A day ago…

 

“You look ravishing.”

Nina raised her eyes to look at the reflection of her husband in the gold-plated mirror of the dresser.

As soon as their eyes met, her husband smiled. “You know what would make you look even more breathtaking?”

Before she could respond, he wrapped a necklace around her throat. “This.”

The solitaires encased within a delicate gold chain felt cool on Nina’s skin. “Thank you,” she murmured with a smile as her eyes lowered to the sparkling diamonds. “What did I tell you about expensive gifts?” she gently admonished.

Her husband let out a soft laugh. “I know, I know,” he said, pushing her long, wavy hair to the side before kissing her cheek. “But today is our wedding anniversary. I wanted to pamper my wife.”

“When do you not want to pamper your wife? You always do.”

There was a rich masculine chuckle. “What can I say? I have the most intelligent and beautiful wife there is.”

“Flatterer.” Nina laughed at his exaggeration. She was done getting ready for the party being thrown in their honor.

Getting up from the antique-tufted chair in front of the dresser, Nina stepped closer to her husband. She straightened the collar of his shirt. “You are not that bad to look at, Mr. Bhupati,” she said with a smile. “And if I recall, you were listed as India’s hottest upcoming politician and entrepreneur of the year. Again.”

There was a mischievous grin on her husband’s handsome face. Before he could get back with a smart remark, there was a knock on the door. “Suraj. People are waiting for you both downstairs.”

It was her husband’s PA.

“Give us five minutes, Radha,” Nina answered. She reached for the small blue velvet box on the dresser and opened the lid. “Happy anniversary, Suraj,” she said softly.

They were tiny cufflinks. They were not diamonds or gold or anywhere as expensive as what she was gifted, but as soon as Nina saw them, she fell in love with the antique silver and intricately carved pieces.

Her husband gave her a soft kiss on her forehead. “Beautiful. I love them. Thank you so much, sweetheart. Put them on me.”

Nina smiled and removed the gold ones he already wore to replace them with her gift. Like she had envisioned, they really suited her elegant, handsome husband.

“Okay. Now we can go,” she said.

They stepped out of their bedroom suite into a hallway where Radha was still waiting. Radha’s eyes were immediately drawn to the hand Suraj had placed on Nina’s waist, and then the diamond necklace, and then the cuff links.

Something flashed in Radha’s eyes even though the face remained poised. “I received a call to inform you that your parents will be arriving a little later than scheduled, Suraj.”

Suraj nodded in acknowledgement and then turned to look at Nina. “Ready, sweetheart?”

Nina was already dressed, but she knew what her husband meant. He was asking if she was ready to put on her mask. This mask was of being a social butterfly.

Nina didn’t exactly love socializing. However, she still did it for two major reasons.

The first one was for Suraj’s sake.

Suraj was a loving husband who always did whatever she had asked him for. In return, the minimum she could do as his wife was to socialize with his political and business contacts.

The second and the most important reason for socializing—was for her cause. The more she exposed herself to the public and expanded her social network, the more she could do well for her cause.

“Ready as ever,” Nina replied before walking next to Suraj on the polished marble floors of their house.

Since their marriage, this was the only house they have lived in.

The house wasn’t overly large when compared to the standards of most people who ran in similar social circles. It was about ten thousand square feet and very tastefully furnished.

But for someone like Nina, who had once lived on the streets, it was still quite overwhelming.

Even though ten years had passed since one of the most eligible bachelors had married her and introduced her to a luxurious lifestyle, sometimes, Nina still felt like the fairytale life was just an illusion, and that she would wake up to a cold, damp and leaky room with a rotting, emancipated corpse.

No, don’t go there, her mind warned.

Nina shook away the dark memories and focused on the present.

The loud hum and buzzing of conversations could be heard when Nina and Suraj walked towards the dramatically curved staircase.

Nina knew that their formal living room was currently brimming with people.

As soon as she and Suraj were visible at the top of the stairs, there were loud cheers and claps along with several camera flashes.                           

 

“Mr and Mrs. Bhupati! Happy tenth anniversary!”

 

“Nina, love your dress and hairstyle. You both look stunning as always.”

 

“Nina, when are we going to hear the good news? We want to take pictures of your beautiful babies soon…”

 

Nina smiled through it all, placing her French-manicured fingers on Suraj’s chest and posing for the pictures. No one except Suraj could feel the faintest of tremble in her hands.

Suraj’s hand remained wrapped around her waist, squeezing her gently and helping her though.

Nina never felt at ease with the reporters. Because she always felt that one day, one of them would ask her the damning question, which would crumble her fairytale life.

The questions continued, mostly about when Nina was planning to conceive her husband’s child.

