17-06-2026, 09:21 PM
Chapter 52: Hypocrisy at display
As Nikitha approached the house, she noticed a familiar car parked nearby. Her steps quickened.
The main door was slightly ajar. She rushed inside.
The sight that greeted her stopped her cold.
Sharmi was in the kitchen area, carrying a steaming cup of hot chaya and a small plate of lightly buttered bread toward the bed where Jay sat propped up weakly against the pillows. The setting sun’s rays poured through the windows, bathing everything in a fiery orange glow. Sharmi appeared almost like a silhouette — graceful, caring, backlit.
Nikitha’s heart stuttered. A sharp, irrational wave of jealousy crashed over her like a physical blow. Even though she had spent the day laughing with Tharun, winning prizes and making new memories, the sight of another woman — her own friend — caring for Jay in their home felt like a violation. Rage flooded her veins.
As Nikitha stepped closer, Sharmi noticed her and smiled warmly.
“Oh, Nikki! You’re back,” Sharmi said, sounding relieved. “I just rang the doorbell upstairs but no one answered. He was too weak — I found him almost fallen when I came down here. So I made some chaya and bread for him. Sorry if I overstepped.”
Nikitha forced a smile, but her fists clenched at her sides. The words Jay almost fallen did something in her head.
She moved instinctively toward Jay, her hand reaching out almost protectively before she caught herself.
Sharmi didn’t seem to notice the brief display of care.
“Why did you come here?”
Nikitha asked, keeping her voice steady. “I thought we agreed you would talk to him over the phone or something.”
Sharmi blinked innocently and pulled out her phone. “I got a new mail from the client this afternoon. The deadlines are really tight, and I found this address in the office records. I thought it would be faster to coordinate in person. First I went upstairs to meet you, and drag you here. but the door was closed. I Assumed you didnt yet come here. So I decided to check down here directly.”
Nikitha’s jaw tightened. Before she could steer the conversation away, Sharmi continued casually, right in front of Jay, “These days you’ve been quite attached to Tharun. Is everything okay with him? seems you too are progressing faster than i thought.
Jay shifted slightly on the bed, his expression tightening with visible discomfort. Nikitha felt a hot flush of awkwardness and panic. She signaled desperately to Sharmi with her eyes — not now, not in front of him.
Sharmi caught the signal and smiled smoothly. “Nikki, it’s our Jay here. He and Tharun are already a team. You both hang out in front of him — will this make any difference? Im speaking about new love birds before Jay”
Nikki was irriatted the way Sharmi behave right front of Jay.
Nikitha wanted nothing more than to settle her dresses properly at least, but the dress is in the shelf cupboard, she couldn’t risk moving things upstairs right now. Not with Sharmi here. It would dangerously expose the secret of their marriage.
Sharmi didn’t show any signs of leaving. Instead, she opened her laptop on the living area table and started working. “If Jay can give some inputs, I can coordinate with the team from here.” For the next few hours, Sharmi worked efficiently while Jay gave weak instructions from the bed. They had turned the space into an impromptu home office.
Sharmi glanced at Nikitha. “Why are you staying here, Nikki? Don’t you have work?”
“No you are alone with Jay right now, so I decided to stay,” Sharmi replied carefully.
“He’s a good man. You don’t have to worry about us. If you don’t have any serious work elsewhere, then stay.”
Minutes passed, When Sharmi was distracted in work. Nikitha slowly entered the bedroom area, took a simple nighty from the shelf and put it in her bag, and pretended to go upstairs. She changed quickly and came back down, trying to appear normal.
“I’'m going to cook kanji for him,” Nikitha said, do you want anything Sharmi?.
Sharmi looked up curiously. “Where is his wife? Shouldn’t she be here?”
“She’s abroad for work,” Nikitha said, keeping her tone even. “She spoke with me, so I’m helping out.”
When the work finally wrapped up around 8:50 PM, the kanji was ready.
Sharmi stood up with a gentle smile. “I’ll take care of giving him the kanji.
You can go upstairs and rest, Nikki.”
Nikitha’s jealousy burned hotter. She stayed rooted in place, watching helplessly as Sharmi got closer to the bed and fed Jay a spoonful with careful, tender attention. The sight of another woman caring for her husband like this made her feel utterly helpless and furious.
After Sharmi finally packed up and left, Nikitha closed the door and leaned against it, breathing heavily. She turned back to Sharmi just before she stepped out.
“Why are you taking such extra care of him?” Nikitha asked, unable to hold it in.
Sharmi paused, looking surprised but innocent. “He is alone and weak. I just helped him — nothing else. A short form of thanking him for his help when i was working under his team.. he is a great mentor.”
But Nikki, i know what you think.. I'm not looking for the place of Anjali. That's not my cup of tea.
Once Sharmi was gone, Nikitha acted like she was heading upstairs, but quietly came back down instead. She saw Jay had already drifted off to sleep, looking pale and exhausted.
For a second, she couldn’t believe her own double standards. She had spent the evening laughing with Tharun, winning prizes, making new memories… and yet the sight of Sharmi caring for Jay had infuriated her more than she could admit. Even if Tharun attracted her — even if things went further — she knew she wouldn’t stop thinking of Jay. But seeing another woman near him? It tore at her in ways she couldn’t control.
