20. You're still my wife

Author's POV

His voice, low and harsh, cut through the silence. "You think I'm a fool, Ishika?"

She tried to pull away, but his hold remained firm, his fingers steady against her arms, sending a shiver through her. "Sahil, you're hurting me," she whispered, her voice quivering. He hesitated for a moment, the tension in his grip loosened slightly, but the storm in his eyes didn’t waver. The unspoken accusation, the hint of betrayal reflected in his gaze, pierced her deeply, leaving her vulnerable and shaken.

"Leave—mmph!" Her words were cut off as he pressed a finger to her lips, his eyes locking onto hers with a cold, piercing intensity. His expression held a hint of a sneer, his gaze unyielding as silence settled between them.

"How dare you jump into the arms of another man so quickly?"

Ishika wanted to explain, but his words brought back memories of his betrayal with Shanaya. Back when they were married, he was the one who had been unfaithful. It didn't make sense that she should be cautious now, while he had enjoyed his freedom after their separation without a second thought. Moreover, he had a child with Shanaya; he had no right to accuse her of having an affair.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. With a sudden burst of strength fueled by her rage, she broke free from his grip, stepping back as fury flashed in her eyes.

Ishika's chest heaved with frustration as she glared at Sahil, her voice thick with rage. "Sahil, can you be reasonable for once?" She barely paused before her words cut through the air like a knife. "We're getting divorced! I don't care what you think of me! Don't bother with me anymore. Soon enough, we won't even have to pretend we're in this marriage."

Her hands trembled as she pointed an accusing finger at him, her voice rising. "You should care about Shanaya, not me!" she spat, venom in every syllable.

Sahil's face darkened at the mention of Shanaya, his expression hardening. His jaw clenched, and his eyes narrowed as he took a step closer to her. "What do you mean by that?" he demanded, his voice low, laced with barely contained fury.

Ishika's lips trembled as she fought to control her emotions, but her words came out sharp and bitter. "Don't play dumb, Sahil! I know what's going on. I know about you and Shanaya. You're having a child with her. You're the one who cheated on me!" Her voice cracked with the weight of the betrayal. "So don't lecture me about affairs when you've already crossed that line!"

Sahil's hands balled into fists at his sides. His temper flared, but he took a deep breath to regain control, his voice icy when he spoke. "That's none of your business. What I do with Shanaya is between us."

She then responded, "If it's not my business, then my relationship with other men is not your business either."

"Say that again!" Sahil glared at her.

Before she could respond, he stepped closer, gripping her arms firmly. His hold was strong enough to make her catch her breath, but not painful. She blinked up at him, her heart racing, the intensity of his gaze making her feel vulnerable. Her breath hitched, emotions swirling in her chest as she struggled to find the right words.

Sahil's face was inches from hers, his breath hot against her skin. His words were a low growl, threatening and filled with dark promise. "Until I publicly announce our divorce, You're still my wife, Ishika. Don't forget that." He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "I'm warning you, be cautious or else..."he paused, "whoever touches you will die."

Before she could react, he stepped back abruptly, his hands dropping from her as if burned. The sudden movement caused her to lose her balance and fall back onto the sofa with a soft thud. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words caught in her throat as the bedroom door closed firmly behind him, the sound echoing through the silence.

The sound of the door echoed in the silence that followed, leaving Ishika seething, her entire body trembling with rage. She could feel her heart pounding, the sting of his touch still fresh on her skin, and the weight of his threats hanging heavily in the air. Every part of her screamed for revenge, but all she could do was fume in fury, the door standing between them as the reality of their fractured marriage sank in.

***

Next Day,

The morning sun filtered weakly through the heavy drapes in Ishika's room, casting a pale, muted light. Her slender frame lay curled under layers of blankets, her forehead glistening with beads of sweat as a fever burned through her. She stirred occasionally, her breathing shallow, the muffled sounds of the world outside seeming distant and inconsequential.

The household was unusually quiet. The butler, Raghunath, had already noted her absence at breakfast and climbed the stairs to check on her. He knocked softly, hesitating before stepping inside. Ishika barely opened her eyes, her voice hoarse and barely audible.

"I'm fine, Raghunath ji," she murmured weakly, her voice betraying the opposite. "I just... need rest. That's all."

Raghunath's brows furrowed in concern. "Madam, at least let me call the doctor or-"

"No," she interrupted, shaking her head slightly, her energy clearly waning. "Please, just go."

Reluctantly, he bowed and stepped out, the door closing with a soft click behind him. But unease gnawed at him. Ishika had always been resilient, but today she seemed so fragile. He couldn't simply ignore it.

Pulling out his phone, Raghunath dialed Sahil's number. The line rang and rang before eventually going to voicemail. A second attempt yielded the same result. Sir is probably busy... as always, he thought.

Determined, he called Sahil's assistant, Rajat, instead. This time, the call was answered almost immediately.

"Rajat, this is Raghunath. Madam is unwell-I think she has a fever. She didn't even get out of bed for breakfast," he said, his voice laden with worry.

"fever?" Rajat's tone turned serious. "Did she see a doctor?"

"No, she refused. I tried calling Sir, but... he didn't answer. Can you please inform him? It's urgent." He replied.

There was a brief pause before Rajat replied, his voice quieter but steady. "I'll let him know immediately. Don't worry about it."

As the call ended, Raghunath stood there, his unease far from alleviated. In the sprawling silence of the grand house, Ishika's solitude seemed louder than ever, her fragile state haunting his thoughts.

***

Meanwhile, in a towering glass building miles away, Sahil sat at the head of a boardroom table, his piercing gaze locked onto the presenter. Unaware of the turmoil unfolding back home, his phone lay forgotten on the table, buzzing silently with missed calls and unread messages.

Sahil stormed out of the conference room, his footsteps echoing down the sleek, marble-floored hallway. The usual calm on his face was overshadowed by a gnawing As he settled into his plush leather chair, ready to immerse himself in the stack of files awaiting his attention, Rajat, his ever-efficient assistant, knocked hesitantly on the door before stepping in.

"Sir," Rajat began, his tone unusually cautious, "Madam doesn't seem well. She skipped breakfast, and hasn't left her room all morning."

Sahil froze, his fingers gripping the edge of the file. His brows furrowed deeply as he tried to make sense of her sudden behavior.

"Seems unwell?" he repeated, his voice quieter.

Rajat nodded. "Yes, sir. She hasn't eaten anything since morning."

For a moment, Sahil sat still, his mind racing. And then, like a bolt of lightning, the memory of last night hit him. His words, his tone-sharp, cold, and unrelenting. The look in her eyes before he turned away replayed vividly in his mind. A pang of regret gnawed at his chest.

But just as quickly, he shoved the thought aside. No, this can't be because of that. His rational mind latched onto another explanation. The flu, maybe. The season is changing, after all.

"Call the family doctor," he instructed abruptly, his voice steely. "Have him visit the mansion immediately and check on her. And Rajat..."

"Yes, sir?"

"Don't let her know I called him," he added firmly, his tone making it clear this wasn't up for debate.

Rajat nodded and exited swiftly, leaving Sahil alone with his thoughts.

Sahil turned his chair to face the towering glass windows behind him. His gaze drifted over the sprawling cityscape, the rhythmic hum of traffic below doing little to quiet the storm within. His jaw clenched as unease crept in, but he forced himself to tamp it down. She'll be fine, he assured himself. Minutes stretched into an eternity before he finally turned back to his desk, burying himself in work.

__________________________________

End of the chapter.

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