Chapter 78
Anvita felt that a reason to hate her might help him.
"Anvi, Will you forgive me?"
Atul asked her in the end.
"No, I can't forgive you Atul, because I don't deserve to forgive you. This must be God-given... I don’t deserve your remorse, Atul. Because I am a sinner. I have done horrible things than you can imagine. I have betrayed you."
She was crying all the way, tears rolling down her cheeks nonstop. "I have slept behind you, many times. And I have now killed a man. I killed Rajat, Atul. He was killed in here, in this house, in our bed."
Atul was speechless, staring at her, as the reality had knocked him completely senseless.
"How? Why?"
He didn't ask. But his eyes conveyed those questions.
"You think you've cheated on me and it makes you remorseful. But to me, you didn't cheat on me, Atul. You were just lending support to her. That's why she came out to seek your permission. And you're still a man with a will to move on. That's why you denied her wish, despite knowing what it means to her.
But I'm a cheater. I was a seeker of pleasure. I've enjoyed the company of other men despite being in love with you. I lied about what had happened with Varun. I had let him put it inside me, I had felt it for a second, only to lie to you that I hadn't. Later when he came for me I gave him head sitting in his car before I completely shut myself from him. I've gone with Shreyas for lunch and dinner when you were not here. You wanted me to show a bit of kindness to him, but I took advantage of it like a whore. I didn't refuse when he asked me out. After one lunch he kissed me. After one dinner l let him touch my body and I touched him. And during one dinner we had for him here, I allowed him to kiss me, touch me, and do everything except sex while you lay passed out in our bed. Later that night I had phone sex with him, Atul. He had removed my panty and when he later told me that over the phone I got aroused like a cheap woman who has no life. The extent I had fallen freaked me out so much that I ended everything with him after that.
After dinner night, I mentioned, when I returned, Rajat caught me. He had been blackmailing me since then. He wanted me to sleep with him, and I couldn't even tell you. God only knows how I resisted him. I just hated him. Otherwise, I would have fallen to become his slave or something like Neeti. Oh my God! What the worst life it would have been!
And then Prithvi. My friendship with him has always been in the wrong direction. He wanted me and I should have put him in his place. But I granted him space, and the fact that he was your friend too aided me with more freedom. I actually took advantage of it. When you were gone to...uhh...I think Mumbai...he had visited. That night our generator burst and I let him stay with me because I was scared. But I could never tell you this. And after that, a couple of more times when I allowed him to massage my feet and even lick my feet because he wanted to worship me... and then the night George and Leona visited us in the midnight. I was dead with shame because I had been hiding about Prithvi from you. So I had to hide him from them too. In the end, I allowed him to sleep in our room...in our bed...and...and..."
Tears broke out of her eyes and Anvita took a couple of quick breaths.
"...and I had sex with him, Atul. I allowed him to have me, and I enjoyed that. I betrayed you."
Atul couldn't take his eyes off her. More than what she was telling him, the pain and shame she was enduring while confessing was perhaps holding his attention. He was looking at her as if she was telling a story that never happened. Anvita felt he would never believe she betrayed him.
"Next morning when everybody was gone, dad visited; your dad. I confessed what I did with Prithvi. He advised me not to tell you because he said it will only give you pain. I chose to obey him."
Anvita paused to wipe her tears.
"A few days after the incident George visited again, in your absence. He told me he had heard the sounds from my room, and he threatened me that he would tell you. I begged him not to, saying it was merely an accident. It was an accident. It just happened. But George didn't listen, he wanted to use me. I was already fed up resisting Rajat for the whole time because of what I did with Shreyas, so I didn't want George to destroy my life, you. I let him have sex with me."
Anvita's threw her eyes to the bedroom and she could still feel the hatred.
"When I told dad about it, he took George to his farmhouse and asked him to put his filthy hand to show inside the cane crusher, in order to spare his life. That's how he lost his hand. It wasn't an accident. It was for me."
Anvita sighed. "But what punishment will be sufficient for me? I have done more cruel things to you. The night you went to Pune, on the wedding eve of Prithvi's brother, I came here to help his friends have our inverter. We stayed back here, and I had sex with him again. And yesterday too, after you were gone, he visited and we went to bed to do things I knew you'd never tolerate even in your nightmares. After that, Rajat intervened."
Anvita went on with what happened, in detail. Atul sat in complete silence, except for his breathing.
"My hands are dirtier than I can live with, Atul. I must surrender to the security officer, now. That's the only thing I've got to do."
"What?"
Atul looked up at her, finally.
"I'm going to surrender. This is the right thing, isn't it? They'll find it, eventually."
