Chapter 37
Two Days Later
Tonight marked the grand celebration of Verma & Associates’ biggest win yet — Anant Mukherjee’s high-profile divorce case, the one that had dominated headlines for months.
The firm had rented out one of the city’s most luxurious five-star hotel terraces for the occasion, which now buzzed with laughter, clinking glasses, and congratulations.
Kushal had been surrounded for hours with senior partners, associates, and clients, all singing praises for both him and Arundhati. Raj Verma, as always, stood proudly beside him, boasting to the rest of the firm’s top lawyers.
“My golden boy,” he declared, raising his glass toward Kushal, “hasn’t lost a single case to date.
You want to learn what makes this firm great?
” he said, looking at the rest of the team.
“Then watch how he works, how he strategises, his preparation, his fire, learn everything from him. That’s how Verma & Associates stays on top. ”
Kushal accepted it all with polite smiles and nods, but his eyes weren’t in the group anymore. Somewhere between the congratulations and the applause, he realised Arundhati wasn’t around. She had vanished from the crowd, and his senses noticed her absence instantly.
He scanned the hall, and there he saw her, at the far end, at the open terrace.
She leaned on the balcony railing, her gaze lost somewhere beyond the city lights, her glass of wine almost forgotten in her hand.
She looked elegant in that black shimmering bodycon dress with a halter-neck, which hugged her like a second skin.
Kushal excused himself from the group, set his glass aside, and made his way toward her.
As he reached closer, he saw it…just beneath the strap, on the curve of her shoulder blade, the faint shadow of his mark. His love bite from last night.
Something primal stirred inside him again, realising how, ever since they had been together again and consummated their marriage, the nights had never been the same again.
Sleeping next to his Aru and devouring her, breathing the same air she breathed all night, was the only thing he prayed to be constant for the rest of their lives now.
He came up behind her, close enough, before he leaned in, sliding his arms around her waist from behind, claiming her quietly, possessively. His lips found that exact mark on her shoulder and brushed it softly, before planting a kiss there. She shivered instantly.
Her hand, still holding the wine glass, trembled slightly before she steadied it while her other hand instinctively grazed over his forearm that rested firm around her waist.
For a moment, the world around them faded into a blur. It was just them, breathing in sync until he broke the silence.
“You look lost in some thoughts.”
She didn’t turn when he kissed her shoulder again. Just stood there, looking at the skyline, but pressing her back more firmly against his hard chest, almost leaning into him, as if drawing warmth from him.
His arms around her waist tightened instinctively, wordlessly telling her he was listening.
“When we were divorcing,” she said softly, “I was still fine… I could handle it. Even while fighting other divorce cases, I didn’t feel anything. It was just… work.”
Kushal stilled behind her, his chin brushing her hair, his breath steady against her ear.
“But now,” she went on, voice trembling ever so slightly, “now that we’re back together…When I see what marriage can be… what it means to stay, to fight for someone you love, I don’t think I could ever want to see another couple break up. Especially not for reasons that could be fixed.”
He smiled faintly against her hair, his breath warm on her ear. “So what you’re saying is, the top divorce lawyers in the city should consider a career change?”
She huffed a small laugh but didn’t smile for long.
“I’m serious, Kushal,” she said, turning in his arms just enough to look up at him.
“These days, divorce has become so common… and honestly, so absurd at times. I understand when people walk away from a marriage that’s truly broken, where there’s pain, abuse, neglect…
We’ve seen those cases. In those situations, leaving isn’t a weakness. It’s survival.”
He nodded, agreeing and urging her to go on.
“But what about the ones who give up over ego? Over one argument? Or a handful of misunderstandings that could’ve been solved if they just…
talked.” Her voice choked with emotion. “People are more eager to walk away now than to sit down and fix what’s wrong.
They’d rather post about moving on than admit they made mistakes.
Communication, patience, understanding…they’ve all become old-fashioned, I guess. ”
He listened, his thumb tracing idle circles on her hipbone, the gesture so gentle yet so intimate.
“I wish,” she said after a pause, “people would at least try. Just once. Because half of these relationships don’t die because of lack of love… they die because of pride.”
