[Harry Jordan]

Hello Everyone , This is Harry Jordan.

I am new to this site and new to writing in general but reading some good stories in this site tempted me to try my talent in storytelling so I am creating and sharing this story with you all.

I will be exploring a lot of themes with this story so I warn readers to not expect sex in every chapters. There will a little of voyeurism explored in this story but let me make it clear , this won't be a cuckold story. There will be some good amount of extra marital affairs and relations that will be explored but at the end of the day I am writing this story to add many elements in it. There will be action , drama , some thriller , maybe some graphic violence and moderate amount of sex.

So without further ado , lets begin this incredible journey.

                                                                                                               LOVE SEX AND WAR : AGE OF DARKNESS

                                                                                                                                              CHAPTER 1

AUGUST 11 2009.

Somewhere in a remote place in Azerbaijaan. There was smoke , dust and ash everywhere. A complete devastation filled with rubble , some sort of green gas enveloping the entire place. People were coughing , some where suffocating to death. Most of them looked like well armed soldiers but now succumbing to their injuries and leaving the mortal world. The place appeared to be a big industrial factory but everything is burned to the ground and this green gas is enveloping all of it. From that smoke , a burned hand comes out and a man's groan and scream is heard that echoes in that entire region.

16 YEARS LATER.

The night sky was glittering with the stars and the lights were emanating from the Mumbai skyline. There was an eerie silence in the midnight as a container truck arrived at an abandoned warehouse near the port. A well postured but shady man walked out of the truck as the truck was parked in a hidden spot in that warehouse. He wandered the warehouse and on one part of it ,he opened the shutter of a godown to show a big collection of guns that were mostly old but some new that has been catching dust. He walked through another shutter that had weird packets which had a logo that looked like Satan with horns. 

The man came to the light as he used his phone and called someone.

"Sir , this is Abhimanyu. I have stashed the truck and surveiled the warehouse. This is something far more bigger than you think. Even in the security officer force there are people that are having sleepless nights because of this container missing. This warehouse is loaded with guns and drugs sir."

He was looking around to see if anyone is in close proximity. But the entire place looks deserted and abandoned. But Abhimanyu was getting the feeling of being watched.

"Only I know the location of this place sir. As you instructed I haven't disclosed it to anyone else. My superiors are asking for me sir so I have to go so I will keep you posted."

He ended the call and got back on the truck as it disconnected the trailer container there and drove off. The truck drove off from the warehouse and into a  deserted road and disappeared into the night as darkness engulfed the warehouse in this deepening night.

FEW HOURS LATER , THE MORNING AFTER.

The next day. The sun rose over Mumbai, lighting up the horizon and waking up the economical capital of India. On one of the high rise residential buildings of Bandra , Hemant Kumar was drinking his tea looking to the view of the Mumbai skyline and the sea far. He could see a few boats driving against the waves going to the sea while someplace he could hear the sounds of the railway announcement coming from the metro station that is located in some distance from here. The sounds of taxi cabs and buses honking really emanated the feeling that Mumbai was waking up.  

He took a few breaths enjoying the feel of the morning cold air of Mumbai. This has always been his morning routine. To wake up and drink some tea and come and stand in this balcony and enjoy the amazing view of the city. It helped him in thinking that his struggles in the past was worth it. It was a huge gamble he made in owning his flat but it was worth it. And now he feels contempt. Everything was worth it now. He just stood there enjoying his tea like an average working man. It was the look of a simple man. 

A man standing there appreciating where he is in his life right now. Everyday it is the same sight , but for some reason repeating this in every morning seems like a muscle memory now. And today the climate was beautiful , it was after all the madness post Diwali and things have simmered down. But at the same time the December cold has came knocking on the doorstep as what was once a warm gush of winds that always hit this balcony has now been replaced with cold breezes. Sipping hot tea in that cold gave a balancing feel to his body. The few was wonderful , it was until now. But then out of the blue he heard a sound. 

The sound of an eagle , that immediately turned his now calm and comfort environment into a nightmare. He closed his eyes and he could hear cries , people screaming. He heard men falling down getting choped and hit. He rubbed his head and opened his eyes and he was back to normal. He looked around and the morning view was just like he saw moments ago. Though the eagle flying in the sky made him a little uneasy. He took some deep breaths and walked back into his house. That few moments of disturbance , it always upsetted him. But lately he has been able to cope with it. He thought he had overcame it , but he hasn't. He just ignored that traumatic episode and went inside the house.

He slowly walked inside from the balcony as he noticed the local news channel running on TV. He decided to see if there was something interesting going on as he turned up some sound.

'Additional Director General Of Mumbai has stated in his press conference today that the rise of Drug Mafia has once again made its footing in Mumbai. The city has been believed to be a hub for not just known local drugs but dangerous foreign drugs as well. ADGP has instructed the citizens of Mumbai to be cautious and report any illegal activity they encounter anywhere in the city. He also states that a big syndicate is behind this and further investigation and breakthrough will eventually bring the real culprits to justice.'

He lowered the sound after hearing the headlines after which he heard the laughter and singing of his son Karan who was in the dining table singing along his favorite song. Seeing his darling boy all happy has always made Hemant forget any problems in his life. His wife Sonarika, 32, looked radiant in the morning light. Her hair, was down, making her look less strict. She was busy with the breakfast for the day cooking away in the kitchen.

 

Sonarika was making pakodas. The sizzling sound of cooking filled the air. Hemant watched her as he sat on the dining table near Karan. He always loved this sight , the sight of Sonarika and the way she brings her professionalism from her work life into her house when it comes to cooking , but here there is no one to judge. Just two admirers of her. Usually the kitchen is always supposed to be a wife's domain , but Hemant didn't have that mindset. On occasion they have shared the food making duties. Although since Sonarika had a more linear work life with less work hours , she tends to get more time for doing the house duties. She moved easily in her gym clothes after spending an hour working out at a nearby gym of their house. 

 

She soaked the grains, chopped onions, and mixed her special spices, the kitchen filling with the sound and smell of cooking. Hemant loved the smile she always emits when she does her work. Hemant carefully set the table, placing everything just right. Karan helped by setting out forks, happy to be part of the routine. 

 

Hemant watched, not just the pakoda but how lovingly she cooked. This is a regular sight for him but it never gets old , all this memories he keeps it cherished in his mind and heart. To an extent this was the best form of comfort to his heart. She would occasionally look up to him and she would raise an eyebrow taunting his stare. In response he would only smile more. This was their flirting , no words , no body contacts. Just the contact of souls and emotions

 

While Sonarika worked on their breakfast. Hemant was making a cup of coffee for Sonarika , this was his way of giving compliment for her hardwork in kitchen.

 

Sonarika served the pakoda, golden and tasty. Hemant poured coffee, its smell adding to the breakfast aroma. He added the right amount of sugar and stir and gave the cup to Sonarika to drink. Sonarika sipped one and she felt rejuvenated. She believes there is definitely some magic in her husband's eyes.

"Mmm...I'll never get over the taste of your coffee hubby.." Sonarika said with a smirk.

"Well...it is what a loving husband should do.." Hemant countered.

"I wish I could express it to you right now , but Karan is right here.." Sonarika said with a grin. 

"Whoops that is right." Hemant responded as they smiled at each other knowing what they mean't.

 

They ate, feeling warm and close as a family. Hemant and Karan's praise made Sonarika happy, she liked the queen treatment the two important males in her life gave to her. That is when Anjali comes from the bedroom after her shower and greets the couple. Their family breakfast was more than just eating, it was their time for stories and laughs. Hemant told tales of his day, which thrilled Karan, who listened with wide eyes. It was a coping mechanism that Hemant built , he loved the enthusiasm Karan had hearing his stories. This short stories made him revisionize his dark past and made his inner turmoil and pain subside. And he loved how much his son admires him and feels captivated with his stories.

 

After eating, Sonarika cleaned up, she went into her room and she put on her work clothes. She wore her usual black suit that gave her an ideal office worker vibe , her thoughts were focused on work now. She had some big important work opportunities coming in her way and she intended to give it her full dedication and make it work. She took a few breather adjusting her low make-up and her costume as she sighed and got ready to leave for work.

When she returned to the hall , she saw Hemant helping Karan with homework. Between them , Sonarika had the early shift so she had to leave first. Anjali , Karan's nanny was still eating her food now. Once Hemant leaves too , it is Anjali who takes care of Karan and sends him to college and recieves him and bring him home. She is a great nanny, and Karan likes the company of his Anju Didi.

Anjali was the daughter of Sonarika's father's close friend. In many ways , Anjali and Sonarika are basically sisters and were raised in a common setting and household in  New Delhi. Sonarika brought her here because she wanted to study medicine and she was enrolled in a nearby medical college and she was doing night classes. That way she could take care of Karan and work on her studies. Hemant treats her as his little sister and ties rakhi from her every year. 

 

Sonarika looked at Karan and sees despite of his age , he has attention and interest in his studies. A part of her is glad that Karan never became the pampered and naughty child she feared he could be. When her work colleagues often in the past talk about the pressure and pain in parenting raising a young one. Sonarika thanks the fate that Karan wasn't like that , he was quiet a screamer during his much younger days but as age developed he became more calmer and a smiling one for that. In a way she thanks Hemant being the father because she remembers how her co-workers would say their husbands would at times be frustrated and be mean to their children. 

But Hemant was different. He always dealed Karan with patience and determination. He always found time regardless the situation for him and was always present when he needed him. There was a slight jealousy in Sonarika since she believed that the boy childs often tends to be close to their mothers but Karan always go gaga over Hemant. He sees his father as his hero , and to some extent it was true. Sonarika sees the same dedication and humility Hemant has in Karan. 

Karan never showed frustrations with homework and he was always enthusiastic about knowledge. Hemant would often joke to her that his son might become a rocket scientist to which Sonarika would retort he loves the kitchen maybe he will become a world known chef. Karan himself changes his ambition every week because everything he sees , he likes to become one. His childful banter and innocent postures often brought smiles on the couple. 

Hemant's smile was a quiet promise of their love. Sonarika hugged Karan. 

"Give Mummy a kiss.." Sonarika moved her cheek to Karan.

"Ummmaaaa..." Karan happily kissed his mother.

"Study well my little prince....See you Karan.." Sonarika said.

"See you mumma!" Karan said as he leaned down and wrote his homework.

Sonarika turned to Anjali.

"Is his tiffin ready?"

"Its already done Didi..."

"Okay...don't stress about your studies...you are doing better than expected Anju...see you in the evening...bye.."

"Bye didi..."

As Sonarika was walking to the front door , Hemant followed her. When they reached the door and stood past it , Sonarika turned to Hemant.

"So...is there no goodbye for me?" Hemant enquired mimicking a sad puppy face.

Sonarika responded by grabbing his face and kissing him hard. He wasn't expecting that kind of a response. Sonarika soon separated her lips from his. Hemant struggled a bit to maintain some composure.

"What did I do to recieve such a wonderful gift this morning?" Hemant asked with exasperation.

"I needed something extra to boost my confidence..I have a big client coming today so I needed much more than a coffee..."

"I know you will do well my Sona.."

"Thank you my Hemant.."

Wishing each other goodbye , Sonarika walked away. She reached the lobby and got on her car and started her drive to her workplace. Driving to work, Sonarika thought about her team, her clients, and her strategies. But mostly, she thought of Hemant and Karan, who were her rocks of confidence. 

The drive to her office was  a short one after all Hemant bought their apartment with her convenience in mind. Within 30 minutes she arrived at Tanishq office. This was her first  year as the COM (Chief Operations Manager). Behind the reception desk Anushka greeted her with a smile as she greeted her and walked in. Then she was greeted by Pragya , Gayathri , Pooja , Aniket , Vishnu and then Tejas. Among the co-workers Tejas is often called Romeo Tejas because he hit on all women in this office and got rejected. It was not like he was bad , but he had a few flaws and his flirting was pretty over the top. Sonarika herself once slapped him which eventually led to him be a good boy. Everyone interacted for a few minutes after which Sonarika went to her cabin and sat on the chair taking a breather. Today was indeed a big day because there is a new investor coming interested in using Tanishq's brand and resources to style the interiors of a hotel they're building. The company was indeed a big name , Bajaj Corp. And the company's vice chairman himself Mr. Vikram Bajaj is coming today to evaluate and see what Tanishq can provide him with.

Vikram Bajaj's direct involvement made it a bit nervous for Sonarika. But then she looked at her family photo she had placed in her table and every worry in her faded away. It was the pick they took on their vacation last year to a beach in Pondicherry. Sonarika focused on her work and revised her presentation. She waited in anticipation as time went by. Soon she was notified that Vikram Bajaj is here so she took her presentation and arrived at the conference room and prepared herself.

She was curious at first on whether it will go well or not. But soon she focused on herself and she stood there motivated ready to welcome the clients. The conference room door opened and in walked Vikram Bajaj , Sonarika was a little intrigued. She has spend a few years in Tanishq and all the clients she had met had this old washed up features. But he was different , he looked like a celebrity. Dressed in a nice blazer suit along with a matching tie looking like a multi-millionaire and he was rightfully so. His complexion somewhat matched Sonarika's as he looked radiant and graceful. The moment he saw Sonarika , he was in a trance of some sort. He had a tough time to look away.

It felt weird for Sonarika to see a man who looked this presentable and charming suddenly staring down at her like a pervert. But it only lasted for a few seconds as soon the man closed his eyes and came back into his senses. The man then moved his hand forward to Sonarika for a handshake.

"Good morning Mr.Vikram Bajaj."

"Good morning and please call me Vikram"

Sonarika gracefully started her presentation. She went through each intricate details with well choosen words to make sure that Vikram understood what her explanation was. She used Venn diagrams and charts , video presentations to show what made Tanishq what it is today. Vikram was really impressed by the presentation , he was aware she didn't have experience in this post for long , but she was showcasing herself as a ten year plus veteran. He was impressed by her easy narration and detailed structure of her presentation. The man that once oogled her when he came was now impressed by her professionalism.

Vikram had his share of dealing with experienced and inexperienced people, but he seemed to like Sonarika's fresh approach , he could easily notice the confidence that emanated from her. Even though it seems she memorized her points , she still didn't budge in explaining the key factors in her presentation. He asked questions to see if she falters.But  Sonarika answered with confidence and he was impressed seeing her respond without taking much time and keeping the professionalism in the same level. 

 

"I only need the resources for the interiors of my hotel" Vikram stated, his tone neutral. "Why should I choose Tanishq?" 

 

Sonarika took a deep breath. "Tanishq is not just a leading brand in India , but in the world as well." she said, her eyes sincere and boosted with her work experience. 

"We don't want to say everything we touches turn to gold , but our products and influence of the brand has indeed created masterpieces around the world. So to answer your question , there isn't a better choice than Tanishq" 

 

They talked about Vikram's hotel infrastructure. Sonarika suggested certain ideas, her approach was very much in detail and pointing out some of the things she believes will make this collaboration much more profitable. Vikram listened, his questions were sharp, he was quiet impressed to see her understand his work style and his design ideas. Sonarika too was impressed with his dedication to his assets. He could've easily sat on the chairman chair and let others do his work but he was more involved in these projects , which definitely sparked an admiration towards him in Sonarika.

Her co-workers outside on occasion looked into the conference room. They could see Sonarika and Vikram engaging in long conversations. They were all impressed by how Sonarika handled herself. The old team leader in her was clearly doing it in full swing. But now being COM to the office has really boosted her work ethic. 

 

When the meeting ended, Vikram stood, his face slightly nodding in agreement. "Alright , looks like this will be a good collaboration" he said, shaking her hand. "Good job, Ms. Sonarika."

 

"Thanks for this chance, Mr. Vikram. Looking forward to working with you" Sonarika said, her handshake firm this time, feeling more confident. 

 

Vikram left, and Sonarika sat back, feeling the weight of what lay ahead but also happy with another successful investment to the company. She also left a relief that the meeting went well and she has impressed her new client. Her superiors were happy and Sonarika gave a short party to her team members in the company cafeteria. As the team members were celebrating with her. A female figure was watching all of them from a distance. It was Meghna Mathur , Sonarika's childhood friend who works in the same building but in a different office , she is a journalist and is working for Mirror News Network that prints newspapers called The Mirror and also have their own news channel Mirror Today. Sonarika noticed her and smiled as Meghna too smiled back.

Meghna and Sonarika often meet here and talk their day and life progresses. Sonarika often liked her company because Meghna was always a much more confident woman. Meghna boasts herself to be a feminist and often showcases her frustrations with the patriarchy and other male related issues with women. She was surprisingly one of the biggest detractors of Sonarika and Hemant's marriage. Meghna often undermines Hemant's qualities and insinuates to Sonarika that she has made a mistake with Hemant. But Sonarika never took it seriously , because she has always loved and felt loved from Hemant.

Everytime Meghna would complain about Hemant , Sonarika would start to embrace him in her heart more. In a way Sonarika and Hemant arranged their own marriage , years ago they met through common friends on a date night. But ever since they met they would share their hobbies and likings and slowly they developed their relationship. Eventually it was Hemant who proposed marriage to her. Sonarika never had that feelings with Hemant but he was always a wonderful human. She loved his company and liked his approach. In many ways he had that liberal mindset , to share the responsibilities of marriage with someone. Sonarika decided to test him and they lived together for 6 months which made her realize that Hemant is the man for her.

She learned to love him and he always loved her. What attracted her more to him is how much he respected her boundaries. In those six months , he never even once tried to initiate a physical intimacy with her. Hemant had always been a very comforting and supportive partner. She had often joked and teased him for his lack of taste in fashion because he is always dressed in covered and long hand clothes. Everything changed post marriage , when the intimacy started between them , they couldn't keep their hands off of each other. Sonarika still cherishes her early few months of marriage ,  the sex they had was nothing short of fantastic. Their intimacy was on overdrive. She still remembers their honeymoon on the Kerala backwaters where they spend a night on a house boat and the boat driver heard her screams of pleasure that night. The next day was slightly embarassing considering the driver's constant giggles and Hemant's teases.

Sonarika always teased him telling him that they might've conceived Karan on that night. Hemant would tease right back saying its not true because he knows they concieved Karan on a morning at their home in the kitchen when Anjali went outside to hangout with friends. And he would corroborate it with his math and calculation on Karan's conception. Sonarika sometimes feel miffed by it but she knows Hemant does this only to have a friendly banter with her as a couple.

She always sees Hemant as a rock in their relationship. Bringing the stability in their life and promoting balance in the relationship. He was her biggest hype man , always supporting and motivating her to do better and thrive. She was looking forward to share this recent success with him tonight when she gets home.

Compared to Sonarika's worklife , Hemant's worklife was quiet different. Hemant worked at Quadron Innovations located at the heart of the city. He worked as the Senior Data Configurer with enough work pressure associated with it. But then last year he got his much needed promotion and became a project manager which Hemant celebrated by taking Sonarika and Karan for a short vacation at Pondicherry beach last year. 

Yet despite that , Hemant never pushed for more luxury in himself. He had the money to buy a vehicle but he chose not to because he feels the Metro transit provides him convenience and avoid the traffic issues of Mumbai. He instead saved those money for Karan and Anjali's future educational progresses. His down to earth behavior also brought great admiration between Quadron workers for him because despite of being in a higher position he never showed the ego for it. His humility was his greatest feat.

But he was not devoid of any  office shenanigans. The company's new COO , Priyanka. She had started with Hemant together in Quadron almost 12 years ago , but fate has it 12 years later. She ended up sitting in the higher seat of COO (Chief Operating Officer) of Mumbai sector while Hemant could only reach the level of a Project Manager. Regardless , Hemant never showed disappointment or any type of issues with Priyanka. On the contrary , he was appreciating her hardwork. Priyanka wanted to hate him , but she also had struggles of her own. At times she felt envious seeing his deep love to his son. Somewhere in his banters , she could see her own dad who left her at a young age with a terrible illness. His love for Karan sometimes mirrored her dad's affection towards her. So deep down she couldn't hate Hemant but rather admire him from a distance and never show it. 

This love/hate relationship between them continued in that company. Hemant also had an assistant for his work in Disha who was working as a Senior Analyst. Hemant saw her as his protege and often guided her and showed her the ways of the work. There were voices among the employees gossiping behind Hemant's back calling him he was the "Monkey with a gbang" proverb. Disha was a ravishing woman with a body to die for , men have often oogled at her long legs and she often wore skirts to her office. She had that ideal look of a hot secretary that a fat boss will be enjoying in the side. In this case , Hemant is the fat boss. But Hemant never saw Disha in that way , but he was aware of such gossips and never was bothered with it. Hemant rather had other concerns. The change in his body has somewhat started to create some problems with his health and his life. Many times he thought he must improve his physique but he would either get too much involved in work or other things and he ends up forgetting it. Hemant was waiting for that right time and motivation where he can start pushing himself to improvement.

 

It was strange for the senior members and Priyanka herself to see Mr. Vardhan Gupta one of the founders of Quadron and now member of the Board Of Directors always treated Hemant to a higher regard. Hemant had no family ties with Vardhan neither he was from another rich family either , but Vardhan often treated him as a son , gave him all sorts of privileges and amenities. He even tried to gift Hemant luxury condos and lavish apartments way above his paygrade when Hemant was house hunting before his marriage , but Hemant insisted on buying on with his own expense. Hemant was given the opportunity to become a rich guy's frat boy son in this office and rule. But he never did that , matter of fact Hemant only used those privileges to gift the under-apprecciated work employees. Which is why many senior members and ex workers of Quadron see Hemant as an ideal person.  

Hemant wasn't bothered by petty gossips behind his back and always chosed to ignore such stupid things. Though there was some exhaustion , he felt he was exhausted in life but Sonarika always brightened him in his life and he always found the right energy to work and live stronger and move forward. Many times his close friends and employees have seen him struggling or maintaining composure in the past. But ever since his marriage and becoming a father , Hemant had evolved into a mature person in the company. Many people see him as a beacon and a source of strength and they all know they can reach upto him when they are in trouble because he has a kind heart.

In the noon when there is lunch break , Hemant would visit the nearby Crossword book shop to either window shop some books or buy one. He wasn't into reading much but Sonarika's has birthed this hobby in him. And like every visit in the last few months , he would be greeted by a beautiful woman sitting in the reading room area noticing him and smiling. For some reason  , Hemant felt a familiarity in her face but he simply couldn't place where he could recognize her. He took his book and left the place still trying to piece the puzzle with that mysterious woman.

When Sonarika left her office ,  her thoughts would shift to home, wondering whether both the males in her life had a good day as well. Sonarika returned to Hemant's warmth, Karan's tales. Returning to them and to their home brought a sense of calm and serenity she craves and that gave her the necessary distraction and relief from all the work obligations. This new role felt like her own spa; it was proving she could balance her life's many parts. Hemant and Karan provided the much needed relief she craved right now. 

 

Their dinner is always fun , Karan usually does his banter and finished early. Once he is done he goes to the TV and watches his favorite cartoons. Sonarika and Hemant would then discuss about the day , their work progress. This sharing is what made their work life a much easier task. Both of them talked to each other about certain issues they face in work and they find a solution from one another or they discuss about it until there is one. As they finish their dinner , Anjali returns home after their night class and she then sits with Sonarika and Hemant to discuss her study progress. In a way , Hemant and Sonarika acts as parents to Anjali and is now a part of their family. 

As the night progresses they start to get to their sleeping arrangements as Anjali and Karan sleep in their kids room. Sonarika and Hemant then have a small pillow talk in the bed about other social things and stuff after which they both go to bed to their much needed sleep. For both Hemant and Sonarika this was their daily life.

LATER THAT NIGHT SOMEWHERE IN MUMBAI.

Mumbai Cops have sealed a section to the side of a highway as a news journalist was giving her report of the incident.

'It seems like crime and Mumbai will keep their cold blooded bond of blood as a horrifying murder has rocked the city. Law Officers has retrieved the body of what they claim to be an Undercover Officer who was investigating the nexus of a Drug Mafia now rumored to be growing in Mumbai. Law Enforcement Officials and their representatives have refused to give the victim's identification to the public as they believe this will harm their ongoing investigation ,  though they have voiced strong actions will be taken against the culprits reponsible for this when they are caught. This incident oddly is co-incident to the press conference of the ADGP in the morning where he raised concern about this same alleged Drug Mafia now growing its root again in this city. But now this tragic incident only seems to denote that this will probably end up to be a serious threat to the city before its too late'

The cops made sure the media never reached the place the body was lying. Onto the side of the highway is a gutter flowing as forensic experts and investigating officers were evaluating the scene. They all were standing and doing their work as the lifeless body of Abhimanyu dressed in the same clothes he had last night was lying on the ground lifeless drenched in his own blood with stab and slice marks all over his body.

                                                                                                                        END OF CHAPTER 1.

[Harry Jordan]

Hello everyone , hope you liked chapter 1. I shared this chapter 1 early because I wanted the readers to get familiar with some of the characters in the story along with the main characters of Hemant , Sonarika and Vikram. Now I hereby showcase to you the plans for my story.

As you can see from the title , it is a Part 1 , which means this is part 1 of this saga of Love , Sex and War. There will be a part 2 which will conclude this whole saga. Each part of the saga will have only 10 chapters. I just shared with you the first chapter which means part 1 will conclude after the coming 9 chapters. Then the next part 2 will have another 10 chapters to conclude the story in whole.

As for when I will update Chapter 2 , honestly this is my first attempt so I want this to be special. So it might take between 1 and 2 weeks. But if things develop in a better way then you can expect an early surprise. However , I won't give you false hope and want you guys to be patient and give me time so that I can write it in the best way possible.

I hope you guys really enjoy this story and stay tuned to see where this ride goes!


With Love ,

Harry Jordan.

[Harry Jordan]

                                                                                                                             CHAPTER 2


A few days later , both Sonarika and Hemant got a half day break. They decided to have some time of their own and went to the nearby beach in. During their walk , they had some casual conversation but most times it was regarding work and other social issues. As it was getting dark they decided to leave for home.

As they were walking through an isolated place in the beach. They both ended up in the close proximity of some anti-social elements. They were hurling whistles and light abuses seeing Sonarika. Hemant shielded her as they maintained some distance.

"Ohoh...baby...why are you wasting time with this fat loser...come with us...we will show you the whiteness of heaven in the darkness of this night.."

Sonarika raged up , she was about to pick a fight of insults with them but Hemant played the peacemaker. Luckily for them a bunch of security officermen were patrolling at that spot and they took those men into custody. Hemant was relieved as Sonarika was miffed with the whole experience. That whole evening , Sonarika was a little upset but she hid her dissappointment and coped with it.

The next day , she was having lunch at the office cafeteria with Meghna when she noticed Sonarika looked a little off today.

"What's wrong with you Sonarika today?"

"What?"

"You seem a bit off...I can say that.."

"Its nothing....something about yesterday evening.."

"What happened?"

"Ugghh...me and Hemant went to the beach for some quality time and when we were leaving we were targeted by some anti-social elements..they were hurling abuses..I got mad but thankfully the cops were there...that incident just pisses me off.."

"So...what did Hemant say"

"He remained calm , he insisted we avoid them and I obliged..."

"So are you angry that Hemant didn't reaact?"

"Come on Meghna...I know Hemant...he cannot even hurt a fly...he always like seeing the good in people.."

"Is that so?"

"Why do you think Karan is so sweet...he learns that from his father"

"Yes but don't you think as a husband he should be a bit more...defensive about you?"

"He does that....but he also hates violence...and I like that quality about him..he is the perfect antithesis to my rage"

Meghna made a mental note about that new info. They talked on other things but Meghna was curious about this new detail regarding Hemant.

The next day , Hemant was busy in his work along with Disha when his company had an unexpected visitor. It was the face that employees here had a tough time tolerating to. It was Sandeep Gupta , the rat boy son of millionaire Vardhan Gupta one of founders of Quadron and Hemant's big mentor. Hemant shared the same frustrations everyone had there with him.

"Hemant the MASS...how are you man" Sandeep said ignoring any decent decorrum. Even Disha was startled by his sudden interjenction.

"Hello Sandy...didn't knew you were in the city...you can get to work Disha.."

Disha stood up and walked away as Sandeep shamelessly oogled at her.

"Looking rad Deetz....movie tonight?"

Disha smugged in disgust as she walked away.

"Sandy...that is inappropriate.."

"What? I am just asking for a movie night? Its not like I asked her number?"

"Still that is not the right way to behave in a workplace"

"I own this place.."

Hemant started to feel a bit tensed with his antics.

"Sandy...you don't...your father is a BOD member.."

"Which means this is my company...I am your future boss.."

"Key word..Future.."

Sandeep was silent for a while after that and his demeanor changed quickly.

"Did you just insult me"

"That is not what I mea---"

"FUCK YOU!" 

Sandeep screamed and threw a glass full of water placed on the table straight to Hemant's face. All the employees were startled. Sandeep kept screaming obsenities as guards came and escorted him away.

He kept threatening that Hemant's day in Quadron is done. Priyanka came and consoled Hemant.

"I am sorry for this.."

"Its okay Priyanka...somehow I am getting used to this.."

For Hemant this was the usual , Sandeep always found ways to insult Hemant on important occasions.

"Do you think he was serious with that threat?"

Hemant giggled as he looked at Priyanka.

"Isn't this like the 5th time he threatened that? And I am still here!"

Everyone went back to work and Hemant sat in his cabin waiting for the water to dry up. Though sitting in a wet cloth really made some discomfort for him. Reluctantly Hemant took halfday and walked to the CrossWord bookshop to buy a book he was interested in. And co-incidentally he liked one book but it turns out another person was grabbing the same book. Hemant was startled but he moved to find out who it was. The person came forward to him , it was the same woman that often smiled to him when she noticed him.

"Sorry you can take it if you want"

"No I don't think that is fair"

"No..its alright...I am interested in this specific book...just the theme.."

"If that is the case....then can I recommend another one for you?"

"Sure.."

"Have you read this?"

"No.."

"Then you should...I'll be done when you're done with this..."

"Really? How so?"

"I am kind of a fast reader!"

"Heh okay.."

That was when the woman noticed the wet shirt in Hemant.

"What happened?"

"uhh...nothing....an unusual encounter with the boss's son.."

"Ohh...if you don't mind my place is nearby....we can fix this fast.."

"That would be an inconvenience.."

"Would be a bigger inconvenience walking with a wet shirt like that.."

Hemant thought for a few seconds.

"Really...you wouldn't mind.."

"I won't...besides it better than just looking at each other at a book store.."

"Alright..I'll come....but only if I know your good name first.."

The woman looked back at Hemant with a smile.

"Seriously Hemant?...you still didn't recognize me?"

He was stunned when she told his name , she was not a stranger. Hemant's intuition was right , she was a familiar face.

"I am really sorry...but I am seriously having trouble.."

Hemant said rubbing his head failing to not identify her. The woman put her hands on her hips and she said.

"Ohh...Hemant...is this what you always want to be....Cheater...Cheater...Cheater!"

The moment she said those words , Hemant's face completely lit up. There were multiple emotions going through. He covered his mouth with his hand.

"OMG...Oh my....Tammu...Tammu....Tamanna!"

The woman was finally identified , Tamanna. Hemant was at loss for words.

"I mean..I..uh...get....Oh my god...its been..like 15 years!"

"Yeah..and here I thought I was a good friend to you.."

"Yeah but my good friend had a telescopic glasses and a bridge on her teeth and...horns?"

They both laughed as they reminisced their old college days. Hemant continued.

"How could I recognize...then you had all that....and now...you look like a Supermodel!"

Tamanna only blushed in response as there was an awkward pause between them. Then she noticed his wet shirt.

"Looks like you had a mishap"

"Yeah...a small skirmish in the office...I was on my way home when I thought of getting a book.."

"Is your home far?"

"Somewhat. I have to board the metro"

"Like this?"

"What choice do I have?"

"Okay how about you can come to my place and I can help you dry this thing and we can catch up to old times.."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course , its been a while so...we can pass time better.."

"Cool.."

Soon Hemant started following Tamanna as they walked to her place located nearby. Hemant deduced she must be doing well in life considering she has a place to live in the most expensive part of town.

Tamanna lived in a luxury apartment nearby , they arrived at her place and Hemant was quiet impressed by her setting. Even though it was smaller than his flat , it had much more designer furnitures and lavish interior.

"You have a killer place."

"Thanks , I guess this was one benefit of being in Advertising."

"You work in Advertising."

"For starter yes , now I run an Ad Studio...you might be familiar , its called Dhrishti Studio"

Hemant was stunned hearing that name.

"Woah! You mean the people behind that new ad for the Mobile Brand?"

"Yup , that's us."

"Oh my god! congratulations on that success , you are doing a great job!"

"Thanks but most credit goes to my crew , they're some real hardworkers!"

Hemant smiled as he looked around. Soon Tamanna came with a robe.

"Wear this and remove your shirt , I'll dry them off."

Hemant was shown the way to a bedroom where Hemant changed to the robe and removed his shirt and gave it to Tamanna. She took it to the washroom as Hemant explored the living room. He noticed there were some photos of Tamanna , and then surprisingly he saw the photos of a little girl with Tamanna. She looked cute , and Hemant could see some facial similarity of Tamanna on her. So he deduced she might be her daughter. But oddly enough there is no photo of her 'husband'. But that doubt was soon gone when he noticed the photo of a man posing with Tamanna and a baby which he deduced might be the daughter since this was an older photo. Tamanna soon returned to the living room.

"Your daughter looks beautiful.."

"Thanks..."

"She seems to be the same age as my boy"

"You have a son?"

"Yeah..his name is Karan.."

"That explains this.." Tamanna said pointing to Hemant's body.

"What do you mean?" Hemant asked puzzled.

"Your dad body. The Hemant I knew would never look like this.."

"Yeah I guess fate works in different ways...back then I looked good and here I am...and you were at your nerdy best and here you are looking like a heroine"

"Not gonna lie I am surprised about this as well...the Hemant I knew was very much into fitness...guess fatherhood took that away.."

"I guess...I didn't notice it until some of the old folks of ours didn't recognize me.."

"I won't blame them...you were after all the college hearthrob!"

Hemant slightly blushed hearing complements like that.

"Though I am surprised by this change in profession..last I remember you were on your way to enlist in the army....and now here you are working at a different field completely"

Her enquiry made some discomfort in Hemant , he felt some flashbacks of his past , but surprisingly he was able to overcome those thoughts when he thought about his wife and his boy. That made him feel better than he is able to overcome those memories.

"Oh right...yeah things didn't work out that well.."

"What happened? If you don't mind me asking." Tamanna pushed further upon her curiosity.

"Well , its one thing to serve and another to actually do , I was stationed at a forward operations base when I saw my fellow soldier die in front of my eyes , then I faced another terrrible terror attack , at that moment the fear really kicked in for me and I cowered. I ran away , making it clear to my superiors that I was unfit for military. They were gracious enough not to court martial me and I didn't seek any benefits. Those memories , they were a permanent nightmare in my mind. Until I met Sonarika."

"Sonarika?"

"My wife.."

"Ohh..the mother of your boy.."

"Yup and the love of my life...she brought the light when I was engulfed in darkness..with her I learned to live again and I restarted my life getting rid of my dark past...since then life has been fun..."

"I can see that..I see the glow in your eyes when you mention her name" Tamanna teased him.

Their conversation went on about their other friends from their college and their whereabouts. They reminisced on old and new things but above all Hemant enjoyed the company of Tamanna. Before he left her place , he promised to see her daughter Shraddha next time. But as he was leaving , Shraddha arrived from her college. Tamanna saw the cold stare she had as Tamanna tried to cheer her up

"Shraddha , this is Hemant uncle , your mom's old college friend!"

"Hey young girl , nice to meet you!" Hemant gestured his hand forward for a handshake. 

But Shraddha only stared him back as she soon walked away from them and into the bedroom and closed the door. Tamanna looked upset on Shraddha's behavior. She regained her composure and talked to Hemant.

"Sorry Hemant , Shraddha is not exactly that welcoming to new faces"

"Hmm , so she is definitely her mother's daughter" Hemant said trying to lighten the mood.

Tamanna smiled back as both soon said goodbye to each other as Hemant left Tamanna's place. As Hemant noticed that his shirt has been fixed , he ditched the idea of going home and instead returned to his office.

A day later , that night, while tucking Karan into bed, Sonarika was thinking about the idea of escaping Mumbai's noise. 

Upon coming to bed , she asked Hemant.

"Hemant? How about we surprise Karan with a trip to Matheran this weekend?" 
 
Hemant, always up for family adventures, was all in. "Sounds perfect. Karan will love it." 
 
Karan was ecstatic that weekend when he learned what his parents were planning for him. The weekend came with the excitement of a family outing. They packed Karan's games and art stuff in the vehicle. They had hired a separate ride with a driver for this special weekend. The drive was filled with Karan's chatter, his eyes bright with anticipation. 
 
Arriving in Matheran, they were greeted by cool mist and fresh air. Their cottage, with its big windows overlooking the hills, felt like the perfect spot for family time. Karan ran around the garden, his laughter bouncing off the hills, while Hemant and Sonarika exchanged satisfied looks. Karan wanted to go for trekking but Hemant couldn't since he was not fit like his past self and let Sonarika and Karan go together while he stayed back.
 
That was the first reminder in Hemant's life that his fitness has been really affected. He often turned blind eye when others pointed it out but today the realization hit him. He was really loosing the groove he once had. In a way deep in his heart he felt hurt , realizing that his dear son Karan never saw him at the height of his physique. He always wondered whether he should return to his old glory but then those nightmares will still come. He has at most times learned to overcome it , but he always wished he could get rid of it completely.


The days were simple and joyful. Sonarika and Karan did two more hikes without Hemant , she once again told Hemant to consider loosing weight. But Sonarika also made sure Karan doesn't feel sad with his father not around and that paved the way for some wonderful mommy and son moments. Karan claimed that one of his friends father told him to be better friends with Karan and push for Karan's mother to be more indulging in Karan's academics. Sonarika could understand the insinuation and she was somewhat miffed , not because some man was attracted to her , but the man is using his son as means to get close to her. She always hated men with those kind of mindsets. Half the reason she fell in love with Hemant is because he was the complete opposite of these kinds of men. 

Sonarika was aware of the office gossips and the kind of things they have said about Hemant and Disha. Even once , Meghna too implied that sentiment , but she trusted Hemant and she knew his heart , he could never see another woman in the same way as herself. Plus , all the times Hemant has talked about Disha , he always talks about her talent and work ethic rather than her looks. Hemant sees an ideal student of his in her , and he genuinly wants her to succeed in life which is why he often mentors her and shows her the right way. But lately , Hemant's overweight has definitely started to bring out problems in their life. Hemant has started to develop breathing problems and struggles to do treks like this. They've been to Matheran before their marriage and Hemant then competed with Sonarika in trekking and he used to do it with ease. Now , he cannot even dare to walk. Sonarika noticed that their life has somewhat mellowed him out. He has become very reserved and not bothering with others. Sonarika kind of like that attitude but she is afraid this much mellow will bring some serious problems in his work life in the future. 

Sonarika remembers how non-chalantly Hemant described the incident in his office this week where Sandeep ruined his shirt and threatened to throw him from the office. Now this has happened before , she still remembers the one time Sandeep openly flirted with her and insulted Hemant which resulted in Sonarika slapping him harshly. Since then Sandeep always managed to stay away from Sonarika , but she is now very much bothered with the cool attitude of Hemant. Hemant has the company founder Vardhan's support and he can handle this swiftly but Hemant never utilizes it. 

Her mind was soon distracted when she saw Karan almost going near the edge of the cliff as she stopped him and told him never to go there. They enjoyed the sight for a while after which fog and cloud started to engulf. Upon returning to Hemant , they went to a nearby bird sanctuary whered Karan had a good time with the birds. He really liked the "tookie tookie" bird he likes from the movie "George Of The Jungle" , the great hornbill. 

After spending the rest of the day in the woods , they returned to the cottage. Karan was soon taking charge engaging in a board game with Sonarika and Hemant. He explained his strategies which only made the couple happy seeing their son's bold ideas.

After a few hours of board game , it was dinner time and they had it together as a family. They soon called Anjali who couldn't be part of this trip because of her extra class. Hemant expressed his disappointment in not having her here which only made Sonarika beam with pride. Anjali was often treated as an outsider since Sonarika's childhood. Her parents raised Anjali after her father was diagnosed with a terminal illness and her mother passed away during her birth. It was the one thing Sonarika had always fought with her mother for. She always treated as an outsider despite of Sonarika's father and Sonarika herself treating her as a sister.

But everything changed for the better when Hemant came in her life. Hemant basically adopted Anjali as his own sister and was very much involved with all of her progresses. There were times when Anjali would confess she feels greatful she has a brother in Hemant Bhaiya now , often crying in joy. And that only made Sonarika to love Hemant even more. He was in many ways a perfect family man or trying to be. But in her eyes , he was pretty successful in family matters.

 
As Karan was painting after dinner, Sonarika talked to Hemant about work. "I've got this new big client. If it goes well it will make the company a lot of bank!" she said, her eyes shining with pride. 
 
"That's great" Hemant replied, genuinely interested. 
 
"It's a massive investment for Tanishq , and everyone has high hopes on me to make it work " Sonarika said. 
 
