Adultery The Facilitator

[clearlover]

PART L


The anticipation for Diwali had been building for weeks, the festival symbolizing not just the victory of light over darkness but for Esha and Kunal, a chance to redefine their narrative. Their home was transformed into a canvas of light, with diyas lining every corner, creating patterns of hope and renewal. The air was thick with the aroma of sweets and savory dishes, the sound of laughter mingling with the chiming of bangles and the rustle of silk saris.

For Esha, this Diwali was more than tradition; it was a witness to her commitment to mend what had been broken. She had poured her heart into every detail, from the intricate rangoli at the entrance to the carefully curated playlist of bhajans and contemporary music. Kunal, inspired by her enthusiasm, had taken charge of the fireworks, their colors meant to erase the shadows of their past.

Aditya's joy was infectious, his laughter a balm to the unspoken tensions. Yet, beneath the surface of this festive veneer, Esha felt the weight of expectations, both her own and those she sensed from the guests, especially from Priya, who had arrived with a smile that seemed too knowing, too calculated.

Priya, with her gift of an exquisite piece of jewelry for Esha, watched the couple, her mind weaving plans. She had always been the orchestrator of change, the one who saw beyond the facade. For her, this Diwali was not just a celebration but an opportunity, a stage set for the next act in the drama she had been directing from the shadows.

As the guests arrived, filling the house with their voices and vibrancy, Priya's eyes never strayed far from Esha, waiting for that moment when the mask of the perfect hostess might slip, revealing the woman she knew was still wrestling with her desires, her past. The festival of lights was, for Priya, a festival of shadows, where truths could be illuminated or further concealed.

The Diwali party was in full swing, the house aglow with diyas, the air thick with the sound of laughter of guests. Esha moved through the crowd, her sari a vibrant splash of color, her smile a mask of the perfect hostess. Priya, ever the observer, caught her at the edge of the crowd, pulling her into a quieter corner where they could speak without the noise of celebration drowning them out.

"You've done well, Esha, really," Priya started, her voice warm but with an undercurrent of something more. "This party, your efforts with Kunal... it's like watching a phoenix rise from the ashes."

Esha, slightly flushed from the warmth of the room and the compliment, replied, "We're trying. It's not easy, but we're making progress."

"But are you, Esha? Really?" Priya's tone shifted subtly, her eyes narrowing in a way that suggested she could see through Esha's facade. "Or are you just playing the part of the happy wife?"

Esha's denial was quick, "I am happy, Priya. Kunal and I, we're finding our way back."

"To what, though?" Priya leaned in closer, her voice a whisper that seemed to carry more weight than the music and chatter around them. "To a life where you've locked away part of yourself?"

Esha's eyes flashed with a mix of defiance and uncertainty, "That's not fair, Priya. I've chosen this life; I want this life."

"But your choices, Esha, are they truly yours, or are they what you think you should want?" Priya's words were like a soft blade, probing gently but with intent. "You can't tell me you don't feel that pull, that whisper of what was missing."

Esha shook her head, her voice firm yet betraying a hint of doubt, "No, no, I don't," she protested. "Aniket is in the past. I've moved on."

"Have you, though? Because when you look at the lights, the colors, do you not see a shadow of him in every celebration?" Priya's words painted a picture, her manipulation subtle, like planting seeds in fertile ground.

Esha shook her head, "You're twisting things, Priya. I love Kunal. We're rebuilding something beautiful."

Priya smiled, a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "Beautiful, yes, but is it complete? You've always had this fire, Esha, this desire. Is Kunal enough to keep that flame burning?"

"He is. He's my husband, the father of my child," Esha insisted, her voice rising slightly above the murmur of the party.

"And yet, you've tasted something different, something wild. That doesn't just disappear," Priya countered, her words now a direct challenge. "You can't deny the thrill you felt with Aniket, can you?"

Esha's breath caught, her denial weaker this time, "I don't need that thrill. I have love."

