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God! It was so hard to explain her emotions to him. She’d hated him for so long. She’d thought he’d be a cruel man, an awful man who only took what he wanted, but he wasn’t that person. He was warm, genuine, and was always looking out for her. In the past, she’d always come first for him, and barring the events of that night, he still put her first even now. And Neil… God! For years, she’d worried that Dev would try and steal him from her or hurt him once he learned about his existence. Now she knew better. Dev was crazy about his son, and he’d protect him with his life if he had to. How could she not feel more for him, knowing that he’d do anything to keep her son safe? To keep her safe.
He tipped her chin up. “I’m scared of what I feel for you too.”
Her eyes pooled. This was so hard. Accepting what she felt for him was so bloody hard. Accepting that he probably felt the same was harder. And accepting that the years hadn’t changed what they felt for one another was…it was the hardest realization ever.
However, although she did trust him, they had too much history that prevented her from voicing out her true feelings because the truth was that she was scared of the past and what it might bring once everything was out in the open. A small part of her was still scared. She couldn’t help it. So she did the only thing she knew to comfort him. She threw herself in his arms, and he tucked her under his chin.
“AVANTIKA,” Vihaan yelled from downstairs, jerking them apart. “You have five seconds to come down.”
“Shit! He’s really mad. Let’s go.”
Taking Dev’s hand in hers, she opened the door.
Tiya’s voice was clear as they made their way downstairs. “You and I have now caught all your siblings making out.”
“How is that helping right now, Tiya?” Vihaan grumbled.
“Sorry, babe. It is funny, to be honest, and I’m just trying to lighten your mood.”
“I wish I hadn’t seen what I did upstairs. How will I tell Aaryan about this?”
Sensing their approach, Vihaan whirled. He saw Dev and her standing by the foot of the stairs, and his gaze latched on to their entwined hands. He stilled.
His eyes lifted. So much despair was written in them that Avantika’s chest hurt.
“So you chose him over us.” Vihaan’s voice was heavy with anger. “I should have expected that to happen. After all, you only pretended to hate him for all these years while internally, you’ve been pining over him like a bloody lovesick fool.”
Avantika gasped at the venom in her brother’s words. Dev’s fingers tightened around hers. He opened his mouth to respond, but she shook her head. This was between her and her brother.
“Vihaan, if you were thinking clearly, you’d realize how wrong you are,” she said gently.
Vihaan crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re sleeping with the enemy and questioning my judgement?”
“He’s not the enemy.”
Vihaan’s expression contorted to one of pure rage. “How dare you say that to my face? You were there that night. You witnessed everything, yet you stand here and take his side?”
“What we saw was only one side of the story.” Avantika looked at Dev. “We all need to listen to his side of it.”
“Never. That will never happen. Aaryan and I will never agree to it.”
“What harm can come of it?” Avantika queried.
Vihaan slashed his hand in the air, looking angrier with each second that passed.
“We will never give him a chance, not even for you,” he said.
Leaving Dev, Avantika walked up to him. “You, Aaryan, and Shaurya owe it to me. I stood by you when you all wanted to include Tiya, Sanjana, and Myra in our lives, and when you wanted to share our past with them and allow them near Neil. I’m asking the same courtesy from you.”
“You cannot equate our relationships to this…this sordid thing you have going on with him.”
“Vihaan!” Tiya gasped. “You don’t know what’s going on between them, and you’re too stubborn to even try to understand it.”
Vihaan glared at Tiya.
Avantika’s temper rose. “You’re behaving irrationally.”
Vihaan’s eyes stormed.
