The Workaholic Wife ✅

Scarred Silence

I stay silent as Aniket locks the door behind him. My birthday was awful. It was nothing like Aniket had promised me— especially when he was the one to cause some of the turmoil.

He slapped me.

I chose to forgive him, since he was so protective of me when Chinna threatened us. But, I will never reveal that to him. He needs to suffer and learn his lesson for a short while before I let him off the hook.

By the end of this silent treatment, Aniket should learn to control his anger and jealousy.

His touch still awakens a fiery fire on my skin... and it wasn't the good kind. I am deathly afraid of him and Aarav. In fact, any man. I am scarred, hurt and I feel deeply betrayed by the two men I trusted.

I can understand Aarav's stupidity. He thought he was in love with Chinna.

But my own husband?

Aniket has been cherishing me since day one of our relationship. Of course, there was the occasional quarrel, like there would be in any relationship. But that was expected, and it only propelled us in our life. But now? I'm not so sure where we are.

I'm lost without him and I'm lost within him.

I knew I shouldn't be willing to give my heart to him. Yet, I had, and now I'm suffering for my actions.

My phobia has returned and it's daunting me inside out.

"Well, they seem preoccupied." Aniket remarks, striding towards my bed. Preesha and Chinna are having the time of their lives in next room over. It was a old guest room our relatives had cleaned out for their wedding night.

Of course, my idiotic aunties and uncles did not know the fact that the deed has already been done and that Preesha is carrying his freaking baby.

I don't know how they're going to manage when the baby arrives in eight months. People will start to question Preesha's honor when they have a kid at nine months into their marriage.

Aniket and I were a different situation. My need to keep his family stable made me force myself to overcome my phobia of being touched and strive towards providing a heir for him.

But Preesha had it easy.

Too easy, in fact. I was there for her to solve her problems.

I nod in response to Aniket's statement, clutching the side of the bed. He burrows his head in my lap and I flinch, straying away from his hands. He encircles his hand over my waist, staring into my orbs as his head lays on my lap.

"What are you thinking about?" He asks, tracing the line of my jaw. I shake my head, lowering my eyes.

I hear another moan from the other room and I roll my eyes. At least, Preesha is enjoying herself. The born seductress had somehow convinced Chinna to make love to her.

I wish I had gone to the temple along with my relatives. They all knew about the thin walls of this house, and had chosen to visit the temple in the next town over. They will come back the next morning, crashing at one of our other relative's house for the night. I was too tired to travel to the border of the city where our new house was built, so Aniket chose to stay with me to 'take care of me.'

My mother had taken Aruvi with her, and the little girl had gone willingly. The thing about Aruvi is that she can connect with anyone, and instantly melt their hearts. I take a while to warm up to someone, but once I do, I never stop talking. I'm too loquacious, and outgoing.

My obsession with organization holds me back from some disorderly people, but other than that, I have no problems. After I married Aniket, however, my free spirit has somewhat vanished into the air.