Page 61 of Entangled Vows (Destined Diaries #2)

It had to be stress and exhaustion.

Mahika had told herself that for the five-thousandth time.

The whirlwind of everything she’d been juggling over these past few weeks—no months—was bound to take its toll.

Her body was just responding to the overload and nothing more.

At least, that’s what she kept telling herself. That’s what she needed to believe.

But with her head spinning and panic simmering just beneath the surface, Mahika barely made it through her morning meetings.

She slipped a clove and cardamom pod into her mouth to suppress the nausea and nodded along, pretending to listen.

But not a single word reached her… no sentences, no presentation slides, no decisions.

By noon, she was a complete wreck.

She wanted to trust her own logic. It had to be the stress. It had to be the long hours and emotional drain. But as her fingers trembled and her stomach turned, she realised something didn’t add up. This exhaustion felt different. Her body felt foreign.

Her mind went back to the week she’d been down with that stomach bug. Maybe the pill hadn’t worked properly with all the other medications she’d taken then. Or maybe her cycle was off for the first time ever.

She hadn’t missed a single dose of her pill. She was as disciplined about it as brushing her teeth. That should have been enough. But it wasn’t. She knew the truth even as she tried to deny it. Sometimes, precautions failed. It happened to others. She just never thought it could happen to her.

A strangled sound escaped her as she dropped her head into her hands. How stupid she’d been to tell him not to use protection.

Damn it! She should’ve drawn a line. Should’ve kept her emotions on a leash. She should’ve… God, there were too many things she should have done.

And somewhere high on that list, buried just beneath the panic and nausea, sat the one truth she didn’t want to face.

She’d fucking fallen for him. For Vikram Khurana. Her husband for one year.

Blowing out a shaky breath, Mahika pushed back her chair and grabbed her bag.

She straightened up, and with practiced grace walked towards the office exit.

It was a little early for lunch, and she wasn’t remotely hungry.

But she couldn’t sit here a minute longer.

She needed answers. She needed certainty.

Only then could she figure out her next move.

Thankfully, the elevator doors were already open. Inside, people chatted away, unaware of her presence. She slipped in quietly, relieved to be ignored.

Mahika walked straight to the parking lot and spotted Max waiting by the car, ready as always.

“Afternoon, Mahika ma’am. Can I take you somewhere?” he asked, opening the door.

Emotion rose in her throat. She almost broke down right there on the pavement, but she swallowed hard and blinked back the tears. She was sure Max noticed.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

She knew she shouldn’t have accepted a ride with Max. She should’ve called a cab. He would report back to Vikram, no matter where he took her. Still, she couldn’t stop herself from sliding into the back seat and slamming the door shut, shutting out the world and having a moment to herself.

“Are you okay?” Max asked gently, his eyes catching hers in the rearview mirror.

“Yeah. Could you take me to the mall?” she said.

“Of course. Sit back and relax. I’ll get you there soon.”

“Thank you, Max. I really appreciate it.”

As she leaned back, she thought about how, not too long ago, she would have rejected help from Vikram’s driver without a second thought. But right now, she needed it more than she cared to admit.

Before she stepped out, Max asked, “Do you know how long you’ll be?”

“I don’t. You should head back if Vikram needs you. I’ll manage.”

He frowned. She knew Vikram had ordered him to prioritise her, but she didn’t want Max hanging around, witnessing whatever mess this trip might lead to.

“Mahika… Mrs. Khurana… I can’t. Not after last time.”

“Max,” she sighed, reaching out to squeeze his arm. “I promise I’m fine. It’s just the mall. It’s a public place, and it’s daylight. I’ll call if I need you.”

He hesitated, his eyes flicking to hers, clearly torn.

“Okay,” he said finally. “But please, call me.”

“I will. Have a good afternoon.”

“You too, Mahika.”

She waited just long enough to see him get into the car, then turned and hurried towards the pharmacy store in the mall.

She should’ve waited until the car pulled away, but she needed answers.

Right now. Her heels clicked against the tile as she all but marched inside and asked the middle-aged pharmacist for pregnancy test kits.

Two of them. Her heart pounded with nerves as she nodded at the ones he showed her, the ones known to be most accurate.

He billed them quietly without a hint of judgment. Why would he? She was a grown woman, wearing a mangalsutra. As far as the world was concerned, she was a married lady.

