Warning : 8,000+ words long! And there will be a few flashbacks of the steamy night (in case you don't want to read, just avoid the paragraphs in italics). 👀

// ∞ ௐ ∞ //

The birds chirped the birth of a new day, the sky roaring the start of a rain as the grumbles walked through the open window. Zoya furrowed her eyes at the sudden disturbance, hiding her face behind a palm while craning her neck to the side in an attempt to win some more sleep ; but to no avail. Moreover, the heavy headache overpowered her ability to do anything as she hissed in pain, cupping her forehead for some healing pressure.  She was about to turn to the side, looking for some water she knew she would find on her night stand when she noticed the weight around her frame stopping her from moving. She didn't give much attention until she felt herself pulled closer to a warm frame, the hot breath on her face all the more unfamiliar to her.

Since when did Yash have such a built corpulence?

Wait—when did Yash and she get intimate last night?

Her eyes widened in panic as she turned to look at the person whose embrace she was in. The man laying there was not her husband but rather the stranger she had spilled her guts to. The man, with whom she had spent the night—and this bed—with. She panicked at the immediate thought and was about to distance herself away when the light movements had him stir in his deep slumber. She regained a lying position and smoothly took his arm off her, gently releasing it on the bed, before sitting up. The duvet fell off her, revealing her naked figure as she immediately covered herself, heat on her cheeks. She tried to remember the last night, recalling the moment she had dared to initiate this awful sin.

Was it him—or me?

Not willing to stay in this place any longer, she looked around the room for her clothes and got off the bed. She suddenly sat back, feeling the slight soreness in her lower area as she pressed her hand on her hip. She sighed loud before reaching for her things and rushing into the attached room for her own sanity. The door locked behind her, she finally released the deep breath she had been holding on, and took a look around. She was glad to find the mirror in front of her and walked to freshen up, when she casted a look at herself. Her eyes widened in horror at the sight, as she tightened her grip on her things.

Red marks... h—hickeys?

Once freshened up and changed, she moved out of the bathroom and pulled herself together, checking if she might have missed any more hint of her having been present here. She picked the last piece of accessory and was to move to the door when her eyes fell on the sleeping beauty, the bare back peeking out of the bed sheet, while fisting her hands at the memories as she was repulsed with herself.

Stepping out of the house, she walked to the road and looked for any vehicle that could help her, all the while taking gentle steps to move away from the farmhouse. Within five minutes of walking, the cab she had booked reached her, finally on her way to her residence.

A little bird settled itself on the window sill, calling for its friends to join for a game. The soft singing reached inside the room, disturbing the man comfortable in his sleep.

"Pooja—yaar, close the curtains, na! Five mor—" he whined and turned his head to the other side, a content grin on his face as he seemed to see a dream. At the absence of reaction to his demand, he growled and again called for his wife, breaking the little remnant of sleep off his eyes.

As he realized the surroundings, he frowned his eyes in confusion and tried to summon the woman once more, to receive no response again. He held his head, cursing the heavy hangover from last night. Why the hell was he in his family's farmhouse instead of his home? That too naked?

Did he and Pooja finally get over the dry spell of their marriage? Had she come back last night and they had come here to get some alone time?

Groaning, he sat up and moved off the bed, grabbing a pair of sweatpants from the cupboard so as to check on his wife. He was walking down the stairs when something pricked his foot. A single tassel earring lay on the hard-wood floor that he picked up. At first sight, he wondered how her earring would have dropped there, until he keenly checked the piece of jewelry realising it didn't belong to Pooja. Whose was this? Did it belong to any of Arjun's companions that he might have brought here?

He shook his head and was about to go to the kitchen to make himself a hangover remedy when a quick vision suddenly flashed in his mind, drawing the picture of someone wearing the exact same earring, soon revealing a beautiful and unfamiliar face, although the feeling of having seen it before.

A loose strand fell over her face that strangely irritated him, disturbing the close sight of the lady.

"I... didn't know you... you look so pretty," saying so, he brushed the curled streak away and tucked it gently behind her ear. "I am... flattered."

He pushed the earring to his palm at the wild memory, the sharp edge pressing into his skin as he hissed, dropping the accessory.

It meant... he was not here with Pooja—

Fuck!

A ray of hope rose in him as he thought of checking the other rooms for any hint of him being in the house with his wife only and ran around, until he walked back to the kitchen shaken by the realization.

If not Pooja, then where is... that woman?

How amazing, you don't even know her name.

Because that's what you are worried about? Duffer!

He climbed upstairs to check on the unknown lady, wondering what she must be feeling, when he realized the entire house was empty but for him. Great! Not only did she have to spend the night with a stranger, and now she has disappeared from here.

Perhaps she went back home.

Safely, he hoped.

