The weeks after the car ride and the intensified evenings settled into a steadier rhythm. Rohan’s messages had grown less frequent after I stopped responding entirely, but his presence lingered in the industry like a shadow, subtle mentions in reports, overlapping invitations, and the occasional pointed comment from mutual contacts. It made me uneasy, not because I was drawn to him, but because his persistence highlighted how easily outsiders viewed our marriage as fragile.
Dario noticed my distraction during a quiet dinner one evening. Instead of pressing, he set his fork down and reached for my hand across the table. “Talk to me, Asha. Is it Kapoor again?”
I nodded, tracing circles on the back of his hand. “He emailed about another forum. I deleted it. But it feels like he’s waiting fo
