Page 121 of The Ex Factor

I grinned, then turned somber. “You should’ve told me, Aarti. I would’ve taken care of it immediately. You would’ve never had to see him at all.”

“I wanted to see him. I needed to look him in the eye and tell him to fuck off. And to stop fucking with you forever. After today, he won’t hurt you. I promise you.”

“He won’t. Not anymore.” I told her everything I had planned with Vinay.

She gaped at me with wide eyes. “I…well…that’s…I…”

“You didn’t think I had it in me?” I filled in the blanks.

She returned a sheepish look. “Something like that.”

“He’s always tested my limits. But this time, he crossed the line.”

“This time?” she asked with a tentative look.

“He came after you, and I couldn’t allow that.”

She took a startled step back. “What are you saying, Sujit?”

“I like you, Aarti. A lot,” I said with my gaze planted in her eyes. They widened, then softened instantly. “That’s what I needed to talk to you about. I like you and need to know how you feel about us.”

She fiddled with the delicate diamond ring on her left index finger like she did when she was anxious or musing about something.

“Manoj tried to throw me off,” she began. “By saying you have an ongoing affair with Devi. That’s the reason she’s divorced.”

My heart bubbled with rage, but I saw Aarti roll her eyes.

“As if I was going to buy that BS from him. By the way, your date was as pretty as you said. Like an angel,” Aarti added with a warm smile.

“It was Kitty’s birthday. Ever since her father walked out of their lives, it has been our ritual to celebrate with a dinner at Marco’s followed by ice cream at her favorite creamery.”

“Her name is Kitty?” she asked with a suspicious cock of her head.

“No, it’s Katyayani. It’s a mouthful, so I call her Kitty. And Devi’s marriage ended because her husband broke her trust and chose to be with another woman.”

She smiled. “You don’t need to convince me. That trust I keep talking about, I don’t say it lightly. I trust you completely, Sujit. I can’t believe Manoj thought I’d buy it.”

“It was his last hurrah. He would’ve tried anything to create a rift between us.”

“If he were even a slight bit smart, he would’ve known…”

I held my breath for her next words. “Known?”

“I like you, Sujit. I like you enough that I had a heartfelt conversation with my father and sought his blessings before returning to you,” she confessed.

My heart leapt off a cliff as I stepped toward her. “Is that the truth, Aarti?”

“How did you not know?” she cried with incredulity and frustration.

“How didyounot know?” I asked in return.

“I knew,” she said. “But you’d said it would displease your family, and I wasn’t sure if you were ready to take the brunt. To stake it all.”

I laughed. “My family will be relieved that I am happy. And despite the pathetic attempt in the tabloid, the truth is that the world isn’t really interested in my personal life. It never was.”

“It will be once AccessEd becomes the big thing it’s destined to be,” she said matter-of-factly.

I beamed at her staunch conviction. “Maybe. Until then, I’m free of that burden. But you…whatever your brother said. I am ready to take the chance, Aarti. I am ready to stand by you and face whatever filth the world throws at us.”

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