As both of them entered the dinning hall, he had his hand around her waist protectively through out and he did not let her go.

There were immediate introductions. People smiling and hugging. Him introducing her as his wife. The socialites. The people. Wearing beautiful dinner gowns. The place was huge and filled with delicate glass decor. Everything was white and polished.

He got both of them a red wine glass

“I don’t drink.” She blurted out immediately, while he offered her one.

His eyes stuck to her face curiously.

“Never ?!!” He asked.

She shook her head.

“Never.” She said shortly.

He did not ask any explanation. His disarming charm and company again was getting to her. She might as well cling to his arm and push away all the stares that he was getting from the numerous woman. Most of them gazed up awed at his face.

They moved towards the table where the dinner with delicious spread was present. It was mesmerizing. Naira was just awestruck by the arrangements. It was spectacular.

She had gone with her father to these dinners. But nothing compared to this one. It seemed like she had climbed several steps up the ladder of the social circle.

She sighed and walked around smiling too and talking with the socialites and business men and their wives. He kept introducing her with lot of people and it felt strangely pleasing that he was involving her and pulling her towards where he stood.

As both of them are standing with some guests, a slow and romantic song started playing in the background. Naira recognized it immediately, it was Crazier by Taylor Swift. It was one of her favorites and she had very recently came to relate to its lyrics. The words were now her state of emotion.

Naira didn’t realize when she had started swaying lightly to the music.

“ I had never gone with the wind,
Just let it flow, let it take me where it wants to go,
Till you open the door, there’s so much more,
I have never seen it before.
I was trying to fly, but I couldn’t find my wings,
But you came along and you changed everything”

Karthik was observing Naira swaying a little as the music was playing. From the corner of his eyes he could see a slow smile crept on her face as the song played along. When he couldn’t take it any more, he held his hand forward to her, asking, “Would you like to dance with me ?!!”.

Naira was a bit taken aback at his request. She looked down at his forwarded hand. When her eyes travelled to his eyes she could see promise and longing. She nodded her head and placed her hand into his.

In return, Karthik ginned down at her. Naira’s heart skipped a beat looking at his grin. Karthik pulled at her hand lightly and Naira landed right into his embrace. Naira could feel Karthik’s hands curling around her waist.

“ You lift my feet off the ground,
You spin me around,
You make me crazier, crazier,
Feels like I am falling and I am lost in your eyes,
You make me crazier, crazier.”

Naira put her free hand on his shoulder and grinned up at him. He swayed once, and they were off on the dance floor. He made it so easier for her to follow, that she wondered if she was the professional dancer or him ?!!

They glided around backward and forward covering the whole dance floor. All the while their eyes never left each other’s . They were so involved into each other that for a moment they forgot the place where they were. Both of them tried to search the feelings the other person had through their eyes.

He swayed her and swirled her and Naira could not control the laughter that escaped her lips. Watching her be so carefree and happy, even Karthik could not contain his smile. Both of them were in their own bubble of love and happiness.

“ I watched from a distance as you, made like your own,
Every sky was your own kinda blue,
And I wanted to know, how that would feel
And you made it so real ,
You showed me something that I couldn’t see,
You opened my eyes and you made me believe”

The song soon started to fade out and reached the end but both of them were so immersed in each other that they didn’t want to let go off each other. They held on to each other till the last tune of the song could be heard. But then as if on cue, their little bubble busted and they parted ways from each other.

Suddenly they were very much aware of their surroundings and they let go off each others hands. Naira tried to excuse herself but was interrupted by Karthik.

“Where are you going ?!!” He asked and caught her hand again.

”I have to introduce you to many more people.” He said distracted and smiling at a few men passing by.

“I want to….” She started to say, but he dragged her towards another group of people.

A while later she walked towards the drinks bar and asked for a glass of orange juice. She stiffened while recognizing a person walking towards the counter. Naira straightened. A fear curled up her spine instantly. Her father. In Delhi ?!!

Mr. Singhania came forward with mocking eyes and the same sternness’ of demeanor. Naira gulped hard.

“Dad.” She came forward, but he cut her off with a hand slash.

