A Chapter of Nightmare (Completed)

[krish_999]

Chapter – Four

 
As I stood outside the closed door, straining to hear every whispered word, my heart pounded with a mixture of anticipation and dread. The muffled murmurs of conversation reached my ears, followed by the unmistakable sound of kissing – tender, intimate, and laced with longing. My stomach churned as I realized the depth of their connection, the intimacy they shared that I could never hope to replicate.
"I missed you so much," Sethu confessed, his voice thick with desire and longing.
"It's only been a week," Shubha replied nonchalantly.
"I regret how I allowed you to sleep alone for a week," Sethu countered.
Their banter confirmed my worst fears. They used to be intimate regularly. They considered even a week's gap of not sleeping together as a missed opportunity. I was sure Shubha would have made it a habit to return to Sethu's arms immediately after her return from Solapur. The revelation struck me like a blow, even though I had braced myself for the truth.
With a heavy heart, I continued to listen as Sethu began to undress Shubha, his words praising her beauty.
"Shubha, you're absolutely stunning," Sethu murmured, his voice oozing dominance.
My stomach churned as he asked her to lie down on the bed.
"Lie down for me, my girl... I can't wait to have you more," he commanded, his voice resonating with an undeniable desire, igniting a spark of jealousy within me as I listened helplessly.
"Wanna have this in here, darling?" He went on.
I couldn't precisely figure out what he was referring to, but I suspected it was his dick. I knew how he loved to show off his manhood to her.
"Of course, I want that," Shubha's response was filled with anticipation, sending a pang of jealousy coursing through me again.
 
I felt they were going to try something new, but I realized that I wouldn't be able to witness their lovemaking firsthand. It was something I wanted to watch, despite knowing it would shatter whatever life was left in my soul. But I wanted to see how much cruelty they could inflict upon my fate.
 
Quietly, I slipped away from the house, making my way to the neighboring building. Approaching Shubha's bedroom window with trepidation, I quickly stepped outside, placing my feet on the ledge under the window, and then leaning towards Shubha's window as closer as possible I peered inside. My heart stopped at the sight before me – Shubha lay naked on the bed, across the bed this time, and Sethu buried his head between her legs, eating her pussy. Shubha rolled her head sideways as she rode the waves of pleasure, her right hand squeezing the pillow above her head, while her left hand held Sethu's head in place, ensuring he didn't stop.

"Aahh... Sethu... You're a rascal... Aaww... My god!"

Shubha's moans of pleasure were filling the room. She looked like a woman possessed by a demon of lust.

How is that this creature is my wife? I wondered for a moment.

 

Even though I didn't want to take my eyes off her, I knew I had to return to my place in the hall. With a sense of resignation, I pulled out my phone and set up the camera to record their encounter. It had a setting to record videos with pre-decided duration. Setting the duration to one hour, I positioned it carefully to capture the scene without being detected. With a final glance, I activated flight mode and covered the screen with my kerchief to avoid being spotted by anyone else. This was my reality now – a voyeur to my own wife's betrayal, helpless and alone.

 

Then I returned to the house to resume my solitary vigil and the pretense of being stupidly drunk. As I settled back into my seat, the echoes of passion and lust filled the air, a painful reminder of the betrayal unfolding just beyond my reach.

"Aaah...aaah...aaah...aaahh...aaahh..."

Shubha's soft moans had given way to gentle cries, accompanied by the sound of bodies slamming into each other. Sethu had started fucking my wife. I couldn't discern their position, but I could clearly tell that his dick was going in and out of her pussy. Then, I heard a slap!

"Tell me now...darling... Am I not healthy?"

"Aaah... Yes...!"

"More than your gentleman husband?"

"Yes..."

"Tell me I fuck better than him... Don't I?"

"Yes, you do...aaahh...aaahhh.."

"So good...haaa..haah! So nice... Your hole is so tight... You want this...haah?"

"Yes...aaahh... Sethu... Please... Slow..."

The pace of fucking was escalating.

"I can't be slow now... I just wanna fuck your brains out... You'll love it..."

Sethu had no intention of slowing down.

"Please...aaahhh... Please Sethu... Manav will wake up..."

"He won't wake up..."

"Why don't you come when he isn't here for god's sake?"

