Page 44 of Since the Night We Met
It untangled a thread of worry in his chest, and Abhay said lightly, ‘My team is terrified of you, Dad. They began setting up at four in the morning.’
Mihit chortled. ‘That never worked on you.’
Luv joined in and said, ‘It may not have worked on him, Uncle, but he has taken after you. I can safely tell you that he has already begun planning for the year-end fintech conference.’
Abhay said, ‘It’s one of the most important events of the year so it’s obvious that prep work will begin well in advance. Do you know we’ll be hosting foreign delegates? I’m only doing what’s—’
Mihit interrupted his passionate self-defence. ‘You must tell me which caterer you are considering. I never wish to have a repeat of last year’s Diwali gala.’
Abhay nodded with a serious expression and then caught Luv and Swayam snickering among themselves. He made aninquiring sound and Luv said, ‘It’s a great pleasure to see yourself be proved right in real time. You’re an exact copy of Mihit Uncle, just in a taller body.’
‘I aim to please,’ Abhay said, then a thought struck him. ‘When is Mom getting here? She was boarding the jet when I last spoke to her.’
‘She’ll be here in an hour. After that, God help you,’ Mihit wished him luck.
The second elevator chimed and everyone turned around to see the Kashyaps. Kartik walked out first, wearing a light cream blazer over a black shirt. His pocket square was gold-threaded, and his cufflinks were made of gemstones, but his fake smile outshined it all.
Dhruv walked in behind him. In contrast to Kartik, he had decided to wear a bespoke and designer Armani suit, looking wildly overdressed for a brunch. His eyes flickered around the room with a quiet calculation that Abhay didn’t miss.
Kashvi came out last, soft in every way the two men couldn’t be. Her peach-coloured jumpsuit had delicate flowers embroidered in thread, tied with an ivory beaded belt. Paired with minimalist jewellery and a practised smile firmly plastered on her face, she looked every bit of a generational heiress.
‘Mihit!’ Kartik greeted loudly, striding across the marble floor with his arms spread open for a hug, with Dhruv and Kashvi following close behind. Abhay noticed the stiffness in his father’s shoulders as Mihit turned around to accept his hug.
They hugged and held long enough for the photographer to snap a few shots. Abhay met Kashvi’s gaze and subtly gestured to ask if she was okay. Kashvi answered back with a smile.
Mihit pulled back and said, ‘Welcome, Kartik. You’re here early.’
‘Ah, you know me,’ Kartik replied smoothly. ‘I didn’t want to miss greeting the crowd. Preparation is never a crime, right?’
‘Preparation may not be a crime, but deliberately underbidding over a common project just to steal the deal from us should be a crime,’ Mihit stated, and Abhay noted the strain around the edges of his eyes and a muscle ticking in his jaw. He’d known that losing the annual Patterson’s Gemstones auction bid last year had bothered his father, and evidently, it still did.
Kartik dramatically clutched his chest and said, ‘You wound me. We pushed each other to be better. Besides, if I hadn’t challenged you, would you be as sharp today?’
‘Your challenges weren’t professional, Kartik. You even dragged our families into it at times. That is a line you don’t cross, not when you understand the value of family,’ Mihit said firmly, and Abhay heard the echo of anger in his voice. Even as a child, he’d known that when his father spoke in this tone, the other person had seriously messed up.
Kartik let out a merry chuckle. ‘Damn, good old times. We had an epic rivalry, one for the history books. But we aren’t rivals anymore, are we? Today, we’re family,’ Kartik asked, and Abhay saw when his bright smile slipped for a moment.
Kartik hated Mihit, and evidently, he hated everything he stood for. In spite of that, he stood next to Mihit, acting as if they were childhood friends. That told Abhay that he would be friends with the devil if it benefitted him. His loose morals and lack of values made Abhay realise that he could never respect his father-in-law.
‘Right, family,’ Mihit scoffed.
Kartik must have understood that Mihit was a hard nut to crack so he tried his tricks on Abhay. ‘What a wonderful home you have, son. It’s impressive how you pulled together this brunch in a couple of hours.’
‘I do my best,’ Abhay muttered, because he knew it would be useless to teach Kartik to appreciate the management staff who put in the real effort.
‘My daughter will be very happy living here, I’m sure.’
His mind immediately went back to last night. The way Siya had gasped for breath, her nails digging into his arms, had made him feel so helpless.I’ll make sure she’ll be happy, he vowed to himself.
Kartik continued, ‘She has very expensive taste so be warned, because you might end up spending a good percentage of your net worth on her whims.’ He laughed as if making a joke at his daughter’s expense was so funny.
Even if Abhay hadn’t seen the modest way she lived in a rented apartment, he wouldn’t believe Kartik’s remark. A spark of anger burned in his chest as he said, ‘You may have been too busy with work, Uncle, because you seem to remember Siya as a little girl dependent on someone to take care of her. But the woman she is today is successful and capable enough to fulfil her own whims.’
Kartik’s gaze hardened. Abhay felt Luv and Swayam shift closer in silent support, and he continued, ‘Besides, I work days and nights to be a wealthy man who can afford her needs and whims, so you can be rest assured. I know how to treat my woman well.’
Abhay noticed how Kartik clenched his jaw and held his gaze a moment before turning to Mihit. ‘Mihit, so many of ourfriends have arrived. We should go greet them. It sends a strong message if we do it together, wouldn’t you say?’
‘Certainly.’ Mihit inclined his head. Kartik walked away toward the terrace where guests were waiting. Mihit hung back long enough to whisper, ‘Send whiskey for me in five minutes. I’m going to need it.’
