CHAPTER 2 #2
Her heart thudded. “You can’t ? Why? Are you bankrupt? Or did Kyle divorce you and clean you out with alimony?”
Navya burst out laughing.
“Aanya, stop being ridiculous. Business is fine, and Kyle is still very much with me. She’s your stepmother. Show some respect.”
Aanya made a face. Thankfully, her father couldn’t see it.
Something about this call felt different. Her father had never delayed money before. Why was he doing it now?
But she wasn’t going to beg. If he wanted her to crawl, he’d be disappointed.
“Fine. I know there are five more days before the next transfer. I’ll wait,” she said stiffly.
“Aanya, it’s not just about the money,” Anand began. “There’s some paperwork that needs to be completed before I can authorize future transfers.”
“Paperwork?” she barked. “What kind of paperwork? A father sending money to his daughter suddenly requires documentation?”
“It’s business, sweetheart. Everything must be accounted for. You’ll understand when you start earning.”
Aanya rolled her eyes so hard it hurt. Her hands were clenched, fury simmering.
“Okay, then. Do the paperwork and send the damn money.”
“No… you’re not getting it. Your presence is required for this paperwork.”
Now her mouth fell open. “What?”
Navya clamped her hands over her ears, bracing herself.
“Dad, are you kidding me? I’m not flying anywhere!”
“Aanya, listen—”
“No, you listen! I don’t know what you’re playing at, but I’m not going to fall for it. If you don’t want to take responsibility for me anymore, say it clearly. Don’t make excuses. I’m capable of surviving without your money. Goodbye!”
She hung up and threw the phone aside before sinking onto the couch, seething.
Navya peeked out from between her fingers. “Whoa! What was that ? Do you even realize how loud you get? I think my eardrums are shattered. I need an ENT, like, now .”
Aanya hurled a pillow at her. Navya caught it mid-air and sat beside her with a sigh.
“Okay, okay. Now explain what just happened.”
Delhi
Reyansh stepped into the grand entrance of his home, his personal assistant, Sunny, trailing behind him, an iPad in hand, reciting the next week’s schedule.
As they moved through the hallway, the faint sound of Sanskrit chants reached his ears. The rhythm of it was familiar. He immediately guessed his Nani must have organized yet another havan for the wellbeing of the family. He rolled his eyes inwardly. He had no time or interest in such beliefs.
Reyansh’s parents had died in a tragic train crash when he was just three. His sister, Radhika, was seven at the time, old enough to remember everything, and too young to bear the loss. Their maternal grandmother, Nani, had taken them in and stayed by their side since.
Their family business had started to crumble soon after their parents’ death.
Nani had tried to keep things afloat, but she hadn’t been equipped to manage it all.
Years later, it was Reyansh…freshly graduated with a business degree…
who took over the reins. Under his leadership, the company not only recovered but soared beyond even what his father had once envisioned.
Though he had no memories of his parents, Radhika did. She had always been emotional, grounded in family, while he had learned early to measure everything by profit, power, and precision.
Nani had been loving and devoted during their childhood, but as Reyansh grew older, their ideologies clashed, repeatedly and bitterly.
Eventually, their differences erupted into a verbal war so severe that Nani had packed her bags and threatened to leave for a pilgrimage.
Had Radhika not intervened, he and Nani might never have lived under the same roof again.
Still, no matter how harsh Nani pretended to be, Reyansh knew she loved him. She had always cared. But he was an adult now, capable of making his own decisions, and equally prepared to bear the consequences.
“Sunny,” he continued as they passed the corridor, “what’s the status of the party arrangements? I want no compromises in its grandeur.”
“None at all, Sir,” Sunny replied confidently. “It will be the grandest celebration this country has seen in years. Trust me.”
Reyansh gave a subtle nod, mildly impressed, and continued walking.
“Reyansh,” Nani’s voice called from behind.
He cursed under his breath. One minute earlier, and he would have missed her entirely. Still, he paused and turned to face her with a composed expression.
“Yes, Nani?”
“I’d asked you to come home early today,” she said with a disappointed look. “This havan was arranged for you.”
He gave her a faint smirk, one that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Why do you keep insisting I take part in rituals I don’t believe in?” he asked bluntly.
Nani’s face darkened.
“I’ve done everything for your happiness, Reyansh. From the moment I took you and Radhika under my care, that has been my only goal. Is that too much to ask in return?”
Sunny, sensing the conversation was veering into personal territory, quietly excused himself.
“I’ll wait in the drawing room, Sir.”
Reyansh nodded without breaking eye contact with his grandmother. Once Sunny left, the tension thickened.
“Nani, let me be very clear,” Reyansh said. “You’re free to do whatever you want in this house. But don’t involve me. These things aren’t for me.”
“I already have enough worries on my plate,” she snapped. “Don’t add to them. Radhika told me you promised her that Aanya would attend the birthday party. Is that true?”
He sighed deeply, realizing now what this confrontation was really about. No wonder she had been so adamant about cleansing the family’s aura today. She didn’t like Aanya. At all!
“Yes, it’s true,” he admitted.
Nani’s expression shifted to one of disgust.
“That woman will not step foot in this house. I don’t care how much you hide from me, but I know about her. Her current lifestyle is a disgrace. She has ruined herself, and I will not have a girl like her tainting this home and family.”
Reyansh’s jaw tightened.
“I know what I am doing, Nani. So, please relax. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. Ask the staff to send my meal upstairs in an hour. Until then, I’ll be with Sunny.”
He didn’t wait for a reply. He turned on his heel and headed toward the drawing room, leaving Nani frozen behind him, still wondering what exactly Reyansh intended by bringing that girl back into their lives.
Paris
After hours of argument with Navya, and the sobering realization that she might actually be broke for real this time, Aanya finally gave in.
Her father’s so-called “paperwork” excuse had worn her down.
She agreed to return to India, complete whatever formality was necessary to restart her money flow, and leave again.
She informed Anand of her decision. By evening, both girls were packed and ready to fly.
Twelve hours later, they stepped out of the arrivals gate into the heavy, bittersweet air of Delhi.
Eighteen months ago, Aanya had stood in the very same airport, boarding a flight to Sydney with a heart full of resentment and confusion. She had felt discarded by her father and by the man he had married her off to.
She closed her eyes briefly, trying to push away the flood of memories. Navya hauled their luggage toward the sleek black car waiting outside sent by Anand.
“Aanya, come on,” Navya called.
The two climbed in.
“Why don’t you stay with me while you’re here?” Navya suggested. “Dad and his third wife are on vacation for another week. I’ll be all alone anyway.”
“I will,” Aanya agreed. “I just need to show my face to Dad, remind him I came for his damn paperwork. I’m not staying with them. I can’t stand my step mother either.”
“Great! Then I’m finding a killer pub for tonight,” Navya grinned. “We’ll party like old times. I’ll call the crew.”
Aanya managed a weak nod, but her chest was tight. The air here always tasted of the past…of abandonment, disappointment, and emotional debt.
She hoped this visit, however short, wouldn’t make her feel once again like a pawn in her father’s game—a piece to be moved, traded, and discarded at will.