“Where’s Avni?” I asked Rhea.
“She’s coming with her husband and kids in another car,” she informed me. “Aryan is back, too.”
“Aryan’s back?”
“Yes, and also… ” she stepped closer, “Ira and Prashant.”
“Oh my god!” I jumped in excitement. “They’re all coming?”.
“Yes, and it was all my plan.” Rhea looked around as if searching for someone. “And where is your husband?”.
Before I could speak, Mr. Chauhan stepped in. “He’s entertaining one of my clients, so unfortunately, he won’t be attending the party”.
“But Bhai hates attending to your clients, doesn’t he?” Rhea frowned.
“Rhea, mind your business,” her mother muttered, grasping her arm and dragging her away.
Mr. Chauhan looked at me with an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Kavya. I think my plan failed again. I wanted to bring you two closer, but instead… ”
“No, it’s fine,” I said, plastering on a smile. “He just needs some space. He’ll be fine”.
“He leaves for duty tomorrow, and God knows when he’ll return. I really want you two to work on your relationship”.
“You can’t force a relationship,” I said, glancing at Rhea and her mother, who were still arguing. “The tighter you hold someone, the more desperate they become to escape. So, I’m letting him be free. If he doesn't want this... I'll let him go. I just need some time”.
“Kavya,” Mr. Chauhan held my hand, hurt flashing in his eyes. “Trust me, I won’t let this break. My own story might be incomplete, but I will make sure my son gets what he deserves: a woman who genuinely cares for him, not for his money or his looks, but for his heart.”
“You really think I… I…”
“I know everything about you. I had my men do a background check, and frankly, I was moved by your bravery.
You’ve been incredibly strong, putting up with your father and brother’s behavior for far too long.”
I watched him in shock. Pure, white shock. This was the last thing I wanted to hear at my birthday party.
________
Chapter 20
KAVYA
Watching them was like looking at a gallery of lives I was supposed to have. My friends Avni, Rhea, and our newest addition, Ira who radiated a kind of glow that only comes from being truly seen, truly loved. They looked so alive, so beautiful in their domesticity, surrounded by the chaotic music of husbands and children.
“Swara always loves playing with her brother,” Avni said softly, her hand moving in a tender, rhythmic pat against her two-year-old son’s back.
“Children are supposed to love playing, but Iraaj …” Ira’s voice trailed off as she watched her eighteen-month-old boy. He wasn't running or shouting; he was simply crawling in small, cautious circles near his father, his eyes constantly darting back to the man as if checking for permission.
“I love him, you know,” I whispered, more to myself than to them. I knelt, my knees hitting the floor as I gathered the boy into my arms. I felt a fierce, protective ache in my chest. I was one of the few who had helped raise him while Ira was in her coma; we had a bond forged in her absence. “Hey, Raj.”
Iraaj’s face transformed instantly. Recognizing me, he flashed a grin that showed off two tiny, milk-white teeth.
“He’s so adorable,” I murmured, pressing his small, warm head against my chest and inhaling the scent of baby powder and home. I kissed the top of his hair, wondering why I felt more drawn to Ira’s child than Avni’s. It was a strange twist of fate. I never imagined Ira would become my friend, let alone that she and Prashant would become a 'thing.' They were a study in opposites: day and night, fire and ice.
They were nothing like Aryan and Avni, who shared the same passions, the same easy rhythm. But despite their differences, both sets of couples had one thing in common: the men were loyal. They were anchors.
Unlike my husband. To Saurav, I wasn't an anchor or a partner. He thought women were a plaything. A body.
“Where’s Saurav, anyway?” Aryan asked, his voice breaking through my dark thoughts.