Chapter 3: THE WEDDING ANNIVERSARY (3)

"Is that it, Kabir?" Zaya asked Kabir when he let out a scoff, heading for the stairs.

"What do you mean?" Kabir asked coldly.

Zaya walked over to where Kabir was and asked "Do you know what today is?"

"Friday." Kabir answered back.

Zaya sighed in frustration and uttered ;

"So you do not have any idea of what today is?"

"I do not." Kabir replied back as he turned around to walk on the stairs.

"Kabir, where have you been?" Zaya asked and Kabir stopped in his tracks.

"It is none of your business what I do with my time!" Kabir responded sternly after he had turned to face Zaya.

"I have been waiting for you for hours, Kabir!" Zaya let out in frustration.

"I never asked you to!" Kabir fired back.

"Were you with…Lara?" Zaya asked cautiously.

She knew of how Kabir always reacted whenever she mentioned the name of Lara. It was as if she was a forbidden human who was not worthy enough to say Lara's name. Each time she questions Kabir when he comes back home late, he usually doesn't respond back to her but whenever she says the word Lara, Kabir would instantly flare up at her.

"Don't you dare say her name!" Kabir warned Zaya, slightly increasing the tempo in his voice.

"What is she? Is she God? Why can't I say her name?" Zaya asked in distaste.

"I have warned you times without number that you are forbidden from saying Lara's name!" Kabir reminded her.

"Lara. Lara Croft. Lara, Lara, Lara, Lara, Lara." Zaya said to spite Kabir.

It was extremely annoying to her how Kabir was treating her. He was treating her like she was a disgusting animal who deserves to be locked up forever. It's not like she killed someone. She married him…forcefully. She did not meddle in his life and still let him see his girlfriend. The least he could do is be nice to her. He should have put a call through to her if he knew he was going to be with Lara for some time but no, he kept her waiting.

Zaya saw the anger that appeared on Kabir's face immediately she started saying Lara's name. Kabir clenched his fist in anger and Zaya noticed it. She was a little bit happy that he was angry. He would finally get a taste of his own medicine. Today, Zaya is throwing caution to the wind and saying everything she had kept in her mind because of the words of her mother-in-law.

"There. I said it. What are you going to do to me? Hit me?" Zaya added on and rested her gaze on Kabir's clenched fist.

"I told you never to mention her name!" Kabir said in anger.

"And I just did. What are you going to do to me?!" Zaya screamed back at Kabir.

Kabir was startled. It was the first time since they got married that Zaya was raising her voice to him. She had always been quite gentle with him even though he was harsh with her so this expression of Zaya was clearly new to him. His reaction revealed the fact that he was surprised by Zaya and she smirked in satisfaction.

Kabir hated seeing her smile. She knew what she was doing. So this is how you want to play Zaya? Kabir said in his mind. Tonight, they were going all out on each other.

"Lara is my wife! Something that you can never be!" Kabir replied Zaya.

"Oh really! That's so good for you because I don't see her living in this house and neither do I see her name on the marriage documents, she isn't even on the wedding pictures on the wall so how the hell is she your wife Kabir? When did you get married to her? Please, enlighten me." Zaya pointed out.

Kabir was dumbfounded by Zaya's words. It was like he got hit in the face and hard. It was the first time Zaya was defending herself and it threw him off guard. He never knew that Zaya would be able to speak up for herself. He always thought that she was just a pushover.

"I am not going to have this conversation with you. It is late." Kabir said.

"Thank God you know that!" Zaya said as she threw her hands to the air.

"Thank God you know that it is late and you came back late. I was beginning to think that I might be the one who has a problem with time but I guess that wasn't me. It's you. You are the problem!" Zaya went on.

"Zaya!!!" Kabir called her loudly.

"What Kabir?! What?!!" Zaya fired back in the same manner.

"Do you not have any respect for me? As your wife? Why do you always disregard me and my feelings?" Zaya went on.

"Because you are not of importance to me. I do not care about how you feel and frankly I wished you were dead and out of my life!" Kabir sneered at Zaya.

Zaya gasped in surprise at Kabir's words. Her thoughts were actually true. Kabir hated her to death and actually wished she would just die to get this over with. How could he be so brutal?

"What?" was all Zaya could say.

"You heard me right!" Kabir uttered.

"You wish I was dead? Why? Because I got married to you? Do you even know what it means to wish someone dead? You must really despise them to do so. Wishing someone dead is the worst thing that one could ever say. Even I wouldn't wish my enemy dead but you did that to me?" Zaya let out.

She sighed again in disbelief before saying "How much do you hate me, Kabir? This marriage was never my choice and neither was it yours. I also had a lover too, you know. We have also been dating for so long, for three years. You think I wanted this marriage? I was happy where I was before. I was happy in my former relationship but my father forced me into this and even though I hated it, I still complied."

Zaya uttered those words and her breathing began to get heavy as the tears were building up in her eyes. She couldn't believe that Kabir could actually wish death on her. How? Why? She thought. This is the limit. This is the last straw that broke her. She was done being the feebleminded fool in this relationship.

Kabir, on the other hand, was feeling kind of sorry for the words he spat out to her. He didn't mean to say that. He was just so angry and in a fit of rage uttered the most despicable thing ever. He watched on as his words took a drastic effect on Zaya. She was obviously hurt and he could see it in her eyes and in her words. He began to get worried when her breathing started to get heavier. Maybe he should apologize but his pride wouldn't let him do so.

"I know we have our differences. I know you had already planned out your life with.." Zaya said as she swallowed a lump in her throat. Her tears were building up faster as she remembered all of the hurtful things that Kabir had said to her in this marriage. Even at that, it still didn't compare to what Kabir had just uttered. She was so angry, sad and frustrated at the same time.

"Lara.." Zaya continued.