Page 27 of Lawfully Yours
Arundhati inhaled deeply, forcing her focus back into place.
“Your Honour, I would like to call my first witness to the stand—Mr. Raj Verma.”
A ripple of interest spread across the courtroom.
From his seat, Kushal smirked.
But he said nothing.
Raj Verma entered and took the stand, adjusting his suit as he faced the courtroom.
Arundhati stepped forward.
“Mr. Verma, you have been a key part of both my life and my professional journey. Would you agree?”
“Of course,” Raj Verma replied.
“And you were also the one who suggested my marriage to Mr. Kushal Nair?”
“Yes.”
Arundhati nodded. “Could you tell the court why?”
Raj Verma hesitated for a moment before answering. “I believed Kushal was the right partner for you, not just personally, but professionally. He is one of the best lawyers this firm has seen. I trust him. And I wanted someone strong enough to stand beside you.”
A small victory flickered in Arundhati’s eyes.
“So, in other words,” she pressed, “you saw our marriage as an arrangement that benefited Verma & Associates?”
Raj exhaled. “I saw it as a partnership that could help both of you growtogether.”
Arundhati turned to the judge. “Your Honour, this confirms that my marriage was based on strategic interests rather than personal commitment. Although my uncle Raj Verma had the right intentions, we cannot miss the fact that Kushal Nair had his own reasons that benefited him far more than they ever benefited me as a wife.”
She looked at Kushal then, her eyes burning with unspoken emotions.
“This was never about love.”
For the first time since the hearing started, Kushal moved.
He straightened in his chair, and then, slowly rose to his feet.
“Your Honour,” he said, “if Arundhati Nair is done spinning her version of events, I’d like to cross-examine the witness.”
The judge gestured for him to proceed.
Kushal took his time approaching the stand confidently, like a man who already knew he had the upper hand.
“Mr. Verma, you just stated that you proposed this marriage because you believed I was the right partner for your niece, both personally and professionally. Is that correct?”
“Yes,” Raj confirmed.
“Tell me, Sir,” Kushal continued, his smirk deepening, “did you ever, at any point, force Arundhati into this marriage?”
Raj frowned. “No, of course not.”
“Did you ever tell her that she had no choice but to marry me?”
“No.”
