The months that led up to the children's first birthday were quite eventful. Bhairav Chaudhary vs Gulzar Sultan was a feud known to everyone in the village. Even children, as Saarang ran up to me one day, asking when his Jiju was going to beat Gulzar in the election. People even began placing bets on both men.

There was also a rift based on religion as Gulzar Sultan was a muslim. And the predominant Hindu population in the village had supported him for years because they had nobody else to turn to. And with the rise of someone as dharmic as my husband, the villagers rejoiced.

"Maan jao! Ek rupay dene keliye taiyar hu tujhe! Kya tumhe yeh shart manzoor hai? Dekhna, malik hi jeethenge!"

(Oh come on! I'm willing to give you one rupee! Do you accept the bet? Wait and watch, our Boss will win!)

Honestly, it made my lips twitch. Gopal, whom I had instructed to bring milk from the farm, was challenging one of the younger maids by the back door of the kitchen.

The girl giggled, "Rehne dijiye... Mujhe bhi malum hai ki sirf Malik jeethenge."

(Not a chance... Even I know that the Boss will win.)

Gopal grinned, "Phir ek aur shart lagana chahunga... Agar malik jeeth gaye toh mujhse shaadi karogi?"

(Then let's make another bet... If the boss wins, will you marry me?)

I rolled my eyes and walked over to them with the spatula in my hand. The maid was blushing, and Gopal looked way too cheerful as he leaned against the doorframe. He straightened himself as soon as he saw me.

"Th-thakurain Ji...? Aap kitno der se waha hai..." He gulped.

(Th-thakurain Ji...? How long were you there...)

"Agar doodh de chuke ho toh jaakar apni malik ko dopahar ka khaana dekar aao," I muttered before turning to the maid, "Aur tum. Yeh lekar jao," I handed the spatula to her. She nodded and went into the kitchen with her eyes lowered.

(If you've brought the milk, then go give your boss lunch.)

(And you, take this.)

Gopal had a nervous smile on his face, "Hum sirf... Chunaav ke baare mei baat kar rahe the, Malkin. Bura mat maniye..."

(We were just... Talking about the elections, Malkin.)

"Jidhar bhi dekho, bas chunav ki hi baatein sunai deti hain..." I sighed.

(Wherever I turn, all I hear is talk about the election...)

"Aap hi ne tho Thakur Ji se chunnaav mei khade hone ke liye manzoor ki thi! Maine dosto se suna tha," he grinned. I glared at him, "Meri zindagi ki sabse badi galti thi." Gopal laughed at this.

(You were the one who convinced Thakur Ji to nominate himself! I heard it from my friends.)

(It was the biggest mistake of my life.)

That wasn't the end of it though. Gulzar Sultan realised that his chances of winning were quite low, so he set up his own vegetables and dairy market in the village that sold goods at a much, much cheaper rate. But my husband had a comeback for that as well.

He brought a few learned people from the city (I don't know how) and proved that the milk Gulzar sold was eighty percent water, and in fact, Gulzar was charging double the worth of twenty percent milk. Even with the vegetables, the learned scientists conducted fancy experiments in front of the entire village to prove that they were coated with pesticides.

But later, I found out from my fox of a husband that the vegetable trick was a farce. The methods the scientists used weren't proven or anything, but it was quite easy to fool the uneducated villagers. And he justified himself by saying this was exactly why more schools were necessary.

I honestly didn't argue against him. Bhairav Ji was corrupt, but at least he wasn't as bad as Gulzar Sultan.

During the election chaos, Payal made a detailed plan on how to run away to the city. She had written it down on a piece of paper and had discreetly given it to me. Aradhya's eyes widened as she read through each point as we sat on my bed.

It was quite vague, but there was still a structure to it. One month after the election, Jagdish and Keshav had their graduation ceremony. And at that time, Payal's in-laws planned on attending a wedding right after... Which meant she'd have around 3 to 4 days all by herself in her home.

And on Saturdays, there was a special train that led to the mountain region of Guffagar. She assured us that she had a friend over there: her mother's younger sister, who had been banished by everyone at home for being too headstrong. That woman had never married, and she owned a small shop that served the foreigners who came by to explore the mountain range.

It wasn't a bad plan. In fact, a part of me felt jealous that she was about to have an entirely new life in a matter of months. She was going to be free.

"Aur us din agar woh train chut gayi toh?" Aradhya gulped.

(And what if she misses the train that day?)

"Ache cheezo ke baare mei socha karo!" I snapped at her.

(Don't be so negative!)

She immediately had tears in her eyes, "Is ladki ki zindagi toh theek ho jaegi... Par humari zindagi ka kya?! Agar kisi ko pata chal gaya toh hume zinda nahi chodenge-"

(This girl's life will become better... But what about us?! We won't be spared if someone finds out- )

I pressed my palm to her mouth as soon as I heard my husband come up the stairs. Right before he pushed open the door, I hid the paper under my pillow. He looked surprised when he saw us.

