Page 47 of Entangled Vows (Destined Diaries #2)

“Bullshit,” Mohit snorted. “You’re hiding something.”

“Well, just that—”

“Hang on, if this has anything to do with my sister, then shut up,” Mohit cut him off.

“Well, then hang up before I make you hear something you’ll never recover from, dear brother-in-law.”

“Good-bye.” Chuckling, Vikram deliberately ended the call and strolled towards the kitchen.

And there she was. Perched on the counter in that sheer white dress, her bare legs swinging in sync with something she was humming. She was sipping water straight from the bottle.

He raised an eyebrow. “We have glasses, you know.”

She just shrugged. “This was easier.”

He stepped between her knees, his hands resting on her hips.

“You know what’s even easier?”

“No, but I have a feeling you’re about to enlighten me.”

He grinned, ready with a comeback, but then her phone buzzed on the counter beside her. She glanced at the screen, and everything about her changed. The playfulness disappeared from her face, and her spine went rigid.

“Who is it?” he asked.

“It’s… Suraj,” she said softly. “He… finally replied to my messages.”

Vikram stilled, his jaw tightening. Every instinct screamed at him to grab her phone and delete those messages. He hated that Suraj still had that kind of access to her. That he was still her best friend, still a sore spot he couldn’t ignore.

“How did he get your new number?”

“He probably got it from Ishika.” Mahika spoke as she typed a text.

“Where is he?” he asked, his voice flat as Mahika scrolled through the texts.

“I don’t know,” she replied, glancing up. “He says he’s sorry.”

Vikram’s gaze darkened, his mood spiralling. One message from his brother had done it.

Mahika studied his face. “Why do you go completely stone-faced every time his name comes up?”

“I don’t.” Vikram looked away. “Let’s go finish that episode. Come.” He reached for her hand.

She didn’t move. “Don’t deflect, Vikram. What’s the real problem with Suraj?” Her fingers curled around his forearm, tugging him in front of her. “I’ve told you that I have never felt anything for him beyond friendship. You trust me, don’t you?”

He nodded slowly. “Of course, I trust you. It’s not about that. It’s just… complicated.”

The words were quiet and clipped. His gaze shifted again, unable to stay focused on hers, afraid she’d see how broken he was. The anger simmered just beneath the surface. Suraj had run off while he’d stayed here, watching his father die, shouldering the empire, suffocating under responsibility.

Mahika gave his hand a squeeze. “Try me, Vicky. Tell me, why do you hate my best friend?”

Vikram exhaled, his chest tight with tension. It was hard to explain how he felt about Suraj. He doubted anyone would really understand. Honestly, he barely understood it himself. Love and resentment. Brotherhood and betrayal. All tangled up in knots, he couldn’t untangle.

“Okay,” he whispered. “We should sit down first.”

He fixed two strong drinks at the bar, took the decanter, and brought everything to the bedroom. Mahika was already in her usual spot by the window, snuggled with Bungee. Vikram plopped down on the couch facing them and placed the tray and decanter on the table between them.

He handed Mahika her drink, shaking his head with a smile as he watched the bunny stretch lazily. “I still can’t believe he’s adjusted to this house so quickly.”

Mahika smiled. “He loves it here. Especially your study.”

Vikram let out a scoff. “He practically lives under my office desk. I’ve tried chasing him off at least twenty times. The little shit has made it his headquarters.”

She chuckled quietly as she scratched Bungee behind the ears. “Perhaps he simply wants to be close to you.”

Vikram rolled his eyes at her comment. Then, leaning back, he took a slow sip of his drink as he stared at the dark liquid in the decanter.

He looked calm on the outside, but inside, he was a mess.

He found it easier to speak while they sat across from each other, a little space between them, the lighting dim and intimate.

Her caring, expectant gaze was fixed on him, encouraging him to open up.

“Do you know the truth about what happened to my mom?” Vikram asked, his voice carrying the sting of the past.

Mahika’s gaze was locked on his. “I knew she left your dad, but not the full story. I never asked Suraj as he hated talking about it.”

A hollow laugh escaped him, his lips twisting in bitter irony. “Of course he didn’t..”

She leaned across the table and cupped his cheek with tenderness. “Vikram… tell me what happened.”

He took a slow breath, his gaze far away. “My parents were crazy about each other. They fell hard and got hitched. Everyone knew they were totally smitten. But then life happened, and things went south.”

He stared at his drink, lost in thought. “At the time, my dad was completely focused on building the business. He worked non-stop and travelled extensively to build the empire he had dreamed of. He figured giving my mom everything—money, comfort, a fancy house—was enough to make her happy.”

Mahika listened quietly, then got up and went to sit next to him. She intertwined her fingers with his and looked down at their hands as Vikram kept talking.

He spoke almost under his breath, “Mom wasn’t exactly thrilled with Dad’s money-making lifestyle.

She pulled away, smiled less, and barely laughed.

She’d just sit at the table and... stare into nothingness.

I didn’t really understand what was going on when I was fourteen, but I could feel that she’d changed. ”

He sighed, sounding bitter. “I really tried hard... aced my classes, told her I loved her, tried to make her smile. I thought that maybe if I tried hard enough, she’d be happy. That I could fix it.”

Mahika’s heart ached thinking about the boy he’d once been, the hurt plainly visible on his face.

“Then, one night… it all fell apart. I could hear loud voices. I remember hiding in the closet, listening to it all. That’s when she dropped the bomb that she was in love with someone else… a college friend she’d known for years. According to her, he had always been there for her, unlike my dad.”

He swallowed hard.

“On that day itself, she packed her bags. Before leaving, she came to my room. Said she loved me… that she would always love me. And then… she took Suraj with her and left.”

Mahika went still. “She took him?”

