Chapter 52

Madhavi emerged from the bathroom fully dressed. Alan groaned and made plaintive noises of complaint. But even she could tell that these were only half-hearted. He was in no shape to continue. She had drained him of every last drop of arousal and he looked like a used towel tossed aside.

Still, he made noises of protest. "Don't go. Stay."

She shook his hand off her hip. "Have to. He'll be home soon. I have to cook dinner before he returns."

He sat up in bed, his pale, fair body still flushed from their exertions. "But I thought you were leaving him, Madhu?"

"I am, but not tonight, Alan. I still have a few things to take care of before I go."

She checked her face in the dressing table mirror and noted that she had a love-bite on the nape of her neck. She began to apply powder evenly over the mark, concealing it.

He frowned. "I don't like it. Once my column hits the stands, he's going to be furious with you."

"I'll be out of his house long before that. But tonight I need to go back."

She finished covering the evidence of her adultery and went over to him.

She kissed his tousled head gently, crushing it to her breast. "Thank you for caring so much. And for everything else."

She released him and he reached out, touching her ass. "You're an incredible woman, Madhu." The way he said it, she knew he really meant to say "You're an incredible lay, Madhu." It was the finest compliment any man had ever paid her in her life.

She left the building walking like a model on Fashion TV. She felt incredible, loved, cared for. She already felt free of Birju and his bullying domination. His sexual power games. His chauvinistic repression. His sadistic controlling. She walked in the sunshine down Gamadia Road, enjoying the late afternoon sunshine, the shoppers carrying large plastic bags filled with clothes and toys, and stopped only when she saw Benzer ahead.

Then she crossed the road and caught a taxi home.

She was still smiling when Arthur Dias, Private Detective, clicked the last picture of her, sitting in the rear seat of the taxi, before starting his car to follow her, while dialing Birju's number on his mobile phone to report on her latest indiscretion.