44. Kisi se bhi churaya ho tumhein, par ab tum meri ho. (I might have stolen you from someone, but now you're mine.)

•°•

Late on the Friday evening, we sat mulling about our own stuff. I was reading a book again, she was working at the desk.

"Priya,"

Peeling her eyes off the bright screen, she turned to me, glowing in the incandescent lights of the lamp, her silhouette accompanying her on the wall, just as graceful as her.

"Listen to this," I urged her softly. She nodded, clasping her hands between her knees as she gave me all of her attention. I looked back down at the book, reading through the paragraph that had me enraptured for a while. "There exist two kinds of love," I glanced up at her, and she smiled at me in encouragement. "The soulmate love, and the stolen love." I looked back at her.

"What's the soulmate love?"

I didn't have to look back down to read it. It was printed into my head with a stamp of forever. "It's the love that begins with the one you're meant for. There's gentleness in there, the magic of shy smiles and stolen glances. It starts slowly, develops gradually, for it's meant to be, so it never is bound to time. It stays with you even after forever, tying your soul to the one you love, where you know even if you transcend universes, you'll still end up meeting each other, belonging to each other."

She leaned in curiously.

"And then there's the stolen love," I whispered. "The kind where you fall in love with someone else's soulmate." Her brows pinched together melancholically. "You make them yours, deluding them to think you're their forever, even when you know all along, it's a lie. It's the love that's passionate, driven by impulse, fear, and obsession, carrying a depth that's enough to drown you. A death trap you let your soul willingly fall for. You know it has an end, a slave to the time, but it's maddening, consuming, you cannot get rid of it. So you live in constant fear. Is it the end? Will I be alone tomorrow? Will I be left with nothing? But you can't even complain," I smiled bitterly. "You know why?"

"Why?" She whispered.

"For you were the thief after all," I shrugged.

She let out a long sigh, resting back on the chair. "It's beautiful."

I nodded with a smile, tracing the edges of the cover. "Hauntingly beautiful," I added.

She turned back to the laptop, resuming her work. I couldn't go back to reading the book. So I stared at her long enough that she had to look back at me again. "What? You think you stole me from someone?" She sighed helplessly.

I nodded.

She chuckled, shaking her head before wheeling the chair closer to me. I placed the book beside me, shifting my position to sit facing her. "It's a book. Someone's imagination. Not even one percent of it can be related to reality." She placed her hand on my thigh.

"What if it's true though?"

"It's not truer than our marriage certificate." She deadpanned, knocking my forehead like always when she thinks I'm speaking bullshit. "Get your head out of that fictional world." She snorted, rolling her eyes.

"Do you know, according to the Chinese legend, there's a red string of fate that ties you to your soulmate?" I asked her. "And no, this is not fictional. It's an actual thing."

"Really?" She lifted both of her hands. "I don't see any string? Oh, maybe because I'm not Chinese they forgot about me?" She asked sarcastically.

"It's invisible!" I scoffed. "And one end of it is tied to your pinky finger, while the other end is tied around your soulmate's pinky finger," I explained.

She chuckled.

"It's not funny! It's real."

"It's a myth!" She rolled her eyes.

"Chodo! Tumse baat karna hi bekar hai! (Leave it. Talking to you is a waste of time!)" I turned to rest my back against the headboard, picking up the book to continue reading.

"Okay, sorry, sorry, sorry," she apologized quickly. "Tell me what you're trying to say," she urged me.

"No, you'll make fun of me." I shook my head.

"I won't, I swear." She pinched her throat.

"Pakka? (Sure?)"

"Pakka!" She promised.

I sighed and placed the book back on the bed. "It says, the moment you're born, a red thread is formed, tying you to your soulmate forever. But I was born six years later, na! So that means you already have your soulmate!" I stated.

And it's Bhai.

I just know it.

She clamped her lips shut as though fighting the urge to laugh. "See! See! You're laughing again!" I grunted in frustration. She swallowed, thinning her lips and sucking her cheeks in. "You're so bad at pretending."