What a hypocrite I am, she thought bitterly. The house felt heavier than ever.
As Nikitha approached the house, she noticed a familiar car parked nearby. Her steps quickened.
The main door was slightly ajar. She rushed inside.
The sight that greeted her stopped her cold.
Sharmi was in the kitchen area, carrying a steaming cup of hot chaya and a small plate of lightly buttered bread toward the bed where Jay sat propped up weakly against the pillows. The setting sun’s rays poured through the windows, bathing everything in a fiery orange glow. Sharmi appeared almost like a silhouette — graceful, caring, backlit.
Nikitha’s heart stuttered. A sharp, irrational wave of jealousy crashed over her like a physical blow. Even though she had spent the day laughing with Tharun, winning prizes and making new memories, the sight of another woman — her own friend — caring for Jay in their home felt like a violation. Rage flooded her veins.
As Nikitha stepped closer, Sharmi noticed her and smiled warmly.
“Oh, Nikki! You’re back,” Sharmi said, sounding relieved. “I just rang the doorbell upstairs but no one answered. He was too weak — I found him almost fallen when I came down here. So I made some chaya and bread for him. Sorry if I overstepped.”
Nikitha forced a smile, but her fists clenched at her sides. The words Jay almost fallen did something in her head.
She moved instinctively toward Jay, her hand reaching out almost protectively before she caught herself.
Sharmi didn’t seem to notice the brief display of care.
“Why did you come here?”
Nikitha asked, keeping her voice steady. “I thought we agreed you would talk to him over the phone or something.”
Sharmi blinked innocently and pulled out her phone. “I got a new mail from the client this afternoon. The deadlines are really tight, and I found this address in the office records. I thought it would be faster to coordinate in person. First I went upstairs to meet you, and drag you here. but the door was closed. I Assumed you didnt yet come here. So I decided to check down here directly.”
Nikitha’s jaw tightened. Before she could steer the conversation away, Sharmi continued casually, right in front of Jay, “These days you’ve been quite attached to Tharun. Is everything okay with him? seems you too are progressing faster than i thought.
Jay shifted slightly on the bed, his expression tightening with visible discomfort. Nikitha felt a hot flush of awkwardness and panic. She signaled desperately to Sharmi with her eyes — not now, not in front of him.
Sharmi caught the signal and smiled smoothly. “Nikki, it’s our Jay here. He and Tharun are already a team. You both hang out in front of him — will this make any difference? Im speaking about new love birds before Jay”
Nikki was irriatted the way Sharmi behave right front of Jay.
Nikitha wanted nothing more than to settle her dresses properly at least, but the dress is in the shelf cupboard, she couldn’t risk moving things upstairs right now. Not with Sharmi here. It would dangerously expose the secret of their marriage.
Sharmi didn’t show any signs of leaving. Instead, she opened her laptop on the living area table and started working. “If Jay can give some inputs, I can coordinate with the team from here.” For the next few hours, Sharmi worked efficiently while Jay gave weak instructions from the bed. They had turned the space into an impromptu home office.
Sharmi glanced at Nikitha. “Why are you staying here, Nikki? Don’t you have work?”
“No you are alone with Jay right now, so I decided to stay,” Sharmi replied carefully.
“He’s a good man. You don’t have to worry about us. If you don’t have any serious work elsewhere, then stay.”
Minutes passed, When Sharmi was distracted in work. Nikitha slowly entered the bedroom area, took a simple nighty from the shelf and put it in her bag, and pretended to go upstairs. She changed quickly and came back down, trying to appear normal.
“I’'m going to cook kanji for him,” Nikitha said, do you want anything Sharmi?.
Sharmi looked up curiously. “Where is his wife? Shouldn’t she be here?”
“She’s abroad for work,” Nikitha said, keeping her tone even. “She spoke with me, so I’m helping out.”
When the work finally wrapped up around 8:50 PM, the kanji was ready.
Sharmi stood up with a gentle smile. “I’ll take care of giving him the kanji.
You can go upstairs and rest, Nikki.”
Nikitha’s jealousy burned hotter. She stayed rooted in place, watching helplessly as Sharmi got closer to the bed and fed Jay a spoonful with careful, tender attention. The sight of another woman caring for her husband like this made her feel utterly helpless and furious.
After Sharmi finally packed up and left, Nikitha closed the door and leaned against it, breathing heavily. She turned back to Sharmi just before she stepped out.
“Why are you taking such extra care of him?” Nikitha asked, unable to hold it in.
Sharmi paused, looking surprised but innocent. “He is alone and weak. I just helped him — nothing else. A short form of thanking him for his help when i was working under his team.. he is a great mentor.”
But Nikki, i know what you think.. I'm not looking for the place of Anjali. That's not my cup of tea.
Once Sharmi was gone, Nikitha acted like she was heading upstairs, but quietly came back down instead. She saw Jay had already drifted off to sleep, looking pale and exhausted.
For a second, she couldn’t believe her own double standards. She had spent the evening laughing with Tharun, winning prizes, making new memories… and yet the sight of Sharmi caring for Jay had infuriated her more than she could admit. Even if Tharun attracted her — even if things went further — she knew she wouldn’t stop thinking of Jay. But seeing another woman near him? It tore at her in ways she couldn’t control.
What a hypocrite I am, she thought bitterly. The house felt heavier than ever.
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