Page 31 of Obsession

“He still won’t talk about it. But he has agreed to put it aside for the sake of our truce.”

Navya gave her a disbelieving look. “Then why did you still publish that gossip about him in your magazine today? Wasn’t that your grand revenge scheme to destroy his reputation?”

“Who says it washim?”

Her sisters simultaneously folded their arms on their chests, glaring at her.

Ananya clucked her tongue. “We have some rules we agreed upon. Me publishing about him wasn’t included in them.”

“Rules?” Navya scoffed. “This sounds so made up.”

“My writings don’t bother him. At least, that’s what he says.” Ananya lifted her chin. “I am here and so is he. Wasn’t that what you both have wanted for the longest? Can you both stop the inquisition and allow us all to enjoy ourselves?”

When her sisters continued to stare at her, Ananya shooed them away with a hand. “Go, be with your men. Both of them look like lost puppies without you.”

Her sisters swiveled, and they waved at the guys.

“We will talk later,” Navya said. “I don’t fully believe that Mihir and you have simply agreed to a truce. There’s more to it than just that.”

“I agree,” Reina said. “We will circle back on this. But neither of us wants trouble between Mihir and you today. So, please don’t ruin anything.”

Ananya exhaled when the girls finally left her alone. She ought to have considered that her sisters wouldn’t be convinced so easily. They’d seen her mourn him and then hate him. She’d have to put up a pretty credible performance to convince them.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Mihir playing with Rajiv’s kids in the pool. She took in her surroundings. To the right of her, the sea rumbled, its waves swelling and ebbing. To her left was a pool house made of all black stone and glass. Behind it, stretching as far as her eyes could see, were the massive lawns of this estate. And right in front of her, three large interconnected villas stood majestically against the blue sky, each the residence of one of the Oshnov brothers. Both Navya and Reina lived here now, and it was sad that Ananya didn’t even know which villa was whose.

The one and only time she’d been here in the Oshnovs’ grand property was when she had come charging here after Sheena had told her that Armaan and Navya couldn’t get married because Mihir had stipulated that he wouldn’t attend their wedding if she did. That meeting had ended in a disaster with both Mihir and her threatening to go to war with one another. That occasion had been the catalyst for her starting her gossip column in Noir.

From then on, everything had further gone downhill, with Mihir not attending any of the events hosted by her family and she doing the same when it came to his, until today and now.

She looked at her sisters. They were back to their men. The four of them were talking, heads bent, no doubt about Mihir and her. She smiled.

Mihir and she had come to an agreement for them. However, getting a divorce from Mihir was also for her. It was the final step that would help her get over him. She’d lost years of her life mooning over him. But that had to stop. Her feeling anything for him had to stop.

Removing a clip from her bag, she tied her long hair atop her head, refusing to address the pertinent fact that she was still attracted to Mihir. He was still the only man who made her heartbeat accelerate. He was still the only man who made her skin heat. She’d spent many a sleepless night in the last week, remembering their encounter in the coffee shop parking lot. She’d been one second away from kissing him then. And that would surely have been the biggest mistake of her life.

Mihir had made it amply clear what he thought of her. Then why had she behaved recklessly and gone and kissed his cheek like she had earlier? She had to seriously stop trying to get a rise out of him.

A sudden burst of anxiety swarmed over her. Her emotions for him were all jumbled, like she was being pulled in several directions at the same time. She didn’t want to feel like this anymore. She wanted to feel nothing in his presence.

Rajiv sauntered up to her, wiping his face with a towel.

“Hey,” he said.

“Go away, I’m not talking to you about anything,” Ananya snapped.

He laughed. “I haven’t asked anything yet.”

“I’ve already faced the third degree from the sisters. I don’t want more from you.”

Rajiv put an arm around her shoulder. “I’m glad to see that Mihir and you have settled your differences. Although, I do believe it is for the sake of your siblings.”

“I’d do anything for the girls and you,” Ananya said.

Rajiv nodded. “You know I have always respected your privacy and your reasons for staying silent on this issue with Mihir. I will continue to do that. But I need you to answer some questions.”

“Alright.”

“Are you okay?” he asked.

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