She snickered.

"It's not funny," I picked up my book, this time determined to ignore her.

"Okay wait," she said and got up from the chair, crouching in front of the dressing table. I watched her grab a scissor from the drawer, pushing it close before she came back to the chair. "Which hand?"

"Uh?"

"Which hand is the string tied to?"

"Left one," I answered hesitantly.

"Convenient," she said, raising her left hand in the air as she snapped the scissor beneath her pinky finger. Putting the scissor on the nightstand, she left the room while I watched in perplexity. She returned a minute later with a red thread, long enough to stretch for two meters. Sitting back on the chair, she lifted my left hand, tying one end to my pinky finger, doing the same to her with the remaining end. "There you go," she smiled up at me, raising her hand, the visible red string bridging us. "This is bullshit, but I still played along, you know why?"

"Why?" I asked softly.

"Because it matters to you." She answered me. "And you matter to me. I don't care what kind of love this is, the soulmate or the stolen. Because even if it's stolen, you're the only one I'll allow to become my thief." She cupped my cheek with a smile. I smiled back. "So, Aditya,"

"Hmm,"

"Stop reading these stupid books before I confiscate your entire shelf!" She tutted in annoyance, slapping my head upside down.

"Ow," I grumbled, grabbing her hand before she could pull away. "You dare hit your husband?" I yanked her closer, coming face to face with her. "You know my father's a lawyer, right?"

"You know you cannot afford him, right?" She raised her brows at me.

I blinked, contemplating her words. No way my father will charge me for any case that he'll have to fight for me. That's just not in the parents' rule book.

"He will!" I said to her.

She leaned back on the chair smugly. "Try it."

"You wanna bet?"

"Take me out for a movie if you lose. And don't even think of trying to cosy up to me while I watch the movie." She warned me.

I nodded firmly. "Alright, watch it," I said, jutting my chin behind her, referring to my father in the living room. "Dad!"

"What!?" He screamed back.

I flinched. He is even louder than Tweety.

"I need you as my lawyer!"

"Do you wanna die!?" He hollered back sounding pissed. I cowered hearing the sound of loud footsteps, glancing alarmingly at my wife who looked seconds away from laughing at my expense. The door slammed open and dad stood at the threshold, his hands on his hips. "If you're into some kind of serious legal trouble, I'm disowning you!"

"Dad!" I exclaimed in shock. "You're supposed to cover up for me!" I sat straight in disbelief.

"Do you have no shame saying that to my face!?" He stormed inside the room towards me, stopping short because Priya was blocking his way. "Bahu, thoda piche hato, (Child, scoot back a little,)" he requested her softly with a smile.

She screeched her chair back, allowing dad to reach me in a matter of seconds, only to slap the back of my head harshly.

"Ah, dad! It hurts!" I raised my hands to shield my head from his hits. "For God's sake, I was just fishing for your opinion! I did not commit any crime!"

That stopped him.

I brought my hands down, glaring at him heatedly. "You seriously have no paternal love, do you?" I scoffed.

"After having such impertinent kids like you and your siblings, I regret not opting for adoption!"

"You would have given up us?" I gasped. "Just like that?"

"Yes! And in exchange for another child that too!" He scowled. "God knows what sins I committed in my last life. Ugh, I regret not using protection." He grumbled before storming out of the room, leaving the door open as always.

I panted harshly, turning to my wife, who the moment our eyes met, burst out laughing. I heaved a loud sigh, getting off the bed and snapping the string to leave the room.

"Don't forget about the movie!" She shouted after me.

"Tomorrow!" I instructed her, ignoring Dad who sat in the living room, back in front of his television. Making my way towards the kitchen while rubbing the back of my head, I realised how much it would have hurt Meghna last night. After all, her head is completely empty.

"Kya hua? (What happened?)" Mom asked worriedly.

