She sighs, like she’s already heard all this, but her lips tremble with a smile she tries hiding. “You’re impossible.”
“Mm,” I hum, kissing her forehead. “But you love me.”
“That I do,” she whispers. Then she pulls back just enough to look at me. “But now you’re going to help me find something to wear. I want to look perfect for our family dinner.”
At the mention offamily, something tightens in my chest. Veer and Dad’s betrayal flashes behind my eyes. I’m still not fully over what they did, the way they hurt Meera. A part of me will probably never forget it. The protective, possessive part of me still wants to keep her far away from anything that ever made her cry. But Meera is too soft-hearted for her own good. She forgave them and asked me to do the same.
My mind drifts back to the night Dad and Veer came home to apologise. I hadn’t reported them to the police, but I had cut every tie that mattered. More importantly, I had walked away from the life I once knew, left behind everything illegal, moved into a house near her parents, and started again from scratch, working towards opening my own pub.
When they stood at my doorstep that night, every instinct in me wanted to slam the door in their faces. But Meera stopped me and asked me to listen.
I hated the idea of hearing a single word from them, knowing no explanation could ever justify what they had done.But the hope in Meera’s eyes loosened the anger I had been gripping with both hands. So I listened to their apologies.
They didn’t offer excuses, only promises to change, to become better people. And that night, Meera and I chose forgiveness. We chose to be a family again and went back to our house as a family.
Meera’s presence brought the feminine touch our home had been missing, and it made a world of difference. Over the years, we put an end to all illegal activities and rebuilt the pub the right way, clean and honest. And that was largely because Meera played an important role in turning us around.
Sometimes I think I couldn’t possibly love her more, and then she does something like that, something gentle and impossibly strong, and I fall again, harder than before.
She reaches up and touches my cheek. “I’m proud of you.”
I exhale slowly, shaking off the emotion. “I forgave them because you asked.”
Her expression cracks. “That’s not the—”
“That’s the truth, sweetheart.” I look at her belly bulging between us. “I did it for you, for our little one.”
She leans closer. “I know, Dev. And that’s why I love you.”
I lean down, brushing my lips against hers. “I love you too.”
Just then, her phone beeps. Meera pulls back to read the message, a small smile tugging at her lips as she types back. She places the phone beside her on the bed and looks up at me.
“Samarth confirmed he’s coming for dinner.”
I groan. Of course he is.
Well, now I can confirm this dinner is going to be pure torture. Even after years of marriage, seeing them together tests every shred of my patience. And what’s worse, I live with it every day, because they still work together. I’ve tried more than once to convince her to quit, to make it easier on me, but she refused stubbornly, arguing she wouldn’t give up her job for my jealousy.
Meera shifts as if she can read my damn mind. “Dev…”
“Don’t.”
She narrows her eyes. “You promised tonight would be peaceful.”
“I said I’d try,” I correct.
“You said you’d behave.”
“Tell him to keep his distance, and there won’t be a problem.” My jealousy isn’t logical. Not even a little. Not when it comes to Meera.
She sighs heavily. “Stop being so—”
“Obsessed?” I offer.
She rolls her eyes. “Exactly.”
I press a kiss to her stomach, then look up at her. “Too late for that, sweetheart.”
