Chapter 8
Reyansh
What am I even doing here? Why the hell didn’t I tell just Mom that she doesn’t need to find anyone for me, especially when my heart has already made its choice? The moment I got home from Kavya’s, Mom was all over me about this dinner that she’d planned for me with a ‘nice girl’ she wanted me to meet. I couldn’t bring myself to deflate her excitement as I thought, it’s just a matter of one dinner. But I know I really need to talk to her. I need to tell her that Kavya is the one for me.
A smile spreads across my face as I think of Kavya. She looked so adorable, even in those simple track pants and a t-shirt. Damn. The way she looked at me with those doe eyes, the way her face flushed when I got close to her—it all made my heart skip a beat. I know I affect her just as much as she affects me; she can’t hide the chemistry between us. She’s just too scared to accept it. I grin at the thought of the challenge. I’m going to make her see that this spark between us is real and undeniable.
“I still can’t believe our parents arranged for us to meet like this,” Ankita says with a flirty smile, leaning over the table towards me. “ But I have to admit, they got it right —we’d make a fantastic couple.”
“I don’t think so,” I scoff, gulping down the whiskey, feeling my throat burn all the way down. Fuck. I’m so tempted to tell her this meeting is over, that I never want to see her face again, let alone marry her. But I promised my mom I’d get through this dinner without being a jerk, and I intend to keep that promise. Sure, I promised to be civil, but at the same time, I don’t want to say anything that will give Ankita the wrong idea and lead her to believe I am interested in her.
“I am sure I can change your mind,” she winks at me. “How about we book a hotel room for the night, and I can convince you that we’re good together?”
Did she really suggest that? I stare at the woman in front of me, wondering how my mom could ever think she was the one for me . Dressed in a tight red crochet dress, her short black hair streaked with light brown, and sharp, cat-like eyes accentuated by makeup made her look striking, no doubt. However, despite her outer appearance, she lacks the inner beauty that my angel possesses.
“That’s not going to happen,” I retort sharply, fighting to maintain my cool at her ludicrous offer, which only infuriates me.
“You don’t need to play the gentleman ,” she says with a smirk. “I’ve read the gossip columns and have met a few of the girls you’ve been with. I am sure I can give you exactly what you want .”
I tighten my grip on the glass of whiskey in my hand, sensing that it might crack at any moment. I am well aware of my reputation, and I won’t deny that I’ve had my share of fun in the past. But everything changed the moment I laid eyes on Kavya. Even now, my thoughts constantly gravitate towards her. She’s become my sole focus, occupying every corner of my mind .
“I don’t need to put on a gentlemanly act for you. Your offer has proven you are anything but innocent,” I reply coldly, my irritation evident. “And your assumptions based on gossip columns and past flings are irrelevant. I am not interested in you or what you’re offering, and I suggest you find someone else to indulge your fantasies . Because I am done here.” I throw my napkin on the table and am about to stand when Ankita places her hands on mine, stopping me. I abruptly pull my hand away from hers but remain seated.
“Hey, I am sorry. Can we start over, please?” she asks, her tone softer now.
I open my mouth to refuse, but she continues speaking as if sensing my denial. “If nothing else, can we finish dinner before parting ways? It will be really embarrassing to tell my parents that I am early because you walked out on me. I’d much rather tell them that we talked and our thoughts didn’t align. Please,” she pleads. “Just one dinner. And I promise I’ll say no to the proposal.”
I want to turn her down , but then think that one harmless dinner couldn’t hurt, especially since she agreed to decline the proposal.
“Fine. Just one dinner,” I say through gritted teeth, signalling the waiter to come and take our orders.
I order a chicken roll, but Ankita starts bombarding the waiter with questions . My mind drifts, and I glance around the restaurant—only to freeze when I see the one person who always manages to capture my undivided attention. Shit. Just my fucking luck to have Kavya and Akash show up here, of all places. Fuck. Panic grips me—I don’t want her to see me with Ankita. I scramble to figure out how to get out of here without being noticed , but it’s too late. Our eyes meet, and a sweet smile curves her lips, causing my chest to tighten.