"But it was self-defence."
"It may be, but he lost his life. His wife, his child..."
"Anvita..."
"Please Atul. I'm not going to ask for your forgiveness. I only want you to do one thing. Whatever happened has happened. Can you let me talk to Ridhima?"
"Ridhima? Why?" Atul's face became grim.
"Please."
Atul stared at her for a moment and then took his phone. He made the call and turned the speaker on.
"Hello..."
Anvita heard a woman's voice and her heart skipped a beat. Atul looked her in the eyes. Anvita swallowed.
"Atul...?"
She heard Ridhima's voice again.
"Ridhima..." Anvita cleared her throat. "This is Anvita. I'm..." She paused a moment and leaned closer towards the phone. "Atul told me everything."
She heard her breathing from the other end.
"Ridhima?"
"I'm sorry... I..." Ridhima's voice was a whisper. Anvita felt she was sobbing.
"I didn't mean to hurt you, Anvita. I just... I just..."
"It's alright. It's alright, Ridhima. I just want to tell you I still love my husband. I don't know you'll ever understand me but it's not important. What's more important is I want to tell you that you have the right to keep your baby. You are the mother. From today, you are the mother and father of your child. Can you do that?"
Anvita's heart was racing as she spoke.
"I... Anvita... I don't know how to thank you. You are just..." Ridhima's voice was filled with a rush of emotions, "but why? Did Atul ask you?"
"No, he won't ask me. It's my decision."
"You're an angel, Anvita. Atul always told me how wonderful a person you are and how much he loves you. Now I understand more than ever how much you deserve him. I... I'm just a..."
For a moment Anvita wished she did this conversation in person.
"I'm not finding words to thank you, Anvita. Thank you is too small a word. You know I was on the brink of destruction and, I haven't met you yet, but I know the rest of my life I'll be indebted to you. You are Godsend. Like me when you are in need, God will send his angels for you. My prayers will be there always for you. I can understand what a wife can feel when she learns her loving husband has slept with another woman and even fathered a child with her. But whatever had happened, it wasn't his mistake in any sense I can remember. He is the most loyal person I've ever met. He had helped me survive a lot of hardships, but still, I ended up asking him the most valuable thing. I had lost all the hope and I didn't have the right to complain. You have saved my life, Anvita. I told you, you're an angel. We will never meet. I will never see Atul in my life. But I will never forget you. Both of you are a miracle in my life and miracles happen because of a reason."
Anvita couldn't stop smiling for a moment. She felt at peace. For a moment she felt whatever she had done in her life without really making an obvious choice about it, all of it has led her to it; to meet this unknown woman. To earn her blessings and prayers.
Atul let out a sigh as the call ended. He knelt in front of her.
"You are truly an Angel, Anvi, to have rescued me from this... this gallows of remorse."
"I did what is right. I can't allow myself to be the reason for another life to end."
She said.
The doorbell rang, startling both together.
"Oh, my God! It must be them."
Anvita panicked.
Atul grabbed her hands.
"Anvi, I'll tell them I did it."
"What?"
Anvita stared at him.
"Put me in place of Prithvi. Rajat was trying to bang you when I returned, and I attacked him to save you. I'll tell I did it only to stop him, to save you."
"No, I can't let you do this."
Anvita pushed him away. He grabbed her again.
"Anvi..."
The doorbell rang again.
"Anvi... We don't have much time. I'll surrender... This is the best I can do for you. Please be with me."
"Atul..."
Anvita wept. Atul got up and began to turn.
"Atul..." Anvita got up and hugged him tight and wept. "I can't let you do this Atul... You have nothing to do with this. I love you."
Atul forcefully released himself from her grip and moved back.
"I know, my baby. But I too love you, more than anything. I can't let you go where you don't deserve."
He walked away and opened the door.
Anvita was going to faint before she saw the visitor's face.
"Dad..."
Rajyavardhan stared at his son's face for s long moment and walked in.
He stopped at the centre of the hall as if studying them both.
"Dad..."
Atul began to say.
"What's going on?"
Rajyavardhan asked. Anvita fell to her knees.
"I told him everything, dad. And he's going to surrender, dad. He's... I... Stop him please, dad..."
"What?"
He turned to Atul. Atul moved closer.
"I don't want to lose her, dad."
"So?"
Rajyavardhan's voice was as hard as ever.
"I can take Prithvi's place and admit that I did it to save my wife."
"Isn't it too late, my son?"
"What better option do I have? I can't let her go to prison."
Rajyavardhan turned to him and hugged him. Anvita looked up and saw the surprised look on Atul's face.
