"Viaan was savoring the traffic these days, mentally applauding the engineer behind Kalindi Kunj flyover. If the engineer hadn't delayed the work on the flyover, he wouldn't have had more time with Riya. They were smitten by each other, and it was totally visible on their faces every time they came into contact. Neither of them shied away from these feelings, and almost a month into their carpooling, both were loving it. They had started spending their evenings together, and time boundaries were forgotten long ago. Golgappe, Tikki, Pao Bhaji, Ice-creams were their true companions.

In this month, Viaan had come to know a lot about Riya, and vice versa. It seemed she had bared her soul for him to see. While she was usually an outspoken person, she had always kept her emotions hidden. Coming from a middle-class background, she had a lot of dreams to achieve. Her parents, both in government service, had struggled, and she was considerate about spending money, a simple, innocent girl. She had a younger brother and was the eldest girl on her father's side. Despite her middle-class background, she was pampered by her father, her hero. Her family was liberal, in stark contrast to his. She had never stayed in a joint family and openly expressed her dislike for her father's side relatives, leaving a bitter impression on her about joint families and their property disputes. A modern woman with roots in her father's upbringing, she dreamed of a career that would make her father proud. Unlike other girls, she encouraged income equality, insisting on splitting fuel and food bills equally. This sometimes irked Viaan, as she was open about gender-based financial equality and the importance of women's financial independence.

Viaan, on the other hand, belonged to a very wealthy business family, the youngest in his family, the apple of his mother's eyes, and his father's favorite among his brothers. He was a little baby in his family, much pampered. He loved his brothers, and they all lived like the 'Hum Saath Saath Hai' family, but everything that shines is not gold. Behind the scenes, his family had its issues. The orthodox culture was like poison they were used to. Viaan was aware of the restrictions his family placed on daughters-in-law, confined to the kitchen and bound to fulfill the expectations of males and elders in the family. He wasn't bothered by the restrictions, as he too believed women made good homemakers. His upbringing in the elite Baniya family paralleled Riya's. In his job, he had seen working women, but he was against the idea of a working woman. He too believed women were good homemakers and mothers, their role supporting their husbands, family, and kids. He was accustomed to the 'Raja Beta' attitude, where all his needs were addressed by his sisters-in-law or mother on command. Despite knowing the facts, his heart was challenging stereotypes, creating space for a woman completely opposite to what he envisioned as a wife."

As usual, they reached the office at 10 am, and Riya rushed to her desk. She was quite tense about a release these days, and her workload had almost doubled. With the product launching in a few days, she had a stringent timeline to follow. Viaan admired her sincerity about the work and how she gave 200% in everything she was thrown at.

As he approached his desk, he came under the scrutiny of his friends. Rahul, Rajeev, Rajat were all hovering around his desk, looking for some gossip. The "R" trio together was a deadly combination. Rahul and Rajeev were his seniors, whom he admired a lot, and like Rajat and Viaan, these two were also best friends from college. As Rahul adjusted his spectacles, he gave Viaan a roguish smile.

"Heard someone has been enjoying the Kalindi Kunj traffic jam," he teased. Viaan eyed his friends, and a blush crept up his face.

"That's why the lover boy is early to the office and early to leave these days," Rajat added. Viaan pleaded silently for Rajat to stop this conversation, but Rajat was in no mood to leave him today. It's been many days since Rajat has been observing how Viaan's face flushed every time he saw Riya on the floor. Viaan's demeanor changed each time someone mentioned Riya's name. The way he looked at Riya and observed the minutest details, Rajat was sure of Viaan's feelings. He felt genuinely happy for his friend for finally finding a match. Today, however, he was not in the mood to leave him without getting him to admit his feelings.

"Please, there is nothing like that; I hate traffic, you know," Viaan replied. Although in his heart of hearts, he knew how thankful he was to the Kalindi Kunj Flyover that he could almost kiss its engineer. He laughed at the mere thought.

"We all know you can't lie, and it's written on your face."

Rahul didn't miss the blush, and his next sentence almost forced Viaan to give away his actual feelings.

