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In fact, Neil had been asking many questions about the mysterious man that day at the hospital, and so far, she’d managed to distract him every time he’d brought it up. But she couldn’t distract him forever. Soon, she’d have to tell Neil about Dev. There was no option.
A knock on the door brought her brothers’ argument to a stop. The door opened and Dev walked in. Her heart lurched on seeing him. Exhaustion lined his face as if he hadn’t slept well at all. He was dressed in one of his customary suits; tonight, it was a charcoal grey suit with a black shirt, no tie. His eyes took in the men behind her before his whiskey gaze settled on her.
She frowned. While before, the heat in his gaze always managed to light her up, tonight, his gaze was hard, dark. Cold, even. His entire demeanor exuded no warmth. He was back to being the block of ice everyone had warned her he was—a side of him she’d never really met until this moment.
Her eyes fell on the stack of papers he held in his hand. He entered the office and tossed the files on the table in Shaurya’s direction.
“Read them,” he ordered. “I’ve signed all the old Rajpoot assets, factories, lands, mines, and the Rajpoot house in Shimla back to your brothers. I’m certain even your sharp legal eye won’t find anything amiss. I’ve also returned the villa I bought fromKeyStone. I don’t even want the advance back. Keep the damn money.”
Avantika sneaked a glance at Aaryan and Vihaan. They looked as shocked as she felt.
Dev continued, “You will also see that I’ve signed the entirety ofLuthra Inc.to you all. Run it as you see fit. It was, after all, built from your father’s empire.”
Aaryan and Vihaan exchanged a shocked glance.
She straightened. “I don’t understand what’s going on.”
Dev crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s simple. I am absolving you of your remaining time with me, and as promised, I’m giving everything my father stole from your family back to you all. And in return for that…”
Her pulse began to hammer.
“In return for that…” she repeated.
Dev lifted his jaw. “I want full custody of my son. I want him to live with me.”
“What?” Avantika sputtered.
“You can’t buy Neil from us,” Aaryan responded.
Dev ran a finger down his jaw. “You’ve had my son for twelve years. It’s my turn now to be a part of his life.”
“Are you mad? I won’t give him to you.”
“That’s not an option, Avantika, unless you want to battle the matter in court,” Dev announced. “I am willing to drag your entire family into a legal battle that could last years if you don’t allow me full access to Neil.”
Avantika swayed. This was not how she’d envisioned tonight to go. She’d thought she’d agree with Dev on how they’d tell Neil about him before allowing him to meet Neil. Perhaps, they’d come to an understanding as to how often Dev could meet with him. But this… She couldn’t believe he’d be so cruel to do this.
“I won’t let you separate me from my son,” she declared. “And I refuse to drag my eleven-year-old boy in a legal custody battle with his parents fighting over him.”
God! Even thinking of explaining the whys and hows of that court case to Neil was making her shudder. Neil was too young. He didn’t know about the past, and she didn’t want to explain their entire sordid history to him.
“I expected that, Avantika,” Dev said. “I don’t wish to drag this to court as well.
Besides, my intention is not to separate you. However, Neil is going to stay with me from tonight onwards. You can come and stay with us if you want. But this is happening one way or the other.”
“Bastard,” Vihaan swore. “I knew you couldn’t be trusted.”
Dev slanted him an even look. “You’re mistaken if you think I actually care about what you think of me. What any of you think of me. At one time, I may have cared, but now I don’t. I only want my son. That’s all.”
“He’s not an object I can simply hand over to you!” Avantika fumed. “He has feelings.”
“Neil wouldn’t want to come with you,” Shaurya said.
“Are you all quite sure about that?” Dev smirked. “Why don’t you bring him here in front of me? Let’s give him the choice of whether he wants to come live with me or not.”
The blood drained from her face. Off late, Neil had been missing his father a lot. He asked so many questions about him, and if she were to announce to him that his father was indeed alive, then he’d be over the moon. She knew without a doubt that he’d want to go with Dev, and if she denied him, then it would only push her son away from her. Clearly, Dev had weighed everything and concluded this as well.
Dev stared at her, his face devoid of any expression. His indifference roused her anger.
