Chapter 1.
Shilpa sat in her small office in her studio going through
the balance sheets. Her husband had told her to let someone else handle the
books of her business but when she opened her dance studio she didn't trust
anyone else to do it right and 5 years later she just couldn't hand over
something so important to a stranger. It took 5 years but her dance studio was
finally truly taking off, it was her studio but she had 3 instructors who
worked for her, they all taught 5 classes a day 6 days a week and there was
STILL a waiting list! She was very proud of her studio and was hoping that she
was going to be able to open another studio on the other side of town within
two years- it would mean dividing her time between two places but as long as
she had the right staff she knew she would be able to manage it.
She brushed her long black hair out of her eyes when her
gaze fell on the clock on her desk.
"4 PM!," She thought, "Shit! I have to leave or I won't make
it to Armaan's party in time!" She locked the balance sheets in her desk making
a note where to pick up on Saturday afternoon and grabbed her handbag when Gia
one of her instructors came into her office looking very weak.
"Gia!" Shilpa exclaimed "Are you ok? What happened?"
"I don't know! I think I ate something bad at lunch, I keep
getting nauseous!" Gia swayed on her feet making her point.
Shilpa cringed worried that Gia might actually faint and
then she would have a real mess on her hands.
"Gia go home! I will take your next class ok?"
"Shilpa are you sure? Don't you have some place to go
tonight? We can just cancel the class."
"Gia! We do not cancel classes!" Shilpa exclaimed
passionately "I will be a little late for Armaan's party but he will
understand- you go home and I will take care of it!"
Gia thanked Shilpa profusely and told her she would call her
in the morning to let her know if she was feeling better. Shilpa grabbed her phone out her bag and
quickly called her husband, "Pick up, pick up" She kept chanting in her head
"Shilpa? I just left the office, I am on my way home, are
you already there?" Came the deep baritone voice of her husband.
"Armaan…Actually no- I am still at the studio- I am going to
be stuck here for a little bit.."Shilpa trailed off, "Gia got sick and I have
to take over her last classes for the day" She rushed hoping the explanation
would placate her husband.
Armaan paused on the other end and counted to ten in his
head before he responded.
"Shilpa, tonight is VERY important for me- this party is
being hosted by the senior partners of my firm, I need to make a good
impression and how do I do that when my wife can't be bothered to show up!" Armaan
growled, ok so counting to ten in his head did nothing to cool his temper this
time, but at least he controlled his volume.
Shilpa rolled her eyes at Armaan's dramatics forgetting for
a moment that he couldn't see her.
"Don't roll your eyes Shilpa! You knew this was important!"
Armaan exclaimed.
"Armaan I promise I am just going to be a LITTLE late, SMS
the address to me and I will get there as soon as possible!" Shilpa chuckled "I
will be charming, and all of the partners will love me, and by extension love
you."
Armaan sighed and
knew he wouldn't be able to convince Shilpa to drop the class, or close her
studio early.
"Fine, Shilpa but please show up Jai Rai and his wife have
wanted to meet you, I am beginning to think they don't believe you exist."
Armaan trailed off.
"Don't worry! I will be there! Love you!" Shilpa laughed as
she hung up the phone, and walked into the classroom "Ok everyone! Gia wasn't
feeling very well So I am taking over for today, line up and we'll start
warming up!"
Armaan stared at his phone shaking his head with a smile
"Love you too Jaan" he said to his closed phone.
xxx
Armaan Malik stood by himself at the bar in the small
ballroom of the very posh hotel Jai Rai had booked for the evening. He cut a dashing figure in an all black suit
with white shirt and no tie. Several of his colleagues had come up to him
asking where Shilpa was including Jai Rai a senior partner of his law firm and
the man who could make the decision to fast track Armaan's career. He had spent
the last year getting into his good graces, late hours, extra case loads and
never complaining and he finally had his attention. Armaan knew that Jai Rai
considered him his right hand man, and when the time came he knew that it was
Jai Rai who would make the decision as to whether or not Armaan would remain an
associate or become the youngest man to make partner in the history of Carohunder
Law . He glanced at his watch- 8:00 pm,
Shilpa was over an hour late. He shook
his head ruefully and signaled for the bartender to bring him a drink. Shilpa
could swear up and down that she would only be a little late- but history had
taught him that was rarely the case- she had always been this way, he used to
think it was charming how Shilpa always ran by her own time table – but lately
he found it more frustrating. He absentmindedly sipped at the bourbon in his
glass and felt the familiar burn make its path down his throat.
"Malik hanging out by the bar I see….", came a snide voice
from behind him. Armaan groaned inwardly and turned around to face Rohit Khanna
quite possibly his most irritating collegue and stiffest competition to make
partner.
"Khanna," Armaan said without any emotion in his voice, "I
would say it's pleasant to see you, but why lie?"
