Anya woke up with a start and rubbed her eyes vigorously, wishing she were at home, that this was all a dream. When she saw that she was still wearing the same wedding dress and she hadn't even bothered to undress, she realized the brutal reality.

She searched for her cellphone, suddenly remembering it was in her duffel bag, among many other things. Taking it out, she saw five missed calls from Shefali, one from her mother.

She ignored her mother and called Shefali. "What the hell Anya?" Shefali shouted on the other line before Anya could speak "I called you like a thousand times!"

"There was only five!" Anya muttered sheepishly, "I'm not in the mood for sarcasm sweetie!" Shefali sounded angry "you were supposed to be back, I'm in a mess!"

"I...um..don't think I'll be back soon" Anya said, fiddling with her skirt lace "You won't believe what happened to me".

"What? Don't tell me you're extending the leave?" Shefali nearly yelled. "Yeah, I guess I'm stuck here" Anya said, and narrated the entire story in a single breath. When she was done, there was silence "I'm so sorry" Shefali said, her tone suddenly low "I didn't...know..how are you?"

"I'm.. okay..just..I don't know what to do" Anya cried out, having no one else to cry on to. "Okay..listen to me..I absolutely have no idea what to say at a time like this" Shefali explained "but all I can say..be patient for a while".

Anya blinked "and then what huh?" Shefali didn't reply immediately, Anya waited "your husband...how's he? Did he say anything?" Shefali asked finally.

"We would have exchanged two words since last night" Anya scoffed "he walked out on me".

At that precise moment, the person of their interest walked in, closing the door behind him. Anya let out a gasp "I...ll..call you later bye" she hung up, straightening herself.

He looked at her, with the same expression, which meant nothing. He walked towards the cupboard and took out his clothes while she watched.

"Why didn't you change?" He asked, his back on her. She didn't move "I thought you didn't want anything to do with me" she said defiantly.

He turned back to look at her "it's just a general question". She gave a mock smile "which I choose to ignore".

His mouth twisted into a grin "I...was angry last night, surely you know why". She didn't return the grin "and I was crying the whole night, and I don't care if you knew or not".

"Well! I didn't ask you to" he sneered, "you act as though you've been kidnapped or forced to marry me!"

The words somehow brought a little fear in her "I...have my own reasons" she stammered.

"Yeah" he replied coolly, "I know your intentions very well". She stared at him, "do you?" He nodded "of course my money, why else?"

She stifled back a laugh "really? Is that what you could think of?" He shrugged "I know a gold digger when I see one".

She stood up and walked near him "I..don't want your money..or anything else for that matter..I don't care if you're the richest man in this planet..you have no right to insult me!" She glared at him.

"You can drop this serious 'I don't care' act!"he jeered "you can act all innocent you want, deep down I know why you're really here and honestly I don't care". She hated him! How dare he accuse her like that!

"You!no wonder Riya ran away from you last minute!" The words came out before she could stop them. His expression darkened, she noticed, as she realized her mistake.

He walked closer to her, his eyes blazing with anger and for a moment she stood frozen with fear. His dark coal eyes met her soft brown ones. Anya felt breathless, in his smouldering gaze.

But he just stared at her, "I know you helped her escape" his mouth hardly moved when he said it "I...wish someone breaks your heart so bad that you will realize how it feels.. to be shunned and humiliated" he rasped and taking his clothes, he stormed inside the bathroom, banging the door behind him.

Anya stood rooted to the spot, her eyes misty. Why had she said that? She wondered. Was he hurt? He made me say such awful thing, she thought trying to defend herself.

He came out after a while. She realized he towered over her "I...am sorry" she managed to whisper "I.. didn't mean to.. I..was angry".

He didn't reply, he walked towards the dressing table "I..really am sorry" she said again, feeling hurt "but I swear ..I didn't help Ri..my cousin" she added "she...I don't even know why she ran away".

"Shut it Anya!" He said angrily "don't pretend you give a damn!" She sighed deeply; he didn't believe her. Her own mother didn't, why would he?

"Fine" she said finally, "blame me all you want" her eyes had turned watery again. She walked past him, not wanting him to see her tears.

He gave a brief glance in her direction and walked out of the room.
             ◇◇◇◇◇◇
When Anya came down to the living room, she saw his mother in deep conversation with a lady she didn't recognise, although she'd seen her during the wedding.

They obviously didn't see her coming, she could hear bits of what they were talking about "it's not good, you must tell Laksh" the other lady was saying "he's depressed as he is, I'm not telling him anything" his mother said.

"But still Minakshi! He's married now, he can't sneak out into the guest room, that too on the wedding night!"

"Let's give him some time bhabi!" His mother suddenly sensed her presence and cleared her throat "did...you.. sleep..well?" Her tone had changed, Anya noticed.

"Um..yeah" Anya replied, wondering how to address her. Should she call her maa? Or auntie? Or nothing at all?

"How are you beta?" The other lady asked politely. Anya smiled at her "I'm fine...auntie" she said.

