Adultery No One Dies a Saint (Completed)

[krish_999]

Chapter 57

Atul

Atul was in the market when he saw a not-so-familiar figure approached him with a pleasant smile.
"You are Atul, right?"
Atul turned to face the women who looked in her forties and wearing a well-shaped kurta.
"Yes?"
Atul's facial expression compelled her to introduce herself. Her name was Rima and she lived in a nearby apartment. She was a teacher.
"My daughter talks a lot about you and Anvita. She's a great fan of both of you."
Atul smiled.
"That's pleasing to hear."
"My daughter Disha, she's in twelfth standard this year, she has something to talk about Anvita every day. They meet every day on the bus to the metro and she's so amused by you guys. She keeps asking me and her papa to be like you. I laugh at her that our time is gone, but she never agrees. So I was curious about you."
"Guess I didn't disappoint you."
Atul quipped. Rima smiled, showing her straight teeth.
"You'll impress anyone. Disha wants to be like Anvita. She wants to buy what Anvita wears to the office. She's found out where Anvita shops and eats from, and she's got her hair done like Anvita. Now she's telling me she's gonna get a body like Anvita."
"Does Anvita know about it?"
"Of course she does. I ask Disha to study well so that she'll also be blessed with a wonderful husband like you in future. She wants us to invite you for breakfast one day."
"I think you've made my day I'm gonna invite you the whole family to our place."
Atul ended up having a coffee with the woman. And he promised Rima he'd visit them with Anvita one day.
It was not the first time when some unknown person had walked up to Atul because of Anvita. Many were too impressed by her beauty and manners that they just wanted to see who was her husband. And Atul felt proud every time that he was the perfect partner of Anvita.
If his meeting up with Rima was a deliberate event by the latter, his meeting with Sonakshi was incidental.

It started when Atul decided to throw a dinner for his colleagues to celebrate his promotion. He had invited Maniesh too.
The dinner was fine and everything went smoothly. When Maniesh took Atul aside for an intimate chat he was waiting to be asked about Ridhima.
However, Maniesh didn’t mention a single word about her. Atul was annoyed.
"You seem to have lost interest in my friend. May I know why?"
Maniesh stared at him for a moment.
"You know why, don't you?"
His defiance irritated Atul further.
"I think you're scared of her. It doesn't suit you, Maniesh."
"You want to have a word about it. Do it, Atul."
"Not a word, Maniesh. What I wanted is action. What is stopping you?"
"Why should I act when we all know there are no casualties."
"No casualties?"
Atul looked at him contemptuously.
"Your friend tried to bang her, Maniesh!
“She went to his place. Did I ask her to go there?”
“His place? It was your house, Maniesh.”
“It’s not my place. If you're referring to the inscription on the door, then let me tell you MS is for Manjot Shrivastav, not Maniesh Sain.”
He revealed.
"Come on Atul, don't make it a big deal. My friend, he didn’t do anything other than trying. If he wanted it, he would have had it."
Maniesh moved forward and patted on his shoulder. "Let me tell you something, Atul. Manjot Shrivastav is a real monster. Don’t try to pick a fight with him. He’ll finish you, let me warn you. I am giving you this advice only because I consider you as a friend. And you are an asset to Walzec.”
He added.
Atul remembered the story Anvita had told him.
Suddenly he knew he had a way to deal with Manjot.

