Page 91 of Fixation

Who was Anita? Why had she never heard of her before? Was she Vedant’s girlfriend? Had he been in love with this other woman while he’d been sleeping with her? Oh God. Fury swamped her. She spun around.

“It’s not what you are thinking,” he said quietly. “We met while working on an oil deal. She was smart, sharp, and fun to be with. We went out on three dates. It wasn’t serious, and we both knew that. The problem is that I never date the same woman twice. None of us do. This is a well-known and much discussed fact in the media. So, of course, Ivan knew this too. He killed her because he assumed that she meant something to me.”

“Fuck. I’m so sorry,” Reina said.

Vedant looked in the distance. “Recently, Tyrion found out through her mother that she’d been scared. That she felt someone was following her. She was trying to get in touch with me, but I didn’t have access to my phone after my attack. I called her once, and she didn’t reply. After that I simply forgot. If only…”

His grief was evident. It was clear he blamed himself for this woman’s death. The urge to calm him took over her. “You know it’s not your fault, right?”

“Do you know she was killed the day Navya was kidnapped by Vasily? Once again, Ivan launched a dual attack. So, of course, she was killed because of me.”

“Oh God!” Reina understood what he was trying to tell her. “And the moment you figured this, you pushed me away by being cruel to me.”

“Yes.” His eyes met hers. Remorse was filled in them. “I was worried that he would hurt you once he figured out what you meant to me. In those days, I wasn’t fit like I am now. I wasn’t as confident of my own health as I am now. Like a fool, instead of keeping you with me, I pushed you away.”

Reina’s lips flattened. “All that I heard in that explanation is whatyouthought and whatyoufelt. There was nomein it.” His face fell, but she was too angry to care. She glided closer to him. “Instead of being honest with me, you told me the worst things possible? You made me feel inconsequential in front of Laila. I’m sorry but I don’t accept this selfish behaviour. Here I was falling in lo…”

Fuck. She shook her head.

His eyes widened. “You were what?”

“Nothing. What I was trying to say is that?—”

“—that you were falling in love with me.” He gave her a wide smile. She wanted to slap it away. She was such an idiot for blurting out her feelings without thinking.

When she began to turn again, he caught her arm and brought her closer to his chest. “I love you, Reina.”

She gasped. “No. Not that. I don’t want to hear that.”

She didn’t want to hear him say those words when she was in love with him as well. She didn’t want to hope when he had already hurt her once.

“It is the truth,” he said. “I love you so much. I behaved like an idiot and let you go. I agree with everything you’re saying. I should have considered you and your feelings. I should have spoken to you. I never should have pushed you away. At the time, I was falling for you, and I wasn’t thinking straight. I didn’t realise that I am the only one who can keep you safe. My home is the safest place for you. My heart is where you belong. Will you forgive me?”

She hardened her resolve. She couldn’t afford to forgive him. Her father had repeatedly begged her mother for forgiveness after every bad and mean thing he’d done, and like a fool, she’d forgiven him each time, until she couldn’t anymore. She wouldn’t be a victim like her mother was.

She exhaled. “I told you before that I don’t trust men easily. You promised not to hurt me, but you did. You’re no different from…”

She slammed her mouth shut. She was so overcome with emotion that she was talking without thinking.

He frowned. “From whom? Who has hurt you, Reina?”

“I’m done with this conversation and with you.”

She resumed swimming. From the corner of her eyes, she saw him do the same. He matched her speed stroke for stroke, and then several minutes later he flipped, swimming on his back and began to speak.

“I never told you the remainder of my story,” he began. “But no more secrets, Reina. You need to know everything, and I hope that one day you can share yours with me too.”

She remained silent, gliding through the water.

He continued, “What I am going to tell you is extremely private and confidential. Magazines would pay an arm and a leg to know our whole story. We never share it with others. But you need to know because no matter whether you are angry with me right now, you have become the reason for my existence.”

His words… She wouldn’t allow them to tempt her or melt her heart. She didn’t respond.

“Mihir met Alexander a few years before he adopted us,” Vedant began. “Alexander was a massively rich oligarch, always surrounded by bodyguards. He used to visit anashramin Rishikesh to meet a guru he followed. Theashramwas close to the orphanage. One night, when Alexander went by the river to watch the GangaAarti, he was separated from his bodyguards. Taking advantage of the crowd, a group of people mugged him. Mihir, only fourteen then, saved him. Him meeting Alexander and saving him was one of those random moments in life, which now feels like it was preordained.”

They reached the end of the pool. Her curiosity was well and properly roused now. But she didn’t give him any sign. She turned to begin the return lap. Vedant followed, his backstroke effortless.

He continued, “Alexander offered Mihir money, but instead, my clever brother asked him to sponsor an English class for us. At a very young age, Mihir was very determined that we all had to succeed, and to do that, we needed to learn English. We were already enrolled at a local school, but it wasn’t sufficient. Alexander was so impressed by him that he not only sponsored our English lessons, but he also sponsored unlimited access to a library. That was the first day our lives began to change.”

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