"Love and desire are not the same, Esha. You can have both, you know," Priya whispered, her voice a seductive lure. "Imagine feeling that passion again, the liberation of your desires, without losing what you have here."

Esha looked away, her hands clenching the pleats of her sari, "That's not possible. It's not right."

"But why not?" Priya pressed, her tone now one of mock innocence. "Kunal loves you enough to want your happiness, doesn't he? And happiness isn't just about duty or roles. It's about freedom, about being true to all parts of yourself."

Esha's eyes met Priya's, a silent battle raging within her, "You're suggesting I betray him again?"

"I'm suggesting you embrace all that you are," Priya said, her voice a velvet glove hiding the iron hand of manipulation. "Isn't it possible to love Kunal and still acknowledge what you felt with Aniket? What you might still feel?"

Esha shook her head, her voice a whisper of defiance, "No, Priya. That part of my life is over."

"Is it, Esha? Or are you just afraid to admit what you truly want?" Priya's question hung in the air, the festive sounds around them now a stark contrast to the intimate, charged conversation between the two women.

Esha's resolve was visible in the set of her jaw, "I want this family, this life. That's what I choose."

Priya's smile was enigmatic, "Choice is a beautiful thing, Esha. But sometimes, we make choices out of fear rather than desire. Think about it. Just think about what you might be missing, what you might still crave."

The conversation ended there, Esha turning back to her guests, her mind a whirl of conflicting emotions, Priya's words like a whisper in the wind, planting doubts, stirring desires she thought she had buried. The celebration continued around them, but for Esha, the party had taken on a different hue, the lights of Diwali now casting shadows of her own internal conflict.

The last of the Diwali guests had left, leaving behind a house that felt both serene and charged with the unspoken. The smell of fireworks still hung in the air, but now it was the quiet intimacy of their bedroom that awaited them. Kunal had prepared something different, a surprise aimed at reigniting their connection. The bed was strewn with rose petals, the room lit by candles, casting a warm, inviting light. Soft, unfamiliar music played, setting the tone for a night meant to be transformative.

Esha, still dressed in her saree, felt a mix of anticipation and the lingering echo of Priya's words. She followed Kunal, her steps hesitant yet drawn to the promise of closeness.

"Tonight, I want it to be just about us," Kunal said, his voice earnest, his eyes seeking to pierce through the veil of their recent discord.

Esha allowed him to peel away her saree, the fabric whispering against her skin, leaving her in her undergarments, feeling both vulnerable and desired. Kunal's hands were tender, exploring her with a reverence that spoke of his intent to mend and explore.

"Let's make tonight unforgettable," Kunal whispered, his touch igniting a physical response in Esha, though her mind was a battleground of doubts.

She responded with a kiss, pulling him closer, trying to immerse herself in the moment. "Show me," she murmured, her voice a blend of challenge and longing, inviting him to erase the past with passion.

Kunal laid her down on the bed, the petals cushioning her, his body following, covering hers with warmth. He whispered into her neck, "I want to find you again," his words more a question than a statement, searching for the Esha he felt he was losing.

Their bodies moved together, Kunal trying to match the intensity he knew she needed, not from comparison but from a desire to connect. "Is this what you've been looking for?" he asked, his movements deep, his eyes locked on hers, seeking her truth.

Esha's response was a moan, her body arching into his, but her mind was a maze of thoughts. "Yes, keep going," she encouraged, her voice laced with the thrill of intimacy yet tinged with frustration at the complexity of her desires.

“Deeper, Kunal" she gasped, her hands guiding him, her body seeking the release from the tension of their past.

Kunal increased his pace, his movements fueled by a need to prove his love, his capability. "I'll give you everything," he promised, his voice a mix of desire and determination.

Yet, even as pleasure built, Esha felt a disconnect, a frustration that this moment was shadowed by memories of Aniket, by Priya's manipulative words. Why couldn't this be just about them? She tried to push these thoughts away, focusing on Kunal, on the love she knew was there.

