Page 152 of Lawfully Yours

It was too much.

He stopped abruptly in the hallway.

“What?!” His words thundered against the walls. “Haven’t you seen me walk into this office before? What’s different today? Get back to work. We have cases to win!”

The staff scrambled, papers rustling, footsteps echoing as they hurried back to their desks. The normal buzz of the firm resumed.

Kushal turned sharply and strode into his cabin, where Raj Verma followed him close behind.

“Where’s Aru? She didn’t come with you?”

Kushal tossed his files onto the desk. The look on his face told Raj everything. Last night hadn’t changed a thing. Not yet.

Raj sighed heavily, but before he could speak, Kushal asked. “You told her that I’m not interested in leading Verma & Associates anymore. Didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did. And why not?” Raj shot back calmly. “She had to know someday. And honestly, Kushal, can I ask you both to stop running in circles? Stop chasing and stop fleeing? Just sit down together and figure out what’s best for you. I’m tired of watching you two destroy yourselves.”

Kushal didn’t answer.

“Life doesn’t hand out second chances again and again, my boy,” Raj continued. “The first time,youtried, and she pushed you away. Now she’s ready, and you’re the one shutting her out. If you keep this up, you’ll lose her. And this time, it will be forever.”

Raj placed a hand on his arm. “You’re angry. You’re hurt. I understand that. But if you still love her, and I know you do, this may be your last chance to make it right. Don’t throw it away.”

With that, he turned and walked out, leaving Kushal rooted in place.

And yet… even with every word of Raj’s ringing true, Kushal had decided he wouldn’t bend, just because Arundhati or Raj Verma wanted him to. Not until he was a thousand percent sure she meant it, that her change of heart wasn’t another storm waiting to break him all over again.

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

An Hour Later

Arundhati returned toVerma & Associates, dressed in one of the outfits she had left in Kushal’s closet. She was on her way toher uncle’s cabin when junior lawyer Akash intercepted her in the hallway.

“Ma’am,” he greeted cheerfully, “you really shocked us all yesterday in court.”

Arundhati stayed silent, but Akash went on. “But honestly… we’re all happy. I mean, we want you and Sir together. And I’m double relieved because at least now I don’t have to spy on Kushal sir for you anymore. To see if he’s with another woman, you know… so we could use it as evidence for your divorce case. I was always terrified that if Sir found out, he’d throw me out of the firm.” He chuckled nervously.

The colour drained from Arundhati’s face, and her heart hammered because standing not too far away, papers in hand, looking furiously at Akash and her, wasKushalhimself.

He had heard it.

Akash turned and noticed Kushal, too. Before Arundhati could move, another lawyer approached Kushal with documents, giving her a split second to hiss at Akash.

“What have you done, Akash? Who told you to say all that here?” she snapped under her breath. “If Kushal refuses to even hear me out after this, I swearI’llbe the one to fire you from Verma & Associates.”

Akash stammered, “I’m sorry, Ma’am… I didn’t know he’d overhear. But honestly, sir deserved to know—”

“Of course he did!” she cut him off sharply. “Butnotthis way.”

The moment Kushal finished talking with the other lawyer and strode back toward his cabin, she rushed after him, slipping inside his office before he could shut the door.

“Kushal,” she blurted out, breathless, “it’s not what you think. Please, let me explain.”

He turned on her angrily. “Explain what? That while I was trying to win my wife back, she was busy waiting for me to sleepwith another woman? So that she could use it as evidence for divorce?”

“No… no, that’s not true! That’s not what I wanted. God! How do I make you understand?”

“I don’twantto understand,” he snapped. “Just leave.”