Hemant squeezed her hand, smiling. "You're doing amazing, Sona." 
 
Sonarika felt grateful, leaning in for a soft kiss, appreciating his support. 
 
Evenings were spent by the fire, Karan's laughter blending with the wood's crackle. Sonarika read stories, her voice comforting, while Hemant watched, heart full, cherishing their time together. 
 
One night, with Karan asleep, they sat outside. "This was a great idea" Hemant said with his arm around her. "A needed break." 
 
Sonarika agreed, resting against him. "These moments remind me what's important. No matter how busy work is, this" she gestured to the peaceful view. "is my calm." 
 

"You know something interesting happened this week." Hemant said with an excited tone.

"What is it?" Sonarika asked curiously.

"I met an old friend..Tamanna..she was my collegemate...she is here with her daughter running an advertising studio in the city...the best part is her studio is the one who did that famous mobile ad I've shown you.."

"Is it? That is awesome. She is a wonderful woman it seems."

"Yeah , but there is also something curious"

"What is it?"

"She had some photos in her home of her family , but a good chunk of them only had herself and her daughter. There is only one photo of her husband."

Sonarika was intrigued by that information. 

"Maybe her husband might be socially awkward? Some people don't like things like that."

"I wondered the same thing , but I also noticed the strange stare and sadness in her eyes when she saw me looking at the photo. Then I also met her daughter and she was way too cold for a child , just staring at me like I am some villain. It was strange."

Sonarika thought about this extra information and she concluded her thinking around it.

"Maybe they're divorced , and they might've had a messy divorce in that matter. Which is why there is so much depression in their behavior. She is probably masking her emotions with smiles and stuff."

"That makes sense , but it was really weird getting that kind of reaction from that little girl...I always enjoyed interacting with kids but that...that made me a little sad.."

"Don't worry Hemant , she will come around once she notices your charm and manners.."

"Maybe...but I am happy though.."

"Why?"

"Tamanna enquired about my past"

Those words from Hemant brought the look of worry in Sonarika's face. Hemant only smiled looking at her and responded.

"And for the first time , I didn't feel anything about that past. Because I had the best medication for it."

"Really? and what is that?"

"This , the memories of my wife and my boy , two people that make me feel proud of what I am today than what I was in the past."

Sonarika smiled in response and leaned forward to kiss her husband in his lips. Within seconds they were smooching intensely. When they separated , both were taking deep breaths.

Sonarika got up and went inside to peak and saw Karan was still asleep on the bed. Sonarika then returned to Hemant with a grin on her face as she extended her hand to him. 

"Come with me Husband."
"Where" Hemant asked with curiosity as he got up.
"Someplace no one will notice us....someplace just for us!" Sonarika giggled.

She led him away from the fireplace and into the woods nearby. Karan was deep asleep in his slumber while his parents were busy making out with each other in the woods behind a tree. They were partially nude and Sonarika was now planted to the tree wrapping her legs around her husband's waist as Hemant was thrusting into her.

"aaahhh.....aaahhh.....aaahhh..." Sonarika moaned with each penetration as she caressed his hair sharing her breath with his. 

Hemant slowly started to show his trouble with breathing but he was too engulfed in this moment with Sonarika that he couldn't care less. This sex wasn't fuelled by sexual thrill , but by the unconditional love they have for each other. She wasn't bothered by his struggled breathing , she just hoped that Hemant could hold on until she could find her own release.

Their moans were both louder, words stopping between them, his body acting on memory with what she liked; he could never forget as her hand fell from his and went to the back of his neck, squeezing him, just as her cunt did. He was struggling but he went on going hoping that he satisfies her.  

A desperate look shared as their eyes met. Everything coming to a head as he didn’t hold back from her. She came around him hard and quick, feeling her squeeze around him, a cry from her lips that is for him only. Hemant couldn’t help but find the joy in the moment. To finally give his wife an orgasm after a long time. Then his own release found him moments later, spilling himself inside of her, another mark that he was all too happy to leave her with.  

It was such a romantic moment for them. He stayed buried in her for a while and not think of anything else. She loved that closeness with him , it was no longer the feeling of sexual relief , but more like embracing their love for each other.

After their tryst , they dressed up and returned to the cottage and joined Karan in the bed and slept together.

Packing up to head back to Mumbai, they felt the sadness of leaving Matheran, knowing they'd soon return to the daily grind. Hemant started to feel the struggles of his health and his breathing conditions , and he realized he was loosing his grip in his fitness. The doubts started to mount him and he was hurt when he realized he might've upset Karan and Sonarika because of his terrible health and not joining them in their treks. In a way he started to get the feeling that this was a wake up call. A wake up call to get a hold of his life together.

They were back in Mumbai and the couple was back to their usual grind. But there was some big changes in Sonarika's lifestyle ever since her promotion.


Next week, Sonarika was getting ready for her meeting with Vikram, she had all of her strategies planned out. Her desk was covered with notes and graphs. She was keeping it in order and in a way so that Vikram could understand what her ideas and processes are. Vikram arrived right on time, he handshaked with Sonarika and was looking around seeing all the paperwork and diagrams showing her hardwork and talent. Vikram was quiet impressed by her confidant approach and her professionalism.
 
"Please, sit" Sonarika said, her voice calm, her smile professional. She felt more assured since their last talk. 
 
"Thanks" Vikram said, his voice neutral. 
 
Sonarika jumped into an update on his investments. "I've went through your hotel floorplans and graph closely. Here's what I've noticed from your architectural designs" she said, showing him graphs, highlighting where his money was growing or at risk. 
 
Vikram paid close attention to the proposal she was implementing ,  he questioned her proposal with precision , seeking whether it is feasible. "How do you deal with the glacing process?" he asked, looking at her intently. 
 
"Your glacing requirement is quiet low and we have trusted third party fraternity that are experts in this functions." Sonarika replied, pointing to a slide. She explained her plan for the glass structures creation process while taking into consideration the transportation that is needed to be done, watching his reactions. 
 
They kept it all business. Vikram nodded at her thoroughness, his next questions digging into her strategy. "What's your plan for the sculptures?" he asked, genuinely curious. 
 
"That is where some good pool of resources will be poured , that will be done by state of the art sculptures who are well known in the market thus making sure to give your hotel the masterpiece of a well known artist as a trademark design." Sonarika said, giving him her proposal of the sculptures which will be built in the hotel premises itself. 
 
Vikram looked over her suggestions, his face serious. "Good work" he noted, showing he respected her effort. They discussed further, Sonarika quick to respond when Vikram threw in certain hurdles that might be formed in processes like these, suggesting ways to protect his investment, her confidence based on her knowledge. 
 
As the meeting ended, Sonarika felt proud of how she'd shown her skills. Vikram stood, saying, "Thanks for the insights, Ms. Sonarika. Really looking forward to our collaboaration." Sonarika shook his hand, professional to the end. "Thank you, Mr. Vikram. Though we will have to wait and see the final result to see if our collaboration does it work." 
 
As Vikram left , Sonarika's superiors were very happy with her progress and showered her with complements. These things were new to Sonarika , all this attention. Lately she hasn't been getting to spend time with her old crew and it seems things weren't looking good. The superiors once chastised them to behave to Sonarika like a boss. And to be honest , there was some blame on them. Tejas decided to throw his weight around since Sonarika was their boss now but Sonarika didn't like this one bit and this culminated in an embarassing situation last week when a senior executive from the head office insulted Tejas in front of everyone in the office. Even Sonarika was blamed in her cabin saying that she is going easy on her subordinates because they were her friends.

And then meeting up with Meghna and seeking her advice didn't help her either. Meghna insinuated the same sentiments of her superiors but used nicer words. 

"Look I am not saying to cut them off completely , just make it clear that you are not someone for them to boast about and claim as some trump card in office politics."

"I've spend almost all of my work life with them in Tanishq Meghna , wouldn't that make me a terrible person?" Sonarika asked worridly.

"If they think of you as some means to manipulate then in their eyes yes , but not in general. At the end of the day Sonarika , its every person for themselves. And you are in a position of power now , don't let them control your process , they are not the manager you are , they are suppose to follow your way so make them. Be a responsible leader and show them the right path"

This conversation created further confliction in Sonarika but she decided to find some common ground and explain to them that her situation. The company was hosting a party to celebrate this special day so everyone was invited. Sonarika decided to bring Hemant with her on this occasion so Hemant put on his best suit to the party while Sonarika wore a golden colored saree. Anjali didn't have a night class for the day which eased the situation for Sonarika and Hemant.

They arrived at the party and it was a grand affair. Hemant was stunned by the setting. The restaurant, chosen for its quiet luxury, was set for a team dinner celebrating a recent win, suggested by Vikram. Sonarika saw it as a chance to show her friendship and compatilbility with her co-workers outside the office. 
 
Walking in, she was met with the buzz of chatter and people in expensive attire. Vikram was already there looking absolutely dazzling and attractive in his blazer attire. Seeing Sonarika, he walked over with a warm, professional smile. Hemant was too lost in the grandeur of the party
 
"Ms. Sonarika, glad you could come" Vikram said, his handshake firm. He noticed Hemant and his somewhat disshevelled look making it clear that he put his costume in a rush and no attention to the display. 
 
"Thanks for inviting me, Vikram. Nice place" Sonarika replied, her smile sincere, her eyes scanning the room. 
 
"I thought it'd be good for us to unwind outside work" Vikram said, gesturing at the crowd. "It's about getting to know each other." 
 
"Absolutely" Sonarika agreed, appreciating the idea. She soon got the attention of Hemant and introduced him to Vikram.

"This is Hemant , my husband." Vikram looked a bit off seeing Hemant for the first time. He had some expectations for woman like Sonarika to have a husband as appreciative as her personality. But Hemant gave off the different vibe. He didn't look masculine but was very off considering to the look of Sonarika.

Regardless Vikram decided to be cordial and behaved with him with honesty. They introduced each other and soon Vikram found out certain good qualities of Hemant. Turns out Hemant doesn't drink or smoke , he is always an awkward one in parties like this , not exactly knowing how to kill time.

As the party went on , Vikram and Sonarika went to their separate ways talking with their colleagues and associates while Hemant stood there like a stranger. Eventually he was met up by a guy named Kunal Roy. Upon talking to him Hemant learned Kunal was a businessman in his own right and he was here with his wife Mouni who is a known interior designer in the city. Hemant enjoyed his company because they both shared a similar taste.

Sonarika was with some of her friends until she was joined by Meghna and sometime later some other women. Meghna soon introduced another woman Ragini to Sonarika. Ragini was a businesswoman who runs a textile enterprise in Goa on her own. She is a divorcee and had a rough past with her husband who was abusive towards her. Sonarika has met her on a few occasions when she did business with Tanishq on a small scale. But then she was just an analyst and Ragini usually dealt with the former Manager. Sonarika could feel the same energy and attitude of Meghna from Ragini , which made her understand how they get along very well. But Ragini wasn't as harsh as Meghna. Mouni on the other hand was different , she always talked with some attitude , as if she was some queen. It just seemed that fame has started to rub her in the wrong way.

But then something curious happened , Mouni was greeted by a handsome man wearing race jacket and long hair. She was kissing him passionately in front of everyone. Sonarika was weirded out by that bold gesture. They were in their own world now. 

"Don't they know people are watching?" Sonarika enquired to which Ragini only giggled. Meghna too joined her and laughed in a low tone. Sonarika felt like she was being ridiculed as she seeked answers.

"What's wrong?" 

"Hehe...what you are seeing Sonarika is far more crazy than you think.." Ragini said with a giggle.

"What do you mean?" Sonarika asked.

"That man right there....that is her boyfriend!" Meghna said. Sonarika was shocked.

"But but....isn't she married!!" Sonarika asked confused and stunned.

"Yes..and her husband is....right there....talking with yours" Meghna pointed to Hemant standing far away talking to Kunal.

Sonarika was completely taken aback by this new revelation. This was a complete new scenario that she is not familiar with. To see such bold indulgence in front of her was an unusual experience. She was getting more confused.

"But..how?" Sonarika asked puzzled. 

"Her husband is a cuckold. He likes to watch his wife enjoy sexually , that man right there talking to your husband will be sitting in a chair tonight while the man here will be screwing his wife in their bed while he will be shaking his piddle stick enjoying the sight!"

Meghna giggled as she narrated the situation with these folks. Sonarika since then started to feel unease in that party. She tried to pay some attention but she was feeling suffocated in that party. Vikram eventually noticed it and he went to Sonarika and took her aside in private.

"What's the matter Sonarika you look upset."

"Its nothing Mr.Vikram , I am just not feeling well."

"Okay , I think its better you take rest , shall I call your husband"

"No thanks . I'll find him I would just like to leave."

"Is there something wrong with the party?"

"No the party is great Mr.Vikram. I am just not feeling well"

"Okay alright Sonarika , you can go , we'll talk later , good night Sonarika"

"Good night Mr.Vikram."

Sonarika walked away and tried to find her husband. Fortunately she didn't have to look far as she saw Hemant roaming around. Hemant soon saw Sonarika come near him.

"Come on Hemant...lets go.."

"Are we done?"

"Yeah we're done."

"Okay"

Both of them exited the party and began their drive back home. On the way Hemant noticed some disturbance in Sonarika's face.

"Sona...are you ok?"

"I am...its just...some revelations..."

"What's the matter.."

"Its the people Hemant...we're moving above the ladder that we were before and we're among people that are kinda...crazy.."

"Okay...who are these crazy people.."

"Its that Mouni...and her husband"

"Oh...you mean the cuckold?"

Sonarika was stunned hearing that from Hemant.

"You know?"

"Yeah...I was at first skeptical but then I saw this big long haired man Sagar talking very dominant and insulting towards Kunal , that was when I learned from Vikram that Kunal is actually a cuckold in real life and that Sagar was a close friend of Vikram. Kunal was talking so boldly about his wife and her lover to me that later on I felt unease , he was very talkative about it and I was struggling to get rid of him from that interaction"

"Thank god"

"Honestly , you should thank Vikram rather than God , he was the one who saved me. I would've been hell of trapped in that situation if Vikram didn't save me"

"So , Vikram is a good man after all"

"Surprisingly , he was one of the sanest and the most humblest person I've met in that party tonight"

"Really?"

"Yeah , he is cool"

"Great"

"I have one request for you Sona"

"What is it"

"From now on would you please not invite me to your parties? I don't think I will ever fit in your , social circles"

"I understand"

"Thank you , its best for all of us. Plus Meghna will be happy not seeing my face"

"She doesn't hate you that much"

"Fine , I'll reverse my decision the day she compliments me"

"So I guess , never"

Both laughed as they continued their drive home. The next few days were their usual grind. Sonarika got piled up with work. She often returned home stressed and Hemant being a responsible husband started to spend more time with Karan making sure he didn't bother her. But a few days later , things turned worse when she was returning from office , her car wouldn't start. She left the car in the office parking lot and contacted the usual workshop where she services it. She came to the main road from the office and looked to find a cab. But then luxury car quickly stopped and moved towards her. It was Vikram.

"Sonarika , what happened to your car?"

"Its broken down , I was leaving the office"

"Its alright , I'll give you a ride"

"No thank you Mr.Vikram , I will hire a cab"

"Come on Sonarika , it's not like I am a complete stranger , come on" 

Sonarika couldn't say no and hence got on the front seat alongside Vikram as he drove off. On their drive they discussed some of the progress of their collaboration work after which Vikram started to clear the air regarding the party last night.

"BTW...I understood you were bothered by the situation with Mouni and Kunal , I am sorry about that"

"Please don't be Mr.Vikram , its not your fault"

"No it kind of is , their bold nature has often resulted in embarassing situations before..I often avoid inviting them"

"I understand...so I am guessing you know them close?" Sonarika enquired.

"Not exactly , you see....her boyfriend , I've known him since my college days. He doesn't go anywhere without her so I was often forced to invite them"

"I am just bothered by their open minded approach to it...I mean society will never accept that"

"That is true Sonarika...but then again Society has its own flaws...I sometimes appreciate them because they have the will to face the world even knowing that many will insult their lifestyle"

"I actually feel bad for the husband to be honest"

"Yeah , but then again , love can often be complicated. He still claims he loves his wife , and I guess he isn't concerned with the reality that he cannot satisfy her"

"Does she show any respect to him?"

"At times yes , but this whole 'cuckold' evolves to a point where the husband loves the humiliation. He likes to stay the loser in the marriage"

"That is a very sad life!"

"I agree , I don't like that kind of mindset. And at first I was worried when I saw your husband walking around him. I mean after everything Meghna told me about him"

"Did Meghna talk about Hemant to you?"

"Yeah , she does. I hope I am not upsetting you and your friendship with her , but it seems she doesn't like Hemant one bit"

"Its alright Mr.Vikram , and to answer your question yes she never likes Hemant to begin with"

"May I ask why?"

"She believes that Hemant changed me to a very conservative woman and is repressing my identity using our marriage. In her eyes , Hemant is one of those silent perpetrators of Toxic Masculinity"

"Oh I see"

"To be frank , I cannot blame her, I have changed in many ways. But it was due to my personal views rather than any influence with Hemant"

"I am curious now , what was the change?"

"Its a typical woman feelings. When I was young , I always believed in some fairy tale type story. Where a prince charming with come and sweep me off my feet. And being born and raised in Delhi didn't help me to think otherwise. But life taught me that will forever be just a fantasy. Then I met Hemant and I learned to love him because he was everything I wanted and would share everything of mine with."

"So what you're saying that you were a Disney Princess"

Vikram laughed after saying that after which Sonarika too laughed with him. She kind of liked this friendly banter with him. She has started to see a side of Vikram she haven't seen in the professional front.

"I like your approach Sonarika. When it matters you have stepped up , but I believe in the idea that sacrifice is not always necessary for a relationship to work."

"Its easy to say but difficuilt in reality , I am contempt in my life right now. So I have no regrets"

"I understand but this isn't about regrets , its about freedom. You have an understanding husband , so you don't need to make certain sacrifice for him because he understands your needs and wishes. Let the freedom provided by him be used for good."

"Like what?"

"Meghna told me that you were an excellent dancer , like in the college and college days you were the hearthrob. Meghna believes that Hemant killed that side of you because he personally doesn't like dancing"

"She always finds reasons to hate Hemant. And no , it wasn't him but rather society that made me stop considering about dance"

"But why?"

"I am a mother Mr.Vikram , I cannot do that"

"That is a very backwards thinking Sonarika. Family doesn't mean you have to take a step back. You've just seen people like Mouni reveal their lifestyle to the public and still not a single person raised objective to it in that party. Because they have the privilege and the power. You have similar power like that Sonarika , you can be what you want to be. And Dancing is not a shameful act that would tarnish your personality"

Sonarika thought about the things Vikram just said. She realized that she can if she wants. Soon Vikram suggested something.

"I'll tell you what , in two months from now , your company is having their founder's day function which will also have certain cultural shows. When I heard about your hidden talent I've been thinking something unique" Vikram said with excitement.

"What is it" Sonarika asked.

"A dance performance , I am an avid dancer as well. Been a huge Michael Jackson fan since childhood. Why don't you join me and my crew which also include some of your coworkers and we can perform that dance on that function"

"No , please no" Sonarika reponded.

"But why?"

"I've been out of practice for years Mr.Vikram. I don't think I can do it"

"Come on Sonarika , you've been doing it for years. Besides there is still two months , a bit of practice and you can get your groove back"

"I don't know , I feel I cannot"

"Okay then how about this , ask your husband whether you should do it. If he agrees , you have to agree. You cannot back away from it"

Sonarika thought about it. She liked that Vikram kept the cordial friend tone in his request and even allowed Hemant's opinion in it. She decided she needs to discuss this with Hemant.

"I'll think about it Mr.Vikram."

"And one more thing Sonarika , would you please stop calling me Mr.Vikram , it makes me feel like I am an old man"

Sonarika giggled at his talk.

"Just call me Vicky like my friends."

"Okay Vicky , my place is near"

Vikram soon moved the vehicle to the side and stopped as Sonarika got out. 

"I wish I could invite you for a cup of coffee"

"I understand Sonarika , its already pretty late. Another time , do let me know your response after your talk with Hemant"

"Good night Sonarika"

"Good night Vicky"

Vikram soon drove off as Sonarika walked to her apartment. As Sonarika arrived home , she was rewarded by the sight of Hemant and Karan singing and laughing as Karan was in the dining table while Hemant was preparing dinner.

"Ohh...rough day again Sona?" Hemant asked seeing her tired face.

"Kind of" Sonarika said as she walked towards Karan and kissed his forehead.

"Go get fresh , Dinner will be ready to serve by then" Hemant obliged.

Sonarika smiled as she walked to the bedroom. When she reached near the bedroom doorway she heard Hemant and Karan resume their singing which always made her smile. During her shower , Sonarika thought about the things Vikram said. To bring some of the old passions back. She remembered the sexy time she shared with Hemant on that night in Matheran. It was good , but she could see the lackluster performance in it. They were so high up in their feelings that they could reach their orgasms somehow. But Hemant really struggled with his body , she remembers she had a tough time to get excited hearing his struggling breath hearing his coughes in between the thrusts.

In a way she missed her old husband. And she has noticed that sex has become a secondary part in their married life. Ever since Karan came , Hemant has almost completely ditched the idea of getting intimate. She still misses the early days of their marriage when they couldn't keep their hands off of each other. Now there wasn't that connection  , only the interaction as proud parents and bonding on dinners and pillow talks. She missed the sex part and she didn't want to admit , but she felt some sort of dissatisfaction in their tryst at Matheran. Sonarika got rid of those thoughts and freshened herself as she dressed in her night wear and returned to bed.


She arrived on the dining table as Hemant had already finished making dinner and was serving it on the table. This moment was always wholesome for her , this feeling to be with your loved ones. Its moments like this that make her forget her frustrations and dissatisfaction. In moments like these , she feels more happy to be with Hemant because this feeling of comfort and love  , she could not feel anyplace else. The dinner went on with the funny banter of Karan after that some small talks between Sonarika and Hemant. When dinner was done , Karan was watching his favorite cartoon while Hemant and Sonarika were on the balcony enjoying some night breeze. Sonarika decided to speak her mind to her husband.

"Hemant , I wanted your opinion on something"

"Go ahead Sona"

"Well um , you know there is this founders function that will be happening in two months in my company."

"I am aware"

"Turns out some of my co-workers , they are planning something special , something like a dance performance"

"That is cool"

Sonarika took a breather and then said.

"They want me to be a part of it"

Hemant was surprised with what she said. He looked at her with a surprise smile and wide eyes.

"Do you know how to dance?"

Sonarika sighed and then responded.

"I used to do , way before marriage and now they want me to do it again for something special"

She purposefully avoided using the name of Vikram because she believed Hemant might get upset.

"Wow , I didn't knew you used to dance , why didn't you tell me this?"

"I guess I didn't bother by it then , but now I feel I should do this."

"Okay? Do you wanna do this performance?"

Sonarika took a breather again and contemplated on what to say. After some thought she said.

"Yes , I want to do it"

"Okay , then I would definitely like to see my wife's hidden talent soon!"

Sonarika felt a relief and some sort of strange feeling when she got the green signal from her husband. She has maintained her body but getting back to her dance groove will be a bit difficuilt. But now she felt the confidence after recieving Hemant's support. 
A few minutes later , Anjali arrived from her night class. But she looked dull , the moment Hemant and Sonarika looked at her , they knew something was wrong.

"Anju , is everything ok?"

When they came near her , they noticed tears in her eyes. Now they started to worry for her. They comforted her as she had some tough time to speak.

"Anju , what happened , why are you crying , talk to us girl.."

Anjali only cried as she hugged Sonarika. It took some time for her to talk.

"Didi...Bhaiya.."

"Anju please tell us what happened honey"

"I was coming from the night class , the entrance way doesn't have any autos so..I have to come to circle to get it...there were some hooligans there...for these few days they were giving some snarky comments and vulgar words on me...but today they crossed the line....one of those men...he is named Rafique...he grabbed my hand and tried to pull me to a van...I shouted and they tried to shut my mouth and..."

She couldn't speak further as she cried. Sonarika looked worried towards Hemant , he too had that look but at the same time maintained some composure.

"My friends screamed which resulted in some of the auto drivers to notice and they came running which is when those men let go off me and ran away in their van..I thought I was going...I was going to be"

She sobbed further and cried again after saying that. Sonarika looked visually very pissed.

"Okay...we're going to station...lets lodge a complaint!" Sonarika said.

"Now? At this night?" Hemant enquired.

"Yes now Hemant , something terrible has happened and this needs to be taken care of"

"I get what you mean Sona , but Anju is very traumatised right now. Let her take rest , I will take her tomorrow morning to the Cops"

"Are you kidding me!" Sonarika only fumed.

"Believe me Sona , I am upset as much as you but right now she needs rest rather than making her go through that trauma again , I will deal with this tomorrow. Let her sleep here with you in the bedroom. I'll sleep with Karan in his room"

Sonarika at the end agreed to Hemant's terms and they did the sleeping arrangment Hemant sujjested. Hemant distracted Karan and explained to his innocent boy what happened in ways he could understand. Throughout the night Anjali often woke up seeing something and sobbed but Sonarika comforted her. 

   

                                                                                                      (CHAPTER TO BE CONTINUED)

[Harry Jordan]

                                                                                                               (CHAPTER CONTINUES)

The next morning as promised Hemant took Anjali to the Law Enforcement Office to lodge a complaint. The official took all the details but then suddenly stopped when Hemant mentioned the name Rafique. He made Anjali to sit outside while he talked to Hemant.

"Sir , this man Rafique , he has several cases in the past. His elder brother is a political hitman. The corporator of that area is their prime funder. Lodging a complaint will only make your life a big problem. Those people have huge influence. Not so long ago , A family dared to complain against him and one night the entire family suddenly vanished from their house with no trace. I am saying this with your best interest sir , instead of lodging a complaint. Go and talk with the corporator of that area. He is a good man and he will find a solution to your problem"

Hemant sat there thinking about it. The officer waited for his response. After some time Hemant finally asked.

"I would like to meet the officer in charge of SDCAW!"

The officer looked more upset hearing Hemant's request.

Anjali was sitting outside with baited breaths. Then Hemant walked out from the room and waved at her. They both were then walking to the upper section of the station. They walked into the SDCAW office. Anjali read the full form of it on the boad.

Special Department for Crimes Against Women.

A Female Officer was sitting on the chair as Anjali  read the name on the plackard below.

Sanjana Ranawat , Deputy Commissioner and Head of SDCAW.

Sanjana rotated and faced Hemant and the moment they looked at each other , it felt like time was stopping down. They both stared at each other longingly. Sanjana was stunned seeing Hemant here , Hemant was stunned seeing Sanjana. When he saw her , only one vision came in his mind.


It was more than 10 years back. It was the one of the hostel room of the girls at the famous St.Xaviers college. Only moans and skin slapping can be heard. In the shower of that hostel room , Sanjana was getting fucked , and fucked real good by Hemant!


"Oh fuck yes!" Sanjana shouted as she bounced her meaty ass of hers back against his cock that was giving her pussy quite the beating. Sanjana didn't mind one bit and only continued to push back against him, screaming and begging for more. His left hand found her breast his right wrapped around her and played with her pulsing clit.

"Hemant! Oh fuck you're going to make me cum. Ooooo shittt!" Was all the warning Hemant was given before she exploded all around his cock. Hemant was close as well but grit his teeth and held on as this ravishing girl who would later be a security officer officer  continued to spasm all around his throbbing cock.

Hemant turned Sanjana around again once her orgasm had passed. He kissed her as he lifted her from her feet and pressed her against the shower wall. She wrapped her long legs around his waist and soon enough Hemant was back to fucking her wonderful pussy once more.

Hemant was close to Cumming and he was no longer holding back. His strokes were strong hard and erratic. He only had one thing in mind. He wanted to fill this beautiful lady with all of his cum. She had wanted it, she had earned it and she was going to get it.

"Oh Sanju, oh my god... Sanju ooohhhh fuck!" Hemant groaned as he felt his cock explode and send what felt like a gallon of cum into her demanding pussy. Hemant rested his head against her shoulder as he erupted until there was nothing left in him.

Hemant gently brought Sanjana back to her feet and kissed her once more as the after effects of their orgasms wore off.

"Oh Hemant!"


"Oh Hemant!"


"Bhaiya!"

Hemant returned to reality as he noticed Anjali calling him. Anjali was confused seeing Hemant in a trance. Hemant gained some composure.

"Umm , good morning Mrs.Sanjana , I came here to file a complaint regarding an incident with my sister"

Anjali liked the way Hemant called her his sister.

"Sure , what can I do for you , and what is your name young lady"

"Umm , Anjali , Anjali Sharma."

"Okay Anjali , tell me what happened."

Anjali then went in detail on what happened. Sanjana listened to her complete story in patience and attention. After hearing her complete story , Sanjana sat there thinking about it. After some time , Sanjana told Anjali to sit outside so she could talk to Hemant in private.

Anjali once again sat at the outside bench. This time she didn't had to sit there for longer than she did downstairs as Hemant walked out.

"Let's go Anju."

"Is it done"

"Yeah , I've taken care of it , there won't be a problem anymore"

Both Hemant and Anjali arrived at Sonarika's office place. Sonarika was there arriving at the lobby along with Meghna and Vikram.

"So , everything went well?" Sonarika asked.

"Yeah , we've taken care of it. I need to speak with the corporator of that area. I hear he is a reasonable individual and we can sort this issue without any ruckus further"

"Ruckus? What are you talking about?"

"The folks involved are some highly influential people , and if we file a legal complaint we will be creating new problems in the future. The people involved behind this are quiet influential"

"Yeah so what? We just back off. This ain't 1990 Hemant?"

"I understand"

"Did you not file the complaint"

"No bu---"

"OMG I cannot believe this"

"Sona list--"

"There are things that cannot be solved with sweet talks and pat on the back Mr. Hemant Kumar...I actually believed you were man enough to defend your family but you are far worse" Meghna went on a rant making a scene.

"Anju...come with me...I'll deal with this.." Sonarika said in an angry tone.

"I am coming with you Sonarika" Meghna said violently pushing Hemant off the way.

"Sona listen---" Hemant once again asked.

"NOT ANOTHER WORD HEMANT , NOT ANOTHER WORD!" Sonarika gave a complete angry glare towards Hemant as he stood there dissappointed.

"That was a bad call Hemant" Vikram said as he walked to his car seemingly following Sonarika's.

Hemant stood there with some people watching him passing gossips. Hemant walked away. He has taken a day off from the office so he decided to roam in one of his favorite gardens. Upon reaching the park, he chose to sit on a bench to take a breather.

After some time, a group of men strolled past, clearly enjoying themselves. Among them, a familiar face appeared and glanced in Hemant's direction.

"ROY!"

"EGGHEAD!!"

The two old friends greeted each other with joy. Hemant could hardly believe it—it was Roy Harper, his old friend from training camp after college. Their friendship went way back, and Roy knew much of Hemant’s past as if it were an open book. However, they had lost touch over the years, and now was the time to reconnect and reminisce about old times.

They conversed about many things—life, family, marriage, and profession. Roy, who was now built like a rock, couldn’t resist taking quick jabs at Hemant for being out of shape. As the conversation went on, Hemant began sharing details about his life, and soon the discussion took a more interesting turn.

" Woa......I gotta say.........I am really surprised seeing you.........like this......."

" Its been a while Harper......"

" yeah........and it seems time wasn't fair with you........."

" What do you mean? "

" I knew you since college.........you were a hardcore action type of guy........one who stands in the fore front............and now here you are sitting on your overweight ass doing desk jobs........"

" Well......its pays well.........better than you to be honest........"

" Yeah.....and at what cost.........this? " Harper said pointing to his pot belly.

" Hey...I am a father after all....."

" WHAT...you have a kid! "

" Yes I am a boy dad! "

" How old is he."

" He is 6....a real good boy!"

" He better be....his daddy sacrificed his body for him..."

" Nothing is a sacrifice for him....its just life.."

Harper took a few seconds of silence before talking to Hemant.

" Hey man...I am saying this honestly...I am happy that you're living.."

Hemant nodded in agreement.

"I mean...after everything...you found your path!"

Just that mention made Hemant remember some of the traumatic moments. Harper noticed him struggling and his hands tensing.

"Hey...relax...I am sorry.."

"Don't be Roy...Its just..."

"I know...I can understand"

"You can?"

"I've been in the field for years now...I too have my share of trauma...but...the loved ones...they always make those trauma feel like just a scratch....you need to see it that way man...."

Hemant stayed calm as Harper continued.

"You don't need to move on buddy...you need to evolve...to adapt..you need to seek the best parts of you and create a you that empowers and builds you with will...because right now  I am just seeing a man trying to punish himself..."

Harper put a hand on Hemant's shoulder , patting him making him understand.

"Your loved ones don't deserve that...if you learn to evolve...the past won't haunt you...you can reshape your mindset and you can truly adapt...become the hero you project to your son..."

"Why do you say that Roy? Why should I do that?"

"Because you're holding yourself back...this dismay of disappointment...it comes to you because deep down...you missed what you were...but then there is the fear...which justifies your current state.."

Hemant understood his wording and realized the wisdom in his talks.

" So you're free for the day...." Harper asked.

" Yup....." Hemant responded.

" Fantastic.....lets go to my camp.......I wanna introduce you to my new recruits......"

Harper seemed more excited than Hemant as they finally arrived at a private camp in Madh Island. Hemant noticed the logo of ANVIL, a private military corporation, displayed prominently. He observed the training procedures and exercises the new recruits underwent, feeling a mix of admiration and unease. While he found it fascinating, it also reignited the guilt he had carried for years. Eventually, Harper gathered his recruits and brought Hemant to the shooting gallery.

“Now everyone is familiar with handling a gun… but another important factor in this is memory” Harper announced, his word choices striking Hemant as peculiar.

Harper continued

“Now, here’s my old pal. He used to be a warrior, and some habits die hard. Right now, you’re going to see him run our usual firing course—with just a Desert Eagle!”

Hemant was stunned. He hadn’t touched a gun in over ten years, and now Harper wanted him to run a shooting session. The thought of embarrassing himself in front of everyone filled him with dread. Nervously, he pulled Harper aside.

“Are you crazy? I haven’t practiced in a lifetime. If I do this, I’ll embarrass myself,” Hemant whispered urgently.

“Relax, Egghead” Harper said with a reassuring grin. “You’ll understand why I’m doing this once you run the course. I’m already sending you in with kid gloves—in the shape of a Desert Eagle.”

“Roy, you don’t underst—”

“Just run it. Trust me. Your life will change the moment you complete this course.”

Conflicted and scared, Hemant reluctantly stepped into the gallery and collected the Desert Eagle. The armorer handed him four additional magazines, indicating a slightly lengthy course ahead. Hemant prepared himself, though his nerves made the handgun feel heavier than it was. Soon, the speaker announced, “STAGE 1.”

Targets appeared, and Hemant started shooting. Though the recoil was difficult to manage, he hit his targets, regardless of precision. By the end of Stage 1, Hemant felt his fear dissipate, replaced by a newfound confidence he hadn’t experienced in years.

Stage 2 began, this time with moving targets instead of stationary ones. Hemant continued to perform, hitting most of the targets and catching Harper’s approving smile. By the end of the stage, Hemant was surprised at how much his confidence had grown.

When Stage 3 commenced, Hemant was more focused and determined than he had been in years. This stage combined the popping targets of Stage 1 with the moving targets of Stage 2, presenting a greater challenge. Despite the difficulty, Hemant pushed himself to his limits and managed to hit all the targets. As the stage concluded, he stood motionless for a few moments, catching his breath. Sweat dripped from his face as he placed the gun down. Looking up, he saw Harper standing nearby, listening to the armorer whisper something in his ear. Harper’s smile widened, and Hemant grew curious.

Harper called him over, and Hemant walked to his side, uncertain of what to expect.

“Boys” Harper began, addressing the recruits “This is my good friend. Years ago, he trained alongside me just like you’re doing now. But for the last ten years, he hasn’t touched a gun or been in the field. No practice. No exercise.”

The recruits chuckled, and Hemant felt a pang of embarrassment.

“But despite all that” Harper continued “He just ran our toughest shooting course with a handgun. And guess what? Seeing the results…” Harper paused for dramatic effect.

Hemant braced himself for a critique but was stunned when Harper declared “Ten years of no practice, and he still made it into the TOP 5 of our best shooting rankings!”

The recruits broke into applause as Hemant stood speechless. Though he managed a smile, he was still processing the revelation.

“This is what being a soldier is all about” Harper said, addressing the recruits. “My friend here might’ve lost his physique, his durability, and his strength, but he never lost his focus, commitment, and will. That’s why, even after spending a decade in the corporate world, he still made a name for himself today. Muscle memory is powerful. Push yourselves like he and I did, and I promise, what you learn here will stay with you for life.”

After dismissing the recruits, Harper and Hemant spent time interacting with the top performers, sharing tips and discussing new tools used in modern warfare. As the day went on, Hemant felt more at home than he had in years.

“Seeing something you miss?” Harper asked knowingly.

“Something like that” Hemant admitted. “Thank you, Roy, for making me see.”

“Don’t thank me” Harper replied. “It doesn’t matter which path you choose. Just don’t lose yourself along the way. There’s always a way back. You can do it.”

“What makes you so sure?” Hemant asked.

“I know you. And from my experience, you’re the only one who can. It’s time to move forward. Don’t walk—run.”

Hemant was standing outside the camp feeling a new sense of hope and determination. Something he haven't felt in a while. Harper's words made him see a clear path ahead , a path of change , a path of redemption , a path of a better tomorrow. And at that moment , Hemant made the decision. He was going to better himself , he was going to build back stronger. After leaving the camp , he arrived at his office building but rather going to the office he went to the fitness center on the ground he once used to visit.

There at the gym reception , his old colleague Venkat aka Venky was sitting.

"Hemant , long time no see"

"Don't worry , you will see me a lot from now on"

"What?"

"I am here to restart my membership , I am going to hit the gym from tomorrow morning"

"That is great news Hemant , Welcome Back!"

"Thanks , just keep the details under wraps. I want to surprise my colleagues with my improvements in due time!"

"Anytime Boss"

"See you tomorrow"

"See you Brother!"

When Hemant returned he had a sense of hope and determination. He had a different mindset now , to improve , to adapt , to evolve. He can finally be the superhero that his son sees in his dad. When he walked out from the building into the open , he felt a sense of hope , a new chapter in his life. A chapter of development , a chapter of improvement , a life where he will be better. Now the traumas no longer hurt anymore. As he saw in a distance in the sky an eagle gliding rotating over his head. He didn't feel the sense of deja vu but rather a doorway being opened. For new possiblities. , a new beginning. For the first time in a long time , he smiled seeing the eagle flying above him. This was a different Hemant  now , this was no longer a man frustrated with his work life , this was a man focused on doing something better.


He left that place and happily commuted to his home with a new attitude and cheer.


When Sonarika arrived at the Law Enforcement Office , she was surprised when she noticed Vikram followed her in his own vehicle. They once again came to the same inspector Hemant and Anjali initially met , Anjali felt suffocated already to visit this place again. Meghna went on a rant on that inspector creating another scene in the office. Soon Vikram calmed them down.

"Relax Meghna , I know just to person to see , come with me"

Vikram led the way as everyone followed him upstairs. Sonarika felt a different sort of feeling towards Vikram , it was like a spark. It felt weird at first but then the feeling gave her mind some relief. They were all standing at the door to Sanjana's cabin. Vikram turned to the women.


"There is a new division in Law Enforcement called SDCAW which means Special Department for Crimes Against Women , they specialise in criminal activities like this , we will file a complaint there"

They all walked in and was greeted by Sanjana.

"Good afternoon Mam , we're here to file a complaint regarding a situation regarding this lady"
Sanjana instantly recognized Anjali Sharma.

"This is Anjali Sharma right? The Kidnapping attempt case near the medical college?"

"Yes Mam , but unfortunately due to some mysogynistic behavior from some chauvinistc idiot , her complaint wasn't filed"

Meghna said with a cold hearted tone. Sonarika was miffed by the harsh remarks Meghna used on Hemant. Sanjana couldn't help but only laugh for a few seconds.

"Have any of you talked with Hemant?" Sanjana asked.

"We came here when we learned he didn't file a complaint Mam" Vikram explained.

Sanjana chuckled.

"Then for your kind information...he did a much better thing than lodging a complaint.."

Everyone was stunned as Sonarika looked at her astonished.

"Here in SDCAW , we don't file complaints , but rather we store people who come here with problems in a log of watchlist. Anjali has been enrolled in our watchlist program and her mobile has been bugged for us to track her. And not just that , from now on , our special team will surveil her place of education and her home locations 24/7. And the man Anjali mentioned Rafique , he has been warned and has been put on special offendor list. He can no longer come to even a meter radius of Anjali's location and if he does a warrant will be out. So in short , Anjali is from now on safe and secure"

Sonarika felt a relief and then embarassment for jumping to conclusions on her emotions. Then she asked Sanjana.

"Then why didn't Anjali tell me this?"

"If you haven't noticed Ms.Sonarika. Anjali is still healing from the trauma , she still is recovering from that situation. I request to give her a few days break so that she can recover better. And I assure you , Rafique and his gang will never bother Anjali ever again!"

