10

Avantika didn't even wait a week before throwing an engagement party. "Finally, you meet a woman I approve of and you want me to wait?" She pleaded her case during Sunday dinner. She oohed and ahhed over the ring making heart eyes at its origin story. Mishti never had any female friends to share such news with before so having Avantika made her more than grateful.

Ronobir sighed, "As long as you don't even think of planning the wedding."

Avantika pouted, "That's denying me my birthright. Ratan, tell him."

Ratan smiled indulgently, "Ronobir just let her do it. You know she won't take no for an answer." That much was true. Whatever wedding planner was hired would, unfortunately, be found tied up in a closet because no one put Avu in a corner.

Ronobir reached for his fiancée's hand, "It's all up to Mishti at the end of the day."

"Well I'm biased so of course I want you to plan it," Mishti winked and Avantika squealed for the tenth time that night. Avantika didn't even wait till dessert before she already had three venues mapped out on her napkin and a guest list of about 50 and counting. Mishti didn't have much in the way of people to invite. Maybe her dad and Joy from the bookstore in Kolkata.

There was the uncomfortable matter of a prenup but Ronobir dashed it before Anirudh could even finish talking about it. The eldest liked Mishti well enough but there were assets to be protected and Mishti understood that very well ready to sign.

"I know you love me and I love you. I don't care about the money," She soothed after the shouting matches with Anirudh earlier that day.

Ronobir shook his head, "There is nothing that would make me let you go. Not even if you confessed to being a serial killer. So, there's no need for such an agreement. I'm never leaving you." She wondered if he would maintain that thought if he knew what she'd done and how she came into his life in the first place.

"Serial killer huh? Some might call that unwise," Mishti massaged his tense shoulders kneeling behind him on the bed.

"I just love you that much," He smiled disarmingly. This was the happiest she'd ever been in her entire life.

Of course, nothing gold could stay.

On the night of the engagement party, the manor was stormed by police operatives.

"What is the meaning of this?" Ratan demanded to see a superior officer. Ruhaan sauntered forward with a smirk and Mishti felt her heart drop to the ground. His eyes fell on her for a second but pretended as though he had no idea who she was. He was still protecting her.

"Ronobir Chatterjee, you are under arrest for the illegal sale and purchase of weapons. You have the right to remain silent."

Ronobir didn't struggle or say anything as he was being handcuffed. Mishti dropped the flute of champagne she was drinking from on the ground shattering it. Anirudh was already calling their solicitor Harvey.

"This is a mistake. He's innocent!" She said frantically.

"This is just a misunderstanding honey," Ronobir assured. "I will be back soon." Ruhaan gave her one last look before walking away with Ronobir in tow. "I always knew I'd get you one day you dirty son of a bitch."

They were left with guests whispering excitedly at the turn of events. Mishti felt like her body was turned to stone. She stood there unmoving even when Avantika came to move her upstairs. It was her fault. All her fault. She'd gone and fallen in love with him forgetting exactly who he was. Now she was paying for it.

"Mishti, Mishti we have to move," Avantika said but her words fell on deaf ears.

Mishti fainted.

When she awoke, it was in their bedroom. She wasn't wearing the gold velvet dress she adorned for the party anymore. Rather it was Ronobir's large Henley. The one she wore to sleep every night. The man himself sat at the foot of the bed waiting. She blinked twice. This was a dream. There was no other explanation. He was still in the suit he wore for the party. It was bright outside, like noon.

"Ronny?"

"Mishti," He said her name in relief, stroking her forehead and examining her features. "I was worried when Ratan told me you fainted."

"They arrested you," She muttered trying to recall what happened.

Ronobir smiled softly, "It was all an error. The RAW officer," He grimaced at the memory. "And IG and SG seemed to have the incorrect impression that I was some sort of arms dealer but it's been cleared up now."

"What do you mean?" Mishti sat up with a frown. Ruhaan looked so sure of himself when he hauled Ronobir away. So certain he'd finally gotten what he wanted.

He sighed running his fingers through her hair, "The nature of the business means dealing with international players as you know. The RAW took this to mean I sell guns to terrorists for some reason. He'd been looking into us for years now and never found any proof. He seemed to think he'd hit the jackpot with the medical equipment from Morocco and forced an illegal search of it when it arrived in Cairo. Unfortunately for him, there was nothing to be found. Unfortunately for us, the equipment got damaged and now the UN is the government for diverting much-needed medical supplies. Anirudh believes we might have cause to sue them." He chuckled humourlessly. "And all this because he happened to know a former employee of mine, Mallishka Sherawat."

"Mallishka. The girl Avish killed," Mishti repeated swallowing.

"Yes. I learned that they had some sort of affair and she left him when she came to work for me. In his mind, I was the cause of such misfortune and he made it his life's mission to take me down." Ronobir shook his head. "I seem to attract plenty of obsessive individuals."

She placed her palm over her mouth and sobbed hard. She cried for everything. For everyone. Mallishka. Ruhaan. Ronobir. Herself. All of this. Everything was for nothing at the end of the day. The worst man in the world was nothing more than just a man. A man everyone wanted a piece of for reasons even they couldn't explain. Ruhaan lost himself in his pain and made Ronobir the living cause.

"Hey, it's ok," He hugged her, caressing her shoulders and kissing her temple. "I'm here now. No one will ever come between us again."

"I thought I lost you forever," Mishti confessed.

"You'll never lose me," Ronobir swore to look deep into her eyes. Those eyes were the reason he scoured half the Middle East for that ring. The one that said she was his.

