Chapter 27
27
N avya checked her phone. She’d made several attempts to get in touch with Armaan for more than a week now, but all had been in vain. She’d made endless trips to his house only to be turned back. He was cutting her off and it hurt, big time. The only updates she got on him were from Mihir. Thankfully, he was accepting her calls, and it was through him she’d learned that Armaan was doing good and that they were in London currently.
She dropped down on the sofa in her living room. God, why had she been so quick to tell Ananya that she didn’t love him? Why had she resisted him for so long? She was responsible for the way she’d damaged their relationship. All she needed was one chance. One chance to correct the false impression she’d created in his mind. But Armaan wasn’t giving it to her.
How could she even convince him that she loved him if he didn’t talk to her? As more time passed, the distance between them would only grow. Her chest constricted. She was losing him, and she didn’t know what to do.
The sound of voices from the foyer made her rise. Sheena entered, holding Shiven’s hand and rolling a small carry all with her other hand. Spotting Navya, Shiven ran to her. She carried him in her arms, twirling him in the air.
“You’re back,” she kissed his cheek. “I missed you, my lil munchkin.”
Sheena gave her a hug. “We have so much to catch up on. Rajiv’s given me the details, but I want to hear everything from you.”
Shiven squealed loudly in happiness, pulling Navya’s cheeks. He planted a loud, noisy kiss on her nose as he waved his arms around her, speaking in his small sentences. He was all of three years old and spoke nineteen to the dozen. She smiled for the first time in days.
More voices sounded from behind Sheena and Navya watched her parents enter. They came to her and drew her in a hug each. Hearing all the commotion, Ananya came down the stairs and rushed to her parents and sister-in-law.
Her whole family was finally back in town. In the last two weeks, Rajiv had hired round-the-clock security to guard the house and all of them. Only once he was convinced that he could protect his family had he asked their family to return home.
From behind them all, Rajiv entered, his daughter Nia in his arms, followed by the rest of the staff as they brought in more of the luggage. Seeing him, Navya threw him an angry look. He looked heavenward.
“What is going on?” Sheena asked her, not missing anything as usual. “What was that nasty look between Rajiv and you?”
“Oh, they didn’t tell you?” Ananya sounded amused. She took Nia from Rajiv. “Well, they’re not talking to one another since Rajiv forced her to return from the hospital after Armaan woke up and refused to see her. She’s mad at Rajiv for not allowing her to stay there, and he’s mad at her for being mad at him.”
Both Rajiv and she scowled at their sister at the same time. Ananya swatted a hand in the air. “Oh, please. You both need to get over this drama. It’s annoying as hell.” She faced Nia, tickling her belly. “Isn’t it, my darling? Your dad and Navya need to make up, don’t they? God, I missed you, my baby.”
Nia giggled.
Sheena flicked her husband a surprised glance. “Why have you not told me this?”
He threw his hands up in the air. “Navya’s behaving childishly. What am I supposed to do? It’s not like I’ve not tried patching up with her. She refuses to talk to me.”
“You didn’t listen to me when I told you I wanted to meet Armaan,” Navya retaliated.
“And what would that have achieved, huh?” Rajiv queried. “He didn’t want to see you then, and Mihir wasn’t going to allow you in.”
“We’ve just come home, and I can’t believe that both of you are at it,” their mom said, taking a seat on the sofa.
“It wasn’t his decision to take, Mom,” Navya countered. “I’m so mad at him.”
“Someone had to think sensibly, since you clearly weren’t,” Rajiv replied. “You needed to give Armaan time to cool off.”
“And now I’ve given him time,” Navya yelled, “It’s gotten me nowhere, all thanks to you. Had I been there, I would have forced myself inside.”
Rajiv rolled his eyes again. “You’re mad to even think that Mihir would have allowed you to do that. Did you see his face that day? He wasn’t going to be persuaded, least of all by you.”
“You didn’t let me try. You just wanted to get me out of there as fast you could.”
“You had just been attacked, and Mihir confirmed there was a threat on their lives. How did you even expect me to leave you there?”