She moved back a step while the light in her eyes dimmed, looking at her father after a lot of months. Apparently he did not miss her. The smile which started to appear on her face disappeared instantly. He moved towards the counter and she waited for his acknowledgement of her.

“Seems like you’re happy.” Her father stated flatly.

“I am.” Naira answered honestly.

She was happy. Doing what she liked. Working for what she dreamed. She finally had the freedom of dancing whenever and wherever she wanted. There was nobody to stop her. Also karthik was there to ensure she was happy all the time.

“What have you been doing ?!!” He asked suddenly without actually looking at her.

“I’m working in a dance academy.” She said in a small voice.

Her father looked back at her superiorly through his glasses.

“Dance ?!!” He asked with a raised eyebrow.

She bit her lip for blurting it out. She started to sweat at the distaste and displeasure darkening his face. She felt like coming back to the place where she hid everything and kept a secret of whatever she did in her life.

In the company of Karthik, she had no filter. What came in her mind she blurted it out. Because he never minded nor did he restrict her from anything.

She jumped, feeling a hand slid over her back. Her head moved to the side and her eyes caught the one person she was desperately looking for. Her husband. Her Karthik.

The caught breath in her lungs got out of her lips and her shoulder sagged relieved. His body was warm and hard. Like the shield and armor for her. His eyes moved all over her face and his gaze narrowed while looking at her father. Karthik straightened but he did not let go off her waist. He smiled at her father and her father looked at him with a sneering smile.

“Son-in-law.” Her father bit out while his eyes fired up.

”Seeing you after a long time.” Her father stated distastefully.

“Mr. Singhania.” Karthik greeted back coolly while dismissing the relation between them.

It made her father straighten in anger. Naira stiffened and tried to move away. Karthik looked down at her smiling and she just stared at him.

“By the way, have you seen my wife ?!! Your daughter that is. Isn’t she shining and confident.” Karthik concluded while straightening her spine with his hand gliding her back. Her cheeks heated up. Her father smiled back at him patronizingly.

“Woman are better inside the closed doors. They stay at home looking pretty.” Her father said glibly.

Just like how a furniture should be, Naira thought. She couldn’t win her own father’s heart. Or change his opinion. He would be the last person to understand what she felt or what she thought.

Naira’s face burned and she flinched back and tried to move out of his arms and walk away but the stubborn hold of his arms around her made her stay put where she was. What the hell was he trying to do ?!! She needed to run.

“That’s the difference. I like my wife doing what she likes. Not staying back at home and looking pretty.” Karthik concluded while looking down at her.

Karthik walked forward, and tugged at Naira’s hand so that she follows him as well. She had least time to see her father’s reaction. She knew he was looking, murderously at both of them.

“One of these days, You got to have some courage to speak up to your father.” Karthik grunted angrily.

”What if I’m not there to support you or speak for you, always” Karthik started again exasperated and looking down at her stinging eyes.

The words remained hung in the air between them. What if he wasn’t there for her always ?!! She thought. He wouldn’t be. She was in love with him, but she didn’t knew if he felt the same for her or not. She accepted the fact just like the swift slash of pain it brought into her heart as he moved back.

Karthik walked away from her without giving her the assurance of his presence, but then she knew he was seriously pissed off right now. She sighed heavily and rubbed her arms suddenly feeling cold and empty. She walked towards the washroom to freshen up.
——-
Karthik looked down at the whiskey glass in his hand blankly. Feeling a hand over his arm he suddenly pulled out of the numerous thoughts circling in his mind. He looked back to see the one person he never ever in his life wanted to see. His father In law. Mr. Singhania.

What does he want now, Karthik thought.

“ Well well, it seems like Naira has clawed her hooks deep into you. She shares everything with you, right ?!!” Mr. Singhania said in a sneer.

“What do you want to imply ?!!” Karthik asked, already bored with the conversation.

“Oh, there he is. My Ex- son in law.” Mr.Singhania said hastily and smugly while looking around the hall.