"I am sorry Mam , its just , she is very close to me. And I could never tolerate something bad happening to her" Sonarika said with sadness.

"On the same note , I believe your husband shares the same sentiments , which is why rather than file an FIR , he did the much better and effective option."

Sonarika now felt shameful and upset because of her burst of outrage towards Hemant some minutes ago. She decided to take a break from the office today. She was pissed at Meghna as Meghna kept her mouth shut and looked annoyed from the recent developments. Vikram on the other hand was surprised by Hemant's action but also complimented him for what he did. He realized his mistake and told Sonarika.

"I was wrong Sonarika. Hemant truely is a smart man!"

This didn't help Sonarika in her situation though because she only felt more guilty for blaming Hemant and his actions. On the ride home , she was hoping Hemant was at home so she could apolgize.

When they left , Sanjana called the officer from downstairs to her cabin.

"Yes Madam"

"Contact that corporator Moideen and his henchmen and tell their men to stay away from that girl from now on"

"Yes Madam"

"And one more thing , tell them very clearly. That is it not me or the security officer force they should be worried about if they try to mess with that girl again!"

The officer was intrigued with her tone as he walked away. Sanjana sat on her chair rotating the paper holder on the table in her hand and clenching her hand on it.

Sadly , when she reached home , Hemant wasn't there. Believing he might've gone to his office , Sonarika took care of Anjali and instructed her to not go to her night class for few days. Anjali said she will talk to her friends to arrange the notes for these missing days. It was time to recieve Karan from his college so Sonarika went and told Anjali to stay in the house.

After Sonarika left , Hemant arrived at the home about half hour later. Hemant went to Anjali who hugged him and cried a little. Hemant comforted her and gave her some motivational words. After that he went to his metal box he always stored in his wardrobe. Sonarika hated that box because it was old and it weighed a lot. She often teased Hemant to be an old man to carry something ancient and stupid like that.

Hemant picked out a small box that looked like a spectacle container. He took it to his work bench and looked for something in it. Anjali could not see clearly but she could hear some metal rubbing and moving. Soon Hemant came towards Anjali with a ring.

"Anju , wear this ring from now"

"What is this bhaiya?"

"Just a small craftmanship from my old past , its a tactical ring."

Anjali looked at it curiously.

"See the tip , there is no diamond but there is a disk to it , if you rotate it and touch someone with that ring , then the person will be tased with an electric shock double powerful than a taser."

"Bhaiya that is dangerous!"

"Don't worry , its kind of non lethal. But this will help until dangerous situation. Have it"

"Okay"

"Now remember, use it only for safety or to defend yourself. Don't turn this into a weapon"

"Yes Bhaiya"

"Fear is a powerful emotion. If you succumb to it , you will already start to loose the battle. These scum , they rely on their victim's fear. Never show it , because if you dare , then they themselves will loose their own confidence. Fight it , overcome it and stand for yourself. In life , the greatest backup you can get is yourself. Remember that."

"I will always remember this Bhaiya!"

"Good Girl!"

Hemant walked letting her rest on the bedroom. He was in a joyous mood today despite the confrontation in Sonarika's office. He used his phone and talked with Harper once again for few minutes. Harper too likes the conversation and was happy to see that Hemant was indeed changing for the better. For the first time in his life , he doesn't feel afraid of his nightmares anymore. Now he just sees a wonderful future ahead,  a future of new adventures.

Sometime later , Sonarika returned with Karan and Karan was ecstatic to see his father already in home. Sonarika left an sigh and was happy to see Hemant here. The family decided to cheer up Anjali and soon after some bonding , Anjali started to lighten up. They spend the day going to the beach and having a good time like a happy family.

That night during dinner , Hemant stated that from tomorrow he will be going to office early because he has some special assignments to do. He was obviously lying because he wanted to keep his return to the gym a secret. He wanted to surprise his family with his improved body in about few months. White they were getting ready for bed to sleep , Sonarika snuggled towards Hemant. Hemant was startled but liked her closeness.

"I am sorry Hemant!"

"Sorry for what honey"

"I shouldn't have behaved angry with you on the morning"

"I understand Sona , you did it for Anjali. I understand your situation , you acted the same way a big sister would do"

"But still what I did was wrong"

"Sona , its okay. As long as you're here like this , hugging me. You can be as much mad as with me you want"

"Is that what you want? For me to stay mad at you all the time?"

"Never honey , I like you close like you are here. As long as you come back to me , I will always be happy with you"


"You're never getting rid of me husband , not in this lifetime!"

"That is all I want to hear"

Hemant kissed her as they snuggled and went to sleep.




                                                                                                       LATER THAT NIGHT SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE MUMBAI.

A bunch of men were busy roaming and guarding some containers in a factory at the outskirts of Mumbai. They all were dressed as bodyguards as their shirt had the logo of Regal Corp printed at the side chest. One of the man dialled a number on his phone.

Somewhere at the heart of the city , a big gathering is being held on the famous Emerald Palace building one of the landmark building of Mumbai and home to the super rich and highly influential Mehta Family , the owners of Regal Enterprise , one of the largest business empire of not just the country but in the world. The women of the house were talking and discussinng things with each other , the elder daughter ,  Pranitha dressed in a miniskirt looking like a diva was navigating the inside of the house saying hi and hello to everyone she meets as she arrives at the outdoor section converted to a big patio overlooking the city.

There on the patio stood Hansraj Mehta Chairman of Regal Corporation talking to Home Minister Jagdish Bhosle. Pranitha walked up to them.

"Dad...there is a call from Mr.Pradhan.."

She hands over the phone to Hansraj as he talks on the phone. Pranitha looks to the upper section as she sees her older brother Siddharth Mehta standing in his tech room surrounded by computer hackers working on computers and laptops.

"Hey Sid...we got it..I've hacked the trustfund mainframe..."

"Good" Siddharth said with a grin.

He walked to the printout and checked the printout papers coming from it. With a smile , he held those papers and walked outside to walk towards his dad and the minister.

"Dad...I told you...your son makes the impossible possible....I got my money..."

"Good job Sid.."

"I need to get going dad...I have a meeting with Rosario regarding...The Devil's Breath...I'll see you in two days.."

Saying that Siddharth walked away upstairs. Hansraj smiled as he saw the papers. Bhosle was curious.

"What is it Mehta sir?"

"The talent of my son...he just hacked through the state's flood relief fund and retrieved all the money to use it to increase our stronghold supports from here to Goa.."

Bhosle smiled.

"There was no need to hack sir. This was Government's money , and you made this government so basically you just stole from your own wallet Haha"

Hansraj then clarified.

"Then you won't understand the chessplay Mr.Bhosle. My son is making sure our family or Regal has any direct connection to the Devil's Breath or The Syndicate...when the money will be gone from the fund people will get desperate for work and look for work and food...and that opens business for the Syndicate and big profits for us..."

"Unity in Diversity....Haha..."

Those men laughed as the party in the building went on. Siddharth walked to the rooftop which had a helipad and a helicopter was whirling its fanblades in full swing. He boarded it along with his own bodyguards as the helicopter lifted off and moved away from the building.

The Containers were still in that factory goddown but the men guarding it have moved away. Inside the trucks were poor and weak women and girls aging from 30 to as young as 10. They were all in terrible conditions with torn clothes and scratch marks. One of the girl was trying to lift herself to look through the gap of the top of the container to see if she can see anyone. But all she could see was the open field in the backyard of a factory.

"What are they going to do with us?" A weak young girl asks the other older ones. Some of them were crying , some have lost hope to live. Most of them have accepted their fate. One of the girl who had her cheeks swell from dried tears speak up.

"Wherever it is...death awaits us.."

"Please Shweta...don't scare these girls..."

"Its better they accept their fates now...you all have this mark right.."

Shweta twisted the arms of her shirt and revealed something like a stamp on her right arm near the shoulder. The stamp took the shape of a design of Satan in blue color itched into their skins. Some of the girls also looked at their own hands and saw stamps on them.

"This is not an ordinary mark...we are all marked for the Devil...there is no escape....we're all gonna die.."

The other girl was still looking through the gap. A frustrated Shweta shouted at her.

"Fo god's shake Nidhi get down...it is pointless....everything is pointless....just pray...pray that when the end comes...it won't be painful.."

She once again started to cry. Just then a silent woman sitting in the corner with injury marks on her body with torn clothes spoke.

"No...we will survive...someone....someone will come to save us!!"

Her tone and her demeanor made Shweta silent. The small girls started to smile hearing the words from that woman. And then as Nidhi was peaking out of the container gap. She saw a giant banner far away glowing from the lights showcased on it. It was a teaser poster of some upcoming movie but what caught her attention was the image. It was a Giant Eagle sprawling its wings flying down with its sharp claws. And below it only one thing was written

                                                                                                                                 HE IS COMING!

                                                                                                                              END OF CHAPTER 2

[Harry Jordan]

Thank you for all the warm feedbacks. I would like to make it clear that since this is my first attempt I am working on this process a bit slower. As a result , I humbly request the readers to give me atleast two weeks time for each updates. Sometimes , I might complete it early and update you sooner with new chapters but I would like to maintain the 2 weeks timeline so that I can distribute my time in writing and polishing this story. I hope you all understand and have a good read.


Your's Truly.

Harry Jordan!

[Harry Jordan]

Quick update for all readers.

The next chapter will take another week to be posted. I am suffering from what many might be familiar which is called a Writer's Block , a situation where you are having a tough time on how the story moves forward. I have created some characters and for this whole week I struggled with finding the right path. Eventually I have found it and now I am almost done with the rough work of Part 1 of this saga. However due to the delay , I promise there will be more than one chapter that will come as an update for next week. Sorry for the terrible delay but I am working hard and I hope you guys will love how this story progresses.


Your's Truly.

Harry Jordan.

[Harry Jordan]

Soory guys , due to some work commitments , I didn't get to invest much time in writing this story. However some developments are done. The next chapter will be posted on Monday Morning. There is a chance this could be a long chapter because the story went further than I thought. I just need to edit some of the important sequences that will culminate as the story unfolds. Just a heads up , a lot of sexy times will be happening in the coming few chapters. And update after this next chapter might take longer than this but I hope I will get time to do it justice. I have already finished with a rough draft of the complete story so my focus will be to make it a worthy experience for you all.


Nothing but Love for all.


Harry Jordan

[Harry Jordan]

                                                                                                                                                               CHAPTER 3

It should've been like any other day for Sonarika. But the morning today was filled with excitement and anticipation for her. It was weekend and today was the first day for their dance practice at Vrinda Dance Studio. She just returned from her early morning gym session and was now admiring her own body in the mirror. Despite birthing Karan and being a mother , her beauty has only protruded for her. She was every boy's dream during her college and college days , Sonarika had often been fed up from the secret love letters she would recieve in her backpack and in those days on orkut. She thanked the stars when that social media site was gone for good.

But today she could understand why , in college she had something the other girls lacked. While other girls went to skinny and size zero looks , Sonarika found the middle ground. And that started to make her private life a bit difficuilt from the constant male gaze. At times she had felt frustrated to be such an eye candy for some men. She was gifted with some wonderful breast which weren't big neither they were small but it also complemented her body.  Her cleavage was her ultimate cherry for the perverted eyes. She has often been upset with perverted boys imitating her walks singifying her boobs bouncing from each step. Suprisingly Meghna was her protector during that time. Unlike the Meghna today , she was a full on nerd in the past , using glasses and always focusing on studies. She even played the role of Sonarika's tutor often times when she had trouble with her subjects. Their bond has since been of friendship until college ended. For years they parted ways until they reunited when Sonarika was on her first year in Tanishq. Since then they have maintained that bond.

Sonarika believed that her beauty will subside eventually after marriage and a child but things only went in reverse. Thanks to her dedication in fitness and her body , she started to develop the ideal MILF factor with her appearance. Back then she had an amazing cleavage as her highlight. But now , her navel has become deepr and her dedication to workout has resulted in minor abs generating in her stomach. And then the new attraction of her body , her ass has protruded to the point it has become extra thick. She remembers how Hemant would take the credit for her ass claiming that he put the workout on her which resulted in Karan coming to the world.

Though Sonarika often credited it to her workout , she still reminisces it. She wasn't a big fan of the doggy position , she felt it is rather very insulting towards a woman. She often felt it as demeaning but she could not say that she didn't enjoy it. During their early days of marriage Hemant use to tell her that he loves the sound his balls make when it hits her buttcheek. It was one of the reasons why despite not liking that position, Sonarika allowed Hemant to do that with her because she enjoyed it when he did it. And she could not forget it ever because just like how Hemant and herself believe , they concieved Karan on a sunday morning in the kitchen in that position.

Though they did it standing , the sex was so much good and memorable that it has itched into both their minds because the orgasm they both felt at that moment was powerful. She reminisces that moment a lot and somewhat relates to Hemant's perspective of hearing their skins slap. 

Sonarika rubbed her buttcheek over her gym pants reminiscing those moments and how much her thick flesh enjoyed and endured Hemant's assault back then. But that was all she could do now , back then Hemant was proactive , he always enjoyed getting intimate with her. Now here he is , in deep slumber on the bed snoring like a hippo. Unlike Sonarika , Hemant doesn't work saturday unless there is some important deadlines or stuff. At times she would look at him and start to feel this uneasiness. It was the missing spark in their relationship , in a way she wanted to express it to him that she feels not satisfied enough with him for a while now. But seeing him like this all slumpy and asleep makes her believe that she is fighting a loosing battle.


She freshened herself and switched to another gymwear and then wished Anjali and Karan goodby. She had to hire a cab since her car is still in the workshop as she was off to Vrinda Dance Studio. 

Upon reaching there she was greeted by the sight of Pragya and Pooja coming for practice. Sonarika was glad she was able to maintain the friendship with these ladies even after her promotion but at the same time Meghna too liked their company. It was Meghna who looked the happiest there because she was thrilled to finally see Sonarika return to one of her favorite activity of dancing.

"I am so happy to see you here Sonarika" Meghna said.
"Don't get too happy , I still don't know I can do it , I might need some time to get the groove back"
"Oh it will be easy for you , you've been done this for years. A lame marriage cannot destroy your hidden talent"
Sonarika was once again miffed by her comments.
"You'll never stop trash talking about him don't you?"
"Come on  , its not trash when it true"
"Well you're wrong BTW , and he has given me permission"
"Oh did he? Then my point definitely stands when you need his permission to find some happiness"
"What makes you say that I am happy?"
"I can see it in your eyes Sonarika , you're glowing , you're glittering. Your breathing is erratic , because you are thrilled to return to your favorite place which is a dance studio"
"Maybe you're right" Sonarika said with a smile enjoying the ambience of the dance studio.

Soon she started to work on her dance moves as Pragya and Pooja helped her , they were impressed on learning that Sonarika was familiar with a lot of things. But then things changed a bit when Mouni arrived on the dance floor. Sonarika didn't like her presence  , she was aware of certain things about Mouni and it has made her feel unease about her. But then her attention was grabbed by Sagar who was coming alongside Vikram. 

She was lost in the sight for a moment. Gone were the expensive suits and well tailored apparel , Vikram showed up wearing gym wear which outlines his impressive physique. She could see that the man is in peak fitness and his gym works are clearly visible. She had a hard time getting her eyes off when Vikram removed his jacket and revealed his impressive body in a tank top and shorts beneath hightlighting the muscles in his thighs as well. There was a strange feeling in her stomach when she saw him like this.

But then Sonarika felt disgusted having that thoughts and quickly remembered Hemant and Karan's faces to return to reality. She felt a bit of shame that she thought and looked at another man like that despite of her being married. She looked to the side and she saw Meghna looking at her with a grin. She knew then and there that she was caught. She felt more ashamed as she distracted herself and focused more on the dance training. 

Eventually Mouni was revealed to be the lead trainer for them as she was an avid dancer as well. She showed some steps which she felt Sonarika could do and Sonarika did it gracefully. But Sonarika maintained her distance for obvious reasons.

Then it was time for Vikram's practice and that day Sonarika learned that Vikram was a huge fan of Michael Jackson. And when he started dancing , Sonarika was swept away from his moves. She didn't expect him to be such a good dancer. The girls cheered as he did some cool moves. That strange feeling in her stomach returned for Sonarika. She was feeling the pull , the pull of attraction towards this physical gem of a man. She once again tried to remember Hemant and Karan and for the first time she struggled with that memory. Because she was overwhelmed with the current sight. 

Why was she feeling this? What was causing it? Is it because of the lack of spark in her marriage?

She somehow managed to gain composure and focused on her own dance practice. The practice went on well until breakfast. Mouni joined Meghna and Sonarika for breakfast as they talked on various stuffs. Sonarika was still having a hard time interacting with Mouni until Mouni decided to break the ice.
"Sonarika , I believe you're having some problems talking with me" Mouni said.
Sonarika was like a deer caught in the headlights. She faltered and tried to solve the situation.
"What? No..no , there is no such problem Mouni..believe me"
"Look , I understand your perspective. I know my lifestyle is not exactly a very welcoming part for others but I am way over it right now."
Sonarika wondered how she manages to do that. She enquired.
"But how?"
"Its simple , I stopped listening to them. One thing I learned long ago with this society , it is that it's very Patriarchal. It favors the male gaze , hell even now I am aware a ton of males eyes are oogling me with side eyes after knowing my lifestyle thinking that now they have a chance with me"
"But still , how do you manage that?"
"I live my life for myself , simple. For more than years , I sacrificed my preferences and my habits for a supposed "Family" and when that Family was whole again , I was still left out. There was still a lack of respect for me. The relatives treated me like my only job in this family is giving birth and raising children. That and then dress decoratively like I am some antic piece for others to see"
Sonarika could somewhat understand what her mindset is as Mouni continued.
"I beared it all but then at one day , I had enough. Sagar came in my life , he showed me what true freedom means , he showed me my life wasn't bound to be in the four walls of my home. He made me see stars , breath a new air , create some butterflies and in many ways made me a free woman. But I also knew I couldn't hurt my husband Kunal in any way"
Sonarika nodded pretending to understand but she was a bit confused from her talk.
"Then I learned Kunal had some kinks of his own , turns out he liked watching and I started to love Sagar's company so we found a common ground and thus our open relationship began"
Mouni said with pride as she concluded.
"And since then , life has never been dull. I don't care what the world think , I have a man that can actually take care of me for good this time"
Sonarika felt conflicted with the mindset. She understood her struggle but at the same time she felt Mouni was doing a big wrong.
"I know my actions might look insulting to Kunal Sonarilka. But at the end of the day you must accept the truth. It is the survival of the fittest , Kunal had his chance , but Sagar is better than him in every sense. And I am happy with him"
"Then why not divorce him?"
"I want to , but he is the one holding onto me. Apparently he still loves me and it seems he is satisfied watching me have fun so I let him. Its not bothering for now. Plus he considers his family and his values to be sacred so he doesn't want to 'embarasse' them."
Sonarika was dumbfounded by her explanation. It didn't help her opinion about the whole thing either. Then Meghna said.
"And this is why I dislike most males in today's world. Because this dumb society has engineered males to be this subserviant. They lack the self respect and the maturity to see the flaws and flaunt this failed system as some symbol of family when it is not. Family is about respect, but lately it has often been a one way steet"
"Thankfully , mine is different. Atleast I have no circus like that in my life" Sonarika stated thinking about Hemant.
"I'll admit , Hemant isn't as bad as Kunal. But still he has done the same mistake as every male chauvinist does. What is crazy is you're agreeing with his actions"
"Its not an agreement , its the understanding Meghna. I know him quiet well than you ever could. When I met him first  , I saw the struggle in his eyes. He handled me like I was some fragile item. Even to this day he does that , when I learned how he hid his trauma of the PTSD of his short stint in the army. He never showed an outburst on me , never even tried one bit or ounce of agression or physical abuse on me. Since day one , I knew he always made sure I was safe"
"Hmm , sounds like you're more of a nurse rather than a wife to him" Meghna joked which earned some giggles from Mouni.
"Laugh all you want , but in all honesty I am proud that I have a husband who managed to overcome his trauma with our own memory. And also a wonderful father to my son"
Sonarika said with pride with a smile on her face. Meghna heard her opinion and then grinned a bit.
"Yes , I get your words Sonarika. But he is not giving you what you want does he?"
"What do you mean?"
"Oh come on , you know , the fun part" Meghna raised her eyebrow as both Mouni and Meghna looked at each other and then later on Sonarika.
Sonarika was caught off guard by that statement. She struggled to find an answer for such an invasive question.
"That is...none of your business" Sonarika said regretting her words.
"Awww...its that bad hhuh?" Meghna teased her again.
"I never said it was bad" Sonarika said.
"Come on...your facial expression says it clearly...its been a while between you two isn't it"
"Okay , this conversation is over" 
Sonarika stopped it and got up and left both of them. She didn't talk to them for the rest of the day as she went to her office with her regular work. That was when she recieved a phone call , it was Vikram.

"Sonarika , the sculptor is having some concerns regarding the floor plans of the hotel , would you mind getting in touch with him and answering his queries? Because I don't think he understands my explanation"
"It's alright Mr.Vikram , I'll talk to him"
"Come on Sonarika , I told you to call me Vicky"
"Oh...sorry about that Vicky. I just become too formal when I am at work"
"I get it , I was wondering are you free by the evening? I wanted to invite you for an art gallery summit at the city. I would like some company"
"Oh  ,will it be a lengthy one?"
"No , we'll be there for just an hour."
"Umm , ok I'll be there"
"Alright , I'll pick you up from your office"
"Okay , bye"
"Bye"
Sonarika sat there wondering about this conversation. Even though it was a formal talk at first , it immediately turned informal and now she agreed to go with a man she met only for a few days to an art gallery. This was so unlike of her , Sonarika wondered why is she behaving like this. She thought about all the things in her life and the little uncomfortable conversation she had with Meghna and Mouni.
Why does she have these strange feelings directed towards Vikram? Is she feeling attracted towards him? She gor rid of these thoughts feeling shameful. She looked at the photo of Hemant and Karan and she felt emotional that she thought like that. Whatever life she has  , she should be satisfied with it. No matter what the accusations Meghna claimed about Hemant. He has shown her stars. But there is also the harsh reality she must accept that Hemant is not the same old Hemant. Fatherhood and family life has taken a toll on him.
She felt she shouldn't think like this because that is not right for Hemant and their relationship. But Mouni's words echoed in her brain
'At the end of the day you must accept the truth , it is the survival of the fittest'

Is that the reason for this strange feeling? Is she feeling this because she is getting attracted to Vikram? No , it cannot be.

Sonarika got rid of the thoughts and worked on her assignments distracting her mind on other things. When evening came , she packed up and left her office. And to her astonishment Vikram arrived just in time in his luxury car and gestured her to get in. Vikram soon drove off with Sonarika to the art exhibit.

"So where is this art exhibit taking place" Sonarika asked
"Its in Colaba , the exhibit is about Morgani's designs" Vikram revealed.
"You're kidding! they are my favorite!" Sonarika exclaimed.
"I know , Meghna told me , which is why I thought I could take you there"
"Did you talk to Meghna about me?" Sonarika enquired.
"I only asked about your preferences okay. I just want to make up to you for that absolute mess of a party. This way our equation can be better"
"That is a wonderful gesture but there was no need for that Vicky"
"To be honest there is , I will be honest with you Sonarika. I really like you as a person and as an individual. And I have this unhealthy obsession of forming good rapport with great people!"
"Is that so?"
"Indeed , ever since we met there has been this...connection. And its the healthy type not anything inappropriate. I loved the interactions we had and I really liked how you handle your professionalism. I don't like to boast but I am an excellent judge of character"
"Really?"
"Yeah , I mean , I have seen you take care of your professional life with such dedication that I am intrigued how you handle your casual life and how I can be a part of it"
"Sounds a lot like flirting Vicky"
"Doesn't need to sound like that , how about making it sound like friendship"
"That...that I can get along"
Soon , Sonarika and Vikram arrived at the art exhibit. They roamed the halls appreciating the art work and sharing what their perspective of the art was to each other. Sonarika really liked this casual conversation she had with him. They talked more about the art and shared their ideas on some of it. After that Vikram obliged to drop her near her home as usual. They arrived at the street near her home as Sonarika got out.

"Why don't come to my house , we can have some coffee"
"I would love to Sonarika , but I have some important meeting to attend at a nearby hotel and an overnight online meeting to prepare for , maybe next time"
"Fine , you're welcome as always"
"Thank you Sonarika , Good Night"
"Good night Vicky"
Vikram drove off to his destination while Sonarika walked home. When she returned home she was once again greeted by the sight of her son Karan and Hemant her husband playing with each other in the living room. It was a site she saw everyday but this sight always gave her joy. But there was something curious about the sight tonight, especially the dress Hemant wore. Hemant was wearing a full sleeved shirt , it was very unusual to see him in clothes like that. Hemant always had very poor fashion choices, today was another example.

What was first a casual meet started to become a frequent interaction between Vikram and Sonarika. The art gallery was their first but now it has evolved to meet up in lunch in the office cafes and eating snacks at a nearby beach. In a span of a month , Sonarika and Vikram's bond of friendship evolved as they would often meet and spend time with each other along with friends on food courts and dance studios. 

Eventually Sonarika got her groove back with her dance and everyone liked what she had to offer. Meghna cheered and Mouni applauded her talent and Vikram was quiet surprised. During one of these dance session , Vikram and Sonarika's hands met and there was as strange spark felt by Sonarika. She felt a strange feeling , that same butterflies in her stomach. It was a strange feeling she hasn't felt in a long time , especially since Rocky. 

This was something she always kept hidden from Hemant because Sonarika knew she never got that feeling with him. She definitely loved him and has feelings for him but this moment , this strange experience , she never felt that with Hemant. Once that connection ended , she felt guilt in her heart knowing that she is feeling betrayed towards Hemant. And that is the last emotion she wants to feel. Regardless of who and what Hemant is  , she wants to cherish him and keep him a part of her life no matter what. But the recent events and his not to serious nature has seriously started to bother Sonarika.

In a way she is disappointed on how much Hemant had change. During the initial days of marriage , there was excitement and thrill in Hemant. He was always open for new things and adventure , they spend less time in home and more time exploring the world. And those were some good days she always remembered. But now fatherhood has snatched away that Hemant from her , he does have time for family , but when it comes to them as a couple , the spark was never there. Sonarika would often think that Hemant and herself made the spark on their own in their marriage but she believed the spark was meant to happen on its own.

But now feeling that spark with Vikram was kind of a deja vu for Sonarika , this felt the same like Rocky. But there is a lot of difference between Rocky and Vikram. Rocky was her boyfriend in college and was the college hearthrob and a rockstar. He was the one who took Sonarika's virginity. Hemant often teased Sonarika that he was better than Rocky. But Sonarika never told him his ability in bed because Hemant was pretty basic. Hemant wasn't that much into sex and to be honest he always wanted to do it safe with Sonarika. He never hurted her or went hard on her , beacause he often states her body is a work of art and he doesn't want to ruin that art. Sonarika often liked that mindset of Hemant , always taking care of her even in the intimate moments. But that could be the reason why the sex life between them diminished because Sonarika craved some roughness and dominance and Hemant despite being impressive , failed to give her that kind of satisfaction.


But now the feeling she felt with Vikram was different. In her mind she felt like Vikram was the perfect combination of Hemant and Rocky , who has the simplicity and attentive attitude of Hemant while looking flamboyant and charming like Rocky. Meghna noticed her glances towards Vikram and she did the usual tease to Sonarika during the office lunch.

"So when are you goind for a date with him"
"With whom"
"With Vikram obviously" Meghna stated sarcastically.
Sonarika got water stuck in her throat when she heard that. She managed to swallow it as she responded
"Vicky? Are you crazy?" 
"Oh , so he is Vicky now!"
"Yeah friends call him Vicky , that is his nickname"
"So how long has this been going on?"
"How long what"
"This 'Friendship'" Meghna said quoting friendship with her hands.
"Stop it Meghna, there is nothing like that"
"Hey if there was , I wouldn't mind. I mean very few get the chance to be with an awesome man like him"
"Goddamit Meghna , I am married."
"Yeah so what? You've seen Mouni , when did marriage has been a blockage"
"Mouni is different? I am not like her. And my husband is not a cuckold"
"So you would love to hook up with Vikram if Hemant was a cuckold"
"What? I didn't say that" Sonarika stated it clearly.
"If that is the case , then you should consider hooking up because in my eyes , he is far worse than a cuckold"
"You're never gonna stop slandering him are you?"
"Never , but now I don't have to think about it. After all , you have a new man in your life"
"Ugghhh stop it Meghna"
Meghna giggled as she changed the subject and conversated on other things. Sonarika didn't like those thoughts so she was glad with the change of their topics. Eventually the meetings between Sonarika and Vikram frequented and they started meeting on breakfasts and evening coffees. Within a span of month , they have now formed a close bond of friendship. Sonarika liked his company and more over she also liked they both thought in the same wavelength. Both shared similar favorites and preferences. In a way the bond between them was cordial because they both were compatible as individuals to each other.

Then something unusal happened a week before the the foundation day function of Tanishq. Vikram and Sonarika were having a late coffee conversation together when there was a slight mishap and Vikram had his shirt spoiled by coffee. Sonarika obliged to have him come home so that she can fix his dress. They arrived home as Anjali and Karan was already there from his educational institution. Sonarika introduced Anjali and Karan to Vikram.

"This is my little sister Anjali , she is studying for medical , and this is Karan , my son"
"Good evening Anjali , that is a nice name for a future doctor , and hello Karan , you are smart boy"

Karan shook Vikram's hand as he looked at Sonarika.
"Mumma this is your dance partner?"
Vikram was surprised by Karan's bold and well presented talk.
"Yes my boy....I am your mummy's partner"
Sonarika felt a bit awkward hearing that , Vikram forgot to mention dance and only said the partner part. It was an odd choice of wording from his side. Sonarika soon lead Vikram to the guest bedroom.
"Stay here and remove your shirt , I'll bring one of Hemant's old clothes for you"
"Ok"
Sonarika went to her bedroom and checked the wardrobe. She found one of Hemant's old shirt he hasn't worn for a year and took it to the guest bedroom. As she reached the guest bedroom doorway , she stopped on her tracks. Inside the bedroom Vikram was now standing stripped off his shirt wiping the water from his body he used to wash the coffee stain. His chest and abs were on full display and Sonarika was lost in the sight of the physical specimen that Vikram was. There was a mountain of a difference between Hemant and Vikram now. Vikram had well cut abs and a lean physique and his muscles looked smooth with very little visibility of veins. He had that body of male underwear models , lean but stron , slim but powerful. Giving off that chocolate boy vibe in a man in his 30s.

Sonarika soon realized where she was and what she was thinking and soon regained some composure and entered the guest bedroom.

"Vicky , here is one of Hemant's shirt , wear it"
"Alright"
Vikram unbuttoned and wrapped his dashing body in Hemant's large shirt. Vikram chuckled as he buttoned the shirt.
"Well , its....quiet large" 
"Well , my husband is a big man"
"Well , I envy him. He became this big getting served by your food"
"You think I am responsible for his unhealthiness"
"To be honest Sonarika its not a bad thing , as long as you are feeding , I can accept any change in my body"
"Don't be , I think I prefer you in your current look so please , don't let go off your fitness"
"Will do mam!"
Vikram spend some time there interacting with Karan and then talking some with Anjali. Karan loved Vikram's company and they had a wholesome moment where Karan explained some boardgame rules to Vikram. Eventually it was time for Vikram to leave as he said goodbye and soon was off. Sonarika went with him to his parked car and send him off. She had a hard time focusing on anything else except that sight of bare chested Vikram. It was such an intoxicating sight that she had a hard time contemplating the situation. 

There was a strange pull , an magnetic pull towards Vikram for her. She has no idea what it was , but for the first time in her life , she felt ashamed of herself. Despite being married to a good man , she was developing this strange feelings for another man in her life. This cannot be right. Eventually she forgot about it and focused on the household chores. As usual Hemant arrived a bit late , he has often shown up home lately looking tired and weak. Sonarika was a bit worried hoping that he is fine , Hemant excused it as some new project happening and he is getting extra job works as he is also an FBA (Financial Benefit Associate) representing Quadron. Sonarika figured it was his usual grind , she just hopes that he doesn't ruin himself doing it because lately it has been taking a toll on his health. The weak look was a constant sight for few days now..


Then came the day of the function. Hemant and Karan were excited for the show. They both arrived at the venue as Sonarika was in that place since the morning. Hemant  took the best seats for him and Karan which was up front so they could see their special lady of the house perform up close. She was going to do three performances today. One was a solo act , while the other will be with all the ladies including Meghna and Pragya and then the final one will be with Vikram. The first one started and Hemant was mesmerized from her look.

She looked absolutely sexy as her performance started , it was a fusion track so there was multiple songs merged into one. First one was Nadiyoon Par song and Hemant was surprised she had backup dancers mostly male giving her backup but rather than the dance to be sensual , she really showed that she was a terrific dancer as she did some moves nobody expected from her. Then the song changed and came Taras song , in that song she did some sexy moves but Hemant wasn't bothered by it because the dance was really good to watch. Karan was singing along the songs and clapping mimicking his mother's steps a little and cheering her on. Sonarika at times during dance noticed Karan's cheers and winked at him.  Eventually the song Kamli started and she ended her first performance there with a loud cheer from the crowd. Then after a few performances later her second performance including all the ladies began. 

Hemant guessed the song right as it was Mere Dolna song. They were all dressed in traditional clothing and all of them looked absolutely beautiful. The song and the dance was really good as it eventually reached its end. Hemant knew there is only performance of hers left and that is with Vikram.

Vikram did a solo performance giving a tribute to Michael Jackson in the beginning. Hemant was completely surprised on the talent Vikram had in dancing , in a matter of seconds the crowd were cheering him on as he danced on an impressive track. Then he switched to the famous Hrithik Roshan song Dil Ne Dil Ko Pukara from Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai. Hemant was really impressed by his dance performance , Karan too enjoyed the dance and song and mimicked Vikram , the stage design and the lightings really helped elevate his performance further. A good chunk of the women from Ragini's crew were present and was cheering him on. Hemant felt a bit of jealousy , now he understood what Pragya meant. He has the qualities to attract the females , he was definitely the ladies man. As his performance ended and the crowd roared , Hemant applauded his talent and clapped with respect.

Then it was time for the final act as the dance featuring both Sonarika and Vikram commenced. Both of them were dressed in suits as the dance started with the title song of Bang Bang 2014 movie. Hemant was stunned seeing Sonarika dance so gracefully with the steps of breakdancing. Vikram was happy that Sonarika was keeping up with him , the dance went on and on and eventually the song changed to the iconic song of Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai but the dance version at the end of the movie. Sonarika ditched her suit jacket and was in just her shirt and slack pants. The energy of their dance was still in the same level as Ragini , Meghna , Mouni , Pragya and others were cheering on. Soon the dance ended and everyone stood up and clapped. Hemant was happy with all the performances and so was Karan who was eager to greet his mother.

Backstage the girls met up with Sonarika and congratulated her for her performance. Everyone rain praises on her talent and moves as Sonarika felt like she was on cloud nine. Soon Hemant and Karan arrived and Karan hugged Sonarika. She gave him a barrage of kisses on his cheeks. Hemant came and hugged her feeling proud for her moment. Meghna was annoyed by Hemant's presence here once again. 

After the performance Vikram requested everyone to have dinner together at a posh hotel nearby. During the dinner Vikram made sure Sonarika was the star of the night , congratulating on her moment and applauding her dance talent. Everyone continued their heap of praises and Hemant too said a few good words about her. Sonarika loved the night , especially the attention she got on that night. 

That night while returning she had a happy face looking at the view of the city reminiscing the moments of today not exactly paying attention to Karan's talk in the background. Hemant saw that Sonarika had that smile and she was deep in thoughts so he seekes Karan's attention and interacted with him while driving making sure Sonarika enjoyed her moment of thoughts as they went home.

That night while in sleep , Sonarika saw the same familiar dream she has seen since her teenage dreams. It was something she never told Hemant , she would often see the same dream everytime. It was her dressed in what many would say something a bollywood heroine would wear , a large princess style ball gown and she will be standing in the scenic view of Kashmir in the snow in the backdrop of an abandoned fort. In the early days of her dreams , she would be greated by a man in a dazzling blue suit but she could never see his face. A few years later that face would get an identity of Hrithik Roshan who has always been Sonarika's favorite actor.

Sonarika often liked the dreams when that man had a face. In her college days , she once dreamed of Rocky being the face in that man , then it was Hrithik. But tonight , it was way more surprising. To Sonarika's shock the face this time was of Vikram , the same Vikram who she danced with few hours ago. She was absolutely stunned seeing him as the prince charming in her dream. She didn't even have the time to contemplate what she saw as Vikram grabbed her face and kissed her which made Sonarika wake up from her dream.

She woke up and saw Hemant was in deep sleep and snoring heavily. She was heavily breathing as she drank some water regaining her breaths. It was such a terrible sight for her to experience. She contemplated everything for a few minutes and eventually went to sleep. Though it was hard for her because of Hemant's snoring. Sleep eventually got hold of her but she was hoping she never sees that dream ever again.


                                                                                                                                                             (CHAPTER TO BE CONTD)

[Harry Jordan]

                                                                                                                                              (CHAPTER 3 CONTD)

As Sonarika was having some remarkable days in her life , things weren't exactly great but was going in a good direction for Hemant. Ever since he joined the gym , the first few weeks were tremendous pain to his body. It was excruciating but he learned to overcome it because he was more focused on getting to that fitness target of his best physique he was aiming for. Despite the terrible pain , his heart and mind beared it thinking that this will be worth it in the end when the improvment finally starts showing.

Upon the third week , he was called in by Priyanka to her cabin.

"Yes Mam"
"Hemant , this lady right here is Ms.Pranitha Mehta , one of the board member of REGAL corp"

Hemant turned to see and great the sight of Pranitha in front of him , he was at first stunned by her beauty. She looked less like a business woman and more like a A list actress with her big and deep eyes with silver eyelids. A smile that can bring light to even the darkest of the rooms. And the physical feature that are more in line with sexual fantasies regarding sexy bosses. Pranitha greeted him wearing a blue suit along with matching business skirt below , her thighs were revealing and Hemant maintained composure and gave her the respect her stature deserved. One good quality regarding Hemant is that he never looks at another woman in that way. Not especially since he has Sonarika in his life , but he always looks at his wife in every single way. He often had struggled breathing seeing Sonarika's hips shake or her ass covered in her nightie at night.

But this was different , Pranitha had a strange energy that took Hemant's attention. Despite being that good looking , she was simple in behavior.

"Good Morning Hemant"
"Good Morning Ms.Pranitha Mehta"
"Please , call me just Pranitha"
"Pranitha here has seeked the help of our consultancy in her new business investment , and she seeks Quadron's analysis" Priyanka stated.
"You are our FBA(Financial Benefits Associate) , I believe its time you represent Quadron and provide assistance for Pranitha in her venture" Priyanka said.
"Sure Mam , I'll do my best" Hemant said with a firm tone.
"Okay, you can now takeover and get to work" Priyanks obliged.
"Yes mam , come with me Pranitha" Hemant gestured her to follow him. They both soon arrived at Hemant's cabin as they sat on the chair.
"Don't mind if I ask a more personal question?" Pranitha asked.
"Already?" Hemant laughed nervously and then stated.
"Apologies, I am not that good in flirting , but ask away" 
"That wasn't so bad but what I mean't to ask is , you look tired and seemed sweaty"
"Oh,  that is because of my workout. I've been gyming lately and the grind is taking some toll on my body"
"Well , that explains the condition , looks like you're loosing fat too quick"
"Yeah , my fitness was gone from my grip and now I am trying to regain my old form"
"Well  , seems like you're overdoing it"
"Its nothing , just an inconvenience for the time being. When the body gets used to it , it will react accordingly"
"You seem to be aware about fitness"
"A little , especially when it comes to my body"
"Good"
"So , Pranitha , shall we talk about your venture"
"Well , I believe you are aware of my background"
"To some extent , you're the member of the highly renowned Mehta Family , the creators and founders of REGAL corp that is not just one of the biggest business empire of this nation , but around the world ,  you led Regal Corp's Environment Friendly Industry sector facilities and boosted it into a profitable venture for the Corp. And you are now here to discuss something about your own personal or Regal Corp's own new venture in association with Quadron"
Pranitha gave smile of appreciation listening to Hemant's analysis of her.
"Good thing I didn't ask you to give me an personal analysis of myself"
Hemant chuckled and liked the friendly attitude of hers.
"I am afraid I don't have much details considering I've just met you moments ago"
"Good , but still you might be aware of some things."
"Okay for simple terms , my personal analysis is you are a confident , focused , committed to the process , clear thinking and a positive energied smart woman"
"You just said all the right words to impress me"
"Anything to impress the clients"

Soon their conversation moved to business. Pranitha was hear to discuss her investment on opening a hospital for the poor and the needy in the city. Hemant explained to her what you seek is pretty basic and in a place like Mumbai there are plenty of it. But Pranitha explained this was her personal venture for a super speciality hospital that could help with the treatments of the poor and the financially impaired but her contacts of multiple NGO's willing to finance the treatment charges and device a new payment scheme based on it. 

