Page 65 of Fixation

Laila popped her head in. “Mr. Oshnov, you called for me?”

“Yes, please come in. Dr. Singh and I have just finished.”

Laila passed her without any acknowledgement. She gave Vedant a wide smile, and he returned it. Laila asked him about his health and his day, and engaged in more small talk with him. Reina watched him reply to her easily. They looked comfortable together. Her heart sank. Oh God. Laila had been crushing on him since days. Laila was fun and spunky, much unlike Reina.

Vedant had called Reina a plain Jane—exactly the words Laila had used on her. Did that mean anything?Of course, it means something, you fool, she cursed herself. He may have already bedded Laila, for all she knew. Maybe they’d planned her humiliation together.

That made sense, didn’t it? After all, Laila had told him about Reina being banned from the operation theatre. And after his terrible behaviour just now, she couldn’t and wouldn’t put anything past him. The two of them together must have had a huge laugh at her expense. Perhaps that’s why he’d called Laila now, to tell her how he’d ended it with Reina and how she’d reacted to that. She vibrated with anger. She was so mad at him and at herself for being drawn into his web.

Fuck, she’d been a complete idiot. Su Min was right. She ought to pay more attention to her surroundings and the people in them. God, she’d been a fool over him.

“Dr. Singh, do you need anything else?” Vedant asked. “If not, then I need to talk to Laila.”

Laila? Since when did Vedant address her as Laila and not Dr. Jones? His familiarity with the other woman stung. But she’d never show her emotions to this emotionless man.

“Mr. Oshnov,” Reina began, “Since you already agreed with me that you don’t need four people in your medical team anymore, I will bid you goodnight and goodbye. Instruct your security to allow me to leave tomorrow morning. Post that, you are free to do what you want with the rest of the team here.”

His straightened. “I didn’t agree to you leaving.”

“The others on my team are capable of looking after you, as you well know. You don’t need me around.”

“Absolutely, we can do very well without Dr. Singh,” Laila said.

Her temper frayed. She was one second away from slapping this woman who thought she had all the right to butt in between their conversation.

Vedant stared at Reina. “You’re not going anywhere.” His words sounded final, igniting her fury.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” she yelled.

Why the hell would he want to keep her here? It made no sense. From the corner of her eye, she saw Laila’s eyes widen.

“Have you forgotten that I am the man holding you hostage?” Vedant straightened to his full height. “You aren’t going anywhere, and that is final. Do remember your place in my house. After all, I am paying a lot of money for you to do your job here, and it isn’t finished yet.”

She stared at him, unable to believe his haughty words.

“Now, if there is nothing else, Dr. Singh,” he said. “I need to have a private chat with Laila.”

She stared between the two of them. Her jaw taut, she said, “My apologies. Do carry on.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Dr. Singh,” Vedant said.

Without acknowledging him, she walked out of his door. She was so done here.

22

With her mind in turmoil and her heart pounding, Reina hurried to her room, grabbed a jacket, and took the only thing she had of import here—her cell phone. Then she rushed down, opened the main door and stepped onto the porch. She’d forgotten it was raining. It was really coming down heavy. Fuck it. She didn’t need an umbrella. She rushed down the long stretch of the road.

Something tugged at her heart. She stopped and turned. Ahead in the distance, she could make out Vedant standing on his terrace, his eyes closed, face lifted up to the rain. Standing as she was, hidden by the foliage and the trees, she could study him without being seen. She pressed a hand to her aching chest. She’d fallen in love with him, and he’d turned out to be a jerk.

His eyes opened and he looked down the railing, exactly where she was hidden. He leaned closer as if searching for her and she moved deeper into the shadows. She couldn’t let him see her. She wouldn’t allow him to keep her here.

From behind him, Laila appeared. Vedant said something to her, and together, they returned inside. Cold seeped into her bones. Seeing them together hit her with a force, splintering heralready broken heart. Vedant Oshnov was a vile man, and she was never seeing his face ever again in her life. She rushed down the road.

His security stopped her as she neared the gate. “Miss, do you need any help?”

“I need you to open the gate. I’m leaving.”

“I’m sorry, Miss,” he said. “I can’t do that. I don’t have instructions to let anyone out tonight.”

---