Chapter 35
35
This scorned lover has become obsessed with his former love. When will he get the memo that this lady doesn’t want him? Miss Butterfly thinks he’s rejecting her rejection. But for how long will that work?
T he next day, Ananya sat on the examination table in her gynecologist’s room, waiting for the doctor to come in. Dr. Nadia had delivered both of Sheena’s babies and hence came highly recommended. She had already assured Ananya that, so far, all was okay, but a final ultrasound check was needed.
She swung her legs back and forth, thinking about the previous night. Like an utter fool, she’d ended up back in Mihir’s arms. Worse still, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about that… or him. Like her post on Noir’s socials said, Mihir was rejecting her rejection. And after talking to him last night, she didn’t know what to do anymore.
I’ve never looked at another woman after you.
His words had hammered against her chest, imprinting on her brain, making her feel so damn conflicted about everything. His admission was huge. It meant that, like her, he’d also been unable to date anyone else. She licked her dry lips. She had to focus on herself for now.
She stared at the ultrasound machine on the side. In a few minutes, she’d finally see her baby for the first time. She continued swinging her legs back and forth, feeling overwhelmed. Sheena and Avantika would surely have been here had she asked them to come with her. They were already mothers and could have been a huge support to her. But like a fool, she’d tried to be brave and come by herself. Only now, her nerves were all aflutter.
Dr. Nadia had been gone for half an hour now. A nurse had popped in a few minutes ago to tell her that the doctor was going to take a little longer. Her heart rate steadily increased with each second that passed. She wiped her clammy hands on her skirt. Any moment now… The doctor would be here any moment. The ultrasound was going to be fine. It was just a regular initial scan. Nothing else, she kept repeating to herself.
The door opened. She looked up, her mouth parted in greeting, but instead of the doctor, Mihir sauntered in. He took one look at her and rushed to her.
“Is everything okay?” His voice was heavy with concern. “Why do you look so pale?”
“H…How are you here?”
He gave her a smile. “I told you I wanted to come with you to the doctor. But since you didn’t tell me, I found out on my own, and here I am. I hope I’m not late.”
She stared at him, unable to believe he was actually here. She wet her lips. Why was she even surprised? She already knew he kept tabs on her. All he had to do was ask Anton.
God, even looking at him made her skin tingle. His admission of love last night had shaken something loose inside her chest. And then he’d kissed her. Or she’d kissed him? God, it was all such a blur. The only thing she remembered was how good it had felt to be back in his arms. How all her fears had disappeared when he’d been holding her.
Her mother had told her all that had transpired last night before Aditya and she had returned. Her parents, after they were ensured that Mihir was the right guy for her, had given him their blessing to woo her, as had her siblings. Everyone was now rooting for her to be with him. To give him a second chance. It was not so easy, though.
Seeing him here now, with concern etched on his face, added to her confusion. But what mattered was that he was here, and she wouldn’t have to go through this alone.
As if on cue, the doctor entered, followed by her assistant.
“Oh, the father’s here, I see.” Dr. Nadia nodded at Mihir. “You made it in time, just like you assured me you would.”
Ananya sighed and rolled her eyes. Great, he had the doctor also answering to his demands now. Just great. No wonder the doctor had waited all this while to do her ultrasound.
“Why does she look pale?” Mihir asked the doctor.
Dr. Nadia paused while donning her gloves and looked at Ananya. “Are you nervous about the scan, habibti ?”
Ananya gulped.
A frown stretched across Mihir’s forehead. “Does she need to be worried?”
The doctor smiled. “Of course not. It’s normal for first time mothers to worry. All will be well, you will see.”
The assistant reclined the bed to an angle so Ananya could see the screen. She lifted Ananya’s top and lowered the waistband of her skirt, squeezing cold gel onto her skin. Ananya looked up and found Mihir staring at her as still-flat stomach. The doctor put the ultrasound wand on her belly, and the screen lit up. Her hand caught Mihir’s.
He gave her a soft smile as they both laid eyes on their baby for the first time.
“What do we have here now, Ananya? Two little ones in there,” the doctor said gleefully.
Ananya shared a shocked glance with Mihir before saying, “Two, as in twins?”
“Twins?” Mihir repeated, his eyes wide with shock.
“Yes, look!” The doctor showed them two peanut-sized pods, which she said were their babies. Her heart raced. She felt like the gods were all getting entertained at her expense. Twins?
A second later, the doctor turned up the volume, and two heartbeats echoed. Her breath hitched. She looked at Mihir. His misty gaze met hers, and he squeezed her hand.
“Those are our babies…” he said, pointing at the screen, smiling.
She smiled back at him.