He heavily sighed and scratched his head in frustration, soon going into the bathroom. Standing under the shower, he settled the tap for the warm level and turned it on, letting the water rinse away his stupidity. At the contact of hot liquid with his back, he let out a yelp and turned it off, cussing for his life as he felt agitated. He again opened it when his back muscles contracted at the burning sensation.

Sharp nails were scratching his back making him go faster and deeper inside of her, and her face contorted in screams of pleasure as waves of orgasm washed over her.

Fury raised in him as he punched the wall hard, before he rubbed his body continuously as if trying to wash away the sin. Soon he got tired and fell on the floor of the shower, dropping his face in his palms as tears of frustration and guilt followed each other.

▶︎ᐳ

Zoya couldn't stop the tears as she was staring at the sight outside the window, trying to sound discreet so as not to get the cab driver's attention.

He twirled her just as the lyrics went by, making him follow his own steps to the beats before he pulled her back towards himself. And, gently taking her face into his palms, he slid his thumb across her bottom lip and pressed his lips against hers, surprising her at the suddenness before she closed her lids. Unconsciously, her hand raised to fist his shirt, moving closer for a better position. The kiss slowly became passionate as their bodies rubbed against each other.

She bit her nails in nervousness and tightened the lapels of the thin cape around herself, not willing to expose her grave crime to the world.

"If I keep looking at you na... I might not control myself..." he said in a deep voice, making her shiver as she gasped heavily on his face, the warm breath closing his eyes.

"What makes you think, I want you to do that?" She gently yet seductively bit her lip, looking at him through her lashes.

He dropped her on the bed as she bounced involuntarily ; he unfastened his belt and loosened his jeans, dropping it down to his feet.

Under the spell of his look, she sat up kneeling by the edge of the bed, her fingers desperate for the feel of his abs before she took off her cape, throwing it somewhere behind him. The straps of her cropped top were giving a generous view of her bare arms and her shoulder. A sly smile on her lips as she enjoyed his reaction to her tracing the patterns of his built abdomen. Holding eye contact with her, she grabbed his hand and raised it to her back, having his fingers unzip the top, slowly peeling each piece of clothing off her.

She couldn't help the whimper that rose out of her, as she cupped her mouth to muffle her cries.

"Madam, are you okay?" She raised her head at the harsh reality of her life, and quickly nodded her head, masking her dilemma with a thin smile. She cleared the lump in her throat and she hid her tears, as she instructed the elder man to make it faster.

She had cheated on Yash with someone.

The thought itself was haunting her sanity as she lost herself in agony, keeping herself more discreet. Pressing her fingers in her fisted palms, she cursed the moment she had agreed to her friends' invitation for that gathering, far away from her safe cocoon ; the instant she was left alone for some random man to propose her company, before they ended up sharing a dance that led to her joining him in his private place. She was the terrible wife who turned out unfaithful to the husband who loved her with all his heart.

She missed to realize when they had reached her colony, as she was standing before the buildings staring into the void. The sound of a vehicle hitting the horn to a random motorbike rider broke her trance as she finally moved to their flat, passing by the neighbors' greetings to which she simply grinned. She ignored the weird looks, noticing she was dressed up as if she had attended some party, certainly wondering why she was coming back home alone at this time of the day. However, their own concerns had them swipe their thoughts about others' and they walked away, leaving her to internally sigh in relief. She rushed to the elevator and was soon found walking in their floor corridor, her steps slowing down all of a sudden. How was she supposed to face them?

To worsen her fear, as she was standing before the apartment door, staring at the nameplate written in golden letters on a wood-made board, she heard the elevator doors opening so as to fall on her man, a smile on his face as he was holding a couple of parcels in his hands. She quickly corrected her look as Yash started walking towards her—the flat—when he noticed the presence of someone and raised his head ; the sight of Zoya outside their house early morning, looking exhausted and devastated, couldn't be missed to the naked eye.

"Zoya?" He rushed to his woman and looked at the distressed person, the worry lying in his eyes as she avoided the contact. "What happened to you? Were you out all night?"

"I—I just—" she tried to say more but the lump in her throat kept her quiet. Moreover, the smell from the food in those parcels woke her hunger up as she awkwardly faced the floor to the grumble of her stomach.

To which he chuckled, caressing her cheek. "I guess someone must be hungry. Come, I have brought you something special."

Holding her hand, he led her inside the apartment and took her to their bedroom, letting her sit on the bed as he opened the packed food, revealing some mushroom and cheese omelettes, parathas along with some hot palappam—fluffy pancakes made from fermented rice and coconut batter—covered in another foil paper. Spoons of non-veg curry, sambar, with chutneys were clipped and given in different complimentary little bags.

"I am sorry I brought you upstairs to eat. You know how mah is skeptical about having non-veg at home, especially the dining room being close to the shrine room," he reasoned his actions, feeling she might have been hurt at being separated from their family, unaware of her actual thoughts. "But anyways, we can have our own special moment, around a yummy breakfast," saying so, he held her hand and walked her to the divan where the meal was set.

