Adultery No One Dies a Saint [Completed]

The man walked around his chair as if she weighed nothing in his hands, and then put her down in front of Atul. Ridhima gasped and joined Atul’s side with an embrace.

The man looked like a Salman Khan. Beefed up arms and shoulders; must be a bodybuilding freak; Atul thought. Suddenly a light memory flashed in his mind. Isn’t this the man who woke me up at Delhi airport?

He was.

“We meet again, young man!” he said.

Ridhima looked on, still embarrassed, as the men nodded at each other.

“I am so sorry.” Ridhima blurted out. She had felled his drink on the floor.

“Don't be,” he said lightly. He had brooding eyes. “This was the first time these muscles have come for any sort of real help to the world.” He joked. Atul and Ridhima couldn’t help falling for his apparent humbleness. Atul shook hands with him and invited him to have a drink.

“Let the lady ask.”

He insisted.

“I am asking.”

Ridhima said boldly. She grabbed Atul’s hand when he turned to make the order. Atul looked at her eyes.

“Last one.”

She whispered in his ear.

“Are you sure?”

Atul asked.

She leaned to him. “I trust you” and she kissed lightly on his cheek.

They had another round of tequila with the new friend and Atul was now beginning to worry about Ridhima.

If she decided to have another one, I will have to get the help of the bodybuilder friend one more time, in order to take her to the car. He calculated.

Their new friend was a simple fun loving guy. His name was Maniesh Sain.

“It’s nice to meet you, Atul. And...”

He looked at Ridhima with a smile. “...and of course, your heavenly belonging.”

“Nice to meet you too, Dwayne Johnson.”

Ridhima retorted.

Maniesh wished them a very romantic night before vanishing into the crowd. Atul and Ridhima returned to their silly banter.

“He just wished us a romantic night. How wonderful a guy he is!”

Atul remarked. Ridhima clung to him.

“Yeah, and he called me your belonging!”

“Heavenly.”

He added.

“Am I?”

She dared him. He had a hard time avoiding it.

“Well, he’s got a great body, right? He was really Dwayne Johnson.”

“You know when I was watching him I wanted to hit him on his stomach.”

“What? Why?”

“Just like that. He’s tough. He can take it.”

“And guess what you actually did. You fell into his lap like a lamb.”

“Shut up. Somebody had pushed me from behind.”

“I wish someone did push you to me too.”

He joked blatantly. She bit her lips like a teen.

“Really? You want me to fall into your lap like a lamb?”

Suddenly they were staring deep in the eyes of one another. Slow and steady, some unknown force pulled them closer, and then they were kissing. Her lips were soft and warm. It took them a moment to realise what they did after it passed.

“It’s alright.”

He was the first one to speak. She bit her lips and looked away and then smiled.

Half an hour later, they found themselves sitting at a dosa selling street vendor. They sat among a small crowd of customers, face to face, and ate from the only plate that he held in his hand. They exchanged gazes and were unable to look away. On an impulse, Atul took a bite of dosa from the plate and fed her. She was stunned at the gesture but readily accepted it, sucking on the tip of his fingers. And she looked on as if to watch what he would do with it. He couldn’t take his eyes off hers and he brought his fingers to his mouth to lick it clean, and he watched her eyes go down. Her face flushed. She was beautiful than ever. He fed her four more times, and every time he allowed her to suck on his fingers and then pleasured himself tasting it. He tasted the sweetness of her tongue, and he tasted her.

They walked along the street later, hand in hand like a couple. Though they spoke nothing, the sensual tension between them was on a rise. They sat on a bench at the far end of the street.

“It was a beautiful night.”

Atul said. He kept her palm to him and played with its softness. She was thoughtful.

“What are you thinking?”

She looked at him.

“I was replaying it all...”

Her eyes mesmerised him.

“It was unbelievable. I never thought I would fit in that crowd. I thought my time for such things was over.”

Ridhima said.

Atul laughed.

“You have no idea how many are out there in that crowd who’d like to have your company for the whole night.”

Where are you taking it, Atul? His tongue had slipped.

He rose to his feet before she could say anything.

“Well, it’s getting late. I should drop you home safely.”

Her face paled.

“Oh yes.”

She looked at him as if she was woken up from a dream.

I belong to Anvita, my dear. I am sorry.

She had been silent until they found a cab and then asked. “You don't have to come along. Where are you staying?

He told her the place as they sat in the car. “It’s close. I’ll drop you home safely.”

Ridhima nodded.

“And I will see you in the morning,” he added, reminding her about the proposal presentation.

“I will be waiting for you.”

Her voice was low. Atul took her hand.

“Do you want to come with me?”

Don't do it, Atul.

“Your place is a long way,” Atul added, as though trying to deceive his own conscience. Ridhima clung to his hand.