“Well, it all looks good to me.” The doctor turned off the screen and handed Ananya some tissues to clean up.
Mihir asked the doctor some basic questions related to the next appointment, the prescribed vitamins, and some dos and don’ts while Ananya adjusted her clothes. She looked for her sneakers. She’d taken to wearing them more often since she’d learned of her pregnancy. Comfort mattered more than anything else now.
Mihir held her back, stopping her from bending. He kneeled down, putting one shoe on her foot, tying her laces, and then did the same with the other, all while chatting nonstop with the doctor. She felt her heart curl into a soft ball, seeing him caring for her so naturally.
She hopped off the examination table, and Mihir walked her outside into the bright sunshine.
“I heard you let Adam drive you,” Mihir stated. “Can I please drop you wherever it is you’re going to next?”
When she hesitated, he said, “Please, Anna. I want to talk to you about something.”
Sighing, she followed him to his car while he gave the needed instructions to her bodyguards. He’d been there for her today, and just for that, she’d listen to him. It was only because of that. Nothing else. It definitely wasn’t because she’d missed him so much that it hurt. Definitely not that. No. In fact, her office was only a short distance from the clinic, so it didn’t even make a difference.
She sat inside his Bugatti for the first time, looking around the plush interiors. Wow, it was even more fabulous than the Ferrari he’d owned in London.
He arched a brow at her dazed expression. She didn’t say anything.
“Where to?” he asked.
“My office.”
He started the car, smoothly sliding it into traffic.
“I saw Miss Butterfly’s post on Noir’s socials,” Mihir began. “It’s true, you know. I am rejecting your rejection.”
“Sure, whatever,” she said.
He stopped the car at a signal and flicked her nose. “I am obsessed with you, Anna, and I’m enjoying all your posts about me. They are proof that you’re obsessed with me too. That you’ve always been obsessed with me.”
She rolled her eyes. “You wish.”
Chuckling, he lifted a brown envelope from the dashboard and handed it to her before moving into the traffic again.
She opened the envelope and winced. “Another legal document? Now what? Are you finally giving me a divorce?”
Sadness crept into her chest. She ought to be happy about that, but she wasn’t. She most definitely wasn’t. However, she still couldn’t bring herself to read them.
“Please, can you read them before jumping to conclusions?”
She scanned through the legal terms and then paused… Had he just? Did he just? She reread the documents from the beginning, going over everything. At the end of the document, his signature stared back at her. Her vocal cords froze. She tried again, but nothing came out of her mouth.
Clearing her throat, she looked at him. “You are… You are signing all control of the baby to me.”
“Yes, but now I have to modify it to babies.”
“Why?”
“Rajiv told me you think I’m staying married to you only so I can take the baby from you.”
She had told Sheena and her sisters that. It wasn’t a surprise that Rajiv knew.
“I was too distraught when I said that,” she explained. “Later, when I was calmer, I realized that it’s not legally possible.”
He pointed at the papers. “Nonetheless, these are a hundred percent guarantee that it will never happen. That I will never separate them from you. It can be formalized once I make the modifications for the twins, and then you can sign them.”
She stared at him. Mihir was willingly giving up all rights to the babies… It was unbelievable.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked.
He gave her a sideways look before focusing on the road ahead. “I want you to know that I am one hundred percent committed to you and these babies, and I’m willing to do anything, to go to any lengths to ease all your worries and fears.”
Moments later, Mihir stopped outside Poseidon’s building. She climbed out of the car, and Mihir came to her.
“Thank you…” She looked at him and then at the papers she was holding. “For this and for being there at the scan today.”
His mouth kicked up. “You’re welcome! Have a good day. I’ll send you the amended papers soon.”
She walked toward her office building and turned. Mihir was still waiting at his car, watching her. She entered the building, her heart feeling lighter than it had in days. She clutched the papers tighter. At least now, she was certain of his intentions. He was not going to fight her for the babies, ever. And seeing him at the scan today, she realized that he was serious about her. Her chest clenched, telling her to give him a chance and get done with this pain she felt because she wasn’t with him. The pain that had been a constant companion in her life.
The few days she’d spent with Mihir in Moscow were the only time she’d been free of this pain. And now, her heart craved that freedom again. She pressed the button on the elevator, silencing the demands of her heart. This time, she’d be more careful; she had the babies to consider too. Twins. Good God, she’d barely come to terms that she was going to have a baby, and now, to know she’d have two?
All this meant that, even though this was going to be hard to manage by herself, she wasn’t simply going to give in to Mihir. No. This time, she was going to look out for herself first. He’d hurt her so many times that she’d lost count. She wasn’t giving him the power over her heart again.