He took Sonakshi's contact number from Anvita's phone and called her later.
“Sonakshi, this is Atul Rajyavardhan from
Walzec systems Pvt Ltd. I want to meet you in person, I have something to discuss with you.”
“What is it?”
“The subject is a bit personal. It’ll be appropriate if we meet in person.”
“Okay.”
“So where are you comfortable for a meeting? I suggest it be a place where Mr Manjot cannot see us.”
There was a moment of silence from the other side.
“Is it about Manjot?”
“It’s about you, Sonakshi.”
“We can meet at my apartment.”
Sonakshi gave him the address. Two hours
later, he was at her doorstep. It was on the third floor of a six-storey building.
A woman in her late twenties answered the
door.
“Sonakshi?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Atul.”
Sonakshi's eyes widened with admiration that took Atul by surprise.
"I know you. Please come in.”
Sonakshi unlocked the safety lock and let him
in.
"How do you know me?"
Atul asked.
"I've seen your photos with Anvita. You're Anvita's husband, aren't you?"
Sonakshi smiled and Atul noticed the dimples on her cheeks. With big eyes and chubby cheeks, she looked very cute.
For a moment Atul felt he was at a wrong place. She didn’t look like she was fed up with a rude boss who would like to use her as a sex toy.
Sonakshi served him some fruit juice.
"Anvita is such a sweet girl and a great friend. Whenever I ask her about her dress choices she mentions your name. You've got a talent in that, I'd say."
She said. Atul smiled and kept the juice on the centre table.
“I am here for one of my friend, Sonakshi. She has a problem with Manjot. And Anvita told me you also have a problem with him. That is what I am here to talk.”
Sonakshi’s face grew serious. Atul was studying her.
“Whether this meeting goes fruitful or not, you have to maintain confidentiality. I’m trying to help you out of the situation because with your support my friend will also be benefited.”
"Anvita must have told you everything. And I don’t know how you think you can help me out of it. There is no way out. I am a lonely woman. I have a family in my hometown to look after. I can’t afford to fight with Manjot. He’s too big and a monster.”
“Monster,” Atul smiled. “I’ll help you to kill that monster.”

Later that evening Atul phoned Ridhima.
“Are you still thirsty for revenge?”
“Hungry, I’d say.”
“I have found a girl who can slay the guy. All you need is to support her. She’s a victim.”
Atul told her about Sonakshi and gave her number.

Sunday Ridhima visited Delhi and met Sonakshi and promised her a job at Chetak engineering. Ridhima had advised him to stay away from the meeting. She certainly didn't want to bring him any trouble.

Next evening, Sonakshi made a couple of tweets and created a storm in social media.
Two days later, Manjot was thrown out of
ArmPro, and was arrested.

A week later Ridhima phoned Atul and mentioned about the adoption program
she had been in touch with.
“Now I’m at peace, Atul. I am going to adopt a girl child. This is the only thing that I am looking forward to these days.”
She was very emotional.

After Rajyavardhan's visit, Atul had quit drinking. Rajat was the most disappointed soul in his decision.
"This is very stupid, man. It's okay to be in control, but why torture yourself like this?"
"I'm in control only if I can say no."
Atul didn't give in to his persuasions.