“Reyansh,” Akash calls out as he walks over to me. I stand and shake his hand, then turn to Kavya.
“Hey,” she says softly. Despite the white bandage wrapped around her head, she looks gorgeous in her cute pink floral dress.
“It’s a pleasant surprise,” I say, taking her hand in mine.
“Yeah, Akash thought we should have dinner out tonight,” she replies, trying to pull her hand from my grip. I hesitate for a moment, not wanting to let go, but reluctantly, I release her hand.
Akash’s eyes narrow at me, almost as if he’s silently reminding me of our conversation at the hospital. He glances back and forth between Ankita and me, then asks, “Care to introduce us to your date?”
I feel Kavya tense beside him, and I want to lash out at him for making stupid assumptions, but I hold on to my anger and force myself to stay calm .
“We are not...” I begin, but before I can finish, Ankita pushes back her chair to get up.
“Hi, I am Ankita. Nice to meet you both,” she says, linking her hands around my arm.
Akash gives me a hard look, while I struggle to decipher the emotions playing on Kavya’s face. Before I can push Ankita’s arm away from mine or clarify that we are not together, Kavya speaks up.
“Hi, I am Kavya. It’s nice meeting you as well,” she smiles politely.
“Why don’t you two join us?” Ankita suggests.
“I think we'll let you enjoy your dinner without crashing it any more than we already have,” Kavya says, and then turns to Akash. “Can we go home? I’m not feeling too well.”
I know she’s lying, but I don’t call her bluff. Instead, I just stand and watch as Akash nods his head at her, and they both walk out, before exchanging a quick and awkward goodbye.
Ankita settles back into her seat, and I reluctantly follow suit. Every instinct in me is screaming to stride over to Kavya and set things straight, to make her see that she’s got it all wrong . But I hold back. Damn! It’s infuriating. I fucking can’t keep these emotions bottled up any longer. They’re ripping me apart from the inside.
???
Standing on my parents’ terrace, I stare at the dark sky. It’s been an hour since I returned from that awful dinner, only to find my parents weren’t home. I’m waiting for them to return so I can talk to them about Kavya. I was lost in my thoughts, when my dad’s voice interrupts me.
“How was dinner?” he asks.
Turning around, I look at him. “Dad, we need to talk.” I cut straight to the chase. There’s no use beating around the bush. As a businessman, I’ve learned that delaying things only leads to losses, and I’m not willing to lose something that is of utmost importance to me.
He raises his brows , a knowing look in his eyes . “Does this talk have to do with the fact that you don’t want to marry Ankita?”
I rub the back of my neck, feeling the tension there. “That, and there’s something else I want to talk about.”
“I am listening, son?” Dad folds his arms across his chest and leans against the railing, his body turned toward me.
Taking a deep breath, I meet his gaze. “There’s someone, Dad. Someone I can’t get out of my mind, no matter how hard I try. Someone I want to spend the rest of my life with. And believe me, that thought doesn’t scare me at all.”
Dad’s eyes soften with a hint of curiosity. “Who is she?”
Swallowing hard, I say, “Kavya.”
Dad lowers his hands and straightens up, his expression unreadable. But I can figure out what he’s thinking . He then speaks, his tone measured , “Is it because you feel obligated to her? Because she saved your mom, and now you think you owe her something ? Son, if that’s the case, you need to stop right there. Marriages don’t work when they’re built on obligations instead of genuine feelings from the heart .”
As irritated as I am by Dad’s words, I know he means well. “Dad, you know me better than that. You know I wouldn’t make a decision out of obligation. I want Kavya to be a part of my life because I’ve fallen for her, and that’s been true even before she helped Mom.”
