Adultery No One Dies a Saint (Completed)

[krish_999]

Chapter 46

Anvita

Anvita's day was silent and filled with darkness. More than the body pain she was exhausted by the feeling of being robbed of something, even though she was unable to figure what it was. She skipped lunch and crawled under the blanket. Right before she could hide her body under it her eyes stuck at the ceiling. Suddenly she was there, again.

A few hours earlier she was staring at the same ceiling, and somebody’s face was buried between her legs.
It was George!
Anvita cringed when she remembered the humiliation. And it was not going to be forgotten very soon. The pain of being assaulted was nothing compared to the pain of being humiliated.
George was a wolf in sheep's clothing. He crept in and took away what he wanted.

Even though Anvita tried to compose her by believing she was righteously punished for her betrayal, very soon she began to see the other side of it. George who himself a husband has no right to assume the power to punish her by committing the same mistake of being unfaithful to his spouse. It was idiotic to see his horrendous act as a punishment in the first place. She was such a fool and Anvita could only blame her.

Anvita's blood thirsted for vengeance. But she did not know how. She was as helpless now as she was when he had pushed her face into her bed. There was nothing she could do except hating him more and more. And she hated Prithvi too.
By evening her body ache got worse and she took medication. When Atul arrived, she avoided him.
 
Next morning she took the pain to get up early and made it to the park for jogging. She hadn’t jogged since last Friday.
Forty minutes later she was sweating. She felt her body was recovering. Right when she finished, she saw Rajat approaching her. Surprisingly, she didn’t feel intimidated. That is past, she thought.
"Good morning, Anvita,” Rajat said. “Glad to see you back”
"Glad to see you too."
She said boldly, and blatantly. Rajat looked at her in surprise.
“Are you?”
His eyes shrank. Her openness perhaps beat his expectation. She was not afraid anymore.
I have lived bigger torture than you are.
“So, ready to talk with me?”
“What is it you want to talk?”
“You know what I want to talk.”
“Let’s go to a coffee shop this evening. I’ll try to find time for you. I’ll leave my office earlier.”
“I am glad you said that but I like to have a little privacy, Anvita.”
“Privacy for what?”
She was careful enough to maintain eye contact. He moved an inch closer. Anvita was watching him and she put her hands on the hips. She didn’t want to move back at all. She was done running.
“Your body language says something isn’t right, Anvita.”
“I have started considering everything is right with me, Rajat. I and Shreyas were friends, too close. But I’ve never slept with him. I have kissed him a couple of times but I’ve never crossed the line. I have never cheated on Atul. That is my confidence.”
She took a deep breath.
“But yes, I know you can feed whatever you want to my husband, and I know I have to be worried about it. Whatever I do, whatever you name it – talk or discussion or whatever – I am not gonna cheat on him. I’ll choose death before that. But if you are hell-bent to have your way with me, I want you to make it simple. Why are you forcing me? I don’t know how you are manipulating Atul with your sweet talks, but why don’t you convince him to make me sleep with you?”
Rajat stared at her, unable to blink. Slowly a smile blossomed into his lips.
“Let’s say if I did convince him, would you say yes?”
“If that’s what he wants me to do, then I will listen to him.”
Anvita couldn’t contain her surprise that Rajat was seeing a possibility in that. She knew the moment Rajat tried to convince Atul about this, in whichever manner, Atul will learn his intention. After that, Rajat will never get a chance to blackmail her. Atul will never believe his stories.
Rajat looked away and walked around her as if watching the other people over the park. Anvita had a feeling that he’s having a good look at her body. She stood firm until he completed one circle around her.
“I know you are throwing the ball in my court, Anvita. But this is a very good suggestion. I am done chasing you like a mad dog.”
Anvita liked him calling himself a mad dog. She laughed a little inside.
“But when it’s happening, I won’t be taking you to coffee shops. I’ll be taking you to your bedroom and in your bed, I’ll be making you scream in both pain and pleasure in your own bed. You know I have fantasised you a lot of times. You wouldn’t have forgotten how I had poked my rod over your bum that day; next time I’m gonna stuff that inside you, that too when your face is pushed down to your marital bed. So don’t change your words when it comes back to you.”
Anvita wanted to spit on his face.
 “You have my word, Rajat.”
Anvita turned and walked back.
 
