Page 101 of Obsession

Chekov nodded. “I’m on it, but it’s going to take some time, sir.”

After Chekov left, Mihir went upstairs, his thoughts still onher. He opened the door of her now-empty bedroom, and her strong, sexy scent washed over him. His heart thumped, reminding him of how empty he felt now that she was gone.

He’d known that his fling with her had been just that—a fling. Yet, it had taken over his heart and mind.Shehad taken over his heart and mind. And now, learning that she had tried to help him with Ivan was confusing him all the more.

What if she really didn’t know Ivan? What is she was speaking the truth? He reined in his flying thoughts. Even if she had never met Ivan, the truth was that she had given Mihir up to save her sisters, and she still wouldn’t accept it.

By choosing them, she had destroyed him, and that was another truth that couldn’t be denied. Her sad, confused face flashed in his mind. What if… No. He believed in proof, always, and he had the proof of her deception. He’d kept it for seven years.

His eyes fell on the manila envelope on the coffee table in her room. His heart spasmed. He knew what that envelope contained. He pulled the divorce documents out. There was a note pinned on top:I’ve deleted the video, as promised.

He sighed. She’d signed everywhere she needed to on the papers. The only thing left to end their marriage was his sign next to hers.

Feeling something in the envelope, he turned it over. His ring fell into his hand. He stared at it for a long moment. His fingers closed over it, and he dropped it in his pocket. Sadness drenched him. Picking up his pen from the table, he held it over the divorce document. The tip formed the first letter of his name… signaling the end.

28

Four weeks later

Dubai

Ananya parked her car outsideLa Soireeand studied her reflection in the rear-view mirror. She was meeting her sisters at the restaurant in the next few minutes for lunch, and she didn’t want them to know that she hadn’t been sleeping or eating well, or that she was physically and emotionally exhausted.

She reapplied a fresh coat of red lipstick. She looked fine—the dark circles under her eyes were carefully hidden with concealer; the paleness of her skin was brightened by HD foundation and blush. Her sisters wouldn’t find anything to worry about. Not that she had given anyone a reason to be concerned about her.

Her family didn’t know anything about the disastrous trip she’d had. As per them, she’d successfully conducted the interview. She hadn’t said anything more. Her work had been the perfect excuse to avoid long, probing conversations with all of them about her time in Moscow with Mihir. Everyone at home knew she was inundated with work on Noir’s anniversary edition. Hence, she’d barely spent time with any of them. She checked the time. She was already late.

A soft breeze blew her hair as she quickly stepped out of the car. The sun was shining brightly, but it wasn’t too harsh. As always, December in Dubai was the best time of the year.

She waved at Anton, Lenin, and Adam as she crossed them. They followed her quietly. They were her safety nets, and she truly felt safe going about her life thanks to them. After her attack, she’d promised herself never to take them for granted again.

Ananya enteredLa Soireeand halted. Something tugged in her chest, and she turned to the right. She let out a weary sigh when she spotted not only her sisters but their other halves as well, seated at a corner table. Withhim.

She studied him from afar. Dark stubble lined his cheeks, and his hair looked mussed up. The dark green shirt, its sleeves folded up, stretched beautifully across his chest. He looked good, dressed casually as he was. She forced her gaze away from him to look at her siblings.

Her heart lurched painfully in her chest. It had been four weeks since she’d finally ended things with him. And now, he was here, and she’d have to sit through a whole lunch with him.

She’d assumed she was catching up with her sisters for lunch.

Fuck, why had her sisters not told her the plan fully? Armaan and Vedant didn’t let Navya and Reina out of their sight easily, so it made sense that they’d also decided to join them. But why washehere? She hadn’t even known he was back in town.

That last day in Moscow, she’d walked in on Mihir’s call with his brothers. For sure, his brothers knew that he’d suspected she was working with Ivan, yet the one short time she’d met Armaan and Vedant on her return, they had been absolutely normal with her. Thank God, at least they didn’t share their brother’s vile suspicions.

Something in her chest hurt. Even thinking about Mihir’s accusations hurt and angered her at the same time. How could he… She stopped the thought from forming. There was no point in dwelling on that anymore. She’d gone over that enough times already. There was no fighting that reality.

She chewed her lip, hesitating at the entrance, wondering whether to go inside or return to her car and message an excuse to the girls.

Mihir turned, and his eyes swept through the crowd until his gaze landed on her. Even through the distance, she could feel the intensity of his eyes as he studied her from top to toe. She hated that his scrutiny still made her feel hot and bothered. Sensing Mihir’s attention elsewhere, Armaan turned, and seeing her, he waved.

Caught now, she walked ahead. All of them stood as she arrived. Her sisters gave her a tight hug each, and Armaan and Vedant kissed her cheeks. She turned to Mihir.

“Hi,” he said.

She gave him a nod and sat beside him on the only chair free on the table. The other four on the table were all watching them, and she wasn’t going to show in action or voice that Mihir and she were at war again.

“You’re late,” Reina grumbled, diffusing the tension. “I ordered you a seafood pasta. Hope that’s okay.”

“It’s perfect, Rei,” Ananya said. “Sorry, I got late. I was working.”

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