‘My mother took you in,’ Ayaan spoke, his voice low and hard, his eyes locking on mine. ‘She treated you like her own. And now, when things have gone wrong, you’re accusing her ofsabotagingourcompany? Are you in your right mind?’
They’ll never see the truth. They’ll never believe me.My stomach burned like he had poured acid in it. ‘You’re blind if you think she treats me the same as she does you.’
Ayaan opened his mouth, but Rekha cut him off.
‘Ayaan, it’s okay,’ she said, her voice wobbly as she wiped away a crocodile tear. ‘I don’t want my sons to fight. I just …’ She paused, drew in a breath and met my gaze. ‘Perhaps I have not filled your mother’s shoes as well as I’d wished. And you felt like I loved you less. If blaming this on me makes you feel better … then fine. I did it.’
‘No, Mom,’ Ayaan said firmly. ‘Bhai, I’ve always respected you, but you have crossed a line. Your only proof is the word of a nobody. I willnotlet you drag Mom through the mud.’
‘Jai, I …’ A quiver threaded through Rekha’s words. ‘I didn’t realise you carried such bitterness in your heart for me. I’m so sorry.’
A crushing sense of futility sank into me. With every perfectly timed smile and every calculated tear, she had blinded Dad and Ayaan. They were never going to see her for who she was.
My heartbeat skittered. ‘Why did you do it?’ I demanded.
‘Get. Out,’ Dad gritted. ‘Come back when you’ve regained respect for your mother.’
The force of his command shredded me.He’s kicking me out. ‘You don’t mean it.’
‘I do.’
‘If I leave …’ My voice broke. ‘I won’t come back.’
His eyes remained unyielding. Ayaan’s jaw was locked tight.
The hollow feeling inside me expanded.
The family that I’d clung to, whose love I’d spent my life earning … didn’t exist. As I did with Ananya, I only saw what I wanted to see. The reality was different.
The truth, once again, shattered me.
I pushed back my chair and walked out the door.
20
Gut Instinct
Jai
My finger traced the rim of the glass. Whisky had dulled the roar of pain into a bitter hum.
The sweet sound of Ananya’s giggle whispered in my head.
I brought the drink to my lips and tipped it back. After five glasses, the alcohol had lost its burn.More. I reached for the bottle, but a hand grabbed it first and took it away.
‘That’s enough for one night,’ Harish uncle said.
I gripped the armrest, ready to rise. ‘Well, time to go home.’
‘Sit down.’
I glared at him, but remained seated.
‘If Lehenga Bazaar has reduced you to an alcoholic, Amar has done a bad job at raising you.’
I snorted, looking away.
‘You’ve been here for two hours and have barely spoken two sentences. If not that, what is it?’ he asked.