Hemant eventually explained that a venture like that is meant to doom because for instance a super speciality hospital often implements and used advanced high tech machinery that are used in foreign lands and these things are quiet expensive to maintain. Hemant explained that for the venture to work , the machinery shouldn't be imported but rather made here. That is when Hemant explained the new Make In India initiative and how this has raised the bar for manufacture in this country. He proposed the idea of using the local version of this machines and implementing ideas of  Indian minds with new technology and machine. 

Hemant carefully explained the history India in medicine and how much the Indian region for centuries have contributed in the field of medicine and treatments. With rising minds in India looking for new oppotunity. Pranitha's venture can bring something new in the financial sector which will motivate others to venture into it. Hemant explained the venture doesn't have to be a big one but rather a bunch of small investments done on small scale and create a process cycle that will help mediate these ventures and a moderate profit can be achieved.

That was when Hemant remembered about Kunal. Kunal has some involvement in that business. The next few days Hemant was more involved in his work and his workout. He met up with Kunal over the details of his new work and Kunal was happy to be involed in the new venture. He provided proposals of country made medical products and machines that are already being manufactured. Pranitha was happy with how budget friendly the proposal was. Pranitha asked for an update on his development but this time rather than meeting in the office , she invited him to a hotel and even send her car to escort him here. They were doing their discussion on the developments of the project after which Pranitha asked casual stuff.

"So how is your workout going"
"Its been good , been burning a few calories on a daily basis lately. Breathing problems have subsided and can move better"
"That explains the rugged look of your clothes , seems like your clothes are too big for you now"
"I know , but I have to hide it , atleast until my body gets in shape. I wanna surprise my wife"
"Oh , so that is why there is that glitter in your eyes"
"You noticed?"
"Of course , are you doing this on her insistance"
"Not exactly , but I wanted her to see my old self , you see , she never got to know the old me. I had some rough past and I met her during my healing process"
"We all go through some tough times"
Hemant noticed the change in Pranitha's tone when she said that.
"If I upsetted you , I am so--"
"Don't be Hemant , its actually feels great to be in good company after a long time" Pranitha cut him off and said.
"Happy to hear that, would you mind loosening some of that stress from your shoulders and sharing the pain"
"You first"
"Mine isn't that big , when I was in college , I wanted to be a sportsman or entertainer of something , I could sing well , play piano and guitar , excelled in sports. Eventually the thirst for joining defense engulfed me , the training made me a much better man. I joined the army and then on a specific mission I saw my fellow soldier die in front of me. That....that did something to me. I left the army , seeked another job. But the fear only mounted after which it became a PTSD for me. I was spiraling out....until Sonarika came in my life and I started living again"
Pranitha listened to Hemant's story carefully but she was having her own doubts as he completed his story.
"So...your turn"
"Well , mine doesn't involved PTSD , but I don't know if its less or worse"
"Fine , I'll be the judge of that"
"Okay , I never thought I would fall in love. But I did in college with Jai , he was everything I wanted and our relationship was out of control. So much so that I became pregnant. Jai was ready to marry me and we were planning our future together. Then everything went south when Jai had an accident and he was gone. The pain and suffering of loosing him took a toll on me and I suffered a miscarriage. In few months my world was in full darkness"
Pranitha's eyes were low and Hemant could see her lips quivering with sadness.
"I am sorry Pranitha , if this makes you uncomfortable we can stop"
"No Hemant , I feel I should tell you. I believe I found someone that could help me unload the weight of my burden and pain"
"Sure Pranitha , go ahead I am listening"
Hemant moved his hand towards her holding her giving her assurance. At that moment Pranitha felt secure and at ease with that touch feeling like she is safe and secure right now.
"My family were concerned about me. They figured by marrying me off I will return to normal. Back then Siddharth had a friend Yash Batra , a member of a fellow business family. They married me to him. But I learned later that Yash wasn't interested in me but rather the stature of the Mehta family. He never dared to abuse me in fear of my family but never missed a chance to reveal to me that I am damaged goods. Then things went worse when one day we learned he was a drug addict and he assaulted one of our maids. Yes the R word. My family stayed by me as I divorced him. Since then I decided to focus on the family business and not on my personal life. And fast forward , here I am."
Hemant smiled a bit as an assurance to her still holding her hand.
"I wanna say sorry. But I believe its better to appreciate your will because you endured all of that and still maintaining that smile."
"Well , I cannot help but smile when I am with you. I like your vibe Hemant"
"Really"
"Yeah , in these few days. I've noticed how much you love your son , how you're fixing yourself so that you can make your wife and yourself happy. I mean , in my eyes , you are the ideal husband"
"Thank you Pranitha , don't be hard on yourself , even in the trauma and the suffering you rose up , one day someone will come and see you for who you are and accept you"
"I hope that becomes true"
They soon changed topics and returned to their work discussion. A couple of days later , Hemant met up with Kunal and they talked about the nature of this venture. Kunal was enthusiastic about the project. But more than that  , he was happy on how Hemant treated him. Upon leaving after their discussion. Kunal said.
"Thank you Hemant , not just because of this venture. But for this whole interaction as well"
"Why?"
"Its been a while someone has treated me with some sort of respect in a while, you know because of my..."
"I know Kunal , but I like and enjoy the interaction of Kunal the man who built his business than the man who does whatever behind closed doors"
"You mean it?"
"Of course I do , what you have built today Kunal , your business , your riches. Its from your hardwork and dedication. I've learned how much harship you took to build your business. And in my eyes , I see a successful man who build his empire with hardwork and dedication of his own. And that will be your image in my mind"
"Thank you Hemant , thank you for that"
Hemant could see tears forming in Kunal's eyes as he left. He realized that whatever was happening in his life , it wasn't something any good. Hemant thought Kunal needed his help and he decided to see what he can do to make his life better.

The next day , Hemant went to visit the corporator who was sponsoring and funding the goons who harassed Anjali. Upon reaching the corporator's place he completely avoided talking to Hemant. After some time he instructed one of the goons to take Hemant to Dilawar. Dilawar was the head of the gang and Rafique's older brother. The goons escorted Hemant to a van and took him to a slum area. They were now walking him through the hollow pathways of the slum leading him somewhere. Soon they reached a chawl house where a bunch of goons were guarding the doorway. Hemant walked inside and he saw multiple goons sitting in the living room. One of them was watching tv while the other was eating food on the dining table. There was a man sitting in the couch alone and he was shaking. He was a lot slimmer and he was shaking. Hemant looked up and saw photos hung on the walls that showed that same man standing happy along with a woman and a bunch of kids. Hemant deduced the woman was his wife and the kids were his children. The wife looked more beautiful and fairer than usual. Hemant was instructed to sit at a nearby chair and wait for Dilawar to finish.

Finish? what was he doing for him to finish? Hemant thought maybe he was using the bathroom or something. But that was when he heard some loud thudding echoing from the other room. He noticed the bedroom door was closed , and the thudding seems to be originating from the other side. The goon watching the tv started giggling a bit as he lowered the volume of the tv. 

"Hey Imran , looks like Bhai is about to go ballistic!"
They all laughed as the thudding got stronger.

Tok....tok.....tok...tok.....tok...tok.....tok...Tok.

Hemant saw tears forming in the man's face sitting in the couch. Hemant realized what was going on. Those sounds coming from that room are the sounds of an old bed moving and being rattled. And there is only one thing that can make that rattling noise. Hemant dreaded that moment as he sat there in that awkward situation. He soon got the confirmation of the situation when he heard the echoes of a woman's moans emanating from the bedroom.

"aaahhh....aaahh....Dilu....aaahhh......."

Not only that gave him the confirmation that it wasn't an assault that was happening in that bedroom , but rather someone's wife enjoying some powerful fucking because the bed movement was getting rapid and the thudding was getting louder.

"aaahhhh.....aaahhh......ahhhhh"
"ggghhh......ggghhhh.....gghhhhh"
"mmm......mmmmm.....mmmmm"

It was a combination of mumbled voices and the woman's moans alongwith the man's grunts that matched with the rattling of the bed. Each moment that passed the sounds were getting bigger.

That was when suddenly the children arrived to the house with happy tones and the man on the couch freaked out.

"Both of you go out and play......play for another half hour"
"But pappa we are tired"
"Its okay my babies....go and enjoy your play...you can rest later...go.."
The man send his kids outside as they ran off to play as he walked back and sat on the couch. The goons laughed on him and Hemant felt sorry for his situation. Hemant sat with baited breath hoping this torture ends soon. And then about 15 mintues of the bed rattlings and screams and moans later. He heard a male roar.
"AAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH"
The roar was primal , to some extend it almost sounded like an animal. After that roar , a few grunts were heard. Then there was silence.

About 10 minutes later , the door of the bedroom opened and out walked a giant man. Hemant deduced he was Dilawar. He was wearing only a tank top and jeans pant making him look like a thug. He didn't seem to be a clean man as he had a very rough beard , there were hairs on his chest but he was a big man. His muscles were clear , they looked big and bulky. Dilawar walked out and looked at Hemant. Hemant stood up and he matched Dilawar's height. Dilawar was slightly miffed because he is used to men cowering to him , but Hemant stood his ground.

"I am here to talk to you" Hemant said in a confident tone.
Dilawar instead turned his attention to the man sitting on the couch.
"Gaurav , you did a good job bringing your wife to Mumbai , don't worry , she is all yours now"
Dilawar chuckled as he walked outisde.
"Walk with me Hemant" Dilawar said to Hemant as he walked alongside him as Hemant , Dilawar and the goons left the house. They were walking through the gully as Dilawar talked.
"So what do you wanna talk about?"
"I think you already know"
"I am not highly educated Hemant , I don't have the gifts of literacy to understand what you want so ask away"
"I need my niece to not be bothered anymore"
"Did I bother her"
"No but your brother did"
Dilawar stopped in his tracks.
"Oh , so this is the girl that Rafique has been thinking about"
Hemant was irritated as Dilawar spoke about Anjali.
"Yeah , Rafique has been talking about this girl for months now. I pampered him a lot , he is a...unique kind of a man. And it seems he fancies her a lot , so I give you a proposal. Since they both love each other why don't we make it official. Let them be together and get married and she can live here like a queen to this entire chawl"

Hemant knew he was taunting him with these suggestions. He rubbed his face and responded.
"Look Mr.Dilawar. I have no quarrel with you or with your brother. But Rafique has bothered my niece enough and I don't want him doing that to her ever again. I have already filed him in SDCAW , and if he dares one more thing against her and its gonna be an FIR that will be lodged against him. I hope you understand the situation"
 
Dilawar's smile changed. He was staring down Hemant with ill intent. Then he spoke.
"Do you really think you're gonna scare me with cops? Go to the nearby station and see my photo placed on the wanted list. Not a single cop has the guts to walk to this chawl house in their own."
Hemant sighed as Dilawar got close to him.
"You better agree to my terms. Or else one day , me and my boys and my brother will pay a visit to your house"
The moment Hemant heard that , anger shot up in his mind. 
"I will tie you and your bitch of a son into the chairs!!" Dilawar boasted staring at Hemant.
Hemant fumed in the inside , his fingers were closing down to a fist , the bones made cracking sounds as his fist tightened.
"And then me and my brother , we will enjoy the night with your wife and your niece right there in front of you!" Dilawar said cold blooded.
Hemant's eyes were turning color , the red was firing up. In his mind , the sights of the traumatic moments from the past flashed before his eyes. The sounds of men screaming , bones cracking , body parts beings chopped , skin being burned. 
"And we won't leave that house until its morning" Dilawar stated.
"And the reason I want to stay till the morning is that I've seen your wife. She has the best ass and boobs I've seen in a while. I wanna mark them as my own and breed her until the morning. That is the correct way to treat that lovely piece of ass!" Dilawar grunted saying that.
Hemant clenched his teeths and tightened his muscles after which he left a sigh and then responded.
"Just stay away from my family Dilawar.....this is my final warning"
Dilawar for the first time felt enraged and he was about to smack Hemant right in the face but his hand was caught by the arriving Sanjana in her uniform along with her officers. 
"What are you doing here Hemant?" Sanjana asked.
"I was here to bury the hatchet , but it seems he is not interested" Hemant explained.
"I applaud your good heart , but some people cannot be negotiated with , don't worry , go home Hemant , I'll handle him from now on" Sanjana said.
Hemant listening to her walks away from that place as Sanjana turns to Dilawar.
"So Dilawar , back to your usual antics I see?"
"I don't see the reason to do anything otherwise" Dilawar stated.
"Well good then you must be finding a new funder for your means because you're creating an issue with the associate of your financer"
"What?"
"You didn't know? the Hemant that you just threatened? He is doing business with Pranitha Mehta member of the Mehta Family....your financiers!"
Dilawar was stunned as he rubbed his head.
"So from now on , keep your distance from him unless you don't want your funding blocked"
Sanjana turned to walk away but stopped after a few steps.
"Oh and Dilawar , I didn't come here to save him from you , I came here to save you from him!"
Dilawar smiled and laughed. Sanjana giggled along with him after which she responded.
"Laugh all you want Dilawar , but you go against him one more time , you or your brother won't even get the chance to cry"
Dilawar stopped laughing as Sanjana walked away.
The next few days , Hemant hit the gym with a lot of intesity. He took out his anger on the punching bag thinking about Dilawar and Rafique. His mind remembered the vile threats Dilawar made and he also had snippets of memories of his dark past creating uneasiness on his mind. On the fifth day his intensity went so hard that the punching bag was torn from the middle and the sand sprinkled out from the hole. That day Hemant noticed that his body has made quiet some improvements. In the dressing room he noticed in the mirror that his pot belly is pretty much gone and the chest has puffed out. His muscles were tightened and veins have started to show. He figured a few more months and his body will completely evolve to a well built shape and his abs will develop.

A week before Sonarika's dance performance. Hemant was visited by Harper who has come to the city for some of ANVIL's work. Hemant and Harper talked that day in the noon.
"Egghead, I am here with a special opportunity for you , and you can refuse if you want but I insist you don't"
"What is it?"
"Listen , I am aware that you're trying to move away from your past and I applaud you. But sometimes you have to accept the reality that even in the darkest past , there were something you did good"
"I don't understand Roy"
"I know that you were one of the best gumsmiths I've ever known , and I am also aware about your old designs. The prototype wallclimber drone and the pistol. And I believe you should not let that talent go to waste"
"What are you suggesting?"
"I want you to work on a gun design , very specifically an assault weapon you spoke about years back. I want you to design it , smith it and showcase it with your name. Me and ANVIL are willing to fund you for this pet project"
"But Roy I have my job in Quadron"
"I know that , think of this as a side project. No need to sacrifice your work time , just work on it on your free time"
"But why are you doing this"
"As much as I like you getting better in shape , I know there is a part of you that is incomplete , and being a creator was your hidden talent , I want you to utilise it , build something for yourself , maybe this will help you to build your legacy as a better person and individual and pave the way you wanted to be in the past , I am returning you your dream and showing you the way to achive it Egghead"

Hemant felt a bit emotional and was happy that Harper cared so much for him.

"But I cannot work on this at my home , especially with my son around" Hemant explained.

"Egghead , do you seriously think I was gonna let you build  a gun in your tiny ass flat? Come on now"

Both laughed.

"We've leased a place in the city , its near the port , a warehouse. Not only you can build your gun there , you can even test it and evaluate it further because its in one of the remote zones. Plus we've even hired some security measures from the military here to give you the proper protection from outside interference."

Hemant was excited about this venture. That night he went through his metal box to see some of his old works. Sonarika was pissed at him for opening the box and spreading the dust , but Hemant consoled her and promised her to clean it and he did. That night has been quiet exciting for him in tha regard.

The next day as planned , Harper and Hemant went to visit the Warehouse site in the port. It was the same warehouse from where Abhimanyu once left with his truck on a night. Hemant noticed that this warehouse was located way inwards and near the coast. The whole place was silent because the nearby mills and factories were no longer working and are all abandoned sites. Not many people pay visit here as Hemant and Harper surveiled the place. He opened the main door and the interior was to some extent in some bad shape. But there was a working anvil and a smithing slab along with a work table that were in peak condition.

Harper called in some people and the whole day they worked on building a room for Hemant near the office deck. Since this won't be having any industrial presence the preparations were done for Hemant and Hemant alone. Soon the office deck was transformed into a giant room for Hemant to rest along with amenities like a TV and a Fridge along with a temporary gas system just in case. In many ways , this was like a mini house for Hemant. And he hated to admit it , but he liked staying here. This feeling like here gave him the ambience of his past , a time where he felt he was living a dream , to achieve something , to become something. Harper was definitely giving him a second chance , he imagined how his life will change if this works. Tomorrow there will be big successes , there will be big profits towards him. He can give his family the luxury that they have never even dreamed of. He can take Sonarika for a second honeymoon in a foreign country. He could provide Karan with the best education in the world. Provide a wonderful opportunity for Anjali to thrive her career in the medical field. The possibilities were endless. 

Harper was in the city for two more days in which he even spend time with Tamanna and Hemant together reminiscing about their college days. Hemant revealed to them that he has met Sanjana which shocked Tamanna. Harper was impressed that Sanjana was now in law enforcement. Hemant made it clear he has moved on after all Sanjana is already married and has an older child than Hemant has. They had a wonderful time during Harper's stay. It wasn't easy to explain this to Sonarika and others in the house for Hemant.

Of course he couldn't explain it whole to Sonarika so he stated he is starting a side venture which will take time but it might need him to stay at his work place for some nights. Sonarika was upset at first but then she also noticed the happy face Hemant sported in recent days. She agreed with his request and he also shared the location of his warehouse with her just in case.

The weeks after her dance performance , Hemant invested more time on the warehouse than often and there has been some great improvements in the place. He converted an open space near the anvil into his own gym and he used a good chunk of his savings to buy gym equipments for him to use. He even brought his metal breifcase and stored it here. He cleaned the upper section of the warehouse and got rid of the dust which gave him an ample space to train for his parkour skills. During one of his strolls around the warehouse. He noticed a container being placed behind the warehouse inside a shed. It was locked so he had no idea what was inside it but he chose to check it later on. 


In a way this warehouse was a perfect escape for Hemant's daily work pressure. He was in his old self in this warehouse devoid of any worries just being himself , away from any responsibilities or jobs. His work developed well and things were looking good in many regards in his life. 

Kunal visited him often in that warehouse to hangout and it seems he was really liking Hemant's company. And Hemant loved interacting with Kunal on other things and hobbies he liked. He got to know a side of Kunal that not many saw. Kunal was a travel lover and one of his biggest dream is to travel the world and explore it to his heart's content. He has stated his interests in places he wanna visit and live for some time. This friendship really helped Hemant understand Kunal as a person. He could see the man behind the cuckold. Kunal often met with Pranitha and Hemant on coffee dates and other meets regarding their works but as time went by the bond between them grew. And Pranitha was aware of Kunal's identity because Mouni has been present in many of Pranitha's social circle. But she didn't judge Kunal with that and eventually learned to interact with him as a friend. 


About 3 months has passed since Hemant's work began on his side project and things have been developing quiet well for him. Hemant had a tough time commuting to the warehouse because it added a few more distance to trail and public transport had its limitation there. Pranitha noticed it and so did Kunal so they both teamed up and gifted Hemant a Mahindra Thar jeep. Hemant was at first reluctant but both Pranitha and Kunal motivated him to take it. 


Upon getting it , Hemant took Sonarika , Anjali and Karan for a short weekend trip to Karjat. It was a wonderful family time for them and she was happy Anjali was a part of it too. The time in Karjat was fun , and this time unlike the situation in Matheran  , Hemant was involved in many activities with Karan here. They even visited the water park which only made Karan more happy. By the time weekend ended and they returned home , the entire family was tired but were very happy with the time spend there.

Then a few days later, an incident happened in Shraddha's educational institute. A class 8 student by the name of Reshmi was supposed to write her board exam but her brother was stuck in traffic. The time was low and the girl is handicaped as she doesn't have both her arms. Shraddha felt bad seeing her desperate for help begging others to help her. Just then Shraddha thought about someone , she remembers the number from her mother's phone so she uses the institute's landphone. Shraddha was calling Hemant.

"Hello"
"Hello uncle , this is Shraddha"
"Shraddha , what happened beta , is mumma ok?" Hemant asked concerned.
"Mummy is fine uncle , I am calling from my institute" Shraddha said.
"What happened honey"
"Uncle , I have a friend here and she has her board exam in 10 mins , she doesn't have both her arms. Her brother is stuck in traffic. I know your office is nearby , can you help her write her exam?"
Hemant was at apalled by this request. But he noticed most of his work was done and he had the need to earn some good rapport from Shraddha. He called in Disha and handed the rest of the work for the day to her.

"Disha , there is only a little left so I want you to complete. Don't send it , I'll send it in the morning. Also see if I have any errors , I need to go out for a few hours"
"Sure thing Boss" Disha saluted him back.

Hemant quickly left and got on his suv and drove off. Luckily his direction of the road didn't have any traffic and he arrived within 5 minutes. He saw Shraddha standing there with the girl and Hemant felt sadness for her. Soon he accompanied her to the exam hall and as her instruction she was given a different classroom since she will have to tell Hemant orally her answers. Hemant carefully listened to her and wrote the answers on the paper. The supervisor gave him proper instruction that he is not supposed to help her remember anything and that his role there is only to write the paper as per her request. 

Hemant sat there for three hours writing the paper. The brother was there within the half hour mark but was now forced to sit outside the class. He was happy that his sister got someone to help. Hemant and Reshmi were able to complete the paper with 5 minutes left. As they exited , the brother came to greet her. He quickly then hugged Hemant and thanked him for his help. Hemant instructed to leave early so that this kind of things don't happen again. He also provided the brother with an alternate route where there will be no traffic issues. 

As Hemant was leaving , he saw Shraddha looking at him smiling for the first time. Hemant felt like he achieved something seeing her smile. He returned to his office in a very happy mood. Disha teased him but he wasn't bothered by it as Hemant completed the rest of the work for the day.

Tamanna called Hemant that night apologising for Shraddha's actions. Hemant said it wasn't an issue as he wanted to help Shraddha and he was glad he did. Tamanna was alright after Hemant's explanation and all three of them bonded the next day on a lunch outside. Since then , Tamanna and Shraddha formed a good rapport with Hemant. Hemant was glad for the appreciation.


At this point everything was going well with his life right now , his job life was going good. Sonarika recently completed another project which earned her another accolade. His work in the warehouse in the weekend went better than usual. His visit to the Warehouse became more frequent as he felt he was in his element in that space.


But for Sonarika , things were not exactly looking good. Ever since the dance performance her mindset about Vikram had completely changed. What was once just a professional turned casual friendship was now paving way for something more private. Their interactions meeting on lunch dates and at times even breakfast started to give the feeling that they are more than friends at this point. And it was a nightmare for Sonarika because the dream she once saw became a frequent scenario in her slumber for days. And each times , the situation and the setting got more and more upclose and personal. While the same dream repeated only twice more since then , the other dreams weren't helpful in her case either. One night she tried to distract herself and maybe force Hemant into her mind as she started to do some seducive advances on Hemant , but Hemant realizing she might learn about his workout and he was waiting to reveal it later on their anniversary. So he said he wasn't in the mood and that resulted in Sonarika falling into her pit of turmoil in her mind.


All the days of Meghna singing praises of Vikram and then seeing him like never before really made Sonarika upset. She always felt disgusted that she imagined Vikram in her prince charming dream , something she couldn't even see Hemant as. And that depressed her , not to see her husband in the same place she always dreamed her ideal man was. In a way , it felt like Vikram was taking over Hemant's place in her dreams. And that was something she couldn't tolerate , but this is also the harsh reality that she feels attracted towards him. Sonarika knows that is wrong but Meghna kept hyping him as the ideal man and that she would've easily choosing him as the ideal partner for Sonarika. Adn then Hemant's side job began and his involvement in the house was reduced to some level. The weekends were the times when Sonarika and Hemant could do some stuff together but this work has now taken up his time and now the only time they interacted were before going to sleep and waking up in the morning. 

Sonarika expressed her frustrations to Meghna.

"Ever since this new work has come , he doesn't have time for me anymore. We barely talk hello hi on the morning and evening and that's it. I feel like this work is really bringing some hurdles in our relationship."
"Look , its just his work. You need to understand he is doing everything right now is for his family and for the future. Or maybe thinks he is doing"
"Did you just talk nice about Hemant?" Sonarika said to Meghna with a raised eyebrow.
"I don't hate him Sonarika , he has his own qualities." Meghna made it clear but then added.
"But I simply don't believe that he was the right person for you"
"Uggh , this again Meghna?" Sonarika felt irritated.
"Look , I am saying based on my analysis. Just 10 years into marriage and your love life has already went past rock bottom. Its clear you haven't had any intimacy with him for quiet some time , and now you feel you made a mistake"
"No , I don't feel that okay"
"Then explain your current feelings"
"What feelings"
"Oh Sonarika, you think I don't notice your stares and glittery looks towards Vikram , I know psychology ok."
"WHAT! , No , I have no such feelings towards Vicky" Sonarika retorted finding the correct words hoping she accepts it.
"You can lie to yourself but not to me" Meghna stated.
"Look Meghna , I cannot have such feelings towards Vicky okay , I am a married woman"
"Well , its too late for now"
"How?"
"Because you no longer call him Vikram , you call him Vicky"
"He said to call me Vicky because friends call him Vicky"
"I am his friend too and I never call him Vicky"
"That....that....I don't know he told me which is why I call him Vicky ok?"
"Fine....then accept your feelings towards him"
"WHAT Meghna , I am married. I cannot think of another man like that"
"Oh which century are you living Sonarika. You are a woman , moreover you are a human. And human emotions can be complex at times, there is no problem having feelings like that because it is natural sweety. Take Mouni for example"
Sonarika already felt annoyed hearing her name.
"Mouni was once a married woman until society wanted her to play a role , something she wasn't quiet comfortable in. And then Sagar came in her life and he swept her off her feet. He did things with her that Kunal couldn't even dream to do. And now thanks to Kunal being a cuckold , Mouni gets to live her life happily with her ideal man and she feels empowered and liberated enough that she doesn't care what the world or society thinks of her which is why she flaunts her relationship with bold and courage"
Sonarika listened to her and understood what Meghna meant.
"In my eyes , she is the epitome of strength and perseverence. She has two men in her life , but she loves only one. And now she lives like a complete woman having no care what the world or this patriarchal society thinks. In many ways she won and succeeded in life"
Sonarika was partially agreeing but not exactly atoning to those statement.
"And I believe you must get use to that lifestyle because that could be your future"
"My future?"
"Yes , you know , you could be Mouni , Hemant could be your Kunal , and Sagar will be Vikr--"
"Meghna stop , don't , I don't want to hear" Sonarika stopped her rubbing her head.
"Well get used to it honey , because your husband's fate is sealed"
"What do you mean?"
"Oh you didn't know? Hemant has been spending quiet a lot of time with Kunal lately. Even the new vehicle gifted to Hemant was partially a gift from him"
Sonarika was shocked,  she didn't knew this part. Hemant told her that his investors gifted him. For the first time she felt anger on Hemant. That night she intended to confront Hemant. While going to sleep Sonarika quickly closed the bedroom door and turned to Hemant.
"Hemant, did Kunal gift you your vehicle?"
"What?"
"Kunal , Mouni's perverted husband , did he gift you that vehicle"
"Well , in a way , yes but n--"
"RETURN IT"
"What"
"RETURN THAT VEHICLE BACK!"
"But Sona why?"
"I don't want you to associate with him in anyway possible. I don't want him anywhere near you"
Hemant realized Sonarika was upset as her skin was a bit red and she was staring at him with her wide eyes. Hemant came close to her and places his hands on her shoulders which Sonarika immediately pushed away. Hemant once again placed his arm on her.
"Relax , sit" Hemant said in a low tone as he led Sonarika to the bed and made her sit on it. Hemant kneeled in front of her. 
"Sona , this new project I am doing for Quadron. Its for one of the members of REGAL corp , they are planning a multi speciality hospital in the city and I have been hired as the FBA to plan their project. I proposed to use machinery and equipments made in this country as a replacement for this venture which will not only make the budget comfortable but also give the right exposure to indian made equipment manufacturers. And Kunal works in one of that industry , he has business in medical manufacturing secter and he has happily obliged to be the third party investor in this project. Which is why I have been spending time with Kunal lately , there is nothing else"
Sonarika upon hearing each of those words slowly calmed down and looked at him in a more welcoming look.
"So you don't have to worry about me spending time with a pervert. Because I've been spending time with the business Kunal , not the cuckold Kunal. And to be honest I like the former version better."
Sonarika eased down further and smiled lightly looking at Hemant.
"Now for the warehouse part , some time ago I met an old friend of mine from college named Roy Harper. He was my well wisher so he came up with a proposal. To work on a manufacturing venture , as you may know , I could once build things"
Sonarika nodded hearing from him.
"Well , this time he wants me to build something for the firm he works in , they have funded and leased that warehouse and even providing me with necessary raw materials and resources for the work. If this thing works Sona then we won't have to worry about our daily grind anymore. We can take an early retirement and spend the days with each other like we used to do. I have full confidence that this will work , and when it is done. All of our lives will change for the better"
Sonarika felt happy hearing his positive words and what he plans to do. Its always this quality about him that she could never move away from. Every time she would be pissed , he would find a way to make up to her. Hemant soon told her.
"This will be just a few months of grind it , once it is done , I will dedicate all of my time to you ok?"
Sonarika nodded as Hemant kissed her on the forehead as they went to sleep. That night those dreams didn't came , but she liked the dream she saw. It was a big house located at a hill near some sea and Hemant and Sonarika are sitting in the lawn on some chairs and they are holding hands enjoying the view. Sonarika put her head on his shoulder and said.
"This....this is worth everything baby"

                                                                                                                                          (CHAPTER 3 TO BE CONTD)

[Harry Jordan]

                                                                                                                                              (CHAPTER 3 CONTD)

That was the last time Sonarika felt a good moment and dreamed about Hemant because the next few months brought some big changes in her life. The construction of Vikram's hotel was almost halfway there in the hillstation of Kasauli. Sonarika had to do two short trips to the place. Though she went on the first trip alone , she took Karan with her on the second one. Vikram too loved Karan's company and Karan was in his happy self there. Having Karan around really helped Sonarika find the balance between work and personal life. And not just that , having Karan around gave her the courage to not have any weird thoughts about Vikram. Vikram was in his usual good behavior , but he chose to spend more time with Karan than with her and that slightly miffed her. 

The attraction was building in her mind and she was having a hard time gaining any type of control over her minds and thoughts about Vikram. Then things went much worse as a few weeks later , Sonarika and everyone from her friend circle including Ragini , Mouni and Meghna were all invited to the wedding ceremony of a common friend Kiara. The wedding venue was a grand affair and it was going to span for multiple days. The girls formed a bond of their own and  they enjoyed the time there. But then Vikram proposed another dance performance for the couple's reception ceremony and Sonarika was once again forced to pair with Vikram.

Meghna liked that Sonarika got to spend more time with Vikram much to Sonarika's dismay. But she could notice the glitter in her eyes everytime she looked at Vikram. The song they were going to perform was Dum Dum from Band Baaja Baaraat movie. Their performance was the highlight of the reception party has Vikram had hired professional dancers for back up. Everyone was talking about the chemistry that Sonarika and Vikram shared. Sonarika was thankful that majority people present here wasn't aware of her personal life so she didn't bother to correct them. 

Even though Vikram maintained his distance , their physical contact had become more frequent especially during the dance. Sonarika noticed his grip on her was much more firm and longer than the last time. And this time , some of the steps had them dance pretty close to each other. Sonarika would on occasion see Vikram staring at her. The day after the reception Sonarika conversated the issue with Meghna.

"Meghna , I think Vikram has...something for me"
"What do you mean something?" Meghna asked curiously with  a grin.
"I mean , he sometimes stares at me longer than usual , many times he wants to say something to me but stops , its like there is something he wants to express but struggling to say it"
"Shall I talk to him?"
"No , no way"
"Then , why are you telling me this"
"I am telling you this because I am concerned , concerned about my own life , how this will ruin everything if lines are crossed"
"Then don't cross the line"
"I want to , but Vicky....I am having a hard time getting rid of him in my thoughts"
Meghna's grin only grew wider as she looked at Sonarika.
"Oh Sonarika baby , looks like you're getting attracted to Vicky now!"
Sonarika was stunned by Meghna's bold claim , she was flabbergasted.
"No....no...I am not....that cannot happen"
"This is not something we can control ok?"
"No but I can't do that"
Sonarika was getting upset after every second. Meghna decided to control the situation.
"Listen Sonarika , what you're experiencing is just natural. Its only showing the sign that you're a woman. Tell me something , when have you been intimate with Hemant before?"
Sonarika was taken aback by Meghna's bold question.
"What does that have to do with anything Meghna?"
"Its does...believe me , answer me , when?"
Sonarika was reluctant to answer that , but for some reason she just lowered her guard.
"It was that night in Matheran...when we went for an outing a week after this new project began"
"Oh...so its nearly been a year then..."
"Yeah so what?"
"You know Savithri mam , our old mentor. Her husband Kishore still does it with her at this age even now , they have been consistent"
"There can be exceptions in marriage , just because Savithri is a lucky woman doesn't mean I can be the same"
"But you can....you just need to look at the right way"
Meghna said moving her eyes to the other side pointing at someone. Sonarika followed her sight and there in the distance sat Vikram with some of the boys. Sonarika was stunned by Meghna's insinuation.
"Are you crazy Meghna? I cannot do that"
"Come on Sonarika , I know you are attracted to him. Just let yourself loose , experience it and then make a decision"
"What are you saying? You want me to sleep with him"
"I don't want anything from you , you asked for my opinion. This is mine , you seek some freedom , a release and I recommend you seek it"
"By jeopardizing my marriage?"
"I am not saying that , I am just stating my opinion. Because first off I would've never accepted a numbnut like Hemant as my husband and above all give him the luxury of becoming a father , and secondly I find Vikram to be far more convincing and consderate as a man than Hemant could ever be"
"You are never going to stop insulting my husband are you?"
"To be honest, I don't even acknowledge him as your husband , I see more chemistry between you and Vikram than Hemant could ever generate with himself. He is nothing more than a bigger version of Kunal"
"Meghna" Sonarika said frustrated.
"Its better you accept his shortcomings Sonarika. Face it , he cannot satisfy you anymore , what you are doing with him is just the patriarchal duties of the society of a wife towards him. But in doing that , you are sacrificing Sonarika the woman who deserves to be free , to fly , to live."
"What are you saying Meghna?"
"I am showing you the reason why this feelings come into your mind. You are being chained and locked in your marriage. Its been a while that you have felt any kind of release , and then Vikram comes into your life and you see the person that can give you that freedom , that release. You share this undeniable connection towards him , that pull , and you feel attracted towards him"

Meghna kept on saying something but Sonarika was lost in her thoughts after the things Meghna has stated. There is some accuracy in her assumptions , yes Sonarika has been craving a lot lately and she has somewhat been frustrated with her married life right now. But now there is some clarity on why she feels attracted towards Vikram. When she started a life with Hemant , there was a lot of learning that happened , she learned to live with him , learned to be infactuated by him and learned to start a life with him. It was a beautiful process , but at the end of the day she had to accept that it was dull and boring. She had more fun with her friends in her college days than what she had with Hemant. In a way , they slowed down their life after marriage. Which explains why Sonarika missed the early days of marriage because there was excitement between them. Now there isn't much , for now there is only responsbilities and duties of a family.

Sonarika felt that pull that Meghna stated and she was slowly and steadily getting enamored by Vikram's charms and talks. The group ended up spending the week there so the girls enjoyed exploring the place. Eventually one day they went to a hill station nearby which had cable car services to the mountain top. This was Manali after all and the one of the best beauties of this place is its scenic mountain ranges. The whole gang was there as they rode on cable cars to reach the top. Up there the view was fantastic. Everyone took some photos individually as well as group. Sonarika enjoyed the view to the fullest. She ended up going to the highest point much to the warnings of the other girls. She enjoyed the view from there. The sky looked like it was on eye level , and it was on the top of the mountain range far from her like a big thick cotton buds. The sunlight gave the much needed boost to the beauty of the mountain range. She felt like if there was a heaven , it should look like this. 

She forgot how much time has passed as she was lost in the beauty of the view. That was when she heard the sound of Vikram coming from the lower portion.

"Sonarika , everyone has left , are you planning to stay here?" Vikram shouted sarcastically.
"Coming" Sonarika shouted back as she carefully walked to the lower portion. Thankfully she chose to wear a simple t shirt top and jeans short for this expedition so she was quiet comfortable. 

They arrived at the cable car section waiting for the next car to come up. But much to their surprise , the car coming upwards suffered a malfunction. Sonarika was slightly worried as they were stuck there at the hill station. Vikram soon dialed a number and talked.

"Yeah man it seems the cable car is having some problems so why don't you guys leave for the hotel , I'll meet you guys directly there. See you"
Vikram then turned to Sonarika.
"I don't think this will be fixed anytime soon Sonarika , if you are comfortable we can take the hard route and trekk down to the surface."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah it will be fun of its own , and I really wanna know how much of a good trekker you are because I am not convinced that you are one"
"Fine , challenge accepted"
Sonarika and Vikram soon started their descent from the hilltop. The trekk wasn't hard as there was a rough pathway that clearly showed how to go. They both had a discussion about trekking and made their way down the hill. The descend was wonderful and the trekk path was safer. But then things took an unexpected turn.

The climate suddenly changed and clouds started to form. Sonarika realized this was the same cloud she saw at the hill top at the furthest mountain. Now it was hear right above her head. Soon the telltale sign was given as few water drops started falling from the sky. It was going to rain!

Sonarika freaked out while Vikram assured her its just rain and it won't be harmful. But in about 20 seconds later , rain started to pour down in full swing. Sonarika and Vikram got drenched in rain water in record time and Vikram soon pointed her to a nearby tree where they can find some shelter. Sonarika stood below it as Vikram stood somewhat closer. Both of them giggled and laughed at their debacle as Sonarika tried to rub the water droplets from her face. That was when Vikram's eyes scanned her , she was looking like a mermaidic beauty in front of him. And the rain had made her t shirt stick to her body highlighting her amazing body structure. 

Vikram was feeling things in his body so he decided to distance himself , he slowly moved away which resulted in Vikram standing in the pouring rain. Sonarika a few seconds later noticed Vikram was getting wet in rain water.

"Vicky , why are you standing away , you're getting drenched!" Sonarika enquired while trying to dry herself. Then she raised and gestured her hand towards him to hold. Vikram was reluctant , he felt like he was standing in a dangerous territory. He struggled to take her hand.

"Come on ,. Vicky , take my hand!" Sonarika asked again.

Vikram struggled to get any control but couldn't help feel the butterfly in his stomach. He slowly moved his hand and took hold of the hand Sonarika raised towards him. But Sonarika suddenly pulled him bringing him beneath the tree shielding from the rain while she laughed seeing his struggle. Vikram's senses went haywire getting this close to Sonarika feeling her breaths and drenched beauty. The water droplets formed in her lips were so inviting towards him. Vikram was caught up in the moment that he wasn't aware what he was doing. He moved his fingers over her face and rubbed her lips with it. The smile from Sonarika's face faded and she too felt something unusual , she was lost in the depth of his eyes as they both looked at each other.

Soon their faces started to come close to each other. Their breaths started to collide sharing the heat emanated with it. And before they could realize , their lips made contact. Sonarika closed her eyes as Vikram's lips joined with Sonarika's as their lips glued together in their union. Slowly and steadily Vikram pushed Sonarika to the tree where she ended up on her back. Their lips started to rub against each other , their heartbeats rosed and both of them succumbed to the strange feeling in their stomachs. Sonarika's hands moved from his arms to his shoulders and then later to the back of his head. Their lips started to move savoring the feel and contact of each other. And in about a minute later , both their mouths started to open up inviting each other.

The rain intensified as the two indivduals completely lost in their moment of connection and intimacy that they were fighting not to fall against. Their tongues met and they started their wrestle. The dripping water from her skins added more amibence and charged the environment for their intimacy to grow. In that cascading violent fall of rain , two people were coming together , two people that were once just associates who turned friends but in this moment friendship no longer holds weight anymore. This has evolved into somewhere uncharted. Vikram moved his body to hers making the contact between them more intense. Nothing in the world mattered at that time anymore. Both were lost in the waves of passion as they were taken through the rivers of intimacy lost in this beautiful moment.

The feeling was unusual , it created some feelings that Sonarika has never experienced before. Her nerves were pulsing , her body was on fire. The feeling was surreal yet at the same time very much captivating , she wanted to feel this forever in her life because it felt so intoxicating. The tongue was invading and a challenge , she loved wrestling with it. Her hands without a thought was now caressing Vikram's hair enjoying the wet strands and feeling the water being pushed out because of her fingers. The kiss went on and on and the rain began its final outcry , pouring its water down in adunbance and in intensity. And this climate and the harsh weather acted as a peak feature for this beautiful moment. A moment shared between two beautiful individuals.

