Sharon hardly got any sleep that night and woke up with a heavy head. Her head was hurting with all the revelations. Only God knew what else would happen next. She got ready and grabbed her bag to rush to college. The last 2 days had taken a toll on her health, mental health that is.
On route to college, she got a call from a frantic Rey. Kria had told him. She asked the driver to change the route and take her to Singhania house.
She made 2 cups of tea and handed one to Rey. She sat there with him listening to everything. Kria didn't leave any detail out. Sharon was supporting him throughout. He finished his story but was massively upset, any one would be.
"Needless to say the wedding is off and so is the relationship," he concluded.
Sharon spoke after a minute, "Don't get me wrong, I don't condone her decision, but should we judge her so harshly?"
Rey was confused, "Are you seriously defending her?"
Sharon shook her head, "No! But if you think about it, haven't you guys been doing this your entire professional life- Making deals, giving bribes? How are we different from her? My marriage to Swayam was more or less the same thing."
"It's not that," Rey justified, "My moral compass doesn't point due north most of the time. I have done things that are not ethical. But I never hid anything from Kria. She is the one person with whom I shared everything - all my secrets, lies, mistakes, everything! And I expected the same from her. The fact that she made a deal with Anjali doesn't bother me much as that fact that she kept me in the dark, for 3 years."
"Rey," Sharon spoke, "I didn't want you to call the wedding off. I just wanted you to know the truth; although I was angry at her for ruining Swayam like that. Poor guy doesn't even know till date what hit him. He never got any closure."
"That's another thing I wanted to talk to you about," Ray placed his cup on the table and looked at Sharon solemnly, "Swayam and your marriage."
"What about it?" Sharon asked, furrowing her eyebrows.
"You were forced into this matrimony and from what I could pick up, you don't have... a conventional marriage," he stated.
Sharon felt her cheeks grow warm.
"I know it's been difficult for you, these past four months with him and his family," Rey took Sharon's hand in is, "all I am trying to say is, if you want out, I'll help you."
Sharon's eyes widened, "Out? You mean end the marriage? A... divorce?"
Rey nodded, "I had a choice, of leaving Kria and so should you. If you are not happy, you don't have to go along with it. I know this is late. I should have not forced you into this alliance."
"You didn't force me, not exactly," Sharon countered.
"We did emotionally manipulate you," Rey confessed, "and now, after being in a similar situation, I feel horrible about what we made you do."
"What about the deal? The business? What about dad?" Sharon asked.
"Don't worry about dad or anything," Rey encouraged, "I'll handle everything else. Sharon you shouldn't have to be a pawn in our games. You have a right to live your life the way you feel like. So, do you want to...," he paused for a couple of seconds, "leave Swayam?"
A thousand thoughts erupted in Sharon's mind. She had never thought of divorce as an option. She had accepted this marriage and tried, was still trying to make it work. She knew it was not going to be easy. In fact, it looked almost impossible especially after her conversation with Swayam yesterday.
Divorce was an option now. It would be tough and Rey would support her. But did she want it? She thought of Swayam, how he opened up to her. Surely that meant something, didn't it? She thought of his smile and how he had embraced her, quelling all her fears and worries.
Sharon shrugged her shoulder, I don't know "I... have never thought about this... I don't know."
Rey nodded.
She shook the divorce thought aside, "Today is not about me, Rey. It's about you. Let's just handle one situation at a time. Okay?"
She gave him an encouraging smile, "Clearly you are not in a state of mind to go to office, so why don't you take the day off and we'll do something together?"
Rey smiled weakly, "I like the sound of that."
Sharon spent the entire day with Rey at home. They ordered pizza and had a horror movie marathon. Rey mood was swinging frequently. One moment he would be fine, the next moment he would turn emotional, reminiscing about his time with Kria. Sharon left late at night after he assured her that he was feeling much better.
Sharon came home late at night. She wanted to take a nice cool bath and sleep. She had already missed 2 days of college. She would have a lot to catch up with, once she went back. However her plans were dismissed when Anjali asked her for a meeting in the study.
Anjali began, "Sorry to hear about your brother."
Sharon gave her a puzzled look.
"Kria called," she explained.
"Okay," Sharon nodded.
Anjali spoke again, "I wanted to talk to you because I know a lot must be going in your mind. I want to put a stop to that."
"Very well," Sharon replied nonchalantly and took a seat, "I am all ears."
"Whatever I did, was for my son," Anjali started speaking when Sharon laughed, "I am sorry, are you always this dramatic?"
Anjali's face hardened, "I know you think of me as a calculative woman, but what I do is purely for the sake of my kids and my family."
"Mrs. Shekhawat," Sharon quipped, "please just stop with this drama. If you really wanted your kid's happiness, you wouldn't let him endure this. He has been dwelling in the past for 4 years. He is torn and defeated and in pain. How could a mother see her child suffering so much and yet do nothing?"
