All Chapters of Shattered Silence: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

2nd February 2000Aanya's POV:It’s been at least two weeks since the day me and Evan gave in to each other. Since then, life returned to its rhythm, or at least appeared to. There’s no awkwardness between us, no forced conversations, but something feels undeniably different. Subtle, yet constant. It settles beneath my skin like a whisper I can’t unhear.He’s there in the mornings. In the afternoons, he “pops in to rest his eyes,” as he likes to say. By early evening, he’s home. He doesn’t talk much during dinner - just sits and chews slowly. But without fail, he takes the utensils from my hands before I even think of standing up to clear the table.After a week of this silent routine, I decided to stir things up - movies or a game at night. He taught me poker; I taught him UNO. We got fiercely competitive during Monopoly. Fought over who got to pick the movie for the night. I always lost at chess - sometimes genuinely, other times because I claimed to be bored halfway through.I used

3rd February 2000Aanya's POV:Last night was a restless one. Sleep evaded me for hours, and when it finally came, it was broken - haunted by vivid, unsettling dreams that left me feeling anxious and uneasy. By the time morning arrived, I was exhausted, my body heavy with fatigue, my mind already frayed. It felt like I hadn’t slept at all - and that was probably true. I knew today would be difficult to get through. I’d be irritable, unfocused, on edge.To prove that point, the one person I had no intention of talking to had been blowing up my phone with calls. 50 missed calls in the last hour and half. He was persistent and I know he would keep calling until I answer in some way. So, I picked up the call."Hello, love" he started a few seconds after I accepted his call"Evan, I had asked you to leave me alone. I don't want to spend time talking to a person who did not have the basic, common decency to respect their partner in a marriage. I know we had a contractual marriage-""..but th

Aanya’s POV: I took a flight from Manchester to India. It took an awful lot of convincing from me Ann, Ana and Li to not tell Evan I was going to India until I get into the flight. Fortunately, I got a seat in economy class and just made it on time for the flight. The plane was really crowded and noisy, and there wasn’t a lot of legroom. The plane ride was hardly comfortable. At some point, we hit turbulence about halfway through the flight, and it was pretty intense. The whole plane was shaking and people were holding onto their seats for their dear life. I felt really anxious and just wanted to get off the plane but by the time the wheels landed on the concrete all thoughts and worries of the plane left me just for a ton load of worries about the conversation I am about to have. From hailing the taxi to arriving at the family house it took a lot of energy for me to not be sick. I thought of all the different, easy or hard or twisted ways this conversation could go. Even now standi

Author’s POV:“You imbecile. You moron. You D***-headed as***le.” Insult after insult was hurled at Evan by his wife. It’s been 2 days since Aanya came back from India and Evan was furious to know his wife went to India without telling him but before he can react she already reacted.“Love, we ought to talk about this calmly this…” Before Evan could complete his sentence something soft landed on his face. A pillow.“Talk? You didn’t want to talk earlier why now?” to say Aanya is furious would be an understatement, she was livid but she also know she was being a bit childish by throwing such tantrums.“Look, I am sorry I…I promised that I wouldn’t tell you and Calian would directly tell you when it is time.” Aanya was starting to feel guilty about her irresponsible behaviour so she did the only thing that would save her from the embarrassment but make her look like a coward.She left for her new job.Aanya got a job at Lei’s Abstraction as a finance manager. She was happy she got a job

She twisted the ring on her finger. Making sure the decision she took was the right one. The quiet midnight was a welcome relief after a long day. This world outside the window was still and the only sound was the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. The moon was full, casting a glow over everything and the stars twinkled in the sky.The black long-sleeved plunge bodycon dress looked amazing on Aanya. She did light makeup and tied up her hair in a ponytail. She was all ready to go for her midnight party at one of the nightclubs with Ashley, Naomi and Ann. They all agreed to meet up there. Except Ann and Aanya decided it was best not to let their husband know.She felt like the 15-year-old girl who lied to her father to go out with her friend.A feeling washed over her and she removed her ring and put on the oversized hoodie on her bed, which reached her mid-thigh.She slowly crept around the room trying to get all the things she need inside her small clutch. She then opened her be