Zoya smiled at him, mustering up the strength not to let the tears nor the red of her eyes appear before him, as he cleared his throat.. "Zoya—I'm sorry."

She raised her head up in confusion, looking at his earnest expression. "Sorry? Why are you apologising to me, Yash?"

I'm the one who should be apologizing right now.

"Sorry, because I know how awful of a husband I was yesterday... and from the beginning," he tore off a piece of the appam and dipped it in the side curries before feeding it to her. "Having you in the middle of your father and me, I know how much you struggle being stuck between the two of us."

"No, I—" she looked for a reply about it but remained numb. True, she did feel like she was being stretched between the two very important men in her life. However, she also knew how much her father was the one demeaning her choices, while Yash tried his best to earn his acceptance. And, whatever he might let go for her happiness, Waseem Siddiqui remained a hard nut to crack.

He fed her another mouthful of the food, making sure she had her breakfast. "I promise, I won't let out my frustration at you anymore, like yesterday. And since it's needed, we will work much harder to convince your abbu to shower his blessings. Just like, how we will make things work better with my mother. Okay?"

She nodded her head in yes, feeling a salty drop off her cheek at his words. Tears started to stream from her eyes as she looked at her husband. Her Yash. Who had always taken care of her and loved her, no matter what. He was ready to confront the hurdles to earn her happiness, that was her family's acceptance and presence in her life. And then there was her who had gotten drunk and slept with a random man after a fight. Her father was wrong!

She was the one who would never deserve her husband.

"Yash..." as he was to take another bite to her mouth, she held his wrist and wrapped her hands around his. "You know... that I love you... I love you so much. I could never imagine my life without you."

He smiled at her and cupped her hands in his, kissing on her knuckles. "Of course, I do, sweetheart. Now, stop crying, and have some more," he said as he wiped the wet stains off her face.

Receiving a work call, he excused himself and promised to be back home on time, asking her to rest for the day as she seemed tired. As he left the room, she rushed to the door and locked herself, before sliding down to the ground. The dam of frustrated tears broke off her control as she pulled her knees to her chest, dropping her teary face in her bent legs for she needed to release the pressure off her head. Who would she be kidding saying so, anyways? Her soul, her conscience, her whole being knew no word or action could erase the past or change it. She was to live in the guilt of having hurt her loved ones for her stupid and selfish reasons.

"I—I am sorry, Y—yash... I am... really sorry," her cries turned into whimpers that she quickly cupped behind her palm, not willing to drag her mother-in-law or Mahi's attention, that would cause more damage that she needed to confront at the moment. And she silently let herself drown in the sea of regrets, once again cursing her decision to rebel against her fate.

▶︎ᐳ

Upon entering their humongous bungalow, he fell upon his mother chatting in the living room with a woman showing her back side, his eyes widening at the realization.

"There you are, Captain!" He stopped in his tracks at her words, as she crossed her arms and glared at him interrogatively. "Where have you been all night, again? You didn't even think of informing anyone. Couldn't you have just sent a message saying you were staying at the farmhouse?"

"W—what? How... how do you know?" he stuttered in shock when she, not having heard his words, cut him off. "That was until Anjana mah received Victor's call, to confirm you spent the night there."

Was he already caught? "I swear, I didn't m—"

"At least, next time make sure not to forget to lock the windows. It's never safe outside, who knows who might intrude whenever we are not there?" She instructed as he mindlessly shook his head in acceptance, sighing in relief although he was on edge fearing that she might have an inkling of the sin he had committed the previous night.

"I am tired... I am going to rest," he announced and was about to walk when he heard the voice calling him back. "Beta, at least have some breakfast—"

"No—thank you! I am fine," he said no more and quickly turned his rushed steps towards their bedroom, leaving the confused women in the living room.

Sakshi walked down the stairs and noticed Aditya walking through at a quick pace, as if escaping from any interrogation from the house members. "Arey, Pooja beta! When did he come back?"

"Just now, mah," she slowly answered before staring at his back in confusion.

Why did he look strangely tense?

His hand gripping on the handle as the door got closed behind him, he squeezed his eyes shut and released a sigh in disgust.

He removed the sheets and left the bed naked not to be caught for any hint of whatever that had occurred the night before. Setting up the machine for a quick laundry washing, he then inspected each corner of the house for any missed ornament or smell of the presences in the house, as he traced the exact path he had pictured a little. As he walked downstairs, he visualized each detail of the evening, the images of a living nightmare that was playing with his conscience.

He banged the back of his head against the door as tears of anger burnt his eyes, rolling down his face on their own as he held on his breathing.

How dare you still be alive after ruining your life?

