Page 55 of The Ex Factor

“You know none of us will second guess you, not me, not Ma, and certainly not Papa,” he continued. “You’re the smart one, but sometimes, when the heart is hurt, the mind doesn’t think straight. I just want to make sure you’re not doing anything you’ll later regret, that’s all. And it’s not just you. If this becomes public knowledge, you know what it will do to our family’s reputation. To the business.Again,” he reminded pointedly. “Dad’s entire legacy is at stake here, Sis.”

“I don’t see how any of that will be affected.”

“Really? You don’t think such a relationship will make us a laughingstock? Of all the thousands of eligible men in the country, you chose your ex’s girlfriend’s ex? At best, it will come across as vengeance—you slept with Tara’s ex because she slept with Sameer. At its worst, it will look pathetic that you fell in love with him. We’re in the public eye, Aarti. More so after that spectacular debacle of a proposal. The business is expanding. We need to avoid any scandal.”

A boulder from my past landed on my chest and crushed my breath. “I didn’t create the scandal,” I cried with anger. “Sameerdid. He stomped on my heart, and he gets to walk with his head held high. He gets to parade around town with his new girlfriend. Meanwhile, I’m freezing my ass off in New York in the winter.”

Aakash’s face softened, as did his voice. “It isn’t fair, but he wasn’t spared either. You know how much he lost financially after that. He says he doesn’t care, but we can’t afford it, not for a fling, do you hear me, Sis?”

“So, it will always be about the two of them, never about us? Sujit and I will continue to live in the shadow of their happiness?”

“All your life, if you pursue this. That’s what I’m trying to say.”

I ran my hand over my head and let out a deep sigh. “I’m not involved with Sujit, and I’m most certainly not fucking him. Are you all happy now?”

“It’s not just about us, Aarti. It can’t be healthy for you either. You’ll never get over Sameer if you’re reminded of Tara every time you turn around.”

My heart twisted in pain. Was this the undetectable sorrow that was lacing my joy, casting a shadow on my happiness? I looked at Aakash’s sympathetic face. He felt sorry for me, as did everyone around me. He was sorry he had found his happiness while I was fending off the stigma and embarrassment of a broken engagement.

Then, something hit me. “Aakash, who did you say saw me with Sujit?”

He averted his gaze the slightest before responding, “Just a business contact of mine.”

“It wasn’t a business contact. You said theyalsosaw me at the restaurant, which means they saw me at the exhibition as well. Do you have someone following me?”

“Of course not, Sis!” The indignation in his voice sounded a bit too loud to be convincing.

“Tell me what’s going on,” I demanded with a stern face.

He didn’t immediately divulge it, but I held my silence and theI mean businessexpression on my face until he came clean. “Papa was talking to someone about your marriage.”

The news assaulted me like a knife through my heart. My father, who never made a big decision about his business without consulting me, thought he could make decisions about my life without my knowledge? A tear threatened to gather in my eye, but I blinked it away. Now was not the time.

“Tell me everything, Aakash,” I ordered in a smooth, even tone.

“I don’t know the details. It’s not like Papa is confiding in me about it,” he cried with mild outrage. “All I know is the family had heard the rumors about you after the breakup and wanted to judge for themselves. They hired a private eye to tail you and report to them. Fortunately for you, the day this entitled jerk walked into our office, inquiring if you were involved with Sujit, Papa was out. I assured him that it had to be a coincidence and told him that if he didn’t trust you now, he should drop the idea of marrying you. You don’t want to know what he said after that, but I told him off.”

My blood was on fire. “Let me guess. He said I was damaged goods, and that he was doing me a favor by marrying me. That he was a good person toacceptme despite the breakup and the rumors.”

Aakash raked his hand over his head and released a deep sigh. “Something to the effect, and in less charitable words.”

“I’m going to talk to Papa. Now,” I declared.

Aakash shook his head. “Don’t. It will only worsen the situation. He’s already angry at how it all unfolded. If he learnsI told you about it, he’s going to hurt. I don’t want to embarrass him, Aarti.”

“Did you tell him about the private eye following me and what that jerk said about me?”

“I did. I told him to stop trying to scrape the bottom of the barrel unless he thought that’s what you deserve.”

“What did he say?”

Another sigh from my brother. “You know he won’t accept he made a mistake. But I saw it in his eyes. He was embarrassed for himself and insulted for you. I don’t think he’s going to try it again, this whole seeking-out-grooms-for-you thing. He seemed defeated and devastated.”

The conflict within me felt incapacitating. I was angry at my father, but I was also grateful for his love and protection. He shouldn’t have sent marriage proposals without asking me, but when he learned what they thought of me, he was angry on my behalf. He had made a mistake. How could I not forgive him?

Where did that put me and Sujit? Would there ever be a chance for us?

“He blames himself for pushing you toward Sameer and now he wants to somehow remedy it,” Aakash clarified softly.

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