Page 59 of Since You Stole My Heart

He was the kind of man who would do anything for the people he cared about, and he cared about her enough to marry her to help her. It felt natural to rely on him, and it freaked her out how easily she could get addicted to it, because this wouldn’t last forever.

She couldn’t afford to forget it, or she would be left exposed and empty when this inevitably ended. Every nerve inside her drew back, guarding itself with a quiet, stubborn resolve.

Kashvi would not let herself forget that.

Chapter 12

‘Karthik sir is here.’

Kashvi froze mid-sip, then lowered the cup back onto the polished glass table. Namita’s announcement cut through the dull fog weighing down her senses all morning.

The conference room of the Kashyap Foundation Trust lay cloaked in suffocating silence.

Siya broke it, straightening with urgency in her chair as she asked her assistant, ‘How long ago?’

Her usual composure frayed as Namita scratched at the edges of the tablet clutched to her chest. ‘Just now. He went straight into Piyush sir’s office.’

Kashvi curled her fingers into fists against her thighs, trying to hide the slight tremor in them. She rubbed her hands together in the small, repetitive way Maithili had suggested whenever she wanted to ground herself.

Abhay, who had been standing behind Siya’s chair, stepped closer to her side. His navy suit fit perfectly, tailored to his toned frame, one hand tucked into his pocket.

He glanced towards the corridor outside and asked, ‘Why is Karthik’s assistant rushing downstairs?’

Namita gave a quick glance behind her before answering, ‘Everyone is scrambling to set everything up because Karthik sir announced there will be a trustee meeting this afternoon.’

Kashvi tightened her jaw as a cold, creeping awareness slid through her veins, like someone had poured ice down her back.

‘About?’ Siya prompted, her eyes narrowing.

Namita cleared her throat. ‘The dissolution of the trust.’

‘He is moving fast,’ Kashvi commented with a frown, her gaze dropping to the table where her fourth cup of coffee sat.

Siya nodded gravely. ‘He’s not even trying to hide it anymore.’

‘Well, it’s no secret that Karthik loves to make grand plans,’ Swayam commented from the corner chair where he was sprawled, both legs propped up on the table. ‘If we’re going in, now would be the time.’

Kashvi absently pulled at the edge of the high neckline of her top as she ran her gaze over him. He was dressed casually in an olive green shirt and jeans, his posture relaxed despite the sharp tension threading through the room.

She practically had to tear her eyes away from the angry veins lining his forearm as Siya muttered under her breath, ‘Great. I was hoping for a little more time to get some backup in place, but I guess we’re out of luck.’

Abhay placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a light, reassuring squeeze. ‘Hey. It’s going to be okay. We’ve handled worse.’

Kashvi almost laughed at that, because she couldn’t think of anything worse than a father hell-bent on ruining his daughter’s life.

Siya nodded and stood up, smoothing down the front of her charcoal blazer, which sat sharply over a cream silk blouse. Her hair, pulled back into a sleek ponytail, only sharpened her almond-brown eyes.

Siya turned to look at her younger sister, appraising her from head to toe before asking, ‘Shall we?’

Kashvi plastered on a confident smile and replied, ‘Let’s go kick some ass.’

Reassured, Siya walked out of the room with a stack of files, Abhay following closely behind.

‘Are you ready?’

Kashvi turned with a start to find Swayam standing behind her chair, holding out his hand.

He looked at her intently, worrying her that he could see through the thin layer of composure she was trying to hold together.