Her Husband's Rival

six

I’ve heard people say it’s hard to fall in love and even harder to move on if something goes wrong. I, though, think that’s bullshit. I fell for Neil in about a week and it took ten sentences coming out of his mouth to realise his brain is so far up his rear end that it can’t comprehend anything, let alone basic values.

Unlike what I’ve seen in movies, the realisation that I don’t love Neil or don’t care for him or feel absolutely nothing for him doesn’t make me cry. Instead, I want to laugh. I feel my heart feeling lighter like a tension has been lifted up. It’s a nice feeling. He may be my husband but I’m not obliged to serve him if I don’t love him.

I like to think I can maintain my distance from him but I also know it’s a far-fetched hope. The other day Rajlakshmi was telling me how she had Neil within the first year of her marriage and while I only laughed politely and nodded my head, pretending to be oblivious, I’m no fool.

Despite knowing her son and I don’t — in nice words — get along well and have different rooms for crying out loud, she’s hell bent on having a grandson. Not a grandchild, a grandson. Fucking sexists.

She’s tried bringing up getting me pregnant during multiple breakfasts and dinners but like the ignorant pissant that her family treats her as, Neil pays her no heed while her own husband is stuck checking stocks on his phone.

So, she’s moved targets. Now, she pesters me. Like right now. I’m standing in front of my mirror, smoothening the creases of my red, velvet full-length dress when she comes barreling into my room. Without knocking. Privacy who?

“Mummy-ji,” I greet her with a forced smile as she looks at my today’s outfit and makeup, assessing it carefully to see nothing is out of place.

I’m wearing a full-sleeved, tight-fit red dress that shows off my ample boobs and petite figure. The sweetheart neckline is doing wonders for my slender neck and the jewellery is just the cherry on top. Not even in my wildest dreams would I have ever imagined my in-laws letting me wear something so charming to an event outside their mansion but wonders do happen, I guess.

Or actually, Aayansh Singhania does happen. Three weeks after their visit, we received an invitation card. He’s organising a party in order to strengthen his relations and make new partners before he takes over. This time, the dress code wasn’t mentioned but after that insulting note from the Singhanias the last time and their warning about not letting the Rajans enter their events if they didn’t follow “basic etiquettes”, the Rajans seem to have pulled back on their hypocrisy.

Rajlakshmi nods in approval at my choice of dress and light makeup. “You look too good today to not seduce my son into getting in bed with you.”

I cough so hard I almost choke. Usually, she’s a bit subtler with her advances but I guess, she’s desperate now. “W—what?” I pretend to sound confused when really I want to roll my eyes.