Coworker Who Stole My Wife

Shaam ki halki dhoop kitchen ki khidki se andar aa rahi hai, aur counter par lambi parchhaiyan bana rahi hai jahan tum khade ho. Ghar bilkul shaant hai—itna shaant ki do din pehle hui ladai ke baad wali khamoshi har kone mein mehsoos ho rahi hai. Tum aakhri bartan dho kar rack mein rakhte ho aur living room se aane wali kisi bhi awaaz ko ...

Shaam ki halki dhoop kitchen ki khidki se andar aa rahi hai, aur counter par lambi parchhaiyan bana rahi hai jahan tum khade ho. Ghar bilkul shaant hai—itna shaant ki do din pehle hui ladai ke baad wali khamoshi har kone mein mehsoos ho rahi hai. Tum aakhri bartan dho kar rack mein rakhte ho aur living room se aane wali kisi bhi awaaz ko dhyan se sunte ho. Amanda sofa par baithi hai, apne ghutne seene se lagaye hue. Uski god mein ek magazine khuli hui hai, lekin woh padh nahi rahi. Uski nazar magazine ke paar kahin khoi hui hai. Tum dono ke beech ki tanaav bhari khamoshi ek zinda cheez ki tarah mehsoos hoti hai, jo bas mauke ka intezar kar rahi ho. Tum haath towel se sukha kar living room mein aate ho. Woh upar dekh kar bhi nahi dekhti. Tum kuch pal wahi khade rehte ho, un sab baaton ka bojh mehsoos karte hue jo ab tak kahi nahi gayi hain. Do din pehle ki behas ab bhi hawa mein latki hui hai, jaise tumhari shaadi ki buniyad mein ek daraar pad gayi ho. Tum sofa ke doosre kone par baith jaate ho, beech mein thodi si doori chhod kar. Woh halka sa apni jagah badalti hai, jaise bina dekhe hi use pata ho ki tum aa gaye ho. "Nelson," woh seedhi aur thandi awaaz mein kehti hai, "humein abhi is baare mein baat karne ki zarurat nahi hai." Tum gehri saans lete ho. Jo baatein tumne poore din apne dimaag mein baar-baar sochi thi, ab achanak bahut bekaar aur adhuri lag rahi hain. Lekin koshish karna zaroori hai. "Mujhse galti hui," tum dheere se kehte ho. "Mujhe tumhare saath hona chahiye tha. Mujhe tumhari baat dhyan se sunni chahiye thi." Woh aakhir tumhari taraf dekhti hai. Uski aankhon mein dard aur niraasha saaf dikh rahi hai—aisa dard jo gusse se bhi zyada chot pahunchata hai. "Sirf us dinner ki baat nahi hai, Nelson," woh kehti hai. "Baat har cheez ki hai. Mujhe hamesha lagta hai ki sirf main hi is rishte ko sambhalne ki koshish kar rahi hoon." Phir se khamoshi chha jaati hai. Deewar par lagi ghadi ki tick-tick saaf sunai deti hai, aur har pal tum dono ke beech badhti doori ka ehsaas karata hai. Tum uska haath pakadna chahte ho, lekin darr lagta hai ki kahin woh apna haath peeche na kheench le. "Main sab theek karna chahta hoon," tum bahut dheemi awaaz mein kehte ho. "Mujhe batao... main kya karun?" Woh magazine ki taraf dekhte hue uske panne ke kinaare par apni ungliyan phirati hai. Kaafi der tak woh kuch nahi bolti. Phir aakhirkaar woh bolti hai—ab uski awaaz pehle se naram hai, lekin usmein ab bhi hichkichahat aur saavdhaani baaki hai.

Tum dono ke beech ki khamoshi ek zinda cheez ki tarah kamre ke har kone mein phail jaati hai. Tum apne ghutnon par haath rakh kar uski hichkichahat ka bojh mehsoos karte hue intezaar karte ho. Magazine ke panne halki si awaaz ke saath hilte hain jab uski ungliyan unke kinare ko chhooti hain. Tum uske chehre ko dekhte rehte ho, us deewar m...

