Tanya's face turned crimson. "I-I don't slurp," she stammered.
"Then you don't belong here," Rhea declared dramatically, like she was in a Bollywood courtroom scene.
Saurav buried his face in his hands, muttering, "What the fuck is happening?"
Meanwhile, I raised my spoon high, noodles dangling like victory flags. "Ladies and gentlemen, I declare myself the Slurp Queen!"
The hall cheered, bowls clinked, and suddenly everyone was slurping in unison. It sounded like a hundred vacuum cleaners turned on at once.
And just like that, Tanya's beauty queen aura drowned in a tsunami of slurps.
________
Chapter 11
KAVYA
"I should leave now. Saurav bhai will be here any moment, and I don’t want to disturb your night," Rhea said with a playful wink.
"I don’t think Saurav will come. Why don’t you stay with me the whole night?" I asked, but instantly regretted it when I saw her expression. "I mean...the villa is so big, and I don’t know anyone here. Saurav is busy with his friends, so you …"
"You’re talking like you’re afraid of your husband, Kav?" Rhea raised her brows. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I just wanted to spend more time with you," I said with a sad smile. "I was missing my family. I’ve never been away from them before, so …"
"Kav, it’s okay." She squeezed my hand softly. "I’ll stay, but not in this room. I have my room downstairs. If you need me, just call and I'll come. But now it’s your and bhai’s time, so I should go."
I heard her footsteps moving toward the door. I had to bite back the urge to scream for her to stop… to not leave me alone. I was scared. I was scared of my husband.
I looked around Saurav’s room, now mine. It was a stylish bedroom with a dark, cozy atmosphere. A large bed with blacksheets and pillows sat on a thick rug. Beside it, a small table held a lamp and a bottle of wine.
On one side, an open closet displayed neatly arranged clothes on glowing shelves. A nearby shelf showed off trophies, a basketball, and personal items, with a small hoop fixed to the wall. A black armchair and a low table stood in front of tall curtains covering the window. To the right, a doorway led into a modern bathroom with dark tiles and bright lighting.
Everything was black and brown.
I walked to the table and picked up the wine bottle, scanning the label. My heartbeat rose in my chest as I glanced at the clock. Would Saurav want to have sex with me? Probably not. He found me unattractive.
I uncapped the bottle and poured a little wine into a glass. I didn’t know how it would taste, but I needed it. I drank, wincing at the sharp bite on my tongue and the sting in my throat. I coughed, setting the glass down and wiping my mouth.
It tasted slightly sour but okay. Maybe I needed more. I poured another glass and drank without wincing.
"Wow!" I smiled, suddenly feeling excited.
I felt my head spin as the wine warmed my veins. The room seemed to sway, shadows stretching longer than they should. I stumbled toward the door, clutching the wall for balance, my heart pounding with a strange mix of fear and excitement.
The villa’s corridors were silent, except for the faint hum of night insects outside. I pushed open the back door and stepped into the garden, the cool air brushing against my skin.
My eyes scanned the space and there he was. Saurav sat casually on a stone bench under the dim garden lights, his laughter soft and familiar.
I was about to smile, seeing him happy, but then I saw her. Tanya. She sat beside him, her posture graceful.
"You remembered how you saved me from that snake. It was about to bite me, then you quickly grabbed a stick and pushed it away before it could strike," Tanya said, looking at him like he was the only man left in the world.
They were lost in their childhood memories, so focused it was as if the world around them didn’t exist. They didn’t even notice me.
Maybe I should walk away. I should pretend I never saw them. But Tanya leaned closer, laughing softly. Her eyes sparkling at Saurav’s words, and something sharp ignited inside me.
Jealousy.