As they were both engulfed in their passion lost in this intimate act the rain put its complete power to the environment and poured it all. But soon it started to subside as the climate was clearing away.

As the rain moved away and the sun was setting. The kissing couple separated , still high from the throe of pleasure generated with this act. But as they separated , their minds that were ascended in the skies of pleasure suddenly nosedived and crashed to the grounds of reality. When Sonarika opened her eyes and saw Vikram's face her eyes started to get wide. She soon realized the gravity of the mistake she has just committed. Her eyes were watering and this time it wasn't rain that was flowing. 

Sonarika covered her mouth and ran leaving Vikram there who was concerned for her. The terrain was rough and it wasn't an ideal place to run. But before Sonarika could understand it , it was too late. Vikram heard Sonarika's scream and a loud screetch.

"SONARIKA!" Vikram shouted running against her and soon he found her lying on the ground away from the trail near the river. Vikram arrived near her and saw that her knee was bruised and she was bleeding. He immediately took out his hankerchief and covered the wound. Sonarika winced and cried. Her shirt and shorts were ruined due to mud. He tied the hankerchief to her knee and then made her stand up. 

But Sonarika was having a tough time standing. So without thinking much Vikram lifted her in his arms. Sonarika was silent , she was going through a barrage of emotions due to the things they did. But Vikram knew the situation wasn't the time to think about it but to make sure she is safe. The descend down was faster as Vikram carried her down the hill and took her to his vehicle. He then drove her to a nearby hospital where the doctor checked her wound. Luckily it wasn't anything serious and was a scratch so there was loss of skin.

Not once did Sonarika looked towards Vikram. And Vikram realized the mistake he did with her. The ride back to the hotel was a silent one and Vikram held Sonarika as he guided her to her hotel room. The girls present were suddenly shocked and worried seeing Sonarika like this , Vikram explained to them what happened and suggested them to let her take some rest.

The whole night Sonarika silently cried , feeling guilty from the terrible mistake she did. She held on to her mangalsutra and kissed it multiple times trying to remember Hemant and Karan but everytime she closed her eyes , her mind went to Vikram and the incredible passion they shared in that rain.

After having a terrible night of sleep , the next day Sonarika and the girls left for Mumbai , she purposefully avoid looking at Vikram as he too stayed away from her feeling guilty. Meghna noticed that Sonarika was looking upset and something was bothering her , but she chose to give her space hoping to hear it from her at a later time. The wound didn't hurt Sonarika anymore as much as her mind has been. She simply couldn't forget the incident beneath that rain. Every time she tried to forget it , the memories came crashing back like a torture. Even now she could feel his scent , the taste of his lips. His firm grip on her hips. That raw primal feeling  , it was something so intoxicating that she couldn't feel angry about it because that experience gave her an unusual tingling to her nerves. It was like her body was getting addicted to this new drug , this new touch. But then the overwhelm of guilt and pain succumbs her when she thinks of Hemant. She tries her best to remember any happy moments with him but the only thing that makes her forget the incidents of yesterday is her honeymoon night with Hemant in that house boat.

She felt disgusted thinking that it took her best moment with Hemant to forget a simple kiss from Vikram.

She arrived home and Anjali immediately enquired about her injury since she noticed the plaster in her foot. Sonarika assured her she was fine and it is just a scratch. Sonarika didn't feel much pain anymore and according to her this dressing on her wound is too much. But then Sonarika noticed that Anjali had an upsetting look. It was Sonarika's turn to worry as she thought since Anjali had suffered some bad incidents not so long ago.

"Anju , are you alright?"
"Yes I am okay didi"
"You don't look okay"
"Oh , that is because of Bhaiya"
Sonarika's worry grew further.
"WHAT , what happened to Hemant?"
"Bhaiya went for a function last night and some skirmish happened , he suffered an injury near his eyes."
Sonarika looked at her shocked , and looke around. 
"Where is he?"
"He is asleep , he is given a few days rest."
Sonarika charged to the bedroom and saw Hemant lying on the bed with his skin around his eyes reddened and dark.
"Oh my god!" Sonarika said seeing the sight as she went towards him.
"Hemant? Baby what happened? What happened to you?" Sonarika asked teary eyed caressing Hemant's face. She was concerned and was hurting seeing him like this.
"Sona? You're back?" Hemant said slightly coming in consciousness from a deep sleep.
"What happened Hemant?"
"Its nothing Sona...the skin will heal eventually...nothing serious"
"But what happened?"
"Don't bother about it honey , Its nothing serious"
"Tell me right now or I am calling your office" Sonarika threatened.
"Ok , I went to a function last night. There Sandeep was with his friends and he was drunk. He did his usual tactics but this time went overboard and sprayed alcohol over my head and then dumped a noodles bowl after. The noodle masal went in my eyes and its ingredient after getting touched with alcohol burned my face. I was taken to the hospital where doctors cleaned my eyes and said that no severe damage happened. And then I returned home and took rest"
Sonarika was fuming halfway when she heard Hemant was harmed by Sandeep. His antics have never stopped. He always insults and berates Hemant and now he has gone overboard. Sonarika got up quickly and Hemant tried to calm her.
"Sona relax , where are you going?"
Sonarika left the room and walked out the hall and faced Anjali.
"Anju , stay here and take care of him , I'll be back in sometime"
"Didi where are you going?"
"To settle some score" Sonarika said with focus. She got in her car and used her mobile to call Meghna.
Meghna answered after a ring.
"Sonarika?"
"Meghna , you media company keeps tab on notable personalities right?"
"Yes."
"Any chance you may know where Sandeep Vardhaan is right now in the city?"
"I can find out why?"
"Find out where he is....I am on my way to your office"
"But why do you--"
Before Meghna could complete Sonarika ended the call. Meghna was surprised at her stoic tone , regardless she used her media contacts and found out where Sandeep is.

In about 15 minutes , Sonarika arrived at the company lobby in her car as she got out and Meghna was there to recieve her.
"Have you got it?"
"Yeah I did bu--"
"Then get in"
Sonarika wasn't asking , she was ordering. Meghna at first was taken aback but at the same time she realized there was something serious going on. Meghna sat as Sonarika drove off. She told her where Sandeep is and Sonarika set the gps in her phone to that destination and started driving. After gaining some distance , Meghna tried to find out what was going on.
"Umm , Sonarika , care to explain what is going on?"
"That bastard Sandeep , he has been harassing Hemant for a while and last night he went overboard"
"What happened?"
"He spilled alcohol over Hemant's head knowing that Hemant never liked or drinked alcohol. After which he dumped a bowl of noodles over his head, the masala in that noodle went in Hemant's eye and his socket area skin is burned up because of it."
"My god , is he okay?"
"By the looks of it yes , but I had enough with this bastard Sandeep , its time I showed him what happens when he messes with my family"

Meghna was surprised at Sonarika's stance and her rage. But a part of her liked this because she was no longer seeing the repressed married woman Sonarika , she was seeing the old bold , outspoken , courageous and leader Sonarika from her college days. She remembers how Sonarika was such an outspoken and daring person. She has been the student's union chairman for a year in her college. Meghna could see an inspirational leader in Sonarika during those times. And right now she was seeing that unstoppable , badass Sonarika right in front of her. Meghna wished Sonarika stayed that way , but there was also an annoyance that she is behaving like her old self because of Hemant. Meghna didn't like the reality that Hemant was still an influence in Sonarika's life. She wished Sonarika made a better decision for her marriage partner.

Eventually they arrived at the venue which was a hotel. Sonarika exited and Meghna followed her. Sonarika was power walking , her each step had weight and purpose. Meghna was getting more and more happy being with Sonarika like this. They arrived at a waiting area where Sandeep with some men laughing and enjoying. His expression changed as he saw Sonarika approaching. Before he could react , Sonarika's right hand instantly made contact to his left cheek. The strike was so hard that Sandeep literally fell on the single couch behind him.

"YOU BASTARD! YOU THINK YOU CAN MESS WITH MY FAMILY!" Sonarika shouted as she slapped him again.

"You think he has no one to fight for him! HE IS MY HUSBAND! I'LL SHOW YOU HOW IT FEELS!"

Sonarika saw an alcohol bottle nearby and snatched it and opened its lid. Without even missing a beat Sonarika spilled the alcohol all over Sandeep. The men around him tried to stop her but Meghna came in support of Sonarika and threw a fit at them making them stand back as Sonarika continued to assault Sandeep with the alcohol. Once it was all spilled over , she slapped Sandeep and couple of times as well. Then she grabbed him by the tie and made him face her.

"If you lay one more finger at him ever again , next time along with this alcohol , I am going to bring a LIGHTER!" Sonarika said staring with rage to his eyes. Sandeep completely surrendered and cowered in the seat as Sonarika let him go and both her and Meghana left the place.

Upon the drive back Meghna was spellbound by Sonarika seeing her like this. Sonarika soon noticed Meghna grinning looking at her.

"Why are you smiling Meghna?"
"Its you..the old you"
"What do you mean?"
"You're behaving like the old Sonarika I used to know...you know the college leader"
Sonarika twitched a little when Meghna mentioned college. She recovered from it.
"Really?"
"Yes , you like took charge of the situation. You have no idea how much it made me happy"
"I did what I felt was right"
"Yes and you should do that more often , would you mind being this same lady you are right now"
"I am always this same lady"
"No you aren't , you behaved repressed and chained. But today you acted bold and confident. Just keep it that way"
"I cannot put Hemant into jeopardy for you to enjoy the badass me"
"Honestly , I will with a heartbeat , I am willing to make him suffer if that means you can be this same Sonarika"
"Please Meghna , don't talk ill about him. Especially not right now."
"Okay,  I am sorry. But please,  consider my words. Be this , the leader and daring Sonarika"
"I'll consider it"
She dropped Meghna back to her office and she returned home. Sonarika spent the rest of the day taking care of Hemant. The more time she spend with him , the more the guilt started to build weight in her heart. The actions she did with Vikram , it was a terrible vision for her which only increased the hurt in her heart. To see Hemant lying in the bed suffering while she was struggling to overcome her actions was a loosing battle for her. Even though she distracted herself many times with her work , she had a hard time to forget it. She would often sit in her chair reminisce on how she met Vikram and how a simple interaction with a co-worker ended up in a romantic kiss on a rainy evening beneath a tree.

She hated thinking about it , but her mind always went back like a reflex. Like there was something so tempting in that incident that often drives her mind towards it. She tries to remember any moment with Hemant that involved rain but the only thing she could remember was a nap one afternoon during a July month when Mumbai was ravaged by rain. 

Hemant was sleeping and his head was on Sonarika's shoulder above her chest as her hands were caressing his hair. She noticed the rain and she whispered.

"Hemant...its raining outside" 

Hemant woke up and noticed it and continued to embrace her as he said.

"Good thing I am here to keep you warm!"  

Sonarika in response hugged him tightly and enjoyed the sight with him as they watched the rain and took a short nap. 

That memory made her forget the nightmares and gave her some peace. But as days went by , things were unease for Sonarika. One day while in the office in the morning. Sonarika noticed she has recieved a mail from Vikram. She felt a little wince and her act with him flashed before her eyes. But the thing that caught her eye was the subject to that mail which was written Personal.

Sonarika knew he was probably going to talk about the incident. She didn't want to read it , but for some reason , a voice within her insisted to her mind to read. Eventually she clicked on it and the mail opened.

Dear Sonarika,

                   I have a feeling you will probably never read this letter and most likely delete it , but I couldn't help but write this letter not just to apologize but also so I could stop hating myself. What I did was a serious breach of trust. I wish I could make you understand why I did it , but I know you probably hate me more than any person in the world right now. I wish I could talk to you to explain the pain and sadness I have been enduring since that day. And I am more upset that I seriously broke our bond which was healthy and withing borders. I am in Mumbai for a week and I wanted to meet you to explain my situation and personally apologize rather than do it in a mail like this. If you can have any sort of trust towards me , please call me Soanrika because I want to explain my actions to you face to face rather than play hide and seek with you. I hope you read this and you respond with a call or even mail. But I can understand if you don't , I realize the gravity of my mistake and I promise you this action won't affect our professional life. 

                                                                                                Hope that you will Forgive Me.
                                                                                                                  Your Loving 
                                                                                                                       Vicky

Sonarika was conflicted after reading the letter. She was bothered by the deed they did , but at the same time , the words he typed felt like it was genuine. She didn't respond to it , matter of it she didn't for about three days. Then on the fourth day in the office when there was less work to do , Sonarika decided to respond to this mail with another one rather than call. She typed.

Dear Vicky.

Using the word Vicky felt like Sonarika was trying to be friendly again to him. She deleted the text and then typed.

Dear Vikram.

Sonarika struggled to find anything to type or how to respond to this mail with the use of texts. She didn't have the right words to type. After a lot of struggle , she abandoned the idea of responding with a mail and sat in the chair exhausted with these thoughts. She wanted to clear things or else this guilt and this feeling will consume her. 

She lifted her phone and looked at Vikram's number for a few minutes contemplating whether she is doing the right job or not. Eventually her mind made a decision and she pressed the call button to Vikram's number. The phone ringed about three times after which Vikram answered.
"Hello Sonarika?"
"Hello Vicky"
"I am guessing you read the E-Mail"
"I did"
"Do you have some free time today? We could meet somehwere in a cafe"
"No....no cafes or any kind of outdoor meetings" Sonarika's response was quick and direct clearly showing that she has no interest in a casual date
"Okay  Sonarika , then how about you visit me at Galaxy Apartments. I have a flat here , Room 1143. Its located in a slight detour between your home and your office. I'll send you the location and notify the security"
Sonarika didn't like that prospect either. But Vikram was acting somewhat mature here. She decided to visit him as she took an early leave. Upon reaching his place Vikram welcomed her in to his flat. It was quiet spacious but it was somewhat simple , Sonarika was surprised that a person as rich as him was living in a simple flat like this. Vikram gestured her to sit on the couch as Vikram moved to the kitchen and spoke loudly.

"I am sorry if there is less amenity , I just bought this place just for convenience. Even for me alone this is large"
"Actually , this place is quiet beautiful but I guess it misses the lack of artistic touches you used to crave"
" Yeah but that is still a work in progress, I've eyed some artistic masterpieces to decorate this house in the future"
"Good"
There was an awkward pause between them as Vikram arrived with two glass of coffees to the couch table.
"Freshly made with my secret ingredient , my special one"
Sonarika was liking the casual approach from Vikram keeping the situation between them cordial and not anything serious. But that only lasted for about a few seconds as Vikram came into the point of this conversation.

"I am really sorry for what I did...I was lost in the moment.."
"That is not a good excuse Vicky? You know damn well I am married."
"I know Sonarika...and believe it hurt me later that I did a terrible wrong on you...but I had this....intense attraction and affection towards you and at that moment you looked...beautiful.."
"That doesn't help to cope with.."
"That is the point I am making Sonarika...you don't have to cope with that...you need to just accept it.."
"How can I accept the reality that I broke my husband's trust..."
"You didn't...you were just a victim...I initiated the kiss....I should be responsible..."
"Easy for you to say but I am a wife...I am supposed to stop things like that from happening and....that day...I didn't..."
"I know...it was just the situation....that ambience...that rain....it was just...romantic.."
"Romantic?"
"Yeah...you know...rains are romantic...don't you think?"
"Yes....yes they are romantic..."
"See...it was just a bad judgement call and the explosion of frustrations and emotions.."
"Emotions?"
"I wanna tell you something Sonarika....something that will make your understand my actions...."
"What is it.."

Vikram walked to his bag. He was taking out what appears to be a framed photo. He gave it to Sonarika. The moment Sonarika saw it she was a bit surprised. It was a photo of Vikram with a beautiful woman , and she was somewhat looking like Sonarika!

Vikram read her expression and explained to her.

"This is Sarika...my ex....we were very close...I dreamed a happy life with her...until she fell sick...we later found out she was suffering from a genetic disorder passed to her in generations...and there was no hope for survival...fate forced her to be my ex.."
Vikram trembled and looked everywhere other than facing Sonarika. 
"Even during her final days...she wanted me to move on..she dreamed of me having a family..but I could never picture someone else in her place...and that feeling stayed..."
Sonarika looked at him with weak eyes.
"Seeing you for the first time , I really thought my mind was making things up in my head. But then we really started to meet. And then I got to know you , spend some time with you. Worked with you. In those moments, I had that same feelings of happiness that I once had with Sarika."
Sonarika silently listened to his words.
"And later on as time went by , my feelings turned to infactuation and then attraction. I purposefully made some mistakes so I could spend more time with you. I knew it was wrong , I was aware about your life and everything. But I still became desperate , and when that incident at the rain below that tree happened , I realized I was developing feelings for you."
Vikram started to stare on her.
"I understand that this was wrong. And believe me if I could reverse time I would've never let that happen. Because being with you even as a friend gave me the confidence and maturity that I can actually move on from thinking about Sarika...I could actually live a life Sarika wanted me to live"
Sonarika looked at him feeling a bit of deja vu. A long time ago Hemant emotted this same feeling but his struggled was with his PTSD and didn't involve any other woman. But the way Vikram spoke , Sonarika could see that same vulnerability that Hemant once had which she could relate to. And even now , she cannot helpt but relate to his weakness as well.
"From this point on , I promise you. I won't do any such thing or harm you in any way. Never from me"
Vikram was holding Sonarika's hand.
"I promise you I will value our bond and I will never repeat what I did on that rain....unless you want me to"
Sonarika felt the honesty in his words and responded.
"Thank you for the kind words Vicky. Maybe it is better if we keep our friendship intact. We had a wonderful friendship , we can maintain it the same way it was before"
Vikram smiled feeling a weight lifted off his shoulder.
"I am very happy to hear that Sonarika!"

Sonarika soon left and as she was driving home , she felt a big weight from her shoulders being released. The guilt feeling in her vanished after moving on from that terrible mistake. When she returned home , Hemant was in the couch watching Karan draw something. Sonarika was miffed seeing Hemant not in the bed.

"Hemant what are you doing?" She asked.
"Watching Karan paint me as a superhero...since I have my own custom superhero mask now!" 
Hemant joked pointing to the darkened burn marks around his eye sockets.
"That is not funny Hemant"
"Relax Sona , BTW where did you go half hour ago"
"Went to take care of Sandeep and his bullshit...he won't be bothering you anymore"
Hemant sighed at Sonarika's response.
"Did you kill him?"
"I wish"
"yeah , how would I explain to Karan that his mom went to jail for killing an idiot"
"Very funny husband"
"As much as I appreciate it , you didn't need to do that Sona"
"He was messing with my family , I had enough with his behavior , and please try to understand the gravity of the situation. You need to stop letting do this to you every time!"
"I will , but honestly I kind of feel bad because you're not the only one manhandled him in response. When the incident happened , Pranitha was with me , you know Pranitha Mehta , REGAL group , she gave him a slap so hard it was heard across that giant hall."
"I didn't knew that"
"Well , you didn't wait to listen to what I have to say. Its the problem with you Sona , you just jump the gun"
"I am jumping the gun because you're not defending yourself , seriously Hemant , I know I have said I loved your kind nature , but I don't want you turn into Mahatma Gandhi now"
Hemant laughed to which Sonarika too lightened up.
"Okay , I understand. The situation with Sandeep , it was a wake up call for me. Don't worry I will handle him from now on"
"Good , that is one less thing for me to worry"
"What's the matter , anything worrying more for you lately?"
Sonarika was startled , a part of her heart wanted to tell Hemant the truth. But Sonarika had this feeling what she has to say to him will definitely hurt him and he is already scarred for the day. 
"Its the work , some stuff are piling up for me in the work front"
"Its part of the grind Sona , you will be alright , you're the strongest woman I've ever met"


Sonarika felt good hearing Hemant's motivational words. A part of her felt guilty once again feeling that she is betraying his trust by not telling him. But she didn't have the courage now to tell him the truth. That night when going to sleep , Sonarika thought about her incidents with Vikram. Even though she felt bad that they did some terrible on that rainy evening , the feeling and the sensation was everlasting for her. She never felt that level of intimacy in her life , when it comes to outdoors , Hemant and Sonarika never dared to do anything bold. Their intimate moments were always in a closed door. But that feeling , to be doing some so sensual as a kiss engulfed in rain beneath a tree with your body on fire despite the cold weather , there was something captivating about it. As she was about to get engulfed in her deep slumber , she remembered the words that Vikram said.

"I will not repeat what we did on that rain...unless you want me to"

What did Vikram mean by that? Does he mean he wants to give control to Sonarika? Is he challenging her stance in this situation? That night the similar dream came , the one that she loved about her prince charming but this time again the prince charming had Vikram's face. She woke up in the middle of the night from that dream and cursed herself for bringing Vikram in her mind. It was like her subconscious has become her worst enemy. Sonarika was having a duality in her mind. A part of her was disgusted thinking about him in such ways with Hemant in her life while another part of her was captured in the feels and strange things that make her feel good when thinking about him. With all of these doubts she went back to sleep.

                                                                                                                                                     (CHAPTER 3 TO BE CONTD)

[Harry Jordan]

                                                                                                                                           (CHAPTER 3 CONTD)

The days following weren't helping her situation with Vikram either. Even though Vikram had to leave Mumbai because of some important business commitments , the dynamic in her mind against Vikram had shifted. She tried her best to bring the professional aspect of their life in their interactions but she could not help but reminisce about her dreams and that kiss beneath the tree. To make things worse , on a particular sunday,  Anjali was watching Raja Hindustani movie in the TV because she loved the songs in the movie. And fate has it  , when the song Kitna Sona Tujhe song ended , Anjali recieved a call from one of her friend and she went to the balcony to talk. Sonarika was conveniently alone in the living room when the infamous kissing scene between Karishma and Aamir Khan happened. Sonarika's mind weny haywire , she realized the sequence in the movie was oddly similar to what she experienced with Vikram on Manali. The cinematic scene being shown on tv drew a parallel to her own real life experience and she was once again conflicted.

A part of her was upset she is thinking this way , while the other part was thrilled and revelled in the feeling this experience has created. She was loosing her grip on reality whenever the moment with Vikram comes in her mind. And this continued in her mind for days. One day during the office lunch  , Sonarika was eating her food while Meghna was usual in her usual mumbles about patriarchy and feminism and today her target was chess.

"Did you notice this Sonarika?" Meghna said.
"Notice what?" Sonarika asked.
"The Queen , in chess the queen is the most powerful player,  she can move across the entire play field take as many steps as she wants,  she is the MVP of the game , but yet the king is the most protected despite the fact that he is the weakest in his army. I cannot help but see the blatant sexism embedded in it"
Sonarika sighed as she responded.
"You like finding flaws in men don't you?"
"No I like finding flaws in weak and undeserving men"
"Really?"
"Yes , take Hemant for example"
Sonarika immediately stared at Meghna. Meghna raised her hands.
"I am not scared of you Sonarika , I am still gonna say what I want to say. Take Hemant for example , on paper , he is the nicest person around. He always has a cheerful personality , finds only the good in people , and most importantly makes sure everyone is ok. If you're in a party , he is the one you can count on that can get you to safety"
Sonarika was suprised hearing all the good words Meghna just said about Hemant.
"But this is also a major downside for him" Meghna iterated which made Sonarika regret thinking that Meghna was only going to praise Hemant.
"His way too good attitude and nature only makes him a target for people to manipulate him or step over him. Take Sandeep for example , if Hemant wants , he can put him in check with ease , but he never does that. Even now , when Sandeep did something harmful to his well being , he is still willing to forgive him for his actions. He is bound by his family values , wanting everything to be a part of duty , life is not a duty , it is many things. You seriously need to show him his flawed nature or else in the long run this will be a big problem for you Sonarika"
"What are you talking about Meghna"
"Look , even in Sandeep's case it was you who took the stand and taught him a lesson. To be honest this is something Hemant should've done on his own. Are you going to protect him for the rest of your life now?"
"You're upset that Hemant didn't show his manliness?"
"I am upset that Hemant is not showing maturity in his actions. Even after all these years , he is treating people the same way even when said people harms him. This kind of Gandhian principles cannot work in this modern world Sonarika"
"I don't know. I still believe that is one of his best qualities"
"Then be prepared to be his guardian for the rest of your life. Might as well wear the pants in your house because chances are you have to be the defender of the family"
"I don't care , whatever he does , I will accept him"
"Sure you do. After all you choose him"
"What is that suppose to mean?"
"I still don't understand how someone like you will fall in love to a man like him Sonarika. I've known you since college, I know the men you have envisioned in your life as your dream partner. You were the woman that always drooling for her prince charming. But Hemant is the complete opposite of your dreams"
"Not all dreams can come true"
"Heh , it can if you have tried. I mean , look at Vikram"
Sonarika was startled at the mention of his name. She didn't like where this conversation was going.
"What? what about Vikram"
"Well , he is rich , charming , handsome and despite of his age still managed to maintain his fitness. He has a good sense of humor , a wonderful guy to hang around with. Bounced back from a tragedy not long ago , I mean even today he gets a little numb when he talks about his ex. From our common friends , I learned that the other men tried to cheer him up by being like them you know , carefree and flamboyant and for some time in his past , he was involved with other women but he could never replace that woman. Until now , where his friends say that Vikram has changed for good. He values friendships and bonds and is now the mature man in their friend group"
"And why are you telling me this now"
"Because after some thought , I realized. Vikram fits the description of your prince charming. He is basically everything that you once craved. In a way , I kinda wished you never met Hemant so that I could bring you and Vikram together and make a wonderful power couple"
"Aww you care so much about me. Too bad its never going to happen now"
"I know , the fact that it won't happen makes me hate Hemant even more. But don't worry , I won't bother or insult him anymore because I know he is your husband so from now on , I will no longer talk about him!"
"Thank you for that"

They soon talked about other subjects but Sonarika was stuck in what Meghna had to say about Vikram. To some extent it made sense for her , she realized why she was having this attraction towards Vikram. He is what Meghna described the ideal prince charming that Sonarika fantasized about. That explains why she could picture him in her dreams. She also remembered the words Meghna said on how there is this change in Vikram and it has been happening in recent times, could this be because of her? Is Sonarika and her presence influencing Vikram in ways in which he is starting to bring some change in himself for her? A strange form of admiration started to grow on Sonarika about him. Not just because he was identical to her prince charming but rather he is trying to be her prince charming inevitably.

As Sonarika was fighting the duality in her life. Hemant was shaken from the incident with Sandeep at that party. Multiple times he recieved calls from Sandeep's father Vardhaan who kept apologizing for his son's mistakes. Hemant assured him that he is not taking it seriously. At first his wound became a reason for his coworkers to tease him many times for funny banters. Hemant would joke about it too and claim he is becoming a superhero now. The equation with his coworkers only improved ever since the contract with REGAL corp. Pranitha's hospital construction has already began and in few months they are planning a major inauguration for it. Pranitha's meeting with Hemant became short as she was busy with some work regarding the hospital and she had to frequent her visits to foreign countries for it. Hemant cordinated with Kunal regarding the development of the construction. 

He also met Tamanna on an occasional basis. His equation with Shraddha has improved and now Hemant could freely visit and enjoy some casual time with both of them. During one of these visits which was a lunch at a nearby restaurant Tamanna was curious about Hemant so she decided to find out.
"Hemant I have some questions?"
"About what"
"About you"
"Ask away"
"Why did you forgive Sandeep so easily?"
"I didn't , I was just satisfied with the punishment he recieved. Apart from the embarassment thanks to Disha filming the incident and posting it on social media. He also recieved tight slaps from Pranitha and my wife. So I figured its pointless for me to be involved"
Tamannna wasn't convinced by Hemant's answer.
"I am not convinced Hemant"
"Why not?"
"Because I know the real you , the Hemant I knew beat Rehan who he considered his best friend to a pulp because he did something terrible to a girl"
"Come on Tammu , you cannot seriously compare Rehan with Sandeep. Rehan assaulted a girl , Sandeep just vents out his frustrations on me"
"I know , but its hard for me to accept that you for all people is a forgiving type"
"Life changes you know. I mean look at you  , when I met you , you wore specs that looked like magnifying glasses. You had metal cases on your teeths for a year , preferred watching cartoon despite being in college. Freaked out when we saw the movie Basic Instinct together and now here you are looking like the fantasy milf men dream about"
"Yeah but in my case , I probably changed for the better. You on the other hand"
Hemant figured , but he was glad those nightmares he once had has somewhat vanished or no longer bothered him anymore. Guees Harper's advice to evolve and adapt has really helped him cope with those visions.
"I understand Tammu , but sometimes life can be that ruthless. They can make even a powerful tiger into a scary cat in moments"
"I get that , I am just stunned at this level of change. But a part of me is happy now that there is some old Hemant in you now"
"Like what?"
"Like your body , its seems the gym sessions are starting to show"
"Yeah its extra work actually , I've reconfigured a part of my warehouse into a parkour gym so I am training in that as well. The point is not to just look attractive , but be at my peak physical fitness"
"Then I am glad , looks like I will see my old friend Hemant soon"
"Sure , wait and see"
"Heh"
"BTW , I still am very incompleted regarding your past for that matter"
Tamanna looked a bit upset with Hemant's enquiry.
"Tammu , if its uncomfortable you don't have to say"
"Actually Hemant , you're the one person I can talk about it and share my own pain with"
"Go ahead.."
"I had completed by degree in multimedia and joined a production house , that was when I met Dev, Devjeet Sengupta , he was a business man running his family business. We met on occasion and those meetings resulted in friendship , and soon friendship turned to love. My family was first against it but later warmed up after knowing he comes from a well known rich family in Bengal. After marriage , he took me to Kolkata to his family. They welcomed me with open arms"
Tamanna took a pause as Hemant calmly listened.
"But soon I realized the kind of things they were involved in , the family had influence in the whole state and they ran it like an empire , doing both legal and illegal activities. Dev was being forced to participate in one but he refused and I supported him. But his older brother double crossed him and did some illegal activities in his name. That resulted in the most terrible thing possible to me"
Hemant figured what the next words were going to be.
"They took him Hemant. One night when we were returning from a movie , we were ambushed , and they killed him , right in front of me. Even in his dying breath , he just said to run away as far as I can , and that he should've never brought me to his place. But then another nightmare was waiting for me when a few days later I learned I was pregnant with Shraddha. I took Dev's word for granted and ran away. I went and at first made my pit stop in Delhi returning to my profession , then it brought me here in Mumbai. Shraddha then came in my life and now she and I have made a world for ourselves. Life is all good"
Hemant rubber her shoulders.
"I am happy for you. And those people , the family , did they ever bother you?"
"They did in the initial stage , even filed a court case but ruling came in my favor. Many times they have threatened me but I didn't budge. One of the reasons for my sudden climb in success is because I wanted to build some influence and shield my daughter from their grasp. They are never taking her away from me"
"Thanks for sharing this Tammu , I always knew you were strong. But you are way beyond my expectations. More power to you"


Hemant changed the subject after that talk. Since that day Hemant was a close friend to Tamanna and her world with Shraddha. Shraddha too started to like Hemant's company. One evening , they both brought Shraddha and Karan together and they immediately connected as good friends. Tamanna and Hemant felt happy seeing Karan and Shraddha playing in the beach. 

Harper soon made a visit to Hemant's warehouse and evaluated the workplace and smithing chambers Hemant has completed for his gun smithing. Harper had brought the necessary certificates and sanctions legitimizing the warehouse as an inproduction industry registering it with the monitoring and surveilance handed over to NSG. Hemant met with some of the veterans in the NSG quarters who will now be his advisors on his gun work. He talked with them about their past experiences and some painful encounters. All in all , this experience gave Hemant the drive to work harder on this project. The work with Pranitha was going well and this dual work resulted in Hemant not having enough time for his family. He would somehow find time for Karan and go on double hangout along with Tamanna and Shraddha to either kidzone or the beach. But his interaction with Sonarika hit an all time low , Usually they talked every day but now that was reduced to week ends and in limited amount of time they had. 

Hemant would spend most sundays in the warehouse working because he was actually enjoying the work he was doing here. Being in the warehouse,  training , getting back into shape , and working on his smithing skills. It made him be in his element , a life he always loved living. Here there is no one to judge him , neither there is work pressure. Just his dedication and push to strive himself forward and becoming a better part of himself.

Hemant and Sonarika barely spoke on their days but they had their excuses of their own worklives. But there was a growing sadness in Sonarika on not being able to be with Hemant more , many nights Hemant came late and had dinner later and then slept exhausted from his work. Despite sleeping in the same bed together , there was a distance between them now. And this was something Sonarika didn't like. Everyday , her dreams were already engulfed with Vikram and now even her thoughts have started to be about him as well. That and Meghna's constant blabbering about Vikram's qualities have started to get into her brain. She wasn't able to think straight , because the feeling in her stomach whenever she thought about Vikram negated any logical thinking in her. 

And things only got worse for her when about a month later , Meghna's friend was getting married and their function was being held at Karjal just outside Mumbai. Meghna was excited as this was another girls hangout for them and Sonarika reluctantly agreed. The hotel accomodation was good and amenities were plenty. There was even a private swimming pool in the hotel where the ladies loved spending time. After a long time Sonarika wore a bikini to enjoy the pool and the other ladies hailed praises for her as she has maintained her body. But things turned a bit uneasy as the men joined the ladies as Vikram and Sagar and some other men joined the pool area. Sonarika felt like she was terribly exposed. Vikram immediately noticed the awkwardness in Sonarika so he went straight to her side.

"Sonarika are you all right?"
"Yeah I was , I wasn't expecting you guys here"
"Its okay Sonarika , we're all adults , and I understand your awkwardness. I can keep you company if you want to feel better"
"Really?"
"Yes, I can see you are a bit freaked out , come on , we'll stay in this corner and do some talking , that will help you cope with the situation"
"Thank you Vicky"
Vikram initiated lengthy conversations with Sonarika on many topics. His plan was to make sure Sonarika feels distracted and doesn't feel weirded out by it. But at times , Vikram struggled with maintaining his sight on her face and not on her amazing body. Eventually after some time he ended the conversation abruptly and walked away.
"I need to go , nice seeing you Sonarika"
Sonarika after that conversation felt a bit more confidence and interacted with the other people. Meghna was happy that Sonarika was more involved in conversations. Eventually Sonarika felt the need to visit the washroom. She went to the changing room near the pool. She went to the ladies laterine and the moment she walked in. She realized she had come in a weird time. In one of the bathroom booths he could hear groans of a man. And a weird sound following it.
"GGGWWAAKKK........GGGWWWAAAKKKKK...........GGGWWAAKKK........GGGWWWAAAKKKKK"

Then she realized who that man is as he said.
"ohhhh...mmm....Goddammn Mouni....you're really good with your tongue...ohhhh"
It was Sagar in one of the bathroom booth and Sonarika could see the legs of a female crouching in the lower open portion of the bathroom booth door. Sonarika felt embarassed as she walked outside. She was feeling very unease with it and then things went worse as Vikram walked out from the men's section of the laterine. Vikram was confused seeing Sonarika standing outside.
"Sonarika , what happened? why are you standing here?"
"I wanted to use the washroom but....Mouni"
"Mouni is in there...with...someone"
Vikram soon realized what she meant.
"Is it Sagar?"
"Yes"
Vikram sighed as if he has faced this situation before. He soon got an idea.
"Okay , if you really need to use the bathroom. Go to the gents one , I'll guard the door make sure no one comes in. But please, dont make it too long."
At that moment , Sonarika felt a lot of admiration for him , not only did he help Sonarika gain some confidence by talking to her , he is now being gentleman enough to help her in the time of her need. Sonarika agreed to his request and used the men's washroom while Vikram stood guard outside. As he requested , she didn't take time and came out.
"All good?"
"Yes , its good"
They both went their separate ways. The girls went for a town tour in the evening switching into casual clothes. By night , everyone was busy with their sleeping arrangements. Sonarika and Meghna were given a separate flat with two bedrooms for each so there was enough privacy.

Sonarika called home and had a lengthy conversation with Karan and Anjali. Hemant was present too but there talks have been very less lately , she could see he had a tired face possibly from a hefty workday. As she ended the call , Meghna walked into her bedroom.
"Sonarika , do you mind if I shared your bed tonight?"
"Why?"
"Umm , its....Mouni. She wants to , have some private time with Sagar and she seeked my help. Unfortunately Sagar is with all the boys so she cannot go to his room"
"Uggh didn't they have enough already?" Sonarika said exhausted.
"What do you mean?" Meghna asked curiously.
"Morning in the pool , Mouni was with Sagar in the ladies toilet, I was forced to use the men's one while Vicky had to guard the door"
Meghna raised an eyebrow listening to Sonarika's words.
"Ohhh , so he is guarding doors for you now"
Sonarika regretted giving away that information.
"He is just being a good friend"
"hmm...god relationships always start with good friendship"
"Meghna please"
"Alright....can I bunk here seriously"
"Sure....just tell them to control themselves in the future on outings like this"
"Come on now , we cannot say that to them. They're entitled to their own romantic moments"
"Yeah well no need to shove it down to our privacy"
"Do you have a problem with me sleeping here?"
"No Meghna , I am just annoyed that we have to endure their little sexcapades , there should not be repeat like this"
"Oh right , I forgot , maybe their sexcapades will tempt you to knock on Vikram's door right!"
"MEGHNA!" Sonarika shouted with annoyance.
"Okay , fine ,lets sleep"
They were soon off to sleep. They might've slept for about an hour when Sonarika was disturbed in her sleep.
'Creak! Creak! Creak!'
It was the sound of something hitting the wall near their bed headboard. Sonarika thought whether it was due to some weak joint in the bed or some kind of leakage but she could not find anything.
'Creak! Creak! Creak!'
The sound was very uniform like something was making this thudding noise continously. With no other way to get sleep , she reluctantly put the light on to find out what it was. She checked the bottom of the bed. That was when Meghna got up.
"Dammit Sonarika , are you planning to work right now?"
"No Meghna , there is this sound that is disturbing me , I am trying to find out where it is coming from , maybe its a leakage or something so that I can call room service"
"What sound?"
"Don't you hear it?"
Meghna gained some composure as she too heard the sound.
"Oh I hear it now"
Meghna too searched for it then she stopped realizing something.
"Its coming from the other room"
"Is it?"
But then Meghna really understood what this sound was. A grin crossed her face as she turned to Sonarika.
"Sonarika , lets go to bed"
"But how can we sleep with this sound"
"Trust me it will end soon"
"What do you mean it will end"
"Sonarika lets sleep" Meghna said with a giggle. Sonarika reluctantly joined her as they went to sleep.
"Meghna what did you find out about the sound?"
"Give it a minute Sonarika and you will learn soon enough"
Sonarika was confused , but she noticed that the interval between those thuds have shortened. As if some pressure has increased.
'Creak! Creak! Creak! Creak! Creak! Creak! Creak! Creak!'
She had no idea what was going on. What could possibly be making that sound from that other room. Might be some faulty electrical device maybe. But then the next thing she heard made the hairs in her hands stand.
'Creak! Creak! Creak!'
"Mmmmm!"
Along with the creaking sound came the loud moan of a woman. And Sonarika could identify the woman behind that moan with her voice. It was Mouni , and that gave her the realization of the source of the sound. This was the sound of the bed moving in the other room. And there is one thing that could make the bed move like that. Sonarika can never forget the night after their marriage when her mother giggled the next morning claiming she couldn't sleep because the walls took a beatdown last night when Sonarika and Hemant consumnated their marriage. This is probably the same sound her mother heard. But only this time , it was Sonarika hearing it , and it was her friend Mouni in the other room getting some good fucking from her boyfriend. The thought alone made her curse this moment right now as the rattling of the walls intensified.
"aahhhh...aahhh...Sagar....aaahhh..."
Now it was clear it was Mouni. Meghna giggled hearing the sounds.
"Now we know why she is in love with him." Meghna insinuated.
That words made Sonarika feel disgusted by the thought. For some moments,  she remembered the face of Kunal and how people always talked so low of him. And now she could understand why because Sagar was rocking her world in that bed.\

Thump... thump... thump...

Behind the walls the noises coming from that room signifies raw eroticism and sexual thrill. Behind those closed doors the two lovers were fucking with no care of the world.

Thump... thump... thump...

"Ohhhhhh!"

Sonarika's chest filled with the low sickening feeling she knew so well; the noise she was hearing was her married friend's lover in the act of fucking her friend no more than a dozen feet away from her.
"Mmmpphhh......get ready Mouni....I am mounting up......mmmppp...nnngghh...."
"Ahhhhh......do whatever you want Sagar....I am all yours baby....ahhhh...aaahh..."
It had been bad hearing her with Sagar in the morning but knowing the depths of her womanly body were being penetrated by her well enduring lover; that she would do anything he asked made her chest ache and her heart beat faster than ever before.

Thump... thump... thump...

"Mmmmmmm!"

Thump... thump... thump...

"MmmmmMMMM!

Mouni's voice rose gently above the bed's banging. Either she had become an expert at faking arousal or else she was being fucked expertly by her lover. Knowing Mouni, it's most likely the latter, his cock was unquestionably inside her body and...

"Mmmm... Mmmm... Mmmm...aahhhh!"
 
"Nnngh! Nnngh!"