A couple of weeks later Rajat invited him to his apartment.
"I'm bored without your company, man. I promise I won't offer you any drink."
He though took out chilled fruit juice and Atul sat with him. Rajat served himself with whisky. After a while, Rajat was talking about Anvita.
"Did she like my gift?"
Atul had actually forgotten about it. He didn't even know what she did with the lehenga.
"She liked it, dude. Why shouldn't she like it? You've got it stitched well."
"I hope I'll be seeing her flaunting it again. She looked gorgeous. Like a super hot model. Did you like what I did with the blouse?"
"Yeah. That was some creative work. You surprised me."
"I was a bit worried if you'd be angry because it was some sort of liberty."
"You were worried?" Atul laughed. "Sell it to someone else, dude. I know you're not like that."
"No, no. This was different. Even I was surprised that I got nervous in front of her. I've become a fan of her. You must tell her."
"She knows."
"Really?"
His eyes shone. Atul felt he was drunk.
"She's a woman, dude. They know what men think of them."
"That's true. What's difficult is to know what they think of us. I often wonder about our secret neighbour Shiva's wife. Have you seen her?"
"Yeah, but rarely."
"I think she likes me."
Atul was stunned. He stared at him and then smiled.
"So, are you seeing an opportunity?"
"No, never, man. I'm just saying we can't make out what's in our wife's mind."
"Why does it puzzle you?"
"It's fun to think about it. I have to admit this. You're my friend and I hope you won't beat the shit out of me. That night, after our dinner it was tough for me to stop thinking about Anvita."
Atul was alert in a second. And he was curious as well. He casually took a sip from the fruit juice.
"What's your point here?"
"You know what I'm talking about, don't you?"
Rajat was looking deep into his eyes. Atul knew Rajat was trying to take the conversion somewhere but the sottishness was failing him.
"You are truly impressed by my wife. I can see that."
"Thanks for nicely putting that, my friend. You're so lucky."
"Thanks."
"I envy you. I mean I really really envy you for having such a fine woman. After that night I kept thinking about how you'd be making out with her. I'm sorry if I'm breaching your privacy but I was helplessly driven to think that way."
"It's okay. Don't be remorseful."
"Thanks for saying that. That's how our crazy minds work. It's bad but it's very fun when we talk about it, isn't it?"
Atul was wondering where he was taking it.
"You wouldn't agree with me, but I would like you to have a word about it with Anvita."
"About your crush for her?"
"No. About any crush she has for anyone else."
"You must be joking now!"
Atul's response was quick.
"I'm serious."
"You've got a dirty mind then, and I'm not surprised."
"You'll be surprised if you asked her."
Rajat was nonchalant.
"Ask her what?"
"Ask her! In your intimate moments, ask her."
"Ask what?"
"Ask her, like, who does she want you to be while making out with her."
"That's ridiculous."
"You have no idea, buddy. Shiva's wife is giving me this look and I'm sure she's thinking about me when she's fucking her husband. If I want to, I might get to fuck her. But I'm not going to do anything more. Enough is enough, I love my wife. I won't cheat anymore, I've made that promise myself."
"That's good for you."
"But I'm curious about Anvita. Aren't you curious?"
"Your curiousness is okay. If I'm curious, that means I've got doubts about her. I can't do that."
"Come on man, ask her once."
"No way. We better end this conversion right now."
"Yeah sure, I don't wanna embarrass myself. But I just want to advise you that the women who look calm might be hiding something."
"What are you suggesting?"
"I'm suggesting you should test her. Because you don't know what's in her mind."
"You're feeding nasty ideas into my head, Rajat. Let's call it a day."
Atul moved in his seat and grabbed his glass.
"What's wrong in testing her, man? You've got nothing to lose but it'll clear your mind."
"But..."
"Let me tell you how to do it. It's easy. All you need is to put her in a vulnerable situation and watch."
"What is that vulnerable situation?"
"Leave her in the company of a handsome man. And watch her behaviour."
"And you think she's gonna go on to sleep with the guy?"
"No way man. But you can see how she behaves. Is she happy? Is she flirting with the guy? Does she see it an opportunity to, you know, later fantasise about him?"
Atul wanted to walk away.
"And you want to play that handsome man part?"
"Come on man, that's not what I meant. It's not about me, it's about Anvita."
"It's foolishness."
"I'm just suggesting. It's all up to you."
I'm not going to do anything that you suggest.
Atul had decided.
"Okay. Let's say we test her, for your happiness. It's bullshit I know."
"No, don't do it for my sake. It's very tough to accept but I have felt Anvita have some liking for me. She loves to get compliments from me. During our dinner when she wore that dress I could see it, I could see it that she was enjoying to show off her beauty to me."
Atul hated him more than ever.
"You're saying insane things about her. You're drunk, Rajat."
"Why don't you ask her, Atul? That's all I'm asking you."
"What do you want me to ask her? Like, 'do you fantasise about my friend'?"
Atul's voice rose but it didn't stop Rajat.
"That won't give us any answer. I suggest you do another dinner. Without any drink. Just food. Fine, gentle chat only. And then ask what she thinks of me."
Atul stared him for a moment. He laughed a little. "And she'd say she's crazy about you?"
"No, she'd say what a stupid question is that."
"Definitely it's a stupid question."
"But then you say you've noticed something crazy about her and you've been thinking about it. I mean, like having a threesome."
Atul stared at him.
He remembered his dad's words.
"Your friend Rajat... He’s a wolf in a sheep’s skin, my son. I think you are aware he’s sleeping with one of your neighbour’s wife and he has eyes on your wife too.  You know me, I can’t be wrong about this. Take my advice. Don’t give him a chance.”

