Page 67 of Only With You

“You still didn’t tell me about your conversation with her,” she complains, her face sullen now.

“I don’t want you to sweat about it.”

“I’m already tensed about it,” she retorts at me, clearly annoyed.

I lean back, studying her face. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to have that discussion.”

“Ranveer… don’t. Don’t make me feel like you are shutting me out or holding things back from me just because you think you are shielding me.” The emotional trauma in her eyes makes me feel guilty, and I open my mouth to defend myself, but she covers it with her fingers. “I appreciate and get it that you want to keep me from harm, but I want transparency,not protection. I want to know what’s happening. You can’t just expect me to let you keep secrets in our relationship, not when we are moving forward as one.”

I kiss her fingers softly before taking her hand off my mouth and cupping her face gently in my hands. “It was nothing, just a casual talk.”

“Ranveer…” she growls, making me fight a smile.

“Okay, I told her that if she wants to fuck around with other men, she can, but she needs to make sure she doesn’t flaunt those meaningless fucks in front of my daughter. To which she replied that she would do as pleases her. If I can move on in my life with you, so can she. And… she is not putting a stop to her dating life unless I accept her back into my life,” I recite. I had barely gained control over myself but recollecting the unwanted incident is making the wrath from talking to Soha reverberate through my body.

“Did she really say that?” she asks, as her face turns as white as a sheet.

“I hate how pale your face is looking at the moment. This is the only reason I didn’t want to discuss that horrid encounter with you. It’s better that the crap doesn’t touch you,” I snarl.

She ignores my words and questions me in a shaky voice. “She wants you back?”

“Doesn’t matter what she wants. She is nothing but a bad decision of my life. And if she thinks she can mess around with me and I will accept her back, then she must be brain-dead. There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that I’ll have her back in my life.”

“I just don’t want Mili suffering in all this.” She breathes in anguish, her shoulders hunched over in worry.

“It won’t. I will make sure you and Mili are steered clear from her twisted mind games.”

She freezes for a second and then pulls her bottom lip into her mouth. “How will you do that?” Her voice is not more than a whisper as she stares into my eyes.

“I will have a one-on-one conversation with her. If she wishes to have the monthly deposits in her account, she better stop littering her mess around my family. I know she needs the money to keep up with her lifestyle. I think that will get to her and she will stop her crap.”

“I feel bad for Mili and hate that she even has to be a part of it,” she murmurs. She closes her eyes and tries to regain composure. God, I hate to see her like this. As I caress her arms and try to pacify her, her eyes meet mine. “What kind of a mother is she? How can she not care about that sweet innocent soul? God, how can she not realise what a beautiful gift God has given her? How can she not be happy with her life and what she has? On one hand, she is dating other men, and on the other hand, she wants to take my husband from me.” She shakes her head and lets out a frustrated breath. “She is so messed up in her big head. Egocentric to the core. Trust me, that woman needs some sort of help, someone who can beat sense into her.”

“She will never have me, and she can never take me away from you,” I say, ignoring her rambling.

“I know that.” She gives me a weary smile. However, the tension is still lurking in her eyes as she says, “I… can’t help worrying at times though.”

“Don’t torture yourself about this.”

“Ya, but there are things that are not in your control.” Her harrowed eyes search my face while her fingers intertwine with mine. “Soha is Mili’s mom, and…” She pauses and gulps a lump in her throat. Her voice is clogged with emotions as she gazes into my eyes. “Whether I like it or not, she will always be a part of our lives.”

I try to wrap my head around this. She’s not wrong, but I will be damned if I sit hand in hand and do nothing about it.

“I’m going to talk to Soha about it,” I repeat.

She nods thoughtfully. But the next second, I see a mischievous smile play in her eyes. “So, your ex-wife wants you. Hmmmmm… my husband is in demand among the ladies.”

“Alisha, I am in no mood for jokes,” I growl, rubbing a frustrated hand over my face.

“I’m just saying she wants you. It’s no secret or joke.” She shrugs, but I see her press her lips together trying to hide her grin.

“You find this amusing? To make me mad?” I ask her, and she shrugs again, giving me an it’s-not-a-big-deal look. “Now be ready to pay for it, Wifey,” I say with an evil smile on my face.

“Wha… What?” she stammers, her smile evaporating from her face in a jiffy. “I... I... was just joking.”

Getting up from the couch, she turns and tries to make a run but I am quick to wrap my hands around her wrist, which makes her stumble onto my lap.

She lets out a squeak because of the sudden movement. “Ranveer!”

---