"Because it's more fun when your hubby is sleeping in the next room as I do this... This is the thrill... Aren't you thrilled, darling?"

"Please... Sethu..."

And Sethu stopped this time.

"Tell me the truth...I know it. Aren't you thrilled to do this to your Manav?"

"Sethu... Please..."

"Turn around, face me, Shubha," Sethu demanded.

I heard the bed squeaking as they changed positions.

"Aahh... Look at your cunt. Did you just climax?"

"I don't know. What do you know?"

I heard a chuckle from Shubha.

"You are a little bitch, you know that, Shubha? Say it, you are thrilled to cheat on him, especially when he's here."

"Naa...naa. I'm not going to say that..."

Shubha refused.

"Look at my dick, so ready to enter you... You want this, you want this, don't you?"

"Come on Sethu.. Please..."

"Say it...I wanna know..."

"Okay.. Yes..."

"Mmm... Lovely bitch!"

"Aaahh...! Sethu! Slow, please!"

I heard a scream from her as he possibly pushed his way deep inside her, yet again.

"I'm gonna make you cry again...huh!"

So saying, Sethu started pounding hard, and Shubha's cries filled the air again, nonstop.

"Aaah...aahh..aahh..aahh..aaahhh...aahh.aaah...aaaahhh...."

It went on and on until she screamed louder, and I was sure she no longer worried about waking me up.

She had forgotten me.

A few seconds later, I heard Sethu's groan, derived from pleasure and satisfaction. I had memories of him spraying his cum all over her belly, and I knew he would have repeated the act this time too.

I heard them panting together as they brought themselves back to normalcy. The storm of lust had ended. I heard them sharing some light words before Shubha proceeded to the washroom.

A few seconds later, the door began to open.

I simply closed my eyes. It didn't make much difference to me, as my vision had already been filled with darkness long ago.

 

Everything that happened after that was a blur. The door opened, and my cheating partner and her boyfriend emerged. They paused for a moment, seemingly pleased that I was still asleep. Satisfied, they bid each other goodbye. Sethu left soon after.

Before leaving, I heard Sethu asking when I would leave.

"No, not again," Shubha replied cautiously.

She was perhaps wary that he would return next night too, if she told him that I was going to be with her for another night. The man had now made it a habit to screw her whenever her husband is present in the house.

 

Sethu chuckled. 

"Okay, but I won't wait for long. See you at the office on Monday."

"See you," Shubha responded.

 

'I won't wait for long!' I knew exactly what Sethu meant by that. He wasn't going to delay returning to sleep with her again. This cycle was never going to end. I was sure of it.

After some time since Sethu's departure, Shubha tried to wake me up. She attempted to move me to the room, but I was unwilling to wake up from my fake sleep. My mind was preoccupied with retrieving my phone from the window, so I pretended to be unresponsive. Eventually, Shubha gave up and went to sleep on her bed. She did not close the door, but she fell asleep very soon. I wasn't surprised, as I knew the level of screwing she had received at the hands of Sethu was going to make her fall asleep quite easily.

I slowly got up and sneaked out of the apartment to retrieve my phone. Eager to view the visuals, I wasted no time in playing the video recording, standing amidst the darkness of the under-construction building.
The forty-minute video of the room had captured everything. It was almost a repetition of what I had witnessed with my eyes the other day, with my wife showing no hesitation whatsoever in pleasuring her boyfriend in bed or in receiving and acknowledging the intense pleasure he provided.
After allowing him to pleasure her most intimate parts with his tongue, she reciprocated by sitting up and taking his dick in her mouth, intensifying his pleasure. His length wasn't quite visible in the video, but I could see her fingers wrapping around it while her head moved back and forth. I still caught glimpses of his length as she tried to lick under it, and the visual became even more disgusting as I observed how tenderly she was caressing his balls, while looking up and smiling at him. In those moments, the way she was looking up and making eye contact with him made me feel that she was acting like a pet to him. I wanted to look away from the phone screen, but I was too weak to move a muscle on my own.
After that, he made her climb onto the bed to bend forward on her knees, and then entered her from behind. Keeping his hands firm on her lower back, Sethu stood up and started slowly before picking up the pace. As the speed of his thrusting increased, he made Shubha writhe in pain and pleasure, which I could sense from her body movements despite the video having no clear audio. Her head moved up and down as her body took all the beating Sethu was giving her like a beast, leaving her hair dishevelled. Sethu took all the liberty he had to lean forward to reach and squeeze her breasts, and he even slapped her ass multiple times while he fucked her. Shubha was crying, yet enjoying it all immensely. Despite the lingering hatred I harbored for her, for myself, and for my destiny, I couldn't help but feel jealous.

