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“It was.”
Oh right. Raashi clamped her mouth shut.
“But it’s not anymore.”
Also correct. Raashi could feel her hot flush rising again, turning her into a little smouldering volcano.
Her phone pinged again but Raashi didn’t look at it. She didn’t need the pressure of Harsh’s messages right now. She had her brother’s piercing gaze to deal with.
“Explain to me why you’re marrying a man you detest.”
“You always say he’s a good guy!” she protested.
“He is. But he’s never been a guy you liked. What changed?” Ram was relentless.
“He was the lesser of two evils,” she blurted out. “Nanna was talking about marrying me off to Anant Madhavan.”
Ram went still, dangerously, volcanically still. “I would never have let him do that. It’s time we told him the whole story.”
The whole story, she thought hysterically. Even Ram didn’t know the whole story.
“No. It’s enough. He already holds me responsible for the partnership breaking up and for Anant setting up a rival channel. He doesn’t need to know more.”
“Raashi you are not marrying a man you hate because you’re too scared to tell our father about his asshole ex-partner.”
“I don’t hate him.”
Ram froze. “I beg your pardon?”
“I don’t hate Harsh.” She went back to fiddling with the edges of her comforter, using it to avoid her brother’s perceptive gaze.
“So, you want to marry Harsh?” Ram sounded absolutely bewildered. She honestly couldn’t blame him. She bewildered herself.
“Not really.” Raashi risked a small glance at her brother’s confused face before looking away. “But like I said he was the safer option.”
“Safe? You think Harsh Kodela is safe?” Ram laughed, a disbelieving chuckle.
Yes. Strangely, the more Raashi thought about it, the more she realised she did think Harsh was safe. At least that’s how he made her feel. And given her past, it wasn’t something she undervalued. Raashi knew safe meant everything to her.
Ram’s laughter was growing, a belly laugh that made even Raashi’s lips tug upward into a smile.
“What’s so funny?” A new voice intruded into their conversation.
Raashi looked up and into Harsh’s beautiful deep brown eyes, as he lounged against the doorframe of her bedroom. Her stomach swooped and lurched alarmingly. And she stopped smiling.
Twenty-One
HARSH
“Hey man.”
Ram raised a hand in greeting, waving Harsh forward. “How the hell did you get all the way to the family levels without anyone informing us first?”
Harsh grinned, sauntering into the room. “I’m charming. And I bribed your staff with autographs.”
Ram shook his head in amused resignation. “What are the two of you going to do about the mess you’re in?”
“We’re going to get married, of course. What else?” Harsh dropped into a swivel chair that sat at ninety degrees to the bed where Raashi studied the comforter like she was going to find the answer to the world’s secrets in it.
