Spoiled • 18+ • Arranged Marriage Story

Twenty Seven

A couple of days later Sakshi's symptoms abated and she found herself at rest. She sat in front of the computer screen and looked at Dhruv.

"Have you ever met someone who never got better?"

Dhruv tilted his head and looked at her with a smile. He stayed silent for a moment and then asked, "In what sense?"

"I meant that sometimes some people have traumas that prevent them from doing things. And what if they can't do that for a lifetime?"

Dhruv rubbed his chin, "Good question. If they can't they don't. Some do but they want to. If they don't want to then there's nothing pressuring them is there?"

"What if it's essential? And they want to but they can't."

"Then they find ways around it. Nothing is essential in life. Only you are."

***

Sakshi thought long and hard about what Dhruv said and what her husband had said. Could they be a truly married couple if she couldn't even perform such a simple act to please him?

He had told her that it wouldn't matter. But how long? A year? A month? Eventually, it would get boring. She sighed and walked straight into some. She stumbled but the other person held her.

"Little bird!"

She grimaced. Not him again.

"Ashwin. What are you doing here?" She put on a fake smile. Sakshi wanted to retch.

"I came to meet you Sakshi." He said. Sakshi moved away from his hold. "It has been too long, hasn't it?"

She looked at his features and he was mature now. How had she even loved him? She blamed it on her naivete.

"I still don't understand why you're here from Australia."

"Well, my ex-wife and I got a divorce so I came back."

Liar. Sakshi knew he was lying to her. She said nothing. "I have work to do. Nice meeting you." She tried cutting him off.

"Can we meet sometime? Alone?"

No way in hell was happening. before she could retort someone called him out.

"Dr. Ashwin! Mrs. Sakshi. Can I get a photograph?" It was someone from the press Sakshi gathered from the ID on his neck.

He smiled and nodded. Sakshi tried to move away but he held her waist. She froze. She felt like she had been burned where he touched. But she didn't let it show. She put on her business-like smile and stayed still.

Her ears started ringing and he said something to her and she just nodded. After the photographer was done, she pushed him away with all her strength.

"Ma'am?!" It was a familiar voice. Her vision was spotted and her limbs felt wobbly. "Ma'am? Sakshi?" She waved in the general direction of the voice. Warm hands cupped her cold ones and she felt him dragging her behind his back.

"That's enough." He dismissed the journalist.

"Little Bird, are you okay?"

"She's fine." That voice seemed so familiar. Sakshi breathed hard.

"I'm a doctor, I can..."

"Sir! She. Is. Fine. You can leave."

For a few moments, everything was quiet and then he turned to her, "He's gone. Are you okay?"

"Office..." She rasped out. Take me to my office. She wanted to say.

***

Siddharth rubbed his eyelids and stared at the computer. He read the minutes of the previous AGM. Just a few more days he thought.