“Hi, Akash,” Keya’s voice came through, bright and excited. “Kabier is on the line with me. We were talking about your wedding. Gosh, I’m so excited my baby brother is getting married.”
“We know you’re excited,” Kabier said, sounding amused. “Now tell him why we called.”
“Listen…” Akash said.
But Keya continued. “I was thinking… before everyone leaves for Goa, we should do something big. Maybe a proper family dinner? Rajiv still has that yacht there. We could do it there. Make it special, you know?”
Akash shut his eyes, his breathing heavy. Minutes ago, he’d been so excited about his wedding, and now it seemed like he was in an alternate reality.
Keya continued. “It’ll be perfect, just family, something intimate, but still?—”
“Keya,” he cut in. “The wedding isn’t happening.”
Silence followed his words.
“What?” Keya and Kabier both said together.
“What do you mean it’s not happening?” Kabier asked.
Keya let out a soft laugh. “I’m sure you both just had a fight.”
“No, it’s not that,” Akash said.
He told them about the call with Shauna, about what she had said, and the cold certainty in her voice.
Keya and Kabier were both silent when he was done.
“I knew you were in love with her,” Keya said. “You never told anyone, but it was obvious to all of us that both of you were in love. Hence, I can’t believe Shauna would do this.”
Akash didn’t respond. There was nothing he could say that would help the situation.
Kabier’s voice came through. “Her phone’s switched off. I just tried calling her. Where are you?”
“I’m reaching my apartment,” Akash replied, his voice sounding distant even to his own ears.
“We’re coming there,” Keya said immediately. “We’ll be there soon.”
“No,” he said quietly. “You don’t need to come, Keya.”
“We’re coming,” she shot back, fiercer now. “You cannot expect me to stay away when I know your heart is breaking.” Her voice softened. “Just… just stay strong. We’ll figure this out. Okay?”
She ended the call.
Akash lowered the phone slowly. A sharp, crushing pain filled his chest. Why would she do this? God, he was such an idiot. She’d told him that she’d played him, and yet a part of him refused to believe it. He didn’t want to. Because without her, the world was a hollow, empty place, devoid of meaning.
Believing her meant that everything was over. And he knew he’d never be able to survive that.
32
The war raging inside him had escalated by the time he entered his apartment. His mind wanted to believe that she had betrayed him in the worst way possible, but his heart… His heart rejected that outright. It kept telling him there was something else going on.
But what?
He stood inside his house, unmoving, staring at nothing in particular, trying to make sense of her words, feeling numb. Minutes passed. He wasn’t sure how many.
The doorbell rang, and he heard the keypad being punched in. The door opened, and Keya rushed in, with Kabier right behind her.
“Akash—” Keya pulled him into a tight embrace.