Her cries of pleasure were now joined by a man's low grunting as the relentless pace continued.

'Thump-thump-thump-thump!'

The pace of his thrusting began to build, the bed creaking louder, Mouni's moans soaring in pitch and volume.

"Aahhh! Aaahhhh!"

This was no faked orgasm! Sagar was giving Mouni a thorough, body wracking orgasm and she was loving every second of it.

"Ahhhhhhh! Ahhhh! Oooohhhhh yyyesssss!"

Mouni was climaxing loudly and wildly in that bedroom, with her boyfriend and only feet away from Sonarika. And there was nothing she could do but listen in silence and feel the awkwardness of the situation.

"Nnnngh! Nnnngh!"

'Ahhh! Ahhhh!'

"NnnnNNNNGGGGGHHH!"

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!"

The sound of a male voice grunting as it built up to climax along with Mouni's orgasmic exclamations rang round from that room.

"Nnnngh! NNNNGGGHHH!"

The loud, animalistic sounds of his orgasm came from that room for what seemed like ages. Finally the sounds of the bed thumping and their combined orgasmic grunting began to slow until they finally ceased. Sonarika and Meghna heard a low murmur in a deep male voice followed by a higher-pitched, light-hearted female giggle.

Whatever had happened between them, they were clearly relaxed in each other's company. Sonarika was glad the torture was over as she slowly succumbed to her sleep. 

                                                                                                                                                      (CHAPTER 3 TO BE CONTD)

[Harry Jordan]

                                                                                                                                                                  (CHAPTER 3 CONTD)

The next day , Sonarika and Meghna met Mouni at the wedding venue and they could see a grin stickered on her face. Meghna giggled making lewd comments about her experience last night. 

"Thanks for ruining our sleep last night" Meghna teased Mouni.
"Sorry , its been a while for us so we kinda got carried away"
"Are we expecting the same torture tonight as well?" 
"You guys are in luck for tonight because I've decided to switch places with Vikram and he will use that bedroom"
"And he agreed?"
"Yup , he says its better to talk with you guys than hearing us have sex , plus I believe he stated Sonarika might not like our escapades in close proximity"
Sonarika was stunned upon hearing that.
"Vicky said that?" Sonarika asked.
"Yeah , he seems to understand you a lot. No wonder you guys are good friends" Mouni said with a wink.

Sonarika wasn't bothered by her wording. She instead put her attention on the wedding , the function went well and the girls took photos with the bride and groom and the after party had some dance. All the ladies were wearing designer salwaars and so did Sonarika. Vikram had a hard time keeping his eyes away from her. He danced with her too and this time Sonarika noticed that Vikram danced closer to her than before.

Few months ago Sonarika would have been against his slight advances , but there was something about him now that attracted her. Maybe it was her dreams and the reality that he was everything she once seeked in her soulmate. He was slowly turning into the prince charming in her mind now. That night , Vikram brought some of his old nostalgic board game called Monopoly and he played it with Sonarika and Meghna. Sonarika ended up winning and Vikram congratulated her for her victory. That night while going to sleep Meghna once again insinuated about Vikram and how he is an ideal man for any woman.

The next morning , Sonarika and Meghna got freshened up and ready to leave. Just then Sagar came to their room door.
"Hey guys ,where is Vicky?"
"Probably in his room"
"Well , tell him the boys are calling him downstairs , he has a commitment to fullfill"
"Commitment"
"Yeah , Vikram promised them a roadtrip to Kasauli"
"Okay , I'll call him"
Sonarika went to Vikram's bedroom. She opened the bedroom door to find the bed empty. Sonarika looked around and she heard the sound of the shower running implying that Vikram was in the shower. She was about to leave but her legs stopped when she hear something coming from the bathroom.
"ugggghhh.......uggghhhh"
That sounded like Vikram and he seems to sound like he is hurt. Sonarika thinking he might be in trouble decided to look inside whether he slipped in the bathroom or something. But when she opened the door she was completely stunned and her jaw was open. Right in front of her across the glass wall of the shower section Vikram was standing beneath the shower with one of his hand jerking his cock as he was grunting with each shake.
Sonarika was completely off guard by the sight. A part of her wanted to run away but she simply could not move her eyes away from the sight before her. His hand was massaging his wet dick and he was quickening his pace. Judging by his movement , its clear he was doing this for a while and he is pretty close to his release. But then what she heard made her heart miss a beat.
"ohhhhh.....yes.....ohhhh...Sonarika.....ohhhhh....Sonar........ohhhhh...."
Sonarika couldn't believe it. Vikram was jerking his dick in the shower and he was thinking about her while doing it. Sonarika was so stunned by the sight that she had no idea how to react to it. But then things only escalated further.
" Ohhh...Soni........hhhhggghhhhh"
Vikram groaned like an animal and Sonarika saw him shooting rope after rope of heavy cum into the floor. She was astonished by the amount of semen he secreted , never in her life she has seen a man who came this much. Eventually Sonarika came back to reality and she realized where she was standing. She quickly walked back and stood in the bedroom.

She was still contemplating about the sight she saw. Even though the glass wall's rough texture didn't exactly give her a clear image of his dick. The silhouette it showed and the while color of his fluids really gave it an erotic touch. Sonarika was feeling that same funny feeling in her stomach but this time the intensity was way more. She managed to call out.
"VIcky......its me Sonarika!"
"WHHA!!" Vikram responded with a gasp and a loud shriek as if he was caught in the bathroom.
"Sagar is calling you....he says you are late!"
"OHHH Sonarika.....yeah I overslept....I am freshing up I'll meet him once I am dressed up"
Hearing that Sonarika left. She didn't see Vikram for the rest of the day anymore as soon Meghna and herself made their eventual departure from that place to their home. For the next few days back at home , Sonarika's mind was caught in the sight she saw of Vikram. The dreams in her nights have turned erotic ever since. Now it was no longer some filmy moments where they were dancing to music or recreating some iconic songs. The kisses in those dreams have turned more intimate. Now the lips didn't just connect , his lips would explore the unexplored. Her body would be on fire in that moment.  

He would pull her into his arms and kiss her passionately and she would be swept away by her own frenzied desires. It would happen so fast that she would barely even be aware of it, and her feminine subconscious - desperate as it was for just such a thing to happen - would temporarily protect her from the stark reality of what she was doing and any doubts or hesitation she might have had. In that moment, the last thing on her mind would be her husband. She would be absolutely lost in the magic of being kissed by Vikram and utterly overwhelmed by lust, and then he would be able to spin her around and pull up her saree bottoms along with her petticoat and bend her over some couch and fuck her dripping wet pussy right then and there. Then, before her thoughts even had a chance to catch up, she would be overtaken by her first orgasm in God knows how long, and then she would imagine Vikram shoot his satisfyingly hot, thick load all over her plumpy meaty ass cheeks. She remembers the sight of this thick ropes of fluids but in her dreams they wouldn't land on the floor but on her skin.

Sonarika would experience boundless remorse afterwards, wondering how she could have let such a thing happen, while Vikram would remain shameless and unapologetic. But there would be no turning back. After getting a taste of his magnificient man meat, she wouldn't be able to live without it. She would conjure it in her dreams yearning for it to happen again.

And then, for the rest of the weekend, there would inevitably be moment after moment where they found themselves alone together for just enough time talking about their work commitments , but then the dreams of hers in the night would replace this small talk moments regarding work into something erotic. Sonarika loved her duality with this , in reality she wanted Vikram to be her good friend and confident , and then in her fantasy she wanted Vikram to fuck her. Sonarika's feminine subconscious mind, desperate for Vikram and this belief of him being a superior man in bed , she would at times wish in her dreams for him to plant his seed in her. It wouldn't matter what room they were in or what furniture they would have to work with - a wall or floor would work just fine. All that needed to happen was for Vikram to pull her into his arms or pin her against the wall and she would be lost within seconds. All they need was the right environment , and her fantasy gave her the freedom to imagine the best environments for herself.

Afterwards, Sonarika would be fully aware of the magnitude of these fantasies and how wrong it was, but she would also be perplexed to find herself physically incapable of stopping, and lamenting how good it felt and how easily Vikram was able to make her cum - how he was able to make her feel a way her husband had never been able to make her feel. Time after time, she would be overcome with guilt and scold herself for it afterwards and swear to herself that it won't ever happen again. But it would always happen again. Hemant was fading from her heart and she didn't like this was happening to her one bit.

She wouldn't be doing it consciously, but she would even find herself intentionally planting herself in Vikram's presence and in Vikram's way when opportunities arose. He had that magnetic energy for her to be attached to him now. She found reasons to interact with him and have more conversations with him because now Sonarika had the urge to build some memories for her fantasies. For example, one day , Sonarika visited Vikram's apartment seeking to clear some doubts regarding his hotel's interior layout variations , but they were just minute excuses , she wanted to see him in different scenarios now , to picture him in different aesthetics. In reality that day , Vikram was standing in the kitchen making his coffee and Sonarika was sitting near the counter having a casual conversation. But then in her dreams , in her fantasry, there Nick would be, alone in the kitchen, minding his own business, but instead of executive shirt and pants , he will be only in his trunks showcasing his impressive physique and outlining his flesh in his trunks picturing his man meat she saw that day post wedding night reminiscing the blurry details. 

And Sonarika, knowing exactly where Vikram was, would just so happen to find herself innocently deciding at that moment to get herself a drink from the refrigerator. And there she would be, alone with Vikram, and she would act shocked and indignant as he pulls her into his arms. She would protest at first - they always protest like that - but that resistance would vanish in a second as Vikram begins devouring her mouth with his, and she would give up all pretenses of resistance and throw her arms around him and start rubbing her body against him like a cat in heat, like someone else was in control of her body. And then he would hurriedly unwrap her pallu and then remove her blouse and unhook her bra and twist out the rest of her saree and slide her petticoat down her legs along with her panties, and he would push down his trunks, releasing his cock at last, and then he would lift her naked body and lay her on the kitchen table.

And then he would fuck her right there on her back, with her legs against his shoulders and her naked breasts bouncing up and down with every thrust as he drove his massive cock into her. The whole time, it would take all the will power she has to keep herself from screaming as she experiences yet another of these unearthly orgasms Vikram always seems to bring out of her in her fantasies. It wouldn't be until afterwards, as they are putting their clothes back on, that the guilt and regret would set in. And then her husband would return in her mind, amusingly unaware of what had just transpired, and they would all carry on like nothing happened. It was an unbelievable turmoil in her heart at the moment , she would eventually feel bad that she was thinking like this when in reality Hemant is sleeping right beside her.

But things one night went way overboard than she could have thought. In one of those dreams lost in her fantasies. Sonarika was in a beach wearing one of her recently bought bikini she wore on that pool day. Surprisingly the beah looked eerily similar to the island shown in the song of Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai. She noticed that she wasn't alone in the beach as in the distance she could see Vikram looking at her wearing the same trunks he wore on that pool day. They would come close and they would kiss. Then Sonarika would lie on the ground. And Vikram would get on top of her. But then as Vikram would touch her bikini covered breast , Sonarika this time could actually feel his touch as it there is some pressure to it. Then Sonarika decided to take control and she got on top of Vikram , she removed the light cloth fabric that covered her bikini revealing her body to his wanting eyes. All of this felt really real for her. Soon she was ditching her bikini completely showing her nude form to Vikram's feasting eyes in this beach. Something about this dream felt real for her , she simply couldn't place what. And then the inevitable moment was approaching. Sonarika partially moved his trunks to expose his magnificient cock to feel its meat in her hand. And surprisingly it felt like she could actually feel his cock. She got ready as she slowly raised her hip and lined up his enormous meat to her entrance.

"AHHHH SONI!" Vikram moaned out loud.

Sonarika was lost in the sensation. Unlike her other dreams , this time it was like she was actually feeling his dick inside her. It was a surreal moment for her but at the same time it felt good to be penetrated after a very long time. After savoring him inside her for a while Sonarika move slowly , enjoying the feeling of him inside. Sonarika liked the word 'Soni' he used to call her. He was half punjabi after all and shortening her name to Soni might be an intimate connection in his mind for her. She remembered that was the same thing he called when he jerked his cock to orgasm and shot his semen to the bathroom floor. But in this fantasy she was focused on getting that semen inside her. Her movement became a bit more quicker as Vikram had a hard time controlling himself.
"Ahhh...mmmm...Soni!" Vikram groaned.
"Yes Vicky?" She questioned smiling brightly down at him. She lowered her mouth down to his again. Their tongues met again as her hips moved up and down the length of his cock. Vikram grabbed her ass and drove her harder and faster on to him. She had such great control of her muscles. She was clenching them and unclenching them all around his cock at the right moment to boot.

"You feel so damn good." Vikram told her. This was amazing. This amazing man fucking her, the perfect ass cheeks in his hands. The sounds of the beach, made all of this perfect. Vikram kissed her again, his hands all over her perfect ass. Sonarika put her hand on his chest and started bouncing even harder and faster upon him. He put his hands on her breast and played with her big tits. Vikram squeezed and pulled on the nipples, loving just how hard and sensitive they were , and Sonarika loved every ministrations. As he rubbed them, she began to moan and shout even harder.

Sonarika looked so damn sexy. Her tits were bouncing in his hands and her face was screwed in passion. She was loving it , especially in this moment. She was grinding hard and riding his dick as though the last thing she ever wanted was to stop fucking him. Vikram rested his hands on her hips and thrust his hips into her harder.

"Ahhh....aahhhh....Vicky!!" Sonarika moaned. 

"I'm so close! Keep fucking me!" Sonarika demanded

Vikram did just that. He held her tightly and pounded her pussy. Sonarika's hand grabbed Vikram hard as her body was rocked by a powerful and lasting orgasm. Vikram held on for dear life as his dick erupted deep within her. Vikram filled her box with his cum. He couldn't stop. He just grabbed her ass, and continued pumping into her until he couldn't anymore.

That was when Sonarika realized. She could actually feel the cum shooting inside her , she never felt that ever before in her dreams like before. But here she was feeling. As she was coming down from the high of that incredible orgasm she enjoyed , the visions before her shifted. The world surrounding her collapsed. Her fantasy was falling apart and she was brought back to reality. She was no longer in that exotic and scenic beach enjoying the ministrations of Vikram , she was now in her bedroom at her home sitting on top of her husband who was a sweaty mess below her. Sonarika could not believe it , it finally dawned on her. While she was screwing Vikram in that deserted beach in her dreams , she was actually having sex with her husband in their own bedroom in the middle of the night. There was a huge smile on Hemant's face as he looked at Sonarika with his loving eyes. 

But Sonarika was in a very unsettling situation. She just had a powerful orgasm riding her husband but in reality in her mind she was with someone else riding another man to get to that much needed release. The sheer realization made her look like a deer caught in the head lights. She slowly moved from the top of him wincing and groaning with her husband as his deflated dick left her cunt releasing some of the leftover semen into their thighs and in the bed. Sonarika got up and went to the bathroom.

The moment she closed the door , she wailed out her emotions and started to silently cry. She could not unsee the satisfying smile on her husband's face. She knew Hemant was probably happy that he could satisfy his wife after a long time but the reality was far from it. Sonarika knew even though it was her husband's dick that did the deed , her mind and her feelings were on Vikram and what could do with his impressive body and his cock. She cursed herself on the mirror for her actions and fantasies , she let out her emotions to reduce the pain in her heart. She cleaned up the cum and wiped off the tears and walked out of the bathroom. She saw that Hemant was sitting and was waiting for her to exit the bathroom. Its one of the qualities she liked about Hemant , he is always hygeinic. As he was using the bathroom to clean his body from their sexual adventure. Sonarika cursed herself for the situation , the usual guilt and regret overwhelmed her. But this time , it felt like she betrayed him , Sonarika made up her mind that it was her thoughts about Vikram that has made her reach her orgasm while in the bathroom Hemant appreciated his new physique to finally able to last and perform longer in bed than usual. As Hemant returned from the bathroom , Sonarika pretended to be sleeping. 

Hemant went towards her and kissed her in her forehead before getting on the bed and went to his eventual sleep. Sonarika opened her eyes and felt the kiss Hemant gave on her forehead with her hand. Tears were forming on her eyes as she felt pain and remorse for her fantasies as she looked back at Hemant who was sleeping. She wanted to touch him , feel him , embrace him , but her actions she just did made her think she shouldn't do it as she felt she is a ruined woman at this moment. She should not blemish him with her corrupted mind and thoughts at this moment. She turned to her side and balled up in bed feeling the weight of her betrayal she just committed in some sense. 

As Sonarika cried herself to sleep , her hand hit the small photo frame of her marriage as it fell from the desk nearby to the carpet covered floor. The action in the sense showed the potential future of their lives at that moment as the wedding photo which was placed on the desk in vibrant light of the room was now on the bottom of the floor covered in darkness.

The place where the photo was lying served as a terrible Omen on what was about to come!

                                                                                                                                                               (END OF CHAPTER 3)

[Harry Jordan]

This was by far the longest chapter I have written for a story , I planned to split this into two chapters but I didn't want to break my intended plan to have each part have 10 chapters. There is a good chance you guys will get lengthy chapters like this in the future.


As for the next chapter , as I requested , give me breaks of two weeks to really work on it. But I am spending enough time with it so there is possibility that you will indeed get early updates. For now , I hope you guys enjoy the story as it progresses.





With LOVE.

 HARRY JORDAN 

[Harry Jordan]

I like that fact in this story both r fight for something  desire n  lost self belief  still reading

I am glad you liked it. I designed this story to explore the complex human emotions but at the same time show. Both these characters , Sonarika and Hemant , are both victims of their past which has left hidden for now which will be eventually revealed , with hidden secrets. I build this story to show how these characters eventually succumb to the darkness but rather than falter and fall apart , they are going to fight , some might win , some might loose. But this is indeed the Age Of Darkness in their life. 

Things will elevate , problems will rise , but more than anything the perseverence of the human mindset will thrive. 

This is a story of sacrifice , suffering , pain , love , feelings , determination , commitment etc. There will be lots of twists and turns and also a lot of sex. But let this be clear , I don't write stories on the determination of good guys or bad guys , in my eyes all are grey. The situation will define each character , and thus each situation will evolve them.

All I can say for now is welcome to the ride!  :)

[Harry Jordan]

Hemant physically changed lot but sona didn't Even see it but priyanka seen it by one conversation either sona  desire taken over her  r she just lot it to vikram harry waiting for next chapter

I think you meant Pranitha but anyways , the next chapter is coming up really well. If everything goes right then everyone can expect an early update but I don't want to keep your hopes up so always give me a two week time for each chapter update.

[Harry Jordan]

AN EARLY SURPRISE FOR ALL READERS......CHAPTER 4 ON THE WAY!


Turns out I managed to make some time to complete chapter 4 of the story pretty early and I am pretty much happy on how this has turned out to be. Just a quick spoiler , there are some celebrity cameos and even one specific actress cameo in detail for the story. Plus this is the chapter where I had finally made my first full on sex sequence so hope you guys like it.

Like I said before , please give me intervals of two weeks each for each update but if things develop well for me like right now , I will post early updates as surprises for my readers.


So sit back and enjoy the ride this story takes as another chapter culminates!


With Love.


 HARRY JORDAN 

[Harry Jordan]

                                                                                                                                                                 CHAPTER 4

Weeks have passed and things were looking on the bright side for Hemant. His gym sessions have started to show some real improvements. And more than that his abs have started to develop. His breathing problems have been pretty much vanished. Every day he spend in the gym he feels thrilled and motivated that he is improving in his fitness. And the effect has started to show as Fatima who runs a dance studio near the gym would often see Hemant working out and she would always leave some flirty remarks. Hemant has a very intimate relation with that Dance Studio. When he first joined Quadron , the dance studio was brand new and he met the founder of it , Nora. They had an intense physical affair at that time which Nora had boasted about in her dance studio. Eventually Nora left India for bigger opportunities but the legace of her talents and the gossips of her affair with Hemant remained. Fatima was one of her new students and she always fancied Hemant's appearance until he became fat and slow. Now there was that same fanciness back in her seeing Hemant back in his old form. There is still work left to achieve it but in her eyes , Hemant is already 80% done. Its his dressing choice that has become worse day by day. Hemant has found ways to wear his overweight shirt in a way that the bulgness in his shirt due to stucked air imitates his pot belly now. 

Due to this , not many in the office could notice the change in Hemant. For them he was still that kind loving , out of shape Project Manager. But right now he had bigger things to focus on. He had a meet with Pranitha in one of the high rise clubs in the city. They have been meeting for a couple of weeks on his office and often at the construction site of the hospital.

Hemant arrived at the club in half hour , he was told that Pranitha was in the pool on the exterior portion of the club located at one of the club building's exterior patio built few floors up. Hemant felt terribly underdressed or shameful for his costume choices because of how the place was filled with luxurious individuals. He made his way to the exterior and eventually found the pool. But when he saw Pranitha , he felt an uneasy feeling. It was like he was seeing a side of her never seen before ,  and it was literally because Pranitha was in the pool and she was in a black swimsuit. She was swimming in the water and Hemant maintained his composure and tried his best to keep some decorrum. But he started to struggle when Pranitha noticed him and she swam to the edge of his side of the pool. She placed her hands on the pool and looked at him as she left a tired sigh.

"Hemant , you seriously need help with your cloth choices" Pranitha frustrated.

"Yeah , I really do" Hemant laughed nervously in response after saying that.

"Atleast find some color , everytime I see you its either black or white , you're like a 70s movie right now"

"Those movies had its charm"

"Yes it did back then"

"Maybe I am an oldcollege guy"

"I know you're not"

"How?"

"I've known you for a while Hemant , you're like a Hrtihik Roshan wearing costumes of Amitabh Bacchan"

"That is by far the nicest thing you have ever said to me"

"It's not a compliment , I am pointing out that you are holding yourself back with your terrible costume sense"

"You know I am trying to hide it for a reason"

"Fine hide it from your wife for her surprise but atleast not in front of me or others man , I am pretty sure she won't notice you showing skin here"

"I will consider that"

"Good"

Saying that Pranitha swam to the other section of the pool where the step is. As she exited from the pool , Hemant was revealed to the sight of her spectacular body covered in that black swimsuit. It was a full swimsuit which covered her entire torso. But the wet water definitely highlighted her physical features. Pranitha definitely has what people will call the body of a modern actress. She looked nothing less than the modern divas who found the right position between size zero and extra thic. Despite her being the same age as Hemant , she still has maintained her body in her peak. Hemant had often teased Sonarika of the same , he used to claim to her that Sonarika's body is pretty much similar to that of actress Madhuri Dixit in her vintage days , the fat in all the right places and at this age all her main features have only extended giving her that perfect MILF structure. 


The best part Hemant loves about his wife is her stomach , unlike other women who often maintains that region to be nicely textured and enough belly fat. Sonarika had generated abs in hers. He would joke that sometimes Sonarika looks like a body builder because her abs in her stomach is pretty visible at times and that made her look bulky. But since her pregnancy her navel have gone deeper and that has raised an incredible amount of attraction to her body. Hemant could easily classify the difference in physical feature between Sonarika and Pranitha.


While Sonarika was the perfect milf with ample cleavage and a portruding butt which made her look like a goddess in every costume. Pranitha on the other hand looked slightly slimmer than Sonarika but was taller. She was basically what a tall woman with skinny body features would look like if they achieved MILF status. For a few seconds , Hemant was lost in the sight of her exposed legs , the wet water on it only added beauty to this feminie masterpiece. Her ass wasn't as round and plumpy as Sonarika's but it definitely had its oomph factor. Surprisingly Sonarika and Pranitha share the same glow and skin tone , the creamish fair complexion with essence of bright gold. Like how Hemant used to flirt to Sonarika during their early days , claming her to be the most expensive gold in the world.


Hemant eventually realized he was staring too much at Pranitha and gained some composure. Pranitha exited the swimming pool and dried herself with a towel. She wore a robe and then approached Hemant. 

"Let me change and we'll go to my place"


Hemant nodded , he did love her smiling face. At first Hemant was nervous about working with Pranitha considering her stature and relation to the highly influential Mehta family. But now they have grown their bond into a wonderful friendship sharing their preferences and hobbies and other social commentaries.


Hemant waited as after 10 minutes Pranitha arrived wearing a colorful sundress. Pranitha insisted they go in Hemant's SUV. They were off to her place of stay when Pranitha sighed and looked disappointed. 


"What happened Pranitha?"

"ugghh....I fogort my laptop bag in the family home last night , drive to Emerald Palace"

"Wait the Palace? THE EMERALD PALACE?" Hemant was stunned as she was talking about the richest place in the city.

"Yeah?"

"But Pranitha , I am terribly underdressed and this vehicle is not exactly...matching to your....stature"

"Come on Hemant , do you think I am that shallow? please don't pull yourself in that whole 'class diffentiation' bullshit , you are a project manager of Quadron. Own up to it"


Hemant didn't respond to her words but rather gave an assuring smile. The drive was short as they arrived near the Emerald Palace building. The security guards at the gate came near the window and they notice Pranitha sitting alongside after which they opened the giant electric gate. Hemant drove in to a descend to a massive underground parking space what would make a mall parking space look like a joke. Inside it was build like an entrance to a five star hotel. A man was standing at the entrance of the lobby area as Pranitha instructed Hemant to stop near him. When they got out , the man asked for the key of his vehicle. Hemant realized he was a valet. He passed the key as he followed Pranitha to the interior of the building. This place was nothing short of a literal palace. With bright chandeliers hanging in the wide lobby and different kinds of rich individuals talking and interacting around them.


Each of these people stood up greeting Pranitha as Hemant followed her. He actually felt really ashamed that he was dressed like this looking like a deadbeat employee. Even the valet and the receptionists and househelps looked better dressed than him. They eventually arrived at a VIP elevator. It was filled with a lot of sophisticated technologies making it look like almost futuristic. Pranitha noticed the wonderous look in Hemant completely taking aback by the setting of this place. She liked his curious face. Eventually they arrived at their desired floor which was the main area of the house which was a massive multi storey living room space with all kinds of amenities and things that he has seen only in movies and things. Especially a Karan Johar movie. Pranitha decided to play the tour guide as she enjoyed the curiosity and excitement in him seeing the place. He especially loved the outdoor facing the Mahalaxmi Racing Course and the ever impressive Mumbai Sky Line!

Pranitha soon led him to the upper portion of the living room space and gave him a place to sit.


"Why don't you sit here and I will come back in few minutes getting my bag. I have to find it first , heh"



Pranitha left with a smile as Hemant sat there enjoying the view of royalty and luxury in front of him. Back in the day , he desired a life like this. Not exactly this since he desired for a big house with house helps and security. It was always etched in a part of his brain , a big mansion type modern home that looks like an architectural marvel of the future. With glass walls that can automatically transform into a black wall in day and transparent at night upon his choosing. In the inside , all the basic functions of the house run by an AI computer like from the movie Iron Man. His own JARVIS , who could listen to his command and help him surveil and control the house. House helps who are well dressed and maintains a clear hygiene bringing that same energy to the house keeping it clean. And then to top it all , his family , his lovely boy Karan playing video games on a big screen while his darling wife Sonarika who ditches dull night clothes and wears some slightly provocative nighties to entice him on their naughty moments. He wished one day to achieve that dream. Maybe his gun-smithing side gig might turn fruity in the end.

He was brought back from his thoughts when he noticed a commotion at the furthest corner near the next room. When the door opened he heard arguments breaking out between two people and the place looks like a mini working space with multiple computers. Hemant first tried to avoid but then decided to see what was going on. He saw a male and female employee arguing over some faulty hardware. Hemant noticed a massive server mainframe to the side. Hemant on his better judgement intervened.

"What happened? What's the matter?" Hemant asked

"Who are you?" The man asked confused on seeing him

"I came here with Ms.Pranitha Mehta , I am a software engineer , is there a problem?"

"Well sir , I am afraid you can't because our hardware has been corrupted , I told you not to overwork this thing , you know how sophisticated it is" The man said while arguing with the female employee.

"Its not my fault you left it running in the background you idiot!"

"Yeah well good thing we are both getting sacked now"

Hemant noticed the server device and figured that it wasn't a big problem. Hemant grinned as he intervened between their argument.

"Guys , its not corrupted , the LAN system isn't getting the power. See the red flicker , that means a portion of it isn't recieving the juice to run"

Hemant said as he walked towards the server device and peaked to its back. It was terribly maintained as it was covered in dust. But Hemant noticed the problem , an important pin connected to the server machine was loose. Hemant planted it back making the server machine to stop beeping and start to work normal. Hemant felt happy he solved the problem as he turned to the two employees.


"See? Now it will work seamlessly. Although I suggest you consult with house help to regularly clean the back portion of the machine , each wire is important for the server to work its work"

That was when the door from the other side flung open and out walked Siddharth Mehta, he looked groggy probably asleep for a while but he had a whisky glass in his hand.

"What the FUCK IS GOING ON HERE!" Sid screamed to everyone making both the employees to stay silent.

"Who is this piece of CRAP!" Sid asked pointing to Hemant.

"I saw a problem with your server device sir and I thou---"

"And you thought you could barge into my SPACE and touch MY STUFF!" 

Sid raged on Hemant as he walked slowly towards him. Hemant felt things are escalating in a very wrong way. Siddharth then carefully looked at Hemant.

"Wait a minute! You are that punk bitch manager from Quadron aren't you? The one Sandy threw the alcohol and noodles on"

Hemant realized he was talking about Sandeep Vardhaan who humiliated him in that party which resulted in a nasty injury to his eyes at that time. Hemant tried to look everywhere else praying that Pranitha returns soon.

"Good thing you cannot FIRE me!" Siddharth said as he immediately threw the alcohol in his glass straight into Hemant's face. Hemant had quick reflexes and he thankfully closed his eyes before the alcohol made contact to his face. Hemant winced as he moved back feeling the burning sensation of alcohol on his face.

"Don't you dare touch my stuff ever again , or else next time I will be pouring ACID!"

The calm mind of Hemant was suddenly transformed into a storm. In his mind those terrible nightmares returned , the sounds of bone cracking , men screaming in pain , acts of violence that results in blooshed. Hemant was struggling trying to repress those memories not letting it take over his mind and body again. That was when he heard Pranitha's voice.

"SID WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING , HE IS MY GUEST!"

"This punk bitch? Seriously Pranitha do you spend your time helping loosers and rejects in your life now?"

"MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS SID , DON'T EVER DO THAT EVER AGAIN UNDERSTAND?"

Pranitha then turned to Hemant.

"Come on Hemant , its better we leave this TOXIC environement"

Pranitha retorted to Siddhart before leaving with Hemant. Siddharth in response showed both of them his middle fingers.  Hemant was struggling with a whirlwind of emotions. He had a hard time controlling his nightmare thoughts but eventually he did. Pranitha consolled him as they got into his SUV. 

"I am a mess!" Hemant said feeling sticky in his skin.

"Don't worry , lets go to my place,  I'll get you freshened up" Pranitha insisted.

Hemant soon drove off and in about 10 minutes not far from the Emerald Palace they arrived at the RED SPARROW residential building , one of the most expensive residential buildings in all of Mumbai. Here too the treatment was similar , only this time Hemant's vehicle was parked by a security guard. They went through the lift to the desired floor and soon Hemant arrived at Pranitha's luxurious apartment. This was smaller from that massive house in Emerald Palace but was more vibrant and very much decorative. The walls were covered with amazing paintings and sculptures , there were some impressive artwork showpieces arranged in the massive shelf that covered an entire wall. But the best part was the right side where the entirety of the flat's living room was protected by a glass wall that completely showed the view of the Mumbai skyline. Hemant was thrilled seeing the view from here. Soon Pranitha pointed him to the guest bedroom.


"Go use the shower to freshen up and ditch your clothes , I'll bring the spare one by then"


Hemant walked in to the room and closed the door. He ditched his clothes but retained his inners since they weren't affected. He took a cold shower which helped him reduce the itchy and heat of that alcohol stench from him for good. When he was done with it and came out in the towel , he noticed his clothes were gone and Pranitha instead put some spare clothes in. Hemant noticed instantly they weren't some normal clothes. It was a sleeveless greyish colored buttoned shirt with denim fabric and to support it was an equally matching denim pants but darker. When he wore it , Hemant couldn't believe it when he looked himself in the mirror.


Gone was the boring office worker with a pot belly and bland looks. Hemant could not believe he could look this good with clothes like this. His ripped muscles were bare to the world and the shirt's tightness in its chest made his torso give away an impressive build. And it has always been a wonder for Hemant how he had never grown hair in his chest. During his college days one of the doctors that did his full body checkup told him that it was some sort of a genetic defect but in a way it was a blessing for him since he didn't have to worry about chest hair that much.

When Hemant walked out in that new clothes to the living room , Pranitha looked at him and a grin crossed her face , he noticed a sparkle in her eyes seeing him in this clothes.


"I have a feeling you made Siddharth do this" Hemant said with a sarcastic accusation.

"To be honest Hemant , I am no longer mad that Sid did that. Because his actions were a blessing in disguise for me"

"So how do I look?" Hemant asked posing in this new clothes.

"In all honesty , a legit movie star , but not Bollywood though , a Hollywood movie star!"

"Hollywood? Interesting."

"What's intersting?"

"Heh , real truth , I have always been a bigger fan of Hollywood movies. In my college days I was a big nerd of 80s and 90s action films and superhero genres"

"That was my lucky guess I swear"

"Don't worry , it just seems you are guessing the right things about me"

There was an awkward staredown between the two of them , as if for a few seconds , they could not take their eyes off each other. But after some time they regained some composure.

"You know I cannot go home like this , it will ruin my surprise for my special woman"

The mention of Sonarika brought a little disappointment in Pranitha's face but later she smiled and said.

"Don't worry , you won't be going in this. Matter of fact you should let your family know that you will be late getting home"

"Why?"

"Because as compensation for my stupid brother's actions , I would like to take you to a high rise party in the city tonight"

"A party wearing this?"

"Hehe , no Hemant. You will be wearing some designer dress for the evening"

"But how?"

"Don't worry about that , A costume team will be coming here in the evening and I have already notified them that I have a gem of a man as my date for tonight and he needs to be given a  good proper look tonight"

"Pranitha is that really necessary?"

"Well to the place we are going  , it is. You know its not just any party , its a Manish Malhotra party"

Hemant stared at her stunned hearing that name.

"You mean the famous designer"

"Yeah , many are invited , you will be seeing some notable personalities there. Including some celebrities."

"Okay now I am nervous"

"Don't need to be , please be your confident self. And I assure you the costume designers that will come in the evening will transform you into a full on celebrity"

"You really think so?" Hemant said still doubtful.

"Oh Hemant , you really need to appreciate how you look. I feel like you are undermining yourself too much. Believe me , tonight you will realize how good you are when a bunch of ladies are going to come onto you...even the famous ones"

"Are you trying to ruin my marriage?" Hemant asked sarcastically worried.

"No , I intend to send you horny to your wife so that she can appreciate you for the good work you have done with yourself"

Both laughed as they soon sat together to get some of their official works done. As Pranitha promised , by evening a very reputed costume department individuals arrived with a wide range of clothes and other stuff. The main costumer was a man with feminine behavior and approach. Hemant understood his nature as Pranitha explained to him that she wants Hemant to look like a star for tonight.

That man did some weird gestures towards Hemant as he took him to the guest room. He took Hemant's body measurement and at times touched him in a weird way. Hemant was a bit annoyed but later he started to work his magic finding the best costume. Eventually Hemant was given a dazzling blazer jacket along with the shirt to wear inside and slack pants. After he wore that , he was made to sit and the designer put on some sort of expensive footwear to his foot. He claimed the shoes to be pretty expensive and made in Italy.

But when everything was worn and the guy worked on giving a light makeup to his face , Hemant started to feel some confidence about himself. He did some tricky things to his hair making it sport some type of hairstyle. Soon he moved back and in a dramatical way he geatured that he was done. Hemant stood up and went near the full size mirror to see the look.

The moment Hemant saw his reflection he could not believe what he was seeing. He was flabbergasted on seeing how he looked. Gone were the dull look of his face and tiredness of his eyes. Whatever cream he applied on his face made his skin glow more now , the sweating had full on stopped. And to top it all , he left the first three buttons of his shirt inside the blazer jacket unbutooned exposing his hairless chest. And the blazer suit jacket had some really good silver embroidery designs that glittered on coming contact with light. In many ways , this was a costume celebrities wear on red carpets. Plus his new physique added to his appearance making him pretty much look like an action movie star. Hemant could not help but utter the words.

"The name is Bond....James Bond" Hemant joked but the guy felt his joke to be lame as he sighed and walked away. Hemant decided not to joke anymore for the night.

Hemant eventually walked out from the guest bedroom and he waited for Pranitha to be ready. He knew her getting ready will take time because she will probably be wearing something elegant and expensive. About fifteen minutes later , Pranitha walked out and she looked like a super heroine wearing a silver party dress that glittered like diamond with the straps of it being almost transparent making her cleavage look real attractive. When Pranitha noticed Hemant in his new look , she kept staring at him for few seconds and then smiled.

"You look....ravishing" Hemant said with a smile.

"Says the handsome hunk right before me!" Pranitha retorted looking at him with appreciation.

The makeup guy stepped between them and with his big hand gestures said.

"You too look like such a smoking hot couple I swear , if you are together , you will give birth to some amazing kids"

Hemant raised his eyebrows and blushed hearing such a compliment from him while Pranitha giggled.

"Right Hemant , when are you putting a child in me?" Pranitha said with a sarcastic tone.

Hemant struggled with a response as Pranitha lightly smacked him in the stomach and led him from the house to their ride for the party venue. 

The party venue was another posh club house in the city but the entrance area was full of media outlets and live reporters. There was red carpet dbangd to the entrance of it and many notable figures were walking in to the inside. Soon Pranitha and Hemant arrived in their luxury vehicle as first Hemant exited and helped Pranitha get off as well. The media was more interested in taking photos of celebrities and pretty much avoided them and Pranitha wasn't interested in being in their attention for today. They walked inside and the moment he walked in he was stunned by the sight before him. The party was indeed a grand one but the presence of popular faces here really made him flabbergasted. He walked through the section with Pranitha as she introduced Hemant to some individuals well known but not from the film industry. Eventually in the limelight of the party , Pranitha and Hemant got separated and Hemant ended up struggling where and how to bond.

But ever since seeing himself in this fancy clothes,  he had built up a confidence and will he had lost long back and mantained his composure and decorum. He eventually reached the bar counter and ordered a diet soda to drink. It was awkward for him but he never drink so he had to indulge in sodas. There in the upper section of the party he saw Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor and his actress wife Alia Bhatt talking to the man of the hour Manish Malhotra. There on the distance he saw Deepika Padukone along with her christmas-colored husband Ranveer Singh. His costume choices are getting prepostorous every day. Then he saw a barrage of actresses present , from new to old. Hemant wanted to meet them but he knew he would struggle to talk so he remained seated in this counter hoping that Pranitha will eventually come find him. As he was sitting there enjoying the sights , he was joined by a woman sitting beside him ordering her drink.

"One glass of silk tequila please" 

Hemant turned to look at her and he could not believe his eyes. Ordering the drink was famous actress Mrunal Thakur. She was wearing a silver party dress that gave the glittering effects when coming in contact with lights just like some of designs in his blazer jacket. She seemed to look heavily intoxicated. She got her drink and she was enjoying it as Hemant stopped staring and tried to act natural. Mrunal was still sitting there after consuming her drink. She then looked to the side and noticed Hemant stealing glances at her. Hemant after sometime looked back at her and to his surprise he saw her looking back at him with a grin.
 

Hemant responded with a smile as she kept on staring at him. After few seconds,  it felt a little awkward for him. He is aware about her , many years ago he started noticing her when his mom used to see hindi serials with her acting in it. She had that bubbly charm and cute factors that had made men desire her in many ways. And before Sonarika , he too was fond of her beauty. It was an surreal moment for him because he has witnessed her growth from the television to the big screen in his own way. He still remembers the time when he took Sonarika to watch Super 30 in theatres and Hemant would giggle and blush everytime Mrunal came on screen. That night Sonarika teased him to the hilt about his fondness of the actress. Hemant in the beginning of their marriage with Sonarika would sometimes make Sonarika roleplay the roles Mrunal used to play in serials and movies. His favorite was the infamous Bulbul from the serial Kumkum Bhagya and he would roleplay as the male character opposite her Purab. But those were rare instances because most times Hemant was always attracted to his wife. But here he was in close proximity with an actress he fancied in his life and she was looking in a very seductive way towards him. 

But then out of the blue , Mrunal stood up and grabbed Hemant by his hand and started to lead him away. Hemant had no idea where she was taking him but he followed her path not resisting her. Soon he realized she was taking him to the ladies washroom. Mrunal lead Hemant inside and then closed the ladies washroom main door. Hemant was suddenly aware of the gravity of the situation. It was clear that that Mrunal is heavily intoxicated and she is not in her senses. Mrunal then pushed Hemant to the adjoining wall and started to kiss him on his cheek and over his face. Hemant could smell the heavy alcohol coming from her. He tried to resist her , slightly pushing her away  , making her to see reaosn.

