Vidya aur Manohar ki shaadi ko ek mahina beet chuka tha, aur dono apne chhote se ghar mein khushi khushi reh rahe the. Vidya, 23 saal ki jawaan aur khubsurat biwi, apne budhe pati Manohar, 60 saal ke shikshak, ke saath ek alag si duniya mein khushi se jee rahi thi. Uske bade, rasile chuchiyo aur nange pet ka jaadu Manohar pe hamesha chhaya rehta tha, aur woh har raat uske jism ki puja karta tha. Par ek din, unke ghar ka sukoon tootne wala tha jab Manohar ka dost aur makan malik, Ashfaq Shaikh, unke ghar aaya.
Ashfaq, 67 saal ka ek tagda aadmi, Manohar ka purana dost tha, aur uska makan malik bhi. Manohar ne usse bada karza liya tha—paisa jo ab wapas karna mushkil ho raha tha. Ashfaq ke chehre pe ek chhupi si chalaki thi, aur uski aankhon mein ek hawas bhari chamak jab woh Vidya ko dekhne ke liye ghar mein dakhil hua. “Manohar, teri nayi biwi se milna tha… suna hai bahut sundar hai,” usne kaha, apni daal mein safed baalon ko haath se peeche karte hue.
Vidya, ek halki si maroon saree mein, ghar ke kaam mein lagi thi. Saree ka pallu uske nange pet ko thoda sa dhak raha tha, par uski choli chhoti thi, uske bade chuchiyo ka ubhar saaf dikhata hua. Manohar ne Ashfaq ko baithaya, aur Vidya ko chai banane ko kaha. Jab Vidya chai leke aayi, woh Ashfaq ke saamne jhuki—uska pallu thoda sa sark gaya, aur uske chuchiyo ka gehra cleavage saaf dikhne laga. Ashfaq ki nazar uske chuchiyo pe atak gayi—woh bade, mulayam, aur choli mein dabne ko betab dikh rahe the. Uske pant ke neeche ek hulchul hui, uska lund khada hone laga, aur woh apne aap ko sambhalte hue chai ka cup uthaya. “Bahut achhi chai banati hai teri biwi, Manohar,” usne kaha, par uski aankhein Vidya ke jism pe tiki rahi.Baithak khatam hui, par Ashfaq ke dil mein ek ganda khayal jag gaya. Woh Manohar ke paas gaya aur dheere se bola, “Manohar, tujhe mera karza yaad hai na? 5 lakh rupaye… agar tu chahe, main yeh karza maaf kar sakta hu.” Manohar ne hairani se poocha, “Kaise?” Ashfaq ne ek thandi muskurahat ke saath kaha, “Ek raat… teri biwi mere saath. Bas ek raat, aur tera karza khatam.” Manohar ka chehra safed pad gaya, usne gusse se kaha, “Yeh kya bakwas hai, Ashfaq?” Par Ashfaq ne haath uthaya, “Soch le… tujhe ghar bhi chhodna pad sakta hai agar paisa nahi diya.”
Manohar ghar aaya aur Vidya ko baat batayi. “Vidya… Ashfaq ne ek gandi shart rakhi hai… woh karza maaf karega agar tu ek raat uske saath…” Vidya ka chehra laal ho gaya, usne gusse se kaha, “Yeh kya keh rahe ho, Manohar ji? Main kaise…” Par Manohar ne roti hui awaaz mein kaha, “Main majboor hu, Vidya… hum kahaan jayenge agar yeh ghar chala gaya?” Vidya chup ho gayi, uske dil mein ek toofan uth raha tha. Woh apne pati ki majboori dekh rahi thi. Aakhir mein, usne aankhein neeche karke kaha, “Theek hai… sirf tumhare liye… par yeh meri marzi nahi hai.
Akhir Woh raat aa hi gayi. Ashfaq Manohar ke ghar aaya, ek safed kurta-pajama pehne hue, uski aankhon mein ek jeet ki chamak. Manohar chupchap kamre se bahar chala gaya, aur Vidya ko Ashfaq ke saath akela chhod diya. Vidya ne ek gehri laal saree pehni thi—pallu uske nange pet ko thoda sa dhak raha tha, par uski choli itni tight thi ki uske chuchiyo ka poora shape saaf dikh raha tha, unka ubhar bahar nikalne ko betab. Kamra band tha, diya ki roshni halki si thi, aur Ashfaq bistar pe baitha tha, Vidya ko apne paas aane ka ishara karte hue.“Vidya… aaj tu meri hai,” Ashfaq ne kaha, uski awaaz mein ek bhookhi si garmi thi.