Maeve #2
Samyra let out a small breath, shifting slightly as if she were setting the moment back into place. “The CEO is Dev Patel. And his twin brother, Vedant Patel…is one of the drivers for Montclair. So, this partnership is very personal to them.”
I frowned slightly. “Why do those names sound familiar?”
She didn’t answer straight away. Just watched my face like she was giving my brain to catch up on it’s own.
A beat passed.
Then another.
My eyes widened as something clicked into place in my brain. “Please tell me that this is some fucked-up coincidence and that they’re just two random people who share the same name as Rihaan’s brothers who also happen to be twins.”
“That would make me a liar,” she said evenly. “So…no.”
I couldn’t help it, the laugh that ripped out of me was sharp and disbelieving, like my brain had briefly refused to accept reality and opted for chaos instead.
Samyra watched me cautiously, her brows settled in a deep frown. Concern etched into her eyes as my laugh slowly died down, though the disbelief in me still didn’t. “Maeve…what’s wrong?”
I blinked hard, trying to get my expression under control, but it felt like my face had stopped taking instructions from my brain entirely.
“Nothing—” I started, then broke off, pressing my fingertips under my eyes like that might physically reset whatever this was.
“Nothing is wrong. Well, a few things are. But nothing about this is wrong. It’s just…
unbelievable.” I let out a breath that came out half laugh, half surrender. “Small world, huh?”
She nodded wordlessly, her attention sharpened, fully locked onto me now. Still she didn’t push until she knew I was ready.
When I finally sighed, I spoke before she could. “Can we finish you first? How did the actual meeting go?”
Biting her lower lip, she paused for a second. As though she was literally holding herself back the excrement she felt before a laugh spilled out of her. “It’s literally sounds like my dream project.”
A genuine smile draped over my lips for the first time as she breathed in relief, and continued.
“If I can pull this off, I honestly think it’ll be enough for me to go on my own and target the kind of clientele I’ve been trying to bring up to my company for almost a year now.
I can actually show what I can do in my portfolio instead of just doing mock ups. ”
“That’s amazing, Sam! Did he say when he’d call you back with an answer?”
Her expression turned sheepish then. “He basically gave it to me on the spot. He said that the basic premise I talked him through matched the direction he wanted to go in, and I’m pretty sure he cancelled the meetings right as we finished up because Ishaan texted me just as I was leaving about it.”
“You’re kidding,” I raised a brow, before my surprise morphed into relief. At least one of us had a good day, and I’d take that win. “Now we know, at least the Patel brother in your life can make good decisions.”
Something crossed her expressions then before she shook it off and grinned. “This also means that we’re both going to Monaco. Ishaan already promised to get two passes. His way of thanking you for convincing me.”
“Oh, great,” I nodded. “I was just about to make a mental note to get some kind of repayment when he came around next, but I guess this will do.”
“Two paddock passes with full access at one of the most iconic tracks in the sport. He’s counting on it be do.”
My nose crinkled then. “I think we might need to start watching the sport so we don’t make a fool of ourselves.”
“You want to go home and start tonight?”
I paused. “Maybe not tonight. I’m more in the mood for a comfort watch rather a learning mood.”
She sighed. “Are you ready to talk about what happened today?”
A rough breath left me, thankful that my chest no longer felt constricted at the question and nodded.
“It was,” I said slowly, closing my eyes. “the worst possible first day I could’ve had.”
And just like that, I was reliving my day in my head again. I wish I could’ve said it was the first time since I’d entered this place, but that would make me a liar.
BY THE TIME I finished rehashing my entire day, Samyra’s expressions turned sympathetic.
“You want to quit?” She asked, softly. “Because, you can, you know? It won’t make you a failure or weak, or anything other than a person who’s strong enough to protect herself mentally. You won’t be disappointing anyone.”
“My father would disagree.” I laughed, though the sound lacked any trace of humour as my eyes traced the one path it had clutched onto the ceiling as I recited the story
Samyra exhaled a breath, her own gazing turned to the ceiling.
“From what you’ve said, he hasn’t even asked you once about why you wrote that paper.
I know you said that he didn’t want to hear about when you tried to tell him before but…
even he has to know that you obviously didn’t tell him before it was published because he would’ve tried to talk you out of it. ”
I nodded, taking her words in as Mochi tried to nuzzle my palm, silently asking me to pet him.