Nina heard Suraj laughing. “My wife and I are still young,” he said. “We have plenty of time before we start thinking about children. And I’m not ready to share her with anyone yet.”

Nina let loose a shy smile, followed by a dazzling smile towards the crowd. “And please remember,” she said. “Suraj and I hosted this party as a charity event. So everyone, dig deep into your pockets and contribute to the good causes.” The good causes being donation for children’s and homeless charities.

There was laughter, and most people brought out their check books when the volunteers for the charity organization approached them.

As usual, Suraj was immediately surrounded by people who wanted to either discuss politics or business.

“I’ll see you later,” Nina told him softly before gently pulling away from his arm.

She began to circulate within the crowd, greeting everyone with a bright smile.

The crowd was dazzling. Everyone was dressed in their finest. Bright, elegant clothes paired with expensive jewelry and accessories adorned the women. Nina was similarly dressed in an elegant red-colored, thin-strapped floor-length gown. Suraj’s recent gift drew a lot of glances towards her neck.

She could hear the usual conversations about exotic vacations, recent luxury car purchases, and other similar topics that went with the upper classes.

“Nina! Come join us,” someone from a group called.

Nina smiled. “In a minute. Let me check on the food first.”

Even though Nina was the hostess, apart from attending the party like her guests, she barely had to do anything when it came to things like food or party preparations. All she did was approve the guest list and menu that Radha had prepared. Nina’s involvement began only when the party was over.

Nina’s eyes fell on the silver food and beverage trays that were used to serve food to the guests. The chef had definitely gone out of the way to impress the crowd for the occasion. Rich, expensive food was being served along with equally expensive drinks to accompany.

Nina recalled the time during the initial days of her marriage, when she had gorged herself with the food. The rich food had made her throw up or feel sick. It had taken her a while, to learn and control the urge of stuffing herself, as though she didn’t know where the next meal would come from.

She had come a long way since then.

“Nina!” a familiar voice of a woman called.

Nina turned to see a woman who was a close family friend of the Bhupatis. “Harika, how are you?”

The woman, along with a few others, came towards Nina. “I’m great. Looking fabulous as ever, Nina. What an absolutely stunning necklace.”

“Suraj’s gift to me for our tenth anniversary.”

There were lots of oohs and aahs from the women in the group.

“Love your dress. Did you design it yourself?” one of them asked.

“Yes.”

“Love it. I keep telling you that you should have a proper boutique.”

The fact that Nina didn’t have a proper store where she sold her creations was the main appeal. People appreciated things that were not easily available.

Nina designed clothes only in exchange for a large donation. A decade ago, the amount she used to make while working in a tailoring shop was a fraction of what people now paid for her creations.

 

“So what else did Suraj do for your tenth wedding anniversary?”

 

“He’s so romantic. I keep telling my husband to learn from Suraj.”

 

Nina kept a smile pasted on her face while the questions and comments from the other women continued.

She wondered when she would feel completely at ease in the social setting. Even after ten years, she felt like an outsider and an imposter. Suraj kept reassuring her, saying that people loved her and accepted her as one of them. But she knew Suraj thought that way because he was blinded by his own view of her.

Nina’s eyes fell on Harika who was unusually quiet.

As predicted, Harika’s eyes were drawn towards Suraj who was talking to people.

Before Suraj Bhupati had shocked the hell out of everyone by announcing his marriage to Nina, Suraj’s parents had been pressurizing him to marry Harika.

Harika was the niece of Bhupatis’ business partner and investor. Harika’s uncle was also one of the most influential people and was dubbed as the kingmaker by many. It was his money that was used during the elections and also to build or destroy many companies.

Suraj and Harika’s union would have led to a powerful dynastic marriage. A fact which Nina’s father-in-law never let her forget.

“Nina, we should set up another media event at a local school,” someone remarked. “The last one you held had very good coverage and feedback.”

Nina smiled. “Yes, I have a few planned during the coming weeks. I’ll ask Radha to email you the schedule.”

Nina spent the next hour mingling with the guests.

She was conversing with someone when Radha interrupted her. “Nina, Mr. and Mrs. Bhupati have arrived.”

Nina groaned internally. She looked around, searching for Suraj and saw him talking to someone. She recognized the person Suraj was talking to and knew the conversation must be critical.

Even though Nina knew her meeting with her in-laws would go much smoother with Suraj around, she decided not to disturb him. She followed Radha out of the main door and stood outside the house on the top of the marble steps. Her in-laws were getting out of their car, escorted by a couple of gunmen.

More than a dozen gunmen surrounded the house that day. Usually, there were only two of them. However, due to the event, where a lot of VIPs were expected to attend, a lot more security was added that night.

