Could This Be Love

chapter 8❤

A few mornings later, Hritika was on her time when she got back from work.
Aarav soon joined in. They freshened up for their evening ritual, tea.

They held on to their mugs as a house helper announced a friend of Aarav has come to visit.

Hritika was skeptical about the sudden meet as she held on to the mug tighter.

A very amicable looking woman stepped inside the drawing area. Hritika stood up, loosened up a bit, put on a smile as the woman approached them.

Hritika hadn't noticed that Aarav was uncomfortable too.

"Hi, I am Lisa." She said to Hritika.

"Hey, I am Hritika, nice to meet you."

"So this is your girlfriend, eh?" Lisa asked.

Aarav looked up at Hritika with a heartwarming smile "She is my wife."

Lisa engulfed Hritika in a quite tight hug, Hritika was so against physical affection.

After an hour of chatting Aarav stood up and said "Lisa you're getting late. You should probably leave..?"

Hritika was shocked. Why was he being rude?

"I'm sure he didn't mean that..." Hritika looked at Aarav with confused look.

"Oh honey, you don't know what he is feeling inside." Lisa laughed aloud "intense fear"

"Leave."

"Well, I came here for a reason."

"Take it back with you on your way back"

Hritika looked aghast with how Aarav was talking to Lisa considering that was his friend and he didn't look like he was joking.

Hritika held Aarav's hand to ask him to calm down but unpalpable to her, he was anxious. Extremely so.

Lisa crossed her legs, "the fact that he didn't even let you know that he married you for checkmarks is disheartening"

Now Hritika understood why he didn't like Lisa "I know that" She lightly laughed.

"And you still wanna stay married to him?"

"Well..." something stirred in Hritika, a urge to tell her 'that was all in the past' but was it? Maybe Aarav still felt the same.

"You deserve so much better, love. Men like him aren't capable of emotions. Let alone love"

Hritika felt a strong urge to defend Aarav "You don't know him"

"Oh I do, love. Way longer, and deeper" She said looking at Aarav "that you ever will"

Aarav had quietened down, Hritika couldn't understand why wasn't he speaking up now that it required— Now that Lisa was disrespecting her, them!

"Yeah buy a trophy for yourself regarding that" Hritika quipped as she had had enough.

"You will know how much you've wronged by marrying this man. This man plays with feelings like it was some fuel to be burned. He fucking ruined me."

"That can not be true. Aarav-"

Aarav was sitting still, numb.

"Lisa, please leave." Hritika asked.

"I will. I will, but mark my words, days won't last."

"Just leave will you!?"

As Lisa left, Hritika turned to Aarav "What was that?"

Aarav didn't speak.