Page 168 of Since You Stole My Heart

‘But why did we leave?’ Kashvi asked through her hiccups.

‘Because we’re not safe there.’

Kashvi shook her head insistently. ‘Papa is there. He’ll take care of us.’

Regret slipped through Arohi’s tears. ‘I wish that were true. But, baby, your father is exactly who we’re not safe from.’

Kashvi scrambled to understand, but none of it made sense. ‘Why are you lying?’

Arohi’s shoulders sagged slightly as she let out a tired sigh. ‘I’m not.’

Frustration bubbled up inside Kashvi. ‘Yes, you are. You’re taking us away from him because he loves us more and you don’t like that. You’re jealous.’

A horn blared outside, amplifying the tension inside the car. Arohi quickly turned back around and pressed the accelerator. Her gaze flickered to Kashvi in the mirror. ‘Who told you that?’

Oh no. Papa told me to keep that a secret.

Kashvi swallowed hard, her heart racing. ‘I’m not telling you. You’ll just say he’s wrong. You always blame him for everything.’

Arohi tapped her fingers restlessly against the steering wheel. Anger sharpened her voice. ‘Karthik has filled your head with lies. But once you grow up outside his shadow, you’ll understand why I had to do this.’

‘What do you mean?’ Kashvi asked quietly, her lips trembling.

‘If everything goes according to plan, he’ll be out of our lives for good,’ Arohi said hopefully. ‘I know I haven’t been a good mother so far, but I’ll protect you girls from him now. Don’t worry.’

Her mother sounded serious, but the only thing circling through Kashvi’s mind was the quiet warning her father had given her. She knew if she failed to bring her mother home, he would punish her.

‘Maa, we’re not that far. Home is still close. Please, let’s go back to him.’

‘We’ll go home, Kashu, but never back to him. Never.’

Kashvi knew that tone. Firm. Final. Fear snapped through her, and she screamed again. ‘Take me back, take me back, take me back.’

‘You can scream all you want, but we’re not going back. That’s final,’ Arohi said, rubbing small circles against her temples.

‘Then call him. Please, please call Papa,’ Kashvi begged, tugging at the edge of Arohi’s kurti.

‘No,’ Arohi said, though her resistance wavered.

Kashvi pushed harder, tugging more insistently. ‘Please, Maa, call him. I just want to talk to him.’

‘Maybe when we reach Neena’s house,’ Arohi offered weakly.

‘Please, just let me talk to him once. I’ll behave and sit quietly after that, I promise,’ Kashvi begged, desperation tangling with her tears.

The sight of her daughter’s glistening eyes tugged painfully at Arohi’s heart. With a sigh, she gave in. She picked up her phone from the console and pulled up Karthik’s number.

As she lifted the phone to her ear, her eyes met Kashvi’s in the mirror. ‘You have to be quick. Don’t tell him where we’re going. Just say goodbye, nothing more. Understood?’

Kashvi nodded eagerly, waiting for the call to connect.

Pressing the horn once, Arohi said, ‘Hello, Karthik? Kashu wants to talk to you. Be quick.’

Kashvi stretched out her hand for the phone, but her mother's expression darkened as she listened to whatever her father was saying on the other end.

Arohi snapped. ‘Save your threats. I’m not changing my mind. I’ve left with my girls. You’ll get the divorce papers by tonight. Stay with your mother from now on. I’ll have the staff send over your clothes.’

With that, Arohi thrust the phone towards her. ‘Be quick,’ she reminded her as Kashvi took it.