During the initial days of her marriage, Nina had a tough time getting adjusted to having an armed guard following her everywhere. At that time, Suraj’s father held the top political position in the state. But now, after ten years, even though her father-in-law had stepped down from the position to take up the role of the political party head, Suraj still insisted that Nina take an armed guard along to most public events.

The past few months had made Suraj even more paranoid, mostly because he had received a few death threats. They were either from political or business rivals and sometimes even from the underworld who wanted Suraj to finance their causes.

“Good evening, Ma,” Nina greeted her mother-in-law.

The older woman didn’t greet or smile, however she nodded in acknowledgement.

But when Nina’s father-in-law saw her, a sneer formed on his face. He waited until he climbed up the stairs and came closer, so that the only people who were within hearing distance were his wife, Radha, and Nina.

“Well, well. Look, it’s the guttersnipe my son married and shoved on our family ten years ago,” he spat. “Where is my son? Why isn’t he there to receive his own parents?”

“He’s busy talking to the Bhansals about a business deal.”

At Nina’s calm reply, the older man’s look turned mean. “Ah. Still snooping around where you are not wanted? I’ve warned my son several times not to discuss business or politics with women. Especially you.” He gave her a sweeping look. “Why don’t you focus on something useful instead? Did you find out whether you are barren after all? Or have you already been successful in doing one thing right? If you can’t, then ask my son to get someone else pregnant with a child. I didn’t earn all this money and power for it to die because of a barren woman.”

Ignoring his comments and questions, Nina maintained a neutral look. “You must be tired after your journey. I’ve asked for your rooms to be prepared. Would you like to freshen up before you join the party?”

Nina had learnt that the best way to tackle a bully like her father-in-law was to show that his taunts and jeers weren’t working on her.

Her father-in-law glared while his wife looked embarrassed as always. “Your time is ticking, girl. If you don’t succeed in giving my son a child soon, I’m going to send you back to the gutter, either dead or alive. My son will be free to remarry and have children.” He then ignored her completely and went inside the house where Radha led them into their guest room.

Nina’s in-laws usually lived at their ancestral home which was a day ride away.

Thank God for such small mercies!

Each time Nina met with them, her father-in-law was extremely unpleasant to her. Even after ten years, he was still outraged that his only son, heir to a fortune, picked a bride who had no family background and came with nothing.

However, ego and false pride didn’t allow the senior Bhupati to bring up her background to any of their social circles. Whereas, in public, he kept telling his people about how he had no objection to accept Nina as his son’s bride because his son’s happiness was more important to him. He also used Suraj and her marriage to his political advantage, stating that he openly encouraged and supported hardworking people of lower classes such as his daughter-in-law. And at that time, despite his rapidly lowering popularity due to communal violence incited by him, he still won the election because of his son’s marriage to her.

Her father-in-law was a hypocrite.

With a deep sigh and a smile fixed firmly on her face, Nina went back to the party. She continued playing the part of a politician and business tycoon’s wife.

She was speaking with someone when she felt a prickling sensation at the back of her neck.

Nina rubbed it away, but it continued getting stronger, until her entire body broke out in goosebumps.

“Excuse me,” she said before twisting around and looking at the room full of people.

Harika was at a distance, talking to someone while her eyes were focused on Suraj.

Radha stood next to Suraj, taking notes.

Suraj’s father was speaking to his business partner, Ganesh Verma.

None of them were watching her.

Nina’s eyes fell on Harika’s husband. He was standing at a distance, watching his wife stare at Suraj with longing in her eyes.

Nina felt bad and also empathized with the man. Harika’s husband was treated with disdain most of the time by Harika’s uncle. Suraj’s father also had a few choice words to demean Harika’s husband. Another guttersnipe and interloper, he said.

According to them, because Suraj had married Nina, Harika chose to marry way down than what she actually deserved.

Nina didn’t agree with them.

Although Harika’s husband, Raghuveer, didn’t come from a rich, influential background, he was intelligent and worked very hard to get to where he was. He worked as a director of a luxury hotel chain that Bhupatis and Harika’s uncle co-owned.

Suraj and Harika’s uncle were more or less just the investors, but it was Raghuveer who took care of everything. Within a few years, Raghuveer had turned what was once a failing hotel chain into a profit-making luxury hotel chain. Nina had a late spa appointment at that hotel the next day.

Turning her eyes away from Harika’s husband, she looked around the room. A few who looked at her, waved at her with a friendly smile. After returning their smiles, Nina went back to chatting with people.

The area between her shoulder blades continued to tingle. However, Nina ignored it.

For some reason, she’d been feeling that way for the last couple of days. It felt as though she was being watched by someone. Someone menacing.