Dad’s expression softens, and he pulls me into a hug. “You’ve made the right choice, son. Your mom adores that girl; she’ll be overjoyed to hear this.”
“Figured as much. But Dad, there’s something important about Kavya that I need to discuss, and I want to do it with Mom,” I say, stepping back from the hug.
“Let’s share this good news with your mom first, and then you can tell us whatever else is on your mind,” Dad suggests. I nod in agreement as we head toward the stairs together .
When we enter the kitchen, we find Mom placing a tray in the oven, closing the door, and setting the timer.
“It smells incredible in here. Mom, you sure are a great cook,” I exclaim, leaning down to kiss her on the cheek.
“Well, is this your sweet way of telling me you don’t want to marry Ankita?” Mom asks as she removes the gloves and places them on the counter before turning to me with a knowing look. “Just so you know, Ankita’s parents called and said she declined the proposal. And I’m guessing it has something to do with you.”
I rub a hand over my face. “Mom, do you really believe Ankita is a suitable life partner for me.”
Mom sighs deeply. “Why? What’s wrong with her? She’s educated, beautiful, comes from a good family, and she is — ” I cut her off, finishing the sentence for her.
“She is not the one for me, Mom.”
“Yes, sweetheart, Ankita isn’t the right fit for our son,” Dad finally speaks from the high stool where he’s sitting.
“ Can you two stop ganging up on me for once ?” she huffs, glancing at us both before leaning against the counter, her arms folded over her chest. Then, she tilts her head and regards me for a moment, her expression serious as she asks, “Reyansh, tell me honestly, do you even want to get married?”
I take a deep breath and exhale slowly . “Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.”
“Then stop fighting it and meet the girls with an open mind instead of rejecting them in the first meeting,” she says firmly.
Just then, the oven beeps. Mom puts on the gloves and reaches into the oven to pull out the tray. After placing it on the counter, she takes a whiff. “I think Kavya will like this chocolate cake I baked for her,” Mom says dreamily, looking at the cake. She continues, “I hope that someday you find someone as sweet and lovely as Kavya.”
I clear my throat and grin at Dad, who winks at me. Then, turning to Mom, who still has her back to me, I ask , “Why someone like Kavya? Why not Kavya?”
Mom spins around to face me, her expression filled with shock. “What did you just say?”
With a wide smile, I reply, “I want to marry Kavya. She’s the one for me. And before you question my feelings, I had a chat with Dad earlier. It’s purely because I have feelings for her that have nothing to do with the fact that she saved your life.”
Her face lights up with pure happiness. “This is the best news you’ve given us, son,” Mom says, pulling me into a hug. “I can’t wait to bring Kavya home. God, I need to talk to her and decide on a wedding date,” Mom continues to chatter excitedly as she pulls away from the hug.
“Mom, you’ll have to wait a bit. Kavya doesn’t know about my feelings for her yet, and there’s something important you both need to know.” I look at both of them, taking in a deep breath as they wait patiently for me to continue. “Kavya lost her parents in a car accident a few months ago, and her sister has been in a coma ever since. She’s taking care of her at home and carrying the weight of that responsibility on her own . Marriage is something she’s not ready for right now. I need to handle this delicately and not rush into anything.”
Mom covers her mouth with her hand as a sob escapes her. “Oh God, that poor child.”
Dad rises from his seat and walks over to pat my shoulder. “We’re here to support you, son. We won’t say anything to Kavya; you can handle this at your own pace. We trust your judgement.”
“Thanks,” I reply , looking at them and feeling a wave of gratitude wash over me. M y parents are not just my family but my whole world. They are the source of my happiness. Now, I can’t wait for Kavya to be a part of it all and give her back the family she once lost.
Hope swells in my chest. I won’t rest until Kavya becomes Mrs. Kavya Reyansh Kundra. A grin crosses my face at how perfect that sounds. She’ll be mine, and soon, everyone will know it.