"This is my elder brother's wife Kavita" Minakshi introduced her. Anya nodded, "where's Laksh?" She asked.

Anya looked away, wondering what to tell them; where was he? "He...uh..
went out" she said, which sounded safe at the moment. Kavita didn't look convinced though.

"I was just talking about the reception" Minakshi said, as if they  were interrupted "we..and your family thinks so too" she gave a stern look at Anya "we've decided not to keep the reception".

Anya couldn't be happier; what was the point in a reception when the whole marriage was a facade? She pretended to show her disappointment "oh" was all she mumbled.

"Good then" her mother in law didn't smile. Anya took that as a dismissal and went over the kitchen. Lekha was already sitting on the chair, cup in her hand.

"Hey Anya" she smiled brightly, sipping her morning coffee. She was very pretty, Anya thought, with a beautiful smile. "Do you want some?" She asked, gesturing her to sit down.

Anya sat next to her "I'm a tea person" she said "I'll prepare one". Lekha held her hand "oh no, there are people for that" she turned to a woman who was busy cluttering with the dishes "Ganga? Tea for Anya please".

"Jee didi" Ganga nodded and smiled at Anya, going back to her work. After the tea was done, both ladies were chatting together.

Lekha was friendly, Anya observed, instantly liking her. She was nothing like her brother and she was grateful for it. "I heard you talking to mom" Lekha said seriously "did she give you hard time?"

"Not at all!" Anya said sweetly, sipping the tea; it wasn't at all great. "What about Laksh?" Lekha looked at her.

Anya forced a smile, "he was nice..too" she said, feeling awkward to badmouth him with his sister. Lekha seemed to have understood "he's very upset, he pretends to be fine and all that but I know he's hurting".

Anya didn't know what to say to that; she let her head down guiltily for saying things which angered him more. "My brother's very nice person, he didn't deserve this!"

Anya simply nodded, "you were there with her, weren't you? Didn't she tell you anything?" Lekha asked her.

Although tempted to tell her the entire truth, Anya stopped herself. She somehow couldn't do it. "I..don't know..she kept everyone in dark" she said instead.

Lekha didn't reply to that, "Anyway, Laksh is in the office room" she smiled "whenever he's stressed out or something, he reads a lot. I guess that's what he's doing right now".

Anya wondered if she knew about their real relationship; of course she would. She was his sister, she would know. "My brother's very sensitive" Lekha said suddenly as Anya listened in surprise, "I'll never forgive your cousin for what she did to him".

Anya patted her hand "I..know" she said "I...wasn't very close to Riya, I don't know why she ran off like that, I tried telling everyone but no one would believe me".

Lekha looked at her "hey I'm not blaming you!" She smiled "it's just...I wish she would done that in a dignified way..if she wanted to call it quits..she could have told him face to face instead of running like a coward". 

For a second, Anya was tempted to tell her about the conversation she had with Riya, but stopped herself in time. She wasn't sure how much of that was true, was he really the monster her cousin had portrayed him to be? Anya was confused.

"I'll.. be back" she excused herself and walked towards the office room, apology ready in hand. She found him  sitting on the couch, reading a book. He was wearing reading glasses and looked quite..nerdy, she had to admit.

She coughed a bit to make her presence known and sure enough, he looked up. "What do you want?"he asked, not too polite but not sounding rude either.

The apology seemed to have died in her throat; where was the courage gone? She wondered. "I...um..had to borrow a book" she muttered, feeling stupid.

He raised his eyes "do I look like a librarian?"he sneered. She had a sudden urge to laugh but didn't, possibly because he did look like one though; he was already wearing a formal navy blue shirt, and the glasses did suit him, she thought slightly amused.

"I'm sorry about last night, I...really am" she said, remembering what his sister had said. "It's okay" he said, his eyes back on the book.

"You should be sorry too" she said, after a certain time had passed. He glanced back at her "for what?"

"Calling me a gold digger" she reminded him sternly. He scoffed "you really think I'm going to apologize to you?" She nodded "if I can, you will too".

He kept the book back on the shelf "I'm definitely not sorry, you can leave" his intense gaze made her shudder slightly.

"Your sister was wrong about you!" She said in an angry tone "you're very insensitive!" She was almost gone when he held her hand. She panicked at this sudden touch, "leave my..hand!" She gritted her teeth.

"Are you scared?"he challenged. She avoided looking at him "I'm..not" she glared. He didn't budge, his hold was firm, she realized and stopped struggling.

"Please" she whispered, not glaring at him anymore "don't..I didn't want this...I want to go home!" Her voice cracked suddenly as she fell on the floor, not before collapsing in his arms.

"Anya..?" he held her, suddenly realizing she was crying her heart out "I...don't...please leave me alone!" She was crying.

He didn't know what to say to her, he held her softly in his arms "it's okay..shhh..stop crying" he soothed her.

"Don't...touch me...please don't do anything..I swear...don't" she muttered incoherently. What had he done? He wondered. "Anya! It's okay" he clasped her hand.

She opened her eyes slowly and looked at him for a brief second and then her eyes were blurred and she fainted.