“Like ours almost did,” he murmured.
She nodded slowly, meeting his eyes. “Yes. We let our egos, our tempers, our careers… everything come between us. We both thought love would survive anything, but it doesn’t, not unless you feed it, not unless you work for it. And we almost forgot that.”
He brushed his knuckles along her jaw. “But we found our way back.”
A small smile touched her lips. “Somehow, yes. We fell in love again… a little wiser, a little softer. We worked through our flaws instead of pretending we didn’t have any. Maybe that’s what love is —choosing to fight with each other, not against.”
Kushal exhaled as her words sank in. “So you want to save marriages now, Mrs. Nair?”
Her smile deepened. “I just wish more people could find what we found again. I wish more marriages were saved instead of written off as failures.”
He leaned in, his lips barely brushing her ear. “Maybe we should become marriage counsellors now.”
She finally laughed. Even Kushal chuckled low, that deep, husky laugh that always made her heart skip. “We’d be the most biased counsellors in town, Mrs. Nair.”
“Why?”
“Because every session would end with me telling the husband to do exactly what I did…never let her walk away.”
She tilted her head, smiling faintly through the shimmer of tears that hadn’t quite fallen. “You realise if we start doing that, half of our clients will disappear.”
Kushal grinned against her cheek. “Hmm. Let them. I can think of better ways to spend that free time.”
That earned him a mock glare and a faint blush, but she didn’t pull away. Her hand found his shirt collar, tugging him closer again. “Of course you can,” she whispered.
He tilted his head slightly, whispering against her lips, “And right now, all I can think about… is getting you out of this dress.”
Her cheeks warmed, but she didn’t look away. Instead, she slowly lifted her hands and began buttoning his shirt. The silk maroon one that clung perfectly to his frame was her weakness too. When only the top button remained undone, she paused and met his gaze again.
“And I don’t want anyone peeking at what’s mine either,” she murmured.
He grinned again, loving the possessive note in her tone. Arundhati slid her palm over his chest teasingly.
That did it. He caught her wrist, his thumb grazing her pulse before he pulled her closer until her body fit against his. “I love this side of you,” he whispered. “Jealous. Claiming. Mine.”
She smiled against his chest. “I’m still learning from the best.”
He tilted her chin up, his eyes burning into hers. “You should stop doing that,” he murmured.
“Doing what?”
“Looking at me like you’re already imagining how I would get you out of that dress.”
She laughed softly because that was true. She couldn’t wait to get back home with him either.
Her hands curled into his shirt as he leaned for a kiss. His hand sliding up her spine, her body arching into his like it had always belonged there. The kiss deepened, lingered, until they both pulled back, breathless, dizzy, smiling like two people who knew exactly what was coming next.
Kushal brushed his thumb over her lower lip as his gaze held hers. “Let’s slip away.”
She picked up her glass, which she had set aside when he had come here, finished the last sip of wine with a sly smile, and set it aside again. “Lead the way, Mr. Nair.”
He grinned before taking her hand firmly in his. Together, they turned back toward the glowing hall. Every head turned as the golden couple of Verma & Associates walked inside hand in hand. Raj Verma smiled at the two with pride.
They felt the teasing stares and knowing smiles from almost everyone as they walked back into the party. The music softened for a moment, and clearly, the office gossip mill had found its confirmation.
Kushal leaned toward her. “I think it’s time we make it official, before they come up with a new version of the story.”
She chuckled softly. “By all means, Mr. Nair. Go ahead.”
He turned to the team, still holding her hand, his trademark confidence returning in full.
“We’ve an announcement to make. Since most of you already seem to be great detectives,” he began, smirking, “let me end your suspense. Yes, Arundhati and I are not heading for divorce. We’ve decided to give each other, and our marriage, another shot. ”
The room broke into cheers and applause. A few even whistled. Someone shouted, ‘finally’!
Arundhati blushed, sliding her arm around his and leaning into him as everyone surrounded them with congratulations. “Thank you,” she said, smiling at their team and blushing deeper when her uncle Raj joined in with a teasing grin.
“Well, well,” Raj said, raising his glass. “My favourite power couple…back in business, both in court and in love!”