" Do you know the fun fact about contradiction,
It always says the opposite of what it has to do."

Ishaan's POV

" Shyam, wrap up everything for today. I need to go home." I told him, as I just came out of a meeting with foreign delegates.

" Why did she call me?" I thought as I opened my phone to see 3 missed calls from her. I hurriedly got inside my car and in a second, the engine roared.

Parking my car in the garage, I went inside but was startled to hear no noise. Our home should have been hustling with gossips by this time, then what was wrong, I entered in while thinking the same.

I was almost going to step inside the room, when I heard Jia's crying voice. I stayed back, behind the door to listen her. I wanted to know what she is assuming, and why is her behaviour so changed towards me.

"What should I do to sort out our relationship, Tell me." I heard her say, hiding behind the curtail in a demanding voice. I knew where it was going.

" Jia, He is just a little introvert, he is unable to open up that well like we all do. He is a way too coward to free himself before you, try to understand his plight as well..." Priya was saying her.

" Haha, I have been doing the same thing past 1 and half years. I don't understand him at all. When I was in pain, he wasn't there. Still I managed myself. When Jishan was born, he was not there with me. But still, I convinced my heart. Everything, I have been convincing myself with a hope that he will change someday, but when?" Hearing her broken voice, my heart ached.

Wiping her tears she continued, " Everything was okay, but I am done now. You know Priya, when that drunkard was trying to .. " she was crying hysterically. I just wanted to cage her in my arms.

" When he was touching me, I felt so disgusted. I was scared for my life and about my child. I wanted to live so badly, seeing destruction from so near, I realised that our marriage was so broken, our bond was so weak and that our love was so brittle." Her every words were piercing my heart like sharp daggers.

" I will also say, if he can't make someone happy, he doesn't have any right to hurt them. It's better to free them forever." My heart stopped for a moment hearing Priya, I thought how could she say such a thing.

" I don't believe that our relationship was so weak, and it's about to see its end. Why do we have such a cruel fate? " Jia was still crying and shouting her heart out, but I was completely numb.

Soon Priya came out of the room and left just passing me a sad glance. With my shaking body, I walked into our room, convincing myself that it was just a bad dream.

Jia looked at me once, but suddenly turned away. Feeling silence better than those talks, I was going into the bathroom to take a shower to intentionally avoid her talk.

" Ishan, wait." She held my hand, I tried to put up a smile. But underneath I knew how miserably my smile was betraying me. I wanted to stand under the shower and shed all my tears, frustrations and worries.

" Let me come out, " Without waiting for her reply, I strolled inside hurriedly. As I came out, I saw her standing still in the same position.

" Jia, why are you still standing there? Sit." I tried to tell her in a cheerful tone, when my tears threatened to drop any time.

" I know, you wanted to speak something but I am really tired so please let's sleep today." I told her while wearing my t-shirt.

" Ishan, You are doing the same thing that you have been doing since last 2 years. It's better to throw me out of your life, so that you won't have to avoid me further." She said while pulling my arm to face her. My heart was going blank bit by bit.

" Jia..." Unable to speak anything, I could just say her name slowly.

" It's over, Ishan. We are over. This relationship is over, then why should we stay in this marriage. I think, we should get divorced." She told me firmly.

" How dare you say that word, Jia? How could you just think of it?" I yelled at her, holding her shoulders tightly.

" Believe me, it is the best solution for both of us." She said that broke me even more. She was turning to leave, when I held her captive from her backside.

" How is it best option for us? When I will die without you, I can't live without you, Jia. Please, I beg you, I am really sorry. please don't do this to me." I cried in the crook of her neck, inhaling her lotus perfume...

" It won't matter. You are living alone when we are with you, then what difference would it make if we leave." She released a sardonic laugh.

" we?" I asked her shocked.

" Our child too, of course I will take him with me because he needs me." She said hammering the rest parts of my heart which were alive.

" Please don't." I begged her.

" Why should he suffer for us? He needs a caring father, I too need a husband, who loves me and accompanies me in all the evens and odds of life. Not someone like you, who stays back in his own world beware of his family, seizing himself. I want to give our child a better life as his first birthday gift. So, you have only 8 days to decide." She shouted at me rudely, I deserved this too.

My hand secured her petite waist in the front of my body and I was draining out my emotions on the skin of her neck, forgetting the time. I could even feel her hot tears on my shoulder.

Jishan cried bitterly at an instant. She ran to him, pushing me away. I felt as if I lost my solace and warmth in life. Tucking Jishan to sleep, she slept but sleep was no where in my eyes.

