Chp 4
The day passed by, kabir had excused himself in regards to office work for couple of hours but he was working from home. Still not wanting to leave ved alone with pooja. Soon It was night time after tucking ved to bed, kabir came to pooja's bedroom. She was startled to see him. She had assumed he would be sleeping with ved just like last night.
Pooja : what are you doing here kabir?
Kabir : it's my wedding night where else would I be; If not besides my newly wedded wife? He said with fake calmness.
Pooja : what are you saying? are you out of your mind? We married to give ved a legal status.
Kabir : yes our marriage gives my child legal status and it also gives me conjugal rights over you. He came closer to pooja, cupped her face and said I won't be mocked like dhruv when this scam is over.
Before she could respond he planted his mouth over hers. Pooja stiffened for a moment then responded with equal ferocity. Something in her snapped with his touch. There was hurt, agression, resignment and feral need for each other in their love making.
It was early morning, kabir sat at the edge of the bed, he searched for his clothes in the morning rays of sun. He saw pooja sleeping, she looked throughly ravished. Her Lips were swollen. He noticed love bites on his shoulders. She was a spitting fire in bed, he thought. Than a sense of self loathing overtook him. He didn't mean to take things this far with her. He just meant to give her a punishing kiss. This one last time. It was his way of getting closure; So that he can finally say good bye to her. But than she had responded to him and his body had acted on its own accord. What was about this woman that got him so riled up, He wondered. She has never been out of his system. Even when she was married to dhruv; He corrected faked her marriage with dhruv, he had noticed an air of mystery around her. A woman who loved even orphans so much, did horrible things to his family.. to him without skipping a heartbeat. After she had faked her accident and he had started living with amma he had realised she had many more shades to her. Last night, He meant to punish her but instead it was he who was feeling more vulnerable and exposed than before. That was it!! he had to pull a plug on this now. With one last look at pooja he left the room.
Pooja woke up with a start she was exhausted and still dreamy. Was last night a dream? She remembered the events of last night and blushed. She looked around but kabir was nowhere to be seen. She was relieved, she had few minutes alone to gather her thoughts. Her life had changed so fast her head was spinning. So kabir was serious about giving this marriage a chance and not have it just as a facade for ved. Suprisingly she was not opposed to this idea. She felt attracted to kabir. She never felt the Same about any other man in her life. Marriage was never in the life plan because she had thought no man would understand how damaged she was. But kabir somehow managed to understand her on deeper level. Last night if kabir hadn't initiated, she would never have know how much she craved him. One touch from kabir and she was in flames. She had gone through a lot in life and kabir's touch somehow soothed her demons. She resolved she will make it work. They will just have to find a way to hide it from his and her families. But why was kabir still single? it had been 4 years and yet he was not married? She had thought he might have solved his differences with kavya by now. There were too many questions but today was a new start to her life. she intended to be honest to it under all circumstances.
She got dressed and came down stairs. kabir had a file on table and he was drinking coffee. The look on his face was unreadable. She was unsure of herself for first time. She squared her shoulders and joined kabir at the table. She went scarlet on seeing kabir. Kabir saw her, there on her collar bone was an evidence of their wild romp last night. he had a strangest urge to kiss the bruise away and he quickly averted his eyes. This woman had somehow gotten under his skin.
Kabir said to pooja in clipped tones: pooja, I need you to sign these papers.
Pooja looked at the papers and gasped! Divorce papers!!!!
(Kabir liked the rattled look on pooja's face. He thought, good keep her rattled just like I am) pooja: Why are you giving these to me?
Kabir : because darling wife, we are getting divorced and you are giving me full custody of ved.
Pooja : kabir!!! what sort of disgusting prank is this?
Kabir : this was the plan all along pooja!! Why do you think I got married to you in such a hurry? I want my son out of your gasp. Do you really think I will stay married to a manipulative, lying woman like you?
Pooja : but last night I thought....were having a new start..she suddenly remembered kabir's words just before he had kissed her. 'I will not be mocked like dhruv...'she was shivering with rage. One time she gives into emotions and this is how she gets punished.
Pooja : I will go to court. I will never give you veds full custody. Even court will give a 3 year child's custody to mother. And I have money. I will fight you till the end.