"I've done so many bad things," Her lower lip wobbled. "Things you'd never forgive me for."

"Then I don't want to hear it. I want you, Mishti Khanna, as you are. I love you as you are. I can say with a hundred percent uncertainty that I will love you no matter what but if you are unsure, then do not tell me," He said so fiercely.

She nodded slowly, digesting his words. He loved her and that was all she wanted. All she needed. She loved him too and was prepared to do so even when she thought he wasn't innocent and especially when she found out he was.

"The doctor told me something interesting," Ronobir grinned. "You shouldn't be drinking anymore."

"Why?" Mishti frowned.

"You're pregnant, honey," He announced softly.

Her hand immediately went to her flat stomach, "Really? You're serious?" Deep down it made so much sense. She'd been feeling nausea for the past week but chalked it up to the excitement. Her period had never been regular so she didn't notice it.

"He confirmed it while you were still passed out."

"We're having a baby," Mishti smiled filled with so much joy.

Ronobir rested his forehead on hers, "We are my sweety."

"I'm so sorry dude. I thought we had him," Viraj apologized to his friend and partner. Their base of operations was shut down and Ruhaan was being recalled back to India. Due to the cluster fuck his actions caused, he was suspended for six months. It was only his normally flawless track record that kept him from being fired and blacklisted completely.

Viraj too was suffering the same from his government.

Ronobir Chatterjee walked free and got a fucking apology for his troubles.

"The man is a cat. Neverlands on his back," Ruhaan muttered taking a large gulp of alcohol. Arohi wanted a trial separation once he was forced to come clean about his affair with Mallishka. That didn't even bother him as much as it should have. They were already on the rocks due to his constant traveling. It was just a matter of time on that front.

What pained him to the core was Mishti. He'd lost her too. Not in the way, Mallishka was lost but now he had to see her on the arm of his most sworn enemy. Kissing him. Marrying him. News outlets ran the story of their fairy tale engagement 24 fucking hours.

It was his mistake. He'd been so desperate and willing to nail Ronobir that he involved an innocent woman. And now she was caught in his web delusional that the man whose bed she now shared was innocent. Mishti didn't deserve that. He needed to save her.

"When's your flight?" Viraj asked.

Ruhaan shrugged, "Around four. I'll make it hopefully."

Viraj patted his shoulder, "We're the good guys. We'll always come on top one way or another."

Ruhaan nodded absently. He wasn't sure anymore what to believe. Viraj left the flat for a final debrief at his agency. Ruhaan just checked the time and half-heartedly watched whatever TV program was left on. His phone rang. It was a private number. That was strange.

He answered, "Who is this?"

"Hello, old friend."

Ruhaan sat up in alarm at the voice of the snake who'd lost him everything. "What the fuck do you want?"

Ronobir chuckled, "You were so friendly during my arrest brother. Promising me a shorter sentence for confessing and all that rubbish. Sad to see that politeness has gone to smoke. I guess that's what happens when you take a gamble and lose woefully."

He stood up pacing the room, "This isn't over. You may think you've won now but I assure you I will take you down."

"Pish posh. You weren't even playing a game. You were just an annoying fly buzzing in my radar and now I've swatted you away for good," Ronobir said confidently. "I do have to thank you for one though. Bringing Mishti to my radar. It's the reason you're not dead in a ditch."

Ruhaan felt his heart freeze in her chest. "What do you mean?"

Ronobir scoffed, "Now's not the time to play dumb. People assume I'm so snobbish I never take notice of others. But the truth is, I've got an impeccable memory. How could I forget that face? It took my breath away the very first time in Berlin."

Ronobir had known. He'd known all along who Mishti was. Ruhaan panicked wondering how to contact her and tell her that her life was in danger. "Don't bother with panic. I don't want to kill her. The opposite. I want to make sure she has a very long life with me. Marital bliss and all that."

"What do you want with her? She's innocent in all this," Ruhaan pleaded for Mishti.

Ronobir chuckled, "I know that. You know, when Mallishka first told me about you, I was very dismissive. She seemed to think you held some sort of threat but I knew better. Then again, she idiotically thought she could expose me because I refused to date her after one fuck."

"Your associate killed her for you because he was jealous."

"Yes, but not in the way you think. I'd always known about Avish's fixation on me. Sadly, he was never my type. I also knew when Mallishka wanted to betray me. I might have let it slip on accident to my dear friend Avish that Mallishka was a wild woman looking to betray me and tear apart my heart. The poor pup readily believed me too."

Ruhaan couldn't believe what he was hearing. The man was truly sick, sicker than he ever imagined. And Mishti was with him.

"I let my dearest Mishti right to the shipping manifest knowing she'd take it to you. It was just a red herring to throw you off the trail and it all worked marvelously," He said delightedly.

"You played us all," Ruhaan realized helplessly.

"I am the master of my environment, Mr. Sharma. It was just unfortunate for you that we were playing on uneven ground. Let me tell you a little secret; I planned to kill Mishti at first. But then I got to know her and realized she's all I ever wanted and I'll never let her go. You have yourself to thank for that," Ronobir stated.

Ruhaan fell to his knees truly comprehending everything he'd lost. "This isn't over." It was a last attempt to convince himself. But he knew the truth deep down.

"Dude, it was over for you before it even started. Now I have to go. My darling fiancée is calling me. I just wanted you to hear my voice one last time with the knowledge that I've destroyed you." The line went dead.

Ruhaan threw his head back and cried.

The End