"Sathya, you have put too much salt in this dish and the customer is yelling at me, why you're coming to work when you don't have the intention to work properly." The head chef shouted in front of everyone.

Sathya stood there looking down, her eyes welled in tears. "This is the last time, don't repeat it or else I will tell the manager to fire you," he warned before leaving that place. All her colleagues stared her and Sathya didn't look at any of their faces. There's a common attitude among everyone to make someone feel insecure when they are already on the verge of losing their confidence. And some people will go to the extreme by laughing at other's situation, two young men standing at the corner smiled watching the scene. She doesn't understand why they are happy when she's in a miserable state.

It's entertaining them; for Sathya, it's hurting bad, really bad.

Gritting her teeth Sathya continued her work. The head chef was an arrogant man but he never acted this way to others. Many have done mistakes even higher than what she has done today but he has not scolded anyone like how he did with her. In fact, this is the first time something like this happened for Sathya. No one can beat Sathya's dedication, but right now she's tired both mentally and physically.

Sathya was someone who's confidently tough but gentle by heart. She never fought with anyone except Raghu and her parents. If someone treats her badly she just ignores instead of getting angry on them.

Now she wanted to get out of this place, she badly wants to but she couldn't. This work is important right now; she can't leave this job when she has no other means to survive; this is the final hope in her life. She can't ask money to Raghu. She doesn't want to depend on anyone, especially Raghu.

If he was the same compassionate Raghu, he would have asked her to resign this job and even fought with the chef but now if Sathya tells him about this he will smile like how those two guys did, she knows it well and it hurts so much to take it.

Sathya eventually forgets everything in the work and it ended late since there are two parties organized in the hotel. When she was walking to the entrance,

"Sathya?" someone called her.

She turned to see Madhav, one of her colleagues. He smiled and came to Sathya. "Are you going on the bus?" he asked.

"Yes, Anna," she nodded.

"Let's go out, I want to tell you something," he told, Sathya was confused. He never talked to her after coming out of the kitchen.

As they came out, Sathya curiously looked at him and he started. "Today the chef purposely scolded you, actually the customer told that the salt is little high they didn't yell at him. I was there with him too," he revealed and she isn't affected by that because she knows that already.

"You better look for some other place Sathya, he's waiting for a perfect chance to fire you. It's my advice because you have talent don't waste it here," he told.

"Right now I can't shift to any other job," she replied with a smile.

"Why?"

Sathya hesitantly replied. "Some personal issues,"

"Oh okay,"

"Where you're staying?" he asked

"Near Thiruvanmaiyur," she replied.

"My house is also in the same area," he replied.

"It will take one hour to reach home right? And it's already late now. I will drop you, Sathya," he said in a concerned tone.

"No no, I will go in the bus," she regretted telling that she's going by bus priorly or else she would have told that Raghu is coming to take her. Madhav pleased her to come with him. Either it's genuine or something behind it Sathya tried her best level to avoid.

"I am married, I am having a daughter, mom and sister, Sathya. Don't be afraid," he genuinely said.

"No, I didn't mean that," Sathya replied and she felt that she's offending a good person.

"Then what. Today I came in my car that's why I am asking you," he said.

With a smile, Sathya agreed. She sat in the backseat and watched the passing buildings.

"Chennai is your native?" Madhav questioned.

"No, I am from Ooty," she answered.

"Oh, it's too frustrating to live in this city when you have lived in a heaven right? I really miss my native place, Pollachi," he replied.

"Yes," Sathya nodded and leaned on the window shield. Knowing that she's uninterested to talk with him, Madhav become silent.

Her eyes were tired of watching this world and her life so she closed it for better. But her pain took another route and stood in front of her face in the form of Raghu. They both completely ignored each other.

She went to the hospital on her own for the check-up and the doctor said that she's too anaemic. But nowadays Sathya couldn't eat properly due to stress and depression. She is not at all happy about anything in her life.

Raghu was acting like someone else, he not even asked how is her health and was busy doing his work and getting drunk at night. She doesn't know what he's doing in his life.

In her life, she never adored anyone like him. His love was the one she cherishes and yearns at this time. She can't stay like he didn't exist, every day while waking up she goes to their room to see him and she won't sleep until he comes back home. If he calms down a little at least for their future she will fill the rest with her love. Because her love is pushing her to give him one more chance when she wants to hate him.

Sathya opened her eyes when she couldn't hold the gushing tears in her small eyes. She wiped it with her dupatta and left out a sigh of relief.
She told the route and Madhav was very much aware of this area. He stopped the car before their house.
Sathya turned to see Raghu standing at the entrance. His worried face became firm when he saw Madhav.

He clenched his jaw and Sathya was afraid to meet his face and the rest that's going to happen in this night.

"Thanks, Anna," Sathya told and Madhav nodded his head with a smile.
He left and Sathya turned to Raghu's face fuming in anger.
Sathya was scared, more than she ever experienced in her entire life.

"Have you enjoyed the time with him, did he pleased you well?" Raghu assaulted her with his words.

Sathya closed her ears and glared him.

"Don't you have any shame on yourself?" He asked.

Sathya started walking to the house instead of answering. She felt heavy carrying this accusation on her shoulders.

She started crying when she gets into this house.
Raghu followed her in a fit of uncontrollable anger.

"Answer me?" He held her roughly and Sathya tried to get away from his grip.

"I don't want to answer you and make myself low. You have lost your mind and you don't have anything good in you." "Leave my hand," she said calmly.

Raghu got angry and pushed her on the wall at the side, Sathya hit her shoulders hard on the wall and winced in pain.

Sathya's Mom can't stay calm after seeing this.
"Why you're doing this to my daughter, she's pregnant. You're taking her as granted because she doesn't have money or support? Don't do this to her," Sathya's mom poured her anger as a request having tears.

She knows what's happening between them and she can't see Sathya's unhappy life.

"Don't come in our problem, just stay in your limit or else you will lose your respect," Raghu warned.

"Don't shout at my Mom. You don't have any rights," Sathya shouted.

"Mom, you go inside, why you're coming in between," she told her Mom and she left as per her words.

Raghu glared at Sathya and she controlling her anger. "Please I beg you, forget everything and let's not fight at least for this baby," she pleaded one last time for the day and she reached out her hand to hold him.

But Raghu stepped back,
"I can't forget anything. You never cared about me and I don't want your fake concern or this baby," he blurted the words in anger.

Sathya doesn't know what to say for his foolishness. She went to her room and sat on the floor.

Sanjay was sleeping and her Mom was weeping silently sitting in the corner. She wondered how she's going to live with this man who doesn't know the meaning of compromise.

***