Chapter 28
Kushal’s Penthouse – Next Morning
Arundhati stirred restlessly on the bed. Her temples throbbed with a dull, merciless ache. Damn it. She hated mornings like this...lethargic, groggy, and to top it, a severe headache.
But then it hit her. Last night she had consumed too much alcohol. And worse, she also recalled her drunk, stumbling arrival at Kushal’s penthouse.
Her eyes flew open wide. She sat up, scanning the room. She was still here. Still in his home. He hadn’t thrown her out… he had let her stay. Her chest eased for a second until she realised this wasn’t their bedroom. It was the guest room.
Another groan tore out of her throat. Even if he hadn’t abandoned her outside his door, he had still made a choice. He hadn’t placed her in the bed they once shared. He hadn’t let her sleep beside him.
And then, another realisation struck her. Uncle Raj. She had left him waiting downstairs, promising she would message once she was safe inside. Frantic, she grabbed her phone from the nightstand only to find the message already sent to him. By Kushal. A shaky sigh of relief slipped from her lips.
She needed to see Kushal desperately, but not like this. Not dishevelled, not with last night’s haze still clinging to her. She darted into the bathroom and stood under the shower, letting the water wash away the remnants of alcohol and restlessness.
When she finally stepped out, wrapped in a bathrobe, another thought struck her. What about her clothes? She still had a few here, but they were in their bedroom, not the guest room. Which meant she’d have to walk in like this, clad only in the robe.
Once, that would have mortified her. To walk in a robe before him. But now… things were different. She was still his wife, and more than that, she wanted this marriage. Wanted him. There was no room for hesitation, no reason to shy away.
Squaring her shoulders, she stepped out and headed straight for their bedroom, where her husband was.
Kushal stood at the dressing mirror, already half-ready in a tailored grey suit. Suddenly, as if sensing her presence, his eyes flicked up in the mirror reflection and met hers.
For a moment, she forgot how to breathe. He was devastating. The man she wanted back, the man she knew she would fight for, even if he made it hellishly difficult.
The good part was that he wasn’t immune to her morning charm either.
His intense dark gaze lingered, traveling over her damp hair clinging to her shoulders, the bathrobe cinched to her body, and her bare feet pressing into the wooden floor.
His pupils widened, and she caught the subtle bob of his Adam’s apple as if he were swallowing something back…
desire, frustration, need? Whatever it was, his eyes betrayed it before he forced himself to look away, back at his own reflection, slipping into his armour of indifference.
She stepped inside. “My clothes are here,” she said softly.
“The closet’s unlocked,” he replied, not sparing her another glance as he fastened the cuffs.
He turned around to walk out. But she moved quickly, blocking his way.
“I’m sorry.”
He exhaled. “You don’t owe me an apology. In fact, you don’t owe me anything anymore.”
“Yes, I do,” she cut in. “I owe you an apology for showing up drunk at your door last night, for every wound I’ve carved into you, for being too blind, too arrogant to see what you were trying to save.
” Her eyes burned as she went on. “Uncle told me you rejected leading Verma & Associates after he steps down—”
Now his face twisted with anger. “Oh, so he told you. No wonder you’ve suddenly changed your mind about the divorce.”
Her temper flared. “No! That’s not why. He told me after court, Kushal. After I’d already decided I couldn’t lose you.”
But he only stepped back in frustration. “Look, Arundhati, I’m done with these conversations about our marriage. Yesterday, I told the court I wanted the divorce. I still stand by that. You can change your mind all you want, but I won’t. Now get dressed and book a cab. Go home.”
She blocked him again as he tried to leave. “I’m not leaving.”
His eyes locked on hers, again, this time blazing.
“This is my home too,” she said, her chin lifting. “And I am still your wife. I’m staying here.”
He let out a long, ragged sigh, dragging a hand over his face. “You’re making this difficult for both of us, Aru.”
He called her Aru? No matter how much he said he didn’t want her, she knew the truth.
She stepped closer, pressing her palms gently against the hard planes of his chest, leaning into his heat. Their eyes refused to break as she pleaded. “Give us a last chance, Kushal. Please.”
But before her hands could slide up to his neck, he caught her wrists in a firm grip.
“I didn’t stop you when you walked out of this house ten months back.
