Page 57 of Married in Vengeance

“Everything you feel, Raash, is real. The love, the anger, the hurt, the betrayal. It’s tainted by what he did but it still existed. And so, it’s okay to feel the grief which comes with it. It’s okay to mourn.”

“I don’t know how to talk to Harsh about this,” Raashi whispered. “And it feels wrong to keep it from him.”

“If there is a single truly non-judgmental person in this world, it’s Harsh Kodela,” Ram said wryly. “That boy doesn’t have a leg to stand on while judging anyone else.”

Raashi laughed. “He’s reformed now.”

“He better be,” Ram muttered.

“Thanks Anna,” Raashi said now. “I’ve got to go get my visa for Switzerland sorted. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Have fun.” He hung up and dropped the phone on the bed beside him, his free hand still twined with Aadhya’s. They sat in silence, their bodies offering and taking comfort in a way that words never could.

“Is Raashi okay?” Aadhya asked, her voice still soft with sleep.

“She will be,” he answered. “She just needs to process.”

“Don’t we all?” Aadhya murmured.

“We need to talk,” he told her, his conscience prodding him to have the hard conversation.

Aadhya sighed. “I don’t want to. Whenever we start talking, nothing makes sense.”

Ram laughed, a harsh, bark of sound in the quiet of their bedroom. “How are you feeling?”

Aadhya thought about it a bit before replying, “Better. Not sick, just a little weak.”

“Good. Would you like to go out for breakfast?”

She traced something on his back with one finger. “I have to go to work.”

“So do I. But we also need to eat. So, breakfast first?”

“Do we have to talk while we eat?” She leaned forward to face him and did the air quotes thing around the word talk.

Ram twisted to the side, one arm braced on the bed as he pushed a lock of curly hair out of her face.

“I need to tell you something,” he said, guilt gnawing at his insides.

“You’re having an affair?” She scowled, her hair falling forward again as she sat up.

“Jeez no! Where would I have the time for one?” Ram scowled back.

“Is that the only thing stopping you? The lack of time?”

Ram gaped at her. What in the world was happening right now?

“Are you insane?” he asked her.

“Yes.” Aadhya got off the bed, tying her hair into a messy bun with the scrunchy she’d had hanging off her wrist. “I had to have been to have married you!”

“I am not having an affair!” Ram roared.

“Yes, I heard you the first time. Apparently, because you don’t have the time for it!” Aadhya snapped back.

“No, you stupid woman. Because the only woman I want is a deranged witch who thinks fucking with my mind is a part time hobby.”

Aadhya stared at him, her stormy eyes eviscerating him. “Maybe it’s time for it to stop being part time.”

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