Chapter 21

The night in Goa was warm and breezy as I sat in the dimly lit restaurant, my gaze fixed on Rashmi. She sat across the room, her expression composed as she spoke with her client. My jaw tightened as I watched him lean in too close, patting her shoulder in a way that made my blood boil. I forced myself to stay seated, reminding myself that this was a business dinner—important for her project—but every time he touched her, it was like a knife twisting deeper into my gut.

Earlier, she had tried to talk me out of coming. "You don’t need to be there, Ritvik. It’s just a dinner. I’ll handle it," she had said, her voice calm but firm.

But I couldn’t let her go alone. "I’ll sit with Ovi at a distance. You won’t even notice we’re there," I’d insisted, unwilling to back down. Now, sitting here watching this scene unfold, I couldn’t help but regret not pushing harder to stay closer.

He was being far too friendly for my liking. He kept making these subtle touches—light brushes of his hand on her arm, a pat on the back—like it was nothing. But to me, it was something. Every single touch made my blood simmer with jealousy. I clenched my fists under the table, forcing myself to stay composed for Ovi, who sat quietly beside me.

After what felt like an eternity, the dinner finally wrapped up. He turned to Rashmi, smiling in a way that made me want to wipe it off his face.

"So, Rashmi, how about we grab a drink sometime? It would be nice to get to know each other better outside of business," he suggested, his tone casual but clearly suggestive.

Rashmi gave him a polite smile, but there was a firmness in her voice. "I appreciate the offer, Ravi, but I’m a single mother. My responsibilities don’t really leave me much time for that."

Ravi’s smile faltered slightly, but he nodded. "I understand. Well, it was great meeting you, and I look forward to working together."

I watched as he left, finally out of our hair. Rashmi gathered her things and walked over to where Ovi and I were sitting. We left the restaurant in silence, walking back to the hotel with only the sound of the waves in the distance. I could tell she was tired, and the last thing I wanted to do was ruin her night, but the irritation boiling inside me was too much to ignore.

Once we were back in the hotel room, she laid Ovi down to sleep, tucking her in gently. I stood near the window, trying to calm myself, but the words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"Wasn’t he being a little too touchy for just a client?" I asked, trying to keep my tone even but failing.

Rashmi turned to look at me, her brow furrowing in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Ravi," I said, my voice sharper than I intended. "He was touching you, and you just sat there, smiling and talking like it didn’t bother you."

She straightened, crossing her arms defensively. "He wasn’t doing anything wrong, Ritvik. That’s how business works. He’s just being friendly."

"Friendly?" I repeated, my voice rising. "That didn’t look friendly to me. He was practically all over you, and you just let it happen."

Rashmi’s eyes narrowed, anger flashing in them. "And what exactly was I supposed to do? Push him away in front of everyone? Make a scene?"

"You didn’t have to act like you were enjoying it," I snapped, regretting the words the moment they left my mouth.

Rashmi’s face hardened, her voice cold. "Enjoying it? Are you serious right now? He’s my client, Ritvik. This project is important for me, for Ovi and me. Do you think I can afford to lose it because you don’t like how he talks to me?"

I took a step toward her, my frustration spilling over. "He’s only your client, Rashmi. Nothing more."

Her bitter laugh cut through the room. "And who are you, Ritvik? Who are you to tell me what to do or how to act?"

"I’m not trying to control you," I said, my voice quieter now, trying to find some way to fix this, but the damage was already done.

"Then stop acting like you have some right to dictate what I do," she shot back. "You’ve helped me, yes. I’m grateful for that. But that doesn’t mean you get to insert yourself into every part of my life. I didn’t ask for this."

Her words stung, each one like a punch to the gut. "I’ve been trying to protect you, Rashmi. I’m only looking out for you."

"Protect me from what? From doing my job? From living my life?" she asked, her voice rising again. "I don’t need you, Ritvik. I’ve been doing fine on my own."

The hurt in her voice was undeniable, but so was mine. "I’m not the problem here, Rashmi. I’m trying to help."

"Help?" she repeated, shaking her head in disbelief. "If you really wanted to help, you’d leave me alone. Just go, Ritvik. You’re making everything more complicated."

My chest tightened as the weight of her words sank in. I stood there for a moment, stunned into silence. She wanted me to leave. To walk away.

Without another word, I turned and walked out of the room, the sound of the door closing behind me echoing in my ears. As I stepped out into the cool night air, my mind was a whirlwind of emotions. I had wanted to protect her, to be there for her and Ovi. But instead, I’d made things worse.

By the time I reached my car, the heaviness in my chest was almost unbearable. I drove away from the hotel, not knowing where I was going—only knowing that I needed to get away, far away from the hurt and confusion that had just unraveled between us.

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Chapter 22

It had been two months since Ritvik disappeared from my life. No messages, no calls, no sign of him at all. At first, I thought I’d feel relieved, but instead, there was this odd emptiness. Ritvik always had a way of making things complicated, but even in all that mess, he was... there. Now he wasn’t, and life felt strangely quieter. Now I'm feeling like I'm being selfish. He helped us but I just....