"Kuch nahi, (nothing,)" I answered, opening the refrigerator and grabbing the icepack, holding it to the sore spot on my head. A sigh of relief escaped my lips.

"Priya ko bhej dega kitchen mein? Usne dinner banane mein madad ki meri, par Avinash ne call kiya tha. Woh apne ek dost ko leke aa raha hai ghar. Toh mein soch rahi thi ek aur dish aur saath mein mitha bana deti hoon. (Can you send Priya into the kitchen? She helped me with the dinner, but Avinash called just now. He's bringing a friend home. So I was planning to cook another dish along with something sweet.)" She relayed just as I turned to leave.

I clenched the ice pack tightly in my fist, looking at her blankly. "I'm not her assistant. If you need her help, tell her yourself."

"No, I- it's just last time you said-"

"Last time I said a lot more, Mom. You only remember this?" I smiled mirthlessly.

She fell quiet.

I sighed and turned to leave.

"Tu chahta kya hai, Adi? (What do you want, Adi?)" She asked me, halting me in the place. "Tell me, let me know what's in your mind. You always stay quiet and expect others to figure it out. If I'm wrong, tell me, na!"

I faced her again. "Bataya na, Ma. Bahut baar bataya hai. But meri baat batakar bhi aapko samajh mein nahi aati. Kyun? Bhai ko to aap bina bolein samajh jaati hai. (I told you, Mom. Not once but many times. But you fail to understand me even after I speak my mind. Why? You understand Bhai even with his silence.)"

She sighed audibly. "Kab tu apne bhai se jalna band karega- (When will you stop being jealous of your brother-)"

"See, Mom?" I cut her off. "Even without him here, you take his side. I'm trying to tell you what I feel, and you wonder why you never understand me. It's because you're always busy defending your favourite son!"

"Favorite?" Her face screwed in disbelief.

"Don't even try defending yourself," I warned her. "You know it's true."

"Adi-"

"It is true." Another familiar voice opinionated from the kitchen threshold. We looked in the direction, breathing out in defeat as Meghna walked in. She stopped a few feet away from me. "It is true, mom. And it's not just one kid of yours telling you, but both. You favour him the most, Mom. Why? The way you're ready to defend him and his choices, why do you not act the same when it's about us?"

I looked at her in shock.

Was she really arguing from my side as well? Where did the sun rise from today?

Mom's eyes brimmed with tears, making my heart tug painfully.

"What's the point now, Mom? You slapped me yesterday. Why? Because I said something that hurt your son?" Meghna spoke harshly. "If only you would have tried to understand my side, my point, maybe I wouldn't have gone to the extent of dragging him into this. But I did that. Do you know why? Because that's the only way to get you serious about my feelings. You only ever get attentive when it's about him, Mom."

"Stop cornering your mother like that!" Dad entered the kitchen, looking between us disapprovingly.

Meghna swallowed, clenching her hands into fists.

"Come out, everyone. Before Avinash and his friend come home, I need to speak to Meghna about something important." He left just as quickly as he had come.

Meghna swore under her breath, stomping out of the kitchen angrily.

I looked at Mom one last time, finding her eyes fixed on the floor, silent tears rolling down her cheeks. I felt guilty and ashamed. But I was right, wasn't I? Then why do I feel like the villain here?

Maybe I should have just gone back to the bedroom instead of heeding her words.

I left the kitchen sluggishly, meeting Priya halfway. She looked behind me, her eyes widening in surprise. I followed, watching Mom walk past us while wiping her tears with the back of her hands.

"What happened?" Priya whispered.

I shook my head. "Let's go to the living room for now," I said, stirring her with me.

"Here!" Dad slapped a bunch of papers in front of Meghna. The two were seated across from each other in the living room.

"What is this?" She picked up the papers.

"A contract."

I frowned.

"What?" She looked up incredulously.

"I'm allowing you to move out with that poor excuse of man you call your boyfriend," he stated. "But I have a few conditions."