She’s going to say no.

“Yes.”

He could now sense the sudden change in her voice.

“My place is a long way.”

Their eyes were hooked. Through the corner of his eyes, he watched her lips slightly parting. All he needed was a little push. And their lips met. A moment later, we were kissing madly, sucking into each other’s mouth. Her arms wrapped around him and her tongue darted into his mouth. He was devouring her lips.

When they stopped finally, she whispered in his ear.

“Yes.”

Atul’s face paled and his heart sank.

Ridhima was a woman he had met half a day ago. And he was now taking her to a hotel to spend the whole night. He looked at Ridhima once again. She was smiling at him as if in a dream. Perhaps she was beginning to dive into a beautiful one.

Suddenly Atul thought about Anvita.

No. I belong to Anvita. Atul knew.

Will you be able to face Anvita when you return home? Atul thought of Anvita’s beautiful, innocent face, full of love and happiness and what she would do if she ever knew.

I wouldn’t live to interrupt you, Atul. I would jump off the building that I am at.

Atul thought of her words. He thought of her lifeless body awaiting him at home.

Atul tapped on the shoulder of the driver, “Please turn to the right. Regal Plaza.”

Atul had chosen to keep his mobile in flight mode since the evening. It was not that a call from Anvita would annoy him, but it was because he did not want to lie to her in front of Ridhima. It was because such an act would demean Anvita and Atul could never stand that thought.

And now, he was taking Ridhima to his business suite, in the middle of the night.

For what?

The thought sent shivers down Atul's stomach.

The car was being pulled into the parking of Regal Plaza.

"I didn’t want to go home at all."

Ridhima confessed with a smile. Atul took her hand and stroked affirmatively. It was all she needed to melt again. She grabbed his face and kissed at his neck. He arm slid inside his jacket and tried to pull him toward her, in effect bringing her closer to him. Atul looked her in the eyes and smiled. Her eyes shone in the reflected street lights. She was in love, Atul felt a moment.

"Kiss me.”

She whispered.

Her hand had reached inside his jacket and it slid inside his shirt too, slowly feeling his skin. Each of her stroke was indeed bringing the barrier down between them. Atul could not kiss her, instead he was dreading the moment when she touched his crotch and found his hardness.

He was dreading his surrender.

Ridhima brought her lips to his mouth and he moved his face away.

“Please, Ridhima.”

A whisper let out of this throat.

Ridhima got off him, quickly.

"Oh, yeah, right.”

She sat back looking forward but kept his palm under the confinement of hers.

"I'm sorry. I got carried away."

She mumbled.

"It's okay," Atul said. "I didn't mean you did a wrong thing."

Ridhima looked down for a moment.

“You know what, Atul?" She smiled a little. “There’s one thing, that even I had no idea, yet. I...”

She paused a moment as if to choose her words wisely. “For a moment I felt I found you. I found someone... someone I've been waiting for long."

She turned to Atul and he saw a woman surrendered meekly to her heart. She was no more a powerful boss for whom anything was possible. Only thing she could do at the moment was to love. She was in love.

Yes. She's in love.

The booze Atul had filled up in his stomach turned into water in a moment.

He thought about Anvita. He was not going to forget her. He had been in a similar situation in the past too. If he was a weak man, he would have committed the fatal mistake with Ankita that day. But his love for Anvita had helped him out of temptation. He had remained calm and composed and had proved his maturity then.

It was then. Not now.

"I've had too many drinks, haven't I?"

Ridhima laughed. "And I'm a mess!"

"That's not what I think." Atul spoke. "You looked very happy a minute ago. But suddenly..."

"It's guilt," She admitted blatantly. "It's guilt that I'm going to spoil your marriage."

Atul swallowed.

"I don't know if you will believe me. I have never cheated on Sudhakar. He's a moron, yes, but I haven't done it. I never had the courage to even go for a one-on-one date. I don't want sex. I..."

She paused a moment to gather her thoughts. "I just want to be held like this," she grabbed his arms and wrapped it around her. "and I wish this road never ends."

She leaned against him and Atul held his arms around her, fondly.

For a moment Atul felt for her. He held her face close to his chest, and slowly stroked along her arm.

Ridhima had fallen asleep when they arrived at the hotel. Atul woke her up and led her to his suite. She walked over to the couch and fell into it. Atul bolted the door and approached her slowly, wary. She smiled at him, her eyes dizzy. Her fuddled look added some sort of endearing charm to her beauty.

“Atul.”

She sat up.

"Can I ask you one thing?”

“Ask me.”

"Can I sleep with you? Just holding me in your arms, without spoiling your marriage, just in peace?"

Atul laughed.

"That's what I was thinking."

He bent down and kissed her on the forehead. "Without spoiling anything, including this friendship..."

