Vikrant

"Why am I not happy? I succeeded in destroying them. So, why am I not content with it?"

Taking the paperweight from the table, I fling it across the room.

It hits the mirror on the wall, shattering it into pieces.

Walking toward it, I stand before those pieces and look at my angry face reflecting through them.

According to my plan, the international clients canceled their deal with Raghav's company, due to which it went bankrupt.

Initially, I had planned to take over his company, but I changed my mind later, not wanting to take any part of Raghav's life.

After destroying him, I wanted to cut him off entirely from my life, which is what I did. I completely ghosted him, neither receiving his calls nor replying to his texts. I also told the guards at home and office never to let him enter any of those premises again.

I only sent him one text after the news of his bankruptcy went public.

"Vikrant Sisodiya always pays his dues."

That one text was enough to make him realize who destroyed him and why.

After that, there were no more texts or calls from him.

Then, a week back, I heard the news that another company had taken over his company, and Raghav is now just an employee in it—all his dedication and hard work in the hands of others.

And Myra, well, as I had expected, she left Raghav when she heard the news of his bankruptcy. I still remember when she came running to me a few days back, telling me how terribly she missed me.

"I never loved Raghav. He seduced me in that hotel room," Myra said to me, tears pouring out of her eyes.

Fake tears. I realized, looking at her with disgust.

"Oh, really? Okay, let's assume that's true for a moment," I said, stepping closer to her. "But please tell me, Myra, what the fuck were you doing with him in a hotel room in the first place? Actually, this is the same hotel room. Do you remember?"

I specifically booked this hotel room and called her here because I wanted to end everything in the place where the betrayal had started.

Myra frowned for a few seconds, looking around the room, and gasped when the realization hit her. Turning back at me, she gulped, peering at my stern face. "Ra-Raghav sent me a text. It said you passed out while drinking and were unconscious in the room. So, worrying about you, I quickly came here to see how you were doing."

"Do you really think I'm that dumb? Or, are you that dumb to think I would believe your lies?" I asked her.

I simply could not believe she was the girl I dated at one point.

How blind was I to not see through her pretense?

"Please believe me, Vikrant. I'm telling the truth. Please," she whined, and I closed my eyes in irritation.

Suddenly, Nandini's face flashed beneath my closed eyelids, and I thought about how dignified she was—never complaining about what happened to her, never compromising her self-respect.

Nandini is so different.

I smiled at the thought, but my eyes widened the next moment.

Why am I thinking about Nandini?

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I needed to deal with Myra first.

"Hmm, when I opened the door that day, I saw you sitting on his lap and kissing him. So, tell me, Myra, were you doing that because you were worried about me?" I taunted her. "Was it your love for me that prompted you to jump onto another man's lap?"

She bit her lips and looked at me tearily. "I admit I was bored for some time. We had been together for almost a year, and everything was getting monotonous for me. So, I agreed to be with Raghav when he expressed his feelings for me. But at the back of my mind, I knew I loved only you. I was with him, but I never forgot about you."

Each word out of her mouth made disgust rise within me. I was also disgusted at myself for burning in rage and revenge due to the betrayal of this girl. She was not worth it. Not even a bit.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to control my anger. I didn't want to get it to the extent of slapping her because no matter how much she deserved it, I would never hit a girl.

"Just get out of here, Myra. Get out and never show me your face again," I told her, but she shook her head vehemently.

"No, Vikrant, please. You can't push me out of your life. I know you did everything to get me back, didn't you? You destroyed Raghav to bring me back into your life. And see, here I am. We can now go back to being the happy couple." Myra smiled at me and started stepping closer to me.

At this point, I almost felt bad for Raghav. That man betrayed his best friend for this girl who didn't think twice before leaving him in his crisis and running to the arms of another man.

"I destroyed Raghav because he betrayed me. I knew you would leave him after learning he would not be able to fulfill your expensive needs. After all, I know how big a gold-digger you are," I told her, smirking at the crestfallen look on her face. "Also, you became nothing to me the moment I saw you with him in that hotel room. So, Ms. Myra, you can get down from your high horse, thinking I did all this to get you back. After what you did, I don't even want to see your face, let alone take you back into my life."

