Page 159 of Obsession

“Hey,” Mihir kissed the top of her head. “You’re my sister. I’d do anything for you. All of us would do anything for you.”

She stepped back to study him. “You look even better than before.” She touched his scar. “How did this happen, Mihir? I’ve been thinking about it ever since I saw your pictures in the magazine. It must’ve hurt, didn’t it?”

“It’s a long story, sister,” Mihir said.

“I’m sure. And I can’t wait to hear it,” Karina said, pulling him in for a hug again.

Then she held her hand out to Armaan and Vedant, wrapping her arms around all three of them at once. Mihir felt his throat clog with emotion. They had waited far too long to be reunited with their sister. But now their broken circle was finally whole again—their quartet was finally complete.

“I’m so glad we found each other again,” Karina said. “I have so much to tell you all.”

“We’d like you to meet some very special women first,” Armaan said. He introduced her to Navya first, then to Reina, and then to Anna.

“Hi, Ananya,” Karina drew her into a hug. “I’ll forever be grateful to you for reuniting me with my brothers.”

“Hey, I’m glad I could help,” Ananya said.

Sheena went to Karina and gave her a hug.

“Come on,” Rajiv said cheerfully, “let’s take the party inside.”

All of them moved inside to the living room. Anna and her sisters had all agreed that it was better that Mihir, Armaan, and Vedant speak to Karina alone for a while. So, his brothers led Karina straight to the study.

When Mihir hesitated, Anna said, “Go on. You know this makes sense. You are meeting her after years. There’s so much she must have to tell you. She’s been in hiding even from her closest ones. Rajiv and Sheena also don’t know her story. Talk to her privately and hear her out. I’m sure she needs space to decide when and what she chooses to tell everyone.”

Mihir kissed her cheek. “Have I told you how incredible you are?”

“And while you’re inside, I’ll make sure to entertain Aditya,” she teased.

He growled. “Don’t test my patience, Anna.”

“You’re impossible!” she replied.

“You already know that.”

“Oh, just go, will you?”

“Behave, Anna,” he warned. “No touching him unnecessarily.”

“Youdoknow that he’s involved with your sister, right?”

He made a face, but left to go to the study where all his siblings were waiting.

Two hours and several cups of coffee later, they’d told Karina their story and heard hers. They learned that Karina now went by the name Sabrina Solanki and was a successful chef with her own event planning and catering business. She’d told them how she’d met and married Ajay Solanki, her late husband. They’d learned about their nephew Ahaan, and that Karina had a wonderful set of friends in Mumbai who knew nothing about her past, including her sister-in-law Aisha, who was also her closest friend. Until last night, even Aditya hadn’t known everything, but she’d finally confided in him.

They also warned her about JD and mentioned that they’d need to keep an eye on him to ensure he didn’t look for her. Their sister was quite optimistic about that and hadn’t sounded concerned in the least. As per her, she really was irrelevant to JD for him to try and even bother to look for her. With Dorab out of the way, she felt free. He was the one she’d always been concerned about, and now that he was gone, she felt safer. Nonetheless, Mihir told her that he’d have someone protecting her and Ahaan always. They also told her that Mrs. Braganza was no more and how that had come about.

“I wish I had acknowledged her that day,” Karina lamented. “Perhaps then she’d still be alive, and I would have met you all sooner.”

“Okay, enough sad talk!” Armaan grinned. “We need to address the elephant in the room. Aditya and you. Is it serious?”

“We’re friends,” she said, not meeting his eyes.

“Friends with benefits, you mean,” Vedant stated.

She blinked, looking flustered.

“Hey, we saw you wearing his shirt when you video-called us that night,” Armaan intoned naughtily.

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