“Meera? You awake?”
I groan and pull back, glaring towards the door. “Your fucking friend has no peace.”
“Dev… he’s my friend.”
“I don’t care,” I say, unapologetically. “I still hate him and only tolerate him for you.”
She lets out a long, helpless sigh, rubbing her temple like she’s not sure whether to argue or let it go. “Dev…”
“Fine,” I grumble, pushing up from the bed and walking towards the door.
The second I yank it open, the frustration in my chest snaps loose.
“What’s your problem, knocking on a married couple’s room first thing in the morning? We could’ve been busy.”
Samarth scoffs. “Yeah, right.”
He then brushes past me and heads straight towards Meera.
“Meera, are you okay?” he asks when he sees how pale she looks.
“Just the usual… headache,” she replies weakly.
“I’ll get your medication,” he says softly.
I step forward and tap his shoulder. “You don’t have to stress. Her husband is here to take care of her.”
His jaw ticks. “And I am her best friend. I’ll show up every time she needs me. Husband or not.”
I cross my arms over my chest, my expression hardening to make my point. “And I am telling you she doesn’t need you to. I’ve got her.”
Meera groans. “Both of you, don’t start again.”
I don’t look at her. My eyes stay locked on him. “I am not starting anything with him. But I am definitely not ending my hatred towards him.”
His lip curls. “Good. Because it’s mutual. I’d hate to be the only one carrying the weight of my hate. One-sided grudges feel pathetic.”
For a second, neither of us blinks, almost daring the other to take the first swing.
“Guys… please.” Meera’s voice comes out tired, exhausted by both of us.
Samarth’s eyes flick back to her. “I am sorry, Meera. I don’t want to make your headache worse.”
“Good. Then stop adding to it and just leave,” I say.
He ignores me completely and continues speaking to her.
“I just came to say I am leaving. I can see that whatever fear I came with… it isn’t there anymore.”
Finally, music to my ears. For the first time, he actually said something that doesn’t make me want to strangle him.
Meera gives a small smile and nods. He offers a hesitant smile in return before turning to leave, closing the door behind him.
Once alone, I flop down next to her and take her hands in mine, my eyes locked on her as a maddening thought gnaws at me.
“Dev… what’s wrong?” she asks softly, her fingers brushing against mine as she senses the sudden shift.
“I can’t help but wonder… if you were not forced to marry me then…” I pause, my throat tightening. “… you would have married him.”
