Page 114 of One Hellish Wedlock
They arrived at Chopra Mansion shortly after. Nani met them at the door.
“How is Di?” Reyansh asked.
“She’s resting.”
Reyansh made his way straight to the bedroom. Aanya followed, but Nani caught her wrist.
“This is why I warned you not to make Radhika’s pregnancy public,” Nani scolded. “Evil eyes fall where there is happiness.”
Aanya wasn’t one to believe in superstition, but at this moment she felt guilty. Without a word, she pulled away from Nani’s hold and stepped into Radhika’s room.
Radhika lay resting. Rishi and Reyansh stood away speaking in hushed tones as Aanya approached them.
“What did the doctor say?” Reyansh asked. “You’re not hiding anything, are you?”
“No, Rey. She’s alright. The baby’s heartbeat is normal again. Nothing to worry. But the doctor said no travel for Radhika from next month onward. So, we’ll be flying back to California this weekend.”
The announcement hit both Reyansh and Aanya like a hammer.
“Why not continue her care here?” Reyansh asked, struggling to mask his disappointment. “We’re all here. We can look after her.”
Rishi shook his head. “The doctors back there in California are already familiar with her entire history. It’s better if we continue her next trimester there. Besides, Radhika too has agreed. So, we’re leaving.”
Reyansh said nothing.
Rishi placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “It’s just four more months. Once the baby is born, we’ll come back. And in the meantime, you, Nani, and Aanya can visit us anytime.”
Reyansh swallowed the lump in his throat, fully aware of what Radhika’s return to California would mean. Their two-month contract would end prematurely, and with it, Aanya would have no reason to stay at Chopra Mansion. Chances were, she’d walk out of his life just as easily as she’d walked back in.
CHAPTER 21
Chopra Mansion
Radhika stirred awake, her lashes fluttering as her gaze landed on the two figures seated beside her bed—Reyansh and Aanya.
“When did you both arrive?” she asked softly, attempting to sit up. Reyansh gently pressed her shoulder back against the pillow.
“Don’t, Di. Please stay down,” he insisted, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to her fingers. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m alright,” she replied. “But you two weren’t supposed to return for another two days. What happened?”
It clicked almost instantly. Rishi must have called them in a panic after witnessing her pain. She turned to her husband.
“I told you not to disturb them,” she chided.
“Why not?” Aanya interjected. “Aren’t we family?”
Radhika’s eyes softened when she caught the shimmer of emotion in Aanya’s gaze. She could only imagine how much her brother and his wife must have worried upon hearing the news.
“I just didn’t want you both rushing back like this. These days you have together... they’re precious,” she tried to explain. She meant every word and perhaps now, Reyansh understood that too. He had wanted time away with Aanya as much as she wanted it for them.
“Di,” Aanya moved closer, clasping Radhika’s hand. “You don’t need reminders of what you mean to us. Don’t ever feel guilty. We’d cross oceans for you.”
That drew a smile to Radhika’s lips. She reached up and kissed Aanya’s forehead.
“I’m lucky to have the three of you in my life,” she whispered. But even as she hugged Aanya, her eyes remained on Reyansh. He seemed... off. Like his thoughts were a thousand miles away.
“Radhika,” Rishi teased playfully, “Save some of that warmth for your husband too.”
