Page 87 of That Same Old Love

They would never forget the first day they spent together in their very first home of their own little loving family.

CHAPTER 32

Mahi was celebrating both her one year anniversary at work and also her recent promotion. She was dressed to the nines, since she was meeting Samrat directly from work at a restaurant, where he was throwing a celebratory party along with her friends and their husbands.

After the office celebration, she was walking into the parking garage with Chithra, who was one of her team members. She and Chithra were laughing, remembering the antics of one of their coworkers, during the games they had played a while ago, when they saw a man waiting near Chithra’s car.

The man looked angry and upset. “Chithra, I want you to come back home. I have had enough of your childish tantrums. Everyone is talking about us and our parents are not able to show their faces in the society. I have an unmarried sister too, and you are playing with her life.”

Chithra looked at the man expressionlessly. “Pavan. I have already told you. I don’t want to be with you anymore. I have filed for a divorce. I want you to stop calling me or turning up at my apartment. Do you understand me?”

“I don’t care if you file for a divorce. I will never sign those papers. I married you against my parents’ wishes because I love you. Why are you doing this to us?” he shouted.

Chithra maintained her calm facade. “Was it your love when you punched me hard in the stomach, and left me lying on the floor in pain?”

Mahi felt disgust as she recalled Dinesh shaking her or hitting her and then declaring the next day that he loved her so much.

Chithra had confided to her a few months ago that her husband was abusive towards her. He was jealous of Chithra’s career since he felt that he wasn’t as recognized or talented as her in the company. Chithra had also told her that she left her husband a few weeks ago, when he resorted to abusing her physically.

Mahi was supportive of that choice and even recommended Chithra to seek counseling and help since it was no longer a taboo to do so in India.

Seeing Chithra calm, her husband got agitated and grabbed her arm to pull her towards him.

Mahi couldn’t remain a mute spectator anymore. “Hey. Get your hands off her. She is an adult. As are you. She has already told you that she wants you to leave her alone,” she told him firmly.

He sneered at Mahi. “Oh look the chairman’s whore has spoken. Everyone in the office knows and thinks you are a whore. And I’m sure you must have instigated my wife to leave me after some minor marital tiffs. Maybe she thinks she can screw her way up in her career and end up with a rich guy like you did.”

Mahi was angry, but she didn’t want to argue with a small minded fool like him. “I don’t care what you think or feel. Just leave her alone and go away right now, before I call the security. You’ll be fired if this incident gets out. So, this is your last chance,” she warned.

He looked furious, but he scoffed. “Yes, I believe I can be fired for simply wanting to speak with my wife. Especially, since you are the chairman’s special whore.”

Then he looked at Mahi insultingly. “You are not even beautiful to look at. But you do look and dress like a whore. You must behave like one too. Some men can’t resist that. Most ofyour time must be spent on your knees in front of him, making him very happy.”

He was being repetitive with the word ‘whore’ like a demented parrot, Mahi thought as she felt her temper come to a boil, but she still controlled herself.

Chithra looked nervous and scared. “Pavan. Stop it. Don’t talk like that about Mahi. She has nothing to do with us. Just leave me alone. Please. I’m begging you.”

But Pavan held Chithra’s hand tightly and tried to drag her along to his car.

Mahi called the security on her cell phone and shouted for help. And when she tried to break Pavan’s hold on Chithra’s arm, he slapped her hard on the face.

Mahi was stunned for a few seconds and then she flew in a rage. Quickly removing her high stiletto heels, she stabbed him hard in his arm.

Pavan howled in pain and immediately let go of his hold on Chithra’s hand. Mahi didn’t stop there. She kicked him hard in the stomach. Thanks to her kick boxing classes at gym, it was a powerful kick and he doubled over, falling to the ground.

“Do you feel manly now? You coward! Think of how this feels, when you tell the court how your soon-to-be ex-wife exaggerated a small pat to her stomach during your minor tiff,” she shouted at him as he lay on the floor mewling.

Soon the security guys came running and took him away.

“Are you okay Chithra?” she asked gently.

Chithra just nodded jerkily and then thanked her before leaving in her car.

The security guys looked agitated since they knew she was with Samrat and thought he would fire them for not responding quickly enough. They were frantically offering to take her to a hospital too.

“I’m fine. I don’t need a first aid or anything. And you guys did great. Thank you for your help,” she told the security team.

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