Tainted wife 2

3

All of Neha’s men were gathered around the long dining table that morning. The room was filled with the sound of quiet chatter, but the moment Neha appeared at the top of the stairs, silence spread like a wave.

She moved carefully, one hand resting protectively on her stomach, the other gripping the railing for support. Her steps were slow, cautious. Behind her, Kabir followed like a shadow, his eyes never leaving her. He stayed close enough to catch her if she stumbled, but not close enough to touch because Neha had made it clear she didn’t want his help.

Since that morning when she had woken to find him watching her, something inside her had shifted. She couldn’t explain it, but Kabir’s gaze, his sudden tenderness, his attempts to care for her they didn’t feel right. Once, his anger had scared her. Now, his affection made her uneasy. It was as if he was trying to hold on to something that was already gone.

“Good morning, Ma’am,” everyone greeted respectfully as she reached the last step. Neha nodded politely, her eyes scanning the room. She was looking for one face , Panchi’s.

When she didn’t find her, she frowned slightly. “Aryan,” she called, turning toward him. “Go to Panchi’s room and tell her to come down for breakfast.”

Aryan stood up at once, but before he could move, Kabir’s voice cut through the air, sharp and full of anger. “No. He won’t go anywhere near my daughter.”

The room fell silent again. Aryan froze mid-step, glancing between Kabir and Neha, unsure what to do.

Neha turned to her husband slowly. “Kabir, please,” she said calmly. “I just asked him to call her. Nothing else.”

Kabir’s jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with fury. “I said no! I don’t want Aryan near her. I’ve already been betrayed once — I won’t let it happen again!”

Neha’s heart skipped a beat. His words hit her like a slap. She could see the bitterness in his eyes, the jealousy that had begun to eat away at his sense of reason.

Her lips trembled, but she refused to back down. “I asked Aryan to call my daughter, Kabir. That’s all. Don’t make a scene.”

Aryan hesitated for a second, then turned toward the stairs. “It’s okay, Ma’am, I’ll—”

But before he could finish, Kabir shouted, his voice echoing violently through the hall. “I SAID NO!”

The sound was so loud, so sudden, that Neha flinched. Her hand slipped from the railing, and she lost her balance. A gasp escaped her lips as her body tilted backward but before she could fall, Mike and Jack rushed forward and caught her just in time.

“Neha!” Jack exclaimed, steadying her carefully.

For a moment, the whole room was frozen in shock. Kabir’s face turned pale as the weight of what he had just done hit him. He took a step forward, panic flashing in his eyes. “Dumbo… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

But Neha stepped back instantly, her breathing uneven, her hand clutching her stomach protectively. Her face was pale, and her eyes were full of fear she tried so hard to hide. Kabir could see her fingers trembling, see how she was forcing herself to stay calm. It broke something inside him.

“Dumbo, please,” he whispered again. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have shouted.”

She didn’t answer. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and her eyes avoided his. She wasn’t ready to listen not now, not after what had just happened.

Jack moved closer, his voice gentle. “Neha, please sit down. Have some water.”

Neha shook her head weakly. “I’m fine,” she said quietly, though her voice was barely steady.

She turned away and walked slowly to her seat, holding herself together with every ounce of strength she had left. The room remained silent, the air thick with guilt and tension. Kabir stood frozen, staring at the woman who once faced him, his atrocities, his cruel behaviour , the brutal gang and the storm of his rage now flinching at the sound of his voice.

And as Neha sat down, refusing to look at him, Kabir finally understood — sometimes love, when mixed with rage, doesn’t just hurt others. It destroys everything in its path.

The silence in the dining room was heavy, broken only by the faint sound of the clock ticking on the wall. Everyone seemed afraid to speak after what had just happened. Kabir stood a few feet away, his eyes filled with regret, but Neha didn’t look at him.

Finally, she gathered her courage, took a slow breath, and turned to Jack. “Jack,” she said softly, her voice steady though her fingers still trembled, “go upstairs and call Panchi down.”

Jack nodded immediately, but before he could leave, Neha added, “Tell her… if she doesn’t want to come, it’s fine. But let her know this might be her last chance to say goodbye to Aryan. After today, she’ll never see him again.”

Her words fell like a thunderclap in the quiet room. Everyone froze. Mike’s eyes widened slightly, while Jack looked at her in shock. Even Kabir, who had been silent since his outburst, stared at her in disbelief.

He wanted to ask what she meant — what was she planning, what did “never see him again” mean — but the memory of her terrified face held him back. He had already hurt her once that morning; he couldn’t bring himself to question her now.

“Ma’am,” Jack said carefully, frowning, “you shouldn’t be sending Aryan away. He’s one of our best men. The most trusted in the clan.”

Neha didn’t respond. Her eyes remained fixed on the table, her expression unreadable.

Before the silence could stretch longer, Mike’s deep voice broke it. “Do as she says, Jack,” he said firmly. “Our chief has given an order.”

Jack hesitated, glancing between them all, then finally nodded and left the room — the weight of Neha’s words still hanging thick in the air.