APRICITY [Completed] - Chapter 10: Chapter 10

SURBHI
"You did what?" Shruti exclaims.
"I know it wasn't my best decision, but I had no choice. I couldn't leave him downstairs to freeze. It rained heavily last night, too," I explain, and it's more for myself than for her.
Inviting Vihaan to my apartment was a rash decision. One that I might come to regret very soon. Yet, my conscience wouldn't have let me sleep if I knew he was outside my window after he had just recovered from a fever.
A warm hand covers mine, and I meet Shruti's worried eyes.
"Are you sure about this?"
I'm not. I have no idea what I'm doing, and this has been an echoing thought in my mind for a while now.
I have to find a way to get my life back on track. Ignoring Vihaan's presence did not work. Maybe pushing his buttons will.
There has to be something that will tip him over the edge. That will finally make him reveal the monster inside him again, and I will have a valid reason to crush the butterflies that have started churning in my stomach in his vicinity.
"What if he hurt you? In public places, he would never risk it. But in a private space where there are no prying eyes, it's a risk you should have calculated better."
She does not hide the bitter tone of discontent in her voice, and I do not blame her.
She is not wrong. Neither wrong for calling me out nor for worrying. However, something inside my heart tells me to not back off.
Something pings at me to take things further this way. Shruti did not hear Vihaan's words, which sounded utterly sincere. She did not see the hint of desperation in his eyes every night.
It's not that I have suddenly started trusting him. But I am ready to change my course of action. Wherever this takes us, I'll be prepared for it.
As for her primary concern, my instincts tell me that Vihaan wouldn't try anything. And if he does, then I will not relent from answering back.
"Then he'll find out that another side exists to me."
VIHAAN
I cleaned the house- Surbhi's orders. I am responsible for the hygiene of the apartment. Then, I dust all the tables and shelves.
While doing the dishes, I smile to myself. I can't remember the last time I did household chores.
Funny how even with millions in a man's bank account, he is helpless if his leash is in the hands of a woman.
Surbhi knows she has mine. And she's making complete use of it.
Begrudgingly, I attend the office calls. My company has been suffering for the past two months. But my priority is my wife right now. Everything else will have to wait.
I retrieved some clothes from my house. After dropping them off at the apartment, I go to pick Surbhi from her office.
Slowly, we developed into the routine and another three months passed by. Someone would think that Surbhi must have softened towards me by now. She hasn't, not even a little.
Every day, she keeps finding new ways to push my buttons. She's pinning for me to walk away from her. She doesn't see it yet that I won't. No matter how hard she tries, I'll keep working for her forgiveness.
I've started going to the office three times a week because I still need to fulfil the house duties she gave me. Yet, every day, no matter how busy I am, I see her off in the morning and walk her home in the evening.
Yup, home. This shabby piece of architecture has given me more comfort in the past three months than any lavish house or hotel ever could. And this has less to do with how lively it is and more to do with the stubborn woman who lives here.
When I signed a deal worth 30 crores, I came home running and told Surbhi about it. Despite all her anger, she wished me congratulations, and I somehow knew it was genuine. I knew that even after our past, she did not wish the absolute worst for me.
It felt good to come home to someone, to share my happiness with someone who wasn't smiling in front of me and plotting my demise behind my back.
I buy chocolates, ice cream and cakes for her. Her sweet tooth doesn't let her refuse them anymore, and she relishes them reluctantly.
I also got her some soft toys, and I read about plants online, so I'm able to help her out with her hobby.
Every time I pass through the bookshelf, I try not to stare at them for too long. I have not read her annotations since that day because I knew she wouldn't approve of it. But it's difficult to simply forget.
Surbhi even lets me touch her now. The first time I brought my hand up to wipe the red sauce from her face, she flinched. I instantly took two steps back to give her a sense of safety.
I thought a lot about how to approach this with her, and an idea bloomed in my mind.
I offered to give her a foot massage. It was the farthest I could be from her face and still touching her. Also, she walks everywhere, so I was sure that she would agree. She did.
After a few days of foot massages, I risked going up to her legs. I never touch her without permission and try to make sure that she is comfortable. Surprisingly, a while later, she allowed me to give her back massages.
The scars on her back haven't faded yet. I bought an ointment and for the past month, I have been applying it to her scars. They are dimmer now.
But the worst part is her voice. It's still raspy, and she can't scream or put too much pressure on her vocal cords unless she wants to lose them completely.
I tried everything in my power to contact doctors and specialists all over the world. I got the same response every time- that some things are permanent and can't be recovered.
As per the law, she is still my wife. For all my resolve to not give up on her, I can't risk pushing it and making her uncomfortable.
But if I had no hope, then she wouldn't have entertained me for so long, right? She would have tried to move on with someone else.
As if my heart and life weren't already crumbling to small pieces, I received a message from Anmol Khurana.
Found a buyer for the house. Will sign the deal in a week.