Rajat was going on.
"It's just a suggestion. Or you may tell her that you're a bit aroused about a kinky fantasy. Tell her you're finding it hot to think about her in bed with me. She's not gonna be very positive about it but her reaction may surprise you."
"What the fuck!"
Atul yelled and jumped up. His facial muscles were tight. "Enough, Rajat. Stop this nonsense. I'm sitting through this doesn't mean I'm enjoying this bullshit. You're confident about me beating the shit out of you but if we keep this on I'll be doing that."
"Atul..."
"Shut the fuck up. I have stopped drinking, and I have now stopped partying with you."
"Atul we're just talking."
"You're shaming my wife. Enough. I know you've wanked thinking of my wife, keep doing it. Hell!"
Atul stormed off.

He couldn't believe he let Rajat talk this far. A threesome with Anvita. Bastard.
It was his fault he let him talk this far. Atul thought.

When he told Anvita about his spat with Rajat, she was quite happy. She said she never liked him.

Atul had to thank his dad for making him quit alcohol. Finally, there's something good between us, he thought.

As they planned the wedding anniversary, Atul phoned Rajyavardhan and invited him.
"You have my blessings, my son."
He said.
Atul was happy.

Friday Ridhima phoned him.
"Atul I want to meet you urgently."
She didn't spend time exchanging pleasantries that she usually does when she phones from office.
"Anything wrong?"
"It's urgent."
"Monday is my wedding anniversary. I was going to invite you."
"I...I... Atul I want to meet you tomorrow. It's urgent. Shall I book a ticket for you?"
"You're making me nervous."
"I'm nervous. Don't say no to me."
"I don't want to but..."
It was a tough decision. Atul was sure Anvita would be upset if he took he committed to a trip just a couple of days before the anniversary. But Ridhima was pleading for it.
She was not saying anything. Atul's head was filled with speculation. He thought it could be Manjot finding out his role in putting him in jail.
Or it could be something by Maniesh. Or about Sonakshi. Or is it about Walzec?
Before Atul could make a decision, Ridhima booked flight tickets and sent him the itinerary. The return ticket was for Sunday.
Atul was perplexed.

As expected, Anvita was disappointed.
"This is wrong Atul. Don't do this to us."
She cried. However, she relented when Atul showed her the booked tickets.
"Promise me you won't change the return journey."
She said.

Atul phoned Ridhima later.
"Can't you just give me a clue what is it about?"
"I wish I could do that but this is something I can't tell you over the phone. If you're not sure, don't come to Mumbai. I'll come to Delhi. I'll find a place near the airport. But you must come there."
From her voice, it was evident that she was not feeling well. He had heard that voice before too, and he knew she was deeply stressed.
She needed help, Atul was sure.