And I won’t stop you either if you want to live here again.
But don’t think for a second it changes anything between us.
You know me, Arundhati. When I make up my mind, I can break my own heart, but I won’t break my word.
And between my heart and my ego, my ego always wins.
Always. I made the mistake once of letting my heart rule me—to try and win you back.
Never again. So, you living here and hoping things to change is just going to waste your time.
And if you still want to live, then shift your stuff in the guest room, or I will shift mine when I return home. ”
With that, he shoved her hands off and strode past.
Her vision blurred with tears, but she shook her head violently, wiping them away. No. This time, she wouldn’t let egos decide their fate. She would fight until it was their hearts that won, because she knew, no matter what he said, his heart still beat for her.
****************
Kushal drove alone to Verma & Associates. The moment he stepped through the glass doors, conversations faltered. And every pair of eyes followed him.
Everyone in this firm knew what had happened in court yesterday.
They weren’t just employees. They were family, bound to both him and Arundhati.
They had rooted for them all along, prayed for their reconciliation.
But now, with Arundhati ready to fight for their marriage and Kushal the one refusing…
the tables had turned. Confusion clouded their faces, and in a few, he even saw a silent plea, as if they were standing with Arundhati, begging him to give her a chance.
It was too much.
He stopped abruptly in the hallway.
“What?!” His words thundered against the walls. “Haven’t you seen me walk into this office before? What’s different today? Get back to work. We have cases to win!”
The staff scrambled, papers rustling, footsteps echoing as they hurried back to their desks. The normal buzz of the firm resumed.
Kushal turned sharply and strode into his cabin, where Raj Verma followed him close behind.
“Where’s Aru? She didn’t come with you?”
Kushal tossed his files onto the desk. The look on his face told Raj everything. Last night hadn’t changed a thing. Not yet.
Raj sighed heavily, but before he could speak, Kushal asked. “You told her that I’m not interested in leading Verma & Associates anymore. Didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did. And why not?” Raj shot back calmly. “She had to know someday. And honestly, Kushal, can I ask you both to stop running in circles? Stop chasing and stop fleeing? Just sit down together and figure out what’s best for you. I’m tired of watching you two destroy yourselves.”
Kushal didn’t answer.
“Life doesn’t hand out second chances again and again, my boy,” Raj continued. “The first time, you tried, and she pushed you away. Now she’s ready, and you’re the one shutting her out. If you keep this up, you’ll lose her. And this time, it will be forever.”
Raj placed a hand on his arm. “You’re angry. You’re hurt. I understand that. But if you still love her, and I know you do, this may be your last chance to make it right. Don’t throw it away.”
With that, he turned and walked out, leaving Kushal rooted in place.
And yet… even with every word of Raj’s ringing true, Kushal had decided he wouldn’t bend, just because Arundhati or Raj Verma wanted him to. Not until he was a thousand percent sure she meant it, that her change of heart wasn’t another storm waiting to break him all over again.
*****************
An Hour Later
Arundhati returned to Verma & Associates, dressed in one of the outfits she had left in Kushal’s closet. She was on her way to her uncle’s cabin when junior lawyer Akash intercepted her in the hallway.
“Ma’am,” he greeted cheerfully, “you really shocked us all yesterday in court.”
Arundhati stayed silent, but Akash went on.
“But honestly… we’re all happy. I mean, we want you and Sir together.
And I’m double relieved because at least now I don’t have to spy on Kushal sir for you anymore.
To see if he’s with another woman, you know…
so we could use it as evidence for your divorce case.
I was always terrified that if Sir found out, he’d throw me out of the firm. ” He chuckled nervously.
The colour drained from Arundhati’s face, and her heart hammered because standing not too far away, papers in hand, looking furiously at Akash and her, was Kushal himself.
He had heard it.
Akash turned and noticed Kushal, too. Before Arundhati could move, another lawyer approached Kushal with documents, giving her a split second to hiss at Akash.
“What have you done, Akash? Who told you to say all that here?” she snapped under her breath. “If Kushal refuses to even hear me out after this, I swear I’ll be the one to fire you from Verma & Associates.”
Akash stammered, “I’m sorry, Ma’am… I didn’t know he’d overhear. But honestly, sir deserved to know—”
“Of course he did!” she cut him off sharply. “But not this way.”