"You two make a good pair." And this was the final stroke when he blushed, and his friends got the hint about how he felt about her.

And this is when he decided to talk about the big giant elephant. "I can't be serious with her; she is not the one my family will ever approve."

He didn't realize when he spoke those words, someone listened to them silently, and a heart broke. A tear escaped her eyes, and she made sure no one noticed her gloomy face.

"Flashbacks ends"

The Present day - 2023

Viaan was deep in his thoughts when the sound of his mobile beep broke his reverie. He checked the Instagram notification. He had been following her from a fake account, which usually gave him insights into her posts.

"Riya Kapoor posted two photos." He went to the Instagram handle and checked the picture she had just posted. A photo of her in a white dress.. Itwas a kurta style simple elegant dress which showed her curves at the rightplaces. Her milky white legs were visible through the dress which made hisheart flatter for some moments. He missed those legs on his torso while he wasmaking love to her back days.

She looked graceful and simply adorable in the picture. He scrolled to check the next one, which featured two of her girls in a single frame. They both looked astonishing and deeply in love. As he browsed through the comments, he discovered that many male friends of hers had commented on her post. Bloody hell, it had only been 2 minutes since she posted the picture, and males were swarming the post. Did they know she was the mother of an 8-year-old? The comments left a bitter taste in his mouth, and he felt a twinge of jealousy.

As he scrolled through the comments, one particular comment set his skin on fire. He was filled with anger when he realized the man was openly flirting with his wife on a social networking site. "Riya, you look adorable, girl. Pari and you look like siblings." Bloody hell, he cursed. Why did she have to post something like that? He was an alpha male who was possessive about her. He wanted to punish her so bad for showcasing to the entire world what was his. She was his and would remain his until the divorce papers were signed.

These thoughts were interrupted by a phone call from his lawyer. They were eagerly awaiting the closure of the divorce case, and she seemed reluctant to end it every time. He was hoping for good news this time at least. He picked up the call on the third ring, and from the other end, he could hear the rustling of papers. It was evident that the lawyer was checking some documents as Mr. Sharma greeted him on the call.

"Hi Viaan, how are you? I was thinking you could come to the office, and we can discuss one urgent matter." Mr. Sharma's unusually calm tone sent a chilling sensation down his spine. His mind raced through the worst possibilities, fearing potential legal trouble in the 498A case. The urgency in Mr. Sharma's voice heightened Viaan's suspicions, leaving him curious. As he was about to respond, he noticed the pen in his hand—the first gift from her. Her words, "I never want to see you hurt; you are my mentor," echoed in his ears.

Uncertain about his emotions, he calmed his nerves and refocused on the call, realizing that Mr. Sharma was waiting for a response. "Having some meetings right now, is everything okay?" he inquired.

"You should come over, Viaan." The seriousness in Mr. Sharma's tone set off alarm bells once again. Viaan sensed that something significant had come up, or else his lawyer wouldn't have invited him without prior intimation. Suppressing negative thoughts, he responded, "Will be reaching in 2 hours, if that's okay."

Mr. Sharma sighed and disconnected the call. Adrenaline rushed through Viaan's veins as various worst-case scenarios played out in his mind. He hastily got ready, leaving his mother gasping at the urgency but offering no time for conversation.

He reached the destination in haste, observing the unusual January weather. The sun was concealed behind thick clouds, creating a cloudy and windy atmosphere. Viaan never liked winters until she came along. Riya, on the other hand, was never a fan of the cold; her body wasn't accustomed to such low temperatures.

In winters, the warmth of his body provided a connection that drew her closer to him. Their bodies entwined in a blanket, making love on a cold night, remained one of his favorite memories.

A sense of déjà vu struck him as he recalled the first day of their wedding. On a freezing December day, that naive girl had taken a cold bath, forgetting to turn on the geyser in the bathroom. As she emerged, fine droplets of water fell from her body. From the bed, he observed her closely, fully awake despite her attempt not to disturb his sleep. Tired from the wedding customs, he couldn't miss the chance to witness his legally wedded wife in their room for the first time.

