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She ran a finger down his picture. She’d caught his profile perfectly. At that time, she’d never imagined that, just a few days later, he’d be sitting in her house with Neil, watching a Harry Potter film.
It felt unreal. All she was going through felt unreal, yet it was now her biggest reality. Her son and his father were united—a scenario she’d never even dared to consider.
Putting the camera aside, she opened her laptop and began working on a new translation assignment she’d received from the Indian Embassy in Dubai. She looked up once she was finally done and pressed a hand on her aching neck. She yawned. Just one more read-through was needed before she could mail it back. She checked the time on her phone. Two hours had passed since she’d begun. Rising, she went to her son’s room. She opened the door, and froze.
Harry Potter was playing on the TV, but both Dev and Neil were fast asleep. They were stretched out on Neil’s bed, her son’s head resting on Dev’s shoulder. Dev’s arm was wrapped protectively around Neil. Her chest constricted. Never in her dreams had she expected to ever walk in on such a sight in her lifetime. But seeing them like this together…felt right. All the anxiety that had been her constant companion ever since she’d learned she was pregnant, settled. Vanished.
She studied the two of them. It was incredible how alike father and son looked. Removing her phone out of her pocket, she zoomed in on the two of them and snapped a picture before she turned off the TV and the lights and returned outside.
The door to her apartment beeped open, and Shaurya walked in, carrying the folders Dev had left on Aaryan’s desk.
“Is he still here?” Shaurya asked.
“Yes, he’s fallen asleep with Neil.”
“I suppose that means Neil’s taken to him.”
She sat on the sofa and patted the seat next to her. Shaurya dropped down beside her, clearly as drained as she was.
“Neil’s delighted,” Avantika replied. “I can’t tell you how happy he is. You know how often he’s been asking about his father. Meeting Dev was like a dream come true for him.”
Shaurya stared at her. “And what about you? How do you feel?”
“Confused, happy for my son, worried at times that I might’ve made the biggest mistake of my life by trusting Devagain, and hopeful that Dev truly may not be the vile man we’ve all thought him to be.”
Shaurya stared at the papers in his hand. “Aaryan and Vihaan are mad at you.”
“I expected that…” She sighed. “But there was no choice.”
“There’s always a choice, Avi, yet you chose Dev over them.”
She gasped. “Oh my God! Is that what they think?”
“What did you expect? They’re hurt. They’ve kept Neil and you safe for years, and instead of allowing them that opportunity again, you decided to introduce their enemy to your son.”
“I’ve done this for them,” she stated what she’d thought was obvious. “This way, they get to live freely and happily. I’m tired, Shaurya, so tired of everything. The past has haunted us for too long, and Dev—he’d have set the world on fire to get to Neil. There was, indeed, no choice here. Besides, it was time to take a chance, and I did that. I took a chance on Dev.”
“I forced them to sign the papers,” Shaurya said. “I know you, and you don’t change your mind once you’re set upon a course. And I suspect that you are set upon him…Dev. At least this way, they get back whatever was stolen from them in the past. Hopefully, that’s one closure you all will get from this.”
“I do want to hear him out, Shaurya,” she said. “In my heart, I know there’s more to his story.”
Shaurya put his arm around her. “My battle with Dev has always been about you. If you need to do this to get closure on the past, then do it.”
“Aaryan and Vihaan will not agree to this,” Avantika stated. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to take sides between us.”
“You’re my sister, my closest friend,” he said. “You chose me when I had no one. I’ll always be on your side, no matter what.”
She linked his hand with hers. “Thank you. I honestly don’t know what the future holds, but I am glad to have you in my corner.”
“You need to talk to Aaryan and Vihaan,” he said. “They’re hurting, and they’re worried about you. It is their birthday in a few days. Please, figure it out before that.”
“I’ll talk to them soon.”
A tingle went down her spine. She looked up and found Dev watching Shaurya and her.
“Neil?” she checked.
“He’s fast asleep.” He looked at Shaurya. “Did your brothers sign that?”
