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“Aarav doesn’t bitch around Daadi. In fact, now that I stay with him, and have known him, I realize maybe I will have to rework all those thoughts you and Mohit have put in my head about Aarav. Maybe all these years I was supporting the wrong group.”

“Oh,” she gasps angrily. “He’s really turned you against us, isn’t he? I presume you have fallen for his charms and therefore you are turning down Mohit. Tell me honestly, Jhanvi, did you make up that scene between Mohit and Sofia? So that I support your decision to walk away from Mohit’s life?”

It hurts!! It damn hurts when she puts that allegation on me.

“Wow,” I clap. “You know what Daadi? I don’t owe any explanation to you. Not when you think so low about me. I came here to inform you of my decision to go to London. That’s done. I wish someday you see your flaws and bring a change in them.”

She stares coldly at me. I have made her speechless, and I don’t deserve any less from her. She has raised me all these years, and now it questions my upbringing. But what else can I expect from her? A woman who couldn’t accept her first grandson wholeheartedly would shower her love on me forever? Never!! One misunderstanding and she turned against me. One truth about her favorite grandson, and she accused me. This is over!! I, Jhanvi Sikand, end my chapter with the Raichands right from this moment. I’d wanted to take her blessings before stepping out, but I don’t think that’s ever going to happen again.

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I don’t know what’s hurting me the most? No contact from Mohit ever since I came back from Mussourie? Daadi’s blind inclination towards Mohit and compelling me to still think about him or the most important of all - Aarav’s ignorance? Agreed, I didn’t reciprocate his gestures of sending flowers and teddy bears in my room, or when his chefs cook my favorite meal every day or even the way he keeps an eye on me secretly, but that’s not letting me cool off. How can he be so silent and non-responsive when he knows I will fly back in three days to London? Or is he keeping the drama for the last minute? Dare he do that!! Nothing and no one can stop me from returning to London. I have stayed in his house for over two weeks in total and though I never had good memories here, I still think I will miss this place. Maybe the food here matches my taste, or the study room of Aarav where I worked a bit recently has the best relaxing furniture to help me enjoy my work or the silly banters of Aman and Jaya which have been non-stop ever since they met each other. I’m going to miss this all.

When I come down, hoping to find Jaya in the living room from where she does most of her work, I see her arguing with Aman again and I’m pretty sure she is the one who started it. Jaya has a bad temper for every man.

“Is there a single moment you don’t try proving every man is a piece of junk?” Aman asks her, totally annoyed.

“Nope. That’s because every manisa piece of junk. You might look all polished and suave, but that heart of yours is dark and poisonous.”

Aman sighs in frustration, knowing he has no answer to that. To be honest, at times I feel he likes arguing with her and also stepping back and letting her win.

“Whatever. I just bought you chocolates because you will leave in three days and I wanted you to take good memories from here.”

He keeps the chocolate boxes on the table. I see two boxes which make both Jaya and me curious.

“Why two?” I ask first.

Aman smiles at me.

“Aarav said you don’t like dark chocolates. So, he sent you the ones you like.”

Aah!! I see. Aarav knows too much about me, while I never showed interest knowing him. However harsh that sounded, he is the one responsible for it.

“Didn’t see him today. In fact, he is hardly available at home.”

I try not to sound like I have a problem with that.

“He’s busy. Plus, one of our staff lost his mother. Aarav has gone to pay respect at her prayer meet.”

Now I am intrigued. Aarav cares so much about his staff? Or is it just a showoff? As if Aman reads that question, he immediately clears up my doubts.

“Who better than an orphan can know what it means to lose a mother?”

My gaze tosses on the picture of Aarav’s mother, the one where I have seen Aarav spending some of his time daily as if talking to her or at times simply admiring her. For a man who loves his mother so much, respects her even after her death, and avenges others for her rights, I am sure his feelings in such situations are genuine.

“Have you really decided to leave?”

Aman’s next question makes me nervous but I don’t want to show that off on my face, so I smile.

“Yes. I don’t think I can survive here. With so much enmity, lack of trust and dominance around me.”

Jaya nods, supporting me, but seems like Aman has a problem.

“Enmity can be won with love, lack of trust can be changed by showing trust first from your side and coming to dominance, Aarav shows that only to protect you. Otherwise, that man has a heart of gold.”

Whilst his reply stuns me, puts me into a thoughtful mode, Jaya responds on my behalf.

“Jhanvi is allergic to gold. That itches her skin and leaves marks on her body. So, I guess her decision to leave is the best for herself.”

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