She sat in front of him with her hands crossed typing a message to her mother when something clicked in her mind. Her conversation with him started revolving in her mind.

She shouldn't have said anything about his mother. From the day, they met he had always been respectful towards her mother. Though she was angry was his mother never shared anything about his controlling attitude with her. But at the end of the day, every mother thinks her son is the best. She being a female herself knows tomorrow if she became a mother, she would love her kids to no end. 

She stared at him sneakily. He already told her how much his family matters to him. It would be unfair if she expect him to respect hers when she herself did not respect his.

She was just shocked how he didn't react violently when she disrespected his mother. He was so calm and composed different from the person she met before marriage.

"Suniye"

"Listen", she spoke looking down at her phone making him look up from his laptop screen. She was never good at saying sorry. She was hesitant but this was right as well.

"I... I shouldn't have said that about your mother. No matter how disgusting you are but still she had always been anything but loving to me. I... I was just angry with you and said some really stupid things. She is a mother figure for me as well and I have immense respect for her in my mind. So", she said hesitantly playing with her fingers and took a deep breath at the end of it.

"I Am Sorry", she spoke or more like whispered but the silence in the room made him hear her words clearly. She sighed not wanting to hear him give her a lecture about family and all right now. She picked up her phone before walking upstairs.

She dialed her number and waited for her to pick her phone.

"Kimaya", She heard Rajshri's voice which made her close her eyes. No matter, how much she deny this lady was always loving to her, trying her level best to get her comfortable in the new family.

"Namaste Ma", she wished her sitting on the bed.

"Everything is fine na, Kimaya?", Rajshri asked worriedly which made a sad smile cover Kimaya's lips.

"Everything is great", she said and continued hearing what Rajshri was saying. They had an awkward moment as finally, Rajshri hung up. Kimaya sighed putting the phone aside and lied back on the bed. She stared at the ceiling with a blank expression.

"Why are you changing, Kimaya? You aren't this. How could you disrespect people so easily?", she wondered in a small whisper. She was angry at herself for her behavior though he never said anything but the guilt inside her was eating her out.

----------------------------

A man was smoking profusely when his wife came with the plate of food. 

"You shouldn't smoke this much. You know Kimaya is allergic to dust", his wife said with a frown on her face when she found the room covered with smoke.

"You think I care", he spoke rudely.

"You know she is not well. At least if you can't take her to the hospital, you could just", she was speaking when he threw the plate away making her stumble back in shock.

He threw the cigarette away before reaching her and pulling her hair harshly. Before she could say anything he started slapping her without hearing her cries.

The loud screams were clearly heard by the child in the next room burning with fever. Her mother cries in pain.

She woke up with a jolt breathing heavily. Her body was shaking in fear as she breathed deeply. She held her head in her hand to find her body drenched in sweat in so-called weather.

She realized she was crying as she gulped lightly. She removed the blanket from the top of her before wiping the sweat on her face.

She walked to the bathroom to wash her face. It was still dark outside which meant it was still nighttime. She came out and settled on the bed. Her eyes fall on him.

He was sleeping on his stomach without a shirt with the blanket covering him till his waist. She covered him properly before staring at him. He looked so calm while sleeping. Her body was still shivering with the aftershock of her dream.

She couldn't sleep alone. She was sure about it. She held his hands in hers lying back again. It was only 2:30 and she needed sleep. 

She closed her eyes breathing softly and soon fall asleep. He opened his eyes soon after. He woke up the moment she went to the bathroom but didn't want to disturb her.

There was still a little shiver in her body as he massaged her scalp lightly making her breathe softly. She did care. He thought with a small smile. She did cover him up even though she claims to hate him.

She turned in her sleep before wrapping her arms around him hiding her face in his chest making him lie on his back as he continued massaging her shoulders to calm her down.

----

The next morning, she was putting the butter on the bread still thinking about last night's dream. Many things were roaming around in her mind. Was she being too hard on him?

"You are the problem in our married life", she remembered his words.

She had seen so many marriages breaking that she denied accepting that something good can happen with her. 

She thought he is going to treat her like a maid when nothing like that happened. Though he is having a complex personality which makes her hate him as well he was nowhere near to her father or the man she saw in her life who did worst with their wives.

She felt like she was doing something wrong.

Last night, the dream she saw was a reality which she never wanted to live again. The thought itself made her shiver that a few years ago which was a harsh reality. As she grew up her father stopped raising his hands on her mother but still, she was scared. The childhood fear inside her could be seen uncovering many times today as well.

