MARRIED 'SINGLES'

GYM SESSION

Happy reading....

Aditya stood outside Anu's apartment, his hand hovering over the door for a moment before he knocked. The sound echoed in the quiet hallway, and he waited, his heart beating faster than usual. When the door creaked open slightly, Aditya felt a pang of confusion-there was no one at the door to greet him.

He hesitated, then stepped inside cautiously, calling out, "Anu?"

There was no response, only the soft hum of the city outside the windows. The apartment was warm and inviting, but the silence felt heavy, almost unsettling.

Aditya walked further into the living room, scanning the area for any sign of her. The sofa was empty, and the TV was off. His brows furrowed as he wondered where she could be.

Suddenly, a burst of laughter rang out, clear and joyful, echoing through the apartment.

Aditya's ears perked up at the sound, and he followed it instinctively, his footsteps quiet on the wooden floor. The laughter was coming from the terrace. As he approached the open doorway leading outside, his steps faltered, and an unfamiliar tension gripped him.

When Aditya stepped onto the terrace, the scene that greeted him was like a punch to the gut.

There, in the soft glow of the setting sun, Anu was standing with Lakshya Kapoor, both of them entirely engrossed in a canvas propped up on an easel.

Lakshya was behind her, his hand guiding hers as she painted, their bodies close-too close for Aditya's liking. Anu's face was lit up with laughter, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she looked at the brushstrokes she was making. Lakshya said something that made her laugh again, the sound like a melody in the air.

Aditya's jaw clenched, his teeth grinding together as a surge of jealousy and anger welled up inside him. The sight of Lakshya's hand over Anu's, his fingers gently guiding hers, was almost too much to bear. His blood boiled, and a dark cloud of possessiveness descended over his thoughts.

What was this?

His mind raced with a thousand questions.

How had things escalated to this?

He felt like an outsider looking in on something that shouldn't be happening. His fists clenched involuntarily, the sharp sting of his nails digging into his palms grounding him as he fought to keep his emotions in check.

Lakshya, noticing the movement out of the corner of his eye, looked up and froze. The easy smile on his face faltered as he saw Aditya standing there, a menacing figure in the doorway. He quickly removed his hand from Anu's, stepping back a little, the sudden tension in the air palpable.

Anu, oblivious to the change in Lakshya's demeanor, was still smiling as she turned around, expecting to find another lighthearted comment from her painting partner.

But instead, she found Aditya.

Her smile vanished instantly, replaced by a mixture of surprise and something else-something that resembled guilt. She straightened, brushing her hair back with one hand as if to compose herself.

"Aditya... what are you doing here?" she asked, her voice tinged with confusion and a bit of apprehension.

Aditya didn't answer right away. His eyes flicked between Anu and Lakshya, the air thick with unspoken words and simmering tension. He took a deep breath, trying to rein in the storm of emotions swirling within him.

"I came to check on you," he finally said, his voice tight, betraying the effort it took to keep it steady.

"You didn't answer your phone, and you didn't sound well in your email."