 
When she heard of Atul's grandma’s illness, Anvita felt it’s a blessing in disguise. She wanted to move away from her memories where George and Rajat and Prithvi shared space. She badly needed a break. When she implied her willingness, Atul was very happy. He didn’t really expect her to go anywhere near his father.
 
When Anvita arrived at Atul's hometown, she didn’t bother to phone Rajyavardhan. She took a taxi and reached the house. Atul's mom and grandma – especially the latter - were really happy to see her. Grandma sat up from the bed despite ill, only to share a fondly hug with Anvita.
“God bless you, my child.”
Grandma said in her fragile voice. Anvita felt calm. She felt she was finally at a place where she can forget her painful memories.
 
Rajyavardhan was gone to work at his farmhouse and he returned only at night. It was only then Anvita realised how she had been longing to see him. She watched him from a distance and looked down quickly when she realised it was now his turn to look at her, study her. And she began to feel her heart thumping.
“How are you, child?”
Rajyavardhan’s voice came after a long moment.
“I am fine dad.”
She said.
She was surprised at her own voice. It was not the voice of a woman whose pride was demolished by her husband’s friend. It was rather the voice of a woman who was confident that she could move on. She looked up and locked her eyes with him. He nodded.
“Good. I am glad you came.”
That was all he said to her before he went to his room.
 
When Anvita went to bed, she was happy that she didn’t look or sound like a woman needed saving. She fell asleep easily and earlier than she expected.
 
Anvita woke up in the middle of the night. It was raining heavily outside. The monsoon had made it to the north and it had brought thunder and lightning along with it. Anvita lay alone in the middle on her bed, and she felt terrified of both the darkness of the night and the roar of the heavy pouring. She pulled the blanket over her head, trying to escape from it.
It was for the first time in her life that she feared lightning. As she waited for the rain to end, she realised one thing. She was alone and she needed saving.

Next morning when she finished helping grandma in her daily chorus Anvita headed to the farmhouse. It was half a kilometres from the house. She walked along the narrow road through the sugarcane fields, praying it did not rain until she made it to the farmhouse.
The workers were yet to arrive for the repair work which was still under progress. Rajyavardhan was pulling down a plastic sheet off the building materials.
“What are you doing here, child?”
He asked, seemingly still busy with his task.
“I... I came to see you.”
Anvita hesitated.
Rajyavardhan turned and took a soft look at her. Anvita began to look away and then resisted the urge. His eyes stayed for a long time on her face and it made Anvita nervous, no matter how soft his eyes were. She wished if she could read his mind. She wished if she could read his mind so that she knew what he was seeing when he looked at her.
“Come.”
Rajyavardhan led her inside the farmhouse. Anvita followed him, walking between the big sugarcane crusher machines that still bore the evidence of the one-month-old fire accident. Rajyavardhan guided her to a room at the far end. Its door was completely destroyed in the fire. The first thing Anvita saw inside was a wooden cot at the side of the room and she stopped.
“Sit down.”
Rajyavardhan gestured her towards the chairs near the desk at the other side. Before she sat, he took a rag and dusted the chair.
“Now tell me.”
Rajyavardhan asked.
“What's troubling you?”
Anvita couldn't look up and face him. And it took her a moment to gather her strength.
“George... George uncle had visited me Thursday.”
She began to speak and then she was crying. From inside.
“He came after ensuring Atul was away. And he told me he knew about...”
She explained her ordeal. Rajyavardhan stood in front of her, watching her from the top angle.
“I wish I too had your eyes, dad. If I had a distant vision of what he was inside, nothing of this would have happened. I could have at least put up a fight. I could have kept a knife under my pillow. I was never thinking about how he would to it. It didn’t matter to me then. I was hopeless except for it would be quick and it would be over soon. I was only thinking about not letting Atul know, and not letting it happen again.”
Anvita's lips trembled, as she felt defenceless and she felt she would collapse on the floor any moment. Yet her eyes refused to shed tears.
“Now…”
She sighed.
“When you to told me…when you made me believe I could still have a life, it made me happy for one thing more than anything. That Atul should not know about this. He would forgive me but then I wouldn’t forgive myself. You were right about it. But now….”
Anvita looked up a second at his face, and the lack of any form of emotion at Rajyavardhan’s face perplexed her. She could not speak further.
A few moments later, he spoke.
“Go on…”
He was listening.
“I don't know where to look now. I failed you again. Destroyed. Punished. Humiliated. Shamed. I don't want to live like this. I’m just a hopeless creature. Hopeless is only a term. I am lost too.”
“Anvita.”
Rajyavardhan spoke.
“Tell me one thing that you still do not seem to have made up your mind. What are you seeking from me?”
Anvita was stunned by the coldness of his voice, and by that of his stare. And she hated him immediately. She wanted him to burn her with his blazing eyes. She wanted him to show no mercy. She perhaps wanted him to punish her in such a way that what George did to her might be forgotten.
Perhaps he knew a thing about punishment. Perhaps he knew everything. He was like a God who’s hard to impress.
“I am seeking from you…permission. I want to confess to Atul. It’s not for me. It’s for…for.”
Anvita was going to cry. But her tears were dried up.
“I can’t see him walk into our house with Atul. While torturing me George answered Atul's phone call and he talked to him. The blatant way he used their friendship, our friendship, makes me yearn for revenge and choke me with helplessness. I don’t want Atul to look at him the way he does now. I can’t bear that sight anymore. I am ready to let go of my life for that.”
She blasted.
“Calm down, Anvita. You need to calm down.”
That was the only thing he spoke to her and it put an end to the conversation. She took her time to bring her back to breathe normally.

