13-06-2026, 07:54 PM
Chapter 42: The Morning Aftermath, Smooth lie and the Notice Board.
The morning sun filtered through the curtains as Nikitha woke up. Her phone was buzzing repeatedly on the bedside table since last night. She picked it up and saw a flood of messages from Tharun.
Last night
Tharun: Still hot baby?
Tharun: Changed my mind. Should I pick you up?
Tharun: Slept well, sweetheart?
Mid night:
Tharun: You kept me up all night thinking about you.
Tharun: Thanks for the date. Can’t stop smiling.
Tharun: Tomorrow don’t cook in the morning. Let’s have breakfast outside tomorrow at 9.AM a popular place. I’m not asking you — I’m taking you, my love.
For a second, she stared at the screen. Then a quiet realization hit her looking at the word don't cook!.
This is my first real chance to prove I don’t love Jay anymore.
She decided she would cook only when she felt like it.
She had no moral obligation to take care of him when she was going out with someone else and when she consider him not to be a husband.
She got ready and she picked up a nice white cotton churidar, got ready, and waited for Tharun.
He had said he would reach by 9 AM.
Jay came out of the bathroom and noticed the kitchen was empty. No breakfast. No smell of food.
“Didn’t you cook for us?” he asked. “Are we going out?”
Nikitha replied calmly, “No. I’m going out with Tharun for breakfast. You should take care of yourself from now on.”
I would cook in house and you may have a share only when i cook for myself in this house.
Jay looked at her for a moment, then said softly, “Oh… new arrangements.
You’re proving that you don’t care for me, right?” you are not proving.
You are pretending to not caring on me.
Nikitha’s anger flared. “Do you know me? Do you that really know me?” she asked sharply.
Jay nodded. “Yes, very well. That’s why I’m saying this.
You’re doing this to prove you don’t care.
You feel you have no obligation to cook for me anymore.
You are taking a chance, its not natural, its pretending.
Am I right?”
His words hit exactly where it hurt. She had done exactly what he predicted.
She remembered the challenge. She decided not to talk further.
Jay took a bath and came out.
Nikitha was still waiting. Tharun hadn’t arrived yet.
She tried calling him, but it was busy.
Jay got ready and said, “Are you sure he will come? Should I wait for you?”
She replied coldly, “No. You can go. Tharun will come for sure.”
Jay waited a few more minutes. At 9:10 AM, he said, “It’s getting late. You need to eat something.”
Nikitha said, “Thanks for your concern. Tharun will take care of me. You can go.”
Jay left without saying another word.
After he left, Nikitha slowly went upstairs and waited for Tharun.
At 9:30 AM, Tharun finally arrived. He knocked on the door. She opened it.
“I’m sorry for being late,” he said apologetically. “I had an international client call.
Our MD routed it to me. I didn’t expect it.”
She said, “Okay, no issues.”
He said okay, on our way we will book some foods and have it in our office. Sorry, i will treat you better tonight!
She just nodded her head and said thats okay.
As they came down to the car, she said, “I don’t want food at the office. Unlike last time, we can’t drag the team again.”
I dont want people to speak about us.
Tharun replied, “We would get late if we go to any restaurant now. Parking, ordering, eating — it would take an hour.
We have some project deliveries at the company today. We are business department heads. We have to be there on time.”
I was actually planning to take you a place where you can have a new experience, or taste that wont leave your tounge..
a memory that would stay for long.
In this case, i worry we have to choose same near by hotels.
Nikitha know the hotels are one that she visited last night with jay and that lofty luxuirious star hotel, Tharun took in for date.
She asked, “I know a place. Will you be okay if you can join me?
It’s just a few minutes’ walk. The car can be parked midway.”
Its just a small hotel run by old lady, but the food the can give you memory you yearn for.
“I’m okay,” he said.
They parked 200 meters away and entered the same small hotel she and Jay had visited the previous night.
The old lady owner kind of remembered her. She had looked grand last night. Now she was in a simple churidar.
“Teacher, didn’t your husband come? Last night you both ate only a few idlis?” the old lady asked.
