Upasana was confident that in his grief Harsh was going to seek her and then be hers. But perhaps she had missed out on something. Her mind raced ahead. Everything was going as per the plan. Harsh was ready to take on his party post, her father was happy with the way things had panned out and she was impregnated by him the night before. So where was the problem?

He was looking at her with a smile. Upasana knew she was not going to like what was coming. She wanted to stop him from talking. She had the same acute sensation before any unpleasant incident occurred in her life. The same needles and pins she felt in her hands and legs before her father gathered her in his arms and broke the news that her mother had succumbed to her illness in the hospital and she was no more.

She heard him say out the nursery rhyme – slowly and deliberately. One for Sorrow, Two for Joy, three for Girl and four for Boy, five for Silver, six for Gold, seven for a secret never to be told.

He looked at her accusingly.

‘I like the seven part. What about you?’

Upasana knew that he knew. It was all over.

There was a silence between them. There was nothing more to be said. She was not going to stop him, she was not going to ask him questions.

‘I knew it before last night.’ Harsh looked her in the eye and challenged her with his statement.

A revulsion rose in Upasana. He was fucking her last night knowing that she had tried to get him killed. Upasana wanted to tear at the walls but she just sat on her bed in a heap. He was in control all this while, and he had let her think that she was leading him on. That son of a bitch!

Just then she heard his warning tone, ‘I gave you your heart’s desire, we had unprotected sex, twice, it may lead to a pregnancy. I did that for you. If you come after me, I will not leave you either. I will go after every little scheme that you have hatched in that pretty head of yours all these years and I will expose them.’

Upasana could smell the defeat. She spat at him. ‘She is dead, you hear me? That bitch is dead! I don’t care where you go because you won’t be able to reach her!’ There was bitterness and desolation in her voice.’

Harsh gave her a pitiful smile. ‘Perhaps I can still reach her, who knows?’ Upasana knew she had never loved or hated a man more than she did this man, her husband.’ So you will leave your career your family and go where? To the mountains, or cover your body in ash and hide in a cave?’