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‘It’snot what you think.’Hetook a step towards his sister, further away fromFrancesca.
Whatdid he mean by that?Washe disavowing her before they’d even reconciled?
Ankitaput a hand on her waist and pokedKrishin the chest with her clutch. ‘DoesJessknow about this?’
‘JessandIbroke up.’
Hermouth fell open. ‘What?!Ithought you were going to propose inParis…’
Krishheld his arms out wide. ‘Well,Ididn’t.’
‘Becauseofher?’Ankitasaid, scowling atFrancesca.
‘No, because ofme.’
Ankitaput a hand on her bump and took an uncertain step to the side. ‘IthinkIneed to sit down.’Shelooked around for somewhere to park herself, but all the chairs were behind ropes, with signs that read ‘Donot sit’.
‘Big!Youokay?’Hereached towards her while simultaneously swinging his head left and right, looking for a chair alternative.Therewere none.ToFrancescahe said, ‘Canyou please stay with her?I’mgoing to find something for her to sit on.’
Withouthesitation,Francescadid as he asked.Shestood awkwardly nearAnkita, ready to catch her at any moment.Itsmarted to realise that somebody she’d had warm memories of all these years hated her.Butit made sense.OfcourseAnkitahated her.Francesca’shead must have been fuzzy with passion to think otherwise.
Assoon asKrishleft, his sister dropped her hand, stood up straight, and turned onFrancesca.Shepointed her clutch like a sword atFrancesca. ‘Listen.Idon’t know how you ended up here, but you broke his heart once, andIwas the one who had to deal with it.Heloved you, and you just dumped him for some other man.’
‘Iknow that’s what it looked like, but—’
‘Bup.Bup.’Ankitaheld up her free hand and tapped her fingers against her thumb like the mouth of a puppet snapping shut. ‘Idon’t care what you have to say.Hislife was finally back on track.Ittook two years for him to get over you.Twoyears!’Shepractically spat those words. ‘Jesswasperfectfor him.Iintroduced them myself.’
Francescawas speechless.Hernewfound confidence withered.IfAnkitahated her this much, then what aboutKrish’sparents?Theyprobably hated her, too.SherememberedSundaylunches at their house: the intelligent discussions, the laughter, the love around the table—so different to her own family gatherings, where she never belonged.Krish’sparents had always made her believe she was one of the family.Howwould they take the news that she andKrishwere back together?Wouldthey be able to forgive her?Orwould she be condemning them all to a lifetime of tolerating her at family get-togethers?Andwhat would they think when they found outFrancescacouldn’t give them grandkids?
KingRat’sdecide-to-love-yourself pep talk grew muted asFrancescareturned to familiar ground.She’dcausedKrishso much pain.Beingwith her would only cause him more.Shelowered her eyes, crossing her arms over her stomach.
‘Ifyou cared for him at all,’Ankitacontinued, ‘then you’d disappear from his life again and let him patch things up withJess.Youare no good for him.’
Thedoors behind them burst open, andKrishcame through carrying a chair.Ablonde, tall man in a tuxedo followed him.FrancescarecognisedAnkita’shusband, although his name escaped her.
‘Kiki, are you okay?Thebaby…’ he said.
Krishput the chair down, butAnkitadidn’t sit. ‘I’mfine, fine.’Shewaved him away.
Stella’svoice sounded in their earpieces. ‘Brideand groom arriving soon.Whereis everybody?Over.’
Krishran his hands through his hair, obviously conflicted about what to do. ‘We’vegot to get back to work.Max, canIleave her with you?’
‘Ofcourse.Go.We’llbe fine.’
‘Francesca?’Krishjerked his head towards the door and held his hand out to her.
‘Oh…um….’Whyhad she been walking towards the library again?Oh, yeah.Herlens cap.Shehad actually left it on the base of theQueenAnnstatue and was going back to retrieve it. ‘I’ll…um…join you in a moment.Iforgot something in the other room.’Withoutwaiting for a reply, she turned on her heel and jogged down the corridor, tears running down her cheeks.
26
Francescawentthrough the motions of filming the wedding.Shebarely noticed what was happening.Somespeeches.Somelaughter.Peoplebeing happy.
Shewas numb to it all.
EvenJaiveer’sdance extravaganza failed to shake her from her daze.Normally, she would have loved something like that: a liveBollywoodnumber by an award-winning choreographer withKatrinaKaifas a surprise guest…Francescashould have been whooping along and wiggling her hips.
Butshe stood still, staring through her screen at the twirling, gyrating, thrusting dancers, vacuuming up footage with her camera, not registering what was going on.
