" I whispered. I wasn't confident, if I was even audible.

"Tell me whatever you know. Anything would do." She shook my arms out of excitement.

"He interested in girls." I spluttered out and then, realised how stupid it was.

"Modern girls. Girls with medium length hair, in western dresses. Yeah" I explained, aimlessly.

"Anything more?" She asked me, still writing each and every minute detail on that notepad with her favourite fountain pen.

"No idea." I mumbled. If she would have asked about my preferences, I would've written a thesis for her. Starting from hair colour to toe nail paint colour, from face shape to calf bone length, everything. But, the thing was she wasn't asking my likings.

The next moment, I was searching for her, but she was not there. Not even a thank you!

I started working on a presentation, when the door of the washroom clicked open and Neha emerged out of it.

She was wearing a saffron coloured knee length, off shoulder dress. The waist portion of the dress was designed with pearls, giving it a warm vibe. That orange on her body, looked marvellous.

"How am I looking?" She asked like a child, thirsty for a compliment.

"Hot. Huh, I mean, too beautiful." I was fumbling way too much just to cover up that three lettered word, that slipped out involuntarily.

"Thank you. But, Are you busy?" She asked me, that was clearly an order.

"Uhm, I'm free. Need something?" I asked, judging her face. There was clearly some mischief cooking on this brat's little head.

"Can you please curl my hairs." She spoke in her usual demanding voice. What the hell, she thinks of me?

"Don't curl it, it looks beautiful being straight." I complimented in a sugar sweet voice. The two reasons of the compliment being, I don't want to do it and the I don't know, how to do it.

" Really?" She asked in a self obsessed voice, as if adoring her hairs.

"Yes."

"By the way, are you going somewhere? " I interrogated her, in sheer curiosity.

"On a date." She replied casually, as if she was going to buy some date palms.

"You mean, Date. With whom?" I gave her a look of disbelief.

"Viraj." She smiled, smugly. Now, that was scary.

"How did he agree?" I was utterly confused. Is it some crappy joke again?

"Why are you here for?" Ridiculous. She smiled at me, a hint of pleading making her look cute. But, was that fair to me?

I took good amount of seconds to gawk at her to find if she was kidding me. But, I saw none.

She wanted me to arrange her date with my brother, that too on the second week of our marriage. Lord, grace her with some brain!

"Hey, let's go and please, do it for me. Please." She showed me her puppy eyes on purpose to persuade me. But, doesn't marriage mean loyalty towards your partner?

Still, I went towards the drawing room. Viraj was sitting there, a business magazine on his lap.

"Viraj, are you going somewhere?" I asked him, in a very uncomfortable tone. It was weird, awkward. But, still I chose to do it. I don't know, why.

Maybe, my logic tends to nullify at just the sight of a certain chocolate eyed girl.

"To my office." He voiced out, confused.

"Oh, Can you please drop Neha in the hospital? It comes on the way to your office. I need to go somewhere for my meetings." I thoroughly ignored the glare he threw at me and Neha's excited face. She was grateful to me.

"Okay." He said, releasing a sigh.

With that single word, Neha was about to jump up the table out excitement, so I tightened my hold around her fingers.

I would be a lier, if I say I didn't feel nice, holding her hand. I was happy, but not for too long.

"Control Neha, Maa is watching." I hushed near her ears. She nodded.

"Kiara, come." Viraj shouted. We waited for her to come as Neha was at the doorstep already.

"Let's go." Kiara nodded, as she descended down the stairs in a black formal wear. Her hands were full of red bangles and the redness of the vermilion on her hair partition made her look ostendious. She looked beautiful like a royal princess, worth the shine, with which Viraj was staring at her. Love can never be hidden.

Neha's face was greatly sour than lemon itself. I was constantly trying to look between both the new brides. I was trying to gauze the difference; it was subtle but, for me, it was vast.

My eyes saw Neha's bare hands with just two or three bangles, her hair partition had no trace of vermilion and her nuptial chain well-covered and tucked in the folds of her dress. Like I expected, she never accepted our marriage.

Will she ever dress up for me like my bride?

"Come Neha." Viraj said and Kiara too looked uncomfortable. I waved at Neha and saw her back, disappearing.I reached back to our room and through the balcony, saw her pestering Viraj with her endless talks.

I didn't feel bad, just a little envy because he was getting what I have ever desired to have, without even a desire. Aspirations do hurt, who said, it doesn't. Once upon a time, it was Vaani, but it altered into Neha now.

Sweeping off those thoughts, I immersed myself in work. No free time, No her-thoughts. Indeed, love is painful.

Knowingly or unknowingly, my mind frequently would wander in those days where Neha was my dance partner in the college fest, my bestie in the bonfire nights and someone I loved. Loved enough to leave her alone.

She loves Viraj, and to be honest, I am not against her love. Though I love her, I would never force her to love me back. Neither did I do that in the past, nor I would ever do that in the future. Even though, she is my wife.

