While the public was distracted, Sharon worked furiously behind the scenes. She met up with the police commissioner and the Minister of Home Affairs to recalibrate the alcohol sales ban. All parties agreed that it would be scaled down to a sales restriction. Singaporeans who produced their identity cards could now purchase alcohol in Little India at any time of the day. Anshuman Tiwari was invited to the press conference where this amendment to the alcohol sales ban was announced. In his capacity as the chairman of the Little India Shopkeepers Association, Anshuman expressed his gratitude to Sharon, who had put up a successful plea that the charge against Nayagam Ranjan be dropped. He went further and applauded Sharon for her courage when she made a public apology for her “time bomb speech”. The people of Singapore should be proud of the exemplary honesty and equitability in their elected politicians. MP Sharon Shi represented the best of the democratic ideal!

“Aren’t you glad it’s over?”

Snuggling in bed the same night, Yu Chin had kissed her lightly on her temple and whispered. Sharon sighed in relief. The online shaming had left her tense and irritable over the last three days. It felt good to be pressed against the warmth of her husband’s body under the sheets. She reached lower and fondled him. Yu Chin obligingly slid on top of her and initiated sexual intercourse. It was slow and gentle as always, but Sharon felt she needed more. There was a lack of passion and intensity. It was as though Yu Chin were diligently performing his conjugal duty without ardour. Sharon wondered if he behaved differently with the other woman.

Sharon had been too caught up with the aftermath of the Little India riot to give much thought to her marriage crisis. She was convinced that her husband had rekindled his secret affair with his old flame but the urge to confront him had died down over time. What did she want out of such a confrontation? Did she want him to renounce the other woman? What if he refused? Would he choose to leave her? She was a parliamentarian who had been in the limelight recently. An estrangement or divorce would attract media attention. Would she survive the media spotlight and public scrutiny?

Perhaps it would be wiser to maintain the status quo.

She could pretend not to know. Yu Chin was the perfect husband otherwise. He was an invaluable asset to her career, an intellectual match and an agreeable life partner.

If only he showed more passion in sex.