He lifted her and carried her in his arms to the bedroom. Atul felt calm now.

He phoned Anvita but her phone was switched off.

Later, he and Ridhima slept with their arms around each other.


Morning belonged to hangover. Anvita’s phone was still switched off. Atul wondered if she was annoyed. But he was not worried over it. He was relieved that he could still return to his Anvita and look into her eyes without feeling remorseful. Atul felt happy whenever he thought about it. In fact he desired to return to her as quick as possible.

Ridhima needed his help to wake up. "My head is aching." She complained. “But it’s okay. I know I am gonna be alright." She added quickly.

When she got up, she seemed happy and at ease.

"It's less than 24 hours since we've met for the first time," Atul mentioned it. "But it's really amazing it feels like we know each other for 24 months."

"24 hours!" Ridhima smiled, "and I was about to ruin your marriage."

Atul looked at her in surprise. She noticed it.

"Yeah I remember everything from last night."

Atul looked on.

"I must thank you for discouraging me; otherwise we would have woken up differently... I mean, with different feelings. You'd regret for cheating on your love and I, for complicating one of the best friendship I've ever had in this modern world. Actually, I'm as lucky as your wife."

Atul walked over to her.

"I hope this wouldn't complicate it." He bent to to bed and kissed lightly on her lips. Ridhima was embarrassed.

"I haven't washed my mouth."

"You are still worthy, Ridhima." He said.

She stared at him for a long moment with a pleasant smile.

"What?" Atul asked.

Ridhima blinked. "I really envy your wife."

When she finally left bed she looked down at herself.

"Oh, my dress! I'm a complete mess!"

She worried.

"To my eyes you still look hot."

Atul said honestly.

“Really? Then I dare you for one more date with me.”

“Dare me? I’d love to jump into it except for one thing.”

“What is it?”

“I told you about the dinner. I must leave today.”

He said. Ridhima nodded.

“Yeah you’ll leave today. I think we should look into your proposal. Have you forgotten about it?”

There was no way Atul could forget that.

“No way. Are you ready?”

“Yeah sure. Let’s do it now. Give me two minutes."

Ridhima said and hurried to the washroom.

After having breakfast, Atul presented the proposal. Atul noticed how the lovely woman suddenly transformed into a tactical businesswoman. In the end, she gave him a satisfied look.

“I don't know what you think. I am not saying yes because I like you; but I genuinely like your proposal. I am definitely going for it.”

“That’s wonderful. I wasn’t going to be disappointed even if you had rejected it. Because, it’s not so important anymore. We are friends now, and I can take a no from you. It’s just a proposal. I’ve already won more than what I have come for.” Atul said. Riddhima promised him the approval within a couple of weeks, after the necessary formalities are done by her staff.

“Give them two weeks and I’ll approve it.”

“Give me your hand now. I can't explain how I feel right now.” Atul held out his hand. “It is now, I owe you a dinner. You made my job a wonderful one.”

He said earnestly.

“Do you? Then ask me out for dinner. I am ready.”

“I will definitely do that when I visit you next time.” he said.

He packed the laptop and called for a cab to drop Ridhima home.

"So, when are you leaving?"

She asked.

“I have a 4 pm flight.”

“Shall I come to see you off?”

Atul smiled.

“I’d love to see you at airport.”

He dropped her home before noon. Before getting out of the cab she glanced around and kissed him. Atul was stunned, and remained so while she got out and waved her hand.

He wondered what was gotten into her. She was far from desperate. It was as though she chose to behave that way with him. Atul felt he could perhaps never comprehend what he had become to her.

Atul went for shopping again at noon and this time he chose a navy blue sheath dress for Anvita. He knew it would suit her perfectly. At noon he finally got in touch with her.

“Atul! I was just calling you. Last night there was a fire accident here, in our generator room.” Anvita spoke in a calm voice. “The whole thing was destroyed; we had a blackout for the whole night. It was raining also...”

“Oh shit! Are you alright?”

“Yeah I am alright. When are you coming?”

“I’ll be there by seven. Are you really alright? I tried to call you all the night; you were switched off.”

“Yeah I switched it off to save battery. Our emergency lamp was exhausted; I had to rely on mobile. And it died to by the time I finished dinner.”

“You didn't get scared right? I am sorry baby I wasn’t there.”

“It was a bit scared, yes. But I am perfectly alright; believe me.”

Atul was relieved. There was nothing to worry for Atul because he always believed Anvita was not a silly girl. She was a smart and intelligent, and she had a knack to overcome whatever obstacle she had to face in life. In fact Atul believed in her so much that he knew she would even crack his dad whom he always failed to handle.

Atul asked her about the dinner. She said everything was getting ready ‘as we planned’. She and Nandini had picked up grocery in the morning.

Rajat phoned him to know about the incident.