"You should calm down a little bit, my son. I can see how much you love her. Your decision may sound brave but it's practically useless. You plead guilty and you go to jail. Even if you manage to walk free, it'll leave your wife imprisoned by remorse. When you come back you won't get your Anvi back. She'll die with repentance. She has done more than what she could take already."
"But... Dad..."
"Listen, my son. Whatever decision I've taken in my life for you, you've defied them all. And still, you have lived and proved that you can be what you wanted to be. Looking back I can say you wouldn't have done this great if you had followed my orders. It's the perspective...I must understand that. But I'm still your father. And I'm as bloody-minded as I could get. Take it as a request; don't defy me this one time."
"Dad..."
Rajyavardhan helped Anvita get up.
"Anvita... Atul... You've got enough life left. Rajat was evil. He shouldn't be allowed to make you separate even for a moment. I'm the person who's right to deal with this type of mess."
"What are you saying, dad?"
Atul asked.
"I'll plead guilty. I came here to do this. I can cook up a theory of how I arrived here a day earlier for the wedding anniversary and I saw a man trying to bang my daughter-in-law, and I attacked him. It is me; no one will have any issue to believe it."
"No."
Atul and Anvita said together.
Anvita was devastated by his decision. She couldn’t stop crying. She felt she was just a ill fate that happened in his life. For one moment she felt she shouldn’t have met Atul and fallen in love with him. Because she didn’t deserve to be his daughter-in-law. After her marriage she had heard numerous stories of Rajyavardhan's mercilessness. She was even scared of him. But once she knew him for better, every day was a realisation. A realisation of how caring and protective a father he is. Now he was not just trying to rescue her from the misfortune, but he was sacrificing himself for her. Anvita was not going to allow him to do that.
But as Rajyavardhan had just mentioned, he was as bloody-minded as he could get. Anvita and Atul could not make him change his mind even after an hour's pleading and arguing.
In the end, Atul had to relent.
"As you say, dad. I'm sorry I had to hurt you all along."
"I'm just content about how you made your life decisions, son. One of the best is, I must say, is Anvita."
He smiled.
Anvita cried and hugged Rajyavardhan. She hugged him tightly, taking him by surprise, and kissed him all over his face, rubbing her lips into his, making his face wet with her tears, while Atul watched.
Rajyavardhan slowly pushed her toward Atul.
"Take her with you, son. Go to your room. Share some good time with her. Bring her back to life. She has a very gorgeous smile. I want to see it before I leave."
Anvita turned to Atul. His eyes were wet. His arms went around her and his lips reached for hers. Anvita didn't hesitate a moment to give in and kissed him back. There was eagerness in the way their lips met, and Anvita could instantly feel it was not because Rajyavardhan's sacrifice had gifted them a new life. Instead, it was for a belief that was filling their heart that they had both decided to forgive each other.
"Do you forgive me?"
Anvita asked when they broke the kiss.
"I embrace you," he smiled. "What about me, do you forgive me?"
Anvita smiled at him and turned her head to Rajyavardhan.
"Dad I want to torture him. Is that okay?"
Rajyavardhan laughed his heart out.
"That's my child."
He pressed his palm over her shoulder. Anvita felt warm. She turned to him to put her one arm around her and pulled him closer. She hugged father and son together and rubbed her cheeks with them one after another. She felt both the men's arms around her, and she couldn't make out which one was warmer. The only thing she could now feel was an urge within her to go to bed and start undressing and exploring that warmth. She felt shy, and she moved away. She couldn't look at Rajyavardhan's eyes, and she smiled at Atul.
They had dinner together. It was light. They all knew the morning was going to be unpleasant. But still, Anvita had the courage to stop thinking about it. Just because her father-in-law was there.
Anvita was excited as she made the bed.
"What are you smiling about?"
Atul asked.
"Your dad is wonderful, isn't it?"
"He is." Atul smiled, and Anvita could see his eyes shining.
Soon they were in bed, making love passionately. Anvita felt like a virgin and her body trembled as he entered her.
"What?"
Atul asked.
"Nothing. I can't believe we're making love again. I thought I’ve lost you."
"I'll never let you do that, Anvi. Because I can't stop loving you, no matter what you do."
"I wish this night never ends."
Anvita hugged him tight, welcoming him more into her.
Anvita woke up feeling fresh in the morning as if from a beautiful dream, and suddenly she remembered what was going to happen. It was her first wedding anniversary. But instead of getting applauds and gifts and greetings, she was going to live the painful sight of her father-in-law getting thrown behind bars for a crime she had committed.