"Mam , please stop"

Mrunal was admamant as she grabbed his face and started to kiss him on her lips. A part of Hemant wanted to enjoy this kiss , but reality quickly brought him into the senses. Eventually he got some streangth and pushed her away screaming

"Mrunal!"

Mrunal stopped immediately for a few seconds of clarity. Hemant noticed she was sweating heavily and looking unwell. But before he could ask what was wrong . Mrunal opened her mouth and puked out. Some of it landed on Hemant's blazer jacket as he moved back. Hemant quickly got aware of the situation and pushed Mrunal to the side to the nearby sink as Mrunal started puking again and again into the sink. Looks like the amount of alcohol has seemed to effect her  stomach. Hemant immdiately opened the main door of the bathroom and asked for any worker nearby .Thankfully there was a female worker near and Hemant got her attention and explained to her Mrunal's condition. 


Hemant quickly left the bathroom leaving Mrunal under the care of that lady. Hemant went to the men's wash room and removed his blazer jacket , thankfully that was the only thing hit by the vomit and his shirt and pants were safe. Hemant used the sink to clean off as much of the vomit as possible and thankfully the material helped in getting rid of that. He wondered whether it was vomit proof. As he was washing another man appeared and  used  the adjoining sink. He looked like a foreign individual with european features. Hemant made one look at him and he instantly froze ,  It was a face from his past , his dark past. Hemant struggled to avoid him and eventually started to move away. But the guy already noticed.


"Excuse me"

Hemant stopped in his tracks , as he waited for the guy's next words.

"Have we met before" The guy asked. Hemant didn't have a response , he was just too shaken from this reality of meeting an old face. He regained some composure after getting flashes of his old nightmares in his head.

"No , I don't think we do" Hemant said with a firm tone. 

But a smile crossed his face as Hemant turned to face him. He soon responded.

"I think we do" He said with a smile

Hemant decided to avoid him and walked away , that was when the guy shouted a name.

"MICHAEL!" 

Hemant's feet stopped again  , the nightmares stayed an ample long time in his head this time as he struggled to maintain composure. His fists were tightening but soon he left a deep breath as he walked away. The man stared at Hemant as he walked away.

Hemant walked out and soon he found Pranitha walking towards him , Pranitha noticed him without his jacket and realized something was wrong.

"My god , what happened?"

"Oh a small skirmish with a lady , she puked on the jacket , do you think your costume designer will be mad about the ruined blazer?"

"But are you alright?"

"Yeah , thankfully its just the blazer that was ruined. The rest of it is fine"

"Forget that Hemant , looks like the day is not exactly good for you  , you're getting spilled by things a lot lately"

"Yeah I guess" Hemant felt the need to leave this party soon as possible considering the meeting with that man in the washroom moments ago.

"Okay lets meet up with the main man , after that we can leave"

Pranitha lead Hemant towards Manish Malhotra himself. 

"Hey Pranitha , enjoying the party"

"It was good Manish , but I am afraid its getting late for me"

"Come on , there is no such thing as late in this part of tinsel town"

"For tonight , I have some special things planned with my date!"

Hemant was slightly taken aback from her statement of him as her date.

"What happened to his jacket?"

"A small skirmish for helping out a lady being intoxicated."

"That is actually kindness of a high regard Mr.Hemant , and it should be rewarded"

Manish then called her associate nearby who went to the nearby room and brought out another blazer jacket which had gold fittings on them.

"As a token for your act of kindness and great goodwill. I gift you one of my designer jacket Hemant"

Hemant was stunned getting a wonderful gift like that.


"Sir this is quiet overwhelming"

"Yes it is , because I cannot have your night ruined with a puke. Besides , many women have approached me asking for your whereabouts and I struggled to get them your details"

Hemant blushed on his remarks. Eventually they said their goodbyes and soon Pranitha and Hemant were off to Pranitha's place.

"I am sorry that the party was another mishap for you" Pranitha.

"Please don't , I actually enjoyed the party. Not gonna lie the puke didn't actually ruin anything actually"

"BTW who was the lady that did puke on you"

"It was Mrunal , Mrunal Thakur"

"So a famous lady spilled her guts on you"

"Well , she actually did more thant that"

"What? What do you mean?" Pranitha asked curiously.

"Well , I was sitting in the bar counter when Mrunal came and sat beside me , after that she gave me a look and took my hand and led me to the ladies washroom. And then she closed the door and started kissing me and tried to make out,  but I somehow realized it was wrong and I stopped her screaming her name. After which she puked and I had to leave her"

Pranitha was too stunned to respond. She slowly rubbed her face and then responded.

"And here I thought you were a loyal husband"

"I never said I enjoyed it , quiet honestly I didn't , the alcohol stench in her mouth almost made me gag"

"I am sorry that happened to you , that explained your dull face when I saw you"

Pranitha believed his sadness was because of his incident with Mrunal but Hemant was concerned about something else entirely. They finally arrived at Pranitha's place and Hemant went to her place.Pranitha had dry cleaned the clothes he wore in the morning as Hemant change into it in the guest bedroom. As he completed changing he noticed that the guest bedroom door was open which made him curious because he knew he had closed it when he got inside. He dismissed that mild incident and returned to the main hall to say goodbye to Pranitha. Soon Hemant drove his SUV back home.



                                                                                                                                          (CHAPTER TO BE CONTINUED)

[Harry Jordan]

                                                                                                                                                 (CHAPTER 4 CONTD)

When he arrived home , everyone was asleep. He already messaged Sonarika that he will be late today and not to wait for dinner. When he arrived in his bedroom he saw his darling wife in deep sleep in the bed. Hemant just sat there looking at her for a while. The sight of that mysterious man haunted him. It was a face Hemant had long forgotten , but seeing him again had opened old wounds and long lost history that Hemant had buried about himself. He started fresh and began a new normal life with Sonarika who healed him in many ways. But the arrival of that man and the constant embarassment with first Sandy and then problems with Dilawar and his brother Rafique , and now the rough skirmish with Siddharth Mehta. All these incidents really pissed him off. And he could also understand the frustration growing in Sonarika regarding his pacifistic approach.

 

But Hemant is scared , he made a vow to never go back into that darkness. But now the signs in these recent events give his mind a feeling of deja vu. Hemant's mind was in distress and thus to get some clarity in his mind. He went to the balcony and called Harper.

"Roy"

"Egghead , how's the package coming up"

"Its coming well , a good portion of it  is done , I will start the trials in few weeks"

"Good to know"

"Roy , I called for something else"

"What's the matter"

"Its umm....something regarding my past"

Roy was silent probably showing concern for his words.

"What happened Egghead?"

"Lots of things to be exact but right now I just wanna talk about the elephant in the room"

"Which is"

"Few hours ago I was in a party....and I crossed path with a face I haven't seen in years Harper.....I saw Jackson Shepherd"

Harper didn't respond for a while , but soon asked.

"Did he recognize you?"

"I had a feeling he could never forget me , he called me by the name I have buried in my memory a long time ago , these things, these events , its giving me a bad omen. As if something worse is coming for me"

"I understand Egghead"

Hemant rubbed his face , feeling the situation is getting out of control. Soon he heard Harper's voice.

"I can understand your turmoil Egghead , but with all due respect , these things aren't exactly problems but a wake up call for you"

"I am already getting back into shape Roy"

"That is not my point. You're still burying your past which is the worst thing to do , the more you try to forget the more it will eat you inside and out. Ignoring your deeds from the past will only start to haunt you Egghead"

"Then what do you sujjest I do?"

"Don't ignore them , learn to adapt , find the best parts about what you did , make use of it and evolve. I am not telling you to become the old you , just the combine the past and present and create a robust and atmost best future for yourself"

"You're telling me to go back to that darkness"

"I am telling you to mold it into something useful , and in my opinion. You are sadly mistaken for thinking what you did was some god awful sin , it ain't jackshit man. Listen to my words carefully , don't fall to the darkness , mold it into your strength and will."

"But my family.....my family Harper...I cannot put in in danger with those actions"

"You are making the same mistake most do , considering your family as a weakness. Family is a man's greatest strength Egghead. Even I am standing here going on dangerous missions but I do it with the drive that I will return to my family. Because they are my strength. Your family is no different. Your wife defended you when you were in trouble. You son sees a Superhero in you , I myself know the superhero in you"


Harper's words carried weight and each those words added fuel to Hemant's confidence and determination. His words were like lightning strikes to his mind giving him clarity like never before. After listening to his motivational words , a smoldering fire was started deep in his heart. A determination born with it , that he will learn and adapt , he had enough of living with the burden. It was time to own up to it. His son drew him as a superhero a few days ago again. Each time it was a different superhero. Now Hemant felt he has the drive to be that hero for his son. More over he has the drive to be the best version of himself for his wife. He made a promise that night , that he will adapt and he will evolve. And surprisingly those nightmares no longer bothered him , that was the sign that his mind was adapting. With some clarity and clear mind , Hemant went to bed.


The next few weeks were work of determination for Hemant. He got some extra time from his office which he used to spend time in the warehouse creating the molds for the gun parts. Smithing work always had its fun and he enjoyed doing the work for it. Pranitha started to occasionally visit the warehouse not just for seeing his side business , but seeing Hemant in his tank top do the work. There was a strange form of attraction forming in Pranitha towards Hemant and ever sine that party it had only levelled up tenfold. Kunal too visited his place many times and often talked with him and discussed his project and other things. To be honest Hemant liked the company of Kunal this way more often. One day there were talking about various things until their conversation took an interesting.

"BTW , there is a small gig for motor lovers happening in the Marine Drive tomorrow evening. I am planning to go and I would love your company with me for that"

Kunal's expression changed and then responded.

"Sorry , I caanot be there tomorrow. I have plans to clean up the house and set up the bedroom for Mouni and Sagar for their special night"

Hemant just straight up looked at him and Kunal thought he had upsetted Hemant once again boasting about his cuckold nature.

"If you are uncomfortable , I won't talk about it"

"I won't judge you Kunal , you are who you are. As long as you are happy , it doesn't concern me......so , are you happy?"

"What?"

"Are you happy with your....choices"

Kunal didn't respond for a while but Hemant could see the turmoil of thoughts in him. After some thinking Kunal answered.

"Yes"

"Good , then that's it"

"Okay"

"But in all honesty are you really needed for their 'special night' "

"Not exactly , its the date that is special for them , it was the date of their first night together so"

"Okay , but are you needed to be present with them?"

"No"

"Then why don't you come with me on that Motorfest , we can share our enthusiasm and love for vehicles there , I heard they will be bringing some exclusive offroad specials for display"

"Aw man , I love offroad"

"Then come with me , let them have their happy moments , and you can have yours"

Kunal had a strange smile coming from his face. There was slight tears in his eyes. Hemant asked concerned.

"What's wrong Kunal"

Kunal quickly responded.

"Nothing , its just....its been a while since someone wanted me to be part of something special"

That was the moment Hemant decided that he was going to help Kunal and save him from his own problems slowly. He realized Kunal was struggling and he needs help and he got the green signal with his expression that he needs to be saved.

"Believe it or not , you're a good friend for me. And I give you my word , you can share your everything with me and I will protect it. Let this be the start of a beautiful friendship"

"Definitely"

Kunal and Hemant as promised did spend the next day evening enjoying the motorshow. Kunal was extra happy seeing all the exotic vehicles and he was very much happy seeing the offroad specials. They shared their preferences in performances of their favorite and dream vehicles. After that day , Kunal became a regular visitor and formed a bond of friendship with Hemant. 

"So did you have any problems last night for not being at home for their...special moment?"

"Surprisingly no.....but then again I wasn't needed to be there to be honest"

"So everything is good?"

"Everything is good....I really enjoyed the motorshow to be honest"

"See? I told you it will be a wonderful time. What other things do you like?"

"Oh I believe I am a simple man for that Hemant....I don't think I have much cool hobbies , though I am intrigued by your life to be honest"

"Really?"

"Yeah...I mean you have it all , you're kind , loving , respectful. Despite being a Project Manager in a reputed company in the city , you are also here building things like a badass smith. You are like a movie character in many ways. You intrigue me Hemant, but most importantly you found the best parts of me that no one around me has noticed or didn't bother to look for a while"

"Well that is the thing Kunal , people don't look because you won't let them. You were reserved into your 'kinks' that you let Kunal the person to die out deep inside. I just gave him some air to breath. And I like hanging out with the person Kunal"

"Maybe you're right , in that case , thank you for reviving me"

"I refuse to be emotional about you , so I ask again , what other hobbies do you have so we can explore some more of you"

Kunal thought a bit and then replied.

"Well , I like music....reading books , going on long drives and....."

Kunal had a short smile for a few seconds to which Hemant was curious.

"And?" Hemant asked curious about that little happiness in his face.

"Its nothing....just a dream of mine from the past"

"What is it?"

"I don't know it might feel....cheap"

"Is it something to do with your kink?"

"No....hell no!"

"Then what is it?"

"Its a big dream of mine....a world tour!"

Hemant raised his eyebrows.

"World tours aren't cheap Kunal"

Both laughed on his comment after which Kunal explained.

"Its not like exploring only the famous place , its like a never ending ride on the road , like the world keeps on moving and you keep moving forward seeing new things in every moment. I just want to I don't know , ride , drive , sail , fly to every part of the world. Atleast until my heart and my mind is fullfilled and then return"

Hemant noticed the glow in Kunal's eyes as he explained his dream. 

"That is a wonderful dream but pretty expensive. Although that part won't be a problem for you , you should consider it"

"Yeah , maybe one day"

"Well , since that day isn't today , how about we settle with music then , what's your taste"

"To bo honest I am not picky about it , kind of enjoy all of them"

"Even American country music?"

"Absolutely , George Strait , Buck Owens , Johnny Cash..."

"Alright , in that case , lets hang out at one of my favorite place in the city. The Tuborgs"

"Wait , I thought you don't drink?"

"I don't , you will drink and sing. I will give you company drinking some coke"

"Great!"


And as promised Hemant and Kunal hanged around at the Tuborg pub. There was a karaoke section which Hemant pushed Kunal to try his singing talent in. Kunal sang the George Strait classic Troubadour. Hemant was impressed by his singing skills and the people present too liked his song and when it ended everyone clapped. Kunal then insisted Hemant to sing and he sang the recently popular Luke Combs hit Ain't No Love In Oklahoma. And since the song was pretty catchy , the people present in the pub got involved in the groove of his singing. Kunal was happy to see that Hemant too had a talent in singing and they both sang together from halfway of that song. When it ended , the public cheered and everyone applauded Hemant and Kunal's performance. 


Even in their drive home , they were singing that song as Hemant dropped Kunal in his highrise apartment doorsteps. A few days later Hemant seeked Kunal's help in modifying his SUV to elevate its look. Kunal took him to a motorshop he knew and helped assisting in how and what they should do to customize the vehicle's look. The next few days Hemant stayed away from his warehouse until his vehicle was done.


When Hemant went to recieve his modified SUV , he was quiet happy with the customs. Gone was the look of a simple offroad vehicle , now the standard front bumper was replaced with steel bumper and a custom bull bar. They also installed a silver DRL grill which added a bit of eliteness to it. Then it was installed with upgraded tail lights and matrix lights which gave the vehicle a vibrant look with its black color and silver coatings on the grill. Now it looked more luxurious than offroad , to be honest a perfect blend between those. Things were looking in the high for Hemant as he would take Karan for weekends to Kidsworld at a mall nearby and let him have fun in all the fun activities present there for kids. Hemant made a conscious decision not to bring Karan to the warehouse anymore as his design phase was done and there will be sophisticated things present in the warehouse that will be harmful and dangerous to him.

A week later Hemant returned to an old place he cherished. The WFLF (Wrestling and Fighting Legends Federation) , it was a training gym for Mixed Martial Arts and even Professional Wrestling. Hemant was part of this center during his college days. This place created the man that he was back then. Hemant could not believe when he saw his old image in one of the showcase shelf in the training area. Eventually he met his old trainer Raghavendra aka Raghav who glowed when he saw Hemant after so many years.

"HEMANT! OH MY GOD WHAT A SURPRISE!"

"Good to see you Raghav Sir"

"You're still looking good after all this time" Raghav teased as he made a light smack to his stomach.

"Actually this is a recent improvement , which is why I am here" 

The moment he heard Hemant's words , Raghav predicted what Hemant wanted. His face beamed with pride seeing his old student coming back to his roots.

"Alright then , lets see how much you still remember"

Hemant changed to his MMA gear wearing just shorts and fighting gloves. He was send to go a round with a new blood , and it turned to be not good for Hemant's well being.

Hemant struggled a lot to match his speed but he was able to defend himself against him. Raghav looked upset at first but he gave a smile.

"I guess I disappointed you sir" Hemant said with regret.

"Actually you just gave me the opportunity to remold you better" 

Hemant felt hope in his words. Raghav put his hand on Hemant's shoulder.

"What I just saw is a man with a lot of potential returning back to his roots. Yes you struggled , but you haven't forgotten. I still see that flame in your eyes , but I believe those flames were ignited from the darkness very recently"

"How do you know?" Hemant asked out of curiosity on how he predicted it.

"Because I see it in your eyes and in your movements. I see fear , a considerate amount of it."

Hemant felt those words couldn't get any more true. There was indeed fear in him  , a lot of him. The path he will be walking , he cannot go back , he doesn't want to go back. But he is also scared , because he is no longer a lone man. His actions can affect his family.

"How do I fight fear sir"

"Unfortunately son , an answer to that is very simple but hard to execute. The best way to fight fear is face it. Fear is a dangerous poison , but if you manage to survive the fear , you will become the unbreakable and the unkillable. Only way to do it is  dare against it. Face it , adapt according to it and defeat it. A man who conquers his fears learns the secrets of life and how to live it."

Speaking with him brought another level of confidence in Hemant. He was more than happy that things are looking to the bright side in his life for now. Hemant had to end his gym workout on the center near his office for this as he shifted to workout and  the training at WFLF.


As things developed well for Hemant in the work front and his personal front. Things were also escalating in Sonarika's life. A new kind of activity joined her daily course. It was obviously regarding Vikram since he started sending a gift card or flowers each day to her onto her office cabin.  A part of her likes his gestures because it wasn't something romantic or gesturing level. Because Sonarika never recieved roses or anything that would symbolise love. But as the first few times the gift cards were mostly representing frendship , soon his gift cards started to turn red on each passing day. And this day was indeed something unexpected. Sonarika arrived on her office room to see a bouquet of Lilly flowers. She knew they were pretty expensive flowers.

Along with it came another greeting card , but this time it had more heart shapes on it. She read the quote that was written in it by Vikram.

I'll plant a row of daisy seeds,
In the space below each eye,
So they'll remind you of your beauty,
When they bloom each time you cry.
Because I could watch you for a single minute 
And find a thousand things I love about you

From An Admirer.

V

Sonarika liked the quote. In her college days , she always loved shayari and poems. Matter of fact , back in that day , Meghna used to say the path to Sonarika's good books and to her heart is through poems. But Sonarika was definitely bothered , bothered that Vikram is doing the same mistake again. Getting dangerously close to her. 


Sonarika was upset about it but a part of her liked that Vikram was communicating with one of the thing she loved. Hemant in his entire life never tried his hand on poems and never had any interest in it. But then again Sonarika didn't expect it from him , Hemant had his weird ways to profess his love for her. Her inner turmoil didn't help her situation one bit , she was once again conflicted with her feelings. Few days ago Hemant was boasting to her about how he visited a big celebrity party and that he got a jacket from Manish Malhotra but Sonarika's mind was partially attentive to that detail and a portion of her mind was still locked into Vikram. In a way she was frustrated , frustrated that she has met a guy like Vikram.


She knew Vikram was the kind of guy that she once desired as a mate for life because he is everything she fantasized and craved. Her dreams had betrayed her mind and painted him as the man of her life , and it pained her every day when she sees Hemant sleeping beside her. There was a time when Hemant and Sonarika would sit on the dinner table in the evening and talk about their daily life and discuss things but now they were long lost memories. They haven't had a long conversation for months and they slept on the same bed together. It was unreal to think the amount of distance there has been developed between them due to the work commitments. Hemant assured her that he will eventually find time and that he is doing something to finally give the family a much needed breakthrough. But ironically the only thing holding the family together was Karan. Sonarika and Hemant derived much needed family time with Karan on occasions.
 

Sonarika took him to close friends functions including one of Ragini's. She really loved Karan's enthusiasm and energy. Mouni's younger kid Mohit was a little older than Karan but they seemed to like each other's company a bit. Karan always found a way to make friendships. Mouni applauded Sonarika's parentage skills and state she did a good job raising Karan.


And now here she was , holding a greeting card of a handsome man who seemingly is attracted to her. That made her feel frustrated the whole day till noon when she had lunch with Meghna. She immediately noticed Sonarika's frustrations and tried to find out what was bothering her.

"What is it Queen? What's bothering you lately?"

"Its...Vicky. He send me another one of his gift card along with some flowers"

"Hmm and I thought sending flowers are meant to lift your mind not bringing it down"

"Read the card"

Meghna read it and after reading it a smile crossed her face as she looked back at Sonarika.

"Damn....this man has taste"

"Yeah but its pretty distasteful for me"

"Really the poem is distasteful?"

"No , not the poem. The person , he should not be writing something like this"

"He is just being a loyal admirer Sonarika , you are the one making a big deal out of this"

"This is not admiration , he is doing the same mistake again"

"Maybe you are overthinking it , he is after all Vikram"

"Yes , and that is what worries me"

"Why"

"Because..."

Sonarika didn't speak for few seconds. Meghna was waiting for her to finish.

"Because I am loosing it Meghna...I am loosing control. He...he is in my brain , he is in my thoughts. And I am struggling to keep him away"

"But why? why is he in your brain"

"I don't know , it might be like you said , he has this energy , this.....magnetic connection with me. And I am struggling to hold it together with my life"

Meghna could see the struggle in her voice , some of her emotions were visible in her face. There is sincerity in her talk. She was indeed struggling.

"Okay , then why don't you learn to say no...to him"

"I am trying"

"No , stop trying , just pick the phone and say it. That's it. Let's see what his reaction will be"

Sonarika gained some courage suddenly and picked up her phone. She pressed on Vikram's contact number and then hit the green call icon on her smart phone and placed it on her ear.

The phone ringed for about two times after which Vikram answered.

"Hey Sonarika , this is a pleasant surprise"

"Hi Vicky , I couldn't help but call on getting the surprise of the day"

"You mean the flowers? its nothing baby"

"Please Vicky stop!" Sonarika said in a more firm tone.

Vikram was silent and was startled for few seconds.

"What?"

"You're doing the same mistake again...I warned you to never go overboard again with this"

"But Sonarika listen I was ju---"

"I don't need to listen to anymore of your excuses. Don't send me anymore of these you got that"

"Look I am sorry"

"I've heard this before and you still haven't learn. From now on talk only about business through mail and don't ever call me , I am blocking you , good bye"

Sonarika ended the call and she did as she told on the phone and blocked Vikram's number. Sonarika left a sigh as she sat there. Meghna carefully observed her seeing her calm down.

"So....do you feel good now" Meghna asked.

"A little...I did the right thing right?" Sonarike retorted.

"You made the decision Sonarika , own up to it. Do not let go off your confidence"

"But I did the right thing na?" Sonarika still asked repeating the same question.

"Now you are worrying about him. Seriously Sonarika do you want him or not?"

Meghna looked frustrated. Sonarika looked like she was giving off the wrong signs.

"We shouldn't talk about this....ever"

Saying that Sonarika left. She was having a very intense turmoil in her mind since that call. She thought the call will make the whole situation to calm down but now it only raised more uneasiness for Sonarika. She was constantly thinking about him for moments now. Every few minutes she would think whether she had upset Vikram. Is he probably hurt with her statement? Is Vikram ever going to talk to her?


After all , the hotel work is almost complete and the inauguration is happening in a month at Jabalpur , Madhya Pradesh. This is the time of the coming weeks where the final preparations will be done. But Sonarika could not cordinate it directly with Vikram , not anymore. Even though her part of the work is done , she is afraid if Vikram will ruin the working relation he had with Tanishq and that will result in bigger consequences for Sonarika in the future.


The next few weeks , Sonarika anticipated some bad news. But surprisingly it didn't come , but there was a complete black out from Vikram. There was no more contact , no more mails , no more discussions. Sonarika thought her turmoil will stop after her action to block him but that only made it worse. And to top it all , Hemant started to spend more time in the warehouse working on his side project and he started going early to the office stating his work on Quadron is getting to its final phase. This added fuel to Sonarika's frustrations , her dreams again tortured her with Vikram's face. She started to feel regret for some reason , as if she did a big wrong with Vikram. In her heart , she was divided between morality and desire. She cannoy deny her attraction towards Vikram and how his involvement near her makes her feel.


The craziest dream she had involved Vikram to be a part of her family along with Hemant. It was simply bizzare as she saw Vikram sleeping with her in their own bedroom while she could hear Hemant playing with Karan on the living room outside. She walked outside and she saw her husband playing with her son while Anjali is getting ready for her class. Then Vikram would come behind her and kiss her on her cheek.


"Good morning baby" Vikram said with a sexy tone.

Sonarika was too shocked seeing all this as Vikram would look at Hemant.

"I am going to shower , Hemant would you mind if I borrow your wife for few minutes more?"

Sonarika was completely stunned hearing words like that. And then the next shocker was Hemant who would respond with a smile.

"Sure , enjoy" Hemant would then turn his attention back to his playing with Karan.



Sonarika suddenly woke up after that from her sleep seeing that terrible dream. Her inner turmoil only worsened after seeing it. The confliction in her only grew , a constant battle between her chastity and her desires. 

                                                                                                                                            (CHAPTER 4 TO BE CONTD)

[Harry Jordan]

                                                                                                                                                   (CHAPTER 4 CONTD)

Soon , a few days later , there was a gathering of friends at a private section of a nearby restaurant. The women came there along with their loved ones , Sonarika however couldn't get Hemant to come and she partially agreed because she knew Meghna will pass some other rude comments about him here. Ragini was here with her date of the night , and she seemed to be invested in spending more time with him. Mouni was here with Sagar as her date. And her usual antics were present as always, getting really cosy with him. When both the ladies were isolated for some time in that gathering. Mouni started a conversation with Sonarika.


"Hey , heard that you are pretty upset with Vikram lately"

"He stepped out of his line which is why I had to"

"Believe it or not, I would've done the same thing."

"You would?"

"Look that might sound hypocritical from my side , but yes , you held your ground , and that is commendable. Though on a serious note, I definitely believe Vikram didn't have any ill intent because I know him as a person."

"You do?"

"Yeah , Sagar and I began roughly around the same time Vikram lost Sarika. We tried our best to cheer him up. But back then he was a total mess , its like he wanted to blame someone but could not find anyone to be held responsible. He kind of became a 'Lady Killer' in those early days , like going crazy. But eventually died own claiming that was not what Sarika wanted for him. By heart he is a wonderful man"

"I don't think I will call him wonderful considering he tried to seduce a married woman"

Sonarika's retort made Mouni contemplate her next words. Mouni smiled in response after which she continued.

"Oh yes , marriage. The most wonderful prison in the world. Such a wonderful experience isn't it? Live your life according to other's expectations believing your own time will come but it never does. First they say to listen to your husband , then say to teach the kids. Not once does anyone ask whether you are alright or not , or do you need something for yourself. Just one duty after another"

"Sounds like a very shallow understanding of marriage"

Mouni smiled again hearing Sonarika's remark.

"Its easy to mock isn't it. But tell me honestly Sonarika , all these months , when Vikram talked to you , said all those things. Didn't you feel something? The need to be free , to be pampered , to hear the right words , to create moments in between insanity , but most of all to finally be seen as who you are. Not the role you are mean't to play."

Sonarika looked like she was caught between the headlights. She struggled for a response and eventually gave a feeble response.

"I am not gonna answer that"

"Why? Because you don't wanna admit that you feel those things?"

Sonarika was struggling to respond now as Mouni generated a grin to her face now.

"See? Its not easy Sonarika. Even now your silence, its speaks a lot right now. Only difference is in my life my husband was part of my decisions while yours don't have to"

"What do you mean?"

Mouni took some seconds and then responded to Sonarika's question.

"Look , Meghna have told me about Hemant. And recently Kunal has been spending a lot of time with him"

"What?"

"I thought you knew , matter of fact even this evening , Kunal is with your husband"

Sonarika was a bit surprised. She knew Hemant would spend time with Kunal , but she didn't knew that had grown to this level of friendship. Hemant has said he was going someplace for some 'roadshow' and won't be late. But she didn't knew he was going with Kunal.

"Coming to the point , I have no issues with Hemant. Matter of fact , even Kunal speaks very highly of him , considering him a good friend. But I cannot help but see that he doesn't seem to take care of you"

Sonarika was silent for a while still thinking about the reality about the close friendship between Kunal and Hemant. And whether Kunal's nature is going to affect Hemant like a disease.

"Anyways , I do wanna thank you for your husband's frienship with Kunal. Not gonna lie , after a long time I saw Kunal smile genuinly at home. He speaks very highly of him. And to be honest , after hearing his words , I can understand your turmoil"

Sonarika stayed silent for a while, a barrage of thoughts going on. But after about half minutes of silent gasps and deep breaths Sonarika let her guard down.

"Vicky.....he is everything I once desired Mouni....my ideal prince charming. The man who would swept me off my feet and make all the worries in the world vanish. Who could make me fly with no worry or obligations. One who could match with my enthusiasm , enjoy with my preferences and more over see me as a person. Hemant definitely does the same for me , atleast until some point. But the truth is I learned to love him , I created those feelings as an obligation towards him for fixing me. But with Vicky around , I feel like I am always pulsing , there is a lot of excitement and thrill. He is in my dreams , dominating my thoughts , and now injecting into my feelings. When I see Vicky , I feel he is the one. The man that was meant for me , unlike Hemant who I learned to make him my life. This is my turmoil Mouni , there is a part of me that craves Vikram. But there is also the moral part that wants to stay with my family. I am becoming selfish , I am becoming something else now."

Mouni silently listened as if her open talk gave her a sense of deja vu. Sonarika soon looked at Mouni.

"What should I do Mouni? How do I find my peace in this?"

Mouni thought for a few seconds and then answered.

"This is the path that you will have to walk alone Sonarika , after all it is your decision. All I can say in my life , Sagar was one of the best decisions I made and I feel more complete than I ever was. You have to make that decision too , and I know deep down you have the strength and will to make the right decision. Choose your happiness Sonarika and don't look back , only good things will await you in the future with the right choice"

Saying that Mouni left leaving Sonarika in her thoughts. Those words were like some balm to her psyche. It gave her some clearness in her mind about Vikram.

But as she was on her drive back to her place , her mind was completely on Hemant and his growing friendship with Kunal. This was something she could not accept anymore , Kunal and Mouni's marriage makes her very uneasy. The way Mouni talked and looked , it had this sinister scenario that she was seeing her future in them. She remember the words Meghna said once during their talks.

"And I believe you must get use to that lifestyle because that could be your future"

"My future?"

"Yes , you know , you could be Mouni , Hemant could be your Kunal , and Sagar will be Vikr--"


Even while reminiscing that talk she stopped thinking the moment she stopped Meghna from completing her sentence. She doesn't desire it one bit , Hemant is in every way a man any woman would want , of course Sonarika feels conflicted but she would never want a future like that. She didn't want Hemant to be her Kunal , that is not what she desires in him. She made a decision that she will talk him into not bonding with Kunal anymore. 


Hemant arrived home roughly half hour after Sonarika came. Sonarika noticed that Hemant looked really cheerful with his face , as if he was having a good time. After he took a quick bath , he came on the living room and played with Karan joyfully. Even during dinner , Hemant was talkative and was talking to Anjali about her studies and other things while Karan would talk about the things from his insititute. After a wonderful dinner , everyone was onto their bed time. After sending Karan to bed and comforting him as he went to sleep , Sonarika wished good night to Anjali as she arrived on their bedroom where Hemant joyfully is lying on the bed.


"Where did you go today Hemant?"

"Oh I went to this dirt rally races being held outside the city. It was near Kalyan. It was pretty crowded  , but the races were pretty cool"

"You could've taken us?"

"I don't think any of you would like it. Plus the race was being done in dry sand with lots of dust which I knew won't be suitable for Karan. Which is why I had to go alone"

"But you weren't alone weren't you? You had Kunal with him"

"Yeah , he loved these things. We have similar taste in c--"

"ENOUGH! I don't want you to meet him anymore"

Hemant was stunned by Sonarika sudden change of tone and her serious expression. The joy Hemant had in his face faded slowly and that made Sonarika upset too , she always liked that smile on him.

"But why Sona , he is not that bad of a person"

"I consider him a bad influence to you. So I don't want him around you anymore"

"Sona please understand , I am not seeking him , he likes my company and I have clearly made it clear to him that his personal life won't be part of our friendship"

"I don't want to hear it Hemant , I don't like him around you. Men like him are terrible sickness , they will inject their weird thoughts on you and you won't know it"

"He is not that kind of man Sona understand this"

"Are you seriously going to choose his friendship over me"

"Come on Sona , its not like we are talking often nowadays"

Hemant regretted the moment he said those words. Sonarika was upset with how he was defending his stance but that last sentence triggered something in her. Her anger gets out.

"And its MY FAULT that we don't? Remember what you said? That everything will be sorted out in few months , well good enough time has passed , where is that breakthrough for you huh? and I cannot help but realize that you don't have time for me because you have a new friend"

"Sona please I am sorry. I didn't mean that , but Kunal is-"

"I don't want to hear his name anymore"

"Please your anger is misjudged on him"

"He is a man who jerks off sitting in the corner of a room while another man fucks his wife. No I have not misjudged him , he is nothing more than a MISERABLE PRICK!"

"Sona please"

"This conversation is over Hemant. You can talk to me ONLY after ending all of your ties with him"

"You know I can't do that Sona , I have business obligations with him"

"Then I prefer we don't talk until your business obligation with him are done"

Sonarika slept on the bed saying that turning off the lamp on her section. Hemant in an instant went from in a joyful mood to complete sadness. He knew Sonarika is clearly misunderstood regarding Kunal but he could not explain it to her anymore considering her anger right now. He knew his wife well , when she is angry she won't listen to reasoning one bit , she becomes reckless and hot headed. Hemant still tried to calm her.

"Sona..."

Sonarika flared up as she said in a harsh tone.

"Go to sleep Hemant or else you are sleeping in the couch tonight!"

Hemant accepted defeat and he went to sleep turning off the lamp on his side sending the bedroom into darkness. When Sonarika woke up as usual , she was surprised to see that Hemant was no longer in the bed. She noticed a note in the headboard as she read it.

I HAVE SOME EARLY ASSIGNMENTS , SORRY FOR LAST NIGHT , LOTS OF LOVE.

HEMANT.

Unfortunately due to his switch from his usual gym on his office to the WFLF , he will now have to go early for his work. Hemant thought about revealing his workout plan but he knew Sonarika is pretty upset and she won't bother what magic he does unless he stops anymore bonding with Kunal. But Hemant had no plans to , he knew deep down that Kunal was struggling in his life , and he needed help so Hemant was adamant that he will eventually save him. Abandoning him is basically sending him to his death or something worse. That weekend when Hemant was working on moulding the gun parts in his tank top and pants while Kunal was present helping in some of it wearing casual clothes , they first talked about their works but eventually it led to something interesting.


"My wife says I look more happy now , and I have to say the full credit has to be given to you"

Kunal said genuinly.

"Me?"

"Yeah , I mean before I met you Hemant , my life was a barrage of embarassments and shame ever since my personal life became a public discussion , everywhere I went I would see men look at me with pity eyes and women who would pass funny comments about me , blaming my fragility. But being with you , without being judged and to actually share some things I like in my life , to actually enjoy some activities and hobbies in life. These few months showed me life is worth living after all and that was shown to me by you Hemant"

"I did the bare minimum Kunal , matter of fact this is something Mouni should've done a long time ago than me. I am just confused on why she didn't"

Kunal looked sad hearing that and then responded.

"Mouni has another man to take care of her , and I believe she likes being with him more than being with me"

"And you are okay with that"

"Of course , after all , I am a cuckold" Kunal said with a shivering voice that was very low in tone. He crouched to the metal table nearby as Hemant noticed his struggle. Hemant decided to find out what went wrong with him.

"Kunal do you mind if I ask a personal question?"

"Some time ago I would've been uncomfortable , but you have made me relieve off some of my shame. You can ask anything Hemant"

Hemant took a deep breath and asked.

"When did this change in you happen? When did you start to have this kink?"

Kunal looked like he anticipated that question. But this time he didn't feel shame because he felt Hemant was going to give him some relief from all his reckless decisions. Kunal started.

"Our marriage was the best ever , we both loved a simple and calm life. Mouni was into reading back then , she still is now but not often. Back in the day we would silently acknowledge our love to each other. We had a lovely family , she gave birth to my kids and we raised them. Their existence was the drive for me to reach where I am today. But this elite life , it also made exposed to some astonishing lifestyles people practice. And before I knew it , I fell into this world of sexual erotica and roleplays. I met people who would practice stuffs like wife swapping and open relationships and then I would see men who are physically and facially more superior than me do married womens in front of me. This gave me a strange sexual thrill. In those days I would eventually notice that our sex life has become stale. Mouni had her own frustrations with our married life with responsibilities and such and I wanted to see her happy again. But the thought of Mouni with a more enduring man started to dominate my mind."

Hemant sat there silently listening to Kunal's confession as he continued.

"And then came Sagar who seemed to be infactuated by Mouni's appearance and personality. He eventually found out my kinks and he expressed his wish to fullfill my kink by being Mouni's lover. I said to him I will only agree as long as Mouni will , and it barely took a few months as Mouni was attracted to him thanks to his own charms. And then it eventually culminated one night when they had their 'first night' and I was given a VIP seat to see the action. Mouni was dressed as a bride that night and he took her to pleasures she never experienced with me. I never came so hard in my life during that night. The sight was....magical"

Hemant felt a bit unease to see Kunal so happily describe another man fucking his wife. Kunal continued.

"That was the beginning of their bond. And that bond eventually grew , they seemed to like their relation with each other so much that it evolved to not care about anything else in the world. And that definitely ruined my reputation among the friend circle. But as time went by his bond became stronger , he would spend a good chunk of every year in my house in our bedroom while I was moved to the guest bedroom which has become my personal space now. But now"

Kunal started to get teary eyed now , Hemant stood there witnessing the weakness of his friend.

"For the last two years , Mouni never asked or enquired about my well being. Even the room I sleep in , she never came to check up on me these years. To be honest I don't think she will even care if I die any moment , in restrospect it will be a relief for her. There were times in my life where I had considered suicide Hemant , but I couldn't because I loved my kids and I didn't wanna loose them. And now even their lives are intertwined in our mess now. Back in the day it was easy because they were too innocent and young and they were in boarding living with us on vacations but now that their academics are almost done , they are part of our new life and they can deduce that something is wrong in this family."

Kunal was shaking as his emotions were slowly coming out as he continued.

"My older son , he is past 15 now. Since last year he has been visiting and interacting more with Sagar than with me Hemant. I tried to find out and I learned he has been aware of his parent's secret life. My own son sees me as an embarassment and prefers Sagar as his father!"

Saying that Kunal started crying , he slouched down but Hemant quickly came close to him and embraced him. Kunal let all of his frustrations out in his cry , no holding back. Hemant was first willing to help him but now he was determined to save Kunal from his own pit because in his eyes a man like him who built his legacy on his own does not deserve a life like this after the sacrifices and hardwork he endured. Hemant had an idea what he is going through and how to make his life better. After Kunal calmed down in few minuted Hemant moved away as Kunal sat on that table. Hemant soon started to talk.

"Kunal , I can now see why you are always struggling. You are struggling with your own identity. Shall I ask you a simple question. Who do you think is responsible for all of this?"

Kunal did some heavy sobs , something unusual coming from a man who is emotional. Hemant has always believed the notion that when a men cries he cries when it hurts the most. And Kunal was deeply hurt with his life. After gaining some composure Kunal answered.

"I know Hemant , its me. I am the one responsible for all of this. I should've put a stop to her affair a long time ago , but now the damage is already done"

Hemant understood that Kunal was seeing this the wrong way. He soon responded.

"No Kunal , the problem is you definitely. But its not because you didn't stop it , its because you let yourself down"

Kunal was confused as he looked at Hemant. He continued.

"Mouni didn't move away from you because she no longer loved you. She moved away because she couldn't see her Kunal anymore"

Kunal listened to Hemant's words carefully.

"Your son didn't acknowledge you because he couldn't see or recognize his father anymore. You've changed so much in their eyes Kunal that they have failed to see you. You let your kinks take control of your life. That is where everything went wrong"

Kunal looked at him with defeat and realization in his eyes. He felt like he wanted to cry some more. But Hemant comforted him , he patted on his shoulder and said.

"Don't worry , I am with you. I will help you get over this. I cannot promise that you will get your family back , but I assure you that you will not loose yourself. These will be babysteps but it will help you find your true self and overcome. But for that to happen I want a promise from you"

"Whatever it is , I promise Hemant"

"Listen first. From now on , right from this moment , you will stop fantasizing about your wife and her lover. I get that a sexual inuendo is hard to control in a man but if you really wanna be yourself and regain your identity , you need to make some bold steps. Promise me that you will stop getting involved with your wife and her....boyfriend for your kinks"

Kunal eventually gained composure from his crying as he rubbed his tears off.  Kunal pushes a smile on his face as he shakes Hemant's hands.

