Page 141 of Lawfully Yours

“At the end of the day, you and I both want her happiness. She’s not going to stop chasing the divorce. So, I’m not going to make her wait anymore. On the next trial date, I’ll agree to a mutual divorce.”

Raj stared at him, his jaw tightening. “You’re not doing the right thing, Kushal. I mean… why would you do this? Whathappened to all those arguments, all that effort to stop her from ending the marriage? You can’t be serious. I had so many hopes from you.”

Kushal’s eyes hardened, but he looked tired now, even to explain. “I’ve given up, Sir. I can’t do this anymore if she doesn’t want it. So, I quit.”

“No,” Raj shot back. “You can’t quit. You hear me? You can’t just walk away like this.”

Kushal didn’t respond, but Raj continued.

“I knew something really bad had happened between you two after that press meet, which went wrong. That day, after you left, Aru came to me… and she cried her heart out. She didn’t say a word about what happened, but I could sense it. And then you stopped answering my calls. You didn’t work from here but from your penthouse. So this is what happened?” His voice dipped. “Do you think she’s happy with all this? No, she is not, Kushal. I know her… she’s my niece.”

Kushal stayed silent.

“Aru’s like that—once she decides something, it’s hard to change her mind,” Raj went on, his voice softening with memory. “When she was ten, she became obsessed with climbing Mount Snowdon in Wales. I refused at first because it’s too dangerous. But Aru refused to listen. She skipped six months of school just to train for it. Wouldn’t hear a word against it. Eventually, I gave in. She made it to the summit, stood there in triumph… but when she came back, she saw what she’d missed. Her best friend moved to another city, she missed her final exams, had to repeat the year. One goal achieved, but a lot left behind.

“What I’m saying is—right now she’s stubborn about the divorce. But when you give it to her, she might realise what she’s losing… and feel guilty enough to turn back.”

Kushal, who listened without interrupting, finally broke the silence now. “Maybe. But this divorce isn’t some childhood obsession she’ll outgrow. And I don’t have the patience left to wait for her guilt to make her give us another chance.”

Raj’s voice edged into a plea. “Kushal, think again. Don’t do this.”

Kushal leaned forward, resting his hand on the older man’s. “The last time you asked me to marry your niece, I couldn’t say no to you. But this time… if I don’t say no, we’ll just hurt each other more. Let it happen, Sir. It’s best for all of us…especially for Arundhati.”

“And what about you? Will you be able to live without her?”

Kushal’s gaze dropped to the floor for the briefest moment, the question slicing through whatever armour he had left. But he didn’t answer. He simply turned and walked out of that open door, never realising that someone had overheard every word.

The woman herself.

She had heard everything. Every word, every pause, every refusal to fight for her anymore. She wanted to feel relief. After all, wasn’t this exactly what she had wanted? For him to stop resisting, to let her go? But what pooled in her stomach wasn’t relief. It was a hollow, aching void that made it hard to breathe.

Inside, Raj Verma almost stumbled to his feet, drained and heavy-hearted. That was when Arundhati stepped inside, her own tears hastily brushed away as she reached for him.

“Uncle, sit down,” she murmured, guiding him back into the chair and pushing a glass of water into his hands.

“I’m fine,” he said, though his voice betrayed him.

“No, you’re not,” she countered softly, pouring him a glass of water and pressing it into his hand.

He looked at her for a long moment, as though searching her face for answers she wasn’t ready to give. She didn’t meet his eyes. She couldn’t. The truth was, if she did, he would see toomuch…the confusion, the sting of Kushal’s words, the part of her that wanted to chase after him and demand why he was giving up now… when she didn’t know if she even wanted him to.

But she didn’t move. Didn’t speak.

Because for once, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to win this fight anymore.

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

A day before the Divorce Court Trial

Arundhati stood outside Kushal’s penthouse. It had been three days since he told her to come and collect the things she had left behind. Three days since he’d made it clear, without raising his voice, without any trace of his usual ego, that in court tomorrow, he would agree to the mutual divorce she had fought for.

Her fight. Her choice.And yet, her hands felt heavier than the leather strap of her bag as she reached for the elevator.

She had come straight from Verma & Associates, still in her black pantsuit and crisp white crop shirt, the cut baring a hint of her midriff. She looked sharp and confident only on the outside. Inside, she was nervous and in grief.

The elevator ride up felt too quick. The code for it was still the same…her birthday. She knew it wouldn’t be for long. Tomorrow, the first thing he might do after returning from the court is to change it.

When she reached the door, she hesitated. Should she key in the code like she still belonged here, or ring the bell like she was now just another visitor? She suddenly recalled the first time she’d stood here as his wife.