“Hey, baby.”
Mishti walked beside her, doing her best not to listen to the conversation she had no choice but to overhear. They got into the car, Avni sliding into the driver’s seat, still on the call. As the car pulled out, Avni remained mostly occupied with the conversation, discussing details of their destination wedding in Jaipur, scheduled for the next month.
Mishti had never seen Raj. Never met him either. He lived in India, and despite being so close to Avni, his face was still a mystery to her. When the wedding had been fixed and Mishti had demanded that Avni at least show her his photograph, Avni had flatly refused.
“You’ll meet him directly at my wedding,”she had declared, smug and stubborn as ever.“Trust me. Some surprises are better kept till the end.”
That was Avni for her, guarding secrets for no real reason other than the thrill of it. Especially when it came to Raj. Mishti had laughed it off then, shaking her head at Avni’s strange insistence. But now, sitting beside her as she spoke so fondly on the call, Mishti couldn’t help but feel that curiosity grow.Whoever Raj was, he clearly already owned a piece of Avni’s heart.
She listened to their phone conversation despite herself. The softness in Avni’s voice, the laughter, the ease. She adored it, even though she didn’t want to. And with that admiration came a familiar ache.
She too had a husband once. A man who never cared. Who never wanted her. Who never loved her. She would never know the joy of talking to her partner like Avni did.
Her eyes burned at the thought, making her wonder if Karan was still looking for her.
She knew the answer, at least partly. In the initial weeks after she left, he had searched desperately. Komal had told her that during one of their calls. But after that, there were no more updates. Nothing. As if he had given up. Or accepted that she was no longer part of his life for good.
Maybe he had moved on, and she didn’t want to know.
That was why she had asked Komal, firmly, not to tell her anything about Karan anymore. Those updates only made her sadder and miss him more. Komal had agreed without hesitation, understanding that it was best for Mishti’s mental health.
And so, even when Komal called her two or three times a week from India, squeezed in between her busy schedules, they spoke only about themselves. About work. About growth. About life. Nothing else.
When Avni finally ended the call and parked outside the studio building, she turned to Mishti with a guilty look.
“Sorry,” she said immediately. “I completely ghosted you the entire ride.”
Mishti offered a small smile. “It’s fine,” she replied softly. “I understand.”
“Okay, anyway, I’ll need your passport details for the flight booking.”
Mishti understood immediately.Jaipur.
She turned to Avni at once. “I can’t come to your wedding.”
Avni’s head snapped toward her. “You can’t be serious.”
“There has to be someone here while you and VK are away,” Mishti said calmly. “I’ll stay back. Someone needs to look after the work.”
“No. I don’t care.” Avni shook her head, unimpressed. “We’ll arrange some other backup for work.” She pointed a finger at Mishti. “You’re coming to my wedding in Jaipur. Or else I’m not getting married.”
Mishti laughed despite herself. “You’re being dramatic again.”
Avni smiled, then her expression softened as she reached for Mishti’s hand and held it.
“Maybe I am,” she said quietly. “But listen to me.”
Her voice gentled. “London has given me everything. Family. Good work. Amazing friends. But with you, it’s different, Mishti. You are not just my friend. You give me sister vibes more.”
She squeezed her hand. “And I can’t believe my sister wouldn’t be there on my wedding day. That’s just unfair. Youhaveto come.”
Then her eyes sparkled with mischief. “And if you keep refusing, I swear I’ll kidnap you and put you on that plane myself.”
Mishti laughed again. Yet even as she did, her mind had already been thinking. Avni’s wedding was no small affair. It was a full-fledged destination wedding for two weeks in Jaipur, at a royal seven-star resort. It included the pre-wedding rituals, ceremonies, and celebrations. Everything.
And she really would have loved to be a part of it. But going to India again? What if Karan came to know she had steppedback into the country? But Karan was in Mumbai. Everyone who knew her was in Mumbai. The wedding was in Jaipur. She could stay low-key. Blend in. No one would recognise her as Karan Wadhwa’s wife. No one would know she was there, and after two weeks, she would fly back to London. It looked simple.
Avni shook her arm gently. “What are you thinking so much? Just say yes, please.” She pouted, eyes wide and pleading.
