CHAPTER 33 #2
She hadn’t even dried her hair properly.
It still fell loose, slightly damp, brushing her shoulders.
There was almost no makeup on her face. She was dressed simply, in faded denims and a soft chikankari kurta that made her look painfully out of place amid the silk dresses, heavy jewellery, and carefully styled guests.
Not wanting to trigger questions in Avni’s observant eyes, Mishti nodded after a brief pause and walked with her toward the table.
Unluckily, the only empty chair was right opposite Karan’s, next to Avni. Abhimanyu was seated there too, along with Rajat and VK. Abhimanyu noticed her first and offered a polite smile. She saw it but chose to ignore. She was done with this circle. Done with men who knew things and chose silence.
She did, however, look at VK and forced out a good morning. No matter what, he was still her boss, and she could not disrespect him. He smiled back and greeted her as she took her seat.
The conversations at the table continued easily.
Relatives laughed, plates were passed, and Avni and Rajat became the centre of constant teasing.
Someone joked about how Avni glowed. Someone else teased Rajat about surviving a lifetime with her dramatic moods.
The only two people not speaking were Karan and Mishti.
Karan ate his breakfast in silence, but his eyes barely left her face.
She pretended not to notice it and focused on her own food.
It was only after she finished eating that he picked up a bowl of gulab jamun, the one she loved, and slid it toward her.
Mishti froze at the gesture, especially because it happened in front of everyone, even though most were too busy chatting to notice.
She lifted her eyes to meet his and shook her head. “No, thanks.”
Karan did not hide his displeasure. He set the bowl down, leaned back slightly in his chair, and said, just loud enough to be heard. “That’s a first. You denying dessert.”
Mishti’s eyes widened in alarm. Was he about to reveal, in front of everyone, that he knew her so well because she was his wife? Avni frowned, confused. Even though she barely interacted with Karan, something about his tone made her curious.
“How do you know she can never deny desserts?” she asked, looking between them.
Mishti swallowed, her eyes never leaving Karan’s face. Neither did his leave hers.
“A woman whose name itself means sweetness, how could she possibly dislike desserts?” he replied calmly, as if it meant nothing at all. “I just guessed.”
Mishti let out a sigh of relief. He hadn’t revealed anything. But she knew Karan. And she knew how much he enjoyed playing such games. This was another part of his manipulation. He was just toying with her again.
Avni shrugged it off and continued eating, while Rajat held back a smile and glanced at Abhimanyu. Both of them were stunned, watching Karan softly flirt with his wife, something that had never happened before. And strangely, it was worth witnessing.
Mishti finished her juice and then turned to Avni, fully aware that Karan could hear her too.
“I won’t be around for a few hours today,” she said. “I need to shop for a few outfits for the next two weeks. You know I haven’t brought any traditional clothes.”
Avni nodded, then suddenly grinned.
“Uhh… I’ll join you,” she said. “I have a few last-minute things to buy as well.”
Before Mishti could respond, Avni turned to Rajat.
“Rajat, can you take Mishti and me shopping today?”
Rajat agreed instantly, smiling. “Have I ever said no to you? Of course I’ll take you both.”
Avni pushed her chair back immediately and tugged Mishti up with her.
“Come on,” she said excitedly. “Let’s get ready. This is my first time back in India after so long, and I can’t wait to stroll through the markets here.”
Mishti could feel Avni’s excitement as the two women hurried out of the lounge to get ready.
Rajat then turned to Karan and asked quietly, “So? When are you going to tell Avni about Mishti? Your side of the family arrives in Jaipur for the wedding in a week, and they’ll recognise Mishti as your wife. We won’t be able to hide it. We need to tell her.”
Karan grew thoughtful. Rajat was right. His extended relatives were arriving next week, when the actual rituals would begin. They had been present at his wedding with Mishti. It wouldn’t take long for the truth to reach Avni.
But then he remembered what Mishti had said the previous night during their confrontation in his suite.
“You snatch people away from me. One by one. Anyone who comes close. Avni was the closest I’ve had in a long time. And I won’t be surprised if you destroy that too. Our friendship, that sisterly bond—just to prove that you still have control over me and my life.”