The silence between them seemed to have its own power upon Anvita, as she felt it creeping into her mind. It was spreading through her body. She felt blank.
Eventually, they heard workers arriving at the farmhouse and Rajyavardhan opened his mouth.
“Go home Anvita. Just go home.”
His voice was still cold. 
 
Anvita was disappointed as she walked quickly out of the farmhouse. But she knew the conversation was not over.
When Rajyavardhan came home for lunch Anvita kept an eye on him. She was looking for cues. She thought it would have made her better her if he chided her with a gesture. But he was absolutely normal and she hated him more.
 
That night when she went to bed she remembered the cold look on his face and tried to make out a meaning out of it, in vain.
 
Monday evening one boy came running from the farmhouse. There was an accident during the trial run of a repaired machine.
"Uncle's friend from the town is injured. He's taken to hospital and uncle has gone with him."
The boy said.
"O my God! It seems our misery is never going to end." Sangeeta cried. "What's wrong with our fate? And who's this friend from town?"
"I don't know." The boy said. "His name is George, though."
Sangeeta cried even more.

However, Anvita had heard it. George?

"Child, pray to God that he's alright."
Sangeeta told her.
 
For a moment, Anvita felt happy. It is not misery, mom. She thought. He deserves some pain and I'm just happy it happened at our farmhouse.
 
Rajyavardhan returned late at night. It had started to rain again.
“How is he now?”
Sangeeta asked nervously.
“He lost his right hand, cut from the wrist."
He said.
“Wha…oh God! How did it happen? O my God, why test us like this?”
Sangeeta began to cry. “There is something wrong with our fate. Else why in the first place he was there in our farmhouse today? He could have come here to meet you, couldn’t he?”
“It has nothing to do with our fate, Sangeeta.”
Rajyavardhan said. The calmness in his voice disturbed his wife.
“He lost his hand.”
She gestured to her hand. “His right hand. What will he do now? And what will we do? Do you have money to look after him? You’ll have to give him a lot of money as you spent on our workers in the accident, won’t you?”
“Nobody gets anything. Not this time.”
Rajyavardhan declared in his stern voice. “He showed up in a place he wasn’t supposed to. And he laid his hand on something he shouldn’t have.”

Anvita didn't know what her father in law and mother in law talked to each other after that. She had heard enough and she was wise enough to understand what he meant.
She turned on her heel and almost ran to her room.
“He laid his hand on something he shouldn’t have.”
Rajyavardhan had glanced at her for a fraction of a second when he said that, and Anvita was glad she didn’t miss it to a blink.
She wasn’t sure what was happening to her, but she cried. Finally.
 