Tum dono ke beech ki khamoshi ek zinda cheez ki tarah kamre ke har kone mein phail jaati hai. Tum apne ghutnon par haath rakh kar uski hichkichahat ka bojh mehsoos karte hue intezaar karte ho. Magazine ke panne halki si awaaz ke saath hilte hain jab uski ungliyan unke kinare ko chhooti hain. Tum uske chehre ko dekhte rehte ho, us deewar mein koi darar dhoondhte hue jo usne apne aas-paas bana li hai. Kuch pal beet jaate hain. Deewar par lagi ghadi ki tik-tik har lamhe ke saath bechaini ko aur gehra kar deti hai. Aakhirkar Amanda dheere se ek lambi saans leti hai, aur uske andaaz mein halka sa badlav aata hai. Uske kandhe thode dheele pad jaate hain, aur woh apna sir halka sa jhuka leti hai. Ab woh kisi mazboot qile ki tarah nahi, balki us aurat ki tarah lag rahi hai jisse tumne shaadi ki thi. Woh magazine band karke apne paas sofa par rakh deti hai. "Mujhe nahi pata main tumse kya chahti hoon, Nelson," woh dheemi awaaz mein kehti hai. "Mujhe nahi lagta ki koi aisi jaadui baat ya kaam hai jo ek hi raat mein sab kuch theek kar de." Woh seedha tumhari aankhon mein dekhti hai. Aaj shaam mein pehli baar tumhe uski aankhon mein sirf dard hi nahi dikhta. Wahan uljhan bhi hai, aur uske neeche wahi chhoti si umeed ki chamak jo tum itni der se pakad kar baithe ho. "Lekin mujhe pata hai mujhe kya chahiye," woh sambhal kar har lafz bolti hai. "Mujhe mehsoos hona chahiye ki meri bhi koi ahmiyat hai. Ki main tumhari zindagi mein bas ek furniture ka hissa nahi hoon. Ki tum mujhe waqai dekhte ho." Woh ek pal ke liye rukti hai. Saaf nazar aata hai ki itni khul kar apni baat kehna uske liye aasaan nahi hai. "Mujhe waqt chahiye," woh aakhir mein kehti hai. "Aur mujhe chahiye ki tum yeh baat sabit karo. Sirf lafzon se nahi, Nelson... apne kaamon se. Har din, lagataar." Woh pehle apne haathon ki taraf dekhti hai, phir dobara tumhari taraf. Is baar uski nazar pehle se zyada naram hai, lekin mazboot bhi. "Kya tum yeh kar sakte ho?"

Tumhare muh se woh alfaaz nikal jaate hain, teekhe aur kadve. Jaise andhere mein chupke-chupke tez ki gayi koi chhuri. Amanda ka chehra ekdum thamm jaata hai. Magazine uske haath se phisal kar halki si awaaz ke saath carpet par gir jaati hai. Kuch lamhon tak woh na hilti hai, na palak jhapkati hai. Phir uski aankhon ke peeche kuch badal ...

Tumhare muh se woh alfaaz nikal jaate hain, teekhe aur kadve. Jaise andhere mein chupke-chupke tez ki gayi koi chhuri. Amanda ka chehra ekdum thamm jaata hai. Magazine uske haath se phisal kar halki si awaaz ke saath carpet par gir jaati hai. Kuch lamhon tak woh na hilti hai, na palak jhapkati hai. Phir uski aankhon ke peeche kuch badal jaata hai—jaise ek darwaza zor se band ho aur doosra dheere se khul jaaye. "Tumne abhi mujhse kya kaha?" Uski awaaz bahut dheemi hai. Itni dheemi ki woh toofan se pehle wali khamoshi lagti hai, baad wali nahi. Woh aahista se apne pair neeche rakhti hai aur seedhi baith jaati hai. Uske haath sofa ke kinare ko itni zor se pakde hue hain ki ungliyon ke jodon ka rang safed pad gaya hai. "Bastian?" woh phir kehti hai, aur uska naam dono ke beech dhuen ki tarah hawa mein latak jaata hai. "Tum mujh par Bastian ke saath affair ka ilzaam laga rahe ho?" Woh ek chhoti si, khokhli hansi hasti hai. Us hansi mein zara bhi mazaak nahi hai—sirf hairani aur usse bhi gehri chot hai. "Maine abhi tumhe sab kuch bataya. Maine kaha ki mujhe apni hi shaadi mein lagta hai jaise main nazar hi nahi aati. Ki mujhe tumhari zarurat hai... tum mujhe dekho, samjho. Aur tumne jawab mein mujh par yeh ilzaam laga diya?" Woh khadi ho jaati hai. Gusse se nahi, balki soch-samajh kar, jaise tumhare alfaazon se thodi doori bana rahi ho. Woh apni baahon ko apne gird lapet leti hai, kuch pal deewar ki taraf dekhti hai, phir tumhari taraf mud jaati hai. "Nelson, mujhe nahi pata tumhare dimaag mein kya chal raha hai. Lekin meri baat dhyaan se suno." Uski awaaz ek pal ke liye kaamp jaati hai, phir woh khud ko sambhal leti hai. "Mere aur Bastian ke beech kuch bhi nahi hai. Bilkul kuch bhi nahi. Haan, office mein woh hamesha dosti se pesh aaya hai. Woh maujood raha hai—jo pichhle kuch waqt se tumhare baare mein main nahi keh sakti. Lekin bas itni hi baat hai." Woh ek kadam tumhare kareeb aati hai. Uski aankhen tumhari aankhon mein kuch dhoondh rahi hain—shayad woh bharosa, jiske kho jaane se use darr lag raha hai. "Kya tum waqai mere baare mein itna bura sochte ho? Kya tumhe lagta hai ki main hamari shaadi ko bachane ke liye ladne ke bajay tumhe dhokha dungi?"