02-05-2026, 08:01 AM
Chapter 92 - Fractured Warmth
Friday evening arrived with a strange calm.
Suresh called Sneha and picked her up. The car ride was quiet, the kind of silence that felt both comfortable and heavy. Sneha was hesitant to speak at first, but she eventually indulged in light grocery talk — what to buy for the weekend, Ramya’s favorite snacks, small domestic things. Suresh listened, occasionally replying with short, neutral comments.
They picked Ramya up from the hostel. On the way back, Suresh stopped at a nearby fast-food outlet. “Let’s treat our daughter,” he said casually. He didn’t mention his new job. He wanted to keep that hidden for now.
Gowtham had already returned from office by the time they reached home. He noticed Ramya immediately and played with her casually — lifting her up, teasing her, making her laugh. Sneha watched from the side. Gowtham was normal and affectionate with Ramya… but he hadn’t given her a single proper look in the last two days. She knew exactly why.
After dinner, Sneha approached Suresh. “No matter what, at least pretend to sleep in the master bedroom tonight. Ramya is here — she may feel odd otherwise.”
Suresh looked at her. “You are anyway going to sleep in Ramya’s bed with her. Why should I?”
“These days you are being very illogical, Sneha.”
Sneha smiled, still thinking it was playful banter. But deep inside, Suresh was torn. He didn’t want to hurt Ramya with their cold distance.
“Fine,” he said finally. “I’ll change my setup there. But don’t come and spoil it when I’m working.”
“Yes, Sir. Your order,” Sneha replied playfully, pretending to obey.
Suresh pretended to work on his laptop for a while, but the exhaustion from the new job caught up with him. He didn’t know when he fell asleep.
He woke up sometime in the middle of the night with Sneha’s arm wrapped tightly around his chest and her face pressed against him. She hadn’t gone to sleep with Ramya. It was unusual — on Fridays to Sundays, she always stayed with their daughter.
Suresh lay still, staring at the ceiling. I should tell her about my decision to divorce, he thought. Her behavior like this will break her heart when I finally reveal it.
A moment later, his arm moved almost involuntarily and wrapped around her. Why did we become like this? he wondered. We used to be so adventurous, so open… When did we start keeping secrets? When did we start going behind each other?
As much as he hated her for siding with Gowtham and setting rules, the warmth of her body against him made him feel helpless, heartless, and disgusted all at once. Disgust for her betrayal. Helplessness for how he would crush her emotionally when the truth came out. He slept restlessly, holding the last warmth of his wife.
The next morning, around 5:20 AM, Suresh woke up. Sneha was just opening her eyes, still curled against his chest.
“When did you come here?” he asked quietly. “Did you not sleep with Ramya?”
Sneha smiled sleepily. “I missed you for weeks. After Ramya slept, I came to check on you. Then a sudden feeling came — you will run behind business and make me feel like you’ve completely forgotten my touch. So I came and hugged you like I won’t let you escape me.” She laughed softly and dragged his face closer, kissing him on the lips unexpectedly.
Suresh missed the intimacy, but he was far from enjoying it. He broke the kiss midway. “I need to go for jogging.”
After he left, Sneha turned on the bed. She thought of Gowtham too — he must be sulking over her warnings. I should cool the young beast down on Monday, she giggled.
The morning routine followed. Suresh returned from his walk.
Sneha gave him coffee.
They had friendly banter, pulling each other’s legs like old times.
Sneha felt a small hope blooming inside her.
But she doesn't know, he is going to go towards far extend today that would break her.
While they were laughing over something..
A message arrvied in Suresh mobile,
Lawyer's text - Meet me noon at 3 PM.
Lets discuss over the divorce case.
Friday evening arrived with a strange calm.
Suresh called Sneha and picked her up. The car ride was quiet, the kind of silence that felt both comfortable and heavy. Sneha was hesitant to speak at first, but she eventually indulged in light grocery talk — what to buy for the weekend, Ramya’s favorite snacks, small domestic things. Suresh listened, occasionally replying with short, neutral comments.
They picked Ramya up from the hostel. On the way back, Suresh stopped at a nearby fast-food outlet. “Let’s treat our daughter,” he said casually. He didn’t mention his new job. He wanted to keep that hidden for now.
Gowtham had already returned from office by the time they reached home. He noticed Ramya immediately and played with her casually — lifting her up, teasing her, making her laugh. Sneha watched from the side. Gowtham was normal and affectionate with Ramya… but he hadn’t given her a single proper look in the last two days. She knew exactly why.
After dinner, Sneha approached Suresh. “No matter what, at least pretend to sleep in the master bedroom tonight. Ramya is here — she may feel odd otherwise.”
Suresh looked at her. “You are anyway going to sleep in Ramya’s bed with her. Why should I?”
“These days you are being very illogical, Sneha.”
Sneha smiled, still thinking it was playful banter. But deep inside, Suresh was torn. He didn’t want to hurt Ramya with their cold distance.
“Fine,” he said finally. “I’ll change my setup there. But don’t come and spoil it when I’m working.”
“Yes, Sir. Your order,” Sneha replied playfully, pretending to obey.
Suresh pretended to work on his laptop for a while, but the exhaustion from the new job caught up with him. He didn’t know when he fell asleep.
He woke up sometime in the middle of the night with Sneha’s arm wrapped tightly around his chest and her face pressed against him. She hadn’t gone to sleep with Ramya. It was unusual — on Fridays to Sundays, she always stayed with their daughter.
Suresh lay still, staring at the ceiling. I should tell her about my decision to divorce, he thought. Her behavior like this will break her heart when I finally reveal it.
A moment later, his arm moved almost involuntarily and wrapped around her. Why did we become like this? he wondered. We used to be so adventurous, so open… When did we start keeping secrets? When did we start going behind each other?
As much as he hated her for siding with Gowtham and setting rules, the warmth of her body against him made him feel helpless, heartless, and disgusted all at once. Disgust for her betrayal. Helplessness for how he would crush her emotionally when the truth came out. He slept restlessly, holding the last warmth of his wife.
The next morning, around 5:20 AM, Suresh woke up. Sneha was just opening her eyes, still curled against his chest.
“When did you come here?” he asked quietly. “Did you not sleep with Ramya?”
Sneha smiled sleepily. “I missed you for weeks. After Ramya slept, I came to check on you. Then a sudden feeling came — you will run behind business and make me feel like you’ve completely forgotten my touch. So I came and hugged you like I won’t let you escape me.” She laughed softly and dragged his face closer, kissing him on the lips unexpectedly.
Suresh missed the intimacy, but he was far from enjoying it. He broke the kiss midway. “I need to go for jogging.”
After he left, Sneha turned on the bed. She thought of Gowtham too — he must be sulking over her warnings. I should cool the young beast down on Monday, she giggled.
The morning routine followed. Suresh returned from his walk.
Sneha gave him coffee.
They had friendly banter, pulling each other’s legs like old times.
Sneha felt a small hope blooming inside her.
But she doesn't know, he is going to go towards far extend today that would break her.
While they were laughing over something..
A message arrvied in Suresh mobile,
Lawyer's text - Meet me noon at 3 PM.
Lets discuss over the divorce case.
![[+]](https://xossipy.com/themes/sharepoint/collapse_collapsed.png)