Page 134 of The Ex Factor

I placed a hand on his chest. “It’s your decency that has led you into this mess in the first place,” I faux-chided him. “If you had nipped it in the bud, you’d not be facing this now.”

“If I wasn’t good, I would never have you. I’m not inclined to give it up anytime soon. And as far as bullshit is concerned, it comes with the territory. If it wasn’t Manoj, it would be someone else. At least with Manoj, I know where he’s going to hit.”

“Your heart?” I said, my eyes flickering.

“Exactly.” He drew me close and placed a kiss on my temple.

I continued reading.

Unfortunately for Rao, his girlfriend went back to her ex, leaving him holding the ring and a broken heart. It is still unclear how Rao got in touch with Kadam’s lover’s ex-girlfriend, but sources speculate that it was with the goal of seeking retribution against the exes who had jilted them.

The woman in question is Aarti Bhatia, heiress to the SB Group, a real estate giant based in Dallas with properties all over the country.

“Oh, Papa is going to be furious!” I cried. “It’s a good thing I’ve already confided in him. He will know exactly how to handle this shit.”

A look into Bhatia’s past makes the retribution claim quite convincing. It seems that Bhatia had proposed to her then-boyfriend, Sameer Rehani, at a high-profile party in Dallas, where he owns an investment firm. One can only speculate why he would break up with the heiress to marry Kadam. Post-breakup rumors suggest that it was because of Bhatia’s lack of commitment toward him. It was suspected that she was in love with her brother’s best friend, and Rehani found out about the affair. Bhatia’s teaming up with Rao could be a way to ruin Rehani and Kadam’s marriage.

It is ironic that their plan of foiling the lives of their exes turned on its head, and Rao fell for Aarti Bhatia. It has yet to be confirmed if Bhatia shares Rao’s feelings or if she’s playing him to get revenge on her ex. If the rumors about Bhatia are true, Rao might be looking at yet another humiliating heartbreak.

This stain on Rao’s personal life might cause some problems for his social standing. It is speculated that Rao hasbeen pushing a legislation for accessibility in education. Considering the dubious decisions in his personal life, one wonders if he can be trusted to weigh in on an issue of such magnitude. As a close family friend noted, Rao’s shacking up with his ex’s husband’s ex, the one whom Rehani rejected, is a less-than-desirable optic for the influential billionaire.

I paused for thought. “Why did they feel the need to include this?” I mused aloud.

But Sujit didn’t need to guess. “It’s clear Manoj has gotten in bed with the detractors of the Bill.”

“Detractors? Why would anyone want to oppose a Bill for greater accessibility in education?”

“Because free and more accessible education hurts the deep pockets. There’s a pipeline from private schools to Ivy Leagues and boardrooms. Greater accessibility means their privilege and power is threatened.”

My mouth gaped. “This is the reason I hate people.”

He let out a sad chuckle. “Yes, we are the worst species on earth.”

Manoj had stepped on Sujit’s Achilles heel. Accessible education was the mission of his life, and for this alone, I was determined to destroy him to the point of no return.

I wanted to keep going but Sujit gently retrieved the phone from me. “No reason to read on, sweet girl. I’ll call my PR team right away. We can give a joint statement or something. Let me see what they recommend.”

I pulled my arms across my body. “That’s one way to go about it.”

Sujit eyed me intently. “What are you thinking?”

“The thing is, I hate being backed into a corner. I hate being put on the defensive. And I hate being blackmailed. I’d warnedManoj I’d come after him if he didn’t leave you alone, and that’s what I intend to do.”

“Oh?”

I took his hand and stepped over to the bed. Lowering myself to it, I asked him to sit with me.

“Do you trust me, Sujit? This is no longer your fight or mine. It is ours, and we need to be on the same page.”

The brilliant smile that adorned his face brought out the dimples that I cherished. “I love you, Aarti, and with that love comes trust.”

Then he pulled his brows together. “Or maybe I trusted you before I fell in love with you?” he contemplated. “Either way, I love you and trust you completely.”

I pulled in a deep breath. “He wants a spectacle, and we will give him one. Just not the one he expects. He wants us to feel ashamed and embarrassed. I want to give him the opposite. I want to show him, and the world, what you mean to me.”

My plan, of course, hinged on the certainty that Sujit was ready to announce our relationship to the world.

With another confident inhale, I asked, “How comfortable are you making our relationship public?”

---