“Mr. Nair! Mrs. Nair! Is it true that Verma & Associates has taken up Anant Mukherjee’s case?”
“Do you believe the allegations made by Sadhna Mukherjee hold any truth?”
“Is this case going to be your most high-profile trial yet?”
Arundhati took one graceful step forward.
“Yes, Verma & Associates is representing Mr. Anant Mukherjee. And no,” she paused just long enough for the tension to build, “the allegations against him will not hold. We will prove that every single claim made by Mrs. Mukherjee is false. And by the time we’re done, the truth will speak for itself.”
The cameras flashed faster, the murmurs growing louder.
Kushal didn’t speak yet. He just watched her as she addressed them. But the murmurs among the reporters didn’t take long to shift focus. A journalist from one of the leading news channels smirked as she held up her mic.
“Isn’t it strange that two people fighting their own divorce case are now working together on someone else’s?”
Cameras flashed to capture every flicker of reaction between them. Arundhati’s spine stiffened, her nails subtly digging into her palm. She had expected this question. What she hadn’t expected was Kushal stepping in before she could respond.
“Strange?” he asked before taking a long exhale, as if indulging a child’s foolish question. “It’s not strange but a masterpiece in the making.”
The press stilled, intrigued.
“If you were assembling the strongest army, you wouldn’t pick soldiers who only know peace.” His eyes gleamed. “You’d pick the ones who have already fought the hardest battles. Who knows what it takes to win, because they’ve survived the worst of wars themselves.”
The media, stunned for a moment, hung onto every word. He was a king of manipulation, proving wrong as right with no big deal for him. Even Arundhati’s breath hitched as he continued.
“So, if you’re asking whether two of the country’s best divorce lawyers, who just happen to be fighting their own case, are fit to handle Anant Mukherjee’s case, then let me make it simple for you.”
His smirk deepened, pure confidence radiating off him.
“Yes, we are. Because we don’t just fight these battles. We win them.”
The frenzy erupted, reporters scrambling to capture the moment, the statement, the boldness of it all.
“We will keep the media informed about the progress of the case,” he said with absolute authority in his voice. “But right now, no more questions.”
Then, he waited.
Waited for Arundhati to turn. And she did. No hesitation, no reluctance.
She matched his stride, the two of them walking back into the building like true partners—strong, untouchable, knowing they would win this case.Together.
**************
Same Night – Arundhati’s Apartment
The warm steam from the shower had barely faded from her skin when Arundhati walked out of the bathroom, towelling her damp hair with one hand while rubbing her forehead with the other.
It had been a hell of a day.
Between the media frenzy, the heated legal meetings, and Kushal’s infuriating presence, she hadn’t gotten a single moment to herself. And now, as she stepped into her dimly lit bedroom, exhaustion weighed on her, but her mind wouldn’t stop.
She tossed the towel into the laundry bag before walking toward the dressing mirror, her reflection staring back at her—calm on the outside, but her eyes... they gave her away.
Anant Mukherjee’s case was complicated. Sadhna was playing a smart game, throwing out one outrageous allegation after another, ensuring that even before the legal battle began, the damage was already done in the public eye. They had spent the entire day strategizing ways to counter her claims, but this wasn’t enough.
She sighed, reaching for the bottle of moisturiser, when her phone pinged with a WhatsApp message.
Her brows furrowed when she saw the sender’s name.Akash—A junior lawyer at Verma & Associates. Her trusted source.