Anjali gave Sharon a long, hard look, "I understand you care for him and were in pain when you saw him suffer. But this is nothing compared to the pain he would have felt if he had eloped with Kria. He was foolish- leaving this luxurious and secured life for that girl. As a mother I did what was right for him."
Sharon smirked, "Are you really that delusional?"
"Careful Sharon," Anjali's tone had now changed, bordering on threatening, "You are treading a very fine line. I don't appreciate being talked to like that."
"And I don't appreciate manipulative, cunning people. So deal with it." Sharon opened the door to leave, fuming.
"We are not done here," came Anjali's voice from behind.
"What more could you possibly have to say?" Sharon retorted, turning the cold door knob in her palm. She didn't leave. She waited for Anjali to speak.
"I don't regret what I did. She was not a good match for Swayam. She had the will but not the family background or stature," Anjali replied in a calm voice, "And don't forget, she accepted the money when I offered her. I didn't force her to do anything. I made a deal and she accepted on her own accord. Now tell me honestly if you think Kria was suited for Swayam."
Sharon opened her mouth to say something but she had no words.
"I could have never found a better match than you for my son," Anjali claimed, "You have the family name and background. You complement him well in all aspects."
"Except for the fact that he doesn't love me," Sharon insinuated.
"It is too early to comment on that. Initially my marriage to Rishi was the same," Anjali replied, "In fact I see a lot of me in you."
Sharon flinched, "I am nothing like you."
"You are, more than you give yourself credit for," Anjali stated.
"You say that as if it's a compliment," Sharon spat the words.
Anjali smirked, "I clearly remember what you did to Neha, your so-called friend."
"She was my friend," Sharon commented, infuriated.
"You humiliated her just to get back at Raj. It was entertaining, don't get me wrong. You did what you had to, to bring Raj down. His face was worth seeing. He had never been embarrassed more in his life- to know that his son Vicky was having an affair with the help," Anjali chuckled.
"I...I didn't want Neha to get hurt. I only wanted to shut him up," Sharon countered.
"Yet, in the process, Neha was hurt. She was collateral damage," Anjali looked at Sharon, making her point, "and that's exactly what we do every day. That is what I did 4 years ago. I had to take out Kria, in the process Swayam was hurt, but it was temporary and for his good."
Sharon was disgusted, "Do you ever listen to the words you speak? Your son is not a pawn in this game of business," she repeated Rey's phrase, "He is a person, with feelings."
"I did what was right for him," Anjali replied, "I thought you should know all sides of the story."
I'll have to tell him," Sharon confessed, "I can't go around preaching about honesty if I hide this from Swayam. I will have to tell him about your involvement."
"And I won't stop you," Anjali replied coolly. "But what purpose will it serve? Will it ease his pain? You have your whole life ahead of you. Rather than digging up the past, you should work on the future."
She placed a hand on Sharon's head, "I love my family despite of what you think and you are my family too. Think over what I said."
Anjali left. Sharon sat on a chair, in the study, mulling over everything.
She had walked right into a mess.
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Sharon was so tired when she entered her bedroom, her knees were wobbly and she couldn't stand.
"Are you okay?" Swayam asked her. He was standing near the closet.
She straight away ran toward him and embraced him. Her head was full of thoughts, she feared it would explode. She closed her eyes and hugged him tighter.
Swayam was taken by surprise. At that instant, his body was rigid. His hands were falling on his sides and he didn't know how to respond. Slowly he wrapped his hands around her waist.
She felt relieved. In the midst of all the drama and tension, she found some semblance of solace in his arms.
"Make it stop," she whispered, her face pressed against his chest.
He ran his hands on her back and stoked her head, cajoling her. He whispered near her ear, "I am here."
His whisper sent a tingling sensation all over her body. She smiled, feeling relaxed for the first time in over 2 days. She didn't want to let go. She could stand there all night, safe in his strong arms. She didn't have to think about anything. Kria, Anjali, Rey were all a distant memory now, at least for the time being.
They stood there, in each other's arms for quite some time.
"Sharon," he whispered in her ear, "you are tired, you should sleep."
She shook her head lightly, not wanting to let go. Her face was still pressed against his warm body. She was very tired.
What he did next surprised her. He picked her up in his arms and walked towards the bed. He placed her lightly on the bed and put a blanket on her.
"Sleep on the bed, you look like you need it," he said tucking her in.
She didn't resist. She took his hand in her hand and fell asleep. He tried to remove his hand from her grip, slowly. She responded by clutching it tighter.
She whispered, "Don't let go".
Swayam leaned forward and placed a light kiss on her forehead.
His voice was barely a whisper, "I won't."
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