Her heart faltered. Without thinking, her gaze dropped to his lips, and the memory of their kiss in the rain surfaced vividly in her mind. That night had left no room for doubt. His desire for her had been there. She did not need any more proof of that.
But she was not going to make it easy for him again. Not this time. He still had to earn his way back into her heart. That place was no longer his by default.
The doorbell rang, breaking the charged moment.
Karan exhaled slowly and stepped away from her, moving toward the door to see who it was. The very next instant, he opened it, and Avni, Rajat, Abhimanyu, and Komal walked in together, with Karan following them back inside.
Avni immediately turned to Mishti. “Have you settled in properly?” she asked casually.
Mishti did not answer right away. She looked at all of them instead and said flatly, “Whose idea was this?”
They exchanged looks, feigning innocence.
“What idea?” Rajat asked, pretending not to understand.
“This,” Mishti said, gesturing around the room. “Making me and Karan stay in the same room.”
Karan, too, strongly suspected that this arrangement had been planned. But he did not question it. He wanted the same outcome, and he was not about to complain.
Abhimanyu spoke up quickly. “No, bhabhi. You know VK uncle’s friends really are coming.”
Mishti shook her head. “Look, I’m not that innocent anymore for the two of you to fool me,” she said firmly. “And I still haven’t forgiven you and Rajat for hiding the truth all this time. You both knew where I was all along.”
Rajat and Abhimanyu almost pouted at that, but Avni stepped in without hesitation.
“Alright, alright,” she said. “Don’t scold them. This wasmyidea. I wanted the two of you to stay in the same room. They just helped me.”
Mishti frowned at her.
Avni continued calmly, “I just wanted you both to live in one room. That’s it. I don’t care how long you take to forgive these men. That is completely up to you. I won’t come in between.”
Abhimanyu looked at her in disbelief. “What are you saying, Avni? Instead of helping us, you’re instigating her?”
Avni shot back immediately. “Who asked you to hide all of this from her? In fact, even I’m not convinced. You all hid it from me, too, that Mishti was my bhabhi. I wasn’t on good terms with Karan bhai, fine. But you two? You didn’t say a word either.”
She turned toward Mishti decisively. “So I’m on her side.”
With that, she stepped forward and hugged Mishti from the side, claiming her without hesitation.
Komal was thoroughly enjoying the banter, and as for Karan, he remained silent, his attention fixed on his wife. He observed her closely, the way she naturally commanded respect from everyone around her without demanding it. She deserved every bit of it, and he knew that.
Rajat and Abhimanyu exchanged a glance, then, in unison, held their ears in apology. “This is the least we can do,” they said together. “Sorry, Mishti. Please forgive us this time.”
Abhimanyu added quickly, “The idea to hide it was Karan bhai’s, obviously.”
“Excuse me?” Karan protested immediately.
Abhimanyu looked at him pointedly. “Wasn’t it you who wanted her to remain oblivious about who Avni was? So why should we suffer?”
He then turned back to Mishti. “Look, Mishti bhabhi,” Abhimanyu continued earnestly, “please punish Karan bhai however you like. But spare Rajat and me. We are innocent.”
Karan rolled his eyes.
Mishti, unable to hold onto her anger any longer, finally laughed. The tension dissolved instantly as she gave in.
“Fine,” she said, shaking her head. “The entire family isdramebaaz(full of drama). I forgive you. But the next time you hide anything from me, I won’t tolerate it.”
Rajat and Abhimanyu spoke together again. “We would never.”