"Should I give him a chance?", she wondered in her mind when she heard the sound of leather boots from the stairs which meant he was coming downstairs. She took a deep breath.

These things can't go like this anymore.

"I have an important meeting today", he stated as she passed the toasted bread to him with his cup of coffee.

"When will you return?", she asked still buttering the next bread when he stopped and stared at her.

"You will be waiting?", he asked shocked at the sudden change in her tone. Was it about her last night's dream? He tried to understand.

"I don't know anybody here so yeah", she spoke tiredly.

"I will try to come early", he stated having his toast peacefully. After completing his breakfast, he wore his thick jacket ready to move out.

"Please come soon, we can have dinner together", she proposed uncomfortably in a low voice. He turned to look at her face.

"Is it a date?", he asked as her eyes met with him. Her eyes had a sense of uncertainty in them as she bit her lips not knowing what to answer at this moment.

"I don't know what actually happens in a date but spending time together means a date than it is", she spoke buttoning up her jacket.

"I want to give ourselves a chance", she whispered looking at the buttons of his jacket. He made her look at him by holding her chin in a soft grip.

"I hope everything is fine", he spoke before kissing her forehead and going out.

"Kimaya, lock the door properly. There are guards outside. If you need anything just ask them to bring it or give me a call", he spoke walking to his car as she stayed on the door silently staring at him. There was this conflict in her mind of whether what she was doing was right or not.

She shook her head before preparing for the night's dinner. She was still wondering what kind of meeting go on for so many hours. It's still morning and he would return only till dinner. She shifted her mood to preparing food for him after calling her mother-in-law knowing how perfect he wants things to be.

Before that, she had to bring the ingredients herself because many were not present at home. One of the bodyguards accompanied her which was fine with her till the time he don't interfere in her personal space.

Nearly at 5, she started to get ready as they used to have dinner at 7 and she wanted to make sure she was perfectly ready for their first date. There was a little excitement and fear inside her. Whether he would like the preparations or not?

She got ready till 6:30 as it took an hour for her to drape the saree. She searched the whole bag but there was nothing fancy in it except the saree.

She sighed sitting in her place after dimming the lights in the living room.

--------------

"You should've food here, Mr. Ahlawat", the old man said gesturing his young daughter to serve the food.

"No, Mr. Ahuja, My wife is waiting for me at home. I need to go back", Randhir said maintaining his professionalism closing his file. He didn't even see what time it was. They were starting a new hotel in Shimla and they had to discuss so many things. From the land to the design every single thing need to be perfect when Ahlawat's name was joined with it.

"But Mr. Ahlawat, It's late you can stay here for the night. It's snowing outside. It would be difficult for you to travel alone", The old man said looking at the whiny face of his daughter. He knew she liked him with the look in her eyes. He tried to stop her but after all, she was his only child, she was stubborn wanting everything she demanded.

"I told you already my wife is alone at home. I need to go back", Randhir spoke standing up from his place and picked the file with him.

"She is not a child now, is she? Mr. Ahlawat. She could manage herself", the young girl spoke making Randhir turn to her.

"Now Ms. Ahuja, we are here on our honeymoon, not some business trip. I won't leave my beautiful wife alone. Already she was caring enough to let me do business when this time is all about spending time with each other", Randhir spoke strategically knowing her eyes and words very well.

"She must be beautiful", she asked not able to control herself.

"Well I don't think you have the right to bring my personal life into my professional one", he spoke checking the time on the watch. It was 9:30. He closed his eyes knowing how he ruined everything.

"I need to leave", he spoke moving out of the luxurious house where his driver was already waiting for him. He got inside the car and lean back. It was going to take nearly half an hour to reach back. He wondered looking out of the window.

She would be upset and this time she had all the rights to be as well.

----------------

He entered inside the house dusting the snow accumulated on his jacket to find the lights dimmed. His eyes moved around only to fall on his wife sitting on her usual seat around the dining table with her arms crossed and head down deep in thought.

His heartbeat increased taking in her appearance as he removed his jacket.

She raised her head only to look back at him with disappointment clearly visible in her brown eyes. She shook her head before standing up from her place and picked her phone. It was 10:05. She stared blankly at the screen before taking a deep breath and walking to the stairs.

He held her hand stopping her from leaving.

"I didn't see the time", he tried to justify which made her stare at him. She was hurt by the look on her face.

"First time since our wedding, I expected something from you and you just proved how wrong my expectation was", she spoke in a low voice. She was trying her level best to not break down in front of him. She felt humiliated sitting there for 3 hours stupidly. She cooked for him. She got ready for him and he didn't see the time.