But there was no way to help him. There was no way to help herself.
Anvita walked out of the room, her hair tousled. Rajyavardhan was in the hall, practising his morning yoga. He stopped and looked at her, his eyes calm.
Rajyavardhan got ready soon after breakfast. He was going to the security officer station. Anvita wanted him to wait until the cops came for them.
"What if they didn't find out the truth?"
"That's more dangerous," Rajyavardhan said. "Sooner or later they'll know the truth. My surrender wouldn't work once they've found out it's you. It's an easy guess that I'm trying to protect you."
He hugged them both for one last time.
"What we are doing is the best thing we can do. And this isn't the end of our world. I know how to get myself out of this. Maybe a couple of months. We can work it out. Atul will hire the best lawyer he could get. Why should I worry?"
He smiled and opened the front door. Anvita looked out and her heart stopped. There was a cop standing with his back toward their door. He turned and Anvita saw he was the cop who had arrested Atul on the previous night.
Yesterday he took the son. Today, the father. And it was Anvita's fate that she had to witness it all.
"Hello Atul," the officer smiled. "Thanks for helping out with the tip."
"What?"
Atul took a step forward.
"Your tip about Mohit helped us. He has confessed. He killed your neighbour."
Anvita could not simply believe it.
No. It's not possible. She screamed in her mind. They're again arresting the wrong man.
However, this time they had proved it beyond doubt. security officer had already taken Mohit into custody. He had confessed that he was the murderer.
Every details of the incident was in the media very soon.
Mohit had left for Nagpur on a two-day trip, on Saturday. But his trip was cancelled and he returned home by evening. His untimely return only resulted in him finding out his wife's deception. As he walked into his apartment he found two food plates on the dining table and his wife sleeping in his bedroom - wearing nothing. He confronted her and she confessed that Rajat was her guest. She confessed how Rajat had shown up for dinner and had taken her to the bed straight away.
Devastated by the truth, Mohit set out to confront Rajat too. He went downstairs and got into Rajat's apartment, as the latter had accidentally left the door unlocked. He found Rajat sleeping inside and that was his opportunity. Out of rage, he grabbed the bedside wooden stool and struck hard on Rajat's head, with an intent to take his life. The cops found the stool in Mohit's apartment, with blood stains on its hard edge.
Looking back, Anvita could see the picture clearly. The attack by Prithvi hadn't killed Rajat. It just got him unconscious, and later baffled and disappointed. And his frustration perhaps led him to Neeti. He had dinner with her and then took her to bed, not even letting her do the dish. When he left eventually, Neeti might have felt too tired and lazy to get off the bed. She, as it later turned out, had no idea she was leaving too much evidence for her husband.
Everyone in the neighbourhood felt for Mohit; many were saying he did the right thing.
Officer Senapati had thanked Atul for his help.
"The things people consider trivial are always important in these types of cases."
Anvita was happy and beginning to smile as the officer turned to his fellow cop.
“Are you happy now?”
Atul closed the door and turned to her.
“Not happy.”
“What? Why?”
Atul stared at her.
“I thought I had killed him. I should have killed him.”
She blinked at him.
“Just kidding! I'm so relieved, I can't believe it!”
She hugged Atul who in turn grabbed Rajyavardhan with his other hand.
"This is amazing," Rajyavardhan said. "I only wanted my kids to be safe. I just got you safe. Thank God for this miracle."
However, Anvita wasn't thanking God for the miracle. She was merely remembering Ridhima's words.
Miracles happen because of a reason.
"Anvi, Will you forgive me?"
Atul asked her in the end.
"No, I can't forgive you Atul, because I don't deserve to forgive you. This must be God-given... I don’t deserve your remorse, Atul. Because I am a sinner. I have done horrible things than you can imagine. I have betrayed you."
She was crying all the way, tears rolling down her cheeks nonstop. "I have slept behind you, many times. And I have now killed a man. I killed Rajat, Atul. He was killed in here, in this house, in our bed."
Atul was speechless, staring at her, as the reality had knocked him completely senseless.
"How? Why?"
He didn't ask. But his eyes conveyed those questions.
"You think you've cheated on me and it makes you remorseful. But to me, you didn't cheat on me, Atul. You were just lending support to her. That's why she came out to seek your permission. And you're still a man with a will to move on. That's why you denied her wish, despite knowing what it means to her.