"You're amazing," Kunal groaned, his body responding to hers, his efforts a dance between love and proving himself. He wanted to see the passion in her eyes, the passion he felt was his to reignite.

Esha closed her eyes, willing herself to feel only Kunal, to let go of the past. "Love me, Kunal" she whispered, her words a plea for simplicity, for the pure connection they once had.

Kunal kissed her with an intensity that spoke of his commitment to their love, his hands exploring with a purpose to find her heart. "I'm here, Esha, all of me," he insisted, his voice filled with the effort to bridge their emotional gap.

Their climax was a testament to their physical bond, but as they lay there, the afterglow mixed with Esha's internal struggle. She held Kunal close, her body satisfied yet her soul searching.

"I love you," Esha said, her voice carrying the weight of her complex emotions, genuine love mixed with a silent yearning for something she couldn't quite articulate.

Kunal, sensing the depth of her feelings, held her, his own heart heavy with the realization that he was fighting for something that might be changing. "I love you too, Esha. I won't stop trying," he whispered, his words a promise in the night, a commitment to explore all facets of their love.

As they lay there, the music faded into silence, the candles burning low, Esha felt the tug of her desires, the echo of Priya's words, and the undeniable love for the man beside her, creating a new, intricate dance of emotions as they navigated their way back to each other.


The next morning, Esha found herself sitting at the edge of their bed, the morning light casting long shadows across the room, mirroring the turmoil within her. The remnants of last night's Diwali celebration lingered in the air, the scent of incense and the faint echo of laughter, but it was the silent aftertaste of her conversation with Priya that clung to her thoughts. She looked at her reflection in the mirror opposite, seeing not just the woman she was but the one she had been, the one she might still be, if only in her mind.

The saree she had worn last night lay dbangd over a chair, a vibrant contrast to the subdued colors of her current mood. She had felt beautiful, celebrated, yet now, in the quiet of their bedroom, she felt the weight of her choices, of her desires, settling around her like an uninvited guest.

Kunal had been so earnest last night, trying to reach her through an intimacy they hadn't shared in a while. His touch had been gentle, his words a promise of reconnection, but there was a part of Esha that felt distant, as if she were watching their love-making from above, observing rather than participating. She loved Kunal, deeply, but was it enough?

She remembered the thrill, the fire she had felt with Aniket, a passion that had seemed to awaken parts of her she didn't know existed. With Aniket, Esha had been more than a wife, more than a mother; she had been a woman exploring her desires without the weight of roles. But that was a different time, a different chapter, one she had thought closed. Yet, the whispers of those moments haunted her, making her question if she had truly moved on or if she had just buried a part of herself under the guise of duty and love.

The house was quiet, Kunal having left early for work, leaving her with Aditya, whose laughter from the other room was a stark reminder of the life she had built, the joy she felt as a mother. But even that joy was tinged with complexity; she loved her son, loved her family, yet there was this gnawing hunger for something she couldn't quite name.

Esha picked up her phone, her thumb hovering over Priya's message from last night. She had ignored it then, but now, in the solitude of her thoughts, she opened it. The words were simple, yet they cut through her defenses: "You deserve to feel alive, Esha. All of you." It was as if Priya knew, as if she could see into the darkest corners of Esha's heart where doubts lived.

She felt a pang of betrayal towards Kunal, not for what she had done but for what she was feeling. How could she love him so much and still yearn for something more, something different? Was this yearn betrayal, or was it part of the human condition, to always seek more, to seek completion?

Esha went to the kitchen, her movements automatic as she prepared breakfast for Aditya. Watching him eat, his innocent joy at the simple act of having his favorite parathas, she felt a deep, protective love. This was her anchor, her reason to strive for normalcy, for peace. But just as quickly, her mind danced back to the forbidden, to the sensation of being utterly seen, desired in a way that transcended the everyday.

She sat with Aditya, helping him with his collegework, but her mind was elsewhere, replaying moments with Aniket, moments where she had felt free, where her desires had been her own. The duality of her emotions was exhausting; she wanted to be content, to find that in Kunal, but there was this echo of passion, this whisper of what could be if she allowed herself to explore.

