“Of course not.”
Sarita nodded. “Completely professional.”
Abhinav exhaled, patience thinning. “Is there a reason I am being interrogated?”
“No,” Naina shook her head. “We are just observing.”
“Observing what?”
“How fast you went from ‘sell immediately’ to ‘let me spend seven days with the one person actively trying to stop me.’”
“That is not…”
“It’s fine.” She waved a hand. “Growth is good.”
Sarita’s needle stilled for a second. “Very good.”
Abhinav looked between them. Neither of them looked serious. That made it worse.
“I have calls to return,” he said finally, rising.
“Of course you do,” Naina replied.
“Join us in time for lunch,” Sarita added.
He left.
Silence lasted two seconds after his footsteps faded. Naina turned to her mother. Sarita looked up. They tried to hold it in.
They failed.
Naina collapsed back onto the divan, laughing into her cushion. “Seven days,” she managed. “Tactical decision.”
Sarita covered her mouth, shoulders shaking, her composure gone. “Asset evaluation.”
Naina sat up, wiping her eyes. “He came in here and tried to explain Rajveer Singh Sisodia as if we do not live in the same Haveli.”
Sarita shook her head, smiling. “Idiot.”
“Complete idiot.”
They dissolved again, laughter filling the room. After a while, Sarita returned to her embroidery. The smile stayed, softer now.
“Seven days.”
Naina stretched out again, grin still in place. “God help him.”
Chapter 17
Day One - Morning
The knock came exactly at eight.
Abhinav had been waiting for twenty minutes. He opened the door.
Meera stood in the corridor, sunlight catching the saffron of her kurta, turning its edges almost gold. Her hair fell loose down her back.
“Good morning, Hukum.”