But I'm a cheater. I was a seeker of pleasure. I've enjoyed the company of other men despite being in love with you. I lied about what had happened with Varun. I had let him put it inside me, I had felt it for a second, only to lie to you that I hadn't. Later when he came for me I gave him head sitting in his car before I completely shut myself from him. I've gone with Shreyas for lunch and dinner when you were not here. You wanted me to show a bit of kindness to him, but I took advantage of it like a whore. I didn't refuse when he asked me out. After one lunch he kissed me. After one dinner l let him touch my body and I touched him. And during one dinner we had for him here, I allowed him to kiss me, touch me, and do everything except sex while you lay passed out in our bed. Later that night I had phone sex with him, Atul. He had removed my panty and when he later told me that over the phone I got aroused like a cheap woman who has no life. The extent I had fallen freaked me out so much that I ended everything with him after that.
After dinner night, I mentioned, when I returned, Rajat caught me. He had been blackmailing me since then. He wanted me to sleep with him, and I couldn't even tell you. God only knows how I resisted him. I just hated him. Otherwise, I would have fallen to become his slave or something like Neeti. Oh my God! What the worst life it would have been!
And then Prithvi. My friendship with him has always been in the wrong direction. He wanted me and I should have put him in his place. But I granted him space, and the fact that he was your friend too aided me with more freedom. I actually took advantage of it. When you were gone to...uhh...I think Mumbai...he had visited. That night our generator burst and I let him stay with me because I was scared. But I could never tell you this. And after that, a couple of more times when I allowed him to massage my feet and even lick my feet because he wanted to worship me... and then the night George and Leona visited us in the midnight. I was dead with shame because I had been hiding about Prithvi from you. So I had to hide him from them too. In the end, I allowed him to sleep in our room...in our bed...and...and..."
Tears broke out of her eyes and Anvita took a couple of quick breaths.
"...and I had sex with him, Atul. I allowed him to have me, and I enjoyed that. I betrayed you."
Atul couldn't take his eyes off her. More than what she was telling him, the pain and shame she was enduring while confessing was perhaps holding his attention. He was looking at her as if she was telling a story that never happened. Anvita felt he would never believe she betrayed him.
"Next morning when everybody was gone, dad visited; your dad. I confessed what I did with Prithvi. He advised me not to tell you because he said it will only give you pain. I chose to obey him."
Anvita paused to wipe her tears.
"A few days after the incident George visited again, in your absence. He told me he had heard the sounds from my room, and he threatened me that he would tell you. I begged him not to, saying it was merely an accident. It was an accident. It just happened. But George didn't listen, he wanted to use me. I was already fed up resisting Rajat for the whole time because of what I did with Shreyas, so I didn't want George to destroy my life, you. I let him have sex with me."
Anvita's threw her eyes to the bedroom and she could still feel the hatred.
"When I told dad about it, he took George to his farmhouse and asked him to put his filthy hand to show inside the cane crusher, in order to spare his life. That's how he lost his hand. It wasn't an accident. It was for me."
Anvita sighed. "But what punishment will be sufficient for me? I have done more cruel things to you. The night you went to Pune, on the wedding eve of Prithvi's brother, I came here to help his friends have our inverter. We stayed back here, and I had sex with him again. And yesterday too, after you were gone, he visited and we went to bed to do things I knew you'd never tolerate even in your nightmares. After that, Rajat intervened."
Anvita went on with what happened, in detail. Atul sat in complete silence, except for his breathing.
"My hands are dirtier than I can live with, Atul. I must surrender to the security officer, now. That's the only thing I've got to do."
"What?"
Atul looked up at her, finally.
"I'm going to surrender. This is the right thing, isn't it? They'll find it, eventually."
"But it was self-defence."
"It may be, but he lost his life. His wife, his child..."
"Anvita..."
"Please Atul. I'm not going to ask for your forgiveness. I only want you to do one thing. Whatever happened has happened. Can you let me talk to Ridhima?"
"Ridhima? Why?" Atul's face became grim.
"Please."
Atul stared at her for a moment and then took his phone. He made the call and turned the speaker on.
"Hello..."
Anvita heard a woman's voice and her heart skipped a beat. Atul looked her in the eyes. Anvita swallowed.
"Atul...?"
She heard Ridhima's voice again.
"Ridhima..." Anvita cleared her throat. "This is Anvita. I'm..." She paused a moment and leaned closer towards the phone. "Atul told me everything."
She heard her breathing from the other end.
"Ridhima?"
"I'm sorry... I..." Ridhima's voice was a whisper. Anvita felt she was sobbing.
"I didn't mean to hurt you, Anvita. I just... I just..."
"It's alright. It's alright, Ridhima. I just want to tell you I still love my husband. I don't know you'll ever understand me but it's not important. What's more important is I want to tell you that you have the right to keep your baby. You are the mother. From today, you are the mother and father of your child. Can you do that?"