Atul didn't tell Anvita about the change of plans. He was tensed in the morning, without having a clue why.
"What happened to you? Are you okay?"
Anvita hugged him from behind. He was getting ready. He smiled and turned to her.
"What happened to me? Nothing."
"Prithvi said he's coming with a gift for us."
Atul took her in his arms.
"That gift is for you. Not for me."
He said.
"How do you know?"
"He's always trying to impress you not me. Fanboy stuff!"
Anvita smiled brightly.
"Then I have a gift for you."
She said and kissed him.
"Not enough."
Atul persisted when she broke the kiss. Anvita laughed and tried to move away. But Atul pulled her closer and kissed harder. Anvita gave in, and let him devour her lips.
"Your lips never allow me to stop."
Atul whispered.
"Don't stop then."
Anvita smiled and kissed him again. Atul turned to the side while kissing and looked at the wall clock. Anvita noticed him.
"What?"
"I've got enough time."
Atul quipped and pulled her to bed. Anvita fell on her back, laughing. A minute later, Atul was on top of her, plunging into her. Anvita lay struggling to breathe and gasping with the sudden invasion. She kissed him tenderly and removed her top herself. Atul paused a moment to release her bra and licked on her nipples. They had become slightly hard. Atul ran his tongue around them in circles. And then he began to move his hip again. He had grown to his thickest shape and it throbbed inside her warm hole. He went on with the rhythm and soon he was there with an irresistible temptation to fill her with his love juice. As though having read his mind Anvita put her arms around him.
"Fill me... don't pull out..."
Atul looked into her eyes and with a gasp, he shot his load into her. He panted heavily as he felt he was leaking all his strength into her.
"I love it when you fill me."
Anvita whispered.
"You're safe, aren't you?"
Anvita pinched his cheek, "of course I am, my idiot baby!"

Thirty minutes later he was leaving for the airport.
"It's bad I can't meet Prithvi, isn't?"
He asked.
"It's okay. I don't know why that idiot is late anyway."
Anvita replied.

As they came down to the parking Atul saw Mohit also leaving with a small trolley bag. It turned out he was going to Nagpur.
"Wow, that's great. You guys can give company to each other."
Anvita quipped.
"Yeah, why not?"
Atul forced a smile.
He ended up sharing the cab with Mohit to the airport and upon reaching there he had to walk in through the entrance. He didn't want to tell Mohit that he was not going to Mumbai. Once Mohit moved to his airline counter Atul took a U-turn and sneaked out of the airport.


Ridhima had arrived and had lodged in a five-star hotel five kilometres from the airport. She was waiting for him in the lounge. She wore a long white dress and looked leaner as she stood up seeing Atul. And she looked anxious, forcing Atul to do away with any comments on her looks or their meeting after such a long gap.
"Let's go to the room."
Ridhima said. Her voice carried the weight of emotions she was struggling to contain.
"Okay."
Atul followed her.
The spacious suite was impressive with amenities and decor but Atul spent no time checking them out. He sat with Ridhima in the couch.
"Tell me, Ridhima. What's bothering you?"
Ridhima looked at him and took a long breath, and her lips quivered.
"I'm pregnant."
Atul was stunned.
"What?"
"I'm pregnant. Six weeks."
Ridhima repeated readily. Atul kept staring her for long.
Six weeks!

Six weeks ago they had sex at her home. Twice. Both the times she had let him cum inside her, assuring him with a story that made her pussy the safest place to dump a man's live seeds without worrying about an outcome.
And here it is.
He remembered how she was asking him to cum inside her when he had begun to pull out of her.
"No! You don’t have to. I am safe…I mean I am the safest… I can show you my reports if you insist…”
"How? I mean... how did this happen?"
He felt like an idiot himself for asking it but Ridhima was not going to be offended. She was at fault.
"I'm sorry Atul. There's been a huge..." She stopped and cried. She grabbed his hands and blubbered. "They were cheating me. I wasn't infertile. I was fooled."
"What are you saying?"
"Sudhakar has been pulling wool over my eyes for so long, Atul. He is the one with a problem, not me. But he never told me this and he tricked me to believe... those test results... those reports... doctor's assurances to cure me... all were fake. They were never meant for me. It was all Sudhakar's plan. I don't know Rihaan is involved, but I don't think he would care if he knew."
"But why?"
"It's all about money, Atul. He wants me to be hopeless, and a failed woman. He wants to bring me under his mercy. And he succeeded in that so far. If I have ever been kind to him then it was not because I loved him but I felt he was unlucky because of me. I believed what he wanted me to believe. I believed his doctor friend and I took all the medication he prescribed. Sudhakar made me believe he's against adoption and he wanted to keep me with him, without any real hope, and that’s why he had played this game throughout my life."
"What did he say now?"
"I haven't met him. I wanted to tell you first."
Atul swallowed and took a long breath.
"Okay, so we have this situation. I'm sorry for what they've been doing to you. It's... it's... What are you going to do now? Sue them?"
"No."
Ridhima said quickly. Atul stared at her puzzled.
"No?"
"I don't want to fight."
Atul held her hand and patted tenderly on the wrist.
"Ridhima..."
"I want to keep the baby. That's why I came to meet you."
Atul was stunned.
"What! Are you crazy?"
His voice rose beyond his control.
Ridhima grabbed his hands tightly.
"Atul. I came to ask you for permission."
"What the hell!"
Atul shook her hand off him and moved an inch back.
"No. Ridhima, you should abort. It's just six weeks."
"Atul..."
"No!" Atul raised his hand in the air. "Don't complicate our lives with mistakes, Ridhima. I don't want this child. I will have a child but Anvita will be the mother, not you. It's a mistake, don't keep it."
Atul was startled and he couldn't believe that Ridhima suggested this. Suddenly he felt he was in the wrong place.
Yes. It's the wrong place. It's a wrong woman.

