Page 91 of Addiction

“Why?”

“Because, as you’ve witnessed, Vedant already behaves difficult with me. I’d rather not have him know I’m related to the women who share a not-so-great history with his brothers. He’d probably make my life more difficult.”

“He won’t, and he’s really not that bad, you know,” Armaan said.

“Thus far, he’s not done a single thing that makes me believe differently. He’s rude, annoying, and thinks he can get everything with the click of a finger.”

Armaan laughed. “Like I said, he’s acting up because he hates being ill.”

She rolled her eyes, the action so similar to Navya.

Armaan lowered his chin. “Alright, I won’t talk to my brothers regarding who you are. Now, tell me about Vedant and how do you plan to make him better?”

It was too early in the morning, and as their regular staff wasn’t up, Reina buzzed around the kitchen, fixing a cup of coffee as she told him about Vedant’s recovery plan. He took a cup and settled himself next to her on the kitchen table.

Vedant’s recovery was going to be long and hard. But Reina promised him that he would be fine. Her confidence eased his fear and concern. She seemed capable and very dedicated to her work.

“I’m going to stay here for a few days,” Armaan informed her. “Is there anything you need?”

“Yes, I’d like my phone back, and I want to be able to leave the grounds when I want to.”

He grimaced. “Reina, I can speak to Mihir about returning your phone to you. Unfortunately, Vedant’s safety comes first, so until he’s fully recovered, none of you can go out. We have enemies, as you must have already guessed, and we cannot allow them to use anyone working for us in order to get to us. I can’t risk Vedant’s safety or yours, especially now that I know you’re the one treating him. But anything else you need, you just say the word, and I will organize it for you.”

“Okay. And Armaan,” she began, “Vedant is my patient, which means he is my responsibility for now. That was the only reason I agreed to succumb to Mihir’s demands that day, despite them being immoral and wrong on so many accounts. But…”

“Wait, didn’t my brother agree to pay you all a fuckload of money for this inconvenience? Then why are you complaining now?”

She lifted her jaw. “In which world do you thinkIneed the fucking money? You do know whomybrother is, right?”

Navya’s younger sister was a firecracker, and he liked her attitude and confidence.

“Point accepted,” Armaan said. “What exactly are you trying to tell me here?”

“I will stay here and care for Vedant. However, the day I feel he has fully recovered, I need you to promise me that, on that day, my team and I will be free to go home.”

“I can promise you that,” Armaan said. He pressed a hand to the back of his head, where a dull ache had started again. Taking out a few pills from his pocket, he swallowed them.

She watched him carefully. “How are you?”

He shrugged. “Better than Vedant, for sure.”

“Navya’s worried about you,” Reina said, her tone sharp. “Why won’t you speak to her? Or was your love for her all a lie?”

Now, the angry look she’d thrown his way in Vedant’s room earlier made sense.

“I suppose you know… everything.”

“Of course I do. She’s my sister, and your silence and rejection is hurting her.”

“I could say that she hurt me as well, but you won’t believe me.”

“Actually, I do believe you.” She ran a finger along the rim of her cup. “Navya and my lives were very different at one time. Because of that, she doesn’t trust men. Both of us don’t. We promised each other a long time ago that we wouldn’t fall in love, that it only brings pain. Her behavior with you is a result of our past.”

She stood up. “Talk to her. She’s sad and miserable without you. If, by even the remotest of chances, you feel the same way for her, then you need to fix it. Only you can.”

With a last speaking look, she walked out of the kitchen, leaving him with more questions than before. He rubbed the back of his head, looking out of the kitchen window. What had happened in Navya’s past? Why had she never spoken to him about it? Had these girls been hurt? By whom? And how could Rajiv Mehra have allowed it? From what he knew of the man, he was extremely protective of his family. And Navya always spoke so warmly about her parents. Curiosity rose inside him, but he pushed it down.

Choosing to listen to Navya and sort everything with her now came at a cost—that of her safety. His chest twitched in pain. He loved her so much.

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