"Kimaya, try to understand", he again tried to explain when she shook her head. Her jhumka moving with her head's movement. 

"I understand completely. I was just stupid to live in a dream that you really care about. That you are not really that bad. That may be 'us' can be possible but no", she spoke trying to removing to hold from her hand. He pulled her in his arms.

"If you are hungry, food is on the table. Heat it and eat it. If you wanna know who cooked then it was me. My stupid self who just want herself to get humiliated by you again and again", she spoke as a tear fall down her face. 

He felt his heart getting heavy seeing her condition. She really needed him here.

She wiped her tear as quickly as it escaped her eyes.

"Just answer my one question what kind of meeting goes till 10", she asked looking into his eyes as he frowned.

"What do you mean?", he asked clueless about what she meant when she said that.

"Was the person with whom you were having a meeting, a he or a she", she asked straight away making him hold her arms tightly.

"You are saying I am cheating on you", he stated grimly as his eyes darkened. She never saw him in this much anger as she gulped lightly. It seemed like he was going out of his patience level.

"I am not saying anything. You are quoting it that way. I just asked you a simple question", she stated collecting her courage together. He pulled her closer as she struggled in his arms.

"You don't speak to me like that. You can never judge my loyalty", he spoke with anger dripping from his every word.

"It's hurting. Aah", she winced as he pushed her away making her stumble back.

"You are no one to say if I am loyal or not. I never asked you why that Aryan or what his name was messaged you in that sense and you want to do it as well", he spoke pointing his finger at her. She stared at him in shock.

"You think I am cheating on you", she whispered in shock but he didn't answer just stared at her with the tornado of anger in his eyes. She nodded her head before walking back to the table and getting her phone. She walked back to him and put her phone in his hand.

"If you are going to put these allegations on me because he messaged me then keep this phone with yourself. I don't have many friends and I can contact my family with your phone as well", she said as more tears fall down her eyes. She marched to the stairs when he picked her up from the waist area before throwing her on the couch harshly making her wince.

"I never asked your justification. Don't fuel my anger", he spoke holding her jaw in a tight grip. He stared into her teary eyes before letting go of his grip on her face.

"You will have your food", he said calmly as she gritted looking the other side.

"I don't need anything. Just let me go", she spoke trying to push him away when he came in her way.

"We are sharing a room together. You would face me there as well", he spoke calmly as she tried to walk away again only for him to stop her. She started punching her chest for controlling her again and again.

"Don't touch me", she cried as he picked her up in his arms with the same hard look on his face and walked to the kitchen. He went out after putting her on the countertop before walking out. She was curious about what he was doing when he came back and heat up the food in the microwave.

When she tried to leave, he kept both hands on her thighs stopping her to move.

"Don't touch me", she said in her struggle.

"Don't irritate me", he answered back and took the food outside after checking it was warm enough. She parted her lips not liking his control over her. She was hurt and the way he was treating her. It seemed like he was bullying her. She jumped down from the countertop.

Before she could leave, he came back and pulled her back to the dining room with force.

"Have food", he spoke strictly as he took his place at the head seat. She continued standing with stubbornness clearly visible on her face.

He sighed before pulling her in his lap and feeding her forcefully.

"What happened today shouldn't have happened like that? I was really busy", he said as she continued sitting there silently.

"The dinner was delicious", he complimented when she jumped down from her lap before walking upstairs. Many things were going on in her mind and she need to clean up her mind at this point. 

She felt humiliated the way he tossed her around, forced her to do what he wanted, forced her in every single thing she denied him. She opened the room next to theirs locking it behind her.

She remembered what Disha said today after he left.

"It's on you, Kimaya. Men move around to find options. If he found somebody better than you, why won't he spend his time with her? You know how you are. Probably you went too far pushing him away from that he literally doesn't want to come back"

She ignored those words then but now everything made sense.

She remembers when her mother said if you tell a dark secret about a man on his face, he would get aggressive and that's what happened.

Was she lacking somewhere? She wondered as her head spun with many things. She felt heaviness in her chest as she tried to breathe. She felt hot throughout her body. It seemed like her body was on fire as tears flowed down her eyes. 

She removed the pin securing her saree on her shoulder which made it fall down. She rubbed her chest to feel better but nothing worked.

She looked at the snow outside from the window and only one thought crossed her mind.

She took a deep breath before walking out in the chilling snow.

-----------------------

Long long chapter. Some people would think Kimaya is getting weak but you see she had experiences in her life which had a hard impact on her mind. And this is just a result of those experiences.

Sometimes, even the sanest person ends up doing the stupidest thing. So please don't judge.