"Just the normal meds? Seems your wife really changed you. Earlier never a time, you have been without those rubber walls of protection. So you do skin to skin now! Good! Good for you." Her words turned him red in anger!

"What do you mean?" Dhriti gritted his teeth. "Come on, you are not that stupid or ignorant. You already got what I meant!" Tiya shook her head smilingly and went past him to the shop. But wait! This can't be over like this. She just can't randomly comment and pass on. Dhriti tanked over her. Clutching by her arm, he turned her.

"Say once more!" He almost hovered over her. "Whoa! God damn, who are you? Where is that soft spoken, civilised Dhritiman? I can't believe you are manhandling me!" Tiya tried keeping her winning smirk.

Well, Tiya was tired. She was tired of hearing, Dhriti, her five year old boy friend's 'goody goody' wife's praises. That was all she has heard since she returned to her parents after she fled.

"I am the same Dhritiman, TIya. Not just heartbroken anymore. Why? Not happy to see me all happy and settled? Not happy to see me, taking my wife out for a little shopping? Why are you bothered even! It was you who left me! It was you who insulted my family. Why just mine! Your family too. Why didn't you say earlier, that you didn't want to marry!" the dam broke. Dhriti burst like anything. Though he was gradually moving on with Minerva, few things were eating him up.

"Oh yes of course I am happy! I am so happy for you. Your mother keeps boasting about your wife to everyone in the locality. Minu.. right? Yes! Minu this, Minu that. Oh! One more. You travelled by flight. Wow. You planned our honeymoon inland so as to avoid flight! Good.. Good!" Tiya was all set to fight. For her parents were regularly cursing her for her deed. And to add cherry on the top, everyone in the locality had the opinion of "Dhriti got the right girl, finally." All thanks to his mother.

Dhriti's eyes burnt! "She is Minerva for you. And my mother never boasted. Whatever she says is right. Minerva is the perfect girl for just any guy. And yes, I arranged flight tickets for us. You know why? Cause she completely deserves it. Do you even know how hard she works? You come nowhere near to her, Tiya. Whether you accept it, or not!"

"Oh my! So Dhriti is fighting for someone else? Where is that Dhriti who used to deliver lectures on 'stand up for yourself, fight for yourself'? I can't believe how in the short span of time she changed you this much?"

"I am her husband. I will stand for her whenever some tom dick and harry utters shits about her" , came Dhriti's immediate reply.

Tiya was shocked beyond limits! Is he really the same old Dhritiman she knew for past 5 years? Who actually hardly fought for anyone, did things out of his own will? But she really couldn't understand, what was so special about that girl, that everything changed so rapidly!

"Yeah, right! Your wife is so hard working! Gossips of your wife not returning to home at night for three days are fake, you mean to say? She was 'working'. Ha ha ha.. Come on Dhriti, you may be a fool. I am not!"

'Damn ma! You need not to say each and every word about your daughter-in-law to everyone!' Dhriti inwardly cursed his mom. But he needed to shut this girl right away. "You don't have any idea about Minerva. You are simply jealous. That's why you are uttering shits about her. Oh god! I suddenly feel, how could love you even! I regret it now." Dhriti meant each and every word. And obviously, this boiled Tiya's blood like anything.

"Jealous? Really? That's why I left you even after everything was arranged! Even after our five years of relationship? You say Minerva is very good. Right? Then how come she is tolerating you. You are yet that arrogant guy who decides everything by himself, doesn't care about other's opinion. Well, your mom says she is very career oriented. Then why did she marry you? You know why? Because of your social status. How many girls do get to marry a IPS officer? Yes, you heard me right Dhritiman Gupta. Your designation matters. Otherwise why is she sticking to you. Get the reality check mister."

And Dhriti's feet froze. Tiya left oozing poison. But not before the damage was done. 'No Minu is not like this. She never can be. But then why is she sticking to a jerk like me? What if Tiya is correct.' He felt like he was stabbed!