During those two months, my boutique had taken off in a way I hadn’t expected. People were loving the traditional dresses I was designing, and I was getting more orders than ever before. My boutique was becoming famous in the city, and it felt amazing. Still, no matter how busy I got, I couldn’t shake off the thoughts about Ritvik.

Today, though, I didn’t want to think about him. Today was special. It was Ovi’s second birthday, and I wanted it to be perfect. My little girl was growing up so fast. I had arranged a small party for her, just a few close friends. Balloons were scattered all over the living room, and the cake sat on the dining table, ready to be cut.

I called Aradhya, my best friend, to make sure she was still coming to the party.

“Hey, Aradhya! Are you on your way?” I asked when she picked up.

“Of course, Rashmi! I wouldn’t miss Ovi’s birthday for the world,” she replied cheerfully.

“Great! We’re just about to get started.”

Soon enough, Aradhya arrived, carrying a gift for Ovi. She immediately went to her, hugging and wishing her a happy birthday.

“Happy birthday, Ovi! You’re getting so big!” Aradhya cooed, making Ovi giggle.

We had a lovely time at the party. Ovi was excited with all the gifts, running around with her friends. After we cut the cake and everyone sang for her, things started to wind down. The kids were playing, and I was sitting with Aradhya, catching up.

“So, how’s everything going with the boutique?” Aradhya asked, sipping her drink.

“It’s been amazing. I’m getting so many orders. People are loving the traditional designs, and I’ve never been busier,” I said proudly.

“I’m so happy for you, Rashmi. You’ve worked so hard, and it’s finally paying off.”

“Thanks,” I said, smiling. Then, without thinking, I added, “It’s just... you know, Ritvik helped me a lot with the boutique. But now... he’s gone.”

At the mention of Ritvik, Aradhya’s expression changed. She seemed... pleased?

“I told him to leave us,” I continued. “I couldn’t handle him being around all the time. He was getting too involved in my life. I needed space.”

Aradhya’s smile widened. “You did the right thing, Rashmi. You don’t need someone like him complicating your life. You and Ovi are better off on your own.”

I noticed the happiness in her voice, and for a moment, I felt suspicious. Why was she so glad that Ritvik was out of the picture? But then I pushed the thought away. Aradhya was just looking out for me, right?

Trying to change the subject, I asked, “So, what about you? Any news in your life?”

Aradhya hesitated, then smiled. “Well... I like someone.”

“Oh?” I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Who is it?”

She blushed slightly, avoiding eye contact. “I’m not telling you his name yet. It’s... complicated.”

I laughed, teasing her. “Come on! You can’t just drop that on me and not give me details!”

“Soon, I promise,” she replied with a mysterious smile.

“Well, congratulations! I’m so happy for you. I hope it works out,” I said sincerely.

“Thanks, Rashmi. We’ll see how it goes,” Aradhya said, standing up. “I should get going now. Thanks for the party, and give Ovi a big hug from me.”

After Aradhya left, I cleaned up the house, my mind wandering back to Ritvik. A part of me wanted to reach out to him. I wondered where he was, what he was doing. I grabbed my phone, staring at his contact for what felt like forever.

I started typing a message: Hey, how are you? It’s been a while...

But my thumb hovered over the send button. Should I? No. I deleted the message and sighed. It wasn’t a good idea to open that door again, not after everything. I put the phone down and decided to focus on Ovi instead.

As I walked into the room, she was sound asleep, clutching one of her new toys. I smiled softly, pulling the blanket over her tiny body. She looked so peaceful, so perfect.

“Mama’s here, baby. Always,” I whispered, kissing her forehead.

The next morning, I woke up with a clear goal in mind. Today, I was going to finalize the property I had been looking at for Ovi. It was time to take that step, to secure our future.

As I made breakfast for Ovi, I couldn’t help but feel proud. We were doing it—building a life on our terms, free from anyone else’s control.

“cakiee!” Ovi called out, pointing to the leftover birthday cake in the fridge.

I laughed. “Not for breakfast, silly girl! How about some pancakes instead?”

“yayyy!” she cheered.

After breakfast, I called the real estate agent to confirm the meeting for later that afternoon. Everything was falling into place. Soon, Ovi and I would have our own home, a place where we could create new memories together.

After all, this was our fresh start—just me and Ovi.

When I got to the real estate office, everything went smoothly. I signed the papers, and the apartment was officially ours. It felt surreal, like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. We finally had our own place, and it was all mine. Ovi and I were going to be just fine.

As I walked out of the office, I felt a sense of peace I hadn’t felt in a long time. For the first time in months, I wasn’t thinking about Ritvik or what could’ve been. I was focused on what was ahead—our future, our home, and everything we were building together.

Ovi and I were enough. And that was all that mattered.

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