“Why? Feeling ashamed that the truth is out?” Her lips twist into a bitter smile. “And I haven’t said anything wrong,” she snaps, loud enough for the onlookers to catch every word. “Iwant everyone to know you are nothing but a gold-digger who’s been playing with my son’s heart.”
A knot tightens in my stomach, but I force myself to stay composed. If she wants a scene, I won’t give her one. Not here. Not like this.
I take a deep breath, keeping my expression neutral even as my insides twist. “Mrs. Thakur, I’m not playing with anyone’s heart. I care about Aditya…”
She cuts me off with a sharp laugh. “Care? Don’t make me laugh. Girls like you only care about one thing—money. I’ve seen your type before, sinking your claws into rich men,” she states defiantly, a satisfied gleam in her eyes as she notices the growing audience. “But I won’t let you ruin my son’s life.”
I swallow the lump in my throat, refusing to let her disrespect me in my own workplace, no matter what opinion she has formed of me. “I’m not interested in Aditya’s bank balance. And just so you know, money holds no value for me when weighed against self-respect and dignity. I’ve built everything I have through hard work, and I won’t let anyone belittle that, no matter how wealthy or influential they may be. So I’m requesting you if we could end this here.”
“Don’t you dare play that innocent act of yours. You’ve blinded my son with whatever game you’re playing, but I’m not going to fall for it,” she hisses. “And I’m not leaving until you walk away from my son. It’s none of your business, but I still want you to know that I’ve found the perfect match for him—someone from our world, someone with real standards. But he’s throwing it all away because of you. I hope you understand now how you’re ruining his life and how important it is for me to get you out of it.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. The truth is glaringly obvious now—no matter what I say, no matter how genuine my feelings are, I’ll never be good enough in her eyesfor her son. And I’m almost relieved that I got this reality check before I confessed my feelings to Aditya.
I look at her, really look at her. Beneath the anger, I see fear—a desperate fear of losing her son. But that doesn’t excuse her cruelty.
I square my shoulders. “If staying away from your son is what you want, then you’ll get it. But there is something I want in return.”
Her lips tighten. “I knew you would ask your price,” she says coldly. “So tell me, what will it take for you to stay away from my son?”
I lift my chin, meeting her icy gaze head-on. “I want you to leave and never come back here again. I won’t tolerate you walking into my café again and insulting me. You’ve said what you needed to say. Now, please leave.”
She shoots me one last contemptuous look before spinning on her heel, her expensive stilettos clicking sharply against the floor.
Once she’s out of sight, I exhale slowly, feeling everyone’s gaze still fixed on me, their stares burning into my chest. My composure begins to crack, emotions too raw to contain.
Unable to stand under their scrutiny any longer, I turn on my heel and make my way to my office, my steps quick and unsteady. Once inside, I slam the door behind me as I walk up to my desk. I place my hands on the edge of my desk as I bow my head, struggling to control my breathing, fighting back the tears that threaten to spill.
Just as I think I’m pulling myself together, I feel a gentle hand on my shoulder. Thinking it’s Mili, I turn around, only to find myself face-to-face with Jai, his concerned eyes fixed on me.
He hesitates for a moment before speaking, “I hope it’s not the wrong time.”
I manage a weak smile, shaking my head. “No, it’s fine.”
He offers me a small smile in return. “I was just holding up to the offer you made... of trying your coffee,” he says lightly, trying to ease the tension. “And I also wanted to give you the good news that your loan has been processed, and the amount has been transferred to your account.”
A spark of happiness flickers through me, momentarily dulling the ache in my chest. “That’s... that’s great news,” I say, a faint smile breaking through. But it quickly fades as the weight of everything else crashes back down.
Jai’s eyes soften, his expression earnest.
“Can we sit?” he asks, nodding toward the couch in the corner.
I nod silently, moving to the couch and sinking into it. He sits beside me, maintaining just enough distance to give me space.
After a moment, he speaks, his voice low and considerate. “I know it’s not my place to ask what went wrong, and I won’t ask... because I know you won’t be comfortable telling me.” He pauses, his gaze steady and sincere. “But... can you trust me enough to be a friend? To just stay here with you... until you’re okay?”
I nod as I look at him, gratitude shining through my tear-filled eyes, as his words loosen the tightness in my chest just a little.
“Thank you... Jai,” I whisper, my voice barely holding together.
He simply nods, leaning back on the couch, his eyes glancing around the room before settling back on me. He studies my face for a moment, concern flickering in his gaze. Then, his lips curve into a playful smirk.
“You know,” he begins, his voice light, “for a place that serves some of the best coffee in town, the owner sure looks like she could use a cup herself.”
A reluctant smile tugs at my lips. “Are you saying I look terrible?”
He raises his hands in mock defence. “Hey, I didn’t say that. Just... exhausted. And maybe a bit moody.”
I let out a soft laugh, the sound surprising me. “That really helped. Thank you. And I guess I could use a cup.”