Tears rolled down through her cheeks and it fell to her chest. Justice wasn’t served. She had no idea if dad had anything to do with George’s accident. But one thing was sure. Dad had made a response. He let her know he was angry.
She heard a knock on the door. Rajyavardhan walked in. Anvita wiped her tears off her face quickly though there were enough tears along either side of her neck, leading to her breasts.
“He won’t walk into your house with or without your husband. He won’t even come anywhere near. You understand?”
Anvita nodded, obediently.
Rajyavardhan turned back.
“You spoke to him?”
Anvita asked.
“I reminded him what he did. And I asked him if he had any idea what I was going to do to him. And yes, he begged for mercy.”
Rajyavardhan paused, in his usual manner.
"For what he did to my daughter in law, I should have sliced his dick with a knife. Instead, I gave him a choice, to choose from his thing cut by me or his hand put into the crusher himself. I gave him a choice and I named it mercy. I hope it makes you better. Sleep well and wake up a good girl. Don’t bother to think about confession and other bullshit."
 
The rain had suddenly gotten heavier. So did the thunder and lightning. But Anvita wasn’t scared anymore. She lay in her bed, and couldn’t find sleep. She remembered the story she had heard from the neighbours about dad. He had broken the legs of his son as well as his neighbour’s son for some silly reason.
He was so angry, the neighbours had told her.
But he was not showing even a hint of anger yet. And he asked George to sacrifice his hand to save his dignity. He will now have to remember forever why he lost his hand. Anvita wondered what would make a man put his hand into a machine himself. Fear? Damn fear, it must be.
Anvita felt calm. Justice was served.

However, one thing still perplexed her. She was spared for her mistake. Not even one gesture of anger. Or punishment.
Is my punishment coming soon? Or, is he have a soft corner for me?
Anvita felt good to think about it. She closed her eyes and imagined Rajyavardhan’s angry face. Despite the fear of a violent response from him, she wished if he took her in his arms and comforted her.
 
Next morning Anvita woke up cheerfully and ran to the kitchen. She did house chorus with great enthusiasm. Sangeeta was saying she’s so lucky to have such a daughter in law yet so unlucky to have a son who chose to keep her away from her. Grandma was feeling better now. She said she’s ready to fake illness in order to make her stay with them for more days.
 
Rajyavardhan was ready to go to the farmhouse and Anvita was always around him. Her love and respect for him, which now she felt was always there, had only increased. Whenever he came near her, she felt an urge to show it. She was an obedient child. She stood up every time and her heart beats began to beat faster whenever his eyes turned towards her. She wouldn’t look him in the eyes, but she knew whenever he looked at her, his eyes were stuck to her eyes only. Secretly she wished if he moved his eyes to other parts of her body so that…so that I can have a look at his eyes.
 
Anvita headed to the farmhouse that day again. But this time she couldn’t escape from the sudden pour. She was drenched when she reached there, and Rajyavardhan was a bit angry. He threw a sharp gaze at her.
“What are you smiling at?”
He scoffed.
“Nothing.”
She mumbled and stood with her eyes down to his feet. Even though she was not looking directly at him, she was aware of where his eyes were. Her white kurti was completely soaked and it revealed her body shape in its perfection. Anvita herself could see her bra visible through the now semi-transparent clothing. As her father-in-law's eyes took time to move off her, she learnt quickly the feeling of respect giving way to an inane sense of pride. She felt her purpose of being a woman is justified. She felt aroused.
"Go, dry your clothes if you don't want to fall ill."
Rajyavardhan suggested.
Anvita went to the room and removed and wrung out her kurti while stood outside, turning away. 

Anvita knew he will come to her in her sleep, in her dreams. And she spent the whole day waiting for that moment.
That night when she went to bed, she couldn’t find sleep as the warm memory of being caressed by his brooding eyes crowded her thoughts. She felt her body warm despite the cold weather and she rolled in bed as if to resist the urge to do stupid things in the darkness. She wished if he came in her dreams and did whatever he wanted to do to her.
However, when she woke up, in the morning, she couldn’t remember any such dreams.
 
Perhaps Rajyavardhan read her mind – because he could do so – Anvita thought, for he decided to send her back to Atul.
“Your grandma is alright now, child. You must go. He’s alone there. He needs you more than us. Go to him and earn the love you deserve.”
Anvita shook her head
“Thank you, dad. Thank you for everything. I can’t wait to go back to him.”
“Good.”
He held her close and she felt safe. Everything was alright.
 