Shaking away the irrational feeling of paranoia that was creeping up on her, Nina continued to host the rest of the party.

 

IT WAS CLOSE to two a.m. by the time all the guests had left.

After sending out instructions to the servants who were clearing the place, Nina headed back to the master bedroom suite.

Her feet ached, and her face hurt from all the smiling she did over the last few hours. She was badly looking forward to a hot shower and then hitting the bed.

Raising her hands, Nina twisted her thick, long hair into a knot on top of her head.

As soon as she opened the bedroom door, her eyes fell on Suraj. He had just stepped out of the shower, wrapped in a snowy white towel around his waist. She watched the play of muscles on her husband’s chest while he dried his hair with another towel.

He was indeed a beautiful specimen of a man—both inside and out. He was always gentle with her. And with others, he was friendly yet firm. And when required, especially in business and politics, he was also shrewd.

“Hey, you are back,” he said when he caught her admiring him.

She smiled. “Yes. Finally done hosting this year’s party.” She stepped out of her high heels and groaned when her feet felt divine after hours of self-inflicted torture.

Suraj placed the towel in his hand on top of a drying stand before coming closer to her. “Sit,” he instructed softly, pushing her gently on the bed.

Nina sat on the corner while Suraj knelt down in front of her.

Over the next few minutes, her eyes rolled over in pleasure. “God, that feels so damn good,” she softly groaned.

He laughed softly. “You say that every time.”

“Because it’s true. You have a magic touch.”

There was more masculine laughter.

Her husband was one of the best when it came to foot massages.

Nina sat in silence and closed her eyes while Suraj continued massaging her feet. The tension of the day began to slowly unravel.

“I’m sorry,” she heard him say after a while.

“Hmm… for what?” she asked.

“Radha told me about the ugly confrontation you had with my father. You should have called me when you went to receive them.”

Nina opened her eyes. “I can handle him, Suraj. I’ve been doing it for the last decade.”

“I know. But you shouldn’t have to. He needs to learn that as my wife, you deserve every amount of respect.” An expression of guilt passed on his face. “You deserve more than just respect. You deserve happiness. And—”

“Hey,” she gently interrupted. She knew what he was about to say. She had heard him repeat those things over the years. “I’m fine, Suraj. And I’ve told you this repeatedly, I am more than happy.”

“But sweetheart—”

“No buts.”

He sat in silence, continuing with the massage.

Leaning forward, she touched his cheek. “You should go,” she said softly. “Radha must be waiting.”

His fingers paused briefly before resuming the massage. “Today is our anniversary, Nina.”

“Even more reason why you should go. You know I’ll be fine.”

He watched her silently for a while.

“Suraj, I insist,” she reiterated.

Whatever he saw on her face must have convinced him, because he got up and kissed her softly on her cheek. He then went towards his closet to pull out a night robe. “Are you going out tomorrow to donate food in the streets?” he asked.

“Yes. I’ll be gone early. Around five-thirty.”

“Five-thirty? Nina, it’s close to two-thirty right now.”

Nina smiled. “I know.”

“You barely sleep, Nina. I know you love what you do, but please take care of your health, too. I’m worried about you.”

“I’m fine, Suraj.”

He sighed. “Okay. But don’t forget to take the security along.”

Nina didn’t want to argue with him, so she simply nodded.

He came closer and kissed her forehead before pulling away. “I’m serious. When you return home, catch up on some sleep.”

“I will,” she said.

“I’ll see you later, sweetheart.”

“Goodnight,” she greeted softly.

Nina watched her husband of ten years, tighten the sash on his robe, before he slipped out of their bedroom, to slip into someone else’s bed that night.

With a weary sigh, Nina dragged herself from the bed and walked into the overlarge luxurious bathroom. She was tempted by the sunken bathtub that seemed to beckon her. But it was too late and she had an early start this morning. So passing the bathtub, she stepped into the glass cubicle instead.

The steam and the hot spray from the multiple jets of the shower began to take away any lingering tension.

Much later, Nina stepped out of the shower and dried herself with a thick towel. She then headed to the floor-to-ceiling walk-in closet and pulled out her comfortable night wear before she slipped it on.

The large clock on the wall said it was almost three o’clock when Nina slid under the soft bed covers. She turned to her side and stared at the fluffy, un-dented pillow next to her where Suraj’s head usually rested.

Nina hadn’t been lying when she told Suraj that she wanted him to be with Radha that night.

It was sweet that Suraj was reluctant to do so because of their tenth wedding anniversary. Suraj was always considerate towards her that way. And the bond and love, she and Suraj had between them was very strong.

Nina knew her husband would do anything for her, just like she would for him.

With that last thought, she allowed sleep to consume her.