Kaun Kiska ✔️

six: Eat, Dance, Love

Shagun & Ashok
Shagun preened herself in front of the mirror in Ashok's bedroom.

"My bedroom too" she told herself triumphantly.

After she had successfully manipulated Ashok into agreeing to marry her, she had insisted on returning home with him.

"What about Adi?" Ashok had asked her.

"Adi is having a sleepover at his friends place tonight. They are having a birthday party and he was so upset last night, I thought it would be a treat for him" she told him, adding with a smirk "Besides, I knew we would be back together tonight darling, and I thought you would like me all to yourself"

Ashok had gritted his teeth, but had said nothing. He was still smarting from the telling off he had received from Suraj, and the disappointment he had seen in Param's eyes, and he was in no mood to further tussle with Shagun. The damned pre-nuptial agreement had been signed and was securely held by Neel. Neel had also held on to the evidence of Ashok's dastardly deeds.

"We will hand everything over to you as soon as the wedding is concluded, Mr Khanna" Neel had told him.

Shagun had insisted on going out to dinner to celebrate. Neither Suraj nor Param had joined them, and Ashok had been glad for that small mercy. It was torture enough to have Shagun clinging to him like a limpet and christening him as "baby" and "darling" with every third word, but to have Suraj and Param's disapproving glances added to the mix would have driven him beyond endurance.

She had insisted on going to the Casa Bianca. He knew it was Raman's faviroute restaurant and he looked around furtively as they entered, but luckily Raman was no where to be seen. The last thing he needed tonight was to see his rival again, especially when the evidence of his loss was plastered to his side. Although he did spot Raman's investor, Mr Malhotra, with a group of Japanese men. "Another big deal for Bhalla" he thought bitterly, hiding his face in the menu, as Shagun's strident tones had risen above the rest of the restaurant noise, as she complained about the location of their table.

The delicious italian food had tasted like sawdust in his mouth and it was only the Champagne that Shagun had insisted on ordering that had any attraction for him. "To us baby" she had toasted him. "To our future". And he had grimaced and thrown back the bubbly, dreading the future she brought with her.

She had made a scene throughout the dinner, returning the food, screaming at the waiters, finding fault with the lighting. He had watched the faces the waiters made behind her back, and had cringed with embarrassment.

The dinner over, thankfully quickly, they had driven to his house. Shagun had wasted no time in announcing to the servants that she was back for good.

"Champagne lekar aao" (Bring me champagne) she had commanded to the butler before swanning up the staircase.

Ashok had gone to find Suraj to try and explain his predicament, but his brother had refused to unlock the door to his room, and so now he had dejectedly returned to his own bedroom.

Only his bedroom was not his own any more, he thought glumly, as he watched Shagun preening herself in the skimpy nightgown she had obviously dug up from the things she had left behind. She held an almost empty flute of champagne in one hand, her free hand smoothing her hair.

He felt no desire for her, but he knew what was expected of him. He ground his teeth even further in desperation and walked into the room,

Ishita & Raman
His bedroom was not his own anymore, Raman thought with pride.

He stood in the doorway watching his wife bustling around their room, putting away his suits in the wardrobe, next to her sarees.

God, how he desired her, he thought, as he watched her curvy body outlined in the "kapdo ki thaan" as he called her sarees, her hips swaying as she walked to and fro. She must have seen him in the mirror, or perhaps it was just that she was so attuned to him now, but she stopped suddenly in her bustle and called out "Aap aa gaye." (You're home?)