Anvita reached her home and she looked at her bed. She was surprised to know that her guilt – the insuperable feeling – was now gone.
"He won’t walk into your house with or without your husband. He won’t even come anywhere near."
She had a guardian who can protect her from demons.

Atul was very happy to see her back. That night when he initiated sex Anvita couldn't keep her father-in-law out of her mind.

The day Anvita reported at work Varun phoned her in the evening; after so many days, and Anvita initially thought to leave it and then answered it.
“I want to meet you. I’ll wait for you on the road. Spot my car.”
He sounded a stranger to Anvita, though she wasn’t bothered. She was not going to see him. But he persisted.
“What do you want?”
“I want to talk, it’s urgent, please.”
“Not in the car.”
She said.
“I won’t take you anywhere.”
His voice became harder.
“I just need to talk; it’s urgent.”
 
Anvita spotted his SUV a few meters away from the bus stop. She walked over and knocked at its window. Varun gestured her to pull the door open. When she sat in, he started the car without saying a word.
“Tell me where we are going.”
She demanded.
“Just a minute, Anvita.”
After two minutes he pulled into a service road and parked the car under a tree.
“I and Radhika broke up.”
He said, without looking at her.
“Do you expect me to fix it?”
"No, I don't. But you must know what happened."
“Why?”
“Because you have no idea!”
Varun said disgustedly. “Last time when I saw you, you were crying in the name of your husband. You can't cheat on him because he’s the epitome of loyalty. Fuck. What shit!”
He ranted.
Anvita’s face was red.
“Varun, if you have something to tell, speak directly. I have no time for your fucking shitty drama. “
“Drama? Does it look drama to you? Fuck you!”
“Fuck you too, moron!”
Anvita clenched her teeth and began to leave.
“Atul has fucked my girlfriend. Do you know that?”
And she stopped.
“What?”
“Yes. You heard me. Your hubby is not as humble as you think. He betrayed me. Betrayed you. And you are still shouting at me.”
Anvita didn’t want to bear this nonsense anymore. It is his new trick to get back to me. She opened the door and jumped out of the car.
“Anvita, stop. You can ask Radhika. She was with Atul and his business friend in a hotel suite two weeks ago. And Radhika, she’s a whore, she’s not my girlfriend, she needed two men to please her. One of them is your husband, she confessed it to me. You can ask her.”
Anvita froze.
“No, I won’t believe it.”
“Ask her, Anvita. And you will know who are double-faced. He’s not only a cheater but also a pimp who has sold his friend’s woman for his benefit. Tomorrow he’ll sell you.”
Anvita turned. Her eyes blazed.
“Stop barking like a filthy dog, Varun. If he’s a cheater, you have no right to berate him. Because you are also a cheater. Didn’t you try to get into my pants? Didn't you blackmail me emotionally to get some nasty pleasure? Did you think about him at that moment? Did you think about your woman? You deserve what you got, moron!”
Anvita slammed the door and turned on her heels and walked away.
Varun opened his door and shouted.
“Mark my words, he’s gonna sell you too.”
Anvita upped the pace of her walking. Varun was still shouting behind her. She didn’t want to listen to him.
No, Atul didn’t do it. She assured herself. She remembered the tears she shed after her night with Prithvi. That wasn’t for a man with a double face.
The bus stop was far, there were hundreds of long steps to be covered to reach there. And with each step Anvita took, she felt the ground beneath her foot becoming shaky.
Did he just do it?
She remembered many nights. Especially the nights when Dad was home and when she had initiated to go to bed with Atul. He had a thousand excuses to avoid her. The same person who was too excited to control himself at her presence was unable to even kiss her passionately, let alone have sex. He was tensed all the time.
But Anvita knew he wouldn't do anything like Varun said.
Can there be smoke without fire? Two weeks ago, when Atul had gone to South Delhi, it was the night everything turned upside down. Anvita didn't not need much reasons to think of the day even worse. She sat on a bench and phoned Radhika.
“Two weeks ago, when Atul was at south Delhi, you were with him?”
Radhika took a second to respond.
“Varun spoke with you?”
“Answer me.”
Anvita's voice was trembling.
“Anvita, we should talk over this, face to face.”
“Will you tell me or not?”
Her voice rose.
She heard a long breath from the other end.
“Yes, I was with him but…”
Anvita disconnected the phone.
 
