Chapter 5 #2
Both Arundhati and Kushal stilled, their gazes snapping to each other for a brief moment before turning back to Anant.
“Why now?” Arundhati demanded. “She wants a divorce. She’s dragged your name through the mud, accused you of abuse, and painted herself as the victim in front of the entire media. So why does she suddenly want to meet you alone?”
Anant shook his head.
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “She just said she really wants to meet me once. But whatever it is, I know it’s not for reconciliation.”
Kushal was calm, unlike Arundhati.
He studied Anant for a moment before asking, “What do you want to do?”
Anant hesitated.
“I… I think I want to meet her,” he said finally. “See what she has to say.”
Arundhati’s head snapped up.
“Absolutely not,” she said firmly. “That’s a terrible idea, Anant.”
He frowned.
“Why?”
“Because the case is already in court. And the way Sadhna has tarnished your reputation, you shouldn’t be giving her any more power over you. You meet her privately today, and tomorrow? She could twist the narrative again, saying you tried to threaten her, coerce her, or worse.”
Kushal finally spoke.
“I think every marriage deserves a chance to rectify.”
Arundhati turned to him instantly, not missing the underlying meaning in that statement.
And he knew she caught it.
“Not every marriage deserves another chance,” she shot back.
Something flickered in his gaze, but he masked it quickly, turning back to Anant.
“I’m with you,” Kushal said smoothly. “If you want to meet her, the call is yours.”
“I can’t believe you’re supporting this,” she hissed.
“I’m supporting this,” he clarified. “But that doesn’t mean we’re going to do this on Sadhna’s terms.”
Anant looked at him, confused.
“What do you mean?”
Kushal leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table.
“Tell her you’re ready to meet. But under our conditions.”
Anant and Arundhati both listened intently.
“First, you won’t meet her in private. Not at her home, not in some secluded place where she can spin another story tomorrow. You’ll meet her in a public location—somewhere neutral. A club, a restaurant, somewhere where there are witnesses.”
Anant nodded slowly.
“Second,” Kushal continued, “you’re not going alone.
Both your lawyers, me and Arundhati, will be there.
She can bring her lawyer too. That way, if she tries anything ridiculous—” his gaze flickered toward Arundhati for half a second before returning to Anant “—we’ll be there to handle it immediately. ”
Arundhati inhaled deeply, finally seeing the logic in his plan.
“I agree,” she said reluctantly. “This is the best way to make sure she doesn’t manipulate the situation.”
Anant sighed, rubbing his temples.
“Yeah, this is fair. I’ll message her and let her know.”
But then, a thought struck him.
“What if she refuses? What if she insists on meeting alone?”
Kushal smirked.
“Then you deny. If she’s that desperate to meet you, she’ll agree to your terms.”
Anant stared at him for a long second before nodding.
“Okay,” he said. “I’ll let you both know when and where.”
Arundhati watched as Kushal leaned back in his chair. Why did he always have to be right?
***************
Exclusive Lounge, Midnight Club – New Delhi
Kushal shook hands with Anant, who had taken every precaution to hide his identity. A hoodie, a cap pulled low over his forehead, dark shades despite the dim lighting, all carefully planned by Kushal himself, to keep the media hounds from sniffing him out the moment he stepped inside.
“Smart move,” Anant muttered, shifting slightly as he rubbed his hands together. “Last thing I need is to make tomorrow’s headlines.”
Kushal smirked, hands casually tucked into his pockets. “You can thank me later. Let’s just get through this meeting first.”
He glanced at his watch before scanning the entrance.
“I’ll check where Arundhati is—”
“Already did,” Anant cut him off. “She’s on her way. Should be here any moment now.”
And as if the universe had heard them, a cab rolled up to the curb.
The back door swung open, and she stepped out.
Kushal’s breath hitched as he saw her. Arundhati paid the driver, adjusted the strap of her fitted emerald-green dress, and turned toward them. And just like that, he felt the temperature around him shift.
She wasn’t wearing anything particularly revealing.
The dress had thin straps grazing her shoulders, a modest V-neckline that hinted just enough without giving away too much.
But the way the silky fabric hugged her body, the way it flowed over her curves, down to the slit that ran dangerously high along her toned legs, increased his heartbeat.
