SS: Zombie Bride [04/08] Hiatus after ch 6 - Page 5

We're going nowhere. I am sorry. I have said it a hundred times. Whatever your plan for vengeance is, get it over fast. I am tired". She dropped down to the ground, hands in her hair. A half eaten apple rolled down the hardwood flooring adding to the dramatic effect.

"Fine, give me one hour". He sat up confident in his decision.

"Tick tock". She pointed to an imaginary watch on her wrist and resumed writing the paper she left halfway on the kitchen island.

"Really? Your peer review deadline is more important than me?" He had to throw one last snark.

"Yes"

"Madhubala, I have no words".

"As you should. Now is not the time to waste. Your time is running out mister".

"Evil bit..."

"Do not finish that sentence"

"Of course I won't. I know better than that".

"Good boy".

"Double standards. Tsk, tsk".

When it came to gender politics the woman could put secretary Clinton to shame. Rishabh decided it was best to call a truce.

"When one woman looks down on a man, it does not equate to centuries of marginalization and institutionalized gender discrimination of one half of our species. Therefore, Mr. Kundra your 'reserve' sexism argument does not apply here".

Oh she pulled out the air quotes alright.

"There are so many ways I could destroy your weak case, it's not even funny girl".

"I am sure there are. The problem is you can't think of any. Now get moving".

"Where is your feminism when you're begging me to stay".

"It's not begging, it's confrontation".

"You keep telling yourself that".

There, he had the last word. He could leave the house a happy man...only to return exactly fifty one minutes later with two overpacked suitcases on tail.

"I am moving in honey".

"Pfff", Madhu spit out the drink she was sipping on all over his trenchcoat. "No you're not. Out of my den!"

"Too bad, you either get all of me or you get nothing. Like a wise woman once said, 'I have no interest in half-assing this relationship'"

Mic drop!

"Rishabh Mohan Kundra I will not live in sin with you".

"We are married, there's not sin involved".

"Don't tell me you registered us?" she almost could not believe his words but it was just like him after all.

"As of 48 hours ago, I legally own half your assets".

"I don't have much to show for it", she cocked her head to the side trying to decipher what his real motive was.

"So, where's the master bedroom?"

"Go back Rish, I have a grant due in two hours. I don't have time for your tantrums".

"And who agreed to my one hour deadline again?"

"Me", she hung her head low.

"Right. Besides, my dad disowned me so I am mooching off you now".

"Eh?"

"What do you think he'd have done after hearing about my secret marriage to you. You should be thanking me in a special way you know, emphasis on the special. I refused a very lucrative marriage proposal for you".

"My hero!" she mocked in a nasal voice.

"You just wait till you see the value in me. I am heading a startup. Your basement will be my office".

Says who? Did he just hog her as a starter wife?

"Kundra, I am not very patient with rich kids rebelling".

"Malik I am no longer rich. How do you feel about feeding a poor man?"

"Frozen lasagna or last night fried chicken, take your pick".

"So you are taking me in?"

"If I don't, you'll think I was only in it for the money".

"I abandoned that notion sometime ago", he said as he munched on the soggy microwaved rice.

"How come?"

"Your lawyers paid me a visit".

"What? I don't have a lawyer". What was the man talking about?

"Anyway, did you transfer some patent pending royalties in my name?"

"Um"

"Did you or did you not?"

She scratched her head trying to think back to her recklessness in Bali.

"Madhubala, it's not that hard. Yes or no?"

"I thought I was dying. At the time it sounded like the best thing".

"You told me you didn't have money".

That's because she didn't take out a salary. A good business woman never tells trade secrets.

"I don't. This is just something I saved for the future".

"That's half a million per annum. Lot of money for a woman who didn't spend a dime of hers when we were married".

Was he really going to pin her for that?

"Rishaabh please don't start on such petty matters".

"Petty matters? You are stingy as hell".

"Well, you got my money. Isn't that enough?"

"So you aren't going to beg to pay you back?" he folded his arms staring at her like she was a student in trouble.

"When you put it like that..."

"Whatever you're trying to pull, it won't work. Are you trying to act like a sacrificial lamb so I think you weren't after my cash at all. Oh how misunderstood!"

"Look Rishabh, in the heat of the moment, I made a mistake. Now I am paying the consequences. If you don't want to give me the royalties, that's fine. It was my gift to you anyway. So let stop these futile back and forths, um?"

"Futile? I am telling you I am hogging patents".

"You can't, not when I am alive".

"You won't support your husband's business venture?"

"I can give you a place to sleep but that is where this ends. I do not mix business with marriage. Make no mistake, the money you received is yours. Doesn't matter if I live or die. However, the rights to my patents were conditional. The off chance that I should live, which I did, you will have no legal authority to rent or sell my intellectual property to anyone. You will still get any money I earn from it, I don't mind. I'll just earn more. But when it comes to integrity, I go to war. And unlike our marriage, I don't play nice".

"I am not trying to sell your work, I am trying to use it for myself. Lend it to me, I'll pay you".

"Gladly", she paused as she walked behind his shoulders. "I would have said that had you not pulled this dick move trying to secure your rights by legalizing our marriage without consent".

"Consent? You were practically on your knees trying to keep me".

"And how nave I was. Ignorant of your real intentions I was on cloud nine thinking you love me".

How the tables have turned. A few months ago, it was Rishabh saying the same words.

"Okay, see you in court".

"I will happily oblige to your wishes".

"Cool", he sit insisted on having the last word.

"You want some hot sauce for your rice", Madhu asked as if they did not just have at each other minutes ago.

"Yes please", his mouth hooked upward in amusement.