Page 112 of Born in Sin

“Then in that case,” she said. “I have another favour to ask you.”

He glanced at her sardonically. “Really Car? You don’t think you’ve exhausted your favour bank already?”

“I know,” she replied smiling weakly. “I never know when to stop.”

Kabir dropped the teasing. “Name it, Car.”

She looked over at Virat who was watching her carefully. “You remember the girl this all started with? The bank teller?”

He nodded, looking puzzled.

“You told me how scared she was to talk about it because she knew it would ruin her life.”

Comprehension dawned as his gaze roved over her set face. “You want to talk about it.”

“If I don’t, who will, Vir?”

“Car.” Kabir looked worried. “You have a lot to lose.”

“I lived decades after I lost everything, Kabs,” she said softly, holding her hand out to Virat who took it, gripping it hard. “I’ve spent years living in the arclights and hiding from the shadows. Now, I want to live in the sunlight.”

Kabir and Virat stayed silent, both of them looking worried…worried for her.

“I don’t fear the shadows in the sunlight. Are you guys with me?”

“I’ll set it up,” Kabir answered.

“Always,” Virat said quietly.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

VIRAT

The mansion in Malabar Hill was one Virat had avoided all of his adult life. The imposing house had never been home. As a child he hadn’t been welcome and as an adult, he’d wanted nothing to do with the house or the people who lived in it. And yet, today, here he was.

He stood outside the large, wrought iron gates and watched as his father’s manager, Sharan Chaudhry, the man who’d been thrust unwillingly into the role of de facto father to him, approached. The manager signaled to the security guard to open the gates and the man ran to do his bidding. The gates trundled open and Virat stepped through, his feet touching the grounds of his family home for the first time in his life.

“Virat,” Sharan smiled, tiredly. “It’s good to see you.”

Was it? Virat wasn’t sure about that but for now, all he did was nod politely. This man and his family had, after all, tolerated him over endless school breaks.

“Sharan Chacha,” he murmured. “It’s good to see you too.” The lie rolled off his tongue with ease. He looked up at the impressive façade of the home and he wondered if everything his father had done to secure his empire had been worth it.

Virat followed the other man into the house. A male nurse hurried down the expansive hallway, bowing once to Sharan before disappearing in the direction of what Virat knew were the staff quarters. He didn’t have to have come here to know the exact layout of the place.

“I’m glad you’ve come,” Sharan said now, leading Virat up the curving staircase in the middle of the hall.

“Why?” Virat asked, genuinely curious. What exactly did Sharan Chacha think was happening here? A reconciliation? He almost laughed out loud at the thought.

“Because…” Sharan seemed to think better of it and checked himself. “You’ll see.” They stopped outside huge double doors that clearly led to the master bedroom.

Virat stared at the ornate, gilt-edged pattern of the doors. “Where is his family?” he asked quietly.

Sharan Chacha looked around like he expected them to pop out from behind a pillar or something. “They are in their rooms, I suppose. They don’t really come to visit him. It must be hard for them to see him like this.”

Right. Virat wasn’t sure what reaction Sharan Chacha expected from him. Was he supposed to burst into tears that Raghuvansh Jha wasn’t loved by his family? You had to give love to get love. Although to be fair, his family had certainly gotten more of his attention than Virat ever had. So, in all honesty, they had suffered more.

“Shall we?” he asked Sharan Chacha, wanting to get this over with and get out of this house before he suffocated from the complicated vibes floating around.

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