Karthik wasn’t interested but his eyes moved casually at the direction of Mr. Singhania’s gaze. He saw a tall man walk across the hall with a lot of women surrounding him. He knew who he was. He was just a young entrepreneur like Karthik. Infact Karthik had met him many times during the board meetings. They were not best of friends but neither were they strangers. The man was Rithvik Oberoi. Karthik’s only amiable competition in the business world.

Rithvik had an air of an entrepreneur. A strong willed businessman. It showed in the way he talked confidently and smiled surely. Like he knew the affect of his smile on the women. Just as Karthik was about to avert his gaze, he saw Rithvik walking away from the flock of women that had gathered around him.

Rithvik walked towards where Naira was standing. As their gazes met, Karthik could observe a knowing gaze and smile travel to both of Rithvik and Naira’s face. She knew Rithvik ?!!

As rithvik walked closer and closer to Naira, Karthik felt his heart stuttering. “My Ex son in law” Mr. Singhania’s Words came back to him like a cyclone. What was the equation between Naira and Rithvik ?!!

His unasked questions were answered when Rithvik went ahead and hugged Naira. Naira hugged him back without any hesitation with a smile on her face. Woah, She was never so comfortable with him being intimate with her, Karthik thought. As rithvik and Naira parted they started talking and laughing , which irritated the hell out of Karthik.

“They are childhood sweethearts, and had wanted to marry each other but then you forced yourself on my daughter which led to their separation. She must have told you about him, right ?!! They were inseperable until of course you came in between.” Mr. Singhania said in a ridiculously surprised and incredulous tone.

Karthik froze at his words. His eyes snapped back to the pair. Him and her. Suddenly it struck him. The accord. How Rithvik was seeing her and how she looked beside him closely laughing and smiling. The insides of his started to convulse.

That was the reason Naira never let him come close to her, thought Karthik. She always used to push him away when Karthik used to get intimate with her. She never loved him. She was with him because he had forced her into this marriage. All these thoughts were the only things that revolved around in Karthik’s mind.

Mr. Singhania looked back at him and smiled sadly.

“Poor you. Don’t get shocked. Maybe she did not tell you because she didn’t wanted you to feel jealous. I mean like, Who wouldn’t be jealous. Look at the,both of them. So perfect.” Mr. Singhania said further in a taunting tone and walked away.

Karthik looked up at where she stood, with Rithvik. The distance between them not measuring to steps but oceans apart.

He moved back while Naira looked around searching for him. His whole body vibrated with shame and humiliation. Why did he ever come to this party ?!! He wouldn’t have known any of this. Oh, how it hurt him now. It was making it hard to breath for him.

He took deep breaths. It shouldn’t matter to him. She shouldn’t matter to him.
——
Just as Naira circled around the aisle, she was pulled back by a strong pair of banded hands. A squeak escaped her lips and she was about to scream but a familiar voice travelled into her right ear.

“Took you long enough. Was Rithvik so interesting to have such a long conversation with ?!!” He murmured into her ear.

Naira flinched back. She tried to move forward towards him.

“We are going home.” Karthik said hastily and turned around.

He caught her hand and pulled her as he moved out of the hall and towards where their car was parked.

Half an hour later they reached the mansion and Karthik pushed himself out of the car and stomped his feet as he walked towards the door. When they reached inside the hall Naira caught hold of his hand.

“What is wrong with you ?!!” She asked.

He suddenly pulled away from her and just stared at her without saying a word.

“What has happened ?!! Why are you like this suddenly ?!!” Naira asked again, when she got no response from him.

Naira stared up into his eyes defiantly even though there were tears in her eyes. She didn’t know why he had drawn himself away from her, but she surely didn’t like this distance between them.

“How do you know Rithvik Oberoi ?!!” He asked in a low voice.

“He is my childhood friend. We have grown up together.” Naira answered wondering what this has to do with his foul mood.

“When were you going to tell me that you were in love with him and were going to marry him !!” He asked angrily while his eyes flashed.

“What ?!! Who told you this ?!!” She asked, completely shocked. It was so not true. She and Rithvik were just childhood friends and nothing more. Infact, she was completely shocked when she saw him in the event today. She had meet him after a lot of years.

