"Didn't I make it clear. I don't have such feelings for you! I am married! Get this into that thick skull of yours!" I felt like killing him.
"Gautham doesn't even love you! Will you be happy in a loveless marriage?"
"It isn't a loveless marriage! I love him!"
"Don't give me that shit! I know that you don't love him!"
"I don’t need to explain my feelings for Gautham to you! You and I don't have a future! Don't waste your time on me because my heart is already taken!" He shouldn't have tried kissing me! But, since he was my best friend once, I at least had to make him realize that he needed to move on!
He looked defeated. He looked as if he realized something. Maybe, he was finally able to read my sincere love for Gautham.
"I am sorry." His words came in a low whisper.
"I forgive you for all what you did and even for kissing me, Kabir! But, move on and find a girl who loves you! There is someone out there waiting for you! You just need to find her!" I said.
"You know it is going to be tough!"
"It is tough, but never impossible!" I sincerely wanted him to move on!
"And I hope that Gautham really deserves all your love!" he said.
Just then, I heard Aqueela calling me.
"You will find your girl! Just move on!" I said and I rushed down the stairs.
Last night, I had a big confusion of whether I should say about Kabir to Gautham! But, I felt that it might spoil the progress we made, which I didn't want, so I literally swallowed the words back in. I didn't open my mouth yesterday knowing that if I did, I would probably end up throwing it all out. Gautham looked really concerned about me staying quiet. I was actually scared if he might ask me about it and if I might end up saying it all to him, which was why I hit the bed so early last night.
I was going to tell Gautham about this! Once we reach Chennai tomorrow, I should tell him all this.
I never saw Gautham until it was time for us to leave. I made a mental note to ask him where he had been the entire time.
We took a cab to our hotel and from the moment we had stepped into the cab till the time when we reached airport to board our flight, he was either on the phone or on his laptop doing some work, providing me no chance to talk to him or ask him anything.
***
It was almost one in the afternoon when we reached home. Without a word, he left to the room and locked the door behind him
He was behaving weirdly. Maybe he was just tired due to the trip.
When he came out, he was dressed in his usual formals. He picked up his car keys.
"Just rest for today, Gautham! You can go to office tomorrow."
He ignored me and opened the door to leave, so I grabbed his wrist.
"Our office can survive without you for another day!" I urged.
He pulled his wrist in a harsh move from my grip. His jaw tightened.
"Why don't you mind your own business?" he said and left.
***
I skipped lunch since I had no mood to either cook or eat.
Ankitha called which was a welcome distraction.
"Tell me every bit of it,"
I did, the whole long story of the ups and downs.
"Considering all what you told, I think your husband must be pregnant!" she said and started laughing.
"Very funny." I sighed and she stopped laughing.
"Don't worry! Just give him some time!"
"I am just really worried!"
"Oh my god! You are in love! Aren't you? I knew it!" I could imagine her jumping. "I knew it!!"
"Okay! Fine! Fine!" I exclaimed, blushing.
Our talk went over for hours that I never realized it was almost five minutes to nine.
I cooked some simple food for the dinner and waited for Gautham to arrive. I really hoped that we could at least have a peaceful dinner, together.
When Gautham arrived he looked drained. He went straight to the bedroom.
I darted to the bedroom and realized that all my things were now lying scattered on the floor, outside the room and he was still throwing all my things out of the room.
"What are you doing Gautham?"
"I just realized that your room was upstairs, you can go back to where you wanted to be."
Chapter 37-His Wrath
Shakthi's POV
"I just realized that your room was upstairs, you can go back to where you wanted to be."
I was shaken with the way he was behaving. He was the one who convinced me to share the room with him.
"I thought-"
He cut me off. "I don't want to know what you think! Just move to your room!"
"Why?" My voice trembled.
"You really want to know, why?"
"Of course."
"Because I don't want to see your face."
I couldn't imagine going a single day, without sleeping next to him, without feeling his presence, without seeing his face when he was asleep!
"Okay." My words came out as a strangled whisper through my silent tears.
He shut the bedroom door on my face.
I picked up all my things and managed to carry them to my room.
I forced myself to sleep, hoping that he would realize his mistake the next day.
***
However it didn’t happen. A month went by of humiliation at work and being ignored at home.
Did it make him happy to see me hurt?
I was not even able to concentrate on my work! He was always on my mind!
"Shakthi!" Ankitha intruded into my room, yelling.
"Shh, keep it down! What is it?" I asked, standing up from my seat.
"Why didn't you tell me about it?"
"About what?"
"You didn't know about it, did you?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.
"Cut the suspense!"
"Gautham fucking resigned from his job," she shouted.
"You've got to be kidding me." Why didn't Gautham tell me about this?
"When?" I asked.
"Two days ago," she said.
So it means, he had already given his one month notice which goes back to exactly the day after our honeymoon. That was when things started to fall apart. I couldn’t stop th tears from falling.
"Shakthi! Stop crying." She hugged me tight.
" I am losing him." I cried in her arms.
