CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT

Jwala:

Vedika came to me to take care of me. Agni didn't return even after five days. He didn't come back nor did he call me. I felt as if I miss him. I thought to call him but stopped myself. I want him to prove that he is innocent. If I am not with him, only then he will try to prove his innocence, or he won't care about that. I went to the kitchen to prepare tea for myself and heard Vedika talking on the phone. She smiled looking at me.

"Ya Agni, she is fine. I will take good care of your beloved wife" she said signalling me that it's Agni who called her.

"Don't you miss her?" She said putting it on speaker mode.

"Of course I miss her so much, Vedika. But, she is uncomfortable with me thinking that I was the one who sent those stupid photos to her family. I don't want her to feel irritated by seeing me. So, I decided to give her little space to calm herself. Meanwhile, I am trying for clues."

"Didn't you find anything till now?"

"Not yet, Vedika. That person is intelligent and playing a tough game with me. I am trying in many ways but no clue till now."

"So when are you returning to your home?"

"Is there someone waiting for me at my home? No one cares if I return home or not"

"Agni, stop it," she said and tried to off speaker mode, but I snatched mobile to listen to his words.

"She never bothers even I return or die. She didn't even call me at least once in these five days. For her, proofs are more important than her husband. I never saw such a stupid girl who doesn't know anything and trusts everyone except her husband. On that day, when she said she hates me, I felt to give her a good lecture which clears the unnecessary stuff from her mind. But I controlled as I promised myself not to say anything to her for my past mistakes. She already faced enough with my stupidity. Even now I am staying away from her because I am scared of losing my patience and may shout at her anytime. Once if I prove I am not wrong then I won't speak to her for a long time and will make it hard for her to get my love back" he said continuously.

"When are you returning home?" I asked.

"Jwala," he said recognising my tone.

"No need to remind my name to me. Answer my question."

"In the evening," he said.

"Ok"

I disconnected the call and gave it to her.

"Jwala, I am sure he will be angry with me now. He may not talk to me."

"I am tired; I will take rest for some time," I said and went to my room.

I opened the gallery of my mobile and looked at his photos. Unknowingly tears fallen from my eyes. Why am I so confused? Dad and brother lied to me about surgery. It's true. Agni knew that, if he wants he can force them to return his money. But he didn't ask them nor did he scold me for withdrawing money for a fraudulent purpose.

He returned home in the evening. I am in bed, and he sat beside me and caressed my hairs.

"How are you, sweetheart?" He said and kept his head on my stomach.

"Hey baby, how are you? Are you troubling mama? Don't do that; she is already in many worries. What mama is doing?" He said looking at me.

"Why mama is so serious? Let's try to make her cool now" he said and kept his hand on my shoulders trying to give a side hug to me.

"Leave me Agni," I said taking off his hands.

"Where were you these five days?" I asked

"I was in my house, Jwala."

"Do you have other house than this? Do you have another wife too in that house?" I asked

"Jwala" he shouted at me.

"Or Enjoyed with someone in a lodge?"

He looked at me seriously and closed his eyes tight clenching his fist.

"Then why did you leave the house?" I asked shouting.

"Don't yell; it's not good for your health. My sweetheart, I don't have another home or wife. Not only another wife but also no one except you. That's my problem and want to make this relationship stronger" he said so softly.

I wondered at his patience. Is he the same Agni who tortured me for every small mistake?

"I didn't come to home as I didn't want you to get strain seeing me."

"If you didn't do anything prove it by staying here. Why are you avoiding me?"

"I didn't avoid you, sweety. I avoided myself from you."

"Don't try to talk lovingly. You are not this Agni. You are not this cool, not this sweet, not this loving. You are a beast who hurts everyone."

"That's just one side of me."

"Show me the other side," I said.

"That's what I am doing and will be doing forever," he said pulling me close.

I tried to get out of his grip, but my strength is not enough this time to push him away.

"You can't go away from me unless I give that chance to you for your happiness."

"You don't try to get away from my grip," he said pulling me more close to the extent where our lips met each other.

I didn't try to move away from him and went into a trance with his touch and sweet torture. He buried his head in my neck and inhaled deeply. I felt butterflies in my stomach. He pushed me to bed. He kissed me on the neck, collarbone and unpinned my saree from the blouse. He kissed my cleavage and tried to remove the blouse, but I held his hands. He looked at me.

"Please, don't do that. Leave me," I said without looking at Agni as I observed tears in his eyes.

I know what he is trying to do. He wants to hurt himself. Because the doctor said that he must stay away from me for three more months, or his condition may become furious. Why? Is it for doubting him, or for asking him whether he enjoyed with someone else. Tears flowed from my eyes which he wiped immediately.

"Don't you love me Jwala?"

"I love you, that's the reason I stopped you. I know it's not good for your health."

He smiled and laid beside me.

"I want you to remember that, before asking me whether I enjoyed with some other girl in a lodge," he said.

"Jwala, look at me once," he said and made me look into his eyes.

"Tell me how do you think I will insult my wife or lies to her? Can't you realise my love in my eyes."

"I want proof," I said

"I think it will make you happy if I die after giving proofs as you are bothered about proofs but not me," he said.

"Agni"

"Agni, till now my heart remembered only the torture you gave to me. Now make my heart trust you. Just prove that you are an innocent at least in one accusation. Then I will trust that you didn't do anything. At least one Agni, can't you do this for me? Prove that you had cleared the debt of my father or regarding photos or that you didn't send me to that hotel. At least prove one thing. I will never doubt you again in my life after this. I promise, please Agni" I said holding his hands.

"Agni, I am dying every second with these doubts in my mind. I don't know whom to trust and whom not to. I do not doubt you, but unable to trust anyone. Please clear my doubts please do it at least for our baby" I asked.

"I can't prove Jwala."

His words shocked me.