Chapter 195 - Is your marriage on the rocks?

|Innaya|

I never begrudged anyone, for I knew envy brought nothing but pain and sadness. In addition to this, I had nothing precious that someone could envy me.

However, I caught the n.a.k.e.d envy in Ayesha's eyes. It startled me. Why would she resent me? I was quite an unfortunate one if we compared our lives. She didn't have the childhood I once had. She did not have PTSD. Then why would she envy me? From whatever I heard from her chatter with Eshan, she led a happy life.

The moment I caught her eyes darting to the man behind me, I realized the reason for it. Eshan's open display of love was the reason for her distress. The emotion of envy immediately changed to the one of adoration when I caught her eyes. It changed so fast as if it never was there.

"Oh! I see... For a moment I thought you're fond of floral print from your childhood." I laughed out. Ayesha's envy was the reason for my lifted mood.

Eshan's hand rubbing my hair paused temporarily before resuming the work. "Nope, I more fond of anything you wear."

I almost choked when he passed that remark. Ayesha's eyes gleamed with coldness. I blushed immediately under his flowery words.

A low whining sound coming from my lap had me look down. Fortune put his head in my lap feeling bored with zero attention. I smiled looking at his adorableness, keeping my head down to hide my blushing face.

"Oh! You have got a dog. That's new. He's so adorable" Ayesha suddenly exclaimed.

She crouched down on her knees wishing to pet Fortune, but as if Fortune did not like her as well for he suddenly made a low growling sound.

'What? Are you blind? How could you not notice such a big animal? Or you also want some attention?' I wanted to snap at her but then I held back my tongue biting on my lower lip.

Petting Fortune's head, I wondered why he never had such kind of reaction toward me.

"Don't mind, Ayesha. Fortune is just not used to have other people around." I made an excuse on the spot. Fortune was a therapy dog, so of course, he would not growl on anyone. But, he was growling at her, there had to be some reason. Didn't they say, animals are more attentive towards people with malicious intent?

"It's okay. He'll get used to me." She smiled, looking at Fortune with her downcast eyes. I failed to see the expression in her eyes, but I had a gut feeling that it was not any good. "By the way, aunty permitted you to bring him? I remember Aunty did not like animals," she asked Eshan.

I tilted my head to look at Eshan questionably. Her sentence made me curious. Only he could explain more. After Ayesha's arrival more things about my mother-in-law were getting revealed. I did not know if it was accidental or she was doing it deliberately. What was she trying to prove? That she knows my husband better than me?

'Yeah, dream on. You might know him for a couple of years in childhood, but the man you want to pursue trailed me for a decade. That's absolutely longer than whatever adolescent fantasies you have woven for years.' I suddenly wanted to take pride in Eshan's one-sided love for so many years.

Watching the handsome face of my husband glowing under the sunlight made my heart flutter. I almost forgot to blink while staring at him until he raised his left eyebrow slightly. I smiled timidly before shaking my head in negative.

"Mom just doesn't like dogs and cats," Eshan replied, uninterested in explaining more.

"Hmm."

"Achoo!" I sneezed again. Seemed like I caught a cold.

"How come you are sneezing so much? Did you stand outside in the night?" Eshan frowned as his hands stopped drying my hair.

"Haha... Eshan, how could you not know if she stood out or not? Were you sleeping like a log? Or you aren't sleeping together? Is your marriage on the rocks?"

Eshan and I both froze at her words. She was making a joke out of it, but why did it sound like she was testing us.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was just joking. Did I say something-"

"It's not funny." Eshan snapped.

"It's okay Eshan." I held his hand to stop him from saying anything as I recovered from my shock.

"Ayesha, there are some things which should not be said so lightly or made fun of. It's a bad omen for a couple because your words sound like we're quarreling or fighting. You must not wish for something like this even in a joke," I calmly spoke as I held her gaze. The anger brewing inside my chest was something I did not want to control. However, I could not be so blunt like her.

Of course, Eshan and I had our difference. However, there was no place for any outsider to comment on it. I certainly disliked her more and more.

The moment she entered, she questioned our relationship. She claimed we looked like an arranged marriage couple, ultimately saying she could not see the love between us. In the kitchen, she directly said that there was no love between us. If that was not enough, she was now wishing I'll for us.

Seriously, was she some sort of psychotic lover? I was getting fed up with her nonsense. I disliked her more and more. I did not know what were Eshan's thoughts about her nonsense, but I did not like it even a bit. I could feel the anger radiating from him while his hands were fisted by his side.

"I'm sorry, Eshan. I did not mean it that way. I was just joking." Tears immediately sprang in her eyes as if they were already ready. She did not even apologize to me but instead chose to divert her attention to Eshan.