Page 100 of Fixation

Reina giggled. She looked at Vedant and then at her brother. “I think I’m beginning to like him again. But you need to ask me in a few days.”

“That’s not fair,” Vedant grumbled.

“That’s all you’re getting right now,” Reina countered.

Rajiv looked heavenward. “God help anyone with sisters. And mine happen to fall for the most dangerous men on the planet.”

“And the sweetest,” Navya added.

Vedant arched a brow at Reina. She rolled her eyes, refusing to add anything to that.

Rajiv came to Vedant. “I’ll talk to you only once you’ve convinced her to be with you.”

“Soon, then,” Vedant replied confidently.

“We’ll see,” Rajiv replied. “However, you need to protect her with your life. Your lives are too tangled up right now. So, if you think I’m happy with this situation, then let me tell you that I’m not. But she is my sister, and I respect her choices. And you’re the first man she’s ever accepted she feels something for. However, if she is hurt, I’ll kill you with my bare hands.”

“If she is hurt, I won’t be able to survive either.”

“Good,” Rajiv said. “Warning delivered.”

Vedant chuckled. He was finally figuring out why both his brothers liked and respected this man. Rajiv hadn’t even worried about Reina making a mistake with Vedant. He’d simply been confident and trusted her to know her mind. Vedant was certain Reina’s brother would accept him once she did.

“Alright, that’s enough for now,” Sheena cut in. “Can we all return to the party before the parents come searching and find us having a party of our own here?”

Both his and Armaan’s phones beeped at the same time. It was Mihir, and he was calling them back. Armaan exchanged a worried look with him. There was only one reason Mihir would do that. Something had happened. Something very serious.

35

Armaan, Navya, and Vedant rushed to the study the second they reached home. Mihir was pacing the floor, speaking into the phone. He cut the call the second he saw them.

“What happened?” Vedant asked, his heart beating furiously. “You weren’t answering your phone.”

Mihir rushed forward. “Mrs. Braganza saw her.”

Vedant stilled. He knew exactly what Mihir was talking about.

“What? Where?” Armaan asked.

“In Mumbai,” Mihir replied.

“Karina’s in Mumbai?” Vedant asked. “Tell us everything.”

“We all know that Mrs. Braganza is living with her daughter in Mumbai,” Mihir began. “She was on the escalator at a mall when she saw a woman descending the parallel escalator. She was certain it was Karina. In fact, she was so excited that she yelled out her name. This woman turned and froze on seeing her. Then she hurried down the steps and disappeared before Mrs. Braganza could return down to follow her.”

“How is she so certain it was her?” Navya asked. “It’s been fourteen years since you all saw Karina.”

Mihir nodded. “That’s why I sent Mrs. Braganza the AI image we have of Karina. She confirmed it was her, except that her hair was more wavy and shoulder length. I asked the team to modify the image we have of Karina to those specifications, and Mrs. Braganza confirmed this new image is what she looks like now.”

Mihir showed them all the new picture he had of their sister.

Vedant pressed his fist to his chest, where his heart was running away in excitement. “This means she’s alive. Oh God, she’s alive.”

“Thank God,” Armaan said. “At least we know this now. There was always this niggle in the back of my mind that we were chasing a ghost.”

“Same,” Vedant concurred.

“There’s one more thing,” Mihir smiled. “Mrs. Braganza also mentioned that Karina was dressed very well. She carried several shopping bags in her hands, and she looked fine.”

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