He gave a bitter nod. “Just like that. No explanation. No choices. Suraj was seven years old, and I was fourteen. I couldn’t understand why she picked him and not me?

I kept wondering if I wasn’t good enough for her love…

if I’d ever been. It broke something inside me.

She left me with Dad, and I pretended I was fine… but I wasn’t.”

His eyes glazed over as he looked up. “Six months later, she showed up again. Not to see me, though. Not to explain anything. She just dropped Suraj off, like he was a burden she could no longer carry. She was moving to Dubai, but he wasn’t going with her.

She didn’t even bother to walk him to the door; she simply left him on the doorstep.

And when I opened the door, he was standing there, suitcase in hand, staring up at me in confusion. ”

Mahika’s eyes welled up. “That’s... awful.”

Vikram’s voice was rough with emotion. “It destroyed me. My father… he had become distant, a shadow of himself, by drowning in work. And I hated her for it with every fibre of my being. But what was worse was…” His throat worked as he swallowed with effort, “…that I started to feel this dislike… this quiet hatred for Suraj. Not because of anything he did, but simply because he was the one she chose… instead of me. It felt… so unfair. Like he had received my mother’s love that I so badly wanted for myself. ”

He covered his eyes with his hands, as if trying to trap the pain inside.

“Years later, you came to our house. And you and Suraj… you just clicked. It was like the past had repeated itself. It was always the three of you—Suraj, you, and Ishika. Laughing and sharing that easygoing, close bond. And me? I was just an observer. The fourth wheel. Invisible, once again.”

Mahika leaned close, her hand softly covering his heart.

“Vikram, I’m so sorry for what you went through… and for making you feel left out. I didn’t know. I never imagined you wanted to be around us.”

He spoke in a thick voice. “Not all of you… just you. I wanted to be around you, and I was jealous. Suraj always had a part of you that I didn’t. And that made me hate him, all over again.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “You were hurting. I get that now. That said, Suraj isn’t selfish. Vikram, he’s never said anything cruel about you. He admires you. He really does.”

Vikram replied quietly, “I love him too. Yet, there are times when I still feel angry. He had already forgiven my mom and had stayed in touch with her. But I… I couldn’t. I still can’t.”

Mahika’s fingers traced along his jaw, her voice soft but firm. “Have you ever told him any of this?”

Vikram shook his head. “No. When she brought him back, I couldn’t even look at him.

I was watching my father fall apart and was busy trying to hold myself together.

And there he was, a constant reminder of everything I’d lost. I shut down.

I became bitter and started hating everything connected to her…

even the empire my father had built. I blamed it for breaking our family. That’s why I never joined it.”

Mahika cupped his face, her touch anchoring him. “So it wasn’t that you didn’t care. It’s just… it hurt too much.”

He nodded. “Dad understood. That’s why we fought so much. He kept asking me to come back. But I couldn’t. Every corner of that office building reeked of what destroyed us as a family.”

Mahika exhaled. “I had no idea. Suraj and I became friends when we were nine, and he never told me any of this. And I never asked either, because I could tell he didn’t want to talk about it.”

She held his face, making sure he looked at her. “But Vikram, he’s your brother. You have to talk to him. Ask him why he left, why he stayed silent. You two should be healing each other, not hurting like this.”

His brow furrowed. “What are you saying?”

She took in a deep breath. “Suraj’s gay, Vikram. He’s in love with someone. I think that’s why he must have run away. Because he couldn’t go through with that marriage clause, not when it would mean living a lie.”

Vikram froze, the words knocking the wind out of him.

“He never told me,” he whispered, almost to himself.

“He was scared,” she said gently. “Scared of your father. Scared of your reaction. He hasn’t told many people.”

Vikram’s voice dropped. “But I would’ve supported him. I would’ve stood by him.”

Mahika placed her hand over his. “I believe you. But he didn’t know that. You two were already miles apart emotionally. And he probably didn’t think you’d see him… like really see him.”

Vikram leaned back, scrubbing a hand down his face. “God. I even warned him not to take advantage of you. I was such a fucking idiot.”

“I wanted to smack you for that,” she said dryly.

His eyes snapped towards hers. “He told you?”

“No, dumbass. I overheard you. I was right outside the kitchen. You were being an entitled, presumptuous prick.”

He blinked. Then a soft, broken laugh escaped him. “You’re not wrong.”

“I know I’m not,” she teased as she climbed into his lap and held him close, peppering soft kisses across his forehead and cheek. “But it’s not too late to fix this. Talk to him. Give him a chance.”

He held her tightly, like she was the only anchor he had. “Do you talk to your mom?”

Mahika sighed, her expression dimming. “Barely. She’s... distant. Cold. But this isn’t about me.”

“I still hate how she treats you.”

“I’ve made peace with it. Doesn’t mean it’s right, but I’m used to the disappointment.”

“You don’t deserve that, Momo.” His voice was tender now. “Promise me you won’t let her treat you like that anymore.”

“I promise, Grizz.” She kissed his nose. “Now you promise me something. Talk to Suraj. Let him in. He was just a kid back then, just like you. Don’t hold him responsible for the mess your mother left behind.”

“I’ll try,” Vikram said quietly. “But I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive her. She made me hate someone I loved.”

Mahika nodded, both fierce and tearful. “Then we’ll hate her together. She didn’t just leave her family; she abandoned a boy who was trying so hard to measure up. You don’t have to bear this burden alone anymore. Not with me. It’s okay not to be strong all the time. You’re allowed to feel.”

He didn’t answer. He just pulled her in and kissed her, hard and fervent. Desperate and soft. A kiss that tasted like grief and release. And for the first time in his life, Vikram Khurana let someone touch the broken parts of him.

Not to fix them. Not to explain. Just to hold.

And that changed everything.