Rohit chortled as he signaled to the bartender for another
drink by shaking his empty glass in his direction.
"I don't see your stunning wife by your side, what happened?
She finally realize that she doesn't need you?" Rohit said with a smirk.
Armaan glared at Rohit's smug face and was tempted to
respond with a fist- and break the smug bas***d's nose but that would be
counter productive, he wanted to defeat him at work, and getting into a brawl
would only make him look bad.
"And who is your date for the evening Rohit? From what I can
tell it looks like you had to pay her to be here…you might want to keep an eye
on her though, it looks like she's chatting up Singh and everyone knows he
doesn't keep his hands to himself." Armaan said venom lacing his words. Rohit
turned around to see his scantily clad date indeed flirting with someone else.
"I don't really have to worry about that, I am not invested
emotionally Armaan, and everyone knows that I only bring a date for show, but
you Armaan? You can't even convince your wife to support you how are you going
to get anyone else to." Rohit said raising his glass to Armaan with his parting
shot, "but don't worry man, when I make partner, I will keep you around as an
associate- I'll need someone to take on extra caseload."
Armaan watched Rohit seamlessly cut through the crowd and
disappear among the throng of people; he pulled his phone out and immediately
sent Shilpa an SMS.
"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?"
Within two seconds his phone buzzed with a response.
"Just a few minutes away! Be there soon! XOXO"
Armaan rolled his eyes at his wifes "cute" response but kept
his eyes trained on the door knowing she would show up any minute. He wasn't disappointed, a petite vision in red
dashed into the ballroom and was frantically looking around, Armaan didn't move
from his spot by the bar and just kept his dark gaze trained on his wife. She
was dressed simply by this party's standards in a red salwar with churidar pajamas,
the dupatta was wrapped halphazardly around her neck and knotted at the back to
stay out of her way while she probably ran from the parking lot. He knew the
moment she saw him and could see the change in her body language, she went from
frantic to confident as a smile graced her face. Armaan shook his head at her
and tapped his watch to signify her tardiness, he wagged his index finger from
side to side indicating his displeasure. Shilpa's smile immediately turned into
a pout as she mouthed the word 'Sorry' while pulling on her ear. Armaan
abandoned his drink with a smile and began to make his way to her.
Xxx
Shilpa knew how late she was when she pulled up to the
hotel, she just threw cash at the auto driver as she dashed inside her dupatta
flying behind her. She knew that Armaan was going to be pissed at her and she
was already trying to figure out ways to make it up to him, the last thing she
wanted was to fight.
She stood at the doors of ballroom looking around the sea of
faces trying to spot where Armaan was hiding when she spotted her husband
watching her from the bar, she smiled at him and when he made a face at her and
tapped his watch, she mouthed 'Sorry' and pulled at her ear. It was a fool
proof move that always had Armaan forgiving her when they would fight in
college. She grinned when she saw Armaan's rueful smile as he began to make his
way over to her.
"Late." Armaan stated towering over her much smaller frame.
Shilpa straightened her back and pulled herself to her full
height which even wearing 4-inch stilettos only brought her up to her husband's
broad shoulders.
"I made it though!" She exclaimed happily.
Armaan laughed as he laced their fingers together pulling
her alongside him.
"Come on, there are some people I would like you to meet."
They walked through the crowd stopping to mingle with other
couples and Armaan's collegues, some that she had never met before and others
that she had met at other parties. Shilpa shone as the perfect counterpart to
Armaan's stoic nature- she was relaxed, bubbly and very much a free spirit and
was charming everyone she met. Armaan just hoped she would continue to be this
lovable when she met Jai Rai.
As they made their way to the center of the ballroom Armaan
turned to ask Shilpa if she wanted anything to eat or drink when he heard a
cool voice from behind.
"Ahhh so this is the elusive Mrs. Malik I have heard so much
about."
Armaan and Shilpa turned around to face Armaan's senior
partner and mentor Jai Rai and his wife Meera. Jai Rai at 45 was the youngest
senior partner at Carohunder Law and everything that Armaan wanted to be.
"Yes Sir, "Armaan responded quickly, "This is my wife
Shilpa, Shilpa this is Jai Rai and his wife Meera."
Shilpa took Jai's proferred hand to shake but her turned her
hand and lifted it to drop a kiss to her fingertips.
"I am pleased to meet you Mrs. Malik," Jai said with
confidence. Meera offered Shilpa and Armaan a smile but didn't offer any verbal
greeting.
"I have to confess that I have heard much about you, but I
wasn't entirely sure you existed." Jai said with a charming smile.
"I have heard quite a bit about you as well Mr. Rai," Shilpa
laughed, "Armaan has told me how much he has learned because of you."
"How long have you been married Armaan?" Jai asked.
"4 years sir" Armaan responded quickly.