After a while, Sethu climbed onto the bed, making Shubha lie on her back. His muscular body loomed over her slender figure as he lay on top of her. They shared a few moments of intense intimacy, exchanging wet kisses, and I saw Shubha's arms wrap around his neck. Then her left hand moved towards his stomach and disappeared between his waist. I knew what she was doing—willingly accepting him, without wasting a moment. Sethu's body raised slightly before moving forward, and Shubha submitted to his strength.

My body cringed in pain as I witnessed Shubha's reaction to his penetration. As Sethu resumed fucking her harder and deeper, Shubha's arms encircled his torso once again, another visual of her welcome.

I couldn't bear to watch any longer. I recalled hearing her cries from behind the door of their room as he brought her to a powerful orgasm that made her scream. I doubted she would remember any of the moments we had shared together. I was disgusted and a sense of never ending heartbreak weakened my body further. I felt like there was nothing in this world that could bring my wife back to me, to love me the way she once did, or at least the way she made me believe she did.

 

However, as I returned to Shubha's house, I found solace in one thing. I wasn't a clueless husband living a lie. Despite my wife's infidelity, contrary to her belief, I knew the truth. I had also manipulated her and her boyfriend into believing that their treacherous act was still a secret. I was fully aware of what was happening around me, and I even had a video recording of their betrayal. I felt empowered by the details I possessed, knowing I could shatter their false sense of security whenever I wanted.

 

The next day, which was Sunday, Shubha didn't have to work. When I woke up, she greeted me with a fake angry expression.

"If you're coming to Hyderabad to start drinking, I suggest you don't come," she said.

"Yeah, so your boyfriend can move in permanently," I thought to myself.

"Sorry, dear," I apologized. "It's my last time, I promise."

Shubha looked at me unbelievingly.

"Yeah," I nodded, "you can trust me this time."

"Even though I know I can't trust you ever," I added silently.

 

After breakfast, Shubha wanted to take me shopping. I was astonished by her lack of remorse. She acted normal, giving off the vibe of a perfect, loving, and sensible wife. I could only wish it was the only reality in my life. I wished everything else was just a chapter of nightmare.

 

Shubha mistook my gloominess for a lack of enthusiasm to go shopping. She hugged me from behind.

"Don't you want to go shopping? It's okay. Let's stay home. Like this."

As her arms wrapped around me, I felt a sense of relief, suddenly remembering that it had been a long time since we had any kind of intimacy. I turned to face her and looked into her eyes.

Shubha smiled at me.

"Say you love me," she said.

I smiled. "Like I mean it?" I asked.

Shubha pinched my cheek. "Don't you mean it?" she asked.

"Do you love me?" I asked, looking deep into her eyes, as if trying to catch even a hint of a lie as she gathered her reply.

"I love you," she said nonchalantly.

I was startled by her audacity, not to fool me, but to fool herself.

"What do you love about me? What do I possess that makes me worthy of eternal love?" I asked again.

She remained locked onto my eyes as she replied, "I love you not only for your perfections, Manav. I love your imperfections too. My love for you will never be disappointed."

I was stunned by her response. I was certain she never thought I was asking that question out of genuine doubt about her sincerity. But her immediate reply made me believe that she loved me. And she loved me even more because she harbored a secret she knew could destroy my life. My inability to keep her solely for myself was only one reason she felt indebted to me. She owed me her love.

 

Her breath caressed my face, its warmth drawing me closer as our noses touched. Our lips locked, and as she opened her mouth to welcome me, a wave of longing swept over my entire body. Before I knew it, we were rushing to the bed. Shubha responded eagerly, but I was quicker than ever. Our clothes flew off in a matter of seconds. As she opened her arms to welcome me, I didn't hesitate to bring my face between her legs. Shubha was astonished, and I was thrilled for some unknown reason. I went with the flow as Shubha moaned sweetly and caressed my hair.

