15
Chapter 15
Questions He Shouldn't Be Asking
For a long moment, neither of them looked away.
The noise of the playground faded into the background.
Children were laughing.
Teachers were talking.
Parents were taking photographs.
Yet all Anaya could focus on was Aarav's expression.
Because he was looking at her the same way he looked at difficult business deals.
The same way he looked at problems he intended to solve.
And that was dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Fortunately, Kabir chose that exact moment to run toward them.
"Mumma!"
The spell broke instantly.
Kabir stopped in front of them, proudly holding a participation certificate.
"I got one!"
Anaya crouched down.
"That's amazing."
"I know."
The confidence made Aarav hide a smile.
Again.
Lately, he had been smiling around Kabir far too often.
Not that Anaya was counting.
She was definitely counting.
---
The event ended an hour later.
Most parents had already left.
Anaya was helping gather Kabir's things when Aarav approached.
"I'll drive you home."
She didn't even look up.
"No."
"I'm already here."
"No."
"It would save time."
"No."
Kabir looked between them.
Then sighed dramatically.
"Do you two always argue?"
The question made both adults freeze.
A few nearby parents laughed.
Anaya wanted the ground to open up and swallow her.
Aarav, unfortunately, looked amused.
"We're discussing."
"That's arguing."
Fair.
Very fair.
---
Eventually, they ended up in the same car anyway.
Mainly because Kabir had staged what could only be described as a tiny emotional rebellion.
Now he sat happily in the backseat while Anaya stared out the window.
Aarav glanced at her.
"You're upset."
"No."
"You are."
"I'm not."
"You definitely are."
Anaya turned toward him.
"Would you like to focus on driving?"
His lips twitched.
That was becoming annoyingly common.
---
When they reached her apartment, Kabir immediately jumped out.
Then remembered something.
"Oh!"
He rushed back.
"What happened?" Anaya asked.
"I forgot my drawing."
The drawing.
Anaya's heart sank.
The family drawing.
Before she could stop him, Kabir grabbed the paper from the backseat.
Unfortunately, Aarav saw it too.
Again.
This time, he looked at it more carefully.
At the three figures.
At the way they stood together.
At the smiling child in the middle.
Then he handed it back.
His expression remained calm.
Too calm.
The kind of calm that usually came before trouble.
---
That evening, Aarav sat alone in his penthouse.
The family drawing was stuck in his head.
Not because it proved anything.
Because of how it made him feel.
He couldn't explain it.
Whenever he looked at Kabir, something felt familiar.
Comfortable.
Instinctive.
As if a connection existed even when logic said it shouldn't.
His phone rang.
Vikram.
"Tell me."
"We got the school records."
Aarav straightened immediately.
"And?"
"Nothing unusual."
Disappointment flickered through him.
Then-
"There is one thing."
His attention sharpened.
"What?"
"The emergency contact information."
Aarav waited.
"The father's section is blank."
Silence.
"Blank?"
"Completely."
Aarav stared out at the city lights.
That wasn't proof.
Not even close.
Yet it bothered him.
Because if another man existed, why erase him completely?
Why leave nothing behind?
The question lingered long after the call ended.
---
Meanwhile, Anaya was cleaning the living room when her phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
Her stomach tightened immediately.
She opened it.
A photograph appeared on the screen.
This time, it wasn't old.
It had been taken today.
At the school.
A picture of Aarav and Kabir standing together after the race.
The message underneath was short.
They look alike. Don't they?
Anaya's hands started shaking.
A second message arrived.
How much longer do you think you can hide it?
The room suddenly felt cold.
Very cold.
Because whoever was sending these messages wasn't guessing anymore.
They were watching.
Watching her.
Watching Kabir.
Watching Aarav.
And they were getting bolder.
---
The following morning, Anaya arrived at Rathore Industries exhausted.
She barely slept.
Her anxiety was growing.
And the anonymous messages weren't helping.
The moment she stepped onto the executive floor, she noticed something unusual.
Employees were whispering.
Looking nervous.
Moving quickly.
A bad sign.
A very bad sign.
Before she could ask anyone what happened, Vikram appeared.
His expression was serious.
"Mr. Rathore wants to see you."
Of course he did.
When she entered the office, she immediately noticed something was wrong.
Aarav wasn't working.
He was standing near the window.
Arms crossed.
Jaw tight.
Angry.
The atmosphere felt tense.
Dangerous.
Slowly, he turned around.
And for the first time since they met again...
There was no warmth in his eyes.
Only questions.
Questions he clearly intended to get answers to.
"Sit down, Anaya."
Her heartbeat accelerated.
Because she knew that tone.
And whatever came next...
She wasn't going to like it.
To be continued...