She wore shorts and a spaghetti top, showcasing her toned legs and breasts. Removing the towel from her hair, she quietly combed it, occasionally popping her knuckles. He noticed the shiver in her body; he knew she was apprehensive about joining him in bed. As she approached, he closed his eyes.

He didn't want her to feel uncomfortable. This was her place, and he wanted her to relax. With his eyes closed, he could sense her proximity. As she lay down, she made no effort to distance herself from him. In close quarters, her warm breaths caressed his face. Moving even closer, one of her hands gently embraced his neck, and she planted a small kiss on his forehead, followed by his eyes—cute and innocent, a gesture indicating her acceptance that he was hers.

Tracing her fingers along his face, she observed the fine details, moving towards his lips. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw pure desire reflected in hers. It signaled her submission to him. When he embraced her and drew her closer, a heavy sigh escaped her lips as he kissed her forehead, bringing a comforting sense that they now belonged to each other.

Without exchanging words, his fingers grazed her lips. The electric intensity flowing through both of them was palpable, and she surrendered. Drawing closer to her lips, he kissed her. As their warm mouths met, sparks ignited throughout their bodies. The calmness they had harbored for so long began to dissipate. The dam was now broken, and passion seized their minds. Deepening the kiss, their mouths entwined, tongues vying for dominance. Neither wanted to yield until they reluctantly separated due to a need for air. Riya gasped for breath as Viaan bit her lips and kissed her once more.

This time, the kiss reached another level of passion, where both yearned to feel each other, affirming their unity. Satisfying themselves with the knowledge that they were now married, it was time for celebration—a celebration of their love, of the emotions and passion hidden within them, as they surrendered to each other.

He pulled her more towards him and his hands were then exploring her body. He pulled the spaghetti top down kissing her neck and her sweet spot. He kissed and kissed until he was satisfied sucking the sweet spot below her ears. His hands had moved inside the top and he squeezed those two jubilees out of their life. Ahh, Riya gasped once again. Taking this opportunity, he once again kissed her exploring her mouth in a dominating way. His hands moved to back opening the hook of her bra. But more he tried more frustrated he got. The hook was struck or he was unable to open it. Seeing him juggle with the hook, she giggled. He bit her shoulder once again to strike back when she spoke.

"I'll help you Mr Garg. It will take time for you to practice this. " Her giggling soon turned into moans when he sucked her neck and his hands were ruthless in squeezing inside the top. Stop, let me open it , she again requested but Viaan was not in a mood to leave her now. Whole room was filled with moans and laughter of both. As he removed the hook in no time her top was removed and a behold sight waited for him. Those two beautiful melons were on his display and those pink nipples was summoning him to make love to them. 

 He once again squeezed both of them together and announced "Bouncing Balls". Riya was feeling shy at his stare and tried to hide them with her small hands but Viaan on the other hand had already let his devil unleashed. Now only she can quench the thirst of him. He took each one of them in his mouth tasting the sweet nectar and he was hooked. He was an honest man, he had never touched any girl and kept him for his wife only. And now he had got the taste he was not letting her go away. He sucked and sucked until he was completely satisfied. Riya on the other hand was trying hard not to moan loudly however her body was liking the feel of his mouth on her nipples. As he moved forward and was in no hurry Riya moved her hands down to his pants touching his erection. 

 The current flowed inside his body when her soft hands moved inside his pants touching the helm of the underwear and her fingers touched the tip of the hard erection. He threw his head back in ecstasy and allowed her to explore more of him. He pulled down his pants but kept the underwear on. As they both had hands insides one another she felt him with her delicate fingers. They undressed with each other delicately. They both had same passion in their eyes. Raw desire was clouding their minds when Viaan came on top of her. He wanted to take it slow but as the circumstances he couldn't take any long. He looked for permission from Riya and she simply pulled him close kissing his lips confirming the consent. Her consent meant so much for him. As a man it filled his heart with pride after getting the consent from his lady. He was trying hard not to hurt her in any sense. He was soft when his tip first touched her vagina. And that was the time she was actually scared. Her eyes were filled with worry and concern and he moved his hands to her face assuring her.  

