episode 2

Aganahai gathered the sarees lying on the floor and stuffed them into the wardrobe just like that.

Kapilan came near, picked up his clothes, and said, "She knocked them down in a rush to go to college. Don't make a scene over it."

"Does it look to you like I'm making a scene?" Aganahai asked in a low voice.

"Don't start a fight," he said, putting on his pants. He took off the towel. He put on his shirt.

"Something is wrong between the two of us. My tears look like acting to you. My sorrow looks like anger. Even now, what I feel inside is pain. And to you, this looks like a scene," she said.

"I'm getting late for office. I've got a thousand and eight things to do. You sit at home and don't know any hardship. That's why you talk like this," he said.

He buttoned the last button of his shirt and looked in the mirror to comb his hair.

"One day you'll have everything. But I won't be there," she said.

his hand froze.

He turned around.

Gritting his teeth, he slapped her hard on the cheek. "So now the problem is that jewelry, isn't it? Damn it, I shouldn't have taken it from you. I should hit myself with a slipper," he yelled.

His mother, father, and younger sister came to his room.

"What happened, son?" his mother asked.

With her eyes, she begged him, 'Please don't say it' No matter what kind of fight arose between the two of them, she was ready to handle it. But in her heart she pleaded, 'Don't dump me in front of others'

"She's fighting because I took the jewelry," he said.

Aganahai's heart shattered in two and cracked apart.

"Did he sell the jewelry he took? Or did he eat it up? He pledged it for the business, didn't he?" asked his mother-in-law, Semmalar.

"People came offering a girl with five hundred sovereigns of jewelry for him. He said no to that alliance because he saw you and liked you. Be grateful, girl," said his father-in-law.

"Do you have to stress him out right in the morning? How will he go and work at the office? If you, his own wife, don't understand him, who else will?" his sister-in-law, younger than her, gave advice.

"Redeem the jewelry quickly and throw it in her face," said Semmalar.

Tears poured down Aganahai's eyes like a waterfall. This life and these moments hurt like death. In fact, it seemed to her that even death wouldn't hurt this much.

He glared at his wife and picked up his laptop bag.

"Come eat, kabi," his mother called.

"No," he said and left from there.

For Aganahai, it felt as if she had been stripped of her clothes and made to stand before a thousand people.

'What sin did I commit? The fault is mine. I should have stayed silent when my sister-in-law stepped on my saree. But is every mistake mine alone?' she asked herself.

"In this day and age, girls have no love for their husbands. Money is their only need," Semmalar muttered.

When talent is doubted, a person grows that talent even more. But when love is doubted, that love begins to lose its life.

For her too, love was losing its life inside. On top of that, it tormented her, telling her to destroy his life as well.

With tears streaming from her eyes, she stood staring at the floor.

"These women won't help their own husbands in any way. But once the husband becomes successful tomorrow, they'll separate that husband from his parents," said her father-in-law.

"It's all because of my brother. If he had kept his wife in her place, why would she act like this?" asked her sister-in-law, and left from there.

His father-in-law and mother-in-law also left.

She sat down on the floor. She wondered if she should get a divorce and leave. That was the easiest thing to do. But if she left like that, wouldn't even more bad names be pinned on her?

She liked neither the world nor life.

***

Kapilan had reached the office.

He felt angry at his wife. She says she won't be there when everything else is there. How arrogant must she be to say that? Am I wasting money unnecessarily? Isn't it for her that I'm working? Why doesn't she understand that, he scolded her in his mind.

***

Kantha had come to a big company. A few days earlier, he had explained his project to the key officials of that company.

They had also said they would give their decision today.

As soon as he arrived, Karthikeyan, the CEO of that company, took a document and placed it before him.

"We are funding your business," he said.

He felt like jumping with joy.

"Your company and our company will work together for the next ten years. Sign the document," he said.

He signed the document with joy.

He left the place, Happy by the thought that both his life and his path were about to change.

As he stepped into the elevator, his cell phone rang. It was his sister calling.

"Hello?" he answered, his voice brimming with excitement. He was thrilled at the prospect of being the first to share this good news with his sister.

But on the other end of the line, she sounded sadness. "Hello, Kantha..."-the sheer despair in her voice was enough to make him crumble.

"What happened nagai?" he asked anxiously.

"I am going to commit suicide...." she sobbed; hearing those words, his legs began to tremble.

"What are you saying, you fool?" he roared.

"I don't want to live anymore. I've told you about my in-laws' house before, haven't I? My husband took all my jewelry. I handed it over willingly, with complete trust and happiness. But today, they're calling me a 'gold digger.' My dignity is gone. I have no desire to go on living..." she wailed uncontrollably.

"Don't cry, nagai... please," he pleaded.

"I'm ending my life because I trusted you. Just promise me you'll take good care of my child..." she said through her tears. "Stop it! Give me one day-just give me a chance," he urged.

"Do you think you can change my mind? It wouldn't make any difference anyway. I'm already dead inside. Whatever you say to a mere corpse is utterly useless..."

At that moment, he clutched his head in misery.

"Come to your father's house. I'll be there too. Just for half an hour. After that, you can make whatever decision you wish," he said.

"My elder mother-in-law is visiting today. I have to stay here. Otherwise, I'll get an earful."

He gritted his teeth. "I asked you for just half an hour of your time. Come along-without worrying about the future at all," he urged, as he walked toward the entrance of the office building.

Getting into his car, which was parked in the lot, he set off for his sister's birth home.

When he arrived, his father wasn't at home. Thinking 'very good', he entered the house.

As soon as his stepmother saw him, she said "Come, thambi," out of formality.

Kantha and Aganahai are twins. His mother and father got divorced in the second month after the children were born. Kantha went with his mother. Aganahai stayed with her father.

Aganahai's father remarried soon. Her father raised her by lying to her that she was the child born to him and his second wife.

Only a few years ago did Aganahai learn the truth. But because she hadn't spoken or interacted with her biological mother for many years, she couldn't bond with her. However, she did grow close to her twin brother.

Afraid that her in-laws would look down on her if they found out she had such a past, the people in this house hid the fact that she had a brother like this and that she was the daughter of the first wife.

Half an hour after Akanagai reached the place.

Upon seeing the child Krish, aganahai's step-mother took him into her arms with great affection.

"Why does your face look like this? Why have you been crying?" her step mother asked.

She could not bring herself to say, "I have decided to commit suicide!"

"It's just a headache. This boy didn't let me sleep at all last night. That's why my face looks this way!" she lied.

"Kantha is here. He's in your room," her step mother said.

"I'm going to go talk to him. Please put the baby down for a nap," she said, and then headed toward her bedroom.

Kantha, who was inside the room, turned to look as she entered.

Stepping close, he pulled her inside and closed the door.

"What happened?" he asked, and she recounted the entire incident to him in detail.

"In that case, your in-laws need to be taught a lesson. And I'm going to be the one to teach it to them," he said; she looked at him, confused.

"They don't even know that I have a brother like you. What exactly do you intend to do?" she asked.

"They don't know. That is precisely why I will do it," he replied, and picking up a dupatta lying nearby, he wrapped it around his head.

"I'm going to your in-laws' house disguised as you. You take care of my business," he said.

She slapped her forehead.

"Get lost, you crazy fool! For this, I'll handle my problem myself," she said, putting an end to his plan.

After seeing her brother in person, her mind cleared a little. She stayed there talking with him for half an hour and then left.

When she got home, her elder mother-in-law was waiting to give her a ritual with words. She walked in innocently and got caught.

To be continued..

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