Chapter One Hundred Thirty Three: The Words That Broke Everything
Six months had passed since the double wedding.
The mansion had settled into a new rhythm. Akshi and Chethan were still in their honeymoon phase, annoyingly happy. Shreya and Mithun were solid—or so everyone thought.
And Jay?
Jay was six and a half months pregnant.
Her belly was round and full, the baby growing strong. She glowed, even when she complained about her back hurting. Keifer hovered constantly, bringing her water, rubbing her feet, talking to her stomach when he thought no one was listening.
Keiran was thrilled. "BABY SISTER COMING SOON!"
"We don't know if it's a sister, baby."
"Rex says it's a sister."
"Rex knows everything."
"Rex knows."
---
The trouble started on a Tuesday.
Shreya came downstairs with red eyes. Mithun followed, face like stone.
Akshi noticed first. "Shreya? What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"That's not nothing."
"It's nothing."
Shreya walked to the kitchen. Poured coffee. Didn't drink it.
Mithun stood in the doorway. Watching.
---
The tension was immediate.
Jay sat at the table, one hand on her belly. Keifer beside her. They exchanged glances.
Akshi grabbed Chethan's arm. "Something's wrong."
Chethan nodded. "Something's very wrong."
Percy, who had arrived for breakfast, was uncharacteristically quiet. Honey held his hand.
---
Shreya didn't turn around.
"Mithun."
"Shreya."
"I saw you. Yesterday. With her."
Mithun's jaw tightened. "Who?"
"Don't."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You know exactly what I'm talking about. Her. Your ex. In the café."
The room went cold.
---
Mithun stepped forward. "Shreya, that was a work thing. She needed help with a project. It was nothing."
"She was touching your arm."
"She reached for me. I pulled away."
"Not fast enough."
"I pulled away as soon as I realized."
"You didn't pull away. You sat there. Letting her touch you. Letting her smile at you."
---
Jay's hand tightened on her belly. Keifer reached for her other hand.
Akshi stood frozen. Chethan beside her.
Percy opened his mouth. Honey covered it.
C.N. stopped writing. Rakii lowered her camera.
---
Mithun's voice was steady, but his hands were shaking. "Shreya. Look at me."
She didn't turn.
"Look at me."
She turned.
Her eyes were red. Her face was pale. But her jaw was set.
"I didn't do anything wrong," he said. "I met her for coffee. She needed advice. I gave it. That's all."
"You didn't tell me."
"I didn't tell you because I knew you'd react like this."
"Like what?"
"Like you're reacting right now. Like I betrayed you."
"YOU DID!"
"I DIDN'T!"
---
She walked toward him.
Stopped inches away.
Her voice was shaking.
"You met her. You talked to her. You let her touch you. And you didn't tell me. You kept it a secret."
"It wasn't a secret. It was a conversation."
"A CONVERSATION? With HER? The woman who sent you pictures? The woman who hugged you and posted it everywhere? THAT woman?"
"She's just someone I used to know. That's all."
"She's someone who wants you."
---
Mithun grabbed her hands.
Shreya pulled away.
"Shreya—"
"Don't touch me."
"Please—"
"I SAID DON'T TOUCH ME!"
The room went silent.
---
Mithun stood there. Hands at his sides. Face broken.
"Shreya. I love you. Only you. There's no one else. There never has been."
"Then why did you meet her?"
"Because she needed help."
"SHE NEEDED YOU."
"She needed help with work. That's all."
"You could have said no."
"I could have."
"You could have told me."
"I should have."
"BUT YOU DIDN'T!"
---
She was crying now.
Loud. Wracking. Ugly.
He reached for her again.
She stepped back.
"Don't."
"Shreya, please—"
"I can't do this anymore."
"Do what?"
"Us. This. Everything."
---
Her voice was shaking.
Her hands were shaking.
Her whole body was shaking.
"Mithun."
"Shreya."
"I don't want to live with you anymore."
The words hung in the air.
No one breathed.
---
"I want a divorce."
---
The silence was absolute.
Mithun's face went white.
"What?"
"You heard me."
"You don't mean that."
"I mean it."
"You're scared. You're hurt. You're angry. But you don't mean that."
"I MEAN IT!"
---
She grabbed her purse.
Pulled out her phone.
"I'm calling a lawyer."
Mithun grabbed her wrist.
"Let me go."
"Not until you listen."
"I don't want to listen!"
"Then just look at me."
She looked.
He was crying.
---
"I love you," he said. "I love you more than anything. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone. And if you want a divorce—if that's really what you want—I won't stop you."
She stared at him.
"But I need you to know—I didn't do anything wrong. I met her. I talked to her. She touched my arm. And then I came home. To you. Because you're the only one I want. The only one I've ever wanted."
Her hand shook.
---
"I love you," he said again. "If you want to leave, I'll let you go. But I won't stop loving you. Ever."
She pulled her wrist free.
Walked toward the door.
Mithun didn't follow.
---
Everyone watched her go.
Akshi started to move. Jay stopped her.
"Let her go."
"But—"
"She needs space. Let her go."
---
Shreya disappeared into her room.
The door slammed.
The lock clicked.
---
Mithun stood in the middle of the living room.
Didn't move. Didn't speak.
Just stood there.
Broken.
---
Percy's voice was small. "Is she really going to—"
Honey pulled him away. "Not now."
"But—"
"Not now."
---
Akshi grabbed Jay's arm. "What do we do?"
Jay shook her head. "I don't know."
"She's going to leave him."
"I don't know."
"She's going to leave and he's going to let her."
Jay put her hand on her belly. Felt the baby kick.
"I don't know."
---
The day passed.
Shreya didn't come out.
Mithun sat in the garden.
Alone.
---
Jay found him there at sunset.
"Mithun."
He didn't turn.
"Mithun, she's hurting. But she loves you."
"She said she wants a divorce."
"She's scared."
"She wants to leave."
"She's scared of losing you. So she's pushing you away before you can leave her."
He finally looked at her.
"You think?"
"I know. Because I've done it."
---
She sat beside him.
Took his hand.
Placed it on her belly.
The baby kicked.
"She's strong," he whispered.
"She is. Like her mother. Like her father." She looked at him. "Like you. Like Shreya. You'll get through this."
"How?"
"By not giving up. By showing up. By proving every day that she's the one you choose."
---
That night, Mithun sat outside Shreya's door.
Didn't knock.
Didn't speak.
Just sat there.
Waiting.
---
She heard him.
She knew he was there.
She didn't open the door.
But she didn't tell him to leave.
---
End of Chapter One Hundred Thirty Three