28 Part 20

"I should have taken your word of caution seriously. Voice of reason, they call you, don't they? As I stood at the receiving end of accusing looks from Smitha Bua for weeks and the way Paa appeared distraught taught me that it was true all along. The intoxication of intimacy had pushed me to relinquish my hold upon humility and had acquainted me with vanity and arrogance. I was struck by the reality that I was clutching this relationship so tightly that it had begun to pierce through me," read Vivaan solemnly, his baritone voice transitioning from humor to sorrow as he began to realize what laid ahead in the book for them.

Vrinda shifted uncomfortably as she turned her head, which was resting against his shoulder, to face him. "Who is Smitha Bua?" questioned Vrinda with every hint of enthusiasm fading away from her as she took a note of his tone.