Where did love and marriage with Rithvik come from ?!! There was nothing as of such !!

“Doesn’t matter who, What matters is that you didn’t even bother to, even though we have been living together for quite a while now.” He thundered back instantly.

“But there was nothing.” She snapped.

His jaw hardened and he glared down into her eyes.

“Really now. So please enlighten me, why were you clinging to him and laughing at all his talks ?!! Why were you so comfortable when he hugged you. When you just run away from me whenever I try to come close to you ?!!” He growled down.

“The issue over here is not whether I was in love with Rithvik, The question is whether you trust me or not ?!!” She said acidly in mock.

His brown eyes blazed and his face turned thunderous.

“If you want an answer. Then it’s a NO. I don’t trust you.” He cut her with his words in a harsh slash.

Hot tears fell down her eyes and slid over her cold cheeks. She broke down crying.

“I was foolish enough to believe that this marriage would ever work out. But when you don’t even trust me then what’s left in this relationship ?!! I was stupid to have a hope with you.” She struggled with the tears and hoarse voice.

She saw his throat working up and down and he took a step towards her while his eyes softened suddenly. Naira moved back. She rubbed her cheeks with the back of her hand while.

“You know what.” She said in a cold voice.

”You.” She pointed at him, while a tear rolled down her right eye and she looked around.

”This house.” She gestured her hands at her surrounding.

”And this piece of rich thing.” She said pointing her finger at the peacock pendant that he had gifted her. Which was hanging from her neck.

“Can go to hell !!” She snapped crying hard, and threw the jewellery right across the floor.

Karthik’s back straightened and he stiffened. He looked at the stream of tears falling down her cheeks and also at the pain filling in her eyes. He gulped hard while he saw her break down in front of his eyes. His throat started to close up and his eyes started to burn as well.

She turned and ran towards her room. Naira sat over the bed and she started to cry afresh. She put her hand over her forehead and shook her head while tears streamed down her cheeks.

She was foolish enough to have a hope for someone who was out of her league. She didn’t know that it would hurt like this. Her heart was breaking into million pieces. Her mumma had always told her that trust was the base of every relationship. But then he never trusted her. He had earlier as well accused her of betraying him which had led to their contract marriage.

Fresh tears filled her eyes. She would never come up to his level. He had a different life style. She couldn’t measure up to him. He was successful. He was too handsome. He was everything that she couldn’t ever have. It was clear she would never be part of his life.

It was humiliating and an insult. She felt a fool for always smiling and laughing in his company while he never saw her like how she saw him. She wasn’t going to be his wife ever. She should remember her place. She cried herself to sleep that night.

She had never felt so lonely. Never felt so unwanted. Never felt so unloved. It was the worst feeling in the world and hot tears flowed down her face again.
——
Karthik walked back to his room feeling empty as hell. He sagged down on the bed and put his hand over his face and closed his eyes. Her face came into his vision. It was burned his brain now. She didn’t love him, and he was just not able to register this fact in his heart.

He showered and changed into a grey t-shirt and track pants and slid down on the bed. He couldn’t close his eyes because he was afraid of the image of her crying coming into his eyes again.

He got a call and he growled low in his throat displeased.

“What is it ?!!” Karthik bit out angrily.

“Sir, the land has been transferred under you name. Also the divorce papers that you wanted are ready, will send them to the mansion tomorrow morning.” Swayam replied.

Karthik sighed and closed his eyes. He had momentarily forgotten about the land and the divorce because of his love for her. Sure he was angry at her. But did he want to divorce her ?!!

Well this would be her test, He thought. If she loves him, she would never sign them and leave him. If she does sign on them, he had made a complete fool out of himself and there never was any love from her side. He concluded his thoughts.

“Send them to the mansion.” Karthik said into the phone.

“Sure sir.” Swayam answered.

He hanged up on the phone and looked towards the ceiling. So tomorrow would be the decision day. Time for him to know if she ever loved him or not.

Precap :- The Divorce!!!!!and the Dairy !!Leap of one year: Naira's POV!!Roke na Ruke naina!!!