Chapter 3
Kanika Mehta
I can’t forget you.
Call me.
Aditya, please…
Aditya woke up to a string of desperate messages from Kanika. His lips curled in disgust. She was engaged to another man, and yet here she was, still pursuing him. He quickly typed out a reply.
You and I are done, Kanika. Stop messaging me.
Almost immediately, more messages popped up in the same pleading, cloying tone. Irritation spiked hot in his chest. Without another thought, he blocked her number. He was so done with her manipulative behavior.
The only reason he’d attended her engagement party was to show her that he didn’t care in the least that she was getting married to someone else.
He’d hoped to close the door on her chapter in his life, and he had.
But Kanika clearly wasn’t ready to let go.
She was happy stringing Soham along while trying to get back with Aditya.
His mood sour, he got out of bed to begin his day. Half an hour later, he wandered down his house feeling restless, his thoughts tangled and his mood somber thanks to Kanika. It annoyed him that he was allowing her to affect him as such.
Last night, she had shown him a side of herself that he’d never had a chance to witness while he was dating her.
Her texts this morning had further displayed her spoilt, entitled behavior.
He’d always prided himself on being smart, sharp, and careful.
Hence, it irked him to no end that he hadn’t figured out how toxic and calculating she truly was.
Taking a deep breath, he moved toward the solarium where his mother was waiting for him for breakfast. She’d specifically asked him to join her this morning, which most certainly meant that she’d heard of his attendance at Kanika’s engagement bash.
He could have avoided her summons, made an excuse of work, but there was no point.
He’d made his bed and now he had to lie in it.
A restless energy buzzed through him. In the past, he’d channelized all that into his work, partying, and women. But now, he knew it in his bones that all that wouldn’t suffice any more. He needed something more… But what?
Exhaling, he shook his head.
He stopped at the threshold of the solarium, breathing in the fresh air.
Truly, this was the best place in his house.
Lined with glass walls on three sides and a sloping glass roof, with plants dotted everywhere and the scent of roses in the air, it truly was a peaceful sanctuary nestled in the heart of his home in Mumbai.
He remembered so many breakfasts eaten here, so many conversations he’d had with his mother.
His mom was seated at the dining table at the front that overlooked the gardens, sipping tea while talking on her phone.
She was dressed in her work attire: formal beige trousers and a full sleeved, cream, silk shirt with a large knot under her chin.
Her hair was pulled up at her nape, and her makeup was perfect.
Despite being in her late fifties, his mom, Mamta Wahi, looked at least a decade younger.
She still sat on the board of their family business, Gemini Group of Companies.
They were pioneers in hair care, skin care, healthy foods, and edible oils in India.
The company had been founded by his late grandfather more than five decades ago.
It had been doing very well until Aditya’s father had taken over.
The business had seen a huge downfall during his tenure, and after his untimely death, the responsibility had fallen on Mamta’s shoulders.
His father had run up several debts, and his mother had faced severe criticism for leading a failing group.
It had taken time, but she had turned the around business completely.
Thanks to her, they’d become the multibillion-dollar corporation they are today.
He’d worked in her wings since he was sixteen.
This business was in his blood and his legacy to pass on to future generations.
Quite unexpectedly, on his twenty-eighth birthday, his mother had handed over the reins to him, citing that she was convinced he was as ready to take over as he’d ever be.
Aditya had led the company to even greater heights. Their turnover had doubled, and they now had a strong corporate presence in Dubai and Singapore as well, apart from Mumbai. He often shuttled between the cities, working from each for long stretches of time.
Sensing his presence, his mother looked up and beckoned him to join her. Sighing, he moved closer. She raised her cheek and he gave her a quick peck as she continued to instruct someone over the phone.
A staff member placed a cup of coffee in front of him, along with a plate of scrambled eggs and avocado on sourdough toast. He’d just started on his breakfast when his mother ended her call and looked at him.
“Good morning,” she said cheerfully.
He made a face. “You sound extra chirpy his morning.”
“And why is that a bad thing?”
“Because I can hear the ‘I told you so’ in your tone, and I’m not in the mood for it.”
“But I still want to say it,” she said.
“MOM…” he warned, eyes narrowing.
“I told you so,” she said, coolly sipping her tea.
“And so did we,” a cool voice said from behind him.
