Abhay didn’t need to read a single line on the sheet to know what kind of answers Kartik had prepared for him.
‘Sir, it’s pertinent that you stick to the script,’ she urged him.
‘Of course,’ Abhay said, but decided to hell with it.
She got out of the car, and he tapped the panel to address Dinesh. ‘Take the car around to the front.’
The moment Abhay stepped out of the car, a bright explosion of spotlight shone down on him. Cameramen and media personnel flitted between the velvet ropes and barricades, trying to snap a shot from every angle as he walked on the red carpet.
He stopped in front of the banner of the exhibition, dutifully posing for the media. All around him, questions and flashes echoed, hungry and unrelenting.
‘Abhay sir, look this way!’
‘Sir, how does it feel to open the exhibition after months of anticipation?’
‘Where is Siya? Will she be joining you later tonight?’
He nodded politely and bid a salute with his fingers but didn’t stop for a private comment. He couldn’t go through this hoopla without her by his side.
He turned around the corner and from a few feet away, he caught the tail end of Kartik’s response as he gave an exclusive to a well-known entertainment journalist. ‘—you know how these things go. Too much stress and too little rest. It happens to the best of us, and then Siya is still a child who couldn’t deal with the pressure.’
His jaw tightened and he leisurely walked up to them. As soon as the journalist spotted him, he moved away from Kartik mid-answer and rushed up to him. ‘Abhay sir, do you have a comment on Siya’s absence?’
‘Absence? My wife is already inside,’ he lied smoothly.
‘Oh? But Kartik sir said…’ he trailed off, looking between Kartik and him.
Hiding his displeasure behind his charming smile, Kartik walked up to Abhay and gave him a harsh pat on the back. Abhay smoothly rolled his hand away, and instead, draped his arm around his shoulders.
The journalist asked again, ‘So, Siya ma’am is on the premises?’
‘Of course, she wouldn’t miss it for anything,’ Abhay replied before Kartik could. ‘She is not feeling well, but her dedication to her work comes first, so she is on the floor, overseeing every last detail.’
‘That’s admirable, sir,’ the journalist gushed.
Abhay shrugged and said, ‘My girl is a powerhouse when it comes to something that matters to her. Excuse me.’ With a nod, he walked ahead.
When he was halfway, Abhay felt the weight of a hand clasping his shoulder. ‘Thank you for making this mess more difficult to handle. Do you think they’ll stop asking questions now? They’ll be scouring the venue for a photo of her.’
‘That’s the plan. Now the focus will be on finding Siya instead of why she didn’t attend.’
Kartik flushed red, and glared at him.
‘You seem angry,sasurji. Are you jealous because the spotlight won’t be on you?’ Abhay mocked.
‘You two are made for each other. Too selfish and hardheaded to see how the world really works.’
‘I know how you work, and that’s exactly why I’m not going to let you diminish her success because it bruises your tiny ego.’
Kartik scoffed. ‘It’s not about ego. It is about her negligence. Her absence is a stain on the overall flawless plan.’
‘In that case, I’m sure your expertise at lying and spinning stories will come in handy,’ Abhay said with a ruthless smile.
As much as he wished, Kartik didn’t take the bait. ‘All I’m saying is we could’ve avoided this fiasco if she’d shown up like everyone else. I should have known she’s too dumb to be trusted, especially on a crucial night like this.’
Abhay raised a hand to stop his incessant tirade. ‘You don’t get to talk about her after everything you’ve done to her. You can flash a smile all you want, but Siya had more to do with this exhibition than you ever did, and whether she’s in front of the camera or not, that doesn’t become any less true.’
Kartik opened his mouth, then shut it again. For once, he didn’t have a comeback.