Later, when Aditya was napping, Esha found herself alone with her thoughts again. She pulled out her journal, a private space where she could be honest with herself. Her pen moved across the page, words flowing like tears:

"I feel like I'm standing at a crossroads, where every path leads to a different version of me. One path is safe, known, filled with love and family. But what about me, the woman who craves, who desires? Am I betraying Kunal by even thinking this, or am I betraying myself by denying it?

I see myself with him, with Aniket, in those stolen moments of passion, and I feel alive, truly alive. But I also see the life Kunal and I have built, the love we share, and I'm torn. Is it possible to have both, to be both the wife and the wild heart? Or am I doomed to choose, to sacrifice one for the other?

Priya's words keep echoing in my mind, tempting me with the idea of freedom, of living fully. But what if living fully means losing what I have now? What if it means hurting Kunal, hurting Aditya?

I want to be a good wife, a good mother, but I also want to be Esha, not just in name but in spirit, in desire. Can I have it all, or is that just a dream for someone else, not for me?"

As she wrote, Esha felt the complexity of her emotions, the depth of her love for her family juxtaposed with the depth of her personal desires. She closed the journal, feeling no closer to an answer, but at least, in those written words, she had acknowledged her own heart's turmoil.

She knew she had to confront these feelings, not just for her sake but for the sake of her marriage, for Kunal, who deserved the truth, even if it was a truth complicated by love, desire, and the fear of what acknowledging those desires might mean for their future.


The days following her introspective journal entry were a blur for Esha. She moved through her routine with a sense of unease, feeling as though she was waiting for an inevitable storm, or perhaps longing for it. The house was silent, Aditya at college, Kunal at work, leaving her alone with her thoughts, which were as loud as the hum of the refrigerator.

She had just finished her morning routine, preparing to leave for her new job at another bank, when her phone buzzed with a message from Priya. Esha hesitated, her hand pausing over the phone. Engaging with Priya felt like stepping into quicksand, yet curiosity, or perhaps a masochistic need to face her own desires, compelled her to look.

The screen lit up with a series of attachments—photos and a video, all from moments she had shared with Aniket. One photo in particular captured her attention: Esha, laughing during a bank event before she moved to her new job, her face radiant with joy, Aniket's hand on her waist, his gaze one of adoration. It was from a gala they had attended together, a time when their affair was at its peak. The image was a vivid reminder of the passion she had known, the feeling of being wholly and unapologetically desired.

Her heart raced as she opened the video, a snippet of them dancing, their bodies close, moving in sync with the music, the chemistry between them palpable even through the screen. The caption beneath the video was a taunt: "Remember how alive you felt?" It was like Priya was reaching through the phone to stir the part of Esha she had tried to suppress, the part that craved more than what her life with Kunal offered.

Anger mingled with desire within Esha. She felt manipulated, used, yet there was this undeniable pull. She deleted the message, but the images were imprinted in her memory, haunting her. Priya's words echoed in her mind, a siren's call to a part of her she was trying to leave behind, especially now in the new chapter of her career at the new bank.

Esha paced the living room, her saree from last night now a garment of guilt. She wanted to confront Priya, to voice her anger, but what would she say? That she was furious for being reminded of what she shouldn't want? Or was she angry because Priya had voiced a truth she was avoiding?

The day stretched on with Esha in a whirlwind of emotions. She tried to focus on mundane tasks before heading to work, but her mind kept wandering back to those images, to the thrill of being with Aniket. She felt like she was betraying Kunal just by thinking about it, yet the betrayal was in her heart, not her actions.

By evening, when Kunal and Aditya returned, Esha had managed to compose herself, but the facade was fragile. She listened to Aditya's tales from college with genuine interest, but her laughter was forced, her smiles not reaching her eyes. Kunal noticed, his questions gentle, probing, but Esha evaded, not ready to share the storm within, especially not when her new job was adding another layer of complexity to her life.