Her heart burnt like a forest. It was spreading all the way and nobody was there to put it out.
Holy shit! Anvita wanted to scream. But being in a public place, she felt like a person who does not know how to cry.
Everything reveres here. She thought. This is the punishment. No! Anvita shook her head. No. Atul won’t do it. He’s not like me. He’s not like Varun. He’s not like Rajat and Shreyas and Prithvi and…
"Atul is the good guy. He’s the epitome of goodness." Somebody had told her once. But.
Anvita couldn’t really gather her thoughts into one place. No. somebody’s trying to fool me. Somebody’s too envious. She decided.
Her phone rang. Radhika.
She is calling me to tell she played a prank on me. Well.
“You lied, didn’t you?”
Anvita asked.
“Listen to me carefully, Anvita. I wanted to know what happened between you and Varun at Alyssa. That’s why I went with him. And I didn’t go to sleep with him, if you believe me.”
She said and disconnected the call.
Anvita was stunned.
 
An hour later, they were in a coffee shop.
“I suggested this place only to assure you one thing. Nothing like you worry had happened.”
Radhika said.
“Atul told me what Varun was trying to do with you. I have no interest to discuss that with you now. I have got enough of that. What I am telling you is strictly about Atul. We didn’t spend time together in his suite. I was upset when I heard the truth and he alone went to meet his friend. Then, later, I went with his friend after dinner. But I told Varun something else – exactly what he told you - and it's all lies."
“But why? Why did you say that?”
“Because I am a woman. I too have feelings. You know something about my boyfriend. Atul knows about it. Varun knows what he did. Everybody knows everything – what happened and what not. But where am I? In darkness!”
Radhika’s voice was low but it didn’t hide her anger. Anvita felt for her.
“I am sorry. I was drunk that night. And it left me too embarrassed to talk about it.”
“I know. Atul told me.”
“But he didn’t tell me about your meeting.”
“That you should discuss with him.”
Anvita stared at her and reached across the small coffee table and clasped Radhika’s hand.
“I am sorry Radhika. When Varun told me Atul took you and then sold you to his friend and all…”
Radhika laughed.
“You thought Atul was a pimp?”
“No. I didn’t believe it.”
“Do me a favour. Let Varun think Atul did it, and you’re pretty cool with it. Varun deserves it. He’s not what you think, Anvita. You know him for longer but I know him better. He’s a…leave it.”
Radhika breathed normally now. Anvita told her what Varun told her, word by word.
“I am not surprised.”
Radhika said.
“In fact, I didn’t have sex with anyone that night. But to be honest, I was really angry and I would have done something stupid with Atul if he had wanted. You are very lucky. He had all the chance in the world to show some anger and use me. But he didn’t. He said he was happy that he didn’t lose you that day at Alyssa. I actually went with Nikunj – his friend – only to make Atul jealous, but he was still very much unfazed. He earned my respect, Anvi. Please don’t doubt him.”
Radhika was full of praise about Atul.
 
Anvita was not going to confront Atul now. But she told him about it.
“I should have told you Anvi. But I didn’t feel good that Radhika knew about what happened at Alyssa. I thought it would further embarrass you. I didn’t want to tell Radhika about it. But she got doubtful from Varun’s behaviour. And we were all weren’t really speaking to each other since then, so her doubt was justified. She stalked me to South Delhi and I was left with no choice. Varun was pissed off when he learnt this. He phoned me that night and threaten me. But Radhika had already left with Nikunj. They had become good friends. And I still have no idea what they did that night. I don't really care whether she slept with him or not.”
Anvita was convinced that Varun was just playing some crooked games with her. Perhaps he was just venting his anger at Atul. He’s always been jealous of him. Perhaps he wanted to get something from her.
Well, I have stopped doing stupid things. You fool. Anvita thought.
 
When she held Atul tight and kissed him fondly, Varun’s words flashed in her brain.
“Mark my words, he’s gonna sell you too.”
The words made her laugh.

Next morning, when she went for jogging, she was expecting Rajat. But he didn’t show up. Perhaps he too must have realised his blunder.

Then one day, during dinner, Atul suggested.
“This Friday we are giving Rajat a dinner. We have never invited him to dinner. He's very keen to join us. Let’s do it.”
 
 

--------------------------------000------------------------------------