Her moans drove me crazy. The strange sour taste of her womanhood became sweet in my mouth. I found joy in pleasuring her, using my tongue and lips. As I looked up after this gratifying session of revelations and lust, Shubha grabbed my face and kissed me, sucking on my lips and tongue.

"That was so good, Manav. I can't tell you how it felt," she exclaimed.

"Really?" I asked.

"Let me show you," she said, pushing me back onto the bed. Her head disappeared into my lap, and I gasped as I felt the warmth of her mouth enveloping my manhood.

Her head continued to move up and down, sending me to the craziest places. I reached down to pull her waist toward me, and Shubha kept sucking me while moving simultaneously to bring her waist towards my face. I adjusted my posture to bring my head between her legs again, and started licking her pussy once more, this time in the opposite direction.

I extended my pleasure by caressing all over her lower body, cherishing the softness of her ass cheeks. Shubha, in return, took the moment to extend her care and love around my pole, grabbing and licking my balls too.

A few minutes later, she had me kneeling between her legs, and she guided me as I pushed my rod inside her. She let out a gasp, making me realize how much she loved the feeling of me inside her.

I began to fuck her slowly, remembering from my voyeuristic experience that she loved it that way. And I made sure to naturally bring my face down to kiss her and suck her tongue in between thrusts. She responded eagerly to every move, enhancing the pleasure of each moment. As time passed, I felt my body moving rhythmically, thrusting into her continuously. I didn't feel tired at all.

As I eventually brought her to an intense orgasm, it was more sensational than what I had witnessed her experiencing with Sethu. I was lost in the joy of watching her cry out with pleasure.

"Aaahhh, Manav... aaahhh... aahhh..."

She was literally rolling her head on the bed. I was about to cum too, so I pulled out. But I started jerking off in uncontrolled ecstasy.

"Shoot over me, Manav. Give me a bath, please," Shubha begged, her eyes demanding it even more.

I only had to jerk off for a few seconds before I shot a gigantic load of sperm onto her throbbing belly.

Even I was surprised by the quantity of it. The thick stream of it flew across her body, spreading all over her belly, breasts, and even neck.

Shubha laughed with a sense of joy.

"Oh my gosh. That's a huge load!"

"Yeah, I was holding it for a long time it seems," I said as I brought myself back to normal breathing.

Shubha nodded with a satisfying smile.

"I shall clean it," I added apologetically and looked around to find a rag to wipe it.

Shubha stopped me.

"It's okay. I love it," she said.

I looked at her, surprised.

My wife was expressive. Suddenly I knew.

She brought her fingers to touch those droplets and slowly moved over it, spreading it over her delicate skin. I watched on with utmost satisfaction.

"Next time," she said, "I want it to reach my lips."

She was expressive beyond my belief.

"That means I'll have to hold it back for a month at least," I quipped.

Shubha laughed, "No. No. Don't make me wait that much."

 

That morning sex was one of the best sexual experiences in my life because it was filled with intense passion, mutual pleasure, and a deep emotional connection with my wife. The spontaneity, the exploration of each other's desires, and the genuine expression of love and satisfaction made it unforgettable. 

 As I lay in the comfort of a physical exhaustion, I felt a surge of emotions, a mix of longing, desire, and perhaps a hint of possessiveness. The previous night's events lingered in my mind, fueling a deep need to reconnect with Shubha, to reclaim our intimacy, and to reassure myself of our bond. It was as if the contrast between the betrayal I witnessed on the previous night and the intimacy we shared in the morning heightened the experience, making it one of the most profound sexual encounters of my life.

 

We made love with same intensity in the night again, and repeated the fun on next morning too.

As I spent the day alone at the apartment after Shubha went to her office, a strange sense of disbelief washed over me. It was almost as if I had started to forget that my wife had betrayed me. The intimacy we shared blurred the lines of reality, momentarily making me question the events I had witnessed. However, deep down, I knew the truth. I had seen it with my own eyes, and the knowledge of her betrayal weighed heavily on my mind. With this truth looming over me, I couldn't shake the realization that at any moment after my departure, Sethu could walk into Shubha's apartment and continue their affair without hesitation. This was now my reality, a reality I couldn't escape no matter how hard I tried.