Anvita's heart was racing as she spoke.
"I... Anvita... I don't know how to thank you. You are just..." Ridhima's voice was filled with a rush of emotions, "but why? Did Atul ask you?"
"No, he won't ask me. It's my decision."
"You're an angel, Anvita. Atul always told me how wonderful a person you are and how much he loves you. Now I understand more than ever how much you deserve him. I... I'm just a..."
For a moment Anvita wished she did this conversation in person.
"I'm not finding words to thank you, Anvita. Thank you is too small a word. You know I was on the brink of destruction and, I haven't met you yet, but I know the rest of my life I'll be indebted to you. You are Godsend. Like me when you are in need, God will send his angels for you. My prayers will be there always for you. I can understand what a wife can feel when she learns her loving husband has slept with another woman and even fathered a child with her. But whatever had happened, it wasn't his mistake in any sense I can remember. He is the most loyal person I've ever met. He had helped me survive a lot of hardships, but still, I ended up asking him the most valuable thing. I had lost all the hope and I didn't have the right to complain. You have saved my life, Anvita. I told you, you're an angel. We will never meet. I will never see Atul in my life. But I will never forget you. Both of you are a miracle in my life and miracles happen because of a reason."
Anvita couldn't stop smiling for a moment. She felt at peace. For a moment she felt whatever she had done in her life without really making an obvious choice about it, all of it has led her to it; to meet this unknown woman. To earn her blessings and prayers.
Atul let out a sigh as the call ended. He knelt in front of her.
"You are truly an Angel, Anvi, to have rescued me from this... this gallows of remorse."
"I did what is right. I can't allow myself to be the reason for another life to end."
She said.
The doorbell rang, startling both together.
"Oh, my God! It must be them."
Anvita panicked.
Atul grabbed her hands.
"Anvi, I'll tell them I did it."
"What?"
Anvita stared at him.
"Put me in place of Prithvi. Rajat was trying to bang you when I returned, and I attacked him to save you. I'll tell I did it only to stop him, to save you."
"No, I can't let you do this."
Anvita pushed him away. He grabbed her again.
"Anvi..."
The doorbell rang again.
"Anvi... We don't have much time. I'll surrender... This is the best I can do for you. Please be with me."
"Atul..."
Anvita wept. Atul got up and began to turn.
"Atul..." Anvita got up and hugged him tight and wept. "I can't let you do this Atul... You have nothing to do with this. I love you."
Atul forcefully released himself from her grip and moved back.
"I know, my baby. But I too love you, more than anything. I can't let you go where you don't deserve."
He walked away and opened the door.
Anvita was going to faint before she saw the visitor's face.
"Dad..."
Rajyavardhan stared at his son's face for s long moment and walked in.
He stopped at the centre of the hall as if studying them both.
"Dad..."
Atul began to say.
"What's going on?"
Rajyavardhan asked. Anvita fell to her knees.
"I told him everything, dad. And he's going to surrender, dad. He's... I... Stop him please, dad..."
"What?"
He turned to Atul. Atul moved closer.
"I don't want to lose her, dad."
"So?"
Rajyavardhan's voice was as hard as ever.
"I can take Prithvi's place and admit that I did it to save my wife."
"Isn't it too late, my son?"
"What better option do I have? I can't let her go to prison."
Rajyavardhan turned to him and hugged him. Anvita looked up and saw the surprised look on Atul's face.
"You should calm down a little bit, my son. I can see how much you love her. Your decision may sound brave but it's practically useless. You plead guilty and you go to jail. Even if you manage to walk free, it'll leave your wife imprisoned by remorse. When you come back you won't get your Anvi back. She'll die with repentance. She has done more than what she could take already."
"But... Dad..."
"Listen, my son. Whatever decision I've taken in my life for you, you've defied them all. And still, you have lived and proved that you can be what you wanted to be. Looking back I can say you wouldn't have done this great if you had followed my orders. It's the perspective...I must understand that. But I'm still your father. And I'm as bloody-minded as I could get. Take it as a request; don't defy me this one time."
"Dad..."
Rajyavardhan helped Anvita get up.
"Anvita... Atul... You've got enough life left. Rajat was evil. He shouldn't be allowed to make you separate even for a moment. I'm the person who's right to deal with this type of mess."
"What are you saying, dad?"
Atul asked.
"I'll plead guilty. I came here to do this. I can cook up a theory of how I arrived here a day earlier for the wedding anniversary and I saw a man trying to bang my daughter-in-law, and I attacked him. It is me; no one will have any issue to believe it."