"Oh Really? And how did you two meet?" Jai asked curiously.
"Armaan was my partner for a dance competition when we were
in college," Shilpa said with a smile, "He very literally swept me off my
feet!"
Armaan pulled Shilpa closer into his body and placed a kiss
on her forehead.
"And where were you tonight, young lady? Your poor husband
looked very lonely by himself," Jai teased with an easy going smile.
"Oh! I got stuck at work late tonight," Shilpa replied, "I
got here as fast as I could!"
"Work? Hmmm why didn't you tell me that your wife has to
work Armaan? I probably could negotiate a higher salary for you, such a lovely
woman shouldn't be forced to work!" Jai teased.
Armaan laughed and prayed that Shilpa would let the comment go
and take it as a joke …but he saw Shilpa's eyes flash and he knew that she
wasn't about to.
"I work because I love it,"Shilpa stated with a clenched
smile, "Not because I have to."
"Oh?" Jai stated with a smirk, "And what is it you 'do'?"
"I teach dance and I also choreograph," Shilpa stated
proudly.
"Hmm, what a sweet little hobby," Jai said in a patronizing
tone.
"it's not a 'hobby' Mr. Rai, it's my job- I own my own
studio and I am very good at what I do." Shilpa said pointedly.
"Well that is very nice for you my dear- but there is a
limit to things like this, after all a wife should be a standing support for
her husband, Don't you agree Meera?" Jai said his voice dripping with
condescension.
Meera's smile didn't quite reach her eyes when she nodded in
support of her husband.
"I believe that a husband should also stand in support of
his wife, after all marriage is a partnership, well at least mine is." Shilpa
said her words laced with steel.
Jai Rai looked at Shilpa with cold eyes before turning to
Armaan.
"Be careful with this one Armaan, she's feisty, who knows
what kind of trouble she could land you in." Jai's smile after his statement
did nothing to take the punch out of his words.
"It was nice to meet you Mrs. Malik," Jai said excusing
himself, "Armaan- I will see you at work." Jai Rai pulled his wife behind him
as they walked away leaving a shell shocked Armaan and Shilpa Malik.
Xxx
Armaan had been uncharacteristically quiet during the drive
home. Shilpa could see how upset he was though; he was gripping the steering
wheel so tight his knuckles had turned white. Shilpa was equally angry and
fuming in the passenger seat with her arms crossed stubbornly across her chest.
When Armaan pulled up to their flat he threw the car in park and walked up to
the door without even bothering to wait for Shilpa to get out of the car. She
followed him quickly up the steps her anger rising with each step she took
before she entered into their bedroom.
"Armaan! You can't be mad at me!" Shilpa cried out throwing
her purse onto the bed, "I didn't do anything wrong!"
Armaan turned around quickly removing his jacket and tossing
it on the chair, his eyes flashed with anger as her glared at his irate wife.
"You didn't do anything WRONG? " He thundered, " What do you
call what you did then?"
"Standing up for my self!" Shilpa stated with defiance,
"Which is more then what I can say to you! Your boss is a jerk Armaan!"
"And what would you like me to do about it Shilpa? He is my
BOSS!" Armaan shouted.
"I would have liked you to tell him off! I would have LIKED
for you to be JUST as angry at him as I am!" She exclaimed.
"What do you want me to say Shilpa? Jai Rai is a
misogynistic, chauvinistic ass! I have known that since I started working for
him. But he holds MY career in the palm of his hand what am I supposed to do?"
Armaan asked anger lacing his words.
"I wanted you to stand up for me Armaan! You should have
stood up for me!" Shilpa exclaimed stubbornly.
"How could I do that when your behavior tonight may have
undermined my entire career!" Armaan yelled.
"Oh and is MY career NOT important Armaan?" Shilpa shouted
back taking a step closer to her husband her heart pounding in her chest and
her hazel eyes blazing with anger.
"Is your career more important then MY career?" Armaan
questioned vehemently while taking another step closer, til they were nose-to-nose
"You KNEW how important tonight was for me, and because of what you did a YEAR
of hard work was thrown down the drain." Armaan pushed past Shilpa exiting
their bedroom.
"Where are you going?" Shilpa yelled at his retreating back.
"To the COUCH!" was the angry response she received.
Shilpa stood in the center of their bedroom fuming with
anger knowing that this was not going to be resolved tonight and Armaan was too
stubborn to admit that she had not done anything but stand up for herself. This
night was a complete disaster and did not go the way she had envisioned it
going but she sighed as she realized it wasn't how Armaan had envisioned it
either. She crawled into bed without changing and decided that she would try to
talk to him about it tomorrow- after they had both cooled down, after all there
was no sense in continuing to fight about it when they were both angry and
exhausted. She closed her eyes and
drifted off to sleep determined to not think about this till tomorrow.
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