A knock on the door broke his trance as he jerked away from the door, panting hard at the suddenness and looked around at the room, when he heard the familiar tone. "Adi? Are you alright? Why is the door locked?"

He quickly calmed himself taking deep breaths and gulped the lump as he answered. "Y—yeah... just a moment."

He rushed to the washroom and splashed water on his face to clear his mind, before facing his reflection on the mirror. Bloodshot eyes stared back at him as if accusing him of destroying everything. He had become what he once despised the most.

Aren't you a cheater, too?

He closed his ears behind his palms, in an attempt to quieten the voice in his mind.

Look how the tables have turned. How are you going to face your family? You have proven that you're Harshvardhan Hooda's son, afterall the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Shut up!

You may try whatever you can... but it is a fact. Like father, like son.

"I said shut up—" before he could stop himself, he took the little toothbrush pot and threw it on the glass before him, shattering the fragile piece of decor into tiny shards.

Hearing the loud noise from the other side of the door, Pooja shook in surprise and panicked for her husband. She tried to twist the handle but was unable to undo the inside lock. "Adi? Adi, open the door!" She knocked on the door to wake him up.

Arjun who had just entered the house following an important case hearing with his father had heard the shattering noise from his brother's room and fell on his sister-in-law trying to break into the bedroom.

He was walking towards the elder woman, when he noticed his mother and Sakshi joining rushing before him. "Hey, bhagwan! Pooja, what is going on?" Her mother reached first and held on to her daughter.

"I don't know, mah. I was about to ask Adi if he wanted anything but then he locked the door from inside. He just told me to wait but... all of a sudden, there was a loud noise. I am scared of what he is doing, mah, but he doesn't seem to hear me," she said in a panicked voice.

"But what happened, bhabhi?" To which she explained Aditya's sudden arrival a while ago before disappearing and locking himself in the room without saying anything.

Anjana looked on at the door, her motherly heart worrying for her elder child, wondering what might have disturbed him to this extent all of a sudden that had him in such agony. Remembering him years ago before he turned out silent for them.

They were lost in their talks when the click of a door getting unlocked drew their attention. Aditya appeared with a blank expression, almost as if nothing happened while they all looked on in confusion.

"Bhai, are you okay?" The younger male approached his sibling and looked at the man for any hint, although he remained quiet while staring back at his wife among the three women.

"Salvation..." he answered in a simple word, confusing the others. Noticing the frown on their faces, he shook his head and added, "I mean... I had stayed out all night, the hangover was taking a toll on my mind, and... as I tried to freshen up, the mirror got accidentally broken..."

The women gasped in horror. "Wha—are you hurt anywhere?" Pooja inspected his arms as he gestured his hand in the air, wiping off their confused expressions. "I am fine..."

I am not.

"Alright, just... just go and take some rest! I will send Marcus to clean it up," saying so, the young lady held his arm and was to lead him inside when his eyes fell on his estranged mother, who looked at her son with hope of a sight, the layer of motherly concern covering her orbs. Yet he was not able to respond to her stare, and that was not for the remorse of their past.

Pooja walked him to the bed, letting him lay down while taking a seat beside him, as she detangled his messy hair through her slender fingers, the way he was used to falling in a peaceful slumber. Yet again, he was not capable of facing her, honesty mocking him as he knew he had fallen very low before her love. And, without any other word, he just closed his eyes, discreetly gulping the lump of regret while seeking some peace.

▶︎ᐳ

The following days turned out into a silent war for the two married couples. While their partners doubted their strange behavior, distancing themselves from their respective spouse without any particular reason that was told, they brushed away the silly thoughts for they knew they had nothing to fear. At least, they believed it wholeheartedly, for they loved each other.

Yash had busied himself in the multiple event plannings lined up for the coming weeks, his whole team and him doing their level best to succeed in each of the projects so as to earn the reputation and recognition they deserved for the hard work. Mahi used to accompany him for the preparations and took mostly care of the venue decorations ; Zoya's early mornings solely started confronting her mother-in-law's ignorance, before reaching her workplace.

The hospital, especially the kids under her medication, turned into her only way towards the peace of mind she had unfortunately lost a few days ago. Spending hours in her cabin working on the major cases, swallowing cups of caffeine to keep herself away from slumber, stretching out her muscles going on her routine rounds. The smile and innocent talks of those precious souls helped to wipe the unnecessary thoughts off her mind.

It wasn't any different from the Hoodas' perspective. Aditya handled the change of his schedules and started flying longer trips, distancing himself from his world, whose trust he had broken. He made sure to stay a couple of days in those foreign cities—countries, before taking another flight to another of the world's places, consciously avoiding a comeback within a week. And, as he would be home, he would quickly greet his wife and family, before announcing the next trip that would be scheduled a few hours later. His superior was not very much convinced with his packed schedule, for tiredness was not what he needed when taking control of the big bird. Until he gave in when Aditya adamantly requested for a change in his agenda, granting more hours off the ground.