"No."
Atul and Anvita said together.
Anvita was devastated by his decision. She couldn’t stop crying. She felt she was just a ill fate that happened in his life. For one moment she felt she shouldn’t have met Atul and fallen in love with him. Because she didn’t deserve to be his daughter-in-law. After her marriage she had heard numerous stories of Rajyavardhan's mercilessness. She was even scared of him. But once she knew him for better, every day was a realisation. A realisation of how caring and protective a father he is. Now he was not just trying to rescue her from the misfortune, but he was sacrificing himself for her. Anvita was not going to allow him to do that.
But as Rajyavardhan had just mentioned, he was as bloody-minded as he could get. Anvita and Atul could not make him change his mind even after an hour's pleading and arguing.
In the end, Atul had to relent.
"As you say, dad. I'm sorry I had to hurt you all along."
"I'm just content about how you made your life decisions, son. One of the best is, I must say, is Anvita."
He smiled.
Anvita cried and hugged Rajyavardhan. She hugged him tightly, taking him by surprise, and kissed him all over his face, rubbing her lips into his, making his face wet with her tears, while Atul watched.
Rajyavardhan slowly pushed her toward Atul.
"Take her with you, son. Go to your room. Share some good time with her. Bring her back to life. She has a very gorgeous smile. I want to see it before I leave."
Anvita turned to Atul. His eyes were wet. His arms went around her and his lips reached for hers. Anvita didn't hesitate a moment to give in and kissed him back. There was eagerness in the way their lips met, and Anvita could instantly feel it was not because Rajyavardhan's sacrifice had gifted them a new life. Instead, it was for a belief that was filling their heart that they had both decided to forgive each other.
"Do you forgive me?"
Anvita asked when they broke the kiss.
"I embrace you," he smiled. "What about me, do you forgive me?"
Anvita smiled at him and turned her head to Rajyavardhan.
"Dad I want to torture him. Is that okay?"
Rajyavardhan laughed his heart out.
"That's my child."
He pressed his palm over her shoulder. Anvita felt warm. She turned to him to put her one arm around her and pulled him closer. She hugged father and son together and rubbed her cheeks with them one after another. She felt both the men's arms around her, and she couldn't make out which one was warmer. The only thing she could now feel was an urge within her to go to bed and start undressing and exploring that warmth. She felt shy, and she moved away. She couldn't look at Rajyavardhan's eyes, and she smiled at Atul.
They had dinner together. It was light. They all knew the morning was going to be unpleasant. But still, Anvita had the courage to stop thinking about it. Just because her father-in-law was there.
Anvita was excited as she made the bed.
"What are you smiling about?"
Atul asked.
"Your dad is wonderful, isn't it?"
"He is." Atul smiled, and Anvita could see his eyes shining.
Soon they were in bed, making love passionately. Anvita felt like a virgin and her body trembled as he entered her.
"What?"
Atul asked.
"Nothing. I can't believe we're making love again. I thought I’ve lost you."
"I'll never let you do that, Anvi. Because I can't stop loving you, no matter what you do."
"I wish this night never ends."
Anvita hugged him tight, welcoming him more into her.
Anvita woke up feeling fresh in the morning as if from a beautiful dream, and suddenly she remembered what was going to happen. It was her first wedding anniversary. But instead of getting applauds and gifts and greetings, she was going to live the painful sight of her father-in-law getting thrown behind bars for a crime she had committed.
But there was no way to help him. There was no way to help herself.
Anvita walked out of the room, her hair tousled. Rajyavardhan was in the hall, practising his morning yoga. He stopped and looked at her, his eyes calm.
Rajyavardhan got ready soon after breakfast. He was going to the security officer station. Anvita wanted him to wait until the cops came for them.
"What if they didn't find out the truth?"
"That's more dangerous," Rajyavardhan said. "Sooner or later they'll know the truth. My surrender wouldn't work once they've found out it's you. It's an easy guess that I'm trying to protect you."
He hugged them both for one last time.
"What we are doing is the best thing we can do. And this isn't the end of our world. I know how to get myself out of this. Maybe a couple of months. We can work it out. Atul will hire the best lawyer he could get. Why should I worry?"
He smiled and opened the front door. Anvita looked out and her heart stopped. There was a cop standing with his back toward their door. He turned and Anvita saw he was the cop who had arrested Atul on the previous night.
Yesterday he took the son. Today, the father. And it was Anvita's fate that she had to witness it all.
"Hello Atul," the officer smiled. "Thanks for helping out with the tip."
"What?"
