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Good God in heaven. This was too much, and she wouldn’t be rushed into something she hadn’t even given a thought to, something which, until now, hadn’t even entered in her realm of possibilities.
She shook her head. “It’s too soon. I can’t…I can’t decide on this right now. Please don’t force this on me.”
Dev stared into her eyes. “The choice always remains with you, Avantika; you know that. I’m happy to do whatever you want. I will follow your lead in this as well. I only want to live with Neil.”
She lowered her chin, exhaling a shaky breath.
He picked up his jacket and exited her home, leaving her mind scrambling and her heart thundering. His proposal of marriage had shaken her completely. But Dev was unpredictable. As always, he managed to shock her to her core.
Shaurya held her shoulders. “I’m sorry. I didn’t expect him to propose to you like that. I just…I just wanted to find a way for you to avoid living with him.”
“I know.”
“He…he’s not what I expected him to be,” Shaurya said.
“And therein lies my biggest dilemma!” Avantika sighed. “He was supposed to be my enemy, the man who’d wronged me. I should hate him, but how can I do that when he leaves the choice to me every single time.”
Shaurya shook his head, looking as confused as she felt.
“Can you please not tell Aaryan and Vihaan about Dev proposing marriage to me?” she requested. “They’re already mad at me, and this will add fuel to it.”
Shaurya grimaced. “Why do I have to be put in the middle?”
“Please. Just for a few days. I’ll tell them once they’re talking to me again.”
“Fine!” Shaurya sighed.
She considered everything that had occurred in the last few hours, feeling physically and mentally exhausted. Her eyes fell on the papers Shaurya had left on the table. Goosebumps spread over her skin at the enormity of what Dev was willing to do, of what he’d done to get to her and Neil.
He had relinquished the whole of his business empire to her brothers, even businesses he had successfully started by himself, for his son…and for her. She was convinced he’d have anticipated that she’d never leave Neil. Thus, in one stroke, he’d got them both. Marrying her would surely bind her to him forever, and he’d left her knowing that his proposal would now hang over her head like a bloody sword. She exhaled. Fucking hell! He was always one step ahead.
God! She hated….
She paused, unable to finish that thought in her head. Because the truth was that she didn’t hate him.
Not anymore.
20
Dev paced his room in Avantika’s house back and forth, his phone plastered to his ear. He opened the curtains and stared into the night as his uncle sounded him off. He’d expected this to be an unpleasant conversation with Uncle Raj. But it had to be done. He’d just finished informing his uncle aboutKeyStone’s acquisition ofLuthra Inc.It wasn’t something he could keep from him, and as expected, his uncle was biting his ear off for giving away everything he owned to the Rajpoots.
“Yes, Uncle…” Dev said. “I hear what you’re saying, but there’s nothing that can be done now. I’ve already signed everything over.”
“So, all your hard work is down the drain? All that money you would have made in the future, not only for yourself but your future generations, all gone to those…those Rajpoots.”
“I have enough money, and you know it. I just returned to them what has always been theirs.”
“It’s her, right? That girl Avantika. You never could see straight around her in the past, and now she’s wrapped you around her finger again.”
Dev pulled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it to the side as his uncle continued to rant about Avantika. Just this afternoon, he’d moved in with Avantika and Neil. His son had taken up most of his time, and Dev was enjoying getting to know him. But now, dinner was done with, and Neil and Avantika had retired to their rooms. Hence, he’d finally called his uncle.
He still hadn’t told him about Neil and his current living situation.
“That girl has always been your weakness. I suspected it back then, but your dad was too blind to see it,” Uncle Raj droned on. “I have a feeling you restarted this conflict with the Rajpoots only to find her. Isn’t it?”
“You’re right, Uncle. This is about Avantika. It has always been about her.”
“I knew it. Your father ensured that you had several women around you over the years, yet you haven’t been able to forget her. What’s so special about her? Why her? You’ve gone and ruined yourself because of her.”
