14
Chapter 14
Parent-Child Day
Anaya knew the moment she snatched the paper away that she had made a mistake.
Aarav noticed everything.
Always had.
Back when they were together, he could tell she was upset from a single text message.
Now he had years of suspicion fueling his instincts.
Not ideal.
Not ideal at all.
"School form?" he asked casually.
Far too casually.
Anaya slipped it back into her bag.
"Yes."
"For Kabir."
It wasn't a question.
"No way," she deadpanned. "I thought the name on the form would confuse you."
For a second, Aarav looked surprised.
Then a reluctant smile appeared.
"There she is."
"There who is?"
"The woman who used to insult me at least three times a day."
Anaya rolled her eyes and walked away before her heart could react.
Unfortunately, she could feel him watching her.
And that made her nervous.
---
The next morning was Parent-Child Day.
Anaya had been dreading it for days.
Not because of the event itself.
Because of one particular guest.
"Kabir."
The little boy came running out of his room.
Already dressed.
Already excited.
Already impossible to control.
"Today is the competition!"
"I know."
"And there will be games!"
"I know."
"And prizes!"
"I definitely know."
Kabir grinned.
Then looked behind her.
"Is Uncle Aarav coming?"
Anaya nearly walked into a wall.
"No."
The answer came too quickly.
Too firmly.
Kabir's face fell.
"Oh."
Guilt immediately followed.
Wonderful.
Now she felt like a villain.
Before she could soften the rejection, the doorbell rang.
Both of them froze.
Anaya already had a bad feeling.
Kabir, however, looked delighted.
The little traitor sprinted toward the door.
"Kabir!"
Too late.
He opened it.
And there he was.
Aarav Rathore.
Standing outside holding a gift bag.
Anaya closed her eyes.
Of course.
Of course he was here.
Kabir practically launched himself at him.
"You came!"
Aarav steadied the excited child before looking at Anaya.
Something suspiciously close to amusement appeared in his eyes.
"Good morning."
"No."
"That's not how greetings work."
"No."
Kabir looked between them.
Confused.
Then he pointed at Aarav.
"He's coming."
Anaya pointed at herself.
"I said no."
Kabir thought about it.
Then announced:
"I've decided you're outvoted."
Aarav immediately looked away.
Trying not to laugh.
Traitor.
---
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the school.
Anaya hated everything.
Specifically, she hated how naturally Aarav fit into the situation.
Parents greeted him.
Teachers greeted him.
The principal practically materialized out of nowhere.
Meanwhile, Kabir looked like he'd won the lottery.
The first event involved building a small model using blocks.
Each child needed a partner.
Kabir immediately dragged Aarav forward.
"Mumma, you help too."
Before either adult could protest, they found themselves sitting together.
Side by side.
Building a miniature house.
The irony was painful.
"That's crooked," Anaya said.
Aarav looked offended.
"It's artistic."
"It's leaning."
"It's modern."
Kabir burst out laughing.
For the next thirty minutes, the three of them worked together.
And somewhere along the way, Anaya stopped worrying.
Just for a little while.
Because Kabir looked happy.
Truly happy.
The kind of happy that couldn't be faked.
And seeing him smile made everything else fade into the background.
---
The second event was a race.
Parents and children.
Teams of two.
Anaya immediately volunteered.
Unfortunately, Kabir had other plans.
"I choose Uncle Aarav."
The betrayal was complete.
Anaya placed a hand over her heart.
"I carried you for nine months."
Kabir looked thoughtful.
"Sorry."
Not sorry at all.
The race began.
To everyone's shock, Aarav took it seriously.
Very seriously.
The powerful businessman who negotiated billion-rupee deals was now sprinting across a school field while carrying a laughing five-year-old.
The sight was ridiculous.
And strangely adorable.
When they crossed the finish line first, Kabir celebrated as if he'd won the Olympics.
"We won!"
Aarav actually looked proud.
The expression caught Anaya off guard.
Because for a brief moment...
She saw something she had never seen before.
A glimpse of the father he could have been.
The thought hit harder than expected.
---
Later, while the children enjoyed snacks, the adults gathered near the playground.
Anaya was talking to a teacher when she noticed something strange.
Aarav had gone completely still.
His attention was fixed on a notice board.
Confused, she followed his gaze.
Then her stomach dropped.
A display of student artwork covered the board.
Dozens of colorful drawings.
Most were simple family pictures.
One in particular stood out.
Because she recognized it instantly.
Kabir's drawing.
The one he'd made a few days ago.
The one with three figures.
A mother.
A child.
And a tall man standing beside them.
Aarav stared at it.
His expression unreadable.
Then his eyes moved toward the name written in the corner.
Kabir Mehra.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Anaya's pulse thundered in her ears.
Because she knew exactly what he was seeing.
The man in the drawing had dark hair.
Dark eyes.
And looked suspiciously familiar.
Very familiar.
Too familiar.
Slowly, Aarav turned toward her.
Their eyes met.
And for the first time, Anaya saw something dangerous in his expression.
Not suspicion.
Not curiosity.
Recognition.
A tiny piece of the puzzle had just fallen into place.
And both of them knew it.
To be continued...