I made Jishan sleep in my bare chest and pulled Jia in my embrace. I kissed her head.

I caressed my baby's hair as I asked him, " Baby, your dada is too bad. He always hurts your mama." I was in tears, thinking if I could get this moment ever again in my life.

" Won't you miss me, baby?" I asked my sleeping boy, I could never ask him when he is awake as I feared his 'No'.

" You know baby, your mama will bring you the best father, the best if all. He will love you so much, unlike me. He will play with you and teach you studies and music. But, my baby won't forget me right. My baby will still clap his tiny hands and smile, if he sees me passing him. Yes na, baby." I didn't know that I was crying all the way, thinking about any other man taking my place in their lives.

I turned to see my wife, snuggling closer to me. I kissed her hair partition where she wore vermillion for me.

My palm cupped her cheeks as I asked her, " I am sorry that you had to marry a worthless person like me. But, you will always be the girl around whom my world revolves. I hope, you will get a good husband after you are free from me. I know, you will live happily with your new husband but every time I will be injured to see you with another person , to see him touching you and standing in my place in your life." I was feeling as if my skin is burning even taking those words in my mouth.

"let me say you for once what I always wanted to say you, I need you. I love you. And, I can't live without you." I captured her lips but she didn't respond as she was fast asleep. Quitely moving up the bed , I strolled towards the out of the room to breath.

I saw Maa was sitting over their, silently walking to her, placing my head on her lap as I sat on the floor.

" What's the matter, beta?" She asked concerned.

" Maa, what will you do if someone you love asks you for something that would hurt you the most?" I croaked out, she was silent for a bit.

" Beta, Love is selfless. It makes you to forget your agony for the happiness the person you love. " She explained me while patting my back. As I grasped the essence of her talk, I drew away from her and strolled outside hiding my tears from her.

" She told me her feelings, but whom will I say." I screamed as I settled down the sprawled banyan tree in our backyard to heal my aching soul and hurting heart. I moved my legs close to my chest and cursed myself for being such a pathetic person, who can't even express his feelings and emotions boldly.

My body was trembling and shaking vigorously as I exhausted myself while crying and the chilly wind was chilling me from core. A hand held my shoulder and I wiped my tears abruptly.

" Don't hold back these tears, cry out." The voice said. Turning once, I wrapped my arms around the person's body and cried like a child.

" I don't want to lose her. I can't live without her." Saying this, I let her handle my load.

" Tell this to her. Make her believe this fact. It is still not late." She said patting my back.

" Priya, she told me that our love is broken, and it's better to break our marriage. How could she say that? If she feels me unworthy of her, who am I to make her stay by my side in this suffocating marriage? She too deserves happiness." I told her.

" Ishan, be in her shoes and try to understand her. She needs you love, she craves for your love. You know, how rough you both have been towards each other. Try to rebuild the trust in your relation. Make up for all the days, she spent without you. She too loves you Ishan, and you know what." She described me.

Nodding my head, I re-entered our room only to see my wife sleeping. Jishan has woken up and was playing with his mother's hair silently.

" Baby, let your mama sleep. Come, I will play with you." I told him sweetly.

I slept beside Jia and made Jishan sit on my stomach. He was playing with my shirt button. He broke a button and was about to eat it, which I was trying to remove from his mouth but he started crying loudly.

" Baby.. what Baby?" Jia woke up with his loud weeping and as she saw him with me, she immediately snatched him from me. I rotated my face towards the other direction to hide the incoming tears in the corner of my eyes.

" Stop crying, Jishan." She was continuously yelling him but he was not listening, she slapped his back and his weeping went louder.

I held her hand, " Please, don't beat him. He is crying for the button." I told her in a pleading voice, but she jerked her hand away and went away to the balcony with him.

I tried to sleep but, I was not feeling well. I was searching for the head balm from the bed side table, but it wasn't there. So, I opened Jia's drawer to see if it is there. But, I felt my heart rupture, seeing it's content.

With my trembling hand, I withdrew the envelope from the drawer and opened it to see a legal certificate, with the headline ' Divorce Agreement '.

" Is she that desperate to free her from this marriage alliance?" I questioned myself.

Hey guys,

How are you? Hope, you had a great day today...

Hey, double update .... I know, it's valentine's week but the story line continuing is sad, how will I present you lovey dovey chapters...🥺

How was the chapter?? An emotional one, though...

Comment, your thoughts on Jia's behaviour and Ishan's pain.

Do vote, comment and share.

Thank you for reading.

Love,
Biswa❤️