"And they are?" She asked curiously.

"Read for yourself."

She sighed, flipping through the pages one by one, her face twisting in frustration the more she read. "I can barely understand this!" She screeched.

Dad winced at her loud voice.

She got it from you, dad.

"Alright," he snatched the papers from her before she rips them apart. "I'll simplify it for you. And you all," he looked at us, "you're the witnesses."

Mom rolled her eyes while Priya and I nodded obediently.

"Here you go," he began reading the legal paragraphs that stated the holders of the contract before gradually reaching the part of the clause. "Subject A is allowed to cohabit with her partner only if she is financially independent."

"I am. And what's cohabit?"

"It is used to denote the arrangement between two individuals who live together, either as spouses or unmarried partners." He deadpanned, adding idiot under his breath. "and no you are not financially independent. I need you to get a proper job that'll earn you enough to cover your basic necessities." He stated.

She sucked in a deep breath. "Fine."

"And I'll not help you fill the application form." He added.

She scoffed. "As if I can't get a job if you don't fill my form for me."

He twisted his lips. "Anyway, moving on, if subject A gets pregnant during the cohabitation, she either comes back home married to her partner or with the thought of marrying her partner. Failure to comply allows subject B to disown her legally."

Mom gasped while Meghna barked out a laugh.

I stared at my father in disbelief.

"You have to be kidding me!" She scorned.

"No." He said with a straight face. "Do I look like I'm laughing?" He pointed to himself. "I'm very serious."

Meghna rolled her eyes. "Is that all?"

"No." He answered, looking back down at the papers. "If Subject A returns to Subject B before the legal termination of the contract, Subject A will never again insist on cohabitation practice with their future partners." He slapped the paper back on the table. "Now you can sign." He leaned back satisfied.

"What's the period of this contract?"

"Five years," Dad answered.

Meghna picked up the pen from the side, ready to put her signature on the papers.

I can't believe she is just going for it. I would have asked for at least twelve hours before making the decision.

"But first, know this," dad interrupted. She looked up exasperatedly. "I called your boyfriend to my office this morning." She sat straight looking serious. Priya and I moved forward curiously, Mom did too. "We sat down to have tea and talked for a while before I asked him to get engaged to you. Engaged, not married." He repeated firmly when she went to interrupt. She fell back quiet. "I gave him two options. Either take a day to think about it and come back to me with his answer, or get up and walk out without a word. He placed his cup down, got up, and left." He stated.

Priya gasped softly beside me.

"Not even a little hesitant about his decision." He added softly, sympathetic as my sister's face fell. "Trust me, Meghna, even if he had taken a day and then said no, I would have at least tried to think from his perspective. But he didn't. He just got up and left."

Meghna clenched the pen tightly in her fist.

"You're adamant about not giving up on someone who did not think twice before giving up on you, if you think that's the kind of man you deserve, sign the papers and you're free to go."

She shakily placed the pen down, looking extremely humiliated.

"I- I need some time to think," she said in a whisper and left the room.

"Sidhe sidhe nahi bata sakte the? Yeh tamasha kar ke bacchi ka dil todna zaruri tha? (Couldn't you be straightforward? Was it worth creating this drama only to break her heart in the end?)" Mom spoke up disapprovingly.

"Yes." Dad looked at her. "She denied listening to anyone else besides her Pratik. So I made it clear what she means to him. Which is nothing." He spat out, breathing shakily through his mouth, his fists trembling in barely controlled anger. "How dare that bastard try to use my daughter for his fun!? He can go and fool someone else with that western bullshit but I won't let him toy with my filial daughter! If this doesn't get her head right, I have a few more techniques up my sleeves." He stormed out of the living room determinedly.

Mom rubbed her temples in exhaustion.

I turned to leave, and Priya followed me.

"You stay," I whispered to her. "If you're not busy, mom needs your help in the kitchen." I relayed to her.