"It will be ok. I will be gentle. And if you are not comfortable, we won't do it. I promise. You are precious for me Riya". He spoke.

"I want to do it. I love you, always have. I surrender myself to you, make me yours please.". Her eyes were clouded with tears when she confessed her love honestly. It was pure and gentle when she urged him to move forward. And in a instant he moved inside her.

Ahhh, she shouted in pain and Viaan hugged her tightly. He was soothing sweet words inside her ears holding her calming her down. He knew it was too painful for her and her tears were proof of that. He kissed away her tears and kissed her lips once again. It was again a silent consent which he wanted from her to move forward. She understood him and started kissing him back. This urged him to move forward. As he moved again she winced and he was quite careful in his movements. As her pain reduced in sometime Viaan pulled out and pushed in again. Both of them were transported to heaven feeling the heights of ecstasy. Whole room was filled with moans and grunts which eventually raised the temperature of the room.

They had made love that day for the first time and her body was freezing when he first touched her. The water droplets from her hairs had made the pillow entirely wet. Her moans still afresh in his ears till this date. As he swelled inside her and went deeper, she was left wanting more. The way her hands brushed across his back and her nails dig deeper he was electrified and hypothesized by her. His phallus grew more and more until he couldn't take it anymore. He wanted to wretch her that day. His mouth was left with a sweet taste while sucking the life out of those plump melons He was left wanting more and more of her and she was laying naked in his arms.

"Viaan, a voice pulled him out of his reverie. I've been calling you for so long, what were you thinking?" Mr. Sharma spoke. Mr. Sharma, a man in his 60s, was a seasoned attorney with almost four decades of legal experience. His presence exuded authority, much like his own. Viaan faced him, finding a shrewdness in the older man that matched his legal prowess. Mr. Sharma had a reputation for bringing various parties to the negotiating table, and his expertise had attracted attention from political parties seeking his legal counsel. Viaan's face turned pink with embarrassment, unable to convey that he had been lost in thoughts, reminiscing about intimate moments with his legally wedded wife.

Changing his demeanor, Viaan switched back to his usual self. Correcting his shirt, he stood up from his chair and extended a handshake to the seasoned attorney.

"Come, we need to talk," he ordered.

"What is it, sir?" Viaan inquired. Restlessness consumed him as he sought to understand the urgency.

 "Your wife wants to close the case, but she intends to hand over the custody of Pari to you. She hasn't demanded any alimony or Istridhaan. Her attorney called and communicated this earlier today," he finally revealed. Viaan was confused, and it felt like thousands of heavy bricks had just fallen on his shoulders. Her words echoed in his ears: "The day I will finally move on from you, the first thing I will do is to stop being a mother to your child," she had once told him.

Was she actually leaving their child and moving on? How could she? Thousands of thoughts flooded his mind. He was determined to find out the actual reason behind her decision. It was no surprise that she loved their daughter to the core. Pari and Riya were like sugar and milk, easily absorbed with each other. They were deeply in love, and Viaan had no doubt about that. Riya was a perfect mother and woman, raising a child with special needs with so much love and attention that could put any mother to shame. Although he had never commended her efforts, he knew in his heart that dealing with an autistic child was not an easy task. Managing finances, therapies, language, understanding Pari's needs, and making her independent had already made Riya a superwoman in his eyes. Even listening to or reading her agony in court statements felt so stressful. In eight years, not once had she thought of giving up on Pari. Pari was her life, and their pictures showed so much love that many times Viaan was filled with jealousy seeing the bond between the two. He was not at all ready to take on the responsibility of a daughter, especially one with special needs. He was vulnerable at that time, and Mr. Sharma sensed it.

"What is it? Care to share, Viaan?" Mr. Sharma demanded.

"How can she just give the custody to me, and why now?" he spoke.

"She has decided to give up on the custody because we filed the custody case," he explained.

