Madhav’s head began aching severely and blood thundered in his ears. He blew a puff of smoke in Meera’s face. She coughed and pushed him away. He chuckled at her discomfort.

‘Are you crazy?’ she asked. He blew another puff in her direction and the smoke obscured her face. She started coughing even harder, but he did not care.

‘Madhav, stop it!’ she screamed in desperation. His desire and anger bled into one another. He held her chin roughly and, forcing open her mouth, exhaled smoke directly into it. Meera cried for help, even though she knew no one could hear her.

‘What are you doing, dammit?’ she screamed. She snatched the cigarette from his hand and threw it down from the balcony. Madhav’s eyes followed the arc of the falling cigarette.

‘Madhav, please let me go,’ Meera pleaded.

He held her arms so tightly that they went numb. ‘What do you want from me?’ he asked, looking into her eyes. His voice had a strange frightening edge to it. Her eyes widened.

‘Do you think I am mad? Do you think I need a doctor? Do you think Radhika is a bitch?’ He repeated these questions, louder and louder. It was as though they were powering his anger. Meera was frozen in fear. She couldn’t understand how her concern had precipitated such a reaction. She was also unaware of the strength of his feelings for Radhika.

‘How dare you call her a bitch, you ignorant slut!’ His voice cracked under the strain. ‘You’ve gone too far now. Tonight I will show you who the bitch really is,’ he said. ‘You are a cheater! You are a cheater!’

He was mad! Meera couldn’t make out what he was trying to do. His actions and words changed every second. He looked like a victim and a criminal at the same time. It was as if he was angrier with himself than with Meera. He wanted to hurt himself.

‘What are you saying?’ She struggled to push him away from her. He held her from behind. She struggled to break free. He held on tighter, not brutally but as if to seek help, as if someone was hurting him.

He pulled her hair as she screamed out loud. He could feel the darkness swirling around in his mind.

‘You will call her and apologize, you bitch!’ he said. He was completely lost in an abyss.

Suddenly, he began howling. ‘I am sorry, Meera. I am really sorry,’ he said. ‘I love Radhika. I could never love you that way.’ Then he felt his limbs starting to give way. ‘I can’t feel my legs. I cannot move,’ he said, panicking. Meera took advantage of his sudden weakness and picked up a bottle, bringing it down on his head. The bottle didn’t break since she didn’t smash it hard enough. But it debilitated him and he crashed on to the floor, wheezing, his head throbbing unbearably.

‘Now I will show you who I am, Madhav Mehra. You will suffer for calling me a bitch!’