part 20

"Answer me!" Neeta turned Darren's face back toward her and demanded stubbornly, "Answer me—who am I?"

"Don't ask me such pointless questions," Darren snapped.

"Why not?" Neeta flared up instantly. "Why don't you just say that to you, I'm nothing more than a means to satisfy your physical needs?"

"Don't talk nonsense."

"Then answer me," Neeta grew angrier. "Why don't you?"

"I was just saying that Saaya doesn't know about this relationship yet," Darren tried to manage the situation. "If you keep calling me at odd times like this, she will find out sooner or later."

"Then let her find out," Neeta retorted. "I'm not afraid."

"It's not about fear."

"Then what is it about?"

"It's about the fact that I don't want her to know."

"Know what?"

"About our relationship," Darren said in a low voice.

"Oh, you care so much about her?" Neeta said.

"Yes, I do," Darren snapped back. "After all, she's my wife."

"So what? Why should I care?" she replied in the same tone. "If you care, then fine—but why should I?"

"Look..." Darren tried to calm things down.

"What? What should I look at?"

"Nothing," Darren said in a changed tone. "Just stop this unpleasant conversation."

"This is an unpleasant conversation?" Neeta snapped.

"Yes, it is."

"Then get rid of this unpleasant thing from your life," Neeta said. "Divorce her!"

"I will."

"When?"

"When the time comes."

"And when will that time come?"

"It will come."

"When? When will it come?"

Darren was getting impatient now.

"Look..." he tried to speak.

"What look?" Neeta cut him off. "Why don't you just admit that she matters more to you than I do?"

"It's not like that."

"Then divorce her."

"I told you—I will."

"But when? You haven't told me that yet."

"Neeta..." Darren said, "I don't want to argue with you."

"You don't want to argue, but you want to sleep with me every night," Neeta lashed out.

"I love you."

"Of course you do," Neeta said sarcastically. "In bed, you love me plenty—I have plenty of experience with that."

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I meant that..." Darren started to say something but then changed his mind. "Leave it."

"No!" Neeta insisted. "Today, I need an answer."

"I don't have an answer for you."

"You can't just shake me off like this."

"I'm not trying to," Darren said, avoiding her gaze.

Darren was trying his best to avoid this unpleasant conversation, but he wasn't succeeding.

"Listen to me," Neeta finally said. "You have to make a decision today."

"What decision?"

"Either get rid of your wife, or set me free."

"Meaning...?"

"Meaning, you decide which one of us matters more to you."

"Neeta, this is ridiculous," Darren said, placing a comforting hand on her cheek.

"No!" Neeta pushed his hand away and flared up. "I can't spend my whole life as nothing more than a plaything for your bed!"

"Neeta... listen to me."

"I don't want to hear anything!" Neeta declared firmly. "Either give this relationship a name and take it somewhere, or give me the freedom to choose my own life."

"What kind of freedom?"

"The freedom to be with someone else."

"Do you want to be with someone else?" Darren asked, pretending to be oblivious.

"I don't," Neeta replied. "But someone else wants to be with me."

"Who?"

"Someone who is ready to marry me."

"Do you love me?"

"Yes, I do. But I can't spend my life waiting for you like this."

"Neeta..." Darren tried to place a reassuring hand on her back.

"No! Don't touch me," Neeta pushed him away. "Don't touch me."