[heygiwriter]

Chapter 60: Dangerous Questions


Sharmi sat at her desk, staring blankly at her screen. After discovering the wedding photo, she had intended to speak with Nikitha, but now she held back. What could she possibly say? “Hey, I saw your secret temple wedding photo on your husband’s phone”? No. She had no right to barge in without context.

Yet the more she thought about it, the more the puzzle consumed her.

Why would a couple who got married in such an unhappy rush still live together?
If they were truly miserable from the start, why not separate long ago?

Why did Jay get involved with Anjali, and why was Nikitha now drawn to Tharun?

It didn’t feel like casual thrill-seeking or fantasy exploration. This was deeper — something emotional had failed between them. Or perhaps it had never truly begun. But if they were so unhappy, why did they still orbit each other? There must have been happier times once. Something had gone wrong recently.

Everything started making sense.

The way Nikitha used to stare at Jay months ago. The disturbed look on her face whenever Jay took Anjali into the storage room. The cruel irony of colleagues gossiping that “Nikitha had eyes on Jay” — when he was her own husband. Sharmi’s heart twisted. How painful it must have been for her. Watching her husband with another woman while everyone whispered behind her back.

Her sympathy slowly shifted into quiet anger toward Jay.

Maybe Nikitha loved him crazily once. Maybe that’s why she’s running toward Tharun now — to escape the hurt.

And that explains why the once-bullish, energetic Jay has become so withdrawn lately… especially after Tharun joined and started sharing space with Nikitha.

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Lunchtime arrived. Nikitha walked over to Sharmi’s desk, her face tense and slightly panicked.
“Shall we have lunch together?” she asked, forcing a small smile.

Sharmi glanced at her, noting the unease in her eyes. But she wasn’t in the mood. “Not today, Nikki. I’m not feeling great — some family issues. Let’s catch up tomorrow.”

Nikitha looked disappointed for a split second. Her gaze instinctively flicked toward Jay’s desk. Sharmi didn’t miss it. That quick, almost involuntary look confirmed what she already suspected — Nikitha still carried deep feelings for him.

Unknown to Sharmi, Nikitha had approached her for a different reason entirely: to check whether Sharmi’s “morning laugh” was about the open-door kiss incident with Tharun. Seeing Sharmi’s distracted response, Nikitha felt a wave of relief. It probably wasn’t about that.

The more seconds passed, the closer Sharmi felt she was to the truth.

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Sharmi now had a clear plan. She decided to choose Jay to understand their story, not causing any discomfort. 

She wanted to have a lone time with Jay, so that she could confront him. She messed up her own program and seeked Jay Help. 

Later that evening, after Jay helped her fix a critical bug in her program, she turned to him with a grateful smile.

“You saved me today. Let me drop you home as thanks.
I already used your phone earlier — this is the least I can do.”

Jay shook his head. “No need. Nikitha usually drives me.”

“Let her take your car then,” Sharmi insisted warmly. “I’ll drop you. Consider it repayment for the phone and the bug fix.”
Jay studied her for a moment, then agreed, sensing her sincerity.

Sharmi quickly informed Nikitha that she would be dropping Jay home and asked not to wait, she said she indeeing going early as she had to travel somewhere. 

She caught the brief flash of unease on Nikitha’s face and smiled inwardly. You idiots… what kind of drama are you all playing?


The drive started slow. Sharmi’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, her mind racing. Jay noticed the unusually sluggish pace.

“Can’t you speed up a bit?” he asked. “Why are you driving like a snail?”

Sharmi stayed silent for a few more seconds, then spoke, her voice steady but firm.
“So… you lied.”

Jay frowned. “What?”
“You lied about speaking with your wife.”

Jay went completely still, shock flashing across his face. “How… how did you know?”
Sharmi continued, eyes on the road. “Everything you said was a lie. You and your wife are emotionally separated, aren’t you?”

The silence in the car became suffocating. Jay stared at her, stunned. “How did you know? How far do you know?”
A small, almost triumphant smile crept onto Sharmi’s lips. 


“Did she tell you…?”
Jay’s expression shifted from calm to ferocious in an instant. 

Sharmi looked at him, surprised by the intensity. “I didn’t speak to her—”

“Stop the car.”

“Stop the car. Stop this nonsense!” Jay’s voice rose sharply. He reached for the door handle.

Sharmi’s eyes widened in alarm. “Jay, wait—”

She turned to him, breathing heavily, shocked by his extreme reaction. “What the hell are you doing? Are you crazy?!”
Jay’s chest heaved. His face was a mixture of anger, pain, and vulnerability.

“What are you playing at, Sharmi? Do you think you’re smart enough to pull words out of me?”

Sharmi’s hands tightened on the wheel. She had underestimated how dangerous this topic was for him.
She realised he had treasured the secret, just merely telling about it turned him ferocious. 
She was not ready to handle him, luckily she didn't tell him fully that she knows. 
She decided to hide it.. 

 “No… I didn’t mean it like that. I just wanted to ask from what you said”

Jay reached for the door handle again, attempting to open it while the car was still moving.

Sharmi’s eyes widened in shock. “Jay!”

She slammed the brakes hard. The car screeched to a stop on the side of the road with a loud creek of tires.
The silence between them was thick and suffocating.

Sharmi realized she had stepped into something far deeper and more painful than office gossip.
Whatever secret Jay and Nikitha were hiding, it was clearly destroying them both.

And for now, she would keep her discovery to herself.