Atul remembered how careful he had been with Anvita to avoid pregnancy. Despite pressure from parents they had rigorously followed
precaution measures to perfection. He was always aware of her safe days and lately he had mastered the trick to pull out well in time. There had never been an instance where Anvita needed to conduct a pregnancy detection test because everything was as they had intended.
But then, finally this!

He had messed it up, big time. Atul knew.
"Don't even think about it, Ridhima. I know you might be thinking of it as a blessing in disguise but it's not. My life... my life is at stake. How do you think I'll be able to face Anvita? My Anvita..."
He sighed. "Oh God! What a fool I've been! I love her so much and this is what I've done to her."
He shook his head in disgust.

Ridhima was in tears.
"Atul. I know it's wrong. But I want to make it a right. I know I could have kept this to me without telling you a word. You're the first one I'm sharing this with. I could have kept it from you but I can't live like that because I can't lie to me. I don't want to bring up my child as an offspring of betrayal. I don't want to look at my child's face and make myself feel it's been a mistake. No, Atul, it's not a mistake. This is a blessing and I want to take it. With your permission. This is the most important moment of my life. It changes everything. It changes everything I've thought about my life. Now I understand why I've been left to live a solitary life so far. It is for this child, Atul. Do you remember when you told me that bad times would pass and good times would follow? This is it. My life has been preparing me for this event and I can't be more grateful than now.
I know it might not go well with your life. You've got a wife and yourself to answer. But I want to promise you that I expect nothing out of you except your consent. Please allow me to bear this child. I will never come to you. I will never tell this child or anyone about you. I will raise the child myself, as a single parent."
Atul kept shaking his head in denial.
"No, Ridhima. I can't help you with this. You have come to me and sought my permission. And it shows how important is this. You can look at it as a blessing but for me, it's a blunder. My mistake. It's going to be living proof of my betrayal. I'm sorry to say this, Ridhima but it is the truth. I love my Anvita more than anything in the world and I can't make this mistake permanent. Please save me. Please let me out of this. Please abort this child, Ridhima, if you care for me."
Atul got up from the couch and knelt in front of her.
"Ridhima, look at me. Please."
It was a tough decision for her. Atul knew. She was betrayed by her husband. Having a child by someone else would be fitting revenge for everything. But it would also mean an unforgivable deception by Atul with Anvita. He was sure his life was about to collapse.
For once he remembered all praises and envious comments he had ever received for having such a wonderful wife and family.

"You guys are made for each other."
"You're a great couple."
"I wish I had a wife like yours."
"I wish my hubby was like yours."
"Perfect couple."
"Born for each other."
"Atul and Anvita. Wow!"

Atul could remember a hundred of them, even if he ignored another hundred.

