Page 195 of Lawfully Yours
Arundhati walked back to the door, then paused and turned to him again. “Don’t forget, tomorrow Raj Uncle’s joining us for dinner. He’ll expect his usual royal treatment.”
Kushal nodded with a smirk, already reaching for his files again. “Wouldn’t dream of forgetting.”
They had made it a ritual to have Raj Verma stay with them every weekend from now on. With him being the only family they both had, and they, his, those weekends together hadstarted becoming their most cherished time. No courtrooms, no clients… just laughter, shared meals, and the quiet comfort of being a family. Plus, before they flew for their two-month honeymoon, which was in two days from now, they wanted to spend maximum time with him as possible.
She smiled, watching Kushal for a second longer before slipping out of the cabin, already deciding what the dinner menu should be.
**************
Penthouse – Weekend
The aroma of Raj Verma’s favourite dinner…spicy butter chicken, jeera rice, and roasted papad, filled the penthouse. The three of them sat around the dining table. It was supposed to be an easy Saturday evening, a break from the endless swirl of court dates and client meetings. But the conversation inevitably drifted back to work.
Raj set down his spoon and looked at his niece, a bit unhappy.
“You think I’m crossing the line in there?” Arundhati asked, folding her arms and meeting his gaze steadily.
Raj gave a dry chuckle. “Of course, you are, Aru. Clients come to us for solutions, not moral sermons. You can’t talk them out of a divorce. That’s not our job.”
She frowned. “Maybe not. But someone has to make them understand what they’re walking into, Uncle. Half of these divorces aren’t even real. They’re ego battles dressed as heartbreaks. Impulsive, petty, revenge-fuelled, and full of lies.”
Raj raised an eyebrow, amused. “You’ve changed so much. A few months ago, you would’ve had the petition ready before the coffee even arrived.”
She smiled faintly, nodding, then glanced at Kushal across the table before replying, “I’ve learned from my own experiences. Marriages shouldn’t collapse over sillymisunderstandings. That we, as lawyers, can’t just be puppets pushing paperwork when we know what’s happening is wrong.”
Her voice softened, but the fire in her tone didn’t waver. “Like, take the case of Devika. False allegations of infidelity or cruelty… all to escape a marriage, it’s not justice. It’s emotional fraud. And we make it worse if we let it pass.”
For a long moment, Raj just watched her…agreeing, his eyes reflecting a quiet pride he didn’t voice often. Finally, he sighed and turned toward Kushal, his lips twitching. “And you? You too agreed with this sudden moral awakening of hers?”
Kushal chuckled, reaching for his glass of water. “What else am I supposed to do? God help me,” he muttered. “I married a lawyer with a conscience.”
Arundhati leaned closer, bumping his arm playfully. “Not just married a lawyer, you also fell in love with her,” she shot back.
He grinned, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face with his thumb. “Guilty as charged,” he whispered, then leaned just a fraction closer so his breath brushed her ear. “And if you think I’m guilty now, wait till the honeymoon, Mrs. Nair. I’ve got an entire list planned, none of which involves sleeping early.”
Before she could come up with a witty retort, Raj cleared his throat loudly, feigning irritation. “At least spare me the romance until dessert. Keep all this for your honeymoon.”
Arundhati flushed a deep shade of pink and pushed Kushal’s shoulder lightly, laughing in embarrassment. “He’s right. Not before him,” she said, half-hiding her smile.
Kushal groaned, leaning back in his chair.
“Speaking of honeymoon,” Raj continued, chuckling as he picked up another bite, “what’s your plan for the two-month break? Where are my favourite lovebirds flying off to?”
“Still finalising,” Kushal replied. “Although we are starting with Dalhousie again. After all, that’s where it all began for us. From there, we’ll decide on our next spot. But we’ll make sure you get live updates from every destination. Pictures, videos — everything.”
Raj pointed his fork at him. “You better. Or I’ll cut short your two-month leave to one.”
Laughter rippled through the table as they continued eating, trading stories, teasing, and discussing travel itineraries…from the snowy hills of Switzerland to the beaches of Santorini.
As Raj listened to them, his heart swelled quietly. Watching his niece and his golden boy, once so broken, now so beautifully in sync, was everything he had ever prayed for. When he’d arranged their marriage and it didn’t work initially, he’d feared he’d doomed two bright souls to a loveless union. But tonight, seeing them laugh, argue, and tease each other with the tenderness only true love carried, Raj realised he hadn’t made a mistake.
He smiled to himself, silently thanking the universe for second chances, for healing, and for the miracle of watching two people fall in love again… this time, the right way.
**************
One month later – Zurich, Switzerland.
Arundhati woke with her body pleasantly sore, every muscle humming with the afterglow of love. The past month had been nothing short of a beautiful awakening, not just for her body, but for their marriage. Their honeymoon had unfolded like a dream come true.