"I promise Hemant. I won't be involved in their moments anymore. I will focus on my redemption now"

"Good , we will find other activities to make you actually enjoy life and connect more with yourself"

And since that day , Kunal and Hemant's bond of friendship only grew. That evening , again Sonarika gave Hemant the cold shoulders , she was adamant she won't talk to him unless the Kunal situation is done for. But Hemant wasn't willing to leave Kunal , he figured he will eventually explain it to Sonarika once all this overburden of work and his other commitments are done for.

But things only went worse when one day Sonarika was with Meghna doing some shopping in the city when she saw Hemant and Kunal walking into the Irish Bar together. That night they had a nasty fight again , and this time again Sonarika wasn't ready to hear any more excuses from Hemant. And this time she punished him for his deed and send him to sleep on the couch for the night. Hemant was reluctant but he didn't want to fight it out with Sonarika. Eventually he agreed and then slept on the couch for the night. Hemant eventually rescheduled his WFLF workout routine which made him avoid going early hoping to spend more time with his family. But Sonarika was still upset and didn't bother with Hemant's apologies anymore. Hemant was slightly more relieved that he get to spend more time with Karan and Anjali for the time being.

A few days later , Tamanna invited Hemant to attend Sanjana's kid's birthday. But Hemant politely declined , he explained it to Tamanna that his breakup with Sanjana wasn't exactly a happy one and she is never going to forgive him no matter how much they have moved on. Tamanna understood his reasoning and thus went to the party alone.


Sonarika was enraged with Hemant more now , and talking her frutrations out with Meghna didn't help her either because she would indirectly insinuate that she has a better option right in front of her in Vikram. Sonarika had completely stopped talking to him , Vikram was completely blacked out from her life. She had no idea where he was or what he was doing. But this started to negatively affect her. At times she thought she might have overstepped it and Vikram might be quiet upset with her. And her feelings were on overdrive now , thinking that she did something wrong with him. Sonarika hated herself at first , but then this argument with Hemant and his involvement with Kunal really angered her making her think of Vikram even more. Out of desperation she went to the apartment that Vikram used to live in the city. But the place was locked and the security guard said he isn't here for the last few months. This convinced Sonarika that Vikram was upset with her words and he is now avoiding her. And this made her mind desperate , add that to her current fight with Hemant and Sonarika was loosing her sanity in finding ground in her brain. Every single day she would remember the words Mouni said that night. 

"Sagar was one of the best decisions I made and I feel more complete than I ever was. You have to make that decision too , and I know deep down you have the strength and will to make the right decision."

And then words of Meghna way before that.

"Vikram fits the description of your prince charming. He is basically everything that you once craved. In a way , I kinda wished you never met Hemant so that I could bring you and Vikram together and make a wonderful power couple."


Their shared kiss on that rainy evening beneath a tree. The unforgettable sight of Vikram jerking his cock in the bathroom shooting his cum. Sonarika didn't exactly have much experience in types of cocks , but that sight was something else. She started to believe Meghna's gossips about how Vikram during his womanizing days was a legend and most women he slept with during his 'emo' phase under Sagar's direction have all been pretty satisfied with him with one of the women even proposed a marriage to him.


She was falling for him and she was loosing her grip on her reality. 

                                                                                                                                               (CHAPTER 4 TO BE CONTD)

[Harry Jordan]

                                                                                                                                                               (CHAPTER 4 CONTD)

Soon the day of the inauguration of Vikram's hotel came. The company provided her with flight ticket to attend the inauguration. Sonarika chose to wear a red designer embroidery saree that highlighted her physical features and her cleavage a little. She was after all going to represent Tanishq and be a part of this achievement. As she got ready and was checking out her appearance feeling confident in her look she got up from her seat. As she moved to take her luggage her saree end hit the photo frame of their marriage lying on the ground sending the photo spiraling into the bottom of the bed into an eternal darkness. Karan was joyous seeing his mother dressed  and asked whether he could come but Sonarika explained it was work related and that he should behave under her absence.

The company provided her a ride to the airport. The flight duration was just more than an hour. The flight experience was good and Sonarika had packed just one extra pair of cloth as she will be returning home in a return flight tomorrow morning. As she deboarded the flight upon reaching Jabalpur , she noticed a person holding Tanishq banner and her name written on it to welcome her at the arrival gate. Soon Sonarika was escorted to the new hotel as it was just a 20 minute drive from the airport. Sonarika partially expected Vikram to recieve her but he wasn't present which made her slightly depressed thinking that he is definitely moving away from her.



When she arrived at the hotel , she was immediately escorted to the front entrance of the hotel. A woman in hotel unform welcomed her and became her guide. The place actually turned out to be better than expected. Sonarika had paid attention to the floor plans and design phase of the hotel and she has noticed certain minute changes from them. The lobby had a lengthy pathway that was decorated on either side by artpieces by various artists in which Sonarika remembered four of them as they were brokered by herself. Upon crossing the pathway , they reached a massive hotel lobby area. Sonarika could see a good section of the entirety of the hotel structure as that portion was built open where you can actually count the amount of floors in the building. In the middle of the lobby giving light to the entire place was a massive chandelier that took the shape of earth. The water area of earth was color lighted by blue while the land area was colored with gold. Which would explain the name of the hotel.

HOTEL GOLDEN WORLD

At the front wall that she saw from the entrance of the hotel had decorated photo of Vikram's father Prakash Bajaj and the massive BAJAJ CORP logo. And just to the side of his father's photo was Vikram's own photo. It looked slightly older because Vikram looked young and ridiculous dressed in a black suit. She giggled a little seeing that photo as the woman led Sonarika to the lift. Eventually she arrived at her hotel suite and was surprised , Sonarika was given the full on VIP suite which is pretty expensive and spacious. The room had an ample bathroom and deluxe setting. There was no doubt this was the kind of rooms movie stars and rich elites live.
 

Sonarika loved it and spend some time there but she remembered the words the woman said regarding the party being held at the grand hall downstairs along with a lavish dinner. She once again checked her makeup seeing to make sure the flight journey didn't ruin anything. She made a few last minute touchups and soon she was off to her destination which was the party downstairs.


Sonarika arrived at the party with full confidence. To her this whole setting was a little alien because she was the only person attending on her office's behalf and she have not met a single person from this party before. Thankfully she eventually found the artist that she brokered for the artwork. She ended up conversating with him and eventually found comfort and relaxation in the party.


But every instance , Sonarika was searching for someone. It was obvious who it was , after all she haven't seen him in months and today was a big moment for him. He must be dressed well for this occasion.  And soon her search ended and up there in the elevated space of the party she saw Vikram chatting with some men in suits. He was looking dashing than ever , wearing a black blazer but inside was a gold shirt and a few of the buttons on the top were open leaving his exposed neck area. His smile was radiant , inviting. He looked cheerful and happy as it was a special day for him.
 

He soon looked over at the people standing in the lower sections and eventually his eyes landed on Sonarika. And at that moment when their eyes met it was like time stopped , for about an interval of 15 seconds. But then Vikram moved his eyes away distracting himself with another guest as Sonarika too felt a little unease with that lengthy eye connection between them. Sonarika noticed that Vikram avoided her in that hall trying to get into conversations with other people. There was a growing frustration in Sonarika seeing him avoid her like that , she was too engulfed in seeing him that she was no longer thinking about being rational.


Eventually the ball room dance started in the grand hall and everyone chose a partner to dance. Sonarika chose to stay away as she moved to a corner seeing everyone dance. That was when a well suited man approached Sonarika.


"Mind if we dance?"


Sonarika was reluctant but she eventually agreed. The man led her to the dance floor and they started dancing. He resorted to simple steps and Sonarika was quiet comfortable in their initial steps. But soon his grip on her started to tighten and Sonarika noticed a strange grin on his face. She soon questioned his intentions as his hands were moving around her back caressing her exposed skin. Sonarika tried to push away but his grip started to tighten. She was getting angry now. But then a hand landed on that man's shoulder and on his back stood Vikram who looked upset seeing them. He soon pulled him away from her


"We need to talk sir.....you can go Sonarika"


Saying that Vikram led the man away from the party. Sonarika didn't see him or Vikram for a while after that. After some time , the dance slowly dialled down and dinner was set in another hall nearby. Sonarika got the company of the artist she met and they had dinner together. Even during that time she looked for Vikram so see if he is seated anywhere but she couldn't find him. She was hoping to see him again because she knew Vikram actually saved her from that man. She definitely noticed the anger in his eyed towards that man. That same butterfly feeling started to form on her belly. She had a hard time focusing on her dinner and wanting to meet Vikram. Eventually she was done with the dinner and soon she was off to find him. 



As she roamed the hotel , she eventually found a commotion happening at the hotel entrance. She approached the commotion and to her shock she saw Vikram who had ditched his blazer jacket was beating the hell out of the man who misbehaved with her. The beating was so fierce that the man was bleeding from his mouth. Sonarika immediately screamed.

"VICKY!!!"

Vikram stopped hitting him and looked at Sonarika who was looking at him shocked. Vikram soon pushed the man away to the ground as some of the guards gathered and escorted the man. Sonarika feeling shocked and disappointed at that sight , she eventually arrived at her hotel suite and sat on the wardrobe chair. She was disappointed that Vikram would reduce himself to such a level for a petty misbehavior. This not only exposed his weakness in front of others but also created an embarassing situation for him , the owner of the hotel beating up a guest on the inauguration night.

As she was thinking about it , she started to hear the lock of the main door opening. She was shocked as Vikram walked in opening the door with a key of his own. She was already pissed with his behavior before , but this made her fuming. 

"Really Vicky , you don't have the decency to enter someone's else room without asking?"

Sonarika stood asking with command.

"This is not a hotel suite Sonarika , this is my personal suite!"

The revelation shocked her , she wasn't given a special accommodation in this hotel. Matter of fact it was actually Vikram's plan to get her here.

"I am leaving!" Sonarika said moving to take her briefcase , but Vikram arrived near it before her and grabbed her hand.

"No, you're not" Vikram said. 

Sonarika was a bit tensed. Vikram was once again in a close proximity she didn't like. Her mind was once again going in that inner turmoil. Everything turning into a whilrwind of thoughts in her mind

"I am sick , I am sick and tired of you Sonarika , of your antics" Vikram bursted.

"Never in a thousand years would I have thought I would behave that way , but I did because of you. And then out of the blue you completely cancel me out of your life. Without even a single thought , you send me to my own doubts and despair. You think that was going to make things better for me?"

Vikram continued to rage on. Sonarika was tensed and upset with how the situation was developing.

"These last few months have been nightmare for me , everywhere I go. I see your face , everytime I close my eyes , you arrive unannounced in my dreams haunting my thoughts"

Sonarika was stunned to find out Vikram too was going through the same ordeal that she was going through.

"I knew then and there these dreams weren't coincidence. This was my mind telling me that I have fallen for you. That I cannot spend a week , cannot even imagine a month without talking to you in some way. And you made me suffer for months,  deep in my thoughts and dreams , engulfed by you! "

That unusual butterflies in her stomach started to grow. Sonarika was getting tha unusal feeling as her nerves were waking up. She had to struggle to breathe.

"Sonarika , I cannot be anymore honest than I am right now. I cannot overcome this pull I have for you. Everytime I look at you its like the world is pushing me to you , to become a part of you"


Sonarika listened with baited breaths after which she finally asked.


“I thought you spoke about how you could never see Sarika in another woman the last time when we met. Are you implying you see her in me?”  She asked. 


“No , Sonarika , no one can take her place. But I have learned to let go off her because now I have you in my mind and heart. You are the woman in my dreams now. The only difference is that I wouldn't do anything to seduce you.” 


“What is the use of that generosity when you know that the seduction part is already done?” 


He kept looking into her eyes as if she had delivered a golden line for him. His eyes held her as if by a spell; she was drawn to him. 


"Hey..." Vikram's voice was soft. "You know how I always loved to stare into your eyes, Sonarika... I miss seeing the shine in them. Don't you miss me?"


"Vicky..." Sonarika's voice took on a tone of caution. "What are you saying?"


"I just want to see you" Vikram insisted as he continued.


“I am shamelessly desperate for these eyes, Sonarika. I don't know what to do. Everytime those eyes looking at me , its like a gravitational pull towards you for me. That was in full effect that evening on that rainy evening and I don't regret that action one bit. And even now I don't regret this moment with you"


"We are playing with fire Vicky , this will burn us , ruin us."


"I know baby , so let's burn together!"


And right there in that moment , both of them were lost to their drive to each other. Sonarika and Vikram closed their distance from each other as both their lips merged into a passionate kiss. Vikram was eager and desperate , Sonarika was overwhelmed and lost. The sensation formed by their intimate union at this moment was too much intoxicating for them. The reality was a distant dream in their small descened to passion. Vikram's hands were rough enjoying the feeling of her exposed portion of her back while Sonarika's hands enjoyed playing with his hair. And fate has it , just as they started to kiss and their passion grew. The weather outside changed and rain poured with ferocity. The wet glass windows and the cascading rain outside gave an ample setting to the passionate moment happening in that suite.



Vikram was sucking both her lips as his tongue was making a swift motion around her lower lips. If that wasn’t enough, Sonarika's tongue was moving into his mouth as if it was drawn by a magnet. Vikram's right palm had crawled up behind her head and tilted it slightly right, and his jaw moved as he sucked her lips and tongue intensely. The sight of Sonarika's lips and tongue being consumed by him was the peak sight of eroticism that was gifted with the background of cascading rains in the windows. Their tongues were competing with each other to invade each other’s mouth. Vikram's hand tightened around her, and his one palm stopped at the side of her belly, to grip. He squeezed at its softness. His other palm was caressing her body. He was pulling her toward him, unable to let her separate from him. Sonarika was the one to stop it this time. But Vikram was not the one to be stopped. His lips descended to her throat, and he bent inward to help him travel further down. He had the urge to take her saree off her chest and plunge his mouth into her cleavage. And he wouldn’t hesitate to unhook her blouse.



But Sonarika stopped him , unlike the desperation in Vikram's actions. Sonarika wanted to take things slow.



Their lips met again. Their tongues invaded each other’s mouths again. This time Vikram's hand move further down below her hip, and grabbed the softness of her ass over the saree. As he pulled her closer, he was pushing his crotch into hers. Sonarika felt his erection pushing against her centre. She bobbed her head sideways to intensify her kiss. Soon Sonarika separated as a stream of salive formed a bridge between their lips. Sonarika felt supercharged as she blushed and walked away looking at the amazing view of rain byond the glass wall window. She moved near the window and placed her hands feeling the vibrations of the glass getting hit with water. Vikram slowly approached her as he unbuttoned his golden shirt. The shirtless hunk looked ahead seeing Sonarika's thick hourglass figure and her impressive back partially exposed from that red blouse. 



Vikram closed the distance between them yet again. His amazing physique now covering her back as Vikram pushed Sonarika into the glass wall making her melons to get crushed on it. Soon Vikram turned Sonarika to face him as he landed a kiss on her cheek. His one hand then travelled to her shoulders getting hold of her pallu. Slowly and steadily Vikram unhooked her pallu and slid it off the shoulder leaving Sonarika stand there only in her blouse and petticoat. Her abs were visible along with her deep navel. She was sweating a bit too much as the sweat droplets formed in her stomach region moved according to the bated breaths she took.


Once again his lips found hers and they both once again devoured each other. But then Vikram's mouth started his travel down not leaving the connection to her skin as he kissed and sucked his way through her neck to over her blouse. He gave a rough bite to her breasts hidden in her blouse. His mouth travelled down as he reached her belly. And without much wait , his mouth went into work sucking up the sweats formed on her abs. The first moans of sexual excitement came from Sonarika.

"mmmmm......mmmmm....."

Vikram spend an ample amount of time on his knees enjoying the taste of her skin as he devoured Sonarika's navel. Her moans only got louder as Vikram quickly turned her and he simply bit her buttcheek from over her petticoat making her wince in pleasure. Soon Vikram stood up and lifted Sonarika off her feet. This felt like deja vu for her as she had dreamed this moment of him lifting her multiple times before. And today it was a reality as Vikram carried her to the king sized bed. 


He threw her on to the king size bed as Sonarika landed with a yelp as Vikram unbuckled his belt. Sonarika took the cue and was completely lost in the trance of their erotic moment that she started to strip herself. Her blouse came off first followed by her petticoat. And then right before Vikram's eyes without any hesitation , Sonarika removed her bra and boldly displayed her ripe melons to his hungry eyes. Vikram soon removed his last remaning clothing which was his trunks as he stood there nude as Sonarika appreciated his amazing male form but more importantly that raging pole pointing at her.


Vikram soon joined her in bed as they got themselves nude and comfortable in that satin covered sheets as they got aquaintted to each other's nude forms. The connection and closeness shared at that moment between them was something else. Sonarika could feel the unbelievable feeling of their bodies touching each other in every way possible. The eroticism and the fantasies she had in her dreams , they were all coming into reality at this moment. But despite of that , she was far off from reality in this moment. At this point they had created a world of connection and intimacy between them  where the truths of reality could not bother them.


Vikram's mouth was busy exploring her torso. His face rubbing against her magnificent globes. They barely sagged. Her perfectly centred areolas were just the right size and were immaculate. No sign of puckering with age. Her nipples were large and very swollen. He greedily sucked on them in turn. Sonarika gasped and moaned in reply. Vikram savoured her breasts with his mouth. Vikram was swirling his tongue around her swollen nub of delight, teasing it and catching it between his teeth, nibbling on it. He could feel it growing ever larger. Sonarika gasped and her whole body began to respond to his ministrations. It looks like Vikram had already found one of her erogonous zones. It was now the one area guaranteed to get her motor running. He moved over to her other nipple, determined to give it equal attention. Sonarika's hands were caressing his hair and head , her grip pushing him towards her as her pleasure mounted.


She was responding with a passion and desire she haven't felt in this lifetime , he cupped her tit in one meaty paw, and dove in with his face. Sonarika clutched him to her breasts, and threw her head back to moan.


"Vicky................oooohhhh ..." 


Sonarika responded, her words choked off as he took a nipple into his mouth again and devoured it. He sucked and licked and bit down on it. He worked on it for a while before moving across to the other one. Sonarika was in heaven. The feeling was exquisite.


"Yessss. Oh fuck yes!" She cried out.


Vikram sucked noisily at her chest. He ran his tongue in large licks that circled her hard nipples. Then he plucked at one with his lips, slurped it noisily into his mouth and sucked so hard that it made Sonarika squeal.


She writhed her nimble body against his, trying to grind on him harder.


Vikram's face mashed into her tits. His rough stubble raked a thousand tiny scratches on her skin that drove her wild. His mouth stayed busy, suckling on Sonarika's tits. His teeth bit playfully into her nipple, pinching it, and earning a groan that rapidly devolved into a high-pitched squeak.


Sonarika then grabbed Vikram's head and pushed it harder into her chest. She tightened her grip on his waist with her legs, and pulled her body into his crotch. That is when she felt it , the unmistakable feel of his raging boner. It was now dangerously close to her own core which had already started flowing out her juices as the sign of her submission and excitement in this erotic act. 


Soon Vikram placed both of his knees on either side of Sonarika on the bed. He moved between her, his thighs gently spreading her legs into a position where she could take him. Sonarika instinctively laid down, spreading for him, never breaking eye contact with his alluring eyes. His meaty cock hung there, incredibly hard, incredibly dominant. She watched in slow motion as Vikram then placed his manhood down in between the folds of her pussy.


To Sonarika, it was the most surreal moment of her life. She looked at his thick shaft as he rubbed it into her soaking wet clit, the first of many impossibly electric waves of pleasure exploding out across her body.


"Oh!" Sonarika cried out, arching her head back in wonder. Suddenly, he slapped the heavy weight of it down into the folds of her sex, massaging his girth across her clit. She looked down at the collision, her wetness already splashing into his shaft. 


"Ahhhh!" She couldn't believe her eyes.


Vikram couldn't believe his, either. He was thrilled that this was the body hiding under all those clothes. Vikram couldn't wait any longer. He pulled his cock back, and aligned it at the opening of Sonarika's married pussy. He then grabbed her waist gently, but with control.


For Sonarika, everything else in the world disappeared. Her eyes slammed shut as she first felt his wide head connect with her sex. She instinctively reached down to her tummy, and spread her legs wide, as she felt the immense pressure of his cock entering her.

It was incomprehensible. She was being stretched in a way that made her gasp with shock. She reactively placed her other hand on Vikram's veiny abdomen, whining. "Pl-Please. Slow. Go- slow."

Suddenly she felt his lips upon hers, their tongues interlocked. "I will Soni, don't worry." Was his whispered, reassuring reply.

It felt good to hear him call her Soni , she remembers that was the word he used when he jerked his cock thinking about her in that bathroom in Manali that morning. And today that name was cemented in her mind for good.

Sonarika gasped again, more of his length invading her. Her pussy was electrified, sending shock waves of pleasure out to the furthest reaches of her body. Even her fingertips seemed alive with sexual energy. She couldn't believe how good he felt, how full she was becoming.

"Watch it, Soni." Vikram spoke. "Watch me fill you."

Sonarika opened her eyes, now looking downward at the site of their mating. Her mind was melting as she took note of the impossible collision. It was the sexiest thing she had ever seen. His cock was so utterly large, and driving deep inside of her. His shaft was glistening, already soaking from her wetness.

"That's amazing." She found herself admitting, biting her lip in stunned, erotic fascination.

"You were made for this Soni , we were made for each other for this!" Vikram added, smiling. He leaned down, and again they kissed passionately. He squeezed her breasts, and took a hold of her waist, feeding her pussy the rest of his length.


Soon she had accepted all that he had to offer, and Sonarika had never felt more full, more womanly, in her entire life. She looked up at his amazing body, thankful that she was making love to such a muscular specimen of a man. His muscles rippled in this dim light as he pumped in and out of her. She ran her fingernails down his biceps, and grasped at his strong forearms as Vikram fucked her like she had never been fucked before.


The nerve endings were firing in record pace now, a sensation that she had never felt was brewing deep within her. Vikram connected with a rhythm, and found his stride.


With Sonarika on her back, Vikram reared upright on his knees, grasped Sonarika's hips and pulled her into his thrusts. It drove her wild.


"Ahhhhh! Ahhhhh!" She threw her head back, grasped the sheets, and let herself be taken.


"That's it baby" Vikram grunted, driving his hips onward, and pulling her into him again and again. He threw one of her meaty legs up onto his shoulder. He dragged his big tongue over her feet and up to her clenched toes. There was nowhere he wouldn't put that tongue on her body, and he was happily letting her know that. He ran his tongue over her toes, and nibbled them with his teeth.


In and out, in and out, moving his steel hard lance deep within her. The sticky squishing noises told of her drooling sex, Sonarika was liberally coating Vikram's big cock with her juices, helping him to take her fully, aiding his big cock as it probed her feminine core. It was heaven! She could feel a knot of heat and tingling build deep inside her and gradually it spread across her belly and upper thighs


Sonarika grasped Vikram's big muscular shoulders and sunk her nails into his sweaty skin as she thrashed beneath him. On and on their fucking went, each inward thrust of his loins bringing a new wave of ecstasy to her body.


Vikram continued to thrust his wonderful tool into Sonarika's over sensitised sex. By now her legs were wrapped around his lower back and she could feel the change in his strokes. He was starting to become more erratic, and she knew he was getting close to his own climax. And she was aware now she was reaching hers first.


She grunted, falling back on the bed, and her eyes rolled back. She grunted again and again. Vikram grunted. A sheen of sweat coated both of their bodies. Their thrusts becoming long and deep, slowing to the inevitable. Vikram wrapped his fingers around Sonarika's wonderful waist and pulled her into him one final time with as deep of a stab of his cock as possible. Then he threw his head back and moaned.


The flutter of Sonarika's eyes, and the sudden "AHHHHHH!" that escaped her mouth was confirmation enough. Vikram was cumming inside Sonarika. Sonarika was accepting his seed into her body with a glorious cry of pleasure that melded with Vikram's. Together, they sang their duet of animalistic pleasure and froze in that position until Vikram had no more to shoot at this moment into Leanne. And there was a lot of it, saved up from months of sexual tension between them, and hours of unresolved feelings not culminated in a union like never before. Now his cum was being released in pulse after pulse of wet spray that shot into her womb.


When it was all over, Sonarika whithered on the bed, and Vikram laid back and sighed. They both lied there on the bed exhausted from the ride of pleasure they just went for. It was an unusual bliss for both of them and right now they were scattered on that bed in a tangled mess happy with everything that culminated. 


They roughly lied on the bed for about a minute and then Vikram once again got on top of Sonarika and he was kissing her passionately again. Sonarika's hands once again travelled up getting her hand to land on the ever familiar hairs of his as she once again started to feel stimulated by his actions. They were soon tasting each other as Sonarika started to feel excitement growing in her. Eventually Vikram's cock grew hard and she got the familiar feeling of his erection poking her down there. 


He wanted to penetrate her but instead Vikram spoke after a long time and there was only one command.

"Ride me!"

Saying that Vikram was on his back as Sonarika climbed his hips. Sonarika's hand reached between their bodies. She fished for his cock, grasped it, and guided it inside of her. The moan that escaped from her mouth was like a roar. There was no controlling it. Vikram was big, and he penetrated her in ways that she'd never felt before.


Sonarika lowered her body on top of him. She wiggled her hips, lifted and sank a few times, fucking only the first few inches of the man. And with each movement, she went lower and lower. Then, like an impossible magic trick, Vikram's thick meat finally fully disappeared inside of Sonarika's body.

"AHHHHHH!" She cried.

"Nggghhhhh" Vikram groaned along with a confident grin, enjoying the look on Sonarika's face-- pain rapidly melting into pleasure.

"AHHHH" she moaned.

Vikram's strong hands slid around Sonarika's waist, grasped her ass cheeks, and spread her wide, before starting to move her up and down on top of him. There, with her straddling him, they started to fuck.

Her breasts hung and started bouncing as soon as she started riding him, both hands resting on his chest. Her tits were erect. The curve of her back and the roundness of her breasts was making quite a visual to their lovemaking. Her ass cheeks were rubbing over his thighs as she moved back and forth, she was making sure to fill her pussy with the whole length of his dick.

So much pleasure.


"Come kiss me" Vikram demanded.

Sonarika paused moving, apparently letting his dick to stay deep inside her pussy, and then put both arms on the bed and leaned down to kiss him. Vikram devoured her lips eagerly. His arms slowly massaged her breasts, feeling their softness with a circular motion of his palms.

Sonarika giggled and started riding him again, slowly. She then lowered her face to suck his lips. She had surrendered completely to him and had committed to please him to the maximum. Immediately after that kiss, Vikram went up and repositioned himself on top, between her legs, lifting them over his shoulders. He caressed the smooth skin of her legs, trailing kisses up and down her calves. As he was kissing her, Sonarika grabbed his member and guiding it into her pussy. Slowly, he began to thrust, each powerful movement causing her entire body to quiver, the ripples of their passion visibly shaking her breasts.


Vikram continued thrusting for another two minutes before spreading her legs wider and lowering his body to suck her breasts. After a while, he rose again and began thrusting with increased speed. His pace intensified, making Sonarika cry out in pleasure. Vikram rammed into her relentlessly, like a machine. The passion in that room started to build as the rain outside got intense giving the sensual visual to complement the intimacy that only grew inside that room. 


BACK IN MUMBAI A FEW HOURS LATER.


It was past 11.00 as Hemant waited sitting in the couch. Soon the main door opened and in walked Anjali returning from her night class.

"Hello Bhaiya"

"Hey Anju , go get fresh , dinner is ready"

"Really? I thought you will be slept by now"

"No , I had some meets online and I spend a few hours with Karan playing his games. He is asleep now"

"Okay Bhaiya , I'll go freshen up"

Hemant went to the dining table and arranged the food for both of them. Anjali soon arrived changing her clothes to nightwear as they both had their dinner.

"Did those men ever bothered you since the complaint?"

"No Bhaiya , cops have patrolled our premises every night since then. Few weeks back I saw them but they weren't bothering us anymore."

"Good to hear , if something happens , let me know. And please hold onto the taser I gave you"

"Okay bhaiya , I feel more confident now , ever since your words , I have learned not to fear on situations like this"

"Good"

They continued eating after which Anjali was curious about some of the things she noticed in recent days.

"Bhaiya , is everything alright between you and didi?"

"Why do you ask that?"

"Well , I heard you both fighting in the bedroom for few nights and Didi was really shouting upset about something"

Hemant figured Anjali might have heard Sonarika's loud outbursts. He was hesitant at first,  but he knew Anjali was mature enough to understand him.

"Sona is upset about a recent friendship of mine. She considers him a bad influence on me"

Anjali was thinking after hearing that from Hemant.

"That doesn't make sense , what would make her to have an outburst like that?"

Hemant took a breather and responded.

"Its actually a part of his personal life Anju , something that seems to irritate Sonarika"

"What is it Bhaiya?"

"I think you might understand. Kunal is a cuckold in his marriage"

Anjali was shocked hearing that , she covered her mouth for a few seconds and then responded.

"Really? Ewww"

"Yeah I shared the same sentiments. But eventually I found out he was a victim of his own choices. He was suffering in his marriage because of his kinks and he was desperately looking for help. And I couldn't leave him to suffer , a few days back he burst out crying telling me his life story. A man like that who built his own fortune does not deserve a life like that. Sona thinks I like him because he is a cuckold. But the truth is I like him because Kunal is a good person and he needs help. I am helping him get over his kinks and lead him to improvement and a better life"

Anjali after hearing all of that felt proud of Hemant. Hemant noticed the smile on her face.

"What is it" He asked curiously.

"You just gave me another reason to cherish every rakhee I've tied on your hands each year. You are truly a wonderful human Bhaiya"

"Thanks for the kind words Anju"

"All the best for reforming him. He is a lucky man to have a friend like you"

"Okay enough with the praise , I might get egoistic as Lord Indra!"

"You are the Indra of this house anyways"

Both laughed as they finished their dinner. After cleaning their plates , Anjali wished goodnight and went to her and Karan's room while Hemant returned to his bedroom. As he was getting ready to sleep. He thought about talking to Sonarika to see if she is alright. It was a strange feeling for him as if he was worried. He clicked on her contact in his mobile and pressed the call icon. Hemant waited as after a few seconds he heard her phone ring. 

RETURN TO JABALPUR.

The rain was getting ridiculously heavy as Sonarika's phone was vibrating hiding its light by the purse that covered most of it. The vibration and ringtone was lost in the overwhelming sounds of the heavy rain and rumbling thunder. And along it echoed the sounds of moans and groans.

"AAAAHHH"

"NNNGGHHH"

One was the sound of a loud feminine one that wailed while the other was a low growling masculine one that grunted. A flash of lightning suddenly rippled through the air, momentarily lighting the interior of this hotel suite and giving the visual sight of what the extreme erotic copulation in that room has developed into after each passing time. Now the intimacy was no longer holding the intensity of their first sexual connection. Now both of them are used to each other as their bodies are somewhat tired but still charged from the enormous amount of sexual energy they have produced 

Sonarika's round , plump ass, rising and falling in an instant, and then darkness again. Thunder boomed loudly. Signifying that the lightning strike was somewhat in a close proximity. Another flash of lightning. Another clarity to the raw sexual union commencing in that king sized bed.

A heavy pair of testicles flopping into a woman's luscious rear end. A massive, masculine, towering cock thrusting downwards penetrating into a tight love tunnel that has secreted enough juices to drench that bed. The ass of a married woman was taking the assault his balls were inflicting on her as it slapped her cheeks in quick succession, her plump pussy stretched and clinging to the mans large, plunging piston.

The feminine moans were trying to be stifled, trying to be whispered, but her pleasure was too profound. 

"Ahhhh.....Ahhh......Vicky.....please....Ahhhh" Sonarika's voice echoed with less energy as her moans didn't have the same intensity of their initial act anymore , signifying that her body and her voice were getting tired , tired from all the moans and screams she had already let out in these few hours. It was a never ending ride of pleasure for her , lost in the sea of passion , enjoying the trance of eternal erotic bliss.

The next wave of thunder rumbled even louder. 

"Ahhh...Vicky....go slow....pl....Vicky....Vicky..."
"Nnngghhh....Soni......My Soni.......My Baby......uhhh......uggghhhh"

There were words now instead of just moans. In this descent of eternal passion they have gained some attention in their brain to know each other. Their calls to each other's names was a timeless reminder of the connection they have started. A new identity for them in this world of pleasure.

The sounds of sex, the erotic noises of naked wet bodies slapping together in lust. The sounds of pleasure, and the taboo. Sonarika's phonescreen went dark leading to Hemant's call turning into a missed one.

BACK IN MUMBAI

Hemant was slightly annoyed that Sonarika didn't answer his phone. He decided to try again , he clicked on the number again and waited for it to ring which it eventually did.

RETURN TO JABALPUR.

Sonarika's phonescreen lit up again , and it lit up parallel to another flash of lightning, another quick, erotic glimpse at reality. The lighning showed the amazing sight of  Sonarika's feminine legs spread for Vikram, his large balls and heavy cock ready was dismantling her in the missionary position. Her delicate hands were clutching onto his back, nail polish and wedding ring glowing showing the terrible truth in this growing sexual session.

She moaned loudly as he penetrated her. Another flash of lightning conjoined with the thunder of the previous burst, exposed the sight of her stretched labia, clinging to his impossible girth as Vikram stuffed his large manhood into Sonarika. There was simply no escaping from the reality of what was happening in that room. Vikram was fucking someone's wife with his huge cock, and she was loving every second of it!

"Ahhh Viiicckkkyyyy! Ahhh!" Sonarika's voice appreciated his efforts.

He grunted, taunting her. "I can feel your heart throbbing Soni , give yourself to me , let us undo ourselves all over again!!"

Sonarika groaned as the tempo of their intercourse increased. The dominant sight of his heavy ballsack slapping into her rear end aligned with the noises of flesh on flesh that echoed through the suite. The cries of her feminine pleasure began to inflect, "Ahhh! Ah! Vick- Ahh! I'm going to -- again!"

It was a warning Vikram had heard from her mouth over and over again in the last few hours. He refused to keep count but he loved everytime he heard it.

"Do it Soni. Cum all over my dick!" He commanded. Her hands clawed into his muscled back, her toes clenching into the blanket beneath them. Sonarika squealed from the large orgasm her powerful lover was leading her into. 


"Ahhhh, don't stop" Sonarika whined as she felt her orgasm building hard to completion, her muscles tightening, vagina clamping on his cock as she trembled in readiness.

"I won't" Vikram breathed with utter sincerity, having no intentions of quitting, just hoping he could hold out long enough to make her come before he did, the sight of this incredible woman loving his work was such a turn on for him. 

Vikram began his thunder strokes like their earlier sessions once more, stuffing his huge cock in and out of Sonarika without concern. The room was filled with moans and grunts and screams and the background thunder as Sonarika's phonescreen once again went blank. 

BACK IN MUMBAI.

Hemant was annoyed that Sonarika didn't answer the phone. He was definitely upset with her behavior lately , he thought she would atleast show some sort of calmness to understand his reasoning but the mere mention of Kunal makes her burst. Hemant hoped that this anger from her doesn't stay long. He switched to his night clothes and admired his changing physique in the mirror impressed by the sight. He still remembered how Pranitha was lost in his appearance and that small moment of forced intimacy with actress Mrunal Thakur. He noticed the blazer suit being hung on his wardrobe gifted to him by Manish Malhotra. In a way , for the most parts things were indeed looking up for him , there is a wonderful future awaiting and he is on his path thanks to Harper's advice and some good people backing him. He was evolving , bringing the best of past and present together to forge something new and impressive.

Now he only wishes that eventually Sonarika would warm up to him and Hemant thought of a time who reveal his new physique to her. To make her see the improvements he has brought in his life. For few seconds  , he imagined embracing her and never letting her go. Like a warm grip she will forever be clinged to his body. For him they are more cherish worthy than any intimacy. Because those moments they feel as one person and not two people. He remembers the words Sonarika used to describe them in their early marriage days when she would embrace him and rub her nose with his. With light pecks to his lips and sharing the breaths with each other , she would say looking into his eyes.

"Remember Hemant.....we are one body....one soul....and there is nothing that will draw us apart"

He would embrace her with teary eyes feeling complete enjoying the feel of their bodies close to each other. For him this wasn't just the union of physical beings , but the union of hearts , minds and like she always say , the souls. This embrace was a symbol of them always finding their ways back to each other.

Hemant returned to reality and as he got comfortable in bed , he decided to do one last call to Sonarika. He once again pressed the call icon and waited fot it to ring. And it did ring eventually.

RETURN TO JABALPUR


Sonarika's phone screen lit up again. But again its ringtone and vibrations were once again dominated by the sounds of thunder and the moans that signified that their latest sexual session was reaching its eventual climax.


A lightning strike happened again , this time far and the intervals of lightning got smaller as the clouds moved upwards thus sending the light show of nature in a crescendo but not exactly resulting in thunder all the time. The fucking in the bed was reaching its ultimate climax , both of their bodies showed their weaknesses , the exhaustion was visible but they both were desperate for that much needed release.


He just steeled himself and kept fucking her, able to keep the tingle of ecstasy at bay long enough to get her there, giving just another minute or so of hard thrusts into her before she started gasping, screwing her eyes shut and moaning harder and faster.

"aaaaaaahhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmhhhhh"

Sonarika tensed and then shuddered hard as her orgasm hit, letting out a stuttering cry of pleasure as her body bounced from his fucking, still pumping into her chasing his own pleasure as her pussy squeezed and grabbed at him in her moment of ecstasy. Her hands screwed up the bedsheets as she shoved back into him, wanting him to stay deep as she made it last as long as possible, just feeling him out a crucial few seconds more before she was done, breathing deeply and going almost limp in front of him, fallen apart on the bed to relieve the burn in her muscles from straining.

He wasn't done though, holding her hard, raising his intensity as he jammed his cock as hard and fast into her as possible, little care for her uncomfortable mumblings as she was sensitive in the wake of her own climax, not wanting to disappoint but also desperate to get a break, hoping he'd come quickly now so she could relax.

Sonarika had wrapped her sexy legs around Vikram lower back as he thrust. The suite was filled with unintelligible whispering, and an increased pace in their mating. They looked so terrifying erotic together, a wonderful masculine frame slamming into an amazing soft, feminine one.

His huge balls began to ascend tight to his thrusting big cock, Sonarika's plump ass cheeks began to shudder against his conquering skin, as her married pussy made itself ready to receive the inevitable.

"AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHOOHHHHHHRRRHHHHHH"

Suddenly, a male groan rivaling a lion's roar boomed through the suite, Vikram's grunting along with a chorus of Sonarika's squeals. Another shot of distant lightning gave the inevitable vision on the eventual union between two orgasmic individuals on this fateful night , on his purposeful, domineering thrusts, wedding ring sparkling as her feminine hands squeezed on his large rear end, unknowingly encouraging her own extramarital insemination to occur.

Vikram's large balls pulsed and squeezed in unison with his powerful pistoning, unleashing rope after rope of his cum deep into Sonarika's welcoming womb. He was effectively claiming and coating the depths of her pussy. Silence seemed to fill the suite, the storm quieting as if the quenching of their desire had quieted even nature. The only sounds present were the heavy breathing of the two lovers.

And as their copulation was coming to an end , Sonarika's phonescreen cut to black once again.

BACK IN MUMBAI.

She never answered. Hemant felt dissappointed , he just wanted to hear her voice just for the sake of it and probably wish her good night verbally because even though she will be back tomorrow he missed her being alongside him in this bed. Maybe it was reminiscing the past about them at that moment that made him miss her but he was happy for now , that she was part of his life bringing a much needed essence of love , comfort and brightness to his life. He was focussed and committed on his plans to make his side gig work and eventually gift his family a much needed change from the grind and a bigger lifestyle that has more space and peace. As Hemant turned off the lights and closed his eyes , a smile formed in his face reminiscing as his hand went to the pillow Sonarika sleeps on and caressed it as the desk portion looked empty which used to have a photo fram of their wedding now no longer present , lost beneath the depth of the bed , a place full of darkness.


SOME TIME LATER , SOMEWHERE IN MUMBAI.

There was more than usual traffic in the Mumbai Suburbs as noises emanated near the entrance of Hotel BLUE RETREAT.
On the roof of the building , near the closing rooftop cafeteria , Jackson Shepherd was smoking a cigar seeing the view of the night life of Mumbai. But he wasn't involved or interested in it as there was sweat on his forehead as he was thinking about something.

Then eventually he picked up his phone and dialled a number after some thoughts. His lips were vibrating by either fear or nervousness as he spoke.

"Its Jackson.....I found him.....he is here.....in Mumbai"

Jackson moved to the edge of the rooftop cafeteria finding a twinge of fear in his voice as he said the final words on the phone.

"MICHEAL KING IS ALIVE!"

                                                                                                                                                              END OF CHAPTER 4