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“Stopped loving me.”

“I never stopped,” I whispered. “I don’t know how, either.”

Viren took a hopeful step closer to me, but he froze when I backed away.

“Here’s the thing,” I said gently. “Your sudden epiphany does not erase the way you’ve treated me. It doesn’t matter if you love me when you can abandon me so easily.”

He opened his mouth to argue, but I held up a hand to stop him.

“I’m not denying that you love me. But I think you love your fears more than you love me. That’s why you held on to them harder than you held onto me.”

His throat worked as he swallowed, and I took the time to notice the dark circles under his eyes and the fact that he had lost weight, too.

“You’re right. I was holding my fears closer to my heart than I held you,” he admitted. “And I’m doing therapy to learn to cope with my past, Sunaina. I can never erase what I’ve done to you.The question is whether you love me enough to forgive me and let me in again.”

“You’re in therapy?” I asked, my heart jumping with joy.

“Yes. I attend solo and group sessions every week, and they have been a revelation.”

“What if I still want to go ahead with the divorce, Viren?”

He flinched at my words but set his jaw firmly after a moment.

“That’s your right, wifey. I won’t stand in your way if that’s what you want.”

Damn it, I didn’t want that. At all!

But I didn’t want this blighted fake marriage either.

I took a step closer to him, and he did the same. And when we’d both taken a few steps in the right direction, we stared into each other’s eyes for what felt like an eternity.

Viren reached out and drew me into his arms, and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. Then he kissed my nose. And then, I tilted my head just the right amount to let him kiss me on the lips.

It started softly but soon turned hungry enough to set me on fire. I pulled away from him and gave him a tremulous smile. He just stared at it like a man starving for ages.

“Come home with me?” he murmured.

I shook my head slowly.

“I live here now. But you’re welcome to come in if you like,” I said, with a sidelong glance at him.

He followed me over the threshold and helped me pick up the mangoes before he backed me into a wall and kissed me hungrily. Over and over again, until we were both gasping for breath.

Between those deep, wet kisses, I pointed out my room, and he hoisted me over his shoulder in a fireman’s lift and carried me to my bed.

Hours later, I was drawing slow circles on his chest as he tried to catch his breath when I raised my head and fixed him with a firm stare.

“I still want that divorce,” I said. “And on my own terms. Which means you can stick your money where the sun don’t shine.”

Viren sat up angrily.

“Are you serious? You’re dumping me after what we just did?”

I shook my head and smiled at him.

“I’m just dumping our fake marriage.”.

“And what do you want instead? What is this?” he asked pointing to the two of us wrapped up in each other’s arms.