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Lurking Dangers

3 weeks later, Niharika P.O.V.

It's been weeks, we last talked to each other nicely. Everything's a mess. Ranvijay. Sighs. He has turned rude all of a sudden and the glimpses of my cute, sweet husband are long gone. All now left is some heated exchanges and a pathetic silence. What led to this downfall, nobody knows.

Last week, his mother came to live with us in our apartment. From then actually everything is going south.

She was suffering from some imaginary disease. And blackmailed her son, saying she needs to be taken care of and blah blah. She was complaining of having, I don't know what it is. Like she has different types of symptoms of different types of diseases altogether.

She is just faking it. She is only sick in front of Ranvijay, and completely fine when he leaves for office. She is enjoying some kind of evil melodramatic serial of mother-in-law disturbing her daughter in law.

I confronted Ranvijay about it, thinking he will trust me. But, the plan back fired. He misunderstood me. It only fueled our distance apart. I showed him all evidences, but he chose to focus on, "I know you have problems with my mother, but please don't do these while she's sick." She isn't sick for God's sake. Which sick person talks for hours on phone? Which sick person does everything usual when left alone and unattended?

Which sick person ruins her son's documents and leave everything like a pro, so that her son will easily blame her daughter in law?

Which sick person will intentionally ruin the taste of her own food, using extra salt or chilli and then blame it on her daughter in law for not being conscious or typically petty to do that to her.

Honestly, I was getting tired of all these. And to make it worse, his mom never leaves a chance on mentioning his ex, who was apparently the perfect person ever. Why did she leave then? And not once has Ranvijay made an effort to stop or contradict his mother.

When I tried to confront him, about our shortcomings and the sudden distance between us, he shut me off saying he is busy correcting the files I ruined.

Yes. No. I didn't ruin his files. Suddenly, he came back and found that his file which was in the drawer was completely stained with my eyeliner,  foundation and liquid lipstick. Strange, because I use them once in a month, and I keep them in the opposite drawer. I understood it as my fault, if I used them that day. But, I didn't use them for about a month. So clearly it wasn't me. But he couldn't believe that. He said, "Who else lives with me in my room? Who uses these? I definitely don't use lipstick or liner right?"

It was just one of many misunderstandings and arguments we were having. When I was trying to sit down and talk, he escaped in another business tour of two weeks.

And, not a single day passed, when his mother reminded me, how he loved his ex. How he would leave me in a breathe if his ex comes back. How he was used to be happy back then. How he used to buy her gifts, bring her to parties and gatherings, kiss her in front of everyone, hug her in infront of everyone, take her to holidays when she was angry.

True. He did none for me. I couldn't help being jealous. The business trip was hell of time. Never did he message me once. He would reply me once in two or three days. No calls, no chat, nothing. His secretary informed he was alright. So, I refrained from further trying.

The thing which finally broke me was that incident. I was out with Parth, for a nice aunt-nephew time. Instead, I found Ranvijay sitting with his ex in that cafe, talking happily. A pang of jealousy got over me. I didn't know what I did and why I did. I called him on his phone. He rejected my calls twice, then leaving a message, in a meeting.

I came back home after dropping Parth and waited till he came back home.

-What were you doing in the Moonview Cafe?
- What?
- I saw you there with a girl today.
- I am not answerable to you.
He turned away to the bathroom. Waves of despair hit me. He isn't answerable to me? Am I that unimportant? I couldn't help but think over his mother's words. Does he really love her till now? I have been left alone and cheated once before. I know, that has no connection with him. But, I still couldn't control my insecurities, nor my tears.
"Is it because, she is your ex?" My question stopped him in his tracks. "Really Niharika, are you that petty?" "Answer me, Ranvijay."
He never said he loved me. May be his gestures were all because he was obliged to do so as my husband. I am a pretty much replaceable person in anyone's life. So many people left me, that I started attaching to people knowing they would leave me once.

But, Ranvijay.

I have fallen so deep without my conscience. I don't know how will I live without him.

"If you want to live with her, just tell me. I will quietly move away from here." Please say no. Please say you don't want me to leave. Please say you don't want her. Please say you only want me. My inner soul was pleading him to brace me in his arms.

He was silent for a while, "If you have no trust in me, then I don't think we can handle this marriage. Do whatever you want." Not an ounce of emotion was seen in his face. He stone hard eyes were watching collapsing into thousand pieces, like those glass balls being thrown into ground. He moved away from there.

Dejected. That's what I felt. But, that wasn't the end. The same day I found a set of documents. I never felt so betrayed. I shared each and everything with him. But he hid everything.

The first document, was him transferring his apartment under his parent's name.
The second document, about the losses and mishandling charges of his company.
The third document, of him making a contract with his ex.
And the fourth and the last document, divorce. I couldn't believe he ever requested for our divorce. The divorce paper was dated ninteenth months ago, precisely a month after our marriage. With a document promising 20% of his shares in his company as alumni. Perhaps he issued them after our marriage, a lot changed from then, but he still kept the papers said a lot.

My breathe got stuck in my throat. I couldn't face him now. I need to get out of here. I cannot stay with someone who neither trust me nor loves me. It would be better if I walk away with my pride and self respect. He can have all he wants.

I didn't wait for him to return from his bath. I took all my documents, some clothes and left for my sister's home, leaving a note behind.

I put his issued divorce papers on his night stand with the note, "Call me when you need the sign. Bye. Take care."