"Just get out of this marriage, Shakthi! It is doing you no good! You cry almost every day after he insults you! Have you ever seen yourself in the mirror? You look like a person who just woke up from coma! You wouldn't even stop talking even for a minute, but now even if I try making you talk, you wouldn't! This is not the Shakthi I know!"
I broke the hug. "What are you talking about? I love him!"
"You've fallen hard for him," she stated.
"How do you know about his resignation?" I asked, disregarding her statement.
"I just received an invitation for his farewell party."
"When and where is the party?" I asked.
"Tonight at Hilton," she said.
***
Ankitha dropped me off. She insisted she sleep over with me, but I couldn’t let her. No matter how much she insisted, she had her own family to look after.
It was 1 a.m. when finally I heard his car honking. I rushed to our private terrace. He parked and walked clumsily to the passenger door. He was clearly drunk. He opened the door for a beautiful woman dressed in a slutty black gown.
She was all over Gautham. Tears filled my eyes and I couldn’t watch them kiss any longer.
I heard the front door unlock. I hurtled down the stairs to the hall. They were still kissing each other and she removed his blazer while I stood rooted to the spot. Gautham didn't care to stop even after he saw me.
"What is going on?" I wanted to sound angry, but I only sounded helpless.
She pulled herself away from him and looked at me.
Gautham was clearly displeased.
"Just shut up." He pulled her to h
im, dragging her towards the room.
I grabbed Gautham’s arm, but he pushed me. I almost hit my head on the painting that was fixed on the wall. A sharp pain pierced my skull and I bled.
Without looking back, he locked the door. Was this really happening? He was not the man I fell in love with!
I ran upstairs to my room and crashed on the bed! Why was he behaving like this? My tears soaked the pillow.
Something smashed outside of the room. Then again.
I sped down to see what it was. The entire room was ruined, vases were broken, paintings were destroyed, cushions were ripped out and everything was upside down.
Gautham broke another ceramic vase with such force that a piece wedged in my ankle.
"Ahh," I yelped in pain as I took the piece out of my ankle.
I walked across the room where he still had his back to me. He picked up another vase to break and I grabbed it.
He looked at me with so much rage, it frightened me. He grabbed my wrists tightly and pinned me to the wall. His face was inches from mine. His breath fanned the crook of my neck.
It made my heart constrict in pain to see a person who I love so much, carry such intense abhorrence for me. What made him loath me so much?
"Gauth-"
"Shut up! Just shut the hell up!" his voice carried pure venom.
"You ruined it all!" he said. "I couldn't be with the woman I brought home! I just couldn't touch her further without the guilt eating me! You did this to me!"
His words actually brought some hope back in me. My fingers yearned to touch his face and smoothen those worry lines off. I couldn't help myself, as I felt my fingers caressing his cheek. I just noticed his week's stubble that he had been growing. His features softened a bit and I felt his grip loosening on my wrists.
"I'm sorry," he whispered and directed me to the couch. He slowly cleaned the dried blood of my forehead. I could easily read that he was guilty about wounding me. But, it was accidental. He kneeled down in front of me and placed my foot on his thigh, holding my toes. He then started to clean the blood oozing out of my ankle.
I cried out when he applied the antiseptic on the wound.
"Is it hurting a lot?" The simple question he asked carried so much concern for me that it eased out all my pain in a second.
"No." I smiled.
"How was your farewell party?"
"You weren't there! Wasn't that self-explanatory that the party went well," he said and he stood up when he was done with the first aid.
I stood up, just then I lost my balance.
"Careful," he said, holding me by my waist and made me sit on the couch again. It felt like heaven to be back in his arms again. I missed him so much.
"Did you resign just because you didn't want to be around me?" It was hard for me to pull those words out.
"Don't give so much importance to yourself," he said and he turned his back to me. He raked his fingers across his silky hair. He was becoming embittered and it was evident.
I carefully stood up and hobbled towards him. "Why are you doing this, Gautham?" I pleaded.
He looked into my eyes after what seemed like a lifetime. His intense orbs pierced through mine.
He remained silent. I took few tentative steps and went near him. My face was just an inch away from his. "Why are you punishing me?" I whispered and my eyes travelled to his lips. I neared my lips to his, wanting to have them on mine, wanting to remove the traces of that woman!
My heart beat wildly. I kissed him showing how much I love him, but he didn't respond. I strained my ankle and stood on my toes, pulling him by his collar. I felt my breast crush against his well sculpted chest. I kept kissing him when he finally started to respond and his hands snaked my waist.
I clung on to him like he was my savior and he slowly sat on the couch without breaking the kiss. I was on his lap just when I felt his boner. He was turned on so much! That instantly created a pool of desire low in my stomach. My fingers travelled along his shirt clad chest, fumbling with his buttons.
Suddenly he stopped kissing me and looked at me totally horrified. That was when I remembered the promise he made, that he wouldn't touch me unless I ask him to!
"Touch me," I groaned in his ears, waiting for the unexpected to claim me.
Chapter 38-Discoveries
Shakthi's POV
"Touch me," I groaned in his ears.
