Adultery No One Dies a Saint [Completed]

Atul was perturbed by the gut feeling that Maniesh had been playing a devious game with only one aim: Ridhima. More than his game plan Atul was worried about the lack of resistance from Ridhima. He was convinced that it would be a matter of time for her to fall for his charisma and follow him to his bed. The fact that Ridhima was apparently excited to meet Maniesh only annoyed him further.

This time I will have no reasons to stop them. Atul cringed when he realised the possibilities of the night. He remembered Maniesh making out with her in his bed. He was on top her and her bare legs had wilfully locked his bulky body down. He was eating her lips and playing with her naked breasts.

He had nailed it. He had the woman. Seduced. Completely submitted to him. It was just a matter of time before he could have shoved his manhood inside her and broke her self-induced chastity forever. But he could not. Because Atul had stopped him.

“We shouldn’t do anything we would regret later. Let’s go, Ridhima.” He had knocked on the door and had them leave the bed in a hurry. Maniesh was hugely disappointed. He must have sworn to recreate the same night, only to finish what he had come so close last time. Can I stop him tonight?

Atul had never been so unsure.

Ridhima noticed his thoughtful face while having breakfast.

“What happened to you? You’ve become gloomy after we talked to Maniesh. Are you not happy with him coming between us?”

“Is he coming between us?”

Atul looked into her eyes.

“No way.” She said innocently. “I don’t want anyone to come between us.”

“Why?”

“Because you and I are like…emm…we are not friends. I mean… I don’t know if there’s a correct term for it. In fact, I don’t want to put you on any list. I think you are another version of me. You know me as much I know of me as a very intimate person. You are a person I can share how I fantasised you last night and still be professional in our workplace. No one can come between us.”

“Did you fantasise about me last night?”

Atul was amused.

“I was just giving you an example.”

“You mean you didn’t? Not at all?”

Ridhima smiled shyly and her face said it all. Atul was immensely pleased.

“I can’t tell you how good I feel to hear this from you. I…”

“But you were really cold down there, last night.” She giggled, albeit shyly. “Weren’t you?”

Atul was embarrassed. But he did not try to cover up.

“Did I make you feel bad about yourself?”

“Yeah, a bit. Then I felt it’s okay. After listening to my sad story, it’s actually a very humane thing not to have an erection. It actually proved you’re not a dickhead.”

“mmm….” Atul shook his head slowly. “You know I’m embarrassed but you make me feel good about the same thing.”

They laughed together.

“So, are you not looking forward to the dinner?”

Atul asked.

“I am looking forward to having a great time with you but not at the cost of your family.”

“You are not interested to meet him, at all?”

“What about you?”

She was looking at him in the eyes.

“I am scared, to be frank.” He tried to laugh, trying to sound it like a little joke. “If something happens to you like last time.”

Ridhima stared at him for a long time and smiled.

“He’s your boss. If you just played a passive stand, he would be very impressed.”

Atul face turned red.

“I am not gonna play a passive stand. I either stop him or carry you to his bed.”

“Wow…that’s something. Well…” She leaned back in the chair with a pregnant pause. “I’d prefer the latter. It would be really hot. But don’t leave me there alone.”

Atul knew she was being playful.

“I won’t. I will hold your hand to comfort you and I will keep telling you it’s okay and it will be over soon.”

Ridhima laughed.

“Very soon. That was really rude to think of your friend...”

“You have no idea how hot you look dear. I’m damn sure he won’t last much longer.”

“But he’s very strong. Haven’t you seen his muscles? He could load for another attack.”

“I will hold your hands, and remain your side as long as you wish, don’t worry.”

Ridhima's smile vanished slowly but her eyes stayed on him.

“You don’t mean anything you said, do you?”

“I hate to think of it, I told you,” Atul admitted. “But it won’t hurt me if you chose to do it. If you think it’s gonna be fun…”

“It will benefit you…”

“You are pissing me off.”

“No, I am serious. He is very attracted to me. He will be dying to get close to me tonight.”

“I can’t believe you are talking like this. The thought itself is scary for me. I’ve seen enough.”

“Scary…yes. But not in a bad sense.”

“You are testing me, aren’t you?”

“I haven’t met a man like him for long. He’s the perfect one to have a little fling. He’s a big catch. Chetak Engineering is a small company in comparison with Wallzec. The odds are in favour to go for a blast as he mentioned.”

“If you have made up your mind, why are you asking me?”

Atul was no more enjoying the breakfast.

“I would like to have your opinion.”

Atul shook his head slowly.