Kabir : ahh yes!! About money that you took out in the name of an NGO. In order to cover your trail; you committed a fraud; And once I go to court with the evidence you will likely go to jail and than I will get the custody of ved and ved with grow up thinking her mother is a money minded fraud.
So choice Is yours which option do you want to choose.
Pooja was stunned with tears in her eyes she pleaded kabir please! I took the money so that i can provide for my son. Our son. I didnt cheat anyone. Ved has right over that money too.
Kabir : good luck explaining that to court. He said dryly.
Pooja : I can't live without ved. He is my child. Ved needs me too. He is attached to me. You can't separate us.
Kabir : I am not heartless like you. I am a good father irrespective of what you think. Hence, I have this proposal. he forwarded another set of papers. Pooja looked at those papers they were employment contract of a nanny.
Pooja : you want me to be a nanny to my own child? How dare you!! I am his mother. Kabir! Please listen to me we can have a new start!..
Kabir: pooja(he lightly ran his finger down her jaw) showing mocking concern.. last night was a closure. you want a new start, this is how one gets a new start. You are free from me. Now go, find yourself a new man to give you a child. Because with my child all you can ever be is his nanny albit temperory, till I make sure his attachment to you lessens.
Pooja had enough of his insults. She grabbed kabir's shirt , raised herself on her toes and settled her mouth on his. Her tongue stroking his, her hands raking his head, pulling his hairs. She pressed herself into kabir's body. Kabir was shocked and totally unprepared for this. Red hot passion ran wild In him. He still craved her and only her. Almost as if having a mind of its own his erection pressed hard against pooja. Letting her know, her effect on him. Pooja satisfied with his physical reaction to her, rubbed herself against him one last time and than pushed him away.
A hiss escaped kabir's mouth. His eyes blazed with anger.
Pooja : you see kabir, last night was neither a closure for you nor a new start for me. Because past will always be between us. It defines us. I ran not because I wanted a fresh start But because ved needed it. Ved didn't deserve to be a part of that vicious cycle.
After meeting ved can you seriously believe that I forgot about you. He is a replica of you kabir. His every action reminds me of you. After I got to know I was expecting, I was so scared. Not for my life but for the life of my she corrected our unborn child. Your mother prays to God for my demise religiously. Your brother has already kidnapped me once if it hadn't been for your timely intervention, I would have been dead. My own sister is ready to hurt me because she thinks I betrayed her by snatching you from her. How our families would have reacted to ved's existence? Would they accept him? Considering rani and dhruv not killing him in first place. Your mother will always see my child as a plot to take away her son and my mother would have hated me and ved because he is the son of mittal family who killed her husband. That night we did exactly what we both had been accused of.
Kabir averted his gaze from her at that point. He still felt uncomfortable about it. It was the first time they were talking about it. He realised It had been 4 years and he still wasn't ready for it.
Pooja noticed it and misinterpreted it as shame. It made her more furious.
Pooja: unlike you I am not ashamed of it. I needed that. And you were the only one who understood me at that moment. I am not ashamed that I am the mother of your child. It was not something that I had planned but I am glad it was in my destiny. In fact I am glad that ved is your child. I have always respected you. I have been fighting against strangers but you were fighting with your own family for justice and truth. It takes courage and I want my child to be like you.
She signed divorce papers and employment contract saying Even if I have to be nanny to my own kid, I will not regret it as I can be close to him.
She started leaving the room. Kabir was too shocked to reply. pooja stopped at the door and said in soft voice kabir, we both are broken irrevocably, we are bound to make mistakes but that doesn't mean our child has to bear the consequences of it. I seriously believed pooja had to die in front of those people to protect my child from this madness. It was my duty as a mother. She left.
Kabir stood there pondering. Does he have it in him to believe pooja just one last time. Could he afford to risk trusting her with his child at stake. He knew he wont survive if he lost ved. He couldn't think.
He called amma.
Amma : he was close to tears amma, I need you here in Mumbai. I am sending tickets please come as soon as possible.
Amma heard his voice and immediately understood it was about pooja. Only pooja could break kabir to this extent.
I hope you guys enjoyed reading this new chapter.
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