Aditya turned and looked into the faces of his closest friends, Rithwik Bali, Keya Sehgal, and Raashi Sehgal, all of them looking mighty pleased with themselves. The fools. Their smirks and knowing smiles spoiled his already shitty mood.
“We told him, didn’t we?” Rithwik asked the girls as he dropped into the chair opposite Aditya.
“Of course, we did!” Raashi snatched the toast from Aditya’s hand and took a big bite before taking a seat beside him.
“Not that he ever listens to us,” Keya added, taking a seat as well.
Aditya glared at his mom. “Why did you invite them?”
She laughed. “Taking your case all alone is no fun. It’s better with them around.”
Irritation washed over him. “Sure, have fun at my expense all of you.”
Rithwik splayed a hand. “What can we say?”
“We told you so!” all of them chimed in unison.
Aditya groaned, while everyone around him laughed. His friends had been frequent visitors to his house since their college days. His mom knew them well and was fond of them, as they were of her. Although now that they were all married, their visits had become less frequent.
Raashi stole another piece of his toast.
Aditya glared at her and signaled to the staff. “Get her breakfast, please, before she finishes mine.”
Once all of his friends had food and beverages in front of them, Aditya said, “News travels really fast in our circles, it seems.”
Rithwik looked at him. “Going to her engagement party was the height of stupidity. I believed Kanika created a grand display for you. Thanks to you, the event is going to be spoken of for days, again, exactly as she intended.”
For this news and this particular information to be passed so quickly meant only one thing.
Aditya frowned. “Who told you this? Sabrina?”
“Sabrina?” Rithwik leaned forward. “Sabrina was there?”
“Who is Sabrina?” his mom asked.
“She’s Aisha’s sister in-law, her brother’s widow,” Aditya explained, feeling a tinge of relief that she hadn’t gossiped about him. Not that it ought to have mattered in any case.
“I don’t know her,” his mother said.
“She runs a catering business,” Keya said. “And she’s a bloody good chef as well.”
Aditya nodded. “She was catering Kanika’s event last night.”
“That makes sense,” Rithwik said. “But she didn’t tell me.”
“There were enough people in attendance there anyway,” Raashi added. “I got the gossip last night itself. You know how Mumbai society works. An acquaintance of mine was in attendance, and she knows you’re my friend. She saw the drama and texted me late at night. I told Keya and Rithwik.”
“Of course, you did,” Aditya muttered. Gossip never stayed with one person in their circle.
“And I found out this morning,” his mother said. “Kanika’s new mother-in-law is in my kitty group. She’d invited me to the party last night. However, unlike you, I was smart enough not to go.”
Aditya rolled his eyes.
“Anyway,” his mother continued. “She called me, gloating about how lovely the event was. How lovely Kanika is. She clearly believes that my loss is her gain. As if.”
“Ugh, as if!” Keya shuddered.
“I’m so glad that witch is out of your life forever.” His mom mock-sighed dramatically. “Good riddance.”
He groaned. “Here we go again.”
“Good that you went and saw her treachery for yourself,” his mother added. “Better late than never.”
He looked heavenward.
“Aunty, imagine if she’d succeeded in trapping Aditya,” Keya said, looking horrified.
Raashi made a face. “No, please, I don’t even want to imagine that.”
“Gee, thanks,” Aditya muttered. “You all seem to think I have no brain of my own, and Kanika could have trapped me easily.”
“Please. You behaved utterly foolish about her,” Keya said, shaking her head.
“Rohan warned you that she wasn’t right for you,” Rithwik said, referring to his twin.
Aditya had brought Kanika as a date to Rohan and Jiya’s wedding reception, and both of them hadn’t hesitated to tell him to be very wary of Kanika.
“Anyway,” Raashi said. “As you can clearly see, we’re all just glad she’s out of your life for good.”
“You know,” his mother began, “initially I thought Kanika wasn’t serious about you. That she’d get bored and leave you heartbroken.”
“Bored? Heartbroken?” He gave her an irate look. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mom. You make me sound like some tragic character from one of those emo-dramas you like to binge-watch on TV.”
“Oh, come on,” his mother said, waving a hand.
“She always seemed a little too discontent, like she was always chasing the next shiny thing that would give her happiness. Unfortunately for all of us, one of those new shiny things she wanted was you. I just hope—for your sake—you weren’t actually in love with her. ”