KABIR
Karam was waitingfor them on the front steps of Il Cuore, arms crossed over his chest, flinty gaze trained on their vehicle.
“Took you long enough to get here,” he said when they got out of the car and walked up to where he stood. His gaze roved over Tani, every muscle in his body relaxing once he verified for himself that she was unhurt.
Kabir stood to the side, silently, letting father and daughter have their moment.
“Dad, I’m sorry.” The words left her in an uncontrolled rush. “It was my fault. I was the one who organised everything and-“
“You were always a bad liar,” Karam replied. “Get inside.”
“I’m not lying, Dad!” she protested.
“I said, get inside.” The cold snap in his voice had even Kabir flinching.
Tears sprang up in Tani’s eyes but she blinked them back. “I’m not a child,” she said. “You don’t get to treat me like one.”
“You aremychild,” Karam said, steely voiced. “And I will always look out for you. Now, get inside.”
“Dad-“
“Get the fuck inside!” The roar had Kabir taking a reflexive step forward but Karam halted him with a single look.
When Tani didn’t move, didn’t wipe her tears, didn’t look away, didn’t breathe, Karam exhaled hard and walked over to where she stood. His steps were slow, heavy with a father’s disappointment and his love. He stopped right in front of her, close enough that she had no choice but to feel the weight of his presence.
“You come home,” he began quietly, “and you announce you’re getting married.”
Her chin trembled. He didn’t let up.
“I say okay,” he continued, “because that’s what youclaimmakes you happy.” There was no accusation in his voice, just pain, confusion, and helplessness.
“You tell us you’re leaving New York. Moving back home.” He huffed a short, cracked laugh.
“And we’re thrilled for you even though it makes absolutely no sense to us, having raised a daughter who spoke of nothing but conquering Wall Street the day she graduated college. At least, we’ll get to see our daughter more often. She’ll be closer to us. But we didn’t know a stranger was coming home from New York.”
Tani squeezed her eyes shut.
He wasn’t finished.
“You say you’re starting a new business,” he went on, voice tightening. “We’re so excited for you. We want to support you. But Tani… we see no sign of anything thatneedssupport.”
He lifted a hand, counting each point off on his fingers, each one cutting a little deeper.
“No business plans. No investor meetings. No property viewings. No hiring.Nothing.”
She flinched with each blow.
“And then you ask for investment.” His eyes softened with something close to heartbreak.
“Again, we say yes. We set up a meeting. We clear our schedules. And then-”
He shook his head, a muscle ticking in his jaw. “You don’t show up.”
Tani’s breath hitched.
“And I find empty vodka bottles rolling out from under your bed,” he said quietly. “My daughter who hasn’t touched anything stronger than champagne at New Year’s is hiding bottles under her bed like a delinquent teenager.”
His voice cracked then. Just a little. Just enough for her to feel it in her bones.