"Is everything alright? Do I need to visit my apartment?"

Atul told him he was away.

"Don't worry. The fire was put out in time. Everything is normal now."

Atul phoned Ridhima after reaching the airport.

"Atul...” He heard her voice.

“I have reached the airport. How ‘bout you...?”

He asked, looking around as he spoke.

“I am sorry Atul. I can't make it.”

Ridhima was sad.

“What happened? Are you okay?”

There was silence from the other end.

“Ridhima... Hello.”

Atul heard a deep breath and he waited a moment.

“Ridhima, speak to me. Are you alright?”

“I wish.”

She spoke in a weak voice.

“I will miss you Atul. I wish you happy journey.”

“You are not telling me anything, are you?”

He asked firmly. She sighed.

“Sudhakar had come last night with Rihaan, my brother. And they found out I had left with a young man. Sudhakar knew about you, he has seen you. They waited for me all the night. He didn't call me and Rihaan is also in his side, just to make it a point that I was out for the whole night with you. This morning they came at me, and he alleged all the things we didn't do. He made a scene here and he slapped me on my face, in front of my own brother. He just stood there and watched, you know? I hate Rihaan now more than I hate Sudhakar. But that’s not the point. I hate this life.”

“Why can't we go legally against them?”

“Oh! That’s easy said than done, Atul. That’s what they want actually. I haven’t told you one thing. You know, I and Sudhakar don't have children because I can't bear a child.”

She paused a moment. She was crying.

“I am not... I can't.... Atul... I don't have anyone. All he wants is to get all my wealth. And then he’ll file divorce bringing up my infertility. And I have no choice.”

Atul didn't know how to console her.

“I am sorry to hear this, Ridhima. I am sorry that I have worsened your peril.”

“Don't put it that way Atul. They wanted something to happen. But it didn't, in reality it didn't happen no matter what they think. We know that. You have nothing to blame yourself. I am just happy for I had a date with you and I still love to go another with you.”

Atul's eyes fell on the flash board. His flight was boarding.

“Ridhima... My flight is boarding.”

He said half-heartedly.

“Yeah it’s time; you should leave. Leave, Atul.”

“Everything will be alright, Ridhima. There will be good times and bad times. Today was the latter. Wait for tomorrow; trust me it will be the former.”

“Last night was good times, and I wish tonight is also like that. Just a wish; don't mind. I know it can't be possible. You have a dinner. Wish you all the best, my friend.”

“Mark my words Ridhima. You will come out of this.”

He assured her.

“Thank you. I will miss you Atul.”

Atul disconnected the call and walked forward. He felt weak. As he mentioned the flight number, one of the staff was surprised at his lack of urgency.

“You need to hurry up sir. You don't want to miss it!”

Suddenly Atul had a feeling of what he was doing. He was leaving.

In a few moments he would be aboard and gone from her life. And he would have nothing to do for her.

I am just happy for I had a date with you and I still love to go another one with you.

That wasn’t a wish. It was a request.

I know it can't be possible.

Was that true?

His wife was waiting for him for a lovely dinner with their friend. They had a problem to talk about and solve. They had a reason to patch up. Atul had to be there in time as promised and that only would make her happy.

But, it had a cost, apparently.

He had come to Ridhima to talk the proposal and he had almost had it approved. It’s a miracle, and he will be talked about in high spirits for his achievement. His office would name it magic power of communication. Wrong. It’s the powerlessness of a heart. A heart, that of Ridhima who never mentioned it to him why she had been overlooking all their proposals for eleven months.

And he was leaving her alone; abandoning her.

On an impulse Atul pulled out his phone and called Anvita.

“Anvi, I don't know how to tell you this. There’s a problem. I can't explain it. It’s too much bullshit.”

His voice was unashamedly pretentious to be stressed.

“What happened?”

Her voice was genuinely tensed.

“It’s the last chance to make it happen. I need a few more hours. I am already at the airport but they have just called me.”

“Are you gonna stay? What!”

“No, I haven’t decided yet. I don't know what to do. Help me out of this.”

“Come back, Atul.”

“If I come back, I lose the deal. It’s done. If I stay, I get the deal; one hundred per cent. But I will lose our dinner. I can't think. I can't decide.”

Atul couldn’t believe how convincingly he was lying to her. He was sure he couldn’t do it if he was doing it face to face with her. Perhaps he wasn’t lying but turning the lie into truth. Apparently the fate of a lie lies at the hands of the listener.

Anvita took her time to decide.

“If you are so sure, then you should stay. It’s okay. I think I will manage the dinner.”

“Are you cancelling the dinner? Don't do that!”

Atul still couldn’t believe he pulled it.

“No. I will tell Varun. It is okay, I am actually looking forward to see Radhika. I will handle them well.”

“We can do it another day; it’s not late.”
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