"Aniket, I am pregnant with your child."

That one revelation held the potential to cause a dramatic shift in his priorities and musings of his heart. The heart, which he had offered to Ashna, sought to paint Ashna's image with a hue of hatred and bestow his affections upon the woman who had uttered the sentence he had yearned to hear for years.

One side stood his conscience, painted by the guilt of tormenting his first love, and on the other side stood his bruised ego and pride which danced to the tunes of an intoxicating madness, arising from the triumph underlying Kriti's words - he had accomplished what he was refused and had set the stage for the perfect retribution.

"I'll be there," said Aniket into the receiver of his phone, his voice betraying no emotion to the one listening to it, and disconnected the call. She would understand the reason behind his indifference. Aniket was certain.

"Ashna, I need you to sign the divorce papers. Maybe you were hurt in this marriage, but you pushed me to a point where my priorities shifted. I have every intention of pursuing them," he said, making Ashna to turn towards him.

A derisive smile broke out on her bleeding lips. "How would I not know about your commitment to your priorities, Aniket? After all, I was a victim of them from the time of our wedding. I refuse to fall a victim to your priorities, once again."

The desperation of one abandoned in an endless desert gleamed in her squinted eyes. Her quivering fingers entwined themselves with his aloof ones. Whether to revel in the lack of repulsion and relish the tingling where they met, or lament at the loss of lingering touches, Ashna knew not.

Like a moth driven to a flame, he gravitated towards her, to dispel every distance amidst them, the need of which was so compelling that he felt his insides burn with it. He cupped her jaw with his slightly quivering hand, stepping in closer to her, erasing the distance he had previously created, and rubbed the corner of her immaculate pink bow which had released enough arsenal either as whimsical words or thorough mind-numbing kisses to capture him as her prisoner.

A serendipitous gasp escaped from her parted lips in anticipation. She wrapped her long arms around his waist, clutching him like her life depended upon it. As their lips met one another in a rapturous and frenzy embrace, it was not before goosebumps blanketed their trembling forms and an overwhelming urge to be consumed by the same passion surged through their veins.

Her hesitant yet eager dainty fingers disengaged his buttons without pulling out from the amorous kiss. They had lost themselves in the quest of exploring each other countless times and despite that, every inch and every part of that inexplicable passion appeared as unexplored as it was familiar.

They had successfully scaled the invisible and intrusive wall which laid between them, and the deepest realms of their hearts wondered if they would be able demolish the wall one day. That night, two entangled souls allowed themselves to be unraveled and ravished, with hope brimming in their heart and complaints laid forgotten along with their clothes.

Another kiss. One more mercy. Another confession. Just one another, and Ashna prayed she would never demand for another. "Everything is not lost, Aniket. We can work on our marriage again."

Was her sin of choosing less pain for herself so horrendous that her only remaining family would abandon her? Any other punishment, Ashna pleaded, for the mere thought pushed her into a darkness that terrified her.

Aniket stood on the brink of patience for the inability to join Kriti in the moment of jubilation. "We will see in court. Whether we can, or we can't."

"I will challenge this in court," she said in a determined tone.

"Do whatever you want. I need to leave," he spat. He ignored her desperate calls to stop him and made his way to his car to reach the destination of the path he had chosen - Kriti.

____________________________________________________________

Kriti's House,

Aniket's eyes widened and his eyebrows furrowed to note Shipra when she opened the door of Kriti's home. "Shipra?"

"I hope those divorce papers were not a part of a bigger game you are playing. I won't let you play with Kriti's feelings," she said, stepping aside to allow him inside.

"Why would I play with her feelings? I am aware of her feelings and I respect them sincerely," he said.

"I want to trust Kriti's trust in you, Aniket. But I was a witness to your relationship with Ashna. Such intense passion won't leave your mind in a day or two. The contract declares her to possess the rights of a mother only in the event of your divorce. I don't know your intent behind the clause, but that better not snatch the child from her," she warned, moving away towards the living room where Kriti sat, not letting Aniket to answer her.

He couldn't do anything about the strength of regret in his thoughts. He was happy when he found the perfect punishment for cheating on him, and it was delirious. He didn't have the courtesy of owning up to his mistakes because of the sadistic pleasure.

"I will leave you both for some privacy," said Shipra, moving upstairs into the guestroom, but not before giving a warning look to Aniket.

Kriti fidgeted with her fingers while staring at them without a word. The pregnancy glow on her face made her look more ethereal than ever, making Aniket lose his breath. He took baby steps towards Kriti, making her look up at him. A weak and sweet smile played on her lips while awkwardness floated on her hazel orbs.

He gently cupped both her shoulders and gave his first smile in weeks. "Thank you so much for giving me the best gift in the world, Kriti. I will eternally be thankful to you for this," he said, his voice shaking.

His hands traveled northwards to cup her jawline and brought her face close to his. Admiring the gentle blush splashed across her warm cheeks, he placed a gentle kiss against her right cheek and a smile danced on her lips, all worries forgotten.