Page 186 of Since You Stole My Heart

Viraj let out a hysterical scream. ‘Then arrest Swayam too. Do it now.’

‘Don’t you dare tell me what to do,’ Balram snapped, before turning to Swayam.

Fear flashed through Kashvi as Swayam raised both hands in surrender. ‘If you want to arrest me, I won’t resist. But it was purely self-defence.’

Karthik leaned forward on his elbows. ‘Balram, come on. Swayam is my son-in-law. Surely you understand why I don’t want him punished. He was only protecting my precious daughter.’

Kashvi bit the inside of her cheek at that. She would have laughed in his face if she were not wound so tight with dread.

‘I understand. Take him out,’ Balram ordered.

His officers seized Viraj by the arms and dragged him from the room.

Viraj struggled violently. ‘They’re lying. I’ll prove it. I’ll expose—’

The door shut behind him, cutting off the rest of his words.

Siya turned back to the commissioner.

‘The lawyer handling this will bring all the documents and evidence to the police station,’ she said. ‘And if you could please do us the favour of keeping our families out of this mess?’

The commissioner nodded at once. ‘Of course, Ma’am. You have my word.’

‘Thank you,’ Siya said, dipping her chin before looking back at Kashvi with a faint smile.

Relief hit so hard and fast that Kashvi nearly sank to her knees. Only Swayam’s arm around her waist kept her upright.

Abhay added quietly, ‘I’d also appreciate discretion in your report. My sister-in-law has suffered enough because of that man’s lies and torment, so I hope his baseless accusations won’t be formally recorded.’

‘You have nothing to worry about. I’ll take his statement myself.’ Then Balram turned to Karthik with a polite smile. ‘Will we see you at the fundraiser too?’

Before her father could respond, Siya cut in. ‘Actually, he’s retiring and moving to our farmhouse in Nashik. Permanently. So maybe some other time.’

‘Oh, is he?’

Dhruv chimed in. ‘Yeah. After years of hard work, he’s earned it.’

Karthik gritted his teeth, seething with such fury that it showed in every tight line of his face. But he still managed a stiff nod.

‘I see,’ Balram said. Then he turned to Siya. ‘If you don’t mind me asking, who is handling the case?’

‘Advocate Archit Vanshraj,’ Siya replied calmly.

‘I’ve heard stories about him,’ Balram said, caught off guard.

Abhay chuckled. ‘Believe me, Commissioner, whatever you’ve heard, he’s worse.’

‘Seems Viraj messed with the wrong man,’ Balram chuckled.

‘No, he messed with the wrong woman,’ Siya corrected, her eyes bright as she looked at Kashvi. ‘It takes guts to stand up to a bully, and my sister did exactly that.’

Swayam rubbed a hand over her back. ‘Yeah. I’m proud of my wife. She’s a fighter.’

Kashvi lowered her gaze, unable to meet his eyes.

Balram smiled at her, his expression warm and approving. ‘You did a brave thing.’

Kashvi shook it off. ‘Please don’t mention it.’