Of course, not to misunderstand that these voyages meant pleasure for a winged freedom seeker. There was a time, when visiting those beautiful cultures, lands that would be compared from home, dragged his attention, as he would reach back to his cocoon with souvenirs of his travels. Pooja had that tiny interest in collecting art pieces that represented the different cultures ; an art lover herself, she made sure she reached some old antique shops to give her collection a souvenir. And Aditya, the lover boy he had always been for his Pooja, had to give in to her wishes as he would pick her a gift every time. However, as he walked by the various antiquarians nowadays, he felt nothing but loathing towards his unloyal, stupid self for hurting the sole relation that had kept him safe and sane in his worst phase of life.

The absence of the elder son for days let alone weeks, was of no discretion for the family members, in particular his wife who was learning to get used to sleeping on that cold mattress alone for longer spans of time. She was, as well, taken with a schedule regarding the publication of her new work, having her travel to cities for signing events and sharing her experiences.

Yet, she missed seeing her husband for the quality time they would spend in the late evenings, going on long drives around the city, or enjoying a quiet walk at the beach, hand in hand while sharing jokes and their days, before he would pull her in his embrace, staring at the waves hitting the shore to break the silence around. Sunset views made her poetic as she would start reciting lines, as he would playfully grimace although internally praising the inner artist.

She was reading the current novel from her personal library when her mind drifted to her friend as she read a line about childhood love.

"Adi bhi na! I really wonder where he might have gone for so long, without any hint of his whereabouts," she shook her head in annoyance. "Will he even be back for the day-after-tomorrow's celebration?"

As if having heard her plea, an incoming call on her phone rang in the quietness of their lawn, dragging her attention.

"Hi! How is everything going on there?" She asked with a thrill for the upcoming, as she quietly listened to the responder. "Yes, I will be there in... about twenty minutes... Yeah, sure. Bye!" She hung the call with a smile and stood up from the couch, grabbing her purse before walking out of the house. Hoping the plans would help their relationship tighten afterwards.

▶︎ᐳ

"Thank you so much, Doctor, for giving us your precious time. We will have everything ready for your arrival. See you!" Zoya hung the landline receiver and pressed the button on the side of her desk, when the nurse in duty walked in. "Yes, Doctor?"

"Sister, Doctor Birla is coming to Mumbai in two days for Pragati's heart surgery. We need to inform her parents about this and get her room booked beforehand. Make sure that she will be well settled in the hospital during her stay!" She instructed the necessary as she nodded in obedience before stepping out to her work.

Left alone, she closed her eyes and stretched her sore back, leaning back on her rolling chair. Need a glass of warm water. She felt thirsty and looked for her thermos flask to find it empty.

With a sigh, she walked to the cafeteria and demanded for some refill in her jug. Um, that samosa looks yummy. Asking for a couple of snacks, she walked to the empty tables and took a seat, enjoying a spicy treat.

"Hey, Zoya! Busy day?" She raised her eyes to fall on a colleague-cum-friend, one year senior of her, sitting across her with his own plate.

She nodded and carried on with a conversation, until some smell not much far from her started disturbing her. She looked at the content in his plate to fall on triangle sandwiches made with spicy omelettes and immediately cupped her nose. Why was this smelling so bad? Are they selling rotten food?

"Nikhil, wait! The omelette seems expired, don't eat that!" she warned him as he raised a brow questioningly. "Bhaisahab, what is this? Is this what your catering service offers us?"

"No, ma'am! Everything we make is healthy and from fresh ingredients only," the shopkeeper explained, not to be blamed for any mistake, as Zoya looked at the two in confusion.

"Zoya, calm down! It's not bad at all for me, in fact it even smells so great. You might be hallucinating, due to workload," he shrugged his shoulders.

Maybe I am.

She grabbed a seat, back in her cabin and looked up at her agenda for the following week when she got a message on her personal phone.

"Yash?" She stared at the screen while wondering why he tried to reach her all of a sudden, at midday.

Why don't you open and read the message to know?

—Hey, Zoya!
Been so long since we got to see each other.
I just wanted to remind you about the birthday event we are planning that is held tonight.
Mrs. Pooja Hooda, the wife who is planning the birthday celebration, has invited us both to attend the party together.

Birthday party?

—I am sorry, Yash. I got some emergency work at the hospital tonight. I won't be able to come.

—Come on, Zoya. It's important for me! Anyway, I come to your hospital events too, right?

Maybe he was right. Zoya, you should stop avoiding him because of your own actions.