 

I left in the evening. On my way to the railway station in an auto, I spotted Sethu riding a bike with a woman seated behind him. The woman appeared slightly older than him but didn't seem like his sister. Intrigued, I asked the auto driver to follow them. We trailed Sethu for nearly 20 minutes until he arrived at a house. The woman alighted and opened the gate, ushering Sethu and the bike inside. From a distance, I observed them disappearing into the house.

An alarm began ringing in my mind. Was Sethu involved in another affair, again with another married woman? Could she be another victim of his lust? Seeking clarification, I stopped a passing boy.

"Do you know someone named Sethu here?"

"Yeah, Sethu uncle. He lives there." The boy pointed towards the house.

"Who else does live there?"

"Sethu uncle, his wife, and their son."

I was stunned. I literally shook my head in disbelief.

Sethu was married and had a son.

 

As I processed the revelation about Sethu's married life, I realized I had never considered this possibility. The convenient and frequent manner in which he was spending nights with my wife had deceived my intuition. I wondered if Shubha knew about his marital status. If she did, she could have used it to justify their affair during our initial confrontation. But her silence suggested otherwise.

Should I inform her? Would knowing Sethu's married status make her reconsider their relationship? If she stopped seeing him, it would help me have the courage  to confront her.

The truth was that I wanted to confront her. But the fear of losing her forever was stopping me until then.

Suddenly, I felt I had a chance.

I pondered whether to tell Sethu's wife about his affair first. Maybe he needed a wake-up call from his own family, so he could face the consequences of his actions and understand the extent of his betrayal.

 

I instructed the auto driver to return to the railway station. However, on a second thought I decided to stop at a nearby shop. While waiting for my drink, I struck up a conversation to gather information about Sethu and his family. It turned out Sethu indeed worked in the same branch as Shubha and his wife, Shilpa, ran a saree shop nearby. They had a son aged seven, and they had been living in the area for five years in a rented house, with Sethu's parents residing elsewhere.

After that I returned to railway station and boarded my train to Solapur.

 

But I couldn't shake off the thought of confronting Sethu through his wife. While I was determined to reveal the truth to her, I didn't want Shubha to know that I knew everything. So, I devised a plan. I decided to meet Sethu's wife and reveal his affair without disclosing my identity as the husband of the other woman. I would show her the video in my mobile phone to make her believe, and claim to have got it it through some other source.

 

Impatiently, I waited for my chance to make a move amidst the mounting workload at my workplace. Working through the nights for four days straight, I finally earned an opportunity to leave. 

I boarded the train to Hyderabad, with my mind racing with various scenarios. I envisioned pulling Sethu's wife aside and revealing her husband's infidelity. I anticipated the possibility of her refusal to believe it. So I planned to show her the video evidence, just a few seconds of their naked bodies in bed, cherishing the pleasure of their illicit sexual encounter. I imagined reaction of Sethu's wife, the shock, the tears, and her determination to confront her husband. She would probably ask for my name, but I decided I wouldn't reveal it, saying that it is unimportant. With her confronting Sethu, his nightmare would begin.

 

I arrived in Hyderabad by noon and, after lunch, made my way to the saree shop owned by Sethu's wife. It was a boutique specializing in sarees, with a sign outside indicating their online delivery service. As I cautiously entered through the glass door, I saw a woman busy folding and packing a saree. There was no one else around. Taking a deep breath, I approached her.

Sethu's wife appeared slightly older than him, dressed in a loose kurta and palazzos, her face adorned with spectacles and devoid of makeup. I couldn't help but compare her to my own wife. While I wouldn't label Sethu's wife as unattractive, Shubha's beauty undeniably surpassed hers by several notches. Shubha was younger, possessed a lean body, and had a charming face. Plus, she hadn't yet experienced motherhood. Having witnessed Shubha's passion in bed with Sethu, with her arms wrapped around him, I was certain Sethu considered himself extraordinarily fortunate to have her. This comparison only fueled the flames of jealousy within me.

 

Sethu's wife looked up with a smile, assuming I was a customer.

"Yes sir?" she inquired politely.

I hesitated to reciprocate the smile, feeling there was no need for pleasantries in this situation.

"I'm not a customer," I said, trying to recollect her name. "Shilpa... That's your name?"

