Page 148 of Lawfully Yours

“But you know we lawyers don’t build arguments on whispers. We wait for evidence. And I had none. Only worry. Worry that if Kushal and Kamya ever did become serious, he might walk away from us. From this firm. And Aru, I couldn’t let that happen. Not after placing so much faith in him.”

He shrugged.

“So I thought of you. Of marrying you to him. I know it was wrong. Knowing he might have been growing feelings for another woman, and still considering my niece’s hand as his anchor, was wrong. But I told myself… if the whispers were true,he’d refuse. And if they weren’t, he would say yes. That was my test. And to my surprise… he agreed.”

His eyes softened, glistening with regret. “And in that moment, I was happy. Happy that I’d secured the best man for my niece. Even if the way I did it was tainted by my fear of losing him.”

He paused, as if choosing his next words carefully.

“Kushal said yes to marrying you because he respected me too much to deny, Aru. Not because he wanted leverage in Verma and Associates. And after the marriage, he never used it as a weapon for position or power in our firm. Yes, he wanted to rise to the top. Yes, that was his dream, his ambition. But not because he was suddenly a part of the Verma family. Not because of you.”

Arundhati flinched at those words, but Raj continued.

“He wanted it because he knew he was capable. Because he believed he could lead this firm into greater success. And that’s not wrong, Aru. There’s nothing wrong with having ambition. In wanting to prove yourself.” Raj sighed. “But now, look at what he’s done. Look at what he’s given up.”

“All this time,” Raj went on, “you kept using his ambition as the main excuse behind your demand for divorce. Again and again, you threw it in his face that he wanted you only as a ladder, that he wanted the firm more than the marriage. I tried, Aru. I tried to put sense into you for months. But every time I broached that subject, you shut me out. You never listened.”

His eyes softened again, but the sadness in them was still there. “And yet… today, without even knowing the truth, you took a leap of faith. You chose him. You stood up in that courtroom and told the judge you didn’t want this divorce anymore. Even without knowing that Kushal had already broken his own dream. That he had set aside his ambition of leading this firm…for you.”

“Why?” she asked, almost sobbing. “Why didn’t you tell me this?”

“He made me promise not to tell you. He said when the time was right, he’d tell you himself that he had backed off from that position. That you could have it all. Being at the top, leading this firm after I stepped back. But I couldn’t hold it in anymore. Because if this isn’t the right time, Aru… then when is?”

Arundhati burst into tears. Raj sat next to her and soothed her down. “But I’m glad it happened this way, Aru. Had I told you this before today, and then had you stood up in court to cancel your divorce, Kushal would have thought you changed your mind because now he had backed off from leading Verma and associates. But today… You didn’t know this. And still, you chose him. Despite these doubts hanging over you, unanswered, you chose the man, not the position.”

Arundhati’s chest heaved with ragged sobs as she pressed her trembling fingers to her mouth.

Raj stroked her back to calm her down, but soon his expression shifted, the crease of worry deepening on his forehead. “Now all I’m scared about is how we’re going to stop Kushal from leaving on this so-called two-year break of his.”

Her chest tightened at once. She remembered overhearing them talk about it at the firm the other day. At the time, she had brushed it aside, but now, it worried her too. The thought of him leaving… disappearing from her life for two whole years… even after she’d finally admitted she wanted him back…it terrified her.

She instantly wiped her tears and rose to her feet.

“I won’t let this happen, uncle. I can’t sit here and do nothing,” she said, in desperation. “He’s hurt. I need to go to him. To make him understand that he can’t just leave us hanging like this. I need to talk to him, Uncle. I need to—”

Raj stood quickly and caught her arm. “Aru, listen to me. I know you want to. And I know you have to. But not right now.”

Her lips parted to protest, but he held her gaze. “Your sudden U-turn in court has thrown him into a storm he doesn’t know how to face. Instead of relief, he’s feeling betrayed all over again. He’s questioning your decision-making, questioning your trust, questioning whether any of this means anything to him anymore. He needs time, Aru. Time to gather himself.”

Her shoulders slumped. She hated that he was right.

Slowly, she sank back onto the couch. But despite her strength draining, Arundhati picked up her phone and typed him a message: ‘Don’t hurt us more, Kushal. Please talk to me. Please.’

She hit send. And then stared at the screen, waiting for those three dots that never appeared.

He hadn’t responded to any of her text messages today. Because she was the reason they were standing at the edge of everything, on opposite sides of a love they both still felt but couldn’t yet reach.

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

Kushal’s Penthouse

Kushal had been home for some time now. Straight from court, he had driven back without a pause. The moment he entered, he’d gone directly to his bedroom, tossing his phone, wallet, and suit jacket aside before sinking onto the edge of the bed. Leaning forward, his face buried in his palms, he sat in silence.

He still couldn’t believe what had happened today.

All these months, the woman who had fought relentlessly for divorce, who only days ago, even after their closeness, had stood her ground… that same woman had suddenly told the judge she didn’t want it anymore?

What had changed?