▶︎ᐳ

She paid her cab and stepped down the vehicle, correcting her outfit. Dressed up in a simple yet elegant pale gold saree, her carefully curled hair rested on her back, hiding the skin that was showing off from her deep back beaded blouse, sleeveless leaving a sight to her slender arms. She took a deep breath looking at the magnificent mansion standing before her, feeling nervous at attending such a huge event, although internally proud of her husband for doing what they always wanted to : reaching the skies to earn the much-deserved reputation—and acceptance from her father.

A sliver of hope rose in her at the thought and, with a genuine grin, she walked inside the mansion. Almost more than a hundred people were gathered in the beautifully decorated living room. Yash had told her the venue was the birthday guy's own residence, describing his family as one of the prestigious names in Mumbai, let alone in the state of Maharashtra. Justice Hooda, or Harshvardhan Hooda was a renowned criminal lawyer that didn't lose any of his cases till the date, and owned his own law firm that drew the attention of every newly-licensed lawyer as well as seniors who needed the perfect description on their résumé. His wife, Anjana Hooda, was the typical housewife of those elite families, spending her life taking care of the house, running NGOs for the disabled and the poor, attending charity nights and kitty parties where she grew her friends' circle for more recognition for the Hoodas.

The party happened to be for the elder son, Aditya Hooda, planned by his wife, Pooja Hooda. She had heard of Yash's company through acquaintances and believed the young entrepreneur would ensure they had a perfect celebration, as she had gone through their old projects' pictures on their social media. And, as Yash had talked about his own personal life around a coffee during a break between the preparations, she had come to know about his love for Zoya and made him promise her arrival at the function. And there she was, to grace their polite request.

Seeing the people around her, she felt conscious of herself and, for a minute, thought of hiding herself in a corner. She had already been to numerous high society gatherings before, when she still remained her father's little princess. Her abbu was also a renowned personality in the business field, earning her maiden surname the huge reputation—as well as the exaggerated pride that made him feel superior to the man his daughter had been adamant to marry. She knew how the elite class people were judgemental of others and, although she never shared their mindset, her current situation made her self-conscious not to cross anybody.

Until, a soft voice called for her, "Hi! You must be Zoya."

She had turned to see a young woman around her age, a warm smile on her face at the unfamiliar person in her party, although guessing her identity for Mr. Arora, her event planner, had told about her. "Zoya, right?"

To which she nodded her head in yes, "Yes, I am Zoya. Yash Arora's wife."

"Glad to have you here, Zoya. Yash had told much enough about you, really happy that you were able to join us. By the way, I am Pooja, Pooja Hooda," saying so, she stretched her arm forward for a handshake. "Welcome to our place!"

"Thank you! Pleasure meeting you as well, Mrs. Hooda! Um—Yash?" she asked for her husband and Pooja happily answered yes, guiding her guest to a corner of the house where she had last seen the event management team working on the last of the arrangements.

"Zoya, here you are!" Yash smiled at the sight of the woman who had captured his heart at the first glance and took her in his arms, before looking at her head to toe. "You look gorgeous as always, love."

She blushed at Pooja's giggles beside her, hearing her husband's praises in front of everyone.

"You guys carry on, I will send you something to drink. And yes, your husband is absolutely right, Zoya. You look really beautiful," saying so, she walked out of there, leaving them alone.

"Thanks... for coming!" Yash told her in a lower tone, making her raise her head up to face him.

"You also come and support me in my career, attending the important event nights and all. As your wife, it's my duty to be here for you," she replied as she held his arm, gently caressing him over his coat. "I am sorry... for being distant. I just... workload has given me enough pressure. I was doing overtime at the hospital, and didn't find any reason to spend more time with you."

"You don't need a reason to spend time with your husband, Zoya. And... I was also not present at home. But don't worry, everything will be fine," he consoled her and tucked a hair strand behind her ear, admiring her face as she smiled back.

She slowly raised her eyes behind his head, feeling the moving figures nearing the gathering, her orbs widening at the shocking sight before her that stood out in the crowd.

He—isn't he—

Yash noticed her sudden silence and looked down at his wife who was staring at something in astonishment. As he moved his eyes to that spot, he grinned in understanding.

"There is the birthday guy," she craned her neck to look at him, not expecting his words. "Aditya Hooda."

Aditya... Aditya Hooda?

Aditya had his arm wrapped between his wife, Pooja's, as she brought him for the surprise planning.

"Pooja, I told you not to plan anything. Why bother with all these preparations?" Aditya asked her the same question for the tenth time that day, not much ready to face the crowd that had gathered below. "If you really wanted to do something, I would have preferred a simple dinner with just the two of us," he added as he swept his eyes over the people waiting for him. He loudly groaned in his mind as he was literally dragged towards the part, mentally unprepared to face anybody, let alone his family after the heavy drama in his life playing the drums over his sanity.

"Uffo, Adi! We can always have our dinner date any other day, but tonight is to celebrate your birthday. It's all about you! And that happens better with your entire family and friends. Understood, Captain Hooda?" Her convincing tone had him surrender and the couple walked like a conversation about him being disinterested in his own party hadn't just happened between the two, the fake smiling being an art he was well taught since his young age.

