Chapter 1

Sai stood dazed. As she heard the words uttered by Mohit she didn't know how to react. She was moving backwards without even realizing and had reached the center table and as her leg came in contact with the pointed nail protruding from the table leg, she winced. And her hiss of pain made everyone turn towards her. Virat had taken a few steps forward but before he could do more, Sai had stepped away even further. Virat looked at Sai, trying to make eye contact with her but Sai was focussed on rubbing the back of her leg more vigorously than needed. When she finally looked up , she found herself looking straight at Virat. His eyes showed regret, guilt but Virat found Sai's eyes to be blank. 

Ninad spoke up - Virat. Kya mohit sach bola raha hai? 

Virat - looked at his father but didn't say anything in response. This wasnt how he intended on the truth coming out. He hadnt planned when and how he was going to disclose things but he knew this wasn't how it was supposed to happen. 

Ashwini- tumhaare baba tum seh kuch pooch rahe hai, Virat jawab doh. 

Virat helplessly turned his gaze to her, willing for her to understand that whatever he did, he felt compelled to do. 

Samrat- Virat tumhaari khamoshi hum sabko chub rahi hai. Aisa kya hua hai ki tumne kisi gair aurat , apne dost ki biwi ko apni biwi kaha hai- vo bhi hotel mein kamra register karne ke liya. Please ab toh explanation de doh ki tumhe aisa kyun karna pada hai. He said in a frustrated tone..

PP- Samrat, tum uss seh kya puch rahe ho. Agar ghar mein apni biwi ke saath rishte thik hote toh......

she left the rest unsaid but the implication of her words were clear. 

Sonali- chee chee, kabhi nahi socha tha ki chawan khaandan ka mard ek din apne shaadi ke bahaar kisi aur aurat seh aise sambandh banayega....lekin Sai jaisi biwi ho toh kya kiya jaaye...

Virat fisted his hands and clamped his eyes shut at the combination of rage and humiliation he felt at these remarks. 

Karishma- aai, agar mohalle mein ye baat phai gayi toh....

Omi and Sonali - tch tch tch. But their mocking comments were cut short by a loud voice. 

Sai - Bass! Ab bahut hogaya. sonali kaku, karishma- Indecency ki bhi hadh hoti hai. Kitna girenge aap log. 

Virat turned to look at Sai, his eyes softening and tearing up hopefully at those words but she wasnt meeting his eyes. 

Sai- vaise bhi, ab pata chal chuka ki Virat Sir uss raat kahan the. Aur aaj bhi unke saath hi busy the. Toh ab bass. 

Ashwini - Sai. Bala tum....

Sai- Aai, ab bahut hogaya tamasha. Mein inseh kuch puchna hi nahi chahti thi lekin baba aur dada neh baath chedh di....lekin ab bass hogaya. 

Ninad- nahi, aise kaise. Virat neh kisi aur aurat ko apni biwi kaise bulaya...

Sai- cutting him off and indicating to herself- agar voh apni zimmedari ko biwi banasakte hai toh aaj bhi unke apne reasons honge. Clearly yeh baat voh abhi bataana nahi chahte the lekin mohit bhaiya neh ye sabke saamne bol diya hai. Anyway, ab bass hogaya. She firmly held out a hand signalling the end of the discussion.

She started to walk away. 

Bk- ae jungli mulgi. Tu kaun hoti hai ki aise bass hogaya bolke jaane vaali. 

Sai- met BKs gaze with a fierce stare of her own- and she said - "Sai Kamal Joshi" and with that she simply sprinted up the stairs, walking away without a backward glance at anyone. 

There was a stunned silence. 

No one in the room could make out what exactly Sai was feeling. Her reaction was strong but her stance wasn't clear to them. 

Even BK was tongue tied. 

Virat was staring at the staircase which Sai had run up to disappear....he was reeling with both guilt and hope. He knew Sai was probably caught completely offguard by the statement of Shruti being registered as his wife...and even though he hadnt clarified its obvious she had realized it was true. But Sai had stopped the infidelity allegations against him getting nastier and called it out as indecency. But she had also referred to herself as a zimmedari and had not met his eyes even for a second. He wanted to go after her but he also didn't know what he would say or do if he did come face to face with her.....what could he say to her to make her see his compulsions...

His phone ringing broke the silence. It was the DIG. 

Virat - Jai Hind Sir. 

The rest of the conversation was not audible to anyone but Virat ended his conversation with a simple - Jee Sir. Mein abhi pahunchta hoon. 

And that signalled the end of the issue for the night. 

Virat stepped out and everyone dispersed to their rooms. 

(Precap- 

Virat- Sai tum please suno. Mera aur Shruti ka...

Sai cut him off- mujhe pata hai ki aapka Shruti ke saath affair nahi hai.....) 

This germ of an idea was ruminating in my head...so penned down a few words.