“No, you behaved extremely selfish because you got scared and were worried only about the safety of your wife and kids.”
Sheena gasped. Ananya glared at her. Navya shut her eyes, knowing she’d crossed a line. She opened her eyes and Rajiv was watching her, his entire body stiff. Her mom shook her head in disapproval and her dad looked at her in dismay.
She opened her mouth to apologize to her brother, but he cut her off with a raise of his hand.
“Let’s get one thing clear. The safety of my wife and children is and will always be my priority,” he said. “That doesn’t mean I don’t care about everyone else in this room. I have responsibilities you know nothing of. The reason my wife, children, and the rest of us in this room are not safe is because of you . You brought danger upon all our heads the second you got entangled with an Oshnov, but because you love him, I was willing to overlook everything. So don’t stand there judging me when all I was doing was trying to protect you. Nothing could have been achieved by leaving you there that day, and you know it.”
Rajiv was fuming now. Guilt assuaged her. He was right. Every word her brother said was true. She’d been too stupid to blame him for anything when the entire fault of this fiasco lay on her. She had uttered those horrible, untrue words about Armaan that had started this mess.
“I’m sorry, Rajiv,” Navya said. “I was being mean and nasty. I know you only mean well.”
He exchanged a look with Sheena, and something unspoken transpired between them.
He looked much calmer when he spoke next. “If you love him, Navya, then you have to fight for it. Sitting around moping is not going to solve anything.”
“I’ve tried everything—texts, phone calls, I even went to his house. But he doesn’t want to talk to me.”
A tear slipped down her eye and then another. All the frustration, sadness, and emotional upheaval she’d been going through finally poured out of her.
“Navya,” her mom said, patting the sofa next to her. “Come sit with me.”
Navya went to her. Her mom wiped her wet cheeks. “You know, my darling, when your mom, Latika, died, you didn’t shed a single tear. You stood stoically, holding Reina’s hand in yours while she wept. You looked glad your mother was out of her misery. Anvay and I realized at that moment what a strong girl you were. And then, you realized you’d be left with a father like Gautam. Didn’t you go on a hunger strike for four days straight because he refused to allow Anvay and me to take you both home to live with us?”
“Oh my God. Really?” Ananya put Nia down on a playmat in the corner. “I didn’t know this.”
“Yeah…” Their mom smiled. “She was only twelve, and she knew she had to get Reina and herself out of that house. She’d already realized that Gautam would ruin their lives, so she didn’t eat for four days straight. While initially, my brother thought it was all a farce, he understood how serious she was when a servant called him telling him Navya had fainted and had to be admitted to the hospital. When we went to the hospital that night, he finally surrendered to her demands. He allowed Reina and her to come with us that night. Only after that did she eat again. That’s how she made Reina and her a part of this family. We all know how my brother made his own demands before he allowed us to adopt them formally, but in the end, they became ours like they were meant to be.”
Her chest hurt thinking of that time. These people had taken Reina and her in and made space for them in their hearts and in their lives. Sara and Anvay treated them as their own girls, and Rajiv and Ananya treated them no differently from the way they treated each other.
Her father came to sit on her other side. “The reason she brought up this story was because even as a child, you fought for the well-being of your sister and yourself. You stood up against your father and won. So, what is holding you back now? Why are you sitting here weeping instead of taking action?”
“I don’t know what to do,” Navya cried. “He won’t talk to me.”
“Then do something drastic,” her mom said. “Stop his car in the middle of the road. Barge into his office. Give him no choice. Make him listen to you.”
Navya smiled, imagining doing those very things. An idea flashed in her brain.
She went to her brother. “Will you forgive me?”
“Of course, you’re my sister.”
“I need your help.”
“You only need to ask, little one.”
She told him her plan, and he smiled. “It will be done,” he promised her.
Navya smiled, feeling relieved for the first time. Her mother had opened her eyes. Sitting around and waiting endlessly was not going to change the situation. She had to act. She had to force Armaan’s hand, and with a little help, she knew exactly how to do it.