“Honestly, I’m not even sure if that’s what’s holding me back.”
“Then what is it?”
Turning my head towards, I spoke softly. “If I quit…that would mean Rihaan wins. That he’ll know that clearly him bringing in that PT and throwing a tantrum meant I was rattled enough to quit. When my paper and all that attention has barely moved him and I hate that idea more than anything else.”
“Well, arrogant douche bags are hard to twist.” She pointed out, before sighing. “Then, I guess we just find you a different silver lining.”
I nodded again, watching her as she blinked back at me. When a few long seconds passed and we both stayed quiet, she finally spoke again.
“Are we doing that, now?” She asked. “Because, I came here straight from a meeting that frankly has my head spinning with ideas and stuff I need to get on with…and I’ve had like half a protein bar since lunch.”
I frowned. “You went to a Michelin star restaurant and had nothing?”
“Didn’t wanna eat and talk,” She replied. I raised a brow, clearly able to read her tone that say she was holding something back. “Okay. I kinda lost my appetite when I saw the menu had no prices.”
“Right on.” My shoulders dropped.
She nodded. “We can stop at Batra House on the way home? If we’re doing comfort night, we can add a bit of celebration to it, and Batra uncle’s Dal Makhni has our name written on it. OH! It’s a Monday, he’s going to have gulab jamuns too.”
“And a bottle of tequila to that list, and I’m sold.”
Rihaan
THE SECOND I WALKED through the front door, my little sister’s voice floated down the hallway in a syrupy, high pitched sing-song that made me stop mid-step. It was the kind of voice people used on babies, puppies, or the two tiny devil that ran in our house.
“You’re so cuddly today, Lilli,” she cooed, her voice filled with a rare emotion. “I love it. Maybe there’s a good side to...”
I slipped off my shoes as her voice turned down to a whisper, and even though every part of me screamed to wash off the fury that was burning under my skin, I walked towards the open space.
“Will you cuddle...” A quiet kiss muffled her words.
“...too, or are you going to ignore...” Another kiss.
"...like your brother does, hmm?” Another loud kiss echoed through the room just as I entered the open space, but before I could focus on her words.
She continued speaking, making me wish I’d gone upstairs as I bit back a cringe.
“Let’s hope Daddy got the right yogurt this time… ”
Raina laid back against one of the couches, her body facing the TV as the news played out. Lilli was sprawled across her chest like a sleepy scarf, completely at ease beneath the relentless affection as my little continued pressing kisses to her fur.
“Please,” I began slowly, making her jump. Her head whipped in my direction so fast, I was worried she might actually sprain something. “never call Oliver that again. Or at least, check your surroundings once, and spare my ears because...no.”
Raina’s eyes were wide as saucers, mirroring Lilli’s own offended stare perfectly as they watched me. For a brief second, both of them looked deeply guilty, like I’d interrupted a secret meeting, making me frown.
“Sorry. I thought you were Oliver,” she muttered, attempting to slide up straight before pausing when Lilli refused to move.
“That somehow raises more questions.” I pointed out, but she ignored me completely, smoothing a hand down Lilli’s back instead.
The cat melted further against her chest with a low, rumbling purr, which immediately put me on alert.
Lilli wasn’t clingy. Normally, she tolerated affection the way royalty tolerated peasants.
The only times she ever turned into a living stuffed animal was when Raina was stressed, anxious, or upset about something she refused to talk about.
I pushed off the doorway and stepped into the living area properly. “You feeling okay?”
“Yeah. Fine.” The answer came too fast as her eyes flicked toward the open laptop sitting beside her before snapping back to me.
“You’re home early,” she said carefully. “Did something happen?”
“Now, why would you assume that?” I asked, tossing the question right back at her as I dropped onto the couch beside her purely because I knew it would annoy her.
Raina had an entire thing about outside clothes touching furniture, and her, and the second I sat down in jeans that had survived the horrors of the public world, her expression turned downright murderous. I took immense satisfaction in it as I got comfortable in my spot.
“Because you’re a jerk,” she replied dryly, waving a hand in my direction. “Case in point. And if I’ve learnt anything these past few years living with you, it’s that you’ve been hiding something too.”