Chapter 20
Aditya sat in his car, parked below her building, watching the rain pelt over the facade. His fingers drummed against the steering wheel, his thoughts fully on her.
Meeting her again that morning had felt like a missing piece of him had finally slipped back in place, and he’d felt whole.
Like he could finally take a full breath.
The feel of her in his arms, her body pressed against his, her scent—all of it had undone him.
She was perfect for him, and he was in love with her.
He’d realized it the second he couldn’t reach her after their last night together in Singapore.
The unanswered calls, the silence to his texts—he’d never felt so unsettled, so anxious over not knowing where a woman was or why she wasn’t answering.
That gnawing fear had driven him to call Shauna and check on Sabrina.
And the relief when he heard Sabrina was safe had been sharp enough to leave him shaken.
That was when the truth had hit him in full force.
He was in love with Sabrina Solanki. Seeing her today had only confirmed his feelings for her.
He was in love for the first time in his life, and he was going to fight for it. He was going to fight for her. He wasn’t going to hide in the background of Sabrina’s life. No, he was going to make himself front and center in her world.
This morning had further cemented his decision.
The way her tears had betrayed her, the way she’d clung to him, Sabrina felt something for him too.
He knew it. She was scared, but her fear didn’t erase the truth of what was between them.
Thus, he would uncover every fear she had and eliminate them one by one.
And he had to start with the one part of her life she was guarding most fiercely—her son. He wanted all of her, every piece of her life, the good and the difficult.
Cutting the engine, he stepped out, determination thrumming through him.
Tonight, he would meet Ahaan. Because this wasn’t just about proving himself to Sabrina.
It was about showing her he wasn’t going anywhere.
He was here to stay, and he meant what he’d said.
She was his, and he was going to claim her. All of her.
Striding up to the lobby, he pressed the button for her floor and ascended to her apartment. At her door, he rang the bell. A dog barked faintly somewhere inside, and then he heard her soft voice say, “Yes, Maya, I’m going.”
He smiled as the barking got louder. The door opened, and Sabrina’s eyes widened when she saw him.
“Adi… How? W–what?” She fumbled. Finally, she managed, “How come you’re here? How did you know where I live?”
His gaze locked with hers. “I will always know everything about you. And no, I didn’t ask Rithwik or Aisha.”
He had asked Shauna, and she had been more than willing to help, her dedication to bring them together almost comical.
Ever since that first phone call to Shauna, when his anxiety had driven him to check on Sabrina after she’d vanished from his life, Shauna had been in touch.
Messaging him, checking on him, nudging him closer to Sabrina at every chance.
Since Sabrina hadn’t wanted their friends to know about them, Shauna was the perfect ally to have in this battle to win Sabrina’s heart.
She and Akash were the only ones who knew of their affair.
He leaned forward without hesitation and brushed a kiss against Sabrina’s cheek. Her skin warmed beneath his lips, and he felt her breath catch. She quickly looked behind her, ensuring no one had seen the kiss, before facing him again.
Her dog poked her head out from beside Sabrina, barking in earnest now.
“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” he asked, voice laced with quiet amusement.
Her mouth opened, then closed again, as though she couldn’t quite decide what to say. She finally shifted to the side, and he stepped past her into the apartment. Maya followed him, her tail wagging. Aditya crouched down to scratch behind the dog’s ears.
“At least one gorgeous female is happy to see me,” he said with a grin. “You’re already more welcoming than your mom, aren’t you, Maya?”
Sabrina scowled. “She’s easy to impress. I’m not.”
His grin deepened. He lowered his voice to a whisper, “I’m pretty sure I’ve impressed you several times already, in bed and out of it.” Leaving Maya, he stepped close to Sabrina. “Maybe you’ve just forgotten how good I am. Want a reminder?”
Her breath hitched, and heat flared in her eyes. Then, shaking her head, she ushered him forward. Maya bounded to the side and disappeared around a corner.
The house was simple, modest, but warm, with cream walls, neatly arranged furniture and a scattering of photographs on a shelf. It was a cozy home that spoke of comfort and practicality.
He turned to Sabrina, studying her. Her hair was once again tied up in that severe hairstyle that he disliked so much. He quickly pulled the clip from her head, and all her hair came tumbling down around her shoulders, messy and wild, just the way he liked it.
