Chapter 3

"Do you know how much I missed you, Smiley?" he whispered softly against my lips, gingerly nibbling them. The passage of time had undeniably enhanced his appeal. A fleeting thought crossed my mind—had he been with someone else during our time apart? A wave of jealousy surged through me, hard and unexpected. I gripped his shoulders and drew him closer, feeling the distance between us dissolve. Gone were the days when I felt shy around him. I vividly recalled our first night together, when shyness had enveloped me, a blanket of uncertainty. He had introduced me to pleasures I had never imagined. But that was then; this is now. Fifteen years of life experience had armed me with the knowledge of how to truly please a man. While I hadn’t tested my skills on anyone else, I certainly wasn’t as naïve as before.

"Oh! I missed you too," I murmured, playfully biting his lower lip, which earned me a deep, throaty growl that sent shivers down my spine.

"Fierce, are we?" he teased, his fingers tangling in my hair as a smirk danced across his lips.

With quick, practiced movements, I unbuttoned his jeans and pulled them down, his hands eagerly assisting me in my efforts.

"Wow! Baby, you’re feeling adventurous today," he promised, his voice thick with desire. In one swift motion, he tugged my top over my head and cast it aside, leaving me exposed beneath his gaze. His fingers began tracing tender paths across my belly, igniting goosebumps all over my body. Oh, how I yearned for his touch.

"She was here, wasn’t she?" I gasped, my heart racing as I realized the gravity of his words. My eyes shot open to meet his, but he was focused on my tummy, his caresses now taking on a more deliberate tenderness. I could barely breathe as I matched the rhythm of his fingertips with each flutter of anticipation within me.

"Yes, she was," I finally admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. He shifted, positioning himself comfortably above my belly, and slowly circled my navel with his fingers. Then, in a move that left me stunned, he pressed his cheek against my tummy, and a tear fell, landing gently on my skin. I attempted to rise, to console him, but he placed a hand on my chest, urging me to stay still, silently asking for the space to speak to our unborn child.

"I am your daddy," he inscribed on my skin with his fingertips, each word laden with affection. "Wherever you are, know that I am hopelessly in love with you, my little doll." More tears spilled down his sculpted jaw, and I felt my composure crack. Clutching the bed sheet, I let silent tears flow, watching as he poured his heart out to the baby who had yet to take a breath.

He rested his head against my belly, his strong arms embracing us both, and cried softly for what felt like an eternity. “Khushi! I want her back in our lives,” he said, then met my gaze. Our eyes locked—shock, happiness, confusion mirrored in each other’s expressions. He slid up to meet my face, a fierce determination in his eyes. “I want my baby back. Our baby back.”

"But...Arnav, how...?" My mind raced, overwhelmed by the weight of our situation.

"Like this," he declared, pulling me close and kissing me with an intensity that made me forget everything else. Gone was the polite man I once knew. The boy I had shared my first night with, the one with innocence and uncertainty—he was replaced by a man of unwavering passion.

I lost track of time in his embrace, lulled by warmth and familiarity. When I finally turned to see his serene face nestled against my chest, I couldn't help but smile.

"Good morning," he murmured, his voice thick with sleep.

"Hey you," I replied, brushing my lips across his forehead.

As I reached for the bedside lamp, the sudden brightness illuminated the room, causing a jolt of reality to hit me like a cold wave. My eyes fell upon the photograph of me and Lavanya, a stark reminder of our previous night’s choices.

"NO! No, no, no!" I scrambled out of bed, panic igniting within me.

"What the f**k just happened?" he asked, confusion washing over his features as he followed my gaze.

"Khushi, wait...listen to me," he began, but I was already shaking my head, my heart racing.

"No...No," I started to break down again. This couldn’t be happening. This wasn’t how it was supposed to unfold. I had betrayed my best friend. They were about to get married, and I had just slept with her future husband.

"Stop it!" he said, hurriedly covering himself with the quilt. "You are overreacting."

"Get out of my room, Arnav. Please!" I pleaded, desperation creeping into my voice.

"Khushi, baby!" he reached for my cheeks, a soft yet firm plea in his touch.

"No, please. I beg you. Just go," I choked on my words, feeling the weight of guilt suffocating me.

"No, I am not leaving. Not when you’re in this state," he replied, his voice unwavering.

"I can’t do this to her. She loves you!" My breath hitched as I fought back fresh tears.

"We did what we did, Khushi, and there’s no looking back now." His brow furrowed, frustration and concern mingling as he stepped closer.

"I can never forgive myself for what I’ve done," I whispered, my voice trembling.

In an unexpected rush of emotion, he stepped forward and roughly grasped my arms. "Are you out of your senses? What do you mean? Do you really think she will marry me knowing that I’m the father of your child?"

I fell silent, the truth crashing over me like a tidal wave.

"You think her family will accept this? Do you think she’ll even consider marring me once she knows I hid this from her for so long? No, she won’t. So you better prepare for tomorrow's breakfast. I’m going to tell the truth."

"No, you won’t say any such thing. You promised Papa you would marry his daughter. You can’t just ditch them now, Arnav! No one needs to know about this. It dies with us. Please, for God’s sake, don’t do this. They have done so much for me, and I owe them." My voice cracked, each word pleading.

"Fine, as you wish. I’ll do as you say—at least for their daughter’s sake." With that, he dressed quickly and left the room, the heaviness of his departure suffocating me.

His parting words pierced my heart, leaving a gaping wound of regret and confusion. But wasn’t this what I wanted?

**

The breakfast table sat in oppressive silence, the air thick with unspoken words. The only sound that pierced the stillness was the steady ticking of the clock on the wall, each tick echoing the tension that hung heavily among us. They were unsure of how to respond, what to say. It felt as if I had been harboring a monumental secret within me for years, a burden that now threatened to unravel everything.

“I’m sorry, Lav,” I managed to whisper, my voice barely breaking through the suffocating quiet.

“Don’t you dare talk to me, Khushi!” Lavanya snapped, her eyes blazing as she crossed the short distance between us, wrapping her arms around me in a fierce embrace. “How could you even think I would agree to marry him after hearing this? And you, my foolish friend, are willing to sacrifice your love just because of what I said? Absolutely not, buddy!”

Arnav, who had been leaning against the fridge with a contemplative look, suddenly moved closer. He settled down beside Lavanya's father, an intensity in his gaze that demanded attention. “Today, as Khushi wishes, I am going to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage,” he declared, his voice steady but carrying the weight of his determination.

“Arnav,” Lavanya began, her tone a mix of disbelief and urgency as she reached out to him, but he silenced her with a look that fueled both anxiety and anticipation.

“Please, give me Khushi,” he pleaded, his voice a mixture of hope and desperation.

“No!” I cried out, torn between protest and an undeniable longing that fluttered in my chest.

“She is the mother of my unborn child, and I love her too much, Papa,” Arnav continued, his words hanging in the air like a promise, yet they cut through me with a bittersweet realization.

Lavanya took my hand, her grip firm as she pulled me toward Arnav with surprising strength. “You can’t be serious! You need to kneel before her, not before her father. Come on, handsome, do it right!”

“Please, Khushi!” His voice cracked, filled with longing as his eyes shimmered with unshed tears, the weight of everything unspoken reflected in their depths.

All I could do was nod in affirmation, the tumultuous emotions swirling within me, before I suddenly felt the ground beneath me tilt. I collapsed into his arms, the world spinning away as I surrendered to the moment, the comfort of his embrace enveloping me like a warm blanket on a cold day.