Rajat raised an eyebrow. “You can marry a Goel, but can’t eat her halwa? Not fair.”
Karan shot him a warning look.
“Fine,” Rajat said, sighing dramatically. “Then I’ll have the rest. It’s from Mishti after all. How can I possibly ignore it?”
Before he could reach for the bowl, Karan snatched it back. “I told you I don’t like this friendship of yours with her. Eithershe’syour friend orIam. Decide.”
Rajat’s mouth curved into a mischievous smile. “Decision made. Mishti, it is.”
Karan glared at him, stood up, and started walking toward the door.
“Okay, okay—sorry!” Rajat jumped up, following him out. “Don’t ever give me such an option again. You know it’ll always be you.”
Karan didn’t respond, but Rajat caught the faintest twitch at the corner of his friend’s mouth before the office door swung shut behind them.
CHAPTER 6
Wadhwa Mansion – The Next Day
Mishti sat in the backyard garden, wrapped in a pale blue shawl, watching the slow sway of the trees around her. Her bruises were lighter now, but the soreness within her heart remained raw.
The sudden sound of footsteps made her turn.
“Madam, Mrs Divya Goel is here to meet you,” Maria announced softly.
“Send her in, Maria.”
Divya entered, worry clouding her face as soon as she saw Mishti.
“Mishti…” She walked straight up to her and held her hand. “How are you doing?”
Mishti smiled faintly, squeezing her hand. “I’m fine now, Bhabhi.”
Divya brushed her thumb gently over Mishti’s knuckles. “Still, you should’ve been more careful. No more driving for you, especially at night. Tell Karan too.”
“I will,” Mishti promised softly. “How’s Bhai?”
Divya hesitated for a second before replying, “He is fine. He wanted to come here… but there was an urgent meeting, so he had to leave. He asked me to convey his wishes, though.”
Mishti’s smile didn’t falter, but her eyes betrayed a soft ache. She reached out and held Divya’s hand tighter.
“You don’t have to lie to me, Bhabhi,” she said gently. “I’ve grown up with him. I know he doesn’t care about me. He never has. So, obviously, despite knowing about my accident, he wasn’t going to come here. I was just a burden to him all this while… and now he’s passed that burden to someone else…Karan.”
“Mishti!” Divya scolded softly. “Don’t say that. You’re not a burden. You’re—”
“It’s okay,” Mishti interrupted, smiling again, the kind of smile that hurt to see. “I’ve accepted it long ago. I always wanted Bhai to see me as family, but I suppose that’s too much to hope for.”
There was a silence between them before Mishti looked up. “Bhabhi,” she said slowly, “I… got to know from Karan that Bhai’s company was about to be taken over by Karan’s company. You knew about it?”
Divya’s eyes flickered with guilt. She hesitated, but she couldn’t bring herself to lie any further.
“Yes.” She nodded. “I came to know only when your marriage proceedings had already begun. Daksh told me everything… how Karan himself suggested that he would stop the takeover, but in return, he wanted to marry you.”
“What?” Mishti froze. The words didn’t register at once. “Karan… proposed the marriage?” she whispered. “Not Bhai?”
Divya nodded, slower this time. “That’s what Daksh said. Even I was surprised. It’s not as if you and Karan were in love before, or that he used the situation to confess his feelings. It made no sense to me either.”
“Are you sure, Karan proposed?” Mishti asked again to be sure.