"But you said she would contest it, and we would pressure her to give the divorce," Viaan countered.

"Yes, we usually employ this pressure tactic to compel the females inside the courtroom. However, your wife is different. She is a strong woman, Viaan. She has raised Pari in such a way that finding loopholes is minimal. Initially, we thought we could find discrepancies in her bank statements, but no maintenance amount was spent from her account. Surprisingly, she has saved the entire sum in Pari's account. Even if we challenge this in the high court to ask her to pay for maintenance, it will be contested. Your salary is three times hers, and she is not demanding alimony for herself. In this case, you won't be able to get anything. Although her attorney has requested that Riya wants to pay the school fees for the child so that the burden on you can be reduced. Also, she has requested one day custody every Saturday. What are your thoughts?" Mr. Sharma explained.

"So, I'm paying maintenance every month to her, then what's the deal with me taking custody now? I'm giving her a hefty amount in alimony; what else does this woman want?" Viaan exploded in anger. He was left confused as to why she was refusing a substantial amount of alimony. His worst fears had come alive. He feared that now she was moving on, leaving him and their daughter behind. Pari was the only thing left between them, and she was giving that up as well, leaving him heartbroken and vulnerable. The thought of any other man in her life left him exploding with rage. He was curious to understand the reason behind her decision. Now he was scared, too scared to lose her.

"I had talked to her personally; she communicated she wants her life back," Mr. Sharma quoted.

"What the heck, she wants her life back. She was the one to leave me for her career, and now she wants to leave the child as well!" Viaan shouted. This was the first time Mr. Sharma had seen Viaan so upset. He was quite a reserved guy who hardly showcased his emotions. All he had been doing for these years was to religiously follow his family's ideals. He did what they wanted. He gave up his love long ago to make everyone happy. He was fulfilling every demand of his family to maintain a perfect image in society. His father was proud of his alpha image, but no one knew inside he was dying. His bottled emotions were showing off. The walls had started to shatter all around, and gaps were on display. His outburst was the outcome of years of suppressing his emotions, his love. Viaan wanted to cry, but that day his own tears betrayed him. He didn't know how he felt in that moment. He wanted her badly. She was always his savior. In their relationship, she had taken up the ownership of the entire load, whether it was dealing with finances, emotions, his family, or her family. She did it all alone. It was the utter truth that from their separation in 2015 to 2023, she managed everything on her own. Even the outflow of maintenance started in January 2021. 

He acted like a bystander when she was insulted and humiliated by all. He never knew she was so strong until Autism came knocking at their doors. She stood up against Autism and refused to bow down to societal norms. He still remembered the post she once wrote, "I will defeat Autism one day for my Pari." He was still clueless about how she had managed all these years. Every time she approached him for Pari's health, he knew she needed genuine support. Doctors, therapists, school authorities, lawyers, her job — all had put her in a tough spot. But time and again, she stood up for Pari. She fought like a true warrior in times when situations were really bad. There was always a smile on her face, and she never complained that she was tired of taking care of Pari. Even his attorney was left impressed by her. Every time they met her in court, she treated them with a "Good Morning" and a smile. She had left him envious many times due to that. 

Yet, always he chose to give her the silent treatment, like he was punishing her for leaving him and not submitting to him. He punished her because she couldn't stand by him. He punished her because he loved her madly, and yet she couldn't give up her career. He couldn't understand why she couldn't be the perfect wife like his sister-in-laws. Why she was so adamant. He couldn't understand all those questions. He was left as a laughing stock in front of his friends and family. In maintaining his societal image, joint family pressure, he never understood how she actually felt. She kept posting sad status on WhatsApp, cursing him, sharing Pari's pictures, reminding his family about their wrongdoings, but none paid attention to her. For them, she was an arrogant, egoistic, and disrespectful woman who was not fit to be their daughter-in-law. Her status was really low in their eyes, and they had never accepted her as their family member. They were glad she finally left Viaan's life. And now he knew that she gave up on their marriage. She finally gave up on him.