Page 66 of Shattered

Sidharth rises to his feet. “It’s time for me to hit the road and give you two lovebirds some alone time.”

“Thanks for coming,” Kavya stands up, and I follow suit, wrapping my arms around her.

“I’ll keep you posted if we make any progress,” he says, giving her an assuring nod, then gives me a chin lift as he steps out of the door.

Once we are alone, I wrap my arms around her, and she reciprocates by wrapping her hands around my waist, resting her cheeks against my chest.

“I love you,” I tell her softly, holding her tightly against me.

“I love you too,” she whispers back.

I don’t know how long we stay like this, but I can’t bring myself to pull back, unable to let go of her. With my eyes shut, my thoughts grow fierce—I’ll protect her no matter what.I won’t let any jerk take her away from me. I’m going to protect what Kavya and I share, and I won’t everlet it slip away.

Chapter 33

Kavya

“No... No... please, no. God, this can’t be happening...” I whisper in a shaky breathas I sit on the toilet seat, my legs bouncing nervously. Staring at the pregnancy test in my hands, a wave of fear and disbelief grip my heart, suffocating me.

Last night, when I bought the pregnancy test, I had no idea I was about to receive this shock. I had missed my periods for the last two months, but I blamed it on the stress I was going through.But something deep down kept nagging at me, so I secretly bought the pregnancy kit, convincing myself it was just to be sure. I didn’t get the chance to take the test last night, so I decided to do it first thing in the morning instead. But now, in the early dawn, I finally took the test. And when I saw the two pink lines, it… it felt like the world had crumbled beneath my feet.

Dropping my elbows onto my knees, I bury my head in my hands and grip my hair.‘How could I be so careless?’I sob, my negligence crashing down on me. Clearly, I didn’t think about anything. I crossed a line I never should have, and more importantly, I was so lost and carried away that I didn’t bother worrying about precautions. Stupid as I was, I didn’t think at all about the consequences.

My breath spirals out of control as another wave of panic washes over me. What will I tell Reyansh? How will he react? Is he even ready for this? And more importantly, am I ready for this, with so much already happening in my life? I don’t find any answers; all I hear is a voice telling me that this is one terrible mistake that will cause everything to go haywire.

Taking a few deep breaths, I try to calm myself, hoping my heart will settle back into place.I need to relax. Tests can be wrong sometimes, right? I need to see a doctor. I need to be sure before jumping to any conclusions.

I bite my nails, my mind spinning in overdrive. How do I make an appointment without Reyansh finding out? I’m surewith Karan constantly tailing me,any move I make is bound to reach Reyansh in no time. I need to come up with a plan, a way to distract them both from knowing I visited the doctor.But how?I murmur, my mind racing as my eyes dart around the bathroom, formulating a plan. Suddenly, an idea strikes me.

I step out of my bathroom and pick up my mobile from the side table. I quickly shoot Karan a text, saying I won’t be going into the office today because I have a stomach bug.I also ask if he could pick up some medicine for me and stop by my office to grab a few files for me.As expected,Karan’s initial response is that he couldn’t, as he’s been given strict instructions not to leave my side. However, when I reassure him that I won’t step out of the houseand that the house is secure with all the cameras in place, he reluctantly agrees. With him temporarily out of the way, I know I’ll have enough time to make it to the doctor without Reyansh finding out.

Just as I let out a breath of relief, Reyansh’s name flashes on the screen and my heart skips a beat.Damn! How could I expect Karan to keep anything to himself? He must have immediately informed Reyansh. I should’ve added a line in my messageasking him to keep quiet. That stupid robotic bodyguard always follows instructions so damn precisely.

With nervous fingers, I swipe to answer the call.

“Hello,”I say, trying to sound normal.

“Hey, Karan called saying you’re not feeling well,” Reyansh says as soon as he hears my voice.

“Yeah, it’s just a stomach bug,” I reply, trying to sound casual despite the nervousness bubbling inside me.

“I’ll be there in few minutes, and if needed I’ll take you to the doctor.”

“No,” I shriek out, then quickly quieten my voice, not wanting him to catch on that I’m hiding something from him. “I mean, I just want to sleep it off. It’s just a stomach bug. I’ll be fine. And,I don’t want you missing work over something this small,” I interject, hoping my explanation sounds convincing enough.

“You damn well know work isn’t my priority when it comes to you. I want to make sure you’re okay with my own eyes. So quit fighting me. I’m on my way,”he insists, sounding determined.

“Really, Reyansh, I just need some rest. I’ll be fine, I promise. I’ll keep you updated,” I hold firm. “Maybe you can drop by later after work. You did mention you have an important meeting. Please don’t skip that; it will only make me feel horrible.”

There’s a brief pause on the line before he sighs loudly. “Stubborn woman,”he mutters under his breath. “Fine, I’ll attend the goddamn meeting, but after that, I’m not staying back at the office. I’m coming to you,” Reyansh declares firmly.

“Okay,” I reply, opting not to argue, as I know I won’t win.

“Love you, sweetheart.”

“Love you too,” I say, ending the call.

An hour later, after completing all the necessary formalities and sample procedures, I sit in the doctor’s office with bated breath, bracing myself for the words I’ve been dreading to hear.

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