Naina's lips burned in shame and guilt as if she had been nearly caught with her arm in a jar full of forbidden sweets. Yet it wasn't sweets that her lips had touched. She had been kissed by her best friend, or rather, her ex-best friend since she didn't trust him anymore. At all.

"All okay?" Ahanay's face appeared before her and Naina quickly nodded, the shame searing on her lips like a slow-cooked barbecue.

"What's this dinner for?"

"An important deal," Ahanay said, his face stoic.

"Does that mean more money?" He shrugged as if money was the least important thing to him. "Awesome! With a pretty wife by your side, consider the deal closed."

"Will you help me then?"

"Huh?"

"By being by my side," he said, his hand wrapping around her waist as his head buried somewhere in her hair. "My pretty, little demon."

Woah. What was wrong with him? But then again, she oozed sex appeal in this silk dress. A sly smile crawled on her lips at the thought of her seducing powers bewitching him, yet, why was her heart beating louder than the music downstairs? Could he hear it?

She caught a glimpse of Ahanay smirking, him hearing her loud heartbeats and shoving him away, snorting. "Enough wasting time here, let's go!"

She had to stretch her legs and take long leaps to match his strides, an exercise that proved to be difficult in that dress. By the time they arrived at the opulent hall with guests adorned in elegant dresses and suits, she felt like a sweaty, slippery eel in that dress. Huffing and puffing, she followed Ahanay to a group of men and women who smelled of money.

"Oh Ahanay, so long," an older woman spoke, pulling him close enough so their cheeks touched. Her eyes flickered to Naina and brightened. "Is she your wife? I expected her to be as beautiful as you and she doesn't disappoint me one bit." The woman immediately embraced Naina and the smell of money smudged her senses into a dream as if she was floating on the clouds. "You're that special woman who he chose to marry over all others! I want to know all about you."

"Special? Me? If you call poverty special, then hehehe---"

"She's indeed that," Ahanay intervened with a smile that was so genuine, Naina grew suspicious.

"I can see," the lady smiled back, turning her attention back on Naina and asking a million questions that ranged from her hobbies to her favourite food. Ahanay had separated from them as he began discussing with the men in the other corner of the room, all business-like. As Naina replied her hobby was to spit watermelon seeds on car windshields which amused the lady, her eyes never left his back, regretting not being by his side. She wanted to be a part of a business deal, not part of silly small talk. "You're madly in love with him, aren't you?"

"Hein?"

"You cannot take your eyes away from him," the lady said, smiling and leaning closer to her. "I'm glad he married you and not the other girl. I never liked her. I like you better."

Before Naina could prod further about "the other girl," she noticed a familiar figure from the corner of her eye, snatching her dream-like trance away faster than a lightning bolt. "One second, sorry, I-I need to go."

The figure of her ex-best friend sneaking something in the glass of champagne as he strode coolly towards her husband led Naina to sprint across the hall as fast as she could, her thoughts racing faster than her. What the fuck did Ohas put in that glass? It couldn't be boogers, it had to be poison! He had promised to kill him, that was his entire purpose for coming here. No, no, no, he couldn't do that! At least, not now! It was way too early!

The image of Ahanay lying down cold and dead made Naina feel sick to the core, a sickness that had no connection to germs, a sickness that couldn't be cured by a dab of Dettol or a pill of crocin.

"Nooooo!" She screamed out of pure instinct as the glass touched Ahanay's lips, jumping on him and slapping it away, pieces of glass flying everywhere like shards of ice. What followed next was cold, wintery silence with the echoes of her scream still ringing in everyone's head like the shivering vestiges of a strong wind. The champagne spilled on the expensive clothes of the guests as their faces shrunk in disgust and Naina stood between them all, her eyes locked into a surprised Ahanay's. "The-The champagne was not good---"

"My wife and I made a bet on no drinking," Ahanay intervened, walking towards Naina and holding her by her waist. Suddenly, his hand felt her stomach and Naina stilled. "She can't drink because she's expecting---"

"What?" Words choked in Naina's throat as loud gasps were heard from everywhere and she retched.

"Her sickness due to erm . . ." he left the sentence hanging awkwardly, bending to reach Naina's eye level. "When you have such a pretty wife, you can't resist, can we, Naina?"

Naina hated children. They were nothing, but a nuisance to her. As she opened her mouth to protest, her eyes scanned the room, the disgusted expressions of the important people with champagne-stained dresses had now melted into that of awe. Even the sternest of men, excluding a dark figure in the form of a waiter, had a faint smile.

"Mission successful," Naina said her thoughts aloud, then hastily added, "I mean, isn't a cute, chubby baby every young couple's success? After all, that baby will be born into this household, taking after my husband and me."

"Cheers to their baby!" Someone in the crowd roared and glasses with sparkling liquid clinked in the air.

"Not you," a random lady said, taking the tempting glass away from Naina. "It isn't good for the baby. You should go and rest on that chair."

"I'm fine---"

"I'll take her," Ahanay said, grabbing Naina's elbow who wrestled with him. As they moved away from the crowd, both of them began in unison,

"What did you do that for?"

"You first!" Naina said and he sighed.

"After the mess you made, only an announcement like that could have saved you. They'll forget soon."

"Forget?" Naina scoffed in disbelief. "Who can forget something like that, especially about me so easily? I'm unforgettable."

"That you are," he said, again with the same genuine, honest smile that caused weird creatures to flutter, somersault and do all possible gymnastics in her stomach. "But why did you scream?"

"I uh---" she paused, feeling the eyes of her ex best-friend on her, despite not knowing where he was. "I don't know. Mood swings. Remember, I'm pregnant?"

"For you to be that, we need to . . ." Ahanay suddenly stepped forward, making her back up against the bar counter. Catching a stray curl in between his finger, he leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her collarbone. For that brief moment, Naina sucked in a breath as his hair tickled her chin, causing a ripple of odd sensations to break out on her skin. She didn't know if others were watching her, but her hands were firmly gripping the counter behind her, unable to push him away. And her husband didn't care who watched, he was smirking against her skin, half-proud to be publicly claiming her. Even if it was just for a moment.

An angelic voice interrupted his little game from behind, "Congratulations, Ahanay, on your second child."

Naina quickly pushed him away as both of them turned around to meet Priya who brought with her- her beautiful face, the shocking news of Ahanay's first child and another ploy to kill in this long night that had just begun.

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