Page 129 of Lawfully Yours

A woman reporter fromIndia Now and Todayleaned in, shouting over the others. “Mrs. Nair, but Kamya Bakshi is claiming she’s being framed. That she never encouraged Noyonika to lie. She saysyouare targeting her.”

“Why would I do that?” Arundhati argued. “Ms. Bakshi was our client. We only acted because she breached a signed legal agreement. This has nothing to do with personal bias. It’s about accountability.”

Another voice rang out from the back. “But she claims you did this to keep her away from Mr. Kushal Nair… your husband.”

Arundhati’s gaze faltered. She didn’t answer at once. But then it got worse.

A journalist fromMirror Todaypushed forward. “Is it true that Mr. Kushal Nair was planning to propose to Kamya Bakshi? And it wasyouwho came in between that lovely couple?”

Another chimed in, relentless. “Is that the reason for you filing for a divorce? An extramarital affair between Kushal Nair and Ms. Bakshi?”

The questions blurred into noise. Arundhati’s pulse hammered in her ears as her eyes fixed on the blinding lights and moving mouths. But soon the sound dulled. She didn’t hear words anymore. She only saw fragments. A memory flashing like static behind her eyes. A woman yelling. A man slamming a door. Accusations thrown like knives.

And then…darkness. The room began to spin.

Her vision swam. Her throat closed up. Sweat gathered at her temples.

She didn’t even notice when her body began to sway.

But someone caught her.

It was her uncle.

He steadied her, jaw tight with fury as he turned to the reporters. “That’s enough,” he snapped. “We’re here to address legal developments inAnant and Sadhna Mukherjee’sdivorceproceedings. This isnotthe place to discuss Arundhati and Kushal Nair’s personal matters.”

Cameras still clicked, but no one spoke.

“We will not entertain baseless gossip or tabloid bait,” he continued. “This press conference is over.”

With that, he ushered Arundhati out of the hall, his arm firm around her shoulder, shielding her from the swarm. Behind them, the team from Verma & Associates stepped in to de-escalate the frenzy, fielding questions, moving the press toward the exits, and controlling the damage already done.

***************

A few hours later

Kushal had just stepped out of the courtroom, his mind still half-entrenched in the details of a corporate litigation, when his junior rushed to him, breathless.

“Sir, there was a press meet held in the firm on Anant Mukherjee’s case, and it... got intense.”

The words barely registered before his phone buzzed again, this time with a series of texts and a video link. Kushal tapped into the live news channel’s highlights. The moment the clip began to roll on his iPad screen, his body froze in the corridor for a beat. The highlights showed Arundhati and Raj Verma at the press table. Everything was as per the standard, until it hither.

He didn’t need sound to understand what was happening. He saw the shift in her face the second the journalist broughthim and Kamya togetherinto the conversation. He saw the way her eyes darted, lips parted, but no words followed. Then the flash of confusion, the spiralling panic, the unmistakable signs of her zoning out.

God.She had nearly blacked out on that stage.

Kushal didn’t waste a second. He turned on his heel and left the court premises, keys already clenched in his hand. He slidinto the driver’s seat of his car, engine roaring to life, and the wheels screeched onto the road before the door was fully shut.

He tried calling her. Once. Twice. Then again. No response. It had been hours now, two, maybe three since the press meet fiasco when he finally reached the firm. He parked without bothering to align straight, left the door half open, and stormed through the glass doors like a man possessed.

The moment he turned the corridor, he saw Raj Verma exiting one of the conference rooms. Kushal didn’t wait for pleasantries.

“How could you let that happen without me?” he asked.

Raj looked up, clearly expecting the confrontation. “You were in court, Kushal. Someone had to address the press. We couldn’t delay it any further. The Noyonika narrative was spinning too fast.”

“I could’ve reassigned the hearing,” Kushal snapped, stepping closer. “I’m leading this divorce case with Arundhati. Ihadto be there too. And to be honest, I still wouldn’t have cared. I would’ve let it go...butyou announced Kamya Bakshi’s involvement. You didn’t think the media would connect it back to me and Aru? You thought they’d just gloss over that?”

Raj exhaled heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I misjudged. I see that now.”