Nikitha responded quickly, “No, aunty. He went to the office.”
“Oh, who is this person then?” the old lady asked, looking at Tharun.
“My cousin,” she said and sat down.
Tharun asked curiously, “She called you teacher?”
“I’ll tell you in the car. Just ignore and have your food.”
The dosas, idlis, and two omelettes were extremely good. Tharun said he hadn’t tasted anything like this anywhere.
He asked, “Who suggested this place?”
She said in a low tone, “My husband.”
“Oh… he is abroad, yet he knows good local hotels?” Tharun asked.
She smiled faintly and said, seems like he knows"
Tharun continued.. the food we had last night at the luxurious restaurant… it was all fake. Just a show-off. We spent money for rich hospitality, but did you find any real taste? This is like home-cooked food. Real. This stays. Gimmicks like that don’t last long. They fade soon, but this kind of place stays. It may look boring and uninteresting, but only this lasts.
Im not saying this to please you, but real, see this gonna stay with my memory!
When Tharun said that, her heart skipped a beat. It almost felt like he was unknowingly comparing himself to Jay. Jay’s words "after sex it fades hit" her head again. Also the memory? She was stunned by herself. Two hotels almost same distance, she gone at same day, but only this she suggested and praised, Everything suddenly made her question her choice.
But she was determined not to let her mind flood with these thoughts.
When they returned to the car, Tharun asked, “Why did the old lady say you and your husband came last night and that you are a teacher?”
She laughed and said a smooth lie to hide the truth. “The old lady has bad vision. We don’t argue. We just say yes and move on.”
Both laughed.
They reached the office 10 minutes late.
As they approached the entrance together, there was a notice on the board.
Sharmi and Priya were looking shocked.
When Sharmi turned and saw Nikitha and Tharun coming together again for the consecutive day, her face showed clear worry.
Nikitha noticed a group of people standing around Jay, who appeared unusually idle at the end.
For a second, her mind struggled.
What is happening? Did Jay and my secret get exposed? Is the notice on the board is about that?
She looked at Sharmi’s eyes. The worry on her face made her suffer. She wanted to run and enquire, but her legs already felt weak.
The morning sun filtered through the curtains as Nikitha woke up. Her phone was buzzing repeatedly on the bedside table since last night. She picked it up and saw a flood of messages from Tharun.
Last night
Tharun: Still hot baby?
Tharun: Changed my mind. Should I pick you up?
Tharun: Slept well, sweetheart?
Mid night:
Tharun: You kept me up all night thinking about you.
Tharun: Thanks for the date. Can’t stop smiling.
Tharun: Tomorrow don’t cook in the morning. Let’s have breakfast outside tomorrow at 9.AM a popular place. I’m not asking you — I’m taking you, my love.
For a second, she stared at the screen. Then a quiet realization hit her looking at the word don't cook!.
This is my first real chance to prove I don’t love Jay anymore.
She decided she would cook only when she felt like it.
She had no moral obligation to take care of him when she was going out with someone else and when she consider him not to be a husband.
She got ready and she picked up a nice white cotton churidar, got ready, and waited for Tharun.
He had said he would reach by 9 AM.
Jay came out of the bathroom and noticed the kitchen was empty. No breakfast. No smell of food.
“Didn’t you cook for us?” he asked. “Are we going out?”
Nikitha replied calmly, “No. I’m going out with Tharun for breakfast. You should take care of yourself from now on.”
I would cook in house and you may have a share only when i cook for myself in this house.
Jay looked at her for a moment, then said softly, “Oh… new arrangements.
You’re proving that you don’t care for me, right?” you are not proving.
You are pretending to not caring on me.
Nikitha’s anger flared. “Do you know me? Do you that really know me?” she asked sharply.
Jay nodded. “Yes, very well. That’s why I’m saying this.
You’re doing this to prove you don’t care.
You feel you have no obligation to cook for me anymore.
You are taking a chance, its not natural, its pretending.
Am I right?”
His words hit exactly where it hurt. She had done exactly what he predicted.
She remembered the challenge. She decided not to talk further.
Jay took a bath and came out.