His throat dried as his gaze dropped to her legs.
Long, toned, smooth, and unfairly mesmerizing.
His fetish.
Even back when they had lived together as husband and wife, he had always had a thing for them—whether she was dressed for court in fitted pants, wearing workout leggings at the gym, or simply barefoot, curled up on the couch of their penthouse when they still lived together.
And right now?
They looked even better than he remembered.
Kushal swallowed, and that didn’t go unnoticed by Arundhati, who saw his Adam’s apple bobbing.
And she smirked. For once, she had the upper hand, watching him stare while she ignored him completely.
Arundhati reached them and greeted Anant first, effortlessly, as if she wasn’t revelling in the power, she had over Kushal right now.
“Shall we?” Anant asked.
Kushal nodded, saying nothing.
Anant walked ahead. Arundhati followed, maintaining deliberate distance from Kushal.
He, however, remained behind.
Not because he had to.
Because he wanted to.
Because watching her walk, the subtle sway of her hips, the way the dress moved around her legs was absolute torture.
And yet, he couldn’t look away.
She felt his gaze even without turning back. Even though the dress wasn’t backless, she felt the burn of his eyes trailing down her spine.
They stepped inside the club, which was buzzing alive with music that vibrated through the very walls, the scent of expensive whiskey and perfume thick in the air.
The neon lights flickered between red and blue, casting an eerie glow over the space, the beat of the music setting the pulse of the night.
They maneuvered toward the VIP section where Anant had reserved a private table. The bodies of people moving, dancing, pressing into each other in a haze of sweat and alcohol.
But the crowd thickened as they kept heading inside. And that’s when Kushal moved. Without hesitation, he closed the space between them, his hands gripping her waist, shielding her from the crush of bodies.
Arundhati stiffened at the contact.
Her back pressed flush against his chest, the heat of his body burning through the thin material of her dress. The intoxicating mix of woody musk cologne engulfed her senses. His breath fanned against the side of her temple as he leaned in.
“Move,” he murmured against her ear, authoritatively.
She hated how it made something coil inside her.
But before she could respond, the crowd pushed harder.
And that’s when it happened. Her lower body pressed against his front. Hard. Completely unintentional.
It was a fraction of a second. But she felt it.
A solid, unmistakable presence of his arousal.
Her cheeks flamed instantly with a traitorous heat licking up her spine.
Kushal, however, acted instantly. His grip loosened on her, and he pulled away, creating space between them, as if nothing had happened.
Not looking at her.
Not acknowledging it.
Like it hadn’t shaken him too.
Her heart hammered against her ribs, but she forced herself to breathe, to ignore the way her body still tingled from the contact as they finally reached the VIP section.
And there, waiting for them, was Sadhna Mukherjee.
She was seated in the plush leather booth, large black sunglasses covering half her face, her designer scarf wrapped tightly around her neck as if she were dodging the paparazzi, too.
Beside her sat Maanya Kapoor, the city’s second-best divorce lawyer.
Arundhati’s only real competition. Maanya was brilliant, ruthless, and just as cutthroat as Kushal when it came to twisting the law to her advantage.
Tall, striking, dressed in an all-black power suit, she looked like a woman who didn’t take losing lightly.
Her eyes flicked up the moment they arrived, landing on Arundhati first before settling on Kushal.
“Kushal Nair,” she drawled, leaning back. “You never fail to make things interesting. Forcing Anant and Sadhna to meet in their respective lawyers’ presence, huh? Smart.”
“I do my best.” Kushal smirked.
Arundhati rolled her eyes.
Sadhna pushed her sunglasses up onto her head and sighed dramatically, looking at Anant, who stiffened, unable to form any words at the moment.
“Let’s skip the pleasantries,” Arundhati said. “We didn’t come here just to sit and drink. Let’s get to the point.”
They all sat down. Kushal slid in beside Arundhati, the warmth of his body a little too close for comfort.
But she refused to let it affect her, even if every nerve in her body still remembered how he had felt against her just minutes ago.
And from the way Kushal leaned back in his seat, his smirk never faltering, she knew he wasn’t forgetting it either.