Page 69 of Married in Vengeance

“I will. I deserve everything she throws at me. She’s going to ask for a divorce.”

Veda made a little hmming noise at the back of her throat. “Instead of assuming, why don’t we let her tell us what she wants?”

“Whatever she wants, I will give it to her.”

His phone rang at that moment, startling them both. He glanced at the display to see that Virat was calling. He sat up, his whiskey sloshing over the rim of his glass at the sudden movement.

“Hello?” He put the phone on speaker so Veda could hear as well.

“Could you come down to my place? I want to show you the new home theatre system I picked up.”

Adrenalin fired through Ram’s veins. If Virat was calling him over, it was because he had something good.

“They sent me a damaged piece and now are refusing to exchange it or refund my money. I want to take the bastards to consumer court. I could use a little legal advice on that,” Virat added.

So, this was something that would help Aadhya in court.

“I’m leaving now.” Ram was already off the bed and yanking his cupboard open. He grabbed the first set of clothes he could find and rushed into the bathroom to change. When he emerged, it was to see Veda putting her phone away.

“Called for one of the drivers,” she informed him. “You’re not driving after you drank half the city’s stock of scotch.”

He nodded, drawing his sister into a hug and kissing the top of her head. “Thank you,” he murmured.

“I didn’t do anything,” she countered good naturedly, walking with him to the front door. “Just sat next to you and listened to you say no to everything I suggested.”

“Thank you for checking on me.” He yanked the front door open and stepped out into the night. It was a muggy night and he could almost smell an oncoming storm in the air.

“Anna.” Veda stopped him with a hand on his arm. “You’ve been father, mother and big brother to both Raashi and I all our lives. Don’t ever thank me for checking on you when you’re the very reason I even grew into a functional human being in the first place.”

Ram looked towards the driveway that led to the house from the garage. No sign of the driver or the car. Maybe he should start walking towards the garage. He took a couple of steps forward.

“You are the best person I know,” she told him now, her voice carrying on the night air and stopping him. He didn’t turn to face her. In the distance, headlights cut through the dark. The car was coming.

“You wouldn’t say that if you knew what I’ve done,” he told his sister, his back still to her. Facing her disappointment in him was not something he had the strength for tonight.

“You’ve always held yourself to a higher standard than the rest of us,” she replied, her voice soft with understanding. “You’ve always used logic and intellect to make your decisions. If you allowed your emotions to take control and it caused you to topple off your pedestal, then I only have one thing to say.”

The car rolled to a stop in front of them, closely followed by Veda’s own car and her security team.

Ram opened the door intending to get in without prolonging this painful conversation. But he couldn’t. He glanced back at Veda. “What?”

“Welcome to being human. We’re happy to have you join us in the grey, mucky world of bad decisions, stupid choices and even more idiotic dreams.”

He barked out a laugh, surprising himself.

“Go,” she told him now. “Go fix this. And then go get your wife back.”

He went. The first he would do. The second he knew would never happen.

Thirty-Eight

AADHYA

Five days of no sleep,barely enough food to fuel her body, and endless hours of stress and anxiety later, Aadhya sat on a hard wooden bench in court waiting for her case to be called.

She glanced at her brother who sat in stony silence beside her, his wife resting her head on his shoulder in silent comfort. Her heart ached as she watched them together. She loved them so much and she was still envious of the love they shared.

Five days of complete silence from her husband. No call, no message, no visit. Nothing. Nothing since he’d told her that he’d married her to punish her. Nothing since she’d left him behind and returned home.

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