If only they knew. That she had taken her vows just to get a beach house. That Vikram had exchanged garlands just to save the family business.

She shook her head, pushing the thoughts away, and stuffed the kits into her purse before heading out to find a restroom.

She should’ve gone home. But where was home now?

Without overthinking it, she found the nearest public restroom, locked herself in a stall, and sat down.

This wasn’t the ideal place, but she couldn’t wait a second longer.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm the storm inside her, unwrapped the first test, read the instructions, and did everything she was supposed to do. She placed the capped stick carefully on the toilet paper dispenser. Then cleaned up, lowered the seat, and waited.

She stared at her phone screen and waited for exactly two minutes. But the longer she sat, the more her mind spiralled. Her pulse thudded in her ears, and she wanted to puke. The phone timer went off.

She swallowed hard and reached for the test, flipping it over with shaking hands.

Just look, Mahika. Face it.

She opened her eyes. And her world shook.

Two bright pink lines stared back at her. She was pregnant.

Holy fucking shit.

Her heart pounded. And that was just the beginning. Her mind spun with a thousand scenarios. What if Vikram thought she did it on purpose?

She hadn’t. She didn’t need his money, his name, or even him. She just wanted her freedom... the beach house. But logic didn’t calm the panic rushing through her.

Another thought hit her, and it almost broke her. What if he wanted a divorce? Then what? Of course, there would be a bit of money. But no job. No home. And those were the least of her worries. How was she supposed to live without him if it came to that?

The second timer went off, and she checked the next test. It was the same result.

Good god. She was going to be a mother.

And Vikram was going to be furious.

∞∞∞

Two hours later, by the time Mahika stepped out of the mall, it was late afternoon, and dark clouds loomed over the mountains.

Her legs ached from wandering through stores, and her tote bag was heavier with books she hadn’t intended to buy.

She’d sat in the corner of the bustling food court, drinking packaged orange juice, and had video-called Ishika, telling her everything.

Ishika had been shocked, happy, and worried for her.

She said all the right things and made her feel a lot better after they’d both shed some tears.

She was tired. Drained, actually. And yet, she wasn’t going to call Max.

She probably should have. He had offered to pick her up, and Vikram would have preferred it. But she needed to breathe. She needed to be alone, to put space between herself and everything that reminded her of Vikram, even if only for a few hours.

She headed towards the Uber pick-up zone, thumbing through the Uber app.

“Mahika?”

She stopped. The voice was familiar. She looked up to see Karan standing by a silver sedan, keys dangling from his fingers.

She blinked. “Karan?”

“Well, this is a surprise,” he said, stepping away from the car. “I saw you from across the lot. Thought I was seeing things.”

She smiled back at him, relieved to have her mind on something other than her problems for a change. “I had some errands to run. How have you been?”

“I’m good. But you look exhausted,” he said, studying her face a little too closely. “Rough day?”

“Just a bit. It’s nothing major. I probably just need some rest.” Mahika sighed. “How’s Priya? Is she here with you?” She looked around.

Karan’s smile faded, his jaw tightening as he rubbed his forehead. “She’s not here, Mahika.”

“Oh… all okay with you both?” she asked, noticing something odd in his expression.

“Yup. All fine.” Karan tilted his head with a faint smile. “Want to grab a coffee? I could use one myself.”

“I… I just had some juice, actually,” she informed in an apologetic tone.

“Then let’s grab something to eat. You remember that samosa place near college? Come on. Let’s catch up. Just for a bit.”

Mahika hesitated for a moment… why, she didn’t know. But then gave in, realising it really had been ages since they’d chatted.

“Okay,” she said slowly. “But not near college. It’s too far. There’s a café near the market square. That should work.”

He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. They swept over her slowly before locking onto her face again. “Perfect.”

What the hell was that? A prickling sensation crawled over her skin, like a thousand ants scurrying across her body, as his gaze travelled from her head to toe. She felt extremely awkward under his perusal. Maybe it didn’t mean anything, but it still made her uncomfortable.

Just then, he clicked open the passenger door and gestured for her to get in with a wide smile. She hesitated for a moment before shaking herself out of her thoughts. She slid inside, buckled her seatbelt, and immediately grimaced. The car smelled… strange.