With that, he claimed my lips, punishing me with his kiss. His tongue swiped over mine and as he deepened the kiss. I felt a tinge of whisky which drove me crazier.
There was an edge of urgency with the way we kissed. He kissed my neck and his touch was what I yearned for and it felt utterly blissful to be in his arms.
His lips caught mine again and without breaking the passionate kiss, he picked me up and lay me on the bed.
He continued to litter kisses on my neck and tortured me by sucking on my sensitive spot and nibbling at it. I yelped, slightly in pain. But, he started to lick the bite, soothing it and the pleasure I felt increased tenfold.
"Gautham!" I moaned not being able to handle all the pleasure. I felt his huge boner on my belly which made my nerves run wilder.
I fumbled at his buttons again, but finally I managed to remove his shirt with his quick help and for the first time, I felt his naked velvety torso. His sculpted abs looked so delicious. I kissed his broad shoulder blade and left a trail of kisses up till his neck.
"Damn," he groaned and shuddered in pleasure.
His eyes met mine, reflecting pure dark lust and my eyes mirrored the same.
I fisted his hair and started kissing his lips and then, I suddenly felt his fingers removing the strap of my spaghetti top. An unknown flame of desire burned me up as he removed my top and threw it to one corner of the room.
I closed my eyes! It was the first time I went this far with a man! But, I felt embarrassed. I was not in a lacy bra or something sexy. It was my usual red cotton bra in which I was always comfortable in.
He kissed the valley between my breasts, making me moan. He squeezed my breast. I felt its peaks straining through the cotton material. My nails dug deep into his shoulders as he rubbed my peaks over my bra. Blood rushed through my veins in a spur. His touche was addictive.
"Oh God!!" moans escaped my lips.
He showered me with kisses, proceeding down south and I felt his tongue dip in my navel which made my toes curl.
I held his face and brought his lips to mine and kissed him. He removed the catch of my bra. My heart hammered against my chest. He quickly snapped it open and just then, I heard the doorbell ring.
Suddenly all his actions stopped. I felt his body go rigid and his eyes didn't meet mine even for a second when he completely pulled himself off me. He put on his shirt and left me alone.
Gautham's POV
"Shit!" what did I just do! I shouldn't have allowed the lust to take over! Why do I see innocence in her eyes, every time? A major part of me knew that she was faking it! I shouldn't have lost control. Her body just screamed for me to touch her.
I opened the door to find who it was. It was the security who handed me the car keys which I had forgotten in the car. I was just being careless everywhere!
I just wanted to get out of this place!
I drove to Karan's place. He would have just arrived home. I could catch some good sleep at his.
Impatiently I rang the doorbell.
"Gautham!" he said.
"What took you so long?" I pushed him away from the entrance and barged into his home.
There was a girl sitting on the couch. She seemed to be in her mid-twenties. She looked very familiar. What was a girl doing at Karan's house at this hour of the night? He never told me that he had a girlfriend!
She gasped the moment she saw me. "Gautham!"
"You know him?" Karan interrupted and took her side quickly.
"Of course! He is Shakthi's husband, right?"
Her name, again, it pricked me! I hated anything relat
ed to Shakthi. No wonder this girl looked familiar! But, where did she see me?
I shrugged, ignoring the girl. I don't care of how she knew me, anymore.
"And you, Karan! You've got a lot of explaining to do!" I settled on the divan.
He smiled sheepishly. "She's Shalini, my girlfriend." He held her by her waist, looking proudly at her.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Shalini just wanted to keep it low profile. If any of her family members get to know, they might force her into an arranged marriage."
Arranged marriage! That can be the worst thing ever! Wrong person like Shakthi could make it totally worst.
"So what is she doing at your home? Won't her family know?"
"No! Her family is at Coimbatore! She has just rented the flat next to mine."
"When did all this happen??" I asked.
"Probably a month before your marriage."
"Nevertheless! I am here for you guys!" I hugged Karan.
"Thanks man!"
"So, how do you know Shakthi?" Karan asked Shalini.
"She is my best friend from high school! She is such a sweet and a caring person to be with! We just couldn't keep in touch since I had to move to Mumbai for my studies. The days before her wedding were when we actually caught up! God I miss her so much! And what are you doing here Gautham? I hope Shakthi isn't alone at home! She becomes sick when she is alone! I just -"
"God! Will you just stop this! I don't want to hear another word about her!"
"Hey relax," Karan interrupted.
"Shalini, you just go to your flat. We will meet tomorrow." He ushered her to her house.
"What's wrong? Don't tell me that you hurt that poor soul again?" Karan was taking Shakthi's side again, after everything that happened.
"Poor soul?? She is a cunning lady, Karan! You have no clue of it!"
"What is wrong with you? You can't accuse her of cheating when you haven't confronted her yet!"
"She will lie.”
"There are always two sides to a story, Gautham! You have seen one! Listen to the other."
"Look! I am not a fool anymore to keep listening to her stories!"
"As far as I know Shakthi, she isn't a person who cheats! And why are you treating her like this? I don't know what you have done now! But, I am sure that you just hurt her again."
I'm All Yours Page 15