Chapter 34
34
M ihir watched the faces of Anna’s parents. Their expressions ranged from shock to anger to sadness. Right now, they were back to looking mad at him.
Her father, Anvay Mehra, looked like he wanted to murder him, and her mom, Sara Mehra, sat very still, lips pursed, her eyes boring into his very soul, perhaps assessing if he was worthy of her daughter. Rajiv stood behind Mihir, a silent force of strength for which Mihir was absolutely grateful, and Sheena sat next to Anna’s mom. Armaan, Vedant, Navya, and Reina were all spread across the various sofas and armchairs in Anna’s home.
The only person missing was her.
On his arrival, he’d been told that she was out with a friend. No one had cared to give him any more information than that, and although he was itching to check with Anton about where she was and who she was with, he hadn’t done so, yet. But he did know that it had been over an hour now, and she still hadn’t returned.
He looked again at Anna’s family. ’He’d come here with the difficult task of speaking to them and telling them his version of the past. It was a weekend, and Rajiv had called him earlier in the evening, asking him to come home because, the previous night, Anna had finally told her parents about her pregnancy, and that the baby was Mihir’s, and also that she was going to have the baby by herself.
Although initially troubled, Rajiv had informed him that their parents had been fully supportive of her decision. However, Rajiv had convinced them to meet Mihir and listen to him. And now, they all sat quietly, watching him, not saying anything. He gave them time to process all that he’d told them.
He looked around the tastefully done living room. As expected, Anna’s home was beautiful and luxurious. It was the first time he’d come here. At one time, he’d told his brothers he’d never step foot in her home. He hadn’t even attended Armaan’s engagement for that very reason. But now, here he was, sitting with her family, hoping they’d find it in their hearts to forgive him, and to give him a chance.
Finally, Anna’s father spoke up. “So, you want our blessing to woo Ananya and win her over?”
“Yes,” Mihir replied, looking him square in the eye.
“What if we say no?” Sara Mehra asked.
“Very respectfully, Ma’am, I would really like both your blessings…” He looked around the room, at the faces of her sisters, and then at Rajiv. “I want all of your blessings. But even without them, I’m going to win her back. She’s mine . We were separated once because of my stupidity, and perhaps because fate had decided it to be that way. But now, fate has given me another chance, and I’m not going to squander it away.”
Sara Mehra spread a hand out. “What if it’s too late? What if she’s finally chosen to live without you? What if she finds someone who will accept her and the baby?”
Anger stormed through Mihir. The thought of another man with Anna, or another man fathering his baby was unacceptable. Before he could say anything, he heard her laugh. Muted sounds followed her laughter, and then she entered the living room. His heart stopped, and then it started beating again with renewed vigor when he laid eyes on her. Anna looked ravishing. She was dressed in simple leggings, a loose white shirt, and a cropped black jacket, with plain white sneakers on her feet. There was barely any makeup on her face, and her long hair flowed freely down her back. He’d missed her. So much.
It had been three days since he’d last seen her or spoken to her. He was following her wishes and giving her space. She turned, and her face lifted into a smile as somebody entered the room behind her. His happy mood soured when he saw who it was.
Aditya Wahi came to stand beside Anna and whispered something in her ear, making her laugh. She was fucking laughing with him. Mihir wanted to strangle him. This man was an utter pain in the ass.
Anna looked at the scene in front of her, her eyes finally landing on him. Her smile vanished when she understood what was happening. There was only one possible reason for Mihir to be in her house, and she clearly had understood what it was. Not wanting to create a scene, she smiled at everyone. “Hello, family.”
“Hi, everyone,” Aditya greeted.
Mihir bristled in annoyance.
Sheena rose and went to them. “Aditya? When did you come to town?”
Aditya kissed her cheeks. “Hi, Sheena. Mumbai misses you. You haven’t visited in so long.”
Leaving Mihir, Rajiv also went to his friend. “This is a surprise. I thought you were in Singapore. You didn’t text that you were coming.”
Aditya smiled. “I was in Singapore, but then I found out I had a meeting here.” He looked at Anna and smiled. “Ananya and I have been in touch, and I texted her that I was in town. She was free and fetched me from my hotel. We thought it was a good idea to surprise you all.” He looked around the room and grimaced. “Apparently, that backfired. I didn’t know you were busy else…”
“Oh please, you are family,” Anna interjected. “Armaan and Vedant are family too.”
Her refusal to even acknowledge his presence made Mihir’s blood simmer some more.
Aditya met Anna’s parents first. His brothers stood along with their girls and they, too, met Aditya. While the girls met him warmly, his brothers looked distinctly mad. Their hellos were stilted and their handshakes brief. He wondered what that was about.
Finally, Aditya turned to him. “You are also here, I see.”
“Just like you are,” Mihir said, unable to hide the contempt in his voice.