"Oh," she let out. "Okay," nodding, she turned back around, walking up to my mother. The two spoke in a low voice before heading toward the kitchen.

I decided to slump in my room until it was time for dinner.

"You need the benefits of the partner but you can't commit!? What about my future, Pratik!?" Meghna's loud voice boomed in the hallway since the door to her room was stark opened. "How can I trust you again after what you did at my father's office!?"

I halted abruptly.

"Pratik!" She hissed. "Don't you dare say a word about my father, you asshole!" She screamed, turning around in a rage, our eyes meeting accidentally. I blinked in surprise. She stormed up to the door and slammed it shut. I flinched.

Way to embarrass yourself, Adi.

Shaking my head in disappointment at my curious ass, I headed to my bedroom.

Priya came in an hour later, calling me for dinner. We left the bedroom together, making our way towards the living room when the doorbell rang.

"Avinash aur uska dost hoga, (Must be Avinash and his friend.)" Mom rushed to attend to the door, returning with two men in tow with her. I wonder who this friend is? As if in response to my question, the man on the left lifted his head.

Oh, so it's Nitin. His college friend from overseas. When did he return to India?

"Hey, Adi," he smiled at me, his eyes shifting to my wife before they widened in surprise. His head snapped to my brother.

Bhai was frozen to the spot as if realising something.

"Kya hua? (What happened?)" Mom questioned curiously, having witnessed the weird exchange.

Nitin appeared speechless, blinking rapidly as he looked between Priya and my brother.

Shit, he knows.

I hope he doesn't blurt it out.

Bhai should have already told him if he was bringing the man home! I can't believe he can be this stupid.

Priya shifted closer to me, eyeing the man awkwardly.

"Uh, he is just surprised to see Priya." Bhai forced out a chuckle, a practiced smile plastered on his face. "She is a big deal in the corporate world, Mom. Yes, Nitin? That's what surprised you?" He nudged his friend.

"Ye- yeah," he nodded hurriedly.

"Oh okay," Mom chuckled. "Yeah, we're quite proud of our daughter-in-law. Couldn't have asked for better." She looked at Priya with a broad smile. "C'mon now, let's start with the dinner." She said and reached out for the man. "Nitin, I've also packed some of it for you to take home along with a few side dishes. I know you must miss homemade food in the US." She said, taking his arm and leading him towards the dining table. He forced a smile on his face, glancing one last time over his shoulder at Priya, shaking his head immediately after. "Priya, go and call your Dad." Mom instructed.

She nodded, leaving quickly.

I looked at my brother disappointedly. "You should have explained everything to him before bringing him here!" I hissed.

He sighed. "I- I forgot. I just picked him up from his hotel and drove us here. He usually teases me with Priya's name but since he didn't today, I forgot-" he fell silent noticing my glare.

I can't believe he is admitting to being teased by his friend using my wife's name.

"I- I mean, he always brings up Priya's topic-"

"Enough," I said, heading to the dining table.

Priya returned to the dining table with Dad a few minutes later. I pulled the chair for her, she sat down thanking me quietly. Mom inquired about Meghna and she told them the latter rejected to have dinner. Mom couldn't camouflage her sigh of stress.

During dinner, I stopped myself countless times from reaching to gouge out Nitin's eyes. He couldn't stop glancing at Priya, making her uncomfortable as well. We barely sat through the painful long two hours, wishing for it to end already. When it was finally time for him to leave, Bhai insisted on escorting him out. The moment he left, I sighed in relief.

Good riddance.

Just as I turned, mom came up to me with a watch in her hand. "Nitin removed this to wash his hands but forgot to put it back on. Give it to him before he leaves." She said hurriedly.

I snatched it from her and turned around annoyedly.

"Wait! I also forgot to give him the food -"

"I'm not waiting!"

"But I've already scooped out a little of everything. I just need to fill the tiffins-"

"No!" I exclaimed tiredly, leaving the house without waiting for her response. I won't be lugging those bags of food for that man. And I'm sure he'll prefer the hotel food over the homemade food anyway.