Zoya's hands trembled at the unexpected meeting, believing it to be purely coincidental. Although her heart told her the opposite : destiny needed to remind her that her mistake hadn't left her, it had made sure to haunt her every moment. And now, the very person she had committed that adultery with was in front of her, as her own husband's client.

Ya Allah!!

What if Yash found out about that night?

Her husband was about to meet the person she had cheated on him with.

She stood quiet as the man was standing before the table, a wide cake standing in glory to be cut and celebrated. He held the knife in hand while everyone sang wishes that turned into echoes in the humongous hall. Having a tiny piece in between his fingers, he turned to the woman on his right, a thin smile on his face at her sight. He fed the first piece for her happiness before being given a taste of the sugary dessert as the couple shared a sweet hug and kiss. "Happy birthday, baby!" She had repeated to him, as he accepted her wish.

Though her mind warned her she was not the only wrongdoer in their situation, and that she shouldn't blame her alone for their liaison but looking at the two, she couldn't hold but hate herself even more for being the homewrecker albeit unwillingly. Aditya loved his Pooja so much, and it was reciprocated by the beautiful woman. Whatever he might have said that evening  while sharing drinks, were parts of the common arguments husband and wife would have. Weren't she and Yash arguing the same way, although for reasons that were certainly different? Disputes were the core key that could balance a healthy marriage, because of the way they would learn from their mistakes, and think of making compromises for the two to find a solution. Yash also came back home the next day to seek an apology from her for having been impulsive and blaming her for listening to her father, until he had realized that she was the one suffering between the two. Likewise, Aditya and Pooja might go through issues, but the love and care for each other was not a secret but flourished and spread a positive aura around themselves.

She looked at her husband who smiled lovingly at her, wrapping an arm around her waist and bringing her closer to himself. What was wrong with her? How could she take her Yash, the man who she had loved so irrevocably, for granted? He had always chosen her, never once uttered a word even when her father demeaned and insulted him just for her. And what did she do? The one time he shared his frustration with her, she went and cheated on him. She never thought she could stoop so damn low. A tear slipped down her cheek as she felt him gently rub circles across her back.

"Oh?" Their silent moment was broken when they heard the female voice through the dispersing crowd, the guests slowly sent to the dinner area. "There you are, I was looking for you."

Pooja was wearing a wide smile on her face as she looked at the young couple, the latter replying to her gesture. "I just wanted to thank you so much for everything your team has done. Everyone is very happy," she praised their work.

"We are happy to know we could have met your expectations, Miss Pooja! The team appreciates your words," he slightly bowed his head at her appraisal. "Hopefully this will earn us more public recognition, thanks to you."

"Don't worry about that, Mr. Arora! The event will earn you a good name, I can assure you," she said with confidence. "By the way, I haven't introduced you to my husband, have I?"

Hearing the same, Zoya stiffened against Yash's warm hand and her eyes widened at the party host, not much discreet about the sudden discomfort. Allah, please not that—

Before she could have the time to react and move away, Pooja was back dragging somebody by the arm. "Pooja, what are y—"

Ignoring his protest, she took over the speech. "Here he is! Guys, meet my husband, Aditya Hooda! And Adi," she turned to her man who stayed blank. "This is Mr. Yash Arora, Zosh Events' owner and tonight's event planner. And next to him is his wife, Mrs. Zoya Arora."

The gentle host he was, he turned to greet the unknown people, "Well, thank you—" the smile on his lips disappearing at the shocking sight.

This woman—here?

Feeling his stare towards her, she kept her head hung down, not willing to display her awkwardness, while their respective partners remained unaware of their weird behavior.

"Wishing you a very happy birthday, Mr. Aditya! I really hope you have an unforgettable one and a wonderful continuation in life," Yash quickly shared his birthday wish.

Coming back to Earth, he looked back at the man beside the lady and nodded as if accepting his greeting. "Thank you!" he replied before turning to the silent person in the group.

Yash quickly nudged her for a response as she jerked and looked around them, suddenly confused of what had happened. "Zoya, where are you lost? Are you alright?"

Aditya noticed the way her husband turned to her—Zoya—with a concerned look, wondering if she was feeling well. As he was checking her forehead and neck, she quickly took his palm off her and, wrapping it in her hands, attempted to convince him she was okay, a fake smile curved on her face to make her words more believable. The husband so-in-love that he was, he accepted her excuse.

"You guys really look beautiful. Aren't they, Aditya?" Tightening her hold around his arm, Pooja leaned closer to him, raising her chin a little to stand on his shoulder.

Indeed, they looked lovey-dovey for public appearance, and perhaps they were. Yet the lack of glint in that woman—meaning Zoya's—eyes triggered something in him about her state of mind that obviously reminded him of his own.