Anna stepped between them and put her hand on Aditya’s arm, leading him away. It took all of Mihir’s restraint not to punch the man’s face.
“Anna…” He took her name as a warning.
Her gaze met his, and she must have seen the fury simmering in his eyes, because her eyes widened a fraction. Yet, she didn’t drop her hand from the other man’s arm. In fact, she held on to his arm tighter and ushered Aditya to her parents. Only when she removed her hand from that man’s arm did his breathing return to normal.
Her parents spoke graciously to Aditya, asking after his mother and his work. It was clear that Aditya’s mother was close to Sara Mehra. God, the man was a piece of work. He knew exactly how to charm the women. He made Sarah Mehra smile widely, and then he flitted from Anna’s parents to her sisters. Anna joined them, and the four of them were happily laughing away. Fucking asshole.
“Breathe, brother.” Vedant’s voice made him unclench his jaw. Mihir hadn’t even realized when Armaan and Vedant had come to stand next to him.
Looking at Aditya, Armaan growled, “I don’t like him.”
“Same,” Vedant said. “Fucking condescending asshole.”
Now Mihir understood their earlier reaction to Aditya.
“I hate the way he thinks it’s okay for him to flirt with Navya,” Armaan said, switching to Russian.
“I hate that Reina had a crush on him once,” Vedant said.
“Navya too,” Armaan added.
“What? Both the girls had a crush on him. Him?” Mihir queried. “What’s so special about him?”
“Exactly,” Armaan groused. “Apparently, he’s been a part of their group since Sheena married Rajiv. You’re lucky Ananya only thinks of him as a friend. At least you don’t have to deal with someone your woman crushed on.”
Well, there was that at least. A sense of relief washed over Mihir. From up ahead, Rajiv signaled to Armaan and Vedant. They left him to go to the bar, where Rajiv was pouring drinks for everyone.
Rajiv approached Mihir, handing him a glass of vodka.
“Have you spoken to Ananya?” Rajiv asked.
Mihir took a sip from his glass, his eyes on Ananya. “I haven’t got the chance to.”
“Why the fuck have you been sitting on your hands then? It’s been three days since you promised me you’d do everything in your power to win her back.”
“I was giving her time.”
“You’re an idiot, Mihir.” Rajiv pointed his glass at Aditya. “I assume you know who he is.”
“Yeah, I do. It’s the same man who, I believe, you sent to Moscow to check on Anna. I was seriously offended by that, by the way. What did you think I’d do to her?”
“Get her pregnant, maybe?” Rajiv said with a smirk.
When Mihir rolled his eyes, Rajiv continued, “Ananya and you have been at war ever since I got to know of you. Of course, I’d ask someone to check on her, just to ensure she wasn’t miserable with you.”
“Anna was fine with me.”
“Sure, but in the end, she did return to Dubai unhappy and sad, thanks to you, didn’t she?” Rajiv shook his head. “Anyway, I wanted to tell you that if you want her, you’ll have to make a move soon.”
Mihir frowned. “Why?”
“My parents think Aditya would be a great match for your Anna .”
Mihir gritted his teeth. “They think what ?”
Rajiv glowered at him. “You heard me.”
No. No way was that happening.
“But she’s having my baby,” Mihir said.
“So?” Rajiv shrugged.
“Have you forgotten the fact that Anna is married to me?”
“Again, so? Aditya’s a good guy. That won’t matter to him. I’m sure he’d be willing to wait for the divorce to be finalized. Remember when Mom suggested earlier about Ananya finding someone willing to accept her and her baby? Looks like he’s their man.”
“Are you deliberately trying to be cruel?”
“Cruel, no. Honest, yes. I’ve simply laid down the cards as they are,” Rajiv said. “It’s your move now, Mihir. Make it.”
Rajiv left him to join Anna. He put an arm around Aditya’s shoulder, and Mihir stiffened. Fuck. He could see how much the Mehras liked Aditya, including Anna. She may not love him, but she could always grow to love a man who would accept her baby. A dagger stabbed in his chest at that thought. Mihir would never allow it.
He downed his drink in one gulp and went toward Anna. She looked up, and her eyes met his. She must have seen the violence on his face, because she left her group to meet him halfway.
“What is your problem now?” she asked.
“Hello, wife ,” Mihir said.
Her brows pinched. “I’m not your wife.”
“Your denial doesn’t change the truth, Anna.”
She rolled her eyes. “Why were you glaring at Aditya?”
“I wasn’t glaring at him, I was thinking of a hundred ways I could make him disappear,” Mihir said.
Her eyes blazed. “Are you crazy?”
“About you, yes.”
“What is wrong with you?” She slammed her hands on her hips. “Haven’t I told you that he’s just a friend?”
“Sure, a friend you conveniently want to push my baby onto.”