He swallowed as those exact words echoed in his mind, and shook his head in denial.
“No one tells Avni yet.”
Abhimanyu looked as surprised as Rajat. “Bhai… but eventually she’ll know.”
Karan sighed. “I know. Let’s try that Avni never finds out, at least not from us. Not even from the extended family. If Mishti wants to tell her, she can. But none of us will.”
Rajat and Abhimanyu didn’t fully understand his reasoning, but they agreed.
*****************
An hour later
Mishti and Avni stood near the entrance of the resort, waiting for Rajat to bring the car so they could leave for shopping. Avni kept adjusting the dupatta on her shoulder, visibly restless, glancing at her phone every few seconds.
“He said five minutes,” she muttered, irritation slipping into her tone as she checked the time again. “It’s been fifteen.”
Mishti stood a step away from her, hands clasped loosely in front of her. She had already decided she wouldn’t speak to Rajat unless it became absolutely necessary. Avni should not sense anything odd.
Avni finally sighed and dialled Rajat’s number, lifting the phone to her ear. “Where are you? What’s taking so long?”
Before she could listen to his response, her gaze shifted past the phone, and her irritation eased.
“Oh. There you are.”
A black SUV rolled into the driveway, slowing to a stop in front of them. Avni ended the call, relief replacing her impatience.
Mishti’s eyes followed the car without thinking. The moment the vehicle came to a halt and the engine went silent, Rajat stepped out from the front passenger door.
Mishti’s brows knitted slightly. If Rajat wasn’t driving, then who was? Her answer came a second later as she saw the glass window shield slide down smoothly, and there he was.
Karan sat behind the steering wheel like he belonged there, one hand resting casually on it, the other near the gear.
He was dressed in black. A black shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, the top two buttons undone.
Black jeans, fitted just enough to make the picture unfair.
Sunglasses hid his eyes, but nothing could soften the sharpness of his presence.
There was something different about him today. He looked more than handsome, dangerously sexy and was infuriatingly aware of it.
Heat rushed through Mishti’s body before she could suppress it.
Her heart stuttered for one reckless second, but she shut it down.
The Mishti whose hormones once ruled her was gone.
This Mishti was too hurt, too guarded, to let those fizzy sensations take control of her mind again.
This Mishti was too bruised, too aware of what wanting him had cost her once.
Even Avni looked shocked when Rajat opened the backseat door for the two of them to get in. “Why did you bring him along?”
Karan heard her, but he didn’t even acknowledge the question.
Rajat cleared his throat awkwardly. “Come on, Avni. Even we men have some last-minute shopping to do.”
Avni frowned. “And you decided to do it with us? Seriously?”
Karan still didn’t look at her.
Rajat gave a helpless shrug. “You know him. If he wants to join us, he will. You and I can’t change that.”
Avni opened her mouth again to argue, but this time Karan spoke.
“Don’t make me get down and force you into the car, Avni. Get in.”
Avni gritted her teeth whilst Mishti stiffened. What kind of brother spoke to his sister like that? So unapologetically dominant? Not wanting the situation to escalate between Karan and Avni, Mishti intervened quickly.
“Let’s just get inside, Avni,” she said quietly. “We’re already late.”
Avni shot her a look, then huffed under her breath, clearly annoyed, but she let it go. She slid into the backseat, and Mishti followed, settling beside her.
Rajat took the front passenger seat next to Karan who pressed the accelerator. As the car moved, his eyes lifted briefly to the rearview mirror, glancing at Mishti sitting behind him. For Mishti, it was hard to tell exactly when he was looking because of the sunglasses he wore.
But every time she felt that warmth seep through her body, she knew. He was looking at her. Yet, she stared out of the window, refusing to acknowledge the man in the driver’s seat. She focused on Avni’s chatter, responding when necessary, nodding, smiling at the right moments.
Throughout the ride, Karan didn’t say a word, nor did he stop looking.
Mishti even shifted slightly, breaking the angle.
Yet his presence filled every inch of the space.
She knew this was deliberate. He wasn’t chasing her loudly anymore.
He was doing something far more dangerous…
reminding her of what he once meant to her.