I haven’t seen her since we got here.Fourteen hours ago.
And I hate how deeply I miss her already. Like a phantom limb that still aches. We’ve spent every damn day together for almost two months now, and now there’s this hollow space beside me.
I don’t even know where she’s staying. Ishika handled it quietly, under strict instructions—I wasn’t supposed to know. So now I’m here, sharing a room with one of Lucian’s friends—who conveniently disappeared about five hours ago.
I’m just about to crash for the night after hours of dancing and firecrackers, when I hear a couple of voices in the main hall.
Voices Iknow.
I pause at the hallway corner, frown tugging at my lips.
It’s 3 a.m.. What the hell is Lucian still doing awake the night before his wedding?
“Okay—fuck—wait!” Lucian’s frantic voice. “I’ll... I’ll give you 2.5% equity in Kepler Health. You can even be on the fuckingboard!”
I smother a laugh.What the hell?
“Really?” Kashvi’s voice oozes fake awe. “You’d give methat muchequity? For what? A little conjugal visit?”
Lucian growls. “Kash...please. I haven’t seen her all day. I need to see my Rohi. Just for a second.”
I follow the sound, leaning around the corner to see them mid-negotiation. Kashvi has her arms crossed, one brow raisedin pure villain mode. Lucian’s running both hands through his hair, hiskurtarumpled like he’s been pacing.
“Fine,” Kashvi says casually. “Make it 50% equity and I’ll let you sneak in. Maybe even squeeze in aquickieif you’re fast. Which I’m guessing isn’t unusual.”
Lucian looks horrified—but not for the reason I thought. “Fifty?! Are youderanged?That’s not how equityworks!”
“It’s howloveworks,” Kashvi quips.
“I’m offering you a once-in-a-lifetime investment in my company,” Lucian groans. “Fine. Two... point...” he grits out like he can’t breathe. “Seven five percent!”
She cackles. Full-on witch mode. “It’s all or nothing, Lucifer!”
And I lose it too, finally laughing out loud. The man iswhipped.
Lucian spins around like a guilty kid caught at recess. “You heard nothing.”
I watch as Kashvi beams at me. “Advik!”
She practically bounces over and throws her arms around me in a hug. I give her a squeeze, then glance over her shoulder at Lucian—who looks like a man freshly defeated in a custody battle.
“I didn’t see you all day!” Kashvi pulls back, smacking my shoulder a little too close to my gunshot wound. It’s mostly healed by now, but I still flinch. She doesn’t notice.
You know what’snothealed? My fucking throat. My voice is cracking at inopportune times. That fucking punch wasmasterful.
“Good to see you, Kash,” I chuckle. “Where’s your guy?”
Her face twists in mock-disgust. “Ugh. Liam is probably putting rose petals on our bed as we speak.”
Lucian strolls over with the slow, annoyed gait of a man who knows he’s outnumbered and out-negotiated.
“Hey man,” he says, giving me a half-hug, then narrows his eyes at Kashvi. “Icouldbe doing that for your best friend right now. Butnooo—Kashvi the gatekeeper decided we must suffer.”
“She’sfiiiiine!She passed out after her last vodka shot. You... not so much.”
Lucian pinches the bridge of his nose. “Tell me you didn’t encourage this? She needs to be up byninetomorrow for the wholekaleerething!”
Ah, thekaleere. That age-old tradition where the bride clinks her bangled hands together, hoping thekaleere—the umbrella-like trinkets—will fall onto the heads of her unmarried friends or family. I’ve never seen it happen live—only caught glimpses in. But from what I understand, if thekaleeredrop on you, it means you’re next in line to get hitched.
