Page 139 of Lawfully Yours

Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes before she could stop it. She blinked them away, fast and hard, not wanting either of them to notice.

They had a client to brief. And if nothing else, she could pretend for now that her world hadn’t just tilted on its axis from the absence of a ring.Their wedding ring!

Chapter 25

Verma & Associates Office

Throughout the briefing, Kushal could feel Arundhati’s gaze on him…more precisely, on his bare finger where the wedding ring used to be. Taking it off that morning had cost him more than he cared to admit.

Ever since the day they had exchanged rings, he had worn it with pride, never once removing it. For a man who had grown up without a family, it wasn’t just a ring. It was proof that he belonged somewhere, to someone. It was a silent announcement to the world:I have a home, a wife, a family of my own.

Even through the cracks in their marriage, even in the ten long months they had lived under separate roofs, he had kept it on. It had been his stubborn hope…his quiet vow…that one day she’d come back, that he’d never let their marriage end in divorce.

But after the last few confrontations with Arundhati, that hope had finally shattered. The divorce was certain. So this morning, he had slid the ring off, placed it in his home locker where the rest of her belongings still sat untouched in his closet, and walked out without looking back.

Now, seeing her after three days…still beautiful, still his in ways she refused to admit…and catching the flicker of hurt in her eyes as he ignored her, he almost wondered if she regretted their last conversation.Almost.But Kushal knew better. A mountainmight bend, but not his wife. He shut down the thought instantly.

He had already decided: the moment Anant left, so would he. Back to his penthouse, back to the distance he’d been keeping for three days now, and he’d stay there until their next divorce trial date—just four days away, and two days after that was Anant and Sadhna’s first court session.

“Kushal… what about Noyonika?” Anant’s voice broke through Kushal’s thoughts. “Will she even show up?”

“She’ll be there,” Kushal replied. “Her testimony is key. And now that we’ve exposed her lies, we’ve got hard evidence to dismantle her story.”

Anant nodded slowly, still looking unconvinced. His gaze dropped to the floor, and that’s when Arundhati continued the conversation.

“Sadhna’s lawyer, Maanya, will try to rattle you. She’ll counter-question aggressively, and some of it will be designed to provoke you into slipping. That’s their tactic. But we’ll keep it contained. We’ll object where necessary, redirect where possible. The key is…don’t let her get under your skin.”

“And remember,” Kushal added, “this first hearing is about setting the tone. We make it clear that your case is solid, that you’re not going to bend to unreasonable demands… their massive alimony payout.”

Anant exhaled, running a hand over his jaw. “And what about the media circus?”

Kushal cut in, a glint in his eye. “Thanks to some… careful handling, the narrative out there isn’t in her favour anymore. People are questioning her motives. The sympathy vote is shifting.”

Arundhati slid a file toward him. Inside were neatly organised witness statements, financial reports, and photographs. “We’ve already had her financial trail mapped out—lavish vacations, luxury purchases, hidden accounts. If she tries to play the ‘wronged wife’ in court, we’ll paint the reality instead.”

Anant’s lips parted, some of the tension easing from his face as he scanned the documents.

Kushal leaned back on his chair. “Bottom line is …between Noyonika’s retraction and the evidenceMs. Vermapulled, Sadhna’s credibility is going to crumble. She’ll either have to settle… or risk her entire career going up in flames.”

He called her ‘Ms. Verma’ again!

Arundhati’s eyes met Kushal’s, and this time hewaslooking at her. But he dropped that gaze in a fraction of a second before turning to Anant again.

“This is the part where they expect you to blink first, Anant.Don’t.Let them see that we’re prepared to go all the way.”

Anant finally exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing just a fraction. He rose from his chair, offering a grateful nod to both Kushal and Arundhati.

“Thank you,” he said, as he reached across the desk to shake their hands.

Kushal picked up the receiver, pressing the intercom button to call their junior lawyer inside.

Within moments, he stepped into the cabin.

“Get the remaining formalities signed,” Kushal instructed.

The lawyer gave a quick nod and gestured for Anant to follow him. With one last look of appreciation, Anant left the cabin.

Silence wrapped around them. Kushal began gathering the scattered papers, as if he was ready to leave the office again. He had no plans to continue working from here,around her.