"Aradhya...?"

She fixed her pallu immediately and slipped down from the bed, "M-Mai sirf aise hi baat karne aayi thi, Bhabhi se..." She replied nervously and slipped out the door before Bhairav Ji could say something.

(I- I just came to talk with, Bhabhi...)

"Tum dono chupke se kya kar rahe the?" He asked while closing the door behind him. The children were on the bed with me, and as soon as they saw their father, they squealed and crawled towards him, raising their hands so that he could lift them.

(What were you both doing in secret?)

Bhairav Ji complied with a warm smile on his face, but his eyes finally rested on me.

"Hm?"

I gave him a sarcastic smile, "Aapne hi toh kaha tha ki aap auraton ke maamle mei taang adana nahi chahte?"

(You were the one who said you didn't want to get involved in women's business.)

He eyed me, a ghost of a smirk on his lips, "Meri aurat ki baat toh alag hai."

(But this is concerning my woman.)

"Acha Ji?" I cocked a brow.

(Oh really?)

He smiled and kissed the children on their noses before leaning back against my stomach. I grew startled at his sudden closeness. He kept the children on his chest and I was worried whether they'd fall.

Right then, Raghav rolled over and fell beside his father on the bed.

"Dhyan se-!"

(Be careful-!)

"Kuch nahi hoga, chinta mat karo," Bhairav Ji reasoned with me. He was too carefree with the kids. They weren't even a year old, but he loved performing acrobatics with them. Sometimes he'd make Janaki sit on his shoulder, sometimes he'd let Raghav hang upside down from his arms. Maybe the reason they loved him so much was that he let them do whatever they liked.

(Don't worry. I got them.)

But oh, I'd love to see how the tables turn as they get older. They'd proclaim me as their favorite when their father's strict restrictions felt unbearable.

"Kyu has rahi ho, bawli aurat?" Bhairav Ji tickled my nose with a smile.

(Why are you smiling like you've gone crazy?)

I pretended to bite his finger. "Aap dekhte jao, Thakur Ji... Ek din bache apne pita ji se zyada apne Maa se pyar karenge," I grinned at him.

(Just wait and watch, Thakur Ji... One day, the kids will love their Mother more than their Father.)

"Us baat ki khushi ab se mana rahi ho?" He chuckled.

(You're celebrating that right now?)

"Kyu?" I ran my fingers through his hair, "Aap ab se haar maante ho?"

(Why not? Do you accept defeat right away?)

He gave me a kind smile this time. His eyes were soft, warm. "Tumhare bache hai... Mere dimag toh zaroor khayenge bade hokar. Par ek aur cheez hai..."

(They're your kids... Of course, they'll drive me crazy when they get older. But there's another thing...)

"Kya cheez?" I asked curiously.

(What?)

"Jab woh dekhenge ki unke Maa ke tarah duniya mei koi pyaar nahi kar sakta, toh woh pehle tumhare paas hi toh aayenge. Mujhe bhi us pyar ka ek tukda mila hai, isliye jaanta hu."

(When they realise that nobody can love like their mother, then they'll definitely come to you first. I've gotten a chunk of that love as well, so I know.)

I felt butterflies when he said that. Especially when he looked at me that way. The mix of hunger, care, possessiveness... His gaze was far too intense that I had to look away, blushing.

"Sirf ek tukda?" I muttered under my breath.

(Just a chunk?)

He placed Janaki beside her brother on the bed and sat up. His warm arms enveloped me as he nuzzled his scratchy beard against my cheek.

"Eh! Dur hojaiye-!" I groaned and tried to push him away, but he didn't let me go.

(Eh! Go away-!)

"Tumhare baare mein ek din dinpatra mein lekh likhna chahta hoon... My notorious wife... Aise shuru karunga," he whispered in my ear.

(One day I want to write a news article about you... My notorious wife... I'll begin it like that.)

I knew the meaning of wife, but the other word was foreign to me, "Notorious maane?"

(Notorious means?)

"Notorious maane... Pyaari," he pecked my cheek.

(Notorious means... Adorable.)

I glared at him this time. It was impossible to hide my blush. His actions were making it worse. There was definitely an ulterior motive to all the affection he showered upon me.

"Aap jhoot bol rahe hai. Zaroor koi buri baat hogi. Aap jo chahe likh sakte hai... Mujhe bacho ko doodh dekar sulana hai, chodiye," I broke out of his grasp and took the children into my arms.

(You're lying. It must be something bad. You can write whatever you like... I need to feed the kids and put them to sleep. Let me go.)

"Meri gilehri, toh phir jaldi karo. Hum bhi bahut pyaase hai..."

(My darling, hurry then. Even I'm relly thirsty...)

The man had the audacity to lick his lips as he lay down and propped himself on one elbow. The lust in those eyes would never end... And I hated how they never failed to charm me as well.