"You can't do this to me, Vikrant. You love me. I know you do." She tried again, but my patience was over.

"No, Myra. Hatred and disgust are the only feelings I have left for you now. And I'm married now. So, I can never be yours," I said, and opening the door, I walked out of there, ignoring her pleas to take her back into my life.

Sighing, I slump on the couch in the corner of the room.

I had thought I would be satisfied after destroying Raghav and separating him from Myra. I had thought I would be content throwing Myra out of my life after she came crawling back to me.

But I neither feel satisfied nor do I feel any contentment.

If anything, after succeeding in my plan, the thirst for revenge has gone, and it is now replaced by the niggling guilt.

"Nandini," I whisper, the source of my guilt.

*****

Nandini

Sitting on the sofa in Vikant's room, I opened the book I had been planning to read this weekend.

After the hectic last two weeks in the office, I feel I deserve to relax for these two days.

With Vikrant's company signing a new deal with Ajay Khanna, there had been too much to do. And to top that, the preparations for next week's party had made everyone's schedule tight.

After the deal with Khanna Group of Industries was finalized and officially signed, Vikrant and Samrat announced this party because of the company's colossal profit this calendar year.

"Coffee?"

I frown, hearing Vikrant's voice, and when I glance up, I see him standing in front of me with two cups of coffee in his hand.

"I was making coffee for myself and thought to make one for you, too," he tells me, handing me a cup.

Putting the cup on the table in front of me, I'm about to go back to reading my book, but I stiffen when Vikrant sits beside me.

I had hoped he would leave after handing me the coffee, but with him sitting beside me and peering at me, it seemed he wanted to talk with me.

Yet, I don't say anything. I wait for him to speak first.

A kind of hesitation has seeped between us after everything that happened. From me telling about my past to Vikrant to him realizing his faults and apologizing, we have come a long way. But after all that, we have been stuck in that same place.

Since our marriage, his sharp tongue and my comebacks fueled our conversations. So, now, without those things, we are finding it difficult to interact with each other.

"I make a good coffee," Vikrant starts. "You can ask Mom and Dad. They always rave about my coffee."

Picking the cup from the table, I take a sip and find it to be true. The coffee indeed tastes good—the perfect mixture of foam and cream with adequate bitterness and only a hint of sweetness.

"This is good. Thank you." Smiling politely at him, I keep the cup back on the table. Then, turning the page of my book, I pretend to read, hoping he will go away.

But he doesn't. "How do you do it, Nandini?" He asks instead, making me frown.

"Do what? Read? Well, I went to school, and teachers there taught me how to read," I answer, finding his question weird.

Vikrant shakes his head. "No. I was not asking about how you learned to read. I was asking how are you like this?"

I narrow my eyes at him, not understanding what he is saying. "What do you mean?" I ask, placing the book on the table and sitting straight on the couch. Looking at his thoughtful face, I feel what he wants to talk about is something serious.

"You were mistreated by your parents all your life," he begins, and I stiffen at his words.

"If you are uncomfortable—"

"No, it's okay. Go on," I say, interrupting him.

"You felt unwanted all your life because of how your parents treated you. And on our wedding night, I also told you I would never accept you as my wife. But you never complained," he tells me. "When you talked about your past, you never said you hated your parents for what they did. Also, you don't seem angry with me when you should be after what I did with you. Don't you feel like wanting to take revenge on everyone who hurt you? Don't you feel you'll be happier if you hurt everyone who wronged you?"

"Why are you suddenly asking this question?" I ask instead of answering his question.

"Two people who were close to me betrayed me. So, burning in my rage, I plotted a plan to take my revenge against them. And I recently was successful in it too," he replies. "I used to think breaking them would bring me the peace and happiness they snatched from me. But now, I feel like I was wrong. Because even after being successful in my plan, I'm not happy. Instead, I'm burning in guilt for those who bore the brunt of my revenge." He looks intently at me as he says that.

"Am I one of those who bore the brunt? Was marrying me also a part of that plan?" I question, wanting to confirm what I deciphered by his look.

"Yes." Vikrant sighs, rubbing his face with his hands.

He regards me thoughtfully for a few seconds. The look on his face makes me feel as if he has finally decided to tell me why he married me.