Page 54 of Forged By Fate

“No, Bua. He just clams up when I ask.”

“Trust me, beta. Things will change for the better after tomorrow,” she said.

The home visit went very smoothly, with the social worker talking to all of us. Laxmi Aunty did do some drama about how Aisha missed her Ajit Maama and his daughters, but our brave Aisha soon put a stop to that.

“That’s not true, Naani,” she said firmly. “I don’t miss them at all. Ajit Maama’s daughters are very mean to me. I want to live here, with my Chachu and Aunty Sue, and Daima and Sufi, because I love them the most in the world.”

You could see the social worker melting at her words, and she gave Viren and me a very approving glance. I pressed his hand gently and was relieved when he wound his fingers tightly through mine.

“You will be informed of the decision soon,” she said before she took her leave.

As soon as she left, the atmosphere in the house became lighter as we all breathed a collective sigh of relief. The worst was behind us, and we could get on with our lives now. I focused all my efforts on helping Viren deal with his nightmares.

He didn’t want to discuss them, and that was fine. I found other ways to distract him when his eyes took on that faraway look, and I felt him withdrawing to another dimension mentally. He was trying to cut me out, and I refused to allow it.

I realised I could jolt him out of that state and bring him back to me by simply kissing him or touching him. Of course, it usually led to frenzied, desperate lovemaking, but I called that a silver lining. When he was pounding into me desperately, I would silently tell him how much I loved him. Over and over, I would chant those words. Never aloud, though.

I called myself a chicken because if there was anyone who needed to know he was loved, it was Viren. But I couldn’t bear to think of what it would do to me if I said it aloud and he rejected me. If he rejected my love. I didn’t think I could bear it.

Of course, the rest of the family was convinced he loved me as much as I loved him, but I wasn’t quite so sure. Viren was still very kind, and he still wanted me physically. But there was a growing distance between us emotionally. And it was bigger than it used to be before we started having sex. It was like a giant invisible wall that he’d erected between us.

I tried to say and do positive things to bridge the gap, but I was clearly fighting a losing battle.

Ten days later, we got the call! The social worker was very happy to approve the adoption, and we got the adoption certificate a few days later.

“We want a big party, boss,” declared Sufi.

“Of course! Let’s have a big blowout at the Taj,” said Viren immediately. “Invite everyone you can think of, Daima. It’s time to celebrate!”

“That’s not what I meant, Mr C,” replied Sufi, shooting him a troubled look. “Let’s do something fun and intimate for the immediate family.”

Viren smiled politely, but I got the feeling he’d stopped listening. And he did get his big blowout at the Taj, with the whole world invited to maintain the no man’s land between Mr and Mrs Chaudhry.

It was a lovely evening with great food, drinks and amazing company. Everybody was having a wonderful time. Except me.

Because I was the only one who noticed that Viren hadn’t touched his drink all evening. And while he was being the life of the party, he hadn’t so much as looked at me even once, let alone dance with me.

And yet, I knew that he was going to take me home and fuck me in my bright red stripper heels, probably with my dress still on. And that was all I’d get. Because these days, I didn’t get any cuddling or spooning. Nor any loving forehead kisses. I wasn’t his wifey anymore. I was just a fuck-buddy to slake his hunger. Nothing more.

One of the newer artists he’d signed, a pop singer from Haryana, who had given five party hits back-to-back, sidled up to him and led him to the dance floor, which was too crowded for them to do more than just sway in place. I forced myself to watch as she wound her arms around his neck and smiled into his eyes. And the rat bastard smiled back.

That was my cue to leave the ballroom. I headed straight for the loo, where I threw up everything I had eaten that night. As I stared at my haggard face in the mirror, I realised that I was living in a fool’s paradise. Viren was never going to love me back.

We had no reason to stay together now that Aisha was safe. It was time to cut my losses and walk away with my dignity intact, even if my heart was shattered.

The party was winding down when I came out of the bathroom. Daya Bua had already taken Aisha home. I didn’t want to wait and find out if Viren would come home with me or if he’d accept the open invitation to take his new skank home.

To my surprise, I found him waiting for me outside the bathroom.

“What do you want?” I asked coldly.

He fixed his brooding eyes on me, and I stared right back at him because I refused to back down. If he wanted to go home with that bitch, he’d have to tell me that to my face, and I wasn’t going to make it easy on him.

“I thought you left,” he said.

“I just got sick of seeing you make out with that skank.”

Viren turned to look at the dance floor in surprise and bit back a smile when he turned back to me.

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