All of them would be undone from this moment. Because he's not a great husband. He's a cheater. He had betrayed his wife. His love. His woman. He had bedded two women and he impregnated one of them. He had sown his seeds in the womb of a woman and she was now carrying his child.
No.
Atul wept inside. He got up and sank back into the couch.
"What a fool I've been. What have I done?"
His face was down to his palms and he couldn't stop tears falling from his eyes. Reality had hit him and it was hard.
"Atul..."
Ridhima began to say and Atul raised his hand.
"Don't speak to me, Ridhima. Leave me alone."
He was shaken. His world was destroyed.
"I'm so sorry Atul. I shouldn't have been in your life."
Ridhima was saying. Atul heard nothing. He had become deaf. When he finally looked at after a long gap, he wanted only one thing to hear.
"Promise me, Ridhima. Promise me you'll keep me out of your life. Let the child go. Die with it if you want to, but no. This child shouldn't be born. I don't want to listen to anything else."
His voice was firm and sounded strange to himself. But he didn't care. He had become a stranger. Ridhima was s stranger.
Ridhima sobbed and shook her head.
"As you say, Atul."
That was all he needed to hear. He leaned back on the couch and looked at the ceiling and lay idle.
As time passed, Atul felt better.
I'm a selfish guy. It's okay. Let it be like this.
He was determined.

He spent the night in the hotel with Ridhima. He tried to console her with words and silence. They mourned during dinner. They slept in the same bed, without touching each other, lost in their distant worlds.
In the morning they had breakfast like two prisoners who were just dumped into the same cell. Atul stayed until the lunch that was a formality. The riddle they were seeking the answer for was the same yet the answer they sought was devastatingly distinct.
At four o'clock, Atul began to leave. When he got ready, he wanted her to speak. And Ridhima spoke. This time she spoke with more strength.
"Eight years. Eight years I believed I was infertile. I felt so bad about it that I was ready to bear any torture from Sudhakar. I know a woman like me can't believe to think like that but it is the truth. Lately, I've been dying to have a baby. Ever since I registered for the adoption program I've been filled with the joy of being a mother. Preparing myself, teaching me to be a mother. How to love my child. And suddenly when I came to know that all my pain was a lie, it was nonexistent, you know revenge wasn't what I thought. I don't want to sue anyone for what they did. I was happy because it was your child. I loved you, Atul. And I became selfish instantly. It is wrong but I couldn't stop dreaming. It was like a fairytale came true. Every pain in my life was gone in an instant. Just a node from you could change my life. I had planned a lot based on that hope. I would quit from Chetak and migrate to the U.S. I would never see you. I would never see a man. And so on."
She sighed and continued.
"But all those dreams were based on a selfish choice. I'm sorry, Atul. I'm sorry after all the good things you've done to me I've ended up hurting you."
"I understand your pain Ridhima. But your dream can destroy the very life I have promised to my woman. I can't do this to her. All I want is to run to her and hold her feet and beg for forgiveness. When I sinned it didn't make me realise but now I understand what a dick I was. We shouldn't have met Ridhima. We shouldn't have met like this. We should've strictly kept ourselves professional."
Ridhima looked at him and Atul couldn't face he hopeless eyes.
"I'm leaving, Ridhima. I want you to call me one more time. And I want you to tell me you've got it done. Nothing else."
Atul said and he felt he was an executioner and he felt he had just pulled the lever of death. His command would end one life from the face of the earth.
But he had to do it.
Ridhima nodded.
"Okay."
Atul walked away with his head down.

He straightaway headed to the road and got into a cab. He first thought if he should hit a bar. On second thought, he dismissed the idea.
No, I should go home. Like a man returning from an official trip. Like a husband returning to his lovely wife. Like a saint who could do no sin.

As the cab moved he leaned back in his seat with a long breath. Exactly that moment his phone buzzed.
It was an email notification. It carried a message that would change everything he knew of his life.

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