"Yes, I'm Shilpa," she confirmed, her expression turning more serious as she focused on me.

Gathering my courage, I continued, "I came to see you and tell you about your husband, Sethu. He's... He's having an affair with someone. A married woman... I think you are not aware of this. So I came to warn you about it."

Shilpa's gaze sharpened, and she met my eyes squarely. "Who are you?" she asked, her tone steady and firm.

"I'm... I'm... It is not relevant," I stammered, feeling the weight of the moment.

Her response was immediate. "How do you know my husband? Why should I believe you?" Her voice didn't carry the weakness that I expected. It rather carried the weight of denial.

"I know him. I can recognize him. I have evidence which will help you recognize him yourself," I explained, pulling out my mobile phone and unlocking it. Handing it to her, I added, "Play the video."

Shilpa looked at me in dismay and then at the screen. With baited breath, she moved her finger on the screen to touch the play button. The video played, and it showed her beloved husband climbing naked onto the bed and positioning himself between the legs of a nude woman, guiding his dick into her pussy.

As I watched without even blinking, I saw the shock now taking over Shilpa's face. Her expression suddenly changed from disbelief to horror. Her hand trembled as she struggled to hold onto the phone, and then, unexpectedly, she collapsed. As she began to collapse, I reached out instinctively to try and catch her, but it was too late. Her body slipped from my grasp, and her head struck the edge of the nearby table with a sickening thud. The sound reverberated through the room, sending a shiver down my spine.

Terrified, I knelt beside her, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Shilpa!" my voice was trembling with fear and concern. As I called out her name repeatedly, Shilpa's eyes flickered open, but they lacked focus, and her gaze seemed distant and unfocused. It was evident that she was not fully conscious, and her body appeared limp and unresponsive.

Panic surged within me as I realized the severity of the situation.

"Shilpa, can you hear me?" I implored, gently shaking her shoulders in an attempt to rouse her. But she remained unresponsive, lost in a state of semi-consciousness.

Feeling utterly helpless, I frantically looked around for help. Every passing second felt like an eternity and there was no one to be seen. The gravity of what had just transpired sank in as I realized the consequences of my actions. I even doubted if Shilpa was exhibiting signs of heart attack. I had no clue about her medical history. She was a strange woman. Guilt washed over me as I realized that I had unwittingly caused Shilpa harm in my attempt to reveal the truth about her husband's betrayal.

I thought about dialling 108, the national emergency number, for help, but then quickly went out of the shop and looked for help. Luckily I found an auto and the auto driver rushed to assist, and I carefully lifted Shilpa, placing her in my lap and while allowing her head to rest on my upper arm, and directed the driver to head to the nearest hospital.

The hospital was just half a kilometer away, and Shilpa received prompt medical attention. The doctor suspected she had experienced shock and a minor head injury, recommending an X-ray. I readily signed the consent form. It took nearly two hours before Shilpa regained consciousness, tears streaming down her face. I sat beside her, holding her hand, trying to reassure her.

"Shilpa, please calm down. I know this is tough, but let's not create a scene. Try to relax."

Shilpa glanced at me, her expression unreadable.

 

As the drip was administered, the doctor informed us that the X-ray results were normal, but advised a few more hours of rest before discharge. Shilpa suddenly looked worried.

 "My son. He needs to be picked up from school."

She began to rise from the bed, and the doctor looked at me with concern.

"Don't worry, Shilpa. I'll take care of it. You rest assured," I assured her.

I took down the details of Shilpa's son's school and her phone number before heading to pick him up. At the school, I spoke to the caretaker, who dialled Shilpa's number to confirm before allowing the child to come with me. Upon returning to the hospital, we waited until Shilpa was discharged, and I arranged for another auto.

 

Shilpa insisted on going to the shop, but I urged her to rest for the day. "No, I need to close the shop," she replied weakly.

Reluctantly, I followed her to the shop. I closed the shop while Shilpa and her son waited in the auto. As we headed to her house, I suggested I should leave once we arrived.

However, Shilpa requested me to stay and talk as we arrived there. "I need to talk. I don't even know you," she said.

I hesitated, concerned about her fragile state, but I stayed.