Atul took a step forward.
"Your tip about Mohit helped us. He has confessed. He killed your neighbour."
Anvita could not simply believe it.
No. It's not possible. She screamed in her mind. They're again arresting the wrong man.
However, this time they had proved it beyond doubt. security officer had already taken Mohit into custody. He had confessed that he was the murderer.
Every details of the incident was in the media very soon.
Mohit had left for Nagpur on a two-day trip, on Saturday. But his trip was cancelled and he returned home by evening. His untimely return only resulted in him finding out his wife's deception. As he walked into his apartment he found two food plates on the dining table and his wife sleeping in his bedroom - wearing nothing. He confronted her and she confessed that Rajat was her guest. She confessed how Rajat had shown up for dinner and had taken her to the bed straight away.
Devastated by the truth, Mohit set out to confront Rajat too. He went downstairs and got into Rajat's apartment, as the latter had accidentally left the door unlocked. He found Rajat sleeping inside and that was his opportunity. Out of rage, he grabbed the bedside wooden stool and struck hard on Rajat's head, with an intent to take his life. The cops found the stool in Mohit's apartment, with blood stains on its hard edge.
Looking back, Anvita could see the picture clearly. The attack by Prithvi hadn't killed Rajat. It just got him unconscious, and later baffled and disappointed. And his frustration perhaps led him to Neeti. He had dinner with her and then took her to bed, not even letting her do the dish. When he left eventually, Neeti might have felt too tired and lazy to get off the bed. She, as it later turned out, had no idea she was leaving too much evidence for her husband.
Everyone in the neighbourhood felt for Mohit; many were saying he did the right thing.
Officer Senapati had thanked Atul for his help.
"The things people consider trivial are always important in these types of cases."
Anvita was happy and beginning to smile as the officer turned to his fellow cop.
“Are you happy now?”
Atul closed the door and turned to her.
“Not happy.”
“What? Why?”
Atul stared at her.
“I thought I had killed him. I should have killed him.”
She blinked at him.
“Just kidding! I'm so relieved, I can't believe it!”
She hugged Atul who in turn grabbed Rajyavardhan with his other hand.
"This is amazing," Rajyavardhan said. "I only wanted my kids to be safe. I just got you safe. Thank God for this miracle."
However, Anvita wasn't thanking God for the miracle. She was merely remembering Ridhima's words.
Miracles happen because of a reason.
Epilogue
Atul
So that's our story. The testing times have passed. I and Anvita are back together. We were never separated, but there were times when our minds were crowded by people who could threaten to destroy our lives. Now we have no such worries. We know each other better than ever, and we love each other more than ever. I and Anvita; we make a great couple. People envy us; they have to.
No one lives the life of a saint forever in this world. But as the wise have once said, every sinner has a future, like every saint has a past. We are now looking forward to the future, which we know is going to be bright. It has to be.
We do not look back with contempt.
However, I had met George last week. I told him that I know. And I told him that I have forgiven him. When I returned, Anvita told me Leona had called her and apologised to her on behalf of her husband.
Our story didn't end happily all the way either. Prithvi's dad Pradeep called me a few days after Mohit's arrest. Prithvi had tripped and fallen off the rooftop of his uncle's flat. He suffered fatal injuries and is still put under intensive care. Doctors have promised he will be saved, but they aren't sure how long it would take before he returned to normal life. Anvita had this fear that it must be a suicide attempt, but I have consoled her that she has nothing to do with it. She had her share of suicidal thoughts as well. It was her mental stability that kept her from the grave step. No one is more responsible for one's life than themselves. Also, in Prithvi's case, we don't even know if it was suicide or accident. All we can do is to hope that he'll soon return to his life.
Anvita often talks about Ridhima. She had mentioned a wish to meet her once and then on a second thought she went against it. I know she's a bit worried if it would be embarrassing for me. But I don't care about Ridhima anymore, to be honest. I have started to feel like they have more right to think about each other. They talk over the phone for long. I have become like a bystander. Ridhima has subtly planted the idea that it's time to have a kid for us too, Anvita told me. Anvita still thinks it's Ridhima's prayers that saved her. I too like to believe that. It feels good to think that way. Because, as Anvita had later made out, everything I had done with Ridhima was later proved to be for a reason - a reason that existed only for the eventual benefit of Anvita. Looking back, I can agree with her to an extent. But I know I can never agree with her to say that I'm otherwise a saint.
Because I still have my secrets. Perhaps she too has. I don't worry about it.
Because we are human. We have to have our share of secrets. Like Anvita, like me, like you, no one dies a saint.
---The End---
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