“I’d like to say no. Not when I am with you. Because I fear he would feel indebted to me because I arranged this all. You know I’ll rather be jobless than to trade our chemistry for his approval.”

A smile slowly blossomed into her smile.

“What?”

He was perplexed.

Ridhima cleared her throat.

“We talk to each other so often. I really like those telephonic conversations. I often compare them with the mail we send. I can see you holding back yourself. That’s a sign of not being needy. It’s rare to meet people like you, Atul. You could have used me that night when we partied with Maniesh. You can still do it tonight. If you ask me, I will go out and sleep with him. I like him, he’s desirable. But I have met a lot of men like him; I know how to say no to them. You are the person whom I can’t say no to. Because you stop yourself before I have to. Everyone is ambitious and opportunities drive them crazy. You are different. You have not even once tried to use our friendship to influence me. Yesterday you promised me something and that’s a testimony to this. From the day we met, you make me strive to become younger like you. You are a source of strength for me.”

“You are praising me too much, Ridhima. I am gonna fall in love with you.”

“Then I can’t stop at all.”

Ridhima flushed.

Ridhima was busy in the study room taking some official calls. Atul phoned Anvita and told her about his plan to stay over at Mumbai. She became angry.

“No, Atul. This is ridiculous. Whenever you go on a trip you promise me something only to forget it in a few hours. Why does this happen to me every time?”

“Honey it’s really difficult to avoid these kinds of situations. Maniesh is coming to have a conference with me and the MD of Chetak Engineering. If I don’t stay the conference won’t happen. It will be very embarrassing to let go of this opportunity.”

“Maniesh! Maniesh! Why are you giving him so much value?”

Anvita fumed.

“You can break your promise every time you are on a trip but you can’t break one with him.”

“He expects that this task gets done by me. I have to fulfil that.”

“How you talk about him make me feel bad about you, Atul.”

“Why? He’s a great person. You should know more about him.”

“You should know a little about him too. I haven’t told you about him. I had met him and I know a thing about him, even before you introduced him to me. He’s not an honest and humble person that you think.”

Atul was stunned.

“What do you know?”

There was a silence before Anvita spoke.

“During my initial days at Teckpo, I had accompanied my team during a meeting with another company. That’s when I met Maniesh for the first time. He was there but I didn’t know who he was. He came out creepy. He bumped into me and spilt his drink on my dress perhaps accidentally. When I came back from the washroom I was lost and due to some mix-up, my team had walked out too soon. Maniesh tried to trick me and sent me to the upper storey looking for them. There I accidentally witnessed the MD of this company – his name is Manjot –sexually harassing one of his employees. I was shocked and I fled from there. He saw the trouble and called my team back along with me. Manjot took me to talk alone and he threatened me not to speak a word about what I had seen. I was shocked when he mentioned yours as well as Shreyas’ name. He knew about you and I was really scared to tell you about this all. But then I understood who Maniesh is. He was very close to you and it must be him who tipped off Manjot about my personal life…”

“What was he doing with his staff?”

Atul interrupted her.

“He was forcing her…to have him in her mouth. Leave what Manjot did. Let me tell you about Maniesh. After this incident, one day, while coming back from work Manjot stopped me. He told me very ridiculous things…like very derogatory remarks. I don’t want to recall what he said but I can tell you he was implying to sexually exploit me. The thought of him looking at me gives me creeps, Atul. And you know, Maniesh was at the driving seat in his car. He heard every word Manjot told me. Later when you introduced me to him at your official dinner he was like from some other world. If he had any care for you, if he was a man, he would have come to me and apologised to me. But he did not. He may come across as a striking personality but he is far from that. I hate it when you speak nicely of him, Atul. I don’t want you to any favour at the cost of my happiness.”

Her anger was gone. She was sad now.

“Did he – Manjot – meet you after that?”

“A couple of times I had seen him at official functions at Teckpo. But I avoided him carefully. Apart from that I never saw of him.”

Atul took a deep breath.

“I think I should ask Maniesh about it.”

“No. Don’t dig up old things, Atul. If you ask him, Manjot will know that I broke my promise. They are partners in business and they are friends. Please. I told you this because I want to warn you about him.”

“You should have told me earlier, Anvi.”

“I am sorry Atul. I was really scared. You should see his face. He’s an animal. He can do very bad things to us. Promise me you won’t mention a word to Maniesh.”

“Okay. But I can’t pull out of today’s event. It is very important that he meet the MD of Chetak Engineering. I haven’t told you about the issue of Shreyas. He’s trying to fool me and everyone. I can deal with him after today’s meeting.”