She gasped, trying to gather her hair back. But he held her hand, stopping her.
“Don’t. Leave it like this,” he said. “This is the real you.”
Before she could respond, he handed her a bottle of white wine. “For you.”
She glanced at the bottle, and her lips curved, something soft flickering in her eyes.
Pinot Noir. It was one they’d shared before and liked.
She looked at him, her eyes shimmering with a longing she was unable to mask.
He knew she was remembering, just as he was, all their nights together in Singapore when they had shared a bottle of wine, laughing, talking, stealing kisses, and making love.
Instinctively, he leaned closer. She didn’t pull away; instead, she moved into him.
His heart thudded hard in his chest, every beat echoing with a fierce certainty that this was right.
That this was where he belonged—by her side.
She inched closer still, and happiness unfurled inside him to see the raw desire for him etched on her face.
Before either of them could speak further, a boy’s voice called out from inside, drawing closer. “Mom, who’s at the door?”
Sabrina’s eyes widened, and she backed a few steps, worry flashing across her face for a short second before she smoothened her expression and turned to face her son.
A moment later, Ahaan appeared in the living room, one hand resting on Maya’s head. He stopped abruptly when he saw Aditya. For a beat, curiosity lit his features, and then he smiled with the easy politeness Aditya remembered.
“Hello, Uncle,” the boy said, stepping forward and extending his hand.
Aditya took it, warmth spreading through his chest. He’d met Ahaan a few times before at Rithwik and Aisha’s house, and every time he’d been struck by the boy’s gentle manners and the quiet grace in the way he carried himself. Sabrina had done a great job in bringing him up.
Aditya reached into the bag by his side and pulled out a neatly wrapped package.
“This is for you,” he said, handing it to Ahaan.
The boy glanced at his mother first. Sabrina gave him a gentle nod, and only then did Ahaan accept it.
“Why don’t you open it?” Aditya encouraged.
Ahaan tore through the wrapping paper, and his eyes went wide. Nestled inside was a brand-new pair of roller blades. The boy’s jaw dropped, a sharp gasp escaping him.
“Oh wow!” His excitement was palpable. “I’ve wanted these for so long!”
Aditya smiled, happiness spreading through him at the boy’s joy. “I hope I got the right size.” He looked at Sabrina. “And I hope you haven’t already bought these for him.”
Sabrina’s smile was soft, her gaze flickering between her son and Aditya. “No, I haven’t.”
The boy’s brow furrowed slightly, curiosity written on his face as he looked at Aditya. “But… how did you know?”
Sabrina stepped in before Aditya could answer. “I met Aditya a few times in Singapore,” she explained gently, “and I told him you wanted these.”
Ahaan’s grin widened. “Thank you, Uncle!”
Without another word, he bolted down the hall, clutching the roller blades to his chest. Maya ran behind him, her tail wagging. Aditya smiled, watching them go.
“Bribing him already?” Sabrina said, her lips curved. “You didn’t have to get those for him.”
“I feared I needed all the ammunition I could get to make a good first impression.”
“You’ve met him before,” Sabrina said softly. “He already knows you.”
He took a step closer, his voice dropping, more intimate now. “He knows me as Aisha and Rithwik’s friend. He doesn’t know me as the man dating his mother. This is me trying to ease him into that. With your permission.”
He moved closer still, close enough that she had to tilt her head back to meet his eyes.
“Do I have your permission, beautiful? I know you’re scared for him to get to know me.
But that was at the beginning of our relationship.
I hope that you don’t mind me getting to know him now.
I hope you don’t mind me dropping in unannounced. Honestly, I couldn’t stay away.”
Her lips parted, but before she could answer, another door creaked open.
Aditya looked past her and saw an older woman step into the living room, her expression sharp with curiosity. Sabrina stiffened instantly, every line of her body going taut as the woman came and stood in front of them, her assessing gaze on Aditya.
Sabrina stepped forward. “Aditya, this is Radha, my mother-in-law. And Ma, this is Aditya… a very close friend of Aisha and Rithwik.”
Aditya bent down to touch her feet, but his mind was already racing. The stiffening of Sabrina’s shoulders and the formality in her tone said more than words ever could. Winning over Sabrina’s son was one thing. Winning over her mother-in-law? That would be another battle entirely.