“What?” she squeaked. She looked around, and seeing almost everyone’s eyes on them, she said, “Come with me.”
He followed her out of the house.
She stopped under the porch. “Explain what you were on about earlier.”
“I believe your parents think he’ll make you a good husband and a good father to my baby,” Mihir said.
Shock flared in the depths of her eyes. “Excuse me, but how is that any of your business.”
“My baby and you are my business, wife.”
She glared at him. “Shut up.”
“No. I’ll be very clear, wife. You are mine. This baby is mine. Hence, any man who even thinks of claiming what’s mine will disappear.”
Her mouth opened and closed as she stared at him. Anna knew him well enough to know that he was goddamned serious. He would destroy anyone who came in the way of him and Anna and their baby.
“Aditya’s a friend, Mihir,” she finally said. “Just a friend. I’ve just about come to terms with the fact that I’m carrying your baby. Do you think I’d be cruel enough to foster your baby onto another unsuspecting man?”
“Unsuspecting man?” Mihir scoffed. “Rajiv hinted otherwise. He made me believe that Aditya knows everything and wants you despite that.”
Anna grimaced. “Why would he do that? Aditya doesn’t even know I’m pregnant. I met him right now because he wanted to talk. He’s just come out of a messy relationship and has developed feelings for one of the women in Rajiv and Sheena’s circle, but he doesn’t know what to do. She’s a widow and a single mother, and so the rest of the gang is quite protective of her. He came to me because he cannot talk to anyone else yet.” She gestured between him and her. “This, us, Aditya doesn’t know much, nor did I tell him. He was too busy talking about his own love life to discuss mine.”
His anger diminished on hearing her words.
He smirked. “I’m glad you think you have a love life. It means you’re still thinking about me, wife.”
“Stop calling me that.”
“That isn’t happening, Anna .”
“Oh God, you’re impossible.”
“You already knew that, yet you never stopped loving me.”
She glared at him. “Stop talking, Mihir.”
“Why? It is the truth. I know you love me.”
“I said stop talking.”
“So bossy!” he said. “Reminds me of all the times you’ve been bossy in bed. I think I want a repeat of that.”
Pink tinged her cheeks as she glowered at him.
“Why are you here in my house?” she hissed, changing the subject. “Didn’t I tell you that I needed space?”
He smiled. She looked mad at him. But, at least, she was talking to him.
“You said no texts and no phone calls,” Mihir replied. “You never said anything about not coming to visit you. Besides, I needed to talk to your parents about my intentions regarding you.”
“Which are what?”
“That I’m going to make you mine again.”
She looked mad again. “You’re impossible.”
“You’re repeating yourself, Anna.”
Backing away from him, she threw her hands in the air. “Leave me alone.”
“Never.” He moved closer to her and held her cheek. “I will never leave you alone.” He caressed the soft skin of her jaw. “I miss you, Anna.”
A heavy breath rushed from her mouth. “Stop touching me.”
“I can’t.”
“I’m mad at you,” she rasped, looking flustered. But she hadn’t pushed him away, which was a good sign.
“I deserve your anger. I deserve much worse. But please, don’t ask me to stay away from you, to not touch you.”
He put his hands on her waist. She struggled to step away, but he held her to him. “I’m not going to let you go, ever.”
“This… this arrogance makes me so wild,” she roared, striking his chest with her fist. He didn’t even feel her punch. She swung another fist at his chest. “You think you can behave however you want with me, and I ought to forgive you just like that.”
She rained more punches down his chest. “I hate you. No, I loathe you.”
He placed a hand on her chest. “Your heart is telling me the exact opposite of your words.”
“Stop talking.”
“I love you,” he said.
Her fist paused mid-strike. Her jaw dropped, and then her eyes watered.
“I love you, so much,” he repeated. “I know I’ve said it after way too long, but it is the truth. You stole my heart all those years ago, and it’s been with you since. My heart has always been yours. I have always been yours. I’ve never looked at another woman after you.”
She glared at him. “Liar. I saw you make out with that woman on the yacht.”
“You saw only what I wanted you to see. I pushed that woman off me the second you turned around. I haven’t touched another woman after you. You’ve ruined me for everyone else. I moved to Dubai because of you , Anna. Even though I’d convinced myself that I hated you, I wanted to breathe the air you were breathing. I wanted to stand on the same soil that you stood on. I wanted to live in the city you loved. I told myself I was moving here to take revenge on you, but I could never hurt you. I only stayed married to you because I couldn’t cut that final cord between us.”
She opened her mouth, but he put a finger on her lips. “I know what you’re going to say. But trust me, I also never wanted to see you with another man. I’ve had someone following you for years, even before Anton, just to ensure that you were safe. Just so that I could keep a watch on you from afar. Staying married to you was not my revenge; it was the only thing that kept me tied to you, because even though I denied it, I’ve never been able to fathom a life without you.”