That night, after Aditya was asleep, Kunal tried to connect with her, his touch seeking to mend the unspoken rift. Esha responded, her body moving with his, but her mind was elsewhere, with Aniket, with those photos. The intimacy was there, but it was tinged with her internal conflict, her body present but her spirit wandering.

It was then, in the quiet of their bedroom, that her phone buzzed again. Esha, lying beside Kunal, glanced at it, her heart skipping a beat. It was another message from Priya, this time with a photo of Esha whispering something into Aniket's ear, their faces close, the intimacy undeniable. The caption this time was more direct, "Why deny yourself what you truly want?"

Esha felt a surge of anger, not just at Priya but at herself for being affected by these manipulations. She wanted to scream, to tell Priya to leave her alone, but she also wanted to ask why, why did Priya feel the need to stir these waters? Was it jealousy, control, or some twisted sense of empowerment?

The next morning, Esha decided to confront Priya. She arranged to meet her at a café near her new bank, a neutral ground where she could keep her composure before heading to work. As she sat waiting, her hands clenched around her chai, she prepared herself for the conversation, for the battle of wills she knew was coming.

Priya arrived, her smile too bright, too knowing. "Esha, you look troubled. What's on your mind?" she asked, her voice dripping with feigned concern.

"You know exactly what's on my mind, Priya," Esha replied, her voice low but firm. "Those messages, those photos... what do you hope to achieve?"

Priya leaned back, her eyes assessing Esha. "I'm just helping you see what you've been ignoring. You've been living half a life, Esha. I want you to live fully."

"By pushing me towards Aniket? By making me question everything I've built with Kunal, especially now when I've just started at this new bank?" Esha's voice rose, her anger surfacing.

Priya's smile didn't waver. "You're not questioning it because of me. You've been questioning it since the moment you felt that spark with Aniket. I'm just showing you the truth."

Esha shook her head, her voice thick with emotion. "You're manipulating me, Priya. You're playing with my life, my emotions, like they're some game to you."

"I'm liberating you," Priya countered, her tone now cold, calculating. "You've locked away your desires for the sake of marriage, for the image of the perfect wife. But what about Esha, the woman, the lover? You deserve to feel that passion, that fire, again."

Esha felt her resolve falter, the truth in Priya's words hitting too close to home. "And what about Kunal, about Aditya? What do they deserve in all this?"

"They deserve a happy wife, a fulfilled mother," Priya said, her eyes glinting with something dark. "Or do you think you can keep pretending, keep suppressing what you truly want?"

Esha looked away, her eyes burning. "You're not helping me, Priya. You're destroying me."

"I'm showing you a path to your true self," Priya retorted, her voice a whisper of seduction. "If you can't see that, then perhaps you've already lost who you are."

Esha stood up, the chair scbanging back, her heart a mix of fury and fear. "Stay out of my life, Priya. Stay out of my marriage."

Priya watched her go, her smile morphing into a smirk of satisfaction. She had planted the seeds of doubt, stoked the flames of desire, and now, she would watch the drama unfold, believing she was doing Esha a favor by forcing her to confront her desires, especially now in the context of her new career.

Esha walked out into the city, the noise a stark contrast to the quiet turmoil within her. She felt manipulated, her emotions toyed with by someone she had once considered a friend. The photos, the memories, they were now weapons used against her own peace of mind.

She knew she had to talk to Kunal, to share her turmoil, but how could she explain this without breaking what they had? The thought of losing everything they had built was terrifying, yet the thought of denying herself, of living with this constant craving, was equally daunting, especially now when she was trying to establish a new identity at her new bank.

Priya had become the weed in her story, not just for reminding her of what she missed with Aniket but for making her question her worth, her happiness, her very identity at a time when she was seeking new beginnings. Esha realized that her battle was not just with her desires but with the manipulation that threatened to redefine her life. She would have to find her own path, one that honored her love for Kunal and Aditya but also acknowledged the woman she was, the woman she wanted to be, in both her personal and professional life.