Years of love, or friendship, in her words didn't even take a day to break and burn into ashes. And, it was a real life lesson for me that love is destined. If she gets Viraj, he loves her back anyday, I would be the happiest, but the fact is he doesn't love her and my wife is too immersed to understand this simple thing and it somehow manages to disturb me everytime, just thinking about her being heartbroken.

How many lives are you going to ruin, Neha?

"Shay, stay focused on your work. You need to remember, she is not yours, and can never ever be yours. Print it, if possible." I would often say to my heart.

My phone started vibrating. A smile found its way to my lips on its own seeing the person calling me. My baby.

"Dada." I heard an angelic from the other line.

"What is my baby doing?" I asked as sweetly and softly possible.

"Dada, I miss you. When will you come?" She was crying from the other side, and that was suffice to tear my heart apart.

"Baby, Dada is busy now. I will come back soon." I coaxed her and I guess, she managed to hear it as the wailings from the other line halted.

"Okay Dada. Bye. Work hard, and make me proud. We love you." She told me as I always tell her.

"I love you too, darling. And, my kiss?" I smiled as I heard a soft sound, of her kissing the screen.

"Bye baby."

I heard the clicking sound of heels, and saw Neha entering our room.Without saying anything, she just walked away. She looked clearly angry.

It was already night, so we went together to have our dinner. She again tussled with Kiara to get a seat next to Viraj and managed to acquire one.

She served everyone food and to Viraj, that was with utmost care. Ironic how I was just enjoying the show!

That night, before I moved to the balcony, I heard Neha calling me. Perhaps, the first time, she initiated something between us. Though it was something as meagre as a talk of few minutes.

I stepped into our room again and saw her sitting on the single seater near the window in her polka dotted night suit. She looked pensive, kind of exhausted.

"Raaz" She murmured, as I sat on the other chair.

"You wanted to talk?" I asked, softly.

"I want to ask you something. Promise me, you won't deny." I felt her hand entwined with mine, as she placed them on my lap. The diamond on her ring finger glistened more in the dimmed room. I wish, it was me, who wore it to her.

"I promise, I will give you whatever you want. Only if I can afford it." I replied back, instantly. This is the first time, she is asking me something!

I was delighted, but I had a nagging feeling at the back of my head. She beamed brightly as my words.

"Thank you so much." She chirped.

"What do you want?" I asked, again.

"I don't want a wedding reception." She muttered, playing with her ring.

"Our reception would have media, and I don't want our marriage to be known by people. I just want our wedding to be between our family and the two hundred people, who attended our wedding. I don't want anyone to know about our marriage." She ranted out, rapidly. I was numb at her words, my eyes staring at our entwined hands.

Was she ashamed to call me her husband?

"Sure. I promise, our marriage will just remain between us." I replied her, barred of emotions.

"Thank you, Raaz. I knew, you will understand me." She chirped and hugged me.

But, I don't understand her!

I just turned to the balcony and slept effortlessly. I needed something to divert my mind. To getaway from here.

The next week happened to slip away with the same rotations. Work, home, Neha and Kiara's catfight, Maa's irritation and Aisha's achievements as an IPS officer. It flew as humourless. But, the constants stayed with us, holding onto us firmly.

[Neha Mehra]

The more I tried to steal chances to talk to him, he ignored me. I was pissed off at his constant ignorance towards me.

Where was I wrong in this whole ordeal?

Do I no longer stand a chance with whom I've always wanted to marry? Do I have no room left for me in his heart?

Kiara hopped out of the car near a bakery. Taking the chance, I turned to Viraj. His head was dropped as he stared at the phone, devotedly.

"Viraj, I wanted to talk to you." I tried again. This time, shaking his shoulder.

"You don't need to continue your marriage with Kiara. I know, you must've been pressurized by our rivals to marry her after her suicide drama. Or else, why would you marry your business rival at such a short notice? Just tell me, I will free you from this trap. I'm always there for you." I pleaded, resting my hand on his shoulder.

"Neha, I love her." He voiced out, rigidly. I didn't miss his tight grip on the phone and even the contraction of his shoulder muscles under my palm.

"I admit, I was wrong in agreeing to marry you, when I was in love with her. But, my life was complicated, then. Try to understand my situation too. I request you, please don't be complicate my marriage anymore. Let me be on my own." He beseeched me, a strange vulnerability coated on his voice.

"As a friend, I advice you to concentrate on beautifying your marriage. Surfraaz is really good for you. I wish you both fall in love with each other and lead a happy life together. Neha, Don't be so immature, you are married now." So, the problem is that, I'm married now.

"Alright." I hissed in anger and Kiara re-entered the car. Henceforth, the whole ride was silent except my heart's rage.

•••

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Hey guys,

Gently the story is moving to where I wanted to strengthen the plot. So, double updates.

I hope each one of you liked the chapter. Do comment and vote.

Stay safe and sound.

May God bless you. More hope and health to you. Love you.

Love,
Biswa ❤️