 

Her son threw his bag on the hall as soon as we entered the house and ran out to play with other children. I walked Shilpa to the sofa but hesitated to sit with her. Her expression was grave, indicating she had numerous questions. I was thinking deep about how much to disclose and how much to conceal.

"I thought I was living an enviable life," Shilpa remarked bitterly. "But you have destroyed it in one moment. Actually, Sethu did. How could he do that to me?"

The walls were adorned with their couple photos, capturing moments from different stages of their relationship. Shilpa looked radiant and youthful in the pictures, suggesting they had a love marriage.

Shilpa suddenly broke into tears, her emotions overwhelming her. Between sobs, she managed to utter, "How could he do this to me? After all these years of love and trust..."

I sat beside her, offering a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Shilpa. I never wanted to cause you this pain. But you deserve to know the truth."

She shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I never imagined Sethu could betray me like this. We were supposed to be a happy family..."

Her voice trailed off into another bout of sobbing, and I struggled to find the right words to console her. The weight of her pain hung heavy in the air, mingling with the silent anguish that filled the room.

As I sat beside Shilpa, witnessing her tears, a wave of emotion engulfed me. I couldn't hold back any longer. Tears welled up in my eyes, mirroring her pain. "I'm sorry," I choked out between my breathings. "I didn't mean to tell you. I didn't mean to tell anyone. But I can't control my emotions anymore." Shilpa looked at me, bewildered by my outburst. "The woman in that video... she's my wife," I confessed, my voice trembling with sorrow. "There are two unfortunate people whose lives got destroyed in this... I'm that other person."

Shilpa's gaze pierced through me, her expression one of sorrow and empathy. Her hand found mine, offering a silent apology. Overwhelmed, I lowered my head into my palms, tears streaming down my cheeks. Never did I imagine I'd find myself in this vulnerable state, weeping before a stranger. But after weeks of mental torment, the weight of my secret had become unbearable, and here, in this moment, I found a fleeting release from the relentless grip of despair and destiny.

I continued to speak, pouring out my heart about my own marital struggles. "It's only been three years since we got married. Everything seemed perfect. I loved her, and I truly believed she loved me too. And maybe she still does, I don't know... But seeing all of this, it's like a knife to my heart. I haven't confronted her yet. I'm afraid of what might happen next. I just felt like I needed to tell you the truth about Sethu's marriage."

As Shilpa's hand rested on my shoulder, a sense of comfort enveloped me, momentarily easing the weight of my sorrow. I looked at her thankfully, "It's just... so hard to comprehend."

"I understand," Shilpa replied softly, her eyes reflecting the pain we both shared. "How our entire world has been turned upside down in an instant!"

Nodding in agreement, I found solace in the fact that someone else understood my turmoil. "Exactly," I sighed, feeling a sense of relief in our shared understanding. "You know, I never imagined this could happen to us. We were so happy, so trusting..."

"We were," Shilpa agreed, her voice tinged with sadness. "I never doubted Sethu for a moment. I trusted him completely."

"Same here," I admitted, a pang of pain lacing my words. "I thought my wife and I had something special. But I was wrong." 

"It's not your fault," Shilpa reassured me, her gaze filled with empathy. "Nobody deserves this..."

 

Silence fell between us, the weight of our unspoken pain hanging heavy in the air. But in that shared silence, a bond began to form – a silent understanding born out of our shared suffering.

And as our eyes met, a silent understanding passed between us – a shared acknowledgment of the bond that had formed in the wake of our shared tragedy.

As we sat there, our hands clasped together in silent solidarity, a surge of memories flooded my mind – memories of the moment I discovered the unthinkable truth about my wife's betrayal. "I still remember that night," I began, my voice trembling with the weight of the memories. "The shock, the pain, the helplessness... it was all too much to bear."

"I can't even imagine," Shilpa murmured sympathetically, squeezing my hand in a gesture of support.

"It was like a nightmare," I continued, my words spilling out in a stream of emotion. "I had my suspicions, but I never imagined... I never thought I would catch them in the act."

The images flashed before my eyes again– the sight of Sethu and my wife entwined in passion, the sound of their laughter mingling with my own silent agony. "I stood there, frozen in disbelief," I recounted, the memories still vivid in my mind. "I wanted to scream, to lash out, but I was paralyzed by the sheer magnitude of what I had witnessed."