Nikitha was still waiting. Tharun hadn’t arrived yet.
She tried calling him, but it was busy.
Jay got ready and said, “Are you sure he will come? Should I wait for you?”
She replied coldly, “No. You can go. Tharun will come for sure.”
Jay waited a few more minutes. At 9:10 AM, he said, “It’s getting late. You need to eat something.”
Nikitha said, “Thanks for your concern. Tharun will take care of me. You can go.”
Jay left without saying another word.
After he left, Nikitha slowly went upstairs and waited for Tharun.
At 9:30 AM, Tharun finally arrived. He knocked on the door. She opened it.
“I’m sorry for being late,” he said apologetically. “I had an international client call.
Our MD routed it to me. I didn’t expect it.”
She said, “Okay, no issues.”
He said okay, on our way we will book some foods and have it in our office. Sorry, i will treat you better tonight!
She just nodded her head and said thats okay.
As they came down to the car, she said, “I don’t want food at the office. Unlike last time, we can’t drag the team again.”
I dont want people to speak about us.
Tharun replied, “We would get late if we go to any restaurant now. Parking, ordering, eating — it would take an hour.
We have some project deliveries at the company today. We are business department heads. We have to be there on time.”
I was actually planning to take you a place where you can have a new experience, or taste that wont leave your tounge..
a memory that would stay for long.
In this case, i worry we have to choose same near by hotels.
Nikitha know the hotels are one that she visited last night with jay and that lofty luxuirious star hotel, Tharun took in for date.
She asked, “I know a place. Will you be okay if you can join me?
It’s just a few minutes’ walk. The car can be parked midway.”
Its just a small hotel run by old lady, but the food the can give you memory you yearn for.
“I’m okay,” he said.
They parked 200 meters away and entered the same small hotel she and Jay had visited the previous night.
The old lady owner kind of remembered her. She had looked grand last night. Now she was in a simple churidar.
“Teacher, didn’t your husband come? Last night you both ate only a few idlis?” the old lady asked.
Nikitha responded quickly, “No, aunty. He went to the office.”
“Oh, who is this person then?” the old lady asked, looking at Tharun.
“My cousin,” she said and sat down.
Tharun asked curiously, “She called you teacher?”
“I’ll tell you in the car. Just ignore and have your food.”
The dosas, idlis, and two omelettes were extremely good. Tharun said he hadn’t tasted anything like this anywhere.
He asked, “Who suggested this place?”
She said in a low tone, “My husband.”
“Oh… he is abroad, yet he knows good local hotels?” Tharun asked.
She smiled faintly and said, seems like he knows"
Tharun continued.. the food we had last night at the luxurious restaurant… it was all fake. Just a show-off. We spent money for rich hospitality, but did you find any real taste? This is like home-cooked food. Real. This stays. Gimmicks like that don’t last long. They fade soon, but this kind of place stays. It may look boring and uninteresting, but only this lasts.
Im not saying this to please you, but real, see this gonna stay with my memory!
When Tharun said that, her heart skipped a beat. It almost felt like he was unknowingly comparing himself to Jay. Jay’s words "after sex it fades hit" her head again. Also the memory? She was stunned by herself. Two hotels almost same distance, she gone at same day, but only this she suggested and praised, Everything suddenly made her question her choice.
But she was determined not to let her mind flood with these thoughts.
When they returned to the car, Tharun asked, “Why did the old lady say you and your husband came last night and that you are a teacher?”
She laughed and said a smooth lie to hide the truth. “The old lady has bad vision. We don’t argue. We just say yes and move on.”
Both laughed.
They reached the office 10 minutes late.
As they approached the entrance together, there was a notice on the board.
Sharmi and Priya were looking shocked.
When Sharmi turned and saw Nikitha and Tharun coming together again for the consecutive day, her face showed clear worry.
Nikitha noticed a group of people standing around Jay, who appeared unusually idle at the end.
For a second, her mind struggled.
What is happening? Did Jay and my secret get exposed? Is the notice on the board is about that?
She looked at Sharmi’s eyes. The worry on her face made her suffer. She wanted to run and enquire, but her legs already felt weak.
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