She stared at him, as if unable to believe his words.
“I loved you even when I thought I hated you…” He lowered his head to hers. “I loved you even when I wanted to forget and forgive the past to be with you, and I love you now when everything has finally been cleared between us. Give me a chance, Anna.” His lips moved closer to hers. “Give us a chance.”
She was breathing hard now, her chest rising and falling. Lifting her hand, he kissed her wrist, scraping his teeth down her skin. She gasped, exactly as he’d expected her to. He looked into her eyes and pecked her lips with his. The second he moved away, she caught his face in her hands and slammed her lips to his. Happiness burst through him. His heart thumped loudly as she plundered his mouth, tangling her tongue with his. He pushed her back, lowering her against a surface. His fingers skimmed under her loose shirt, lifting it higher, craving her bare skin. His fingers caressed her belly, the place where his child rested. Anna moaned into his mouth. The sound was like a crackling electric charge. It coursed through his veins, lighting him up. He moved into her, lining his thickening erection between her thighs. Anna whimpered.
A throat cleared behind him. But Anna continued to kiss him. He tried to move away, but she tugged his lower lip with her teeth. Her hands tightened around his neck. Her nails scraped down his nape, and he was lost. She licked the inside seam of his lip, and he swooped down and claimed her mouth. Fuck. He couldn’t get enough of her. He’d never get enough of her.
“Hello!” a loud, amused voice said. “Do you guys mind?”
Anna stilled. Her eyes popped open. She looked beyond him and pressed her hand to his chest. He stood, helping her rise as well.
He turned to see his brothers standing in front of them. Rajiv stood behind Armaan and Vedant, at the steps of the house.
“Fuck.” Anna cursed.
Mihir chuckled.
“Shut up.” She snarled at him. “This was nothing.”
Mihir grinned. Leaving him, she climbed the stairs and hurried back inside the house.
“You were making out on your car.” Armaan remarked, looking genuinely shocked.
“Be quiet.”
“Aren’t you fucking anal about that Bugatti?” Vedant added. “You blew your head off at me when you caught me and Reina making out on it. How the hell do the rules not apply to you?”
“My car, my fucking rules. Now, shut up.”
His brothers chuckled. Fools. His eyes met Rajiv’s, who was watching him, looking highly entertained.
“Come on, all of you,” Rajiv called out from the entrance. “My parents are waiting for dinner.”
Anna didn’t talk to him for the rest of the evening, but he knew she was watching him. His heart approved of that. Very much so.
When he was leaving, her parents came to him.
“We’ve been watching you the whole evening,” Sara Mehra said. “You couldn’t stop looking at Ananya.”
He remained silent, not knowing where she was going with this.
“She’s angry with you, yes,” Anvay Mehra continued. “But we also can see how her eyes light up when she’s looking at you.”
“And she’s been looking at you all the time,” Anna’s mom said. “We know she’s unhappy. But then, she’s been unhappy ever since she thought you’d died. We also know that you’re the only man who can make her happy.”
“You have our blessing, Mihir,” Anvay Mehra said finally. “Treat them well—her and the baby.”
Mihir released the breath he’d been holding somewhere in between this conversation. “Thank you. I will.”
Navya and Reina marched up to him the second their parents left.
“Armaan and Vedant spoke to us,” Navya began. “Do you really love her?”
He sighed. “I do.”
The girls exchanged a glance.
“Then you have our blessing too,” Reina said. “She needs you. So please, for God’s sake, don’t fuck it up this time. You have too much to lose, and so does she.”
“I promise you that I will make it alright.”
They gave him a smile and pulled him into a hug. From the corner of his eye, he saw Anna watching his interaction with her sisters. Before he could react to her, Rajiv came over to him.
“Why did you make me think that Aditya and Anna could be together?” Mihir asked.
“To get you off your ass and make a move.”
“A lot of good that did me. Anna’s not talking to me again.”
“I saw you both making out. She’s coming around. Now, ensure her focus remains on you.”
“How?”
Rajiv glared at him. “Do I have to teach you everything? Figure it out for yourself.”
That night, as Mihir drove back home, he racked his brain for what he ought to do to win Anna back. But nothing made sense. Repeatedly apologizing to her hadn’t worked. Telling her that she and he belonged together also hadn’t worked. He entered his home, feeling dejected and at a loss.
He tossed and turned frantically throughout the night, unable to sleep. The good thing, though, was that finally, an idea formed in his head. He sat upright in bed as he thought through it. The more his mind worked, the clearer his vision became. This had to work. It was the only option left. And if it didn’t…
No, he wasn’t thinking of that. He needed Anna back. He’d be able to breathe properly only once she’d forgiven him and agreed to give him a second chance. Nothing else would do.