Fiction: Radhika’s husband sets bizarre rules for her. Then something happens at her child’s school

Manik Khanna had a list; he was a methodical man. Crime and punishment were clearly spelt out, leaving little room for uncertainty, doubt or confusion. What had begun as a game between husband and wife proved so effective that it endured long past its lascivious origins. He had handwritten the rules and locked the pages away in his safe, nothing digital. Aside from the infringements listed in the agreement, Radhika was free to do as she pleased. It seemed fair to him.

He spent years contemplating what to include in the list, carefully observing Radhika in the early days of their marriage as he compiled it – her personality, her flaws, what he could tolerate and what he couldn’t, what she could endure and what she couldn’t. A living document, the list was revised every couple of years.

Additions chronicled new flaws she had developed, while subtractions marked earlier ones she had, through punishment, managed to conquer. Each time a shortcoming was removed from the list, Manik rewarded her with a piece of jewellery, the value meticulously tied to the effort or pain she had endured. There was also a list of presents, kept as a reminder for her, should she need one.

Manik despised...

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