"My husband and father don't get along... I'm stuck in the middle of two people I could never push away from my life, not able to do anything anymore... my life, in general, is a prank of Allah... I—I had to elope with Yash to get married. Neither of our parents were in favour of our relationship... my father thought that... Yash was never worthy of me. And his ammi... she accused me of taking her son... away from her... we were so in love that we didn't listen and instead ran away..."

He managed to smile and nodded in agreement with his wife. You are married! Why are you concerned about a stranger who only symbolises the worst mistake of your life? His thoughts only made him feel guiltier for he was keeping Pooja in the dark about his actions and feelings. Yet, why was he feeling some sort of kinship with that woman at the moment, as he looked away unable to face any of them? They had bonded over the issues they had with their spouses, and ultimately let the impulsive thoughts lead to more, but the fact remained that he might only be a third person she had opened up to. He had seen them that night, in her teary eyes as she leant her head on her arms that she had crossed on the bar counter, sorrow meeting her intoxicated being. He couldn't help his focus towards her unsaid emotions. It was wrong, he kept telling himself. Both the night they had shared, and the dread he felt while watching Yash hold her in his arms.

She is Yash's wife, not your own!

He scolded his conscience for the stupid thought and cleared his throat, as he looked back at the trio. She was in safe arms with someone who showered genuine love and attention for his partner ; troubles in marriages are certainly part of them, and who would know it better than the inner child in him?

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Arora!" he politely forwarded his hand for a shake, the man gladly accepting it, before he turned to the lady. "We appreciate you could have come tonight as well, Miss... apologies, Mrs. Zoya Arora."

She dared to raise her eyes up to his and, avoiding any doubtful stare from their respective spouses, she nodded her head. "Thank you... for inviting me!"

"We wouldn't have left your Yash alone without the company of his wife, after all," Pooja chuckled at her teasing words, making her smile.

"Maybe we should lead Mr and Mrs Arora to the dining area, right Pooja?" Aditya immediately mentioned, trying to avoid more of this awkward conversation.

"Oh, right! Where are my manners? You both should have something with your team, the party is now going on smoothly, don't worry."

Zoya turned to Yash, agreeing with the proposal as she eyed him to go and have something, the will to move away from there adding to her hungry stomach after her long hours at work making her look convincing.

"I am sorry," she uttered unconsciously as he frowned in confusion. "I love you so much, Yash. Aap hamare liye sab kuch hain. Aap—aap jaante hain na ke hum aap se kitni muhabbat karte hain? " she spoke beseechingly, clasping his hand tightly. (You—you know it well how much I love you, right?)

They were sitting in the car, on their way back home, when she had started a conversation, unwilling to keep herself distant anymore. She needed to get back herself in a stronger state and carry on with her life, her future.

Confused at his wife's sudden emotional outburst, he carefully pulled the moving vehicle over to the side of the road.

"Zoya, where is this coming from? Of course, I know you love me, jaan. You are my biggest cheerleader and sounding board, my love. How can I possibly doubt your love? If this is about that fight we had, then I'm truly sorry if I have caused any insecurities to spring up. After everything you've done for me... you make every moment of my life better with your presence and smiles," he tucked a stray tendril behind her ear and kissed her, trying to make her believe that she didn't have to prove anything to him.

And I will make sure I stay worthy of your trust, love.

"Thank you so much, Adi! I really thought you wouldn't have read my message and stayed tonight but... but thankfully, you were here with us, with me," Pooja smiled at the memories of the night, busily taking off her jewelry before the dressing table.

The silence being a response to her talks, she turned her eyes to Aditya's reflection as he seemed lost in his thoughts while seated on the bed.

He was reviewing the meetup in his head, remembering each detail of their uneasiness standing before each other with a hidden secret, when a weight on his shoulder broke his trance.

"Adi, promise me you won't stay away from me like you were used to lately. I miss being in your arms, let alone spending time with you," sneaking her arm around his, she entwined their fingers in a tight embrace, conveying her deep affection for the man by her side. "Are you angry at me about anything?"

Tightening his fingers around hers, he said, "I am the one thing I am despising, if anything. I am the one who is sorry... for hurting you."

If only you have the strength to let me redeem the wrong.

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End of Chapter THREE — THE REGRET

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© a S & Z pen work

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18/01/2025 — Know that you are worthy of happiness, happy weekend! ✨

Things are getting difficult for both the couples, when you live with guilt in your heart. No matter how sorry you might be for hurting somebody, a broken piece cannot be fixed completely for the cracks will still be a reminder of your deeds.

And bechare Yash and Pooja, they are not even aware they are to have their heart and trust broken but live their days expressing their love for their respective partners.

What happens when they will be?

Precap : Every action comes with an equal reaction.

Until next time,

With love,

Shush.💜