Page 42 of Lawfully Yours
“Uncle?” she rushed to him and then hugged him. “Is everything alright? Why did you call me so urgently from Bangalore?”
“I’m glad you came, Aru,” he said, settling her on the couch and then sitting beside her. “I wanted to talk to you in person.”
She frowned. “Oh. But on the phone, you sounded like the sky was falling. What’s this about?”
He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he reached for the brass tray on the coffee table and poured her a glass of fresh nimbu pani, handing it to her like he used to when she was a child.
“You’ve been working hard,” he said. “At that firm in Bangalore.”
She nodded, sipping. “I like it. The work is challenging, and you know I wanted to make my own place, without leaning on your name.”
“I know,” he said with a small smile. “I’ve always respected that about you. But…”
She looked up, the pause catching her attention. “But?”
He leaned back and folded his hands over his stomach. “I’m not going to sugarcoat it. I called you here to talk about your future.”
Her brows knit. “My future in what sense?”
“In the sense of marriage.”
Arundhati blinked. “What?”
“I’ve found someone I think you should meet.”
She straightened in her seat, almost snapping. “Wait, you found someone? Like a groom?”
Raj nodded slowly, unbothered by the storm gathering on her face. “He’s not just someone. He’s special. And I believe… he could be a great partner for you.”
“Uncle…” she exhaled. “I didn’t come here for a matchmaking session. I came because you said there was something urgent.”
“This is urgent, Aru,” he said quietly. “You’ve crossed thirty. You’ve built a good career, but you’ve shut yourself off from anything personal. And don’t think I don’t know you’ve been dodging every proposal and distraction. You’re married to your case files. You pour everything into your work, but there’s more to life.”
She stood up. “So you thought—what? That I’m running out of time, and you’ll just… slot someone in?”
“No,” he said firmly. “I thought that maybe, since you haven’t found someone, I could help. You’re my responsibility. I raised you like my own daughter. And now, when I see someone I trust, someone who is everything I ever wanted in a man for you, I couldn’t ignore it.”
She turned to him, arms folded. “Who is he?”
A small smile returned to Raj’s face. “Kushal Nair.”
The name was familiar in her legal circle, too, but she was sure she hadn’t met him before.
“He’s been with Verma and Associates for four years now,” Raj continued. “And in the three years, he’s been the architect of every major legal win we’ve had. He’s sharp, driven, grounded. Doesn’t chase fame or power. Just justice. But still, it all comes to him naturally. He’s such a magnet in our legal world.”
She raised an eyebrow. “So basically, he is your golden boy.”
“Exactly,” he said, not denying it. “He’s the reason Verma & Associates is back on the map.”
Arundhati groaned. “That’s not a reason to match me up with him, uncle. What is this? Corporate matchmaking?”
Raj laughed. “C’mon, Aru, I just want you to meet him. Tonight. That’s it.”
She blinked. “Tonight?!”
“There’s a party, Aru. Our firm is celebrating its twentieth anniversary. I would have invited you anyway, but now I’m glad it’s happening today. You’ll meet him in a casual setting, no pressure. Just conversation.”
She sat back down slowly, shaking her head. “Uncle… I’m not saying I’m against marriage. I just… haven’t thought about it. I want to focus on my career for a few more years.”
