Fatal Attraction

Part 33

Vikas' fingers trembled, and he took an involuntary step away from his wife, who rested the back of her head against the wall and allowed the sobs to pour out of her heaving chest.

"T-That can't be... w-what made you think that?" he asked. His voice cracked, and every breath felt tougher than the previous one.

"She told Daksh! She told him!"

The contempt in her raspy whisper and the gnashing of her teeth against each other hurled a venomous dagger aimed straight at his heart. His brain had turned into a muddled mess and his eyes rolling from one side to another had lost their focus.

Neerja had joined the clinic when he had taken over the reins from his aging adopted mother. Psychology had never ranked on the list of his interest, but when his kind mother, the one who gave him a fresh lease on life by adopting him, had asked him to manage the clinic, he could not refuse her.

He reminisced about the young and desperate doctor, whose mother had then recently succumbed after her long battle against ovarian cancer, help him in making peace with his decision. That had kick-started their friendship, which took an unexpected turn when she proposed him after a few months of joyous and supportive acquaintance.

"I respect your feelings, Neerja, and you would make an amazing life partner, but I cannot accept this proposal. I love someone else. I am so sorry," he said, flashing an apologetic smile at the woman, who withdrew her trembling hands from his firm ones.

Her wide eyes brimmed with tears and her palms balled into fists. The just perceptible sniffle and the merciless nibbling of her lower lip had sent ripples of remorse for his conscience.

"And what about her? Does she... she loves you?" she asked, training her gaze on her shifting feet and allowing the tears to roll down her crimson cheeks.

A tiny smile and glimmer of joy flashed in his eyes at the mere thought of his ladylove before he straightened himself. "She told as much to our mutual friend. She just does not want to get into a relationship before she pays off her educational loans and lands a stable job. Anyway, I wouldn't want to cheat on both of you by giving you any kind of false hope, Neerja. I am sorry!"

He had admired her maturity to take the rejection in stride and continue their friendship. The weight of her alleged betrayal knocked air out of his lungs. "Why would you... why would you believe what he said? How can you believe a crook and a scumbag like him?" he asked, resting his palms against his desk to support himself.

Asmita's fierce eyes shot him a questioning glare that caused a lump of regret to form in his throat for poor choice of words. "It makes sense, Vikas! I was on the road of recovery till... till we got married. And everything went downhill after that! We reasoned the behavior by attributing the marriage or the wedding rituals to be the trigger. But it was her! It was that woman whom you trust beyond everyone!"

She slammed her fist against the couch beside her, ignoring the agonizing pain that shot through her arm. Vikas rushed to her side and held her arm before she could inflict further injuries upon herself to cope with the mental turmoil.

Asmita pulled her arm from his grip and stepped away from him. "Her prerogative was no longer my cure, but eliminating an obstacle from her path! She's the reason I'm stuck in an endless loop of nightmares and anxiety!" she said, pointing towards her therapist's cabin.

"Marry her? Why would you marry her?" asked Neerja, startled by the sudden revelation and almost dropping the coffee mug from her hands.

Vikas massaged his temples and swirled the coffee in his mug with his other hand. "Maa says she does not understand why we cannot marry when we love each other. The taunts from the neighbors are wearing her out. Asmita feels the wedding could free her from the terrible memories of that night. I don't agree with Maa's reason, but if Asmita feels this could help her, I am ready to do it!"

He had dismissed her shock at the news because of the sheer suddenness of it, but Asmita's accusations had forced him to view the memory with a scrutinizing lens. Her repeated poking for confirmation played at the back of his mind, and his blood boiled with his heart agreeing with allegations leveled against her.

The muscle at the angle of Asmita's jaw twitched and a crimson hue splayed across her face, drenched with perspiration. The erratic and staggered breathing pattern added to the dizziness that accompanied the blood rushing to her head. She took a tentative step in his direction and clasped the lapel of his shirt between her quivering fingers.

Her bloodshot, glistening eyes clashed with his repentant and concerned ones. "Do you believe me?"

Vikas cupped her warm cheeks between his hands. "Always, Asmita. I would never doubt you. But that man, I cannot trust him. What if he just wants to cause a misunderstanding and act as your savior? That is in line with his narcissistic tendencies," he said, running the pulp of his thumb against the apple of her cheeks and wiping the trails of tears.

Asmita crashed her head against his shoulder and broke out into full-fledged sobs. The moisture seeped through his shirt and burned right into his soul. "I am sorry. I should have known being his therapist would only add to your misery. We will sort this out, I promise. And you are the woman I ever loved and that will not change, Asmita!"

He wrapped his arms around her and rested his cheek against her head, suppressing his own sobs that rumbled in his chest. The suffering of the withered woman in his arms had to end, and he would make sure of it.

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The prodigious doctor fumed in vengeance as she faced the furious couple who had confronted her with the proofs of association with Daksh Malhotra from the closed-circuit camera footage.

Her desperation to stop Daksh from exiting Asmita's life had made her lose cognizance of the many cameras in the lobby - one of which had caught the exchange from two days ago and her confession.

Her form shook and tears spilled out of her wide eyes as she realized Daksh had stabbed a dagger into her back to earn himself brownie points in Asmita's eyes. Her nails dug into her palms and drew blood as the female constable cuffed her hands behind her back.

"I suggest you lodge a case even with the state medical council for further action," said the inspector, and Vikas nodded in acknowledgment. However, Asmita's eyes remained trained on the disappointed doctor as the constable dragged her away.

"Sir, is it possible to register a complaint about crimes committed eight years ago?" she asked, gazing into nothingness as her expressions betrayed no emotion.

The inspector looked to Vikas with surprise and Vikas, taken by surprise himself, intertwined his fingers with those of hers. "What crimes are we talking about?" asked the inspector, pulling his pocket notebook out.

"Molestation, assault, blackmail, and forceful marriage."

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Like you may have guessed it already, the story will end soon. Next chapter will be the last and I have an epilogue planned. Neerja and Daksh are getting what they deserve finally. What do you think of that? Please VOTE and COMMENT!