After a moment of silence, Anvita spoke in a calm voice.

“Okay. I don’t want to put you in trouble. But I am also skipping the function.”

“You don’t have to miss that, Anvi… I know how excited you are to attend the function. Prithvi will be very disappointed if none of us showed up. I will call him and tell him why I cannot make it. But you must go.”

“No, please don’t force me, Atul. I am not going.”

“I will be sad if you talk like this.”

“Don’t be.”

“I won’t be if you listen to me Anvi. Please, please go. I will ask Prithvi to pick you up if you want. He will be happy to do that.”

“No. no.”

Anvita said quickly.

“Don’t do that. You are embarrassing me, Atul.”

“He’s your friend too. What’s the embarrassment in this?”

Anvita fell silent for a couple of seconds.

“Anvi?”

Anvita sighed.

“Okay. Okay, then.”

“Thank you so much, Anvi. Shall I tell you to pick you up from our place?”

“No. Don’t do that. I can drive. I’ll make it there myself.”

“That’s my girl. I love you, baby. See you tomorrow.”

Atul ended the call and sighed.

Ridhima had noticed him talking in his tense voice. She asked about it when she returned after the shower. Atul looked up and his eyes lit up. Fresh out of the shower she looked youthful and her face glowing. She was patting her dewy hair dry with a towel. She was not only in her homely avatar but also very comfortable in her skin to walk out in front of him. Wearing a kurta she looked down to earth yet beautiful as ever.

“You look stunning.”

Atul said.

Ridhima flushed.

“I know.”

She touched at the tip of his nose.

“I asked you why you were gloomy again, well, before seeing me.”

“It’s family. I told you about a wedding eve bash at a friend’s wedding. Anvita is angry for me not making it.”

“That’s very sad. My gain is her loss.”

Ridhima was genuinely saddened.

“But it’s okay. I’ve got her convinced.”

“Do you really wanna do this?”

Atul could not answer her.

He did not want to do it. But he had to do it. The meeting is important.

Ridhima stared at him for a moment and shook her head.

“Let me handle this.”

She phoned Maniesh right away.

“Maniesh, I must apologise to you for this. I’m afraid I won’t make it for dinner due to some very personal commitments.”

“You have absolutely no reason to apologise, Ridhima. In fact, I would like to thank the almighty because I too have just found me in the middle of an unavoidable commitment. But I am very disappointed how this has messed up a great opportunity to have fun.”

“So am I.”

“I made a promise to Atul and now it’s embarrassing. I was thinking about lunch. How about that?”

Atul could hear Maniesh's voice. Ridhima looked at him and he nodded.

“It’s a good idea.”

Ridhima said.

“I’ll send you the address very soon. Shall I pick you up from your place?”

Maniesh offered to send his car for her and Ridhima refused, politely. He asked if Atul was still with her.

“He was here half an hour ago.”

She said.

“Anyway it’s no issue; I will get to him.”

She ended the conversation and turned to Atul.

“Happy now? You are home tonight.”

Atul was about to phone Anvita.

“I suggest you do not tell her that you’re going to make it in time.”

Ridhima said.

“It will be a great surprise for her.”

“It will be.”

Atul nodded.

“It’s actually a surprise for me.”

Atul hugged her happily and thanked her.

Atul got Maniesh's phone call very soon. Atul assured him he’s not disappointed at all.

Atul was glad that Maniesh did not call off the meeting. It was going to be a perfect deal for Atul. He was going home, Maniesh was no more a threat and the meeting was still happening.

But he still had a gut feeling that Maniesh could be playing his cards right to get close to Ridhima. He’s definitely going to have his way with her. Atul thought. He remembered the ultra-luxurious world inside his apartment. And he remembered the spacious bedroom and the king-size bed and the shiny quilt on it. And he remembered many more things of his apartment before he cut down his thoughts.

Ridhima phoned her driver and gave him the time to leave for the restaurant Maniesh had messaged. She then relieved her servant Neelam.

“I’m having lunch outside. You don’t have to cook anything for now. Dinner, at the regular time.”

She instructed.

Neelam shook her head obediently and left soon.

Ridhima went to her room and returned with a small bag.

“I have something for you, Atul.”

It was a blazer.

“It’s for you. I bought it two months back.”

She said.

“When I found it I remembered you. I thought it would suit you. I bought it right away.”

Atul could not stop smiling at her. He wore it and it fitted him perfectly.

“You have a knack for selection.”

Atul said.

“I love this.”

Ridhima smiled.

“Will you wear this for lunch?”

“I am wearing it for lunch, sweetheart!”
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