The nights had grown colder, and the tension between Kirti and Divit still simmered beneath the surface, despite their fragile truce. But something had changed. Divit had grown more restless. Every night, he’d slip out of bed quietly, careful not to wake her, only to return in the early hours of the morning, exhausted, but never explaining where he went.
Kirti lay awake one night, her heart pounding as she watched the clock tick past midnight. Where does he go every night? The question gnawed at her, the unease growing stronger with each passing day. She couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever Divit was hiding from her was far more dangerous than she had ever imagined.
Tonight, she couldn’t ignore it anymore. When Divit quietly slipped out of bed, she waited until she heard the door close before getting up. Her heart raced as she tiptoed to the window, watching his tall figure move across the driveway in the moonlight. He didn’t take the car. Instead, he walked down the road, blending into the shadows.
What are you up to, Divit?
Kirti grabbed her shawl, pulling it tightly around her shoulders before stepping outside. She kept a safe distance, following him through the quiet streets. The cold night air bit at her skin, but her determination overpowered the discomfort.
Divit moved with purpose, his strides long and confident. He didn’t glance back once, completely unaware of her presence. Kirti followed him until they reached a secluded warehouse on the outskirts of the city. Her heart lurched as she watched him slip inside through a side door.
What is this place?
She crept closer, her breath catching in her throat as she peered through a small window. Inside, the warehouse was dimly lit, filled with rough-looking men, their faces hardened by life. A crude ring was set up in the centre, surrounded by a small crowd. The sound of cheers and jeers filled the air as two men fought brutally in the ring, fists flying and bodies crashing against the ground.
Kirti’s stomach twisted. What is this? Some kind of underground fight club?
And then she saw him—Divit, standing at the edge of the ring, his expression cold, calculated. He looked so different from the man she knew. His jaw was clenched, his body tense, as if he was preparing for something.
Before she could process what was happening, a man called out his name, “Divit! You’re up next!”
Kirti’s heart stopped. No... this can’t be real.
She watched in horror as Divit shrugged off his jacket, revealing a toned, muscular body she hadn’t fully appreciated before. His eyes were dark, focused, as he stepped into the ring. The crowd roared, their bloodlust palpable.
Kirti’s hands flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp. Divit’s... fighting?
The match began with a loud clang of metal against metal, and Kirti’s heart pounded in her chest. Divit moved with terrifying precision, his fists connecting with his opponent in a series of brutal, calculated blows. He wasn’t the reserved man she lived with—here, he was a predator, fierce and unrelenting.
Kirti’s breath came in short gasps as she watched, frozen in place. Blood sprayed across the ring, and the crowd went wild. Divit’s opponent fought back, but it was clear Divit was the stronger man, overpowering him with each strike.
She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The man she had been married to, the man who avoided emotional confrontation and who had barely touched her, was now battling in a brutal underground fight. Why?
After what felt like an eternity, the fight ended. Divit stood victorious, his chest heaving with exhaustion, his face smeared with blood—some of it his own, most of it not. The crowd cheered, and Divit barely acknowledged them as he stepped out of the ring, wiping sweat from his brow.
Kirti stumbled back, her hands trembling. She needed to leave before he saw her. She turned and rushed away, her heart hammering in her chest. Every step felt heavier as she moved farther from the warehouse. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of what she had just witnessed.
When she finally reached home, Kirti slipped back into bed, her body cold and numb. She stared at the ceiling, Divit’s bloodied face haunting her. What has he gotten himself into? She couldn’t reconcile the man in the ring with the one who shared her bed, who occasionally showed glimpses of vulnerability.
When Divit returned home later, just before dawn, she pretended to be asleep. Her heart pounded as she felt him slip into bed beside her, his body radiating heat, the faint smell of sweat and blood lingering on him.
He didn’t say a word. He never did.
The next morning, Kirti moved through the house in a daze, her mind still replaying the events of the night before. Divit acted as if nothing had happened. He ate breakfast, exchanged polite conversation with his family, and carried on with his day, never once acknowledging the world he disappeared into after dark.
Kirti’s hands trembled as she poured herself a cup of tea. She had to confront him, but how? How could she even begin to ask him about something so dangerous, so terrifying?
As Divit sat across from her at the breakfast table, his usual unreadable expression on his face, Kirti’s heart ached with a thousand unspoken questions. Who are you, Divit?
She couldn’t let him know she had followed him, not yet. Not until she understood the full extent of what he was involved in.
Later that evening, as they lay in bed, Kirti glanced at him, her heart heavy with the weight of her secret. She wanted to ask him, to confront him about the underground fights, but fear held her back.
“Divit,” she whispered, her voice barely audible in the darkness.
“Hm?” he responded, eyes closed, already on the edge of sleep.
Kirti swallowed hard. “Are you... okay? You seem... tired lately.”
Divit’s eyes opened slightly, his gaze meeting hers in the dim light. “I’m fine,” he said simply, his voice gruff.
Kirti bit her lip, fighting the urge to push further. “You would tell me if something was wrong, wouldn’t you?”
Divit turned onto his side, facing her, his expression unreadable. “Nothing’s wrong, Kirti. Go to sleep.”
She nodded, her heart sinking. She wasn’t ready to confront him yet. Not until she knew more. But one thing was certain—Divit was hiding something far more dangerous than she had ever imagined. And Kirti wasn’t sure if she was ready for the truth.
As she lay awake beside him, her heart raced with fear and confusion. How do I face him when I already know?
