“I like you just as well, in whatever you wear, Jatin,” she replied non-committally. “Now, how about some work?”
“Work? Boss, I’m in love! Doesn’t that mean anything to you?” her Assistant exclaimed, as if that excused everything. Then he grinned sympathetically. “It’s okay. I don’t really expect you to understand.”
Quite unaware that he’d just said something outrageous, Jatin sailed out of the room, whistling merrily. Sonia shook her head in exasperation. Now she would have to invite Mohnish for the play and have a good time. If only to prove her love- struck assistant wrong!
“What are you saying?” Anup almost shouted into the phone. “Are you saying you don’t love me?”
“I’m sorry, but that’s true. I’m actually in love with someone else… ” Jaya began.
“In love with someone else?” Anup repeated stupidly. Jaya’s voice sounded husky, a little different, but it quickened his heartbeat nevertheless.
“Yes and - ”
“Is it Karan?”
“I’m not going to tell you who it is. All I can disclose is that I’m. pregnant. I have to marry him!” Jaya uttered the words softly.
“You’re…? I don’t believe you! Till last week, you were declaring your undying love to me!”
“I know. But I can’t carry on this charade anymore, Anup. To be honest with you, I needed the publicity. You, such a successful theatre personality, and me, an upcoming starlet. And it certainly helped. I’m almost as famous as you now. But that also means that I don’t need you anymore. I have to think of my child now.”
“How can you say such things!” Anup exclaimed, horrified. “All those secret meetings, everything we said to each other..”
“Meant a lot to me. At the time. But we cannot marry and live together until death do us part!” She laughed softly, sexily.
Fury boiled inside him.
“I was going to leave my wife for you.”
“Now you don’t have to. And I hope that Deepa never knows about this brief interlude. I’m willing to keep quiet - for a price, of course.”
“A price? Are you blackmailing me?” he asked, incredulous.
Jaya laughed softly into the receiver. “Such an ugly word - blackmail. I prefer to call it a gift. A parting gift, for all the pleasures we shared.”
“You’re crazy!” he exploded.
“I hope not. I mean, I would be if I simply close this issue without something to remember you by,” she agreed. “And I even dare hope that we’ll continue to be friends. At least till today’s show’s over. I know, this moment you’re so angry, you wish you could pour real poison into the glass for the last scene of our show. I’m right, aren’t I? I can understand your anger. I would perhaps feel the same. But one day you’ll thank me for this.”
“I’m never going to thank you for anything!”
“Then, let’s at least pretend to be friends till the show’s over. Specially during lunch this afternoon, which your darling wife has arranged for all of us. We don’t want her to suspect anything at all, do we? Especially as it’s all over now! After the show, I’ll tell you how much your parting gift is going to cost you. Then you go your way and I go mine. Goodbye, Anup.”
The phone clicked shut.
Anup stared at the receiver. He couldn’t believe what she’d just said to him. As if all they’d shared didn’t matter at all. In love with someone else? The other man had to be Karan, their Director! A knife of jealousy twisted in Anup’s heart. How could she talk so coldly to him? And pregnant?
Suddenly Anup stumbled toward a chair and sank into it. My God! She’d been treating him like some fool. Using him for fun, while all along she’d cared only for the publicity. And he’d cheated on his wife. Dear darling Deepa. So patient, so loving. Deepa had given up her flourishing acting career to get married to him and to look after their home. And he’d betrayed her, for that. that tramp of an actress Jaya! He had ignored his guilt and even the admonishments of that mystery woman who warned him about Jaya. He had never believed the stories that the mystery woman, who claimed to know Jaya very well, had narrated to him. He had chosen not to believe her, because he was consummately in love with Jaya! And look where it had landed him. Blackmail. The tramp actually had the gall to demand money from him! Oh God, what would happen if Deepa found out?
Remorse and shame, mingled with bitter anger, choked him. What in heavens was he to do? Despite her threats and proclamations, he couldn’t just give up on Jaya. He’d risked too much for her. His marriage. His career. She couldn’t simply walk out on him, as if nothing had ever transpired between them. She couldn’t just leave him in shambles and go on to enjoy a happy and fruitful life, with his money. He wouldn’t allow that. He had to stop her. From ruining his life!
His eye caught the bottle of cockroach poison on the table. Deepa had said something about there being too many cockroaches in the house and she had bought the bottle just this morning. But she was also a little absentminded, totally dragged down by all the housework, which, despite the servants, she insisted that she supervise herself. She would never miss the bottle. And anyway, even if she did, she’d think she’d misplaced it.
The bottle seemed to beckon him. What had Jaya said? That they couldn’t live together until death do them part? Well, she was wrong! Death would tear them apart, with or without marriage! Without a moment’s hesitation, Anup picked up the bottle of cockroach poison and pocketed it.
“Thank you, Karan, you’re such a dear, and I really wish you all