Shilpa listened intently, her eyes filled with compassion. "I felt so alone," I confessed, my voice barely a whisper. "Betrayed by the one person I thought I could trust, abandoned in a world that suddenly seemed so cruel and unforgiving."

"But you're not alone," Shilpa reminded me gently, her voice a soothing balm to my wounded soul. "We're in this together now."

Her words were a lifeline in the darkness, a beacon of hope amidst the wreckage of my shattered dreams. And as we sat there, our hearts heavy with sorrow yet buoyed by the promise of solidarity, I knew that together, we would find the strength to face whatever lay ahead.

As our tears mingled, I found myself drawn to Shilpa in a way I couldn't explain. Our breaths intertwined, our faces mere inches apart. I was unsure of what I was doing, but there was an undeniable pull between us. As I wiped away her tears, my hand lingered on her face, tracing the contours of her nose, her cheek, her lips. And then, without conscious thought, I leaned in, our eyes locked in a silent understanding.

In that fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still as our lips met in a tender embrace. It wasn't a kiss born out of desire, but rather a shared moment of solace, a silent reassurance that we were not alone in our pain. It was a gesture of solidarity, a silent vow to support each other through the darkness that threatened to consume us.

As we pulled away, our eyes met once more, a silent acknowledgment passing between us. In that brief moment, I felt a connection to Shilpa unlike anything I had ever experienced before. It was as if our souls had reached out to each other, seeking comfort in the midst of our shared turmoil.

And as we sat there, our hands intertwined, I knew that no matter what the future held, we would face it together. In each other, we had found a beacon of hope amidst the darkness, a glimmer of light to guide us through the storm. And as we sat there, lost in each other's embrace, I felt a sense of peace wash over me, knowing that we were not alone.

As soon as our lips parted, I felt the lingering warmth of her lips on mine, and a sudden realization washed over me. I had just kissed another woman. The shock of the moment hit me like a tidal wave, and I recoiled in horror at what I had done.

"What have I done?" I muttered, my mind racing with guilt and confusion. I quickly withdrew my hand from hers and scrambled to my feet, a sense of panic setting in.

"This... this isn't right," I stammered, my eyes darting around the room in a desperate attempt to regain my composure. "We shouldn't have done this."

Without waiting for her response, I rushed towards the door, my heart pounding in my chest. I paused for a moment, my hand hovering over the doorknob, before turning back to face her.

"Please," I pleaded, my voice trembling with emotion. "Don't tell Sethu that I know about... about any of this. I need time to sort things out before I can confront Shubha."

Shilpa nodded silently. With a heavy heart, I turned away and fled from the house, leaving behind a whirlwind of emotions and unanswered questions.

 

As I settled into my seat on the train, the weight of loneliness descended upon me once again. I felt adrift, with no clear direction on what to do next. My mind was consumed by the events of the day, replaying the unexpected encounter with Shilpa over and over.

When I had set out to reveal Sethu's betrayal to his wife, I had envisioned a scenario where she would confront him and hold him accountable for his actions. But instead, I found a woman who was even more shattered than I was. Shilpa's pain cut deep, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I had only added to her suffering.

 
As I contemplated Shilpa’s situation further, a deeper understanding formed: both Shubha and Sethu had been plotting to deceive their respective partners, all while successfully maintaining the false promise of a perfect marriage. I could only wonder how they could have blinded both Shilpa and me without giving a hint about the dissatisfaction they had perhaps been feeling in their lives.
 
Anger boiled within me as I grappled with the audacity of their actions. How could two seemingly rational individuals so coldheartedly disregard the sanctity of marriage? The more our lives had appeared perfect until the moment of this discovery, the more apparent it became that they had meticulously kept their secret. They had successfully fooled two families.
 
As time ticked away, I realized that I had been making a mistake by harboring any kind of hope, even subconsciously. The love for Shubha was ever present at the bottom of my heart, despite the horrible realizations. I had no idea why I was holding onto it. But if there was something that the meeting with Shilpa gave me, it was the ability to measure the darkness my loving partner had spread in my life. I could go on record to say that this was the moment everything changed. Alongside that, an undeniable sense of hatred had begun to take root, gradually eclipsing any remnants of affection I once felt. It was a bitter realization, but one I could no longer ignore — I no longer loved her.