Page 42 of The Unwanted Husband
“Ready for breakfast?” Ashok asked and the twins babbled a yes and in response to that, he pulled them all close and something woke up inside her. The feeling of a family. Her dad was big on pulling the four of them and calling them ‘Family Time’.
She looked up at him while he held them all close. Their eyes met and for a moment, she was so sure they were going to kiss, not caring the kids were inches apart and the staff were only a few feet away in the other room.
A moment passed and she saw something that she wanted. Her entirety longed for it but the sound of the big clock made him look away and she did too.
Her heart kept thundering in her chest even as she moved around him like there was nothing chaotic happening inside her. It felt like something changed.
Change! Is this what Chandini was talking about?
*****
The next day, she spent time handing all her San Francisco case work to her team. Work continued well into the night. It was past midnight when she told herself she had to take a pause. She probably had a few days before she had to prepare to go to Ashok’s native place.
Just based on how intense Ashok’s older sister was, Isha knew she would need to focus on the family. Make them believe the marriage was real and to make sure the kids and Ashok can rejoin the family. There was no indication from Aravinda when they could go visit but she knew it would be sooner than later.
She was just about to wrap up the work for the night when she saw Aman was calling. She smiled as she answered the call. He was in Europe for work and was only a few hours behind.
“Aman, I’ve been thinking about calling you all day.” She was excited to share the latest developments with Ashok’s family with him.
To her surprise, she didn’t hear his voice, but there was a lot of background noise. She held on, wondering if it was static that would just clear eventually. “If you’re talking to me, I can’t hear you.”
Then she heard him grunt and that made her smile. “I hear you but can’t make out a single word.”
Another sound and that made her heart drop to her stomach. She heard Aman grunt repeatedly and along with him, she heard a woman’s voice. She wanted to end the call but she needed to make sure she was not imagining things.
She then heard a woman call out his name and her stomach dropped. If she thought she had heard the worst thing, she then heard Aman. “Ohh, I didn’t know how much I love a funone in bed. I have been stuck with a stuck-up bitch who is no fun in bed.”
She could not take it anymore. The scene had started to play out before her eyes and his words were ringing in her ears. Why was he even with her if that’s how he felt about her? She stepped out of the office like she needed the fresh air.
She walked past the kitchen, opened the side door and stepped into the patio. The distant beep of an alarm started going off but she didn’t care. It felt like she was going to explode. She entered the garden, a mess in her head.
What the heck did she just hear? The guy who she thought had a very balanced relationship was having sex with his coworker? What made it worse were his words. If that’s how he felt about her, why was he even talking to her? He could have told her it wasn’t working out and they could have moved on.
“Isha, everything okay?” It was Ashok and he sounded pissed.
She turned to face him like she didn’t want to show any emotion and she smiled at him. “Sorry, did I wake you? I needed some fresh air.”
His expression shifted but didn’t say anything. He took a few steps toward her but didn’t get any closer. He stood away from her like he wanted to give her space.
Isha turned away from him, processing her emotions. It wasn’t Aman’s actions that hurt her but his words. But to Chandini’s point, should it hurt her that he cheated on her?
“Let’s go back in.” Lost in thought she had forgotten Ashok was still outside with her.
She was not ready to return. “I’ll lock up before I go to bed.”
She heard footsteps as he approached her. “No. Now.”
Isha was annoyed with his domineering tone. “I’m not a child. I can take care of myself.”
His eyes bore into hers for a moment before he bent to sweep her off her feet.
“Ashok, put me down.” She wiggled her feet as he carried her toward the patio door. “Don’t be ridiculous, I just—”
He hushed her loudly as he was about to step indoors and she stayed silent. She knew it would be a bigger mess if the kids woke up then. He placed her feet back on the ground before shutting the patio door.
“Don’t treat me like I’m a child,” she hissed.
“You leave me no choice.” With those words he left her standing in the kitchen.
