Chapter 28: The Unspoken Kiss

The clock on the wall seemed to mock me, its hands moving with a slow, deliberate cruelty that mirrored the churning in my gut. Every tick was a reminder of last night, of her tear-stained confession, of the soft, desperate press of her lips against mine. I was a bundle of frayed nerves, pacing the living room, my body coiled with a tension that was part anticipation, part pure, unadulterated fear.

The front door opened at exactly seven o’clock. On time. Punctual. Perfect.

Devi walked in, and my heart sank. She looked ... normal. Her hair was neat, her makeup was subtle, her expression was its usual calm, pleasant mask. There was no trace of the drunken, heartbroken woman from last night. It was as if it had never happened.

“Hi, Sid,” she said, her voice a cheerful, almost overly bright melody. “How was your day?”

“Fine,” I mumbled, my voice a little too tight. “Yours?”

“Good. Busy,” she said, already moving towards the kitchen, her movements efficient, composed. “I’ll start dinner.”

I wanted to confront her. I wanted to grab her by the shoulders, shake her, and demand to know what she was thinking. I wanted to scream, “You kissed me! You told me you wished you’d met me instead of your father! What the fuck are we supposed to do with that?” But I held myself back. Janaki’s words echoed in my head: You siege it. You starve it. You chip away at its foundations, one stone at a time. A frontal assault would be a mistake. It would send her scurrying back behind her walls. I had to be patient. I had to play the long game.