I took the elevator to the ground floor, shoving my hands in the hoodie as I made my way towards the parking lot.

When I reached there, Bhai was leaning against the side of his car with his arms crossed while Nitin was pacing back and forth. He stopped noticing me.

Bhai lifted his head in my direction.

I walked up to them with the watch in my hand. Nitin snatched it from me, shoving it back on his wrist. I sighed at his attitude, turning to leave immediately.

"How can you even call yourself a brother!?" He spat out.

I froze in my place, looking around the parking lot cautiously. Thankfully it was deserted.

"Nitin!" Bhai exclaimed.

He grabbed my shoulder to turn me around. "Aren't you ashamed? Flaunting your wife in front of him as if you don't know how madly in love he is with her!?"

"And that's my problem!?" I snarled, glaring at him.

He scoffed out a chuckle. "I can't believe you. I seriously can't believe you! You chose a woman over your brother!? What a fucking bastard!"

"Shut him up before I do it," I warned my brother.

"Yeah, and how are you gonna do that with your stature, Miss. Prissy!?" He shoved me on the shoulder.

I closed my eyes to buy some patience.

"This is between me and my brother. Stay out of it." I looked up at him calmly.

"You seriously have no shame, do you? How can you do this, Adi!? I've seen his longing for that woman for seven years! Seven years, Aditya! And you found out about his feelings before the engagement, didn't you!? So you had time to break this alliance off! How can you do this to your own brother!?" He pushed me on the chest.

My eyes shifted to my brother, who had his head ducked lower, standing like a heartbroken victim.

"Who stopped him then!?" I asked, glaring at his best friend. "I gave him a chance to come clean with his feelings!" I snapped. "Didn't I, Bhai!? Tell me!?"

"When? When you were already engaged to her!?" Nitin scowled in disgust.

"So he gets seven years to figure out his feelings but I don't even get seven days to come to the decision about giving up on the woman I've begun to love?" I questioned softly.

"You're seriously justifying yourself right now!?" Nitin grimaced at me.

"What a bunch of losers!" I spat out taking a step back, looking between both of them bewildered. "One couldn't figure out his shit for seven years and has the audacity to accuse me for taking something that didn't even belong to him while his friend comes and blames me for his misery!?" I gritted in disbelief.

"I didn't need seven years to know I was in love with her!" Bhai looked up, finally breaking his silence. "I knew in the first year we began working together!"

"Then what stopped you from confessing to her!? Huh? Tell me! Why bottle up like a coward for seven fucking years!? C'mon, speak up for God's sake!" I shouted.

"Because of her!" He burst out. "Because of your wife!" His eyes narrowed in slits, finger stabbing in my direction. "She acted like she hated the company of men! She never gave me a hint that she'll be interested in me, in men! She always played this high and almighty role, as if she would rather practice abstinence than entertain a man! She fooled me to think she wasn't interested in relationships! But how would I know it was all just an act!? How would I know she will get married to the first man that asks her out, not even caring about the age difference? How would I know it was just a facade? How would I know in reality she was so fucking desperate -" I punched him on the face, pulling my fist back that throbbed in pain.

He bent clutching his nose, stumbling straight a few moments later with a bloodied nose and bruised lip. "I-I deserved that." He whispered shakily, sniffling as tears brimmed his eyes. "I'm sorry-" lifting his head, his gaze got stuck somewhere behind me.

I followed, turning my head over my shoulder. My blood ran cold at the sight of Priya standing beside a car with a bunch of bags in her hands.

"Priya," I turned around, taking a step forward but halting abruptly when she placed the bags on the ground before rushing back inside the building.

"Shit, seems like she heard everything," Nitin murmured.

I clenched my hands in trembling fists, scared to follow her and find out what awaited me.

Ooh, the drama.....

Wonder what's waiting next for both of them.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter? Don't forget to vote and comment. Makes my day.