Page 5 of Lawfully Yours
“Ever since Divya told me that they were bringing this case to Verma & Associates, I started preparing. I’ve already begun tracking Sadhna’s financials, specifically, her hidden assets and questionable transactions. I have a forensic accounting team working on it. If she’s been hoarding money or making big unexplained expenditures, we’ll use it to destroy her credibility in court.”
Raj chuckled, clearly pleased. “Now, that’s what I like to see. You both have already started working on this case together.” He leaned back in satisfaction. “That’s what good partners do.”
The moment the word “partners” slipped from his mouth, both Kushal and Arundhati stiffened.
While Kushal’s smirk vanished, his jaw tensing for a split second, Arundhati’s grip on her arms tightened.
Raj noticed the shift in atmosphere and sighed.
“I meant work partners, not life partners, because in that department, you both have been disappointing me a lot.”
Neither of them spoke.
Neither of them wanted to address the elephant in the room—the marriage she was fighting to end and he was fighting to hold onto for his Goddamn reasons.
Before either could break the silence, Raj’s phone buzzed on his desk.
He glanced at the caller ID, then rose from his seat.
“I have to take this.” His eyes flicked between them one last time. “Try not to kill each other while I’m gone.”
And with that, he walked out, leaving them alone.
The moment the door clicked shut, Arundhati turned first, her gaze finally meeting his fully.
“If you get in my way, I’ll bury you, Kushal.”
He didn’t react, not immediately. He didn’t smirk, didn’t throw back another one of his infuriatingly cocky remarks. Instead, he simply tilted his head, watching her, and then, without a word, he reached forward and pressed a button on the intercom.
A second later, the peon entered, looking between them curiously, no doubt sensing the charged atmosphere.
Kushal slipped his hands into his pockets and said, completely deadpan, “Bring some ice-cold water for Ma’am. She needs to cool down her anger to focus.”
Arundhati’s fingers curled into fists.
Her breath hitched—part anger, part sheer frustration, and part an overwhelming urge to throw something at him.The nerve of this man!
The peon gulped, looking at Arundhati for confirmation before quickly nodding and exiting the room.
“You—” she started, but Kushal had already turned away, striding toward the door, looking disinterested in any further argument, which made her want to scream.
Just as he reached for the handle, he spoke over his shoulder.
“The media needs an official statement that Verma & Associates is representing Anant. Be at the lobby at 4:00 PM sharp.”
Arundhati folded her arms. “I’m not taking orders from you.”
Kushal again turned back to face her.
“You are, sweetheart,” he said, mockingly sweet, “because whether you like it or not, we have to do this together.”
Her glare could have set the room on fire.
She strode to him, seething.
“Call me sweetheart one more time, and you’ll need more than your twisted manipulation skills to save yourself from me, Kushal.”
And with that, she stepped out of the door first, leaving behind only her lingering cologne and the unbearable heat of their unspoken war.
