The morning dawned heavy for Sia. Her emotions, already fragile, were tipped further when she received a call from her mother.
"Riya's back home," her mother said, her voice trembling slightly, a mix of excitement and unease.
Sia's heart sank. She had been preparing herself for this day, yet nothing could dull the dread that came with her sister's return.
Later that afternoon, Sia received another callâthis time from Riya herself.
"Meet me at The Clover Café in an hour," Riya's voice was smooth, almost cheerful. "We need to talk."
Sia hesitated, her grip tightening on the phone. "What's there to talk about?"
"Oh, don't be so dramatic," Riya replied, a hint of mockery in her tone. "Just come."
And Sia goes there without letting anyone know about it. As she informes her mother in law about she going to meet Neha.
At the café, Sia arrived to find Riya already seated at a corner table, sipping a cappuccino as though she didn't have a care in the world.
"Sia," Riya greeted with a saccharine smile. "You look... tired. Married life must be exhausting for you."
Sia ignored the jab, taking a seat across from her. "What do you want, Riya?"
Riya's smile widened, but her eyes were cold. "Straight to the point, as always. Fine. Let's talk about your new familyâthe Rathores."
Sia stiffened.
"Oh, they're such fools," Riya continued, her voice laced with disdain. "Pretending to enjoy their moments with you. Acting like they actually care. It's almost laughable."
Sia's hands clenched into fists under the table. "Don't you dare talk about them like that."
Riya leaned forward, her smile turning cruel. "Why not? Do you honestly believe those bonds are real? They're just pretending. They'll drop you the moment I'm back in their lives."
"Enough!" Sia's voice was sharp, her anger bubbling to the surface. "You don't get to talk about my family that way. They've been nothing but kind and loving to me."
Riya's laughter was cold, cutting through Sia's words. "Oh, Sia. You're so naive. You'll see soon enough. They'll choose me over you in a heartbeat. And as for Arjun..."
Sia's heart stopped. "What about him?"
Riya's smile turned smug. "He still loves me. And trust me, Sia, he always will."
Sia felt her chest tighten, but before she could respond, Riya stood, smoothing her dress. "Anyway, enjoy the little fantasy you're living in. It won't last long."
With that, Riya walked away, her head held high, a smirk of satisfaction on her face.
Sia remained frozen at the table, her mind racing and her chest heaving with suppressed sobs. She couldn't let herself cry in public, but the weight of Riya's words was too much to bear.
"Are you okay?"
The unfamiliar voice startled her. She looked up to see a tall, well-dressed man with a concerned expression.
It took her a moment to place him. "Mayank Ahuja," she said softly, recognizing him from a family event.
"Yes," he replied, his smile gentle. "And you're Sia Rathore, right? Arjun's wife?"
She nodded, wiping her tears quickly. "I'm fine. Thank you."
"You don't look fine," Mayank said, taking the seat Riya had vacated. "But I won't pry. Sometimes it helps to talk to a stranger, though."
Sia hesitated, unsure of his intentions. "I don't thinkâ"
"Hey, no pressure," Mayank interrupted, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I just thought you could use a distraction."
To her surprise, he started telling a light-hearted story about a mishap at his office. Despite herself, Sia found the corners of her lips twitching into a small smile.
"There it is," Mayank said, grinning. "That's the smile I was hoping to see."
Sia's laughter was brief, but genuine. Still, she shifted slightly, creating more distance between them. "Thank you, Mr. Ahuja, but I should go."
"Of course," he said, standing as she did. "Just take care of yourself, okay? You seem like a nice person."
Sia nodded, offering a polite smile before walking away.
Unbeknownst to her, a figure in the shadows lowered a camera, their lens capturing every moment between Sia and Mayank.
"Perfect," the man murmured, a sly grin spreading across his face as he sent the photos to Mayank and Riya.
Their plan was falling into place.
Arjun's POV
The day started like any other, but Arjun couldn't shake off the strange unease in his chest. He had noticed the distance in Sia's demeanor latelyâthe way her smile didn't quite reach her eyes, the weight she seemed to carry silently. He was determined to make things right, but before he could act, his past barged in, uninvited.
Riya walked into his office with her signature confidence, her heels clicking on the marble floor as though she still owned every space she stepped into.
"Arjun," she said, her voice soft yet calculated, her eyes scanning him as if gauging his reaction.
Arjun looked up from his desk, his expression unreadable. "Riya. What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you, of course," she said, her lips curling into a small smile. "It's been so long, hasn't it? Don't tell me you didn't miss me."
He leaned back in his chair, his tone firm. "You shouldn't have come."
Her smile faltered for a moment before she quickly masked it with feigned hurt. "Arjun, don't be like this. I missed you so much. I had no choice but to leave back then, but I'm here now."
Arjun's jaw tightened. He felt nothing but irritation at her presence. The warmth he once associated with her was gone, replaced by a cold indifference.
Riya, unfazed by his reaction, stepped closer to his desk. "I know it must've been hard for you, baby. And I can only imagine how stressful it must be to deal with Sia." She sighed dramatically. "Poor thing, she's not equipped to handle someone like you. But don't worry, I'm back now."
Her hand reached out, brushing against his arm. Arjun stiffened at the contact, his irritation bubbling into anger.
"Riya," he said sharply, standing up and stepping back, "don't. Whatever we had is over. I'm married to Sia now, and I don't appreciate you talking about her that way."
Riya's eyes flashed with anger, but she quickly recovered, her lips curving into a sly smile. "Oh, Arjun. You're so tense. Don't worry, I'll take care of everything. You won't have to pretend with her anymore."
She leaned in as if to whisper something, but Arjun stepped away. The proximity made his skin crawl, and he clenched his fists to stop himself from lashing out.
Riya smirked, her expression triumphant despite his clear discomfort. "Don't worry, darling. I'll fix everything soon." With that, she turned and walked out, her parting words lingering like poison in the air.
Unbeknownst to Arjun, a figure hidden in the shadows captured every moment, the camera clicking as Riya leaned closer to him.
Two Days Later
Sia's spirits lifted momentarily when Neha called with exciting news.
"Sia! You won't believe this," Neha said, her voice bubbling with excitement. "Remember the person who showed interest in publishing your work? He's in India now, and he wants to meet you!"
"Really?" Sia's voice held a mix of surprise and nervousness. "That's amazing. When and where?"
Neha gave her the details, and Sia agreed to meet the publisher later that day. She dressed carefully, her nerves fluttering in her stomach as she arrived at the upscale hotel lobby.
To her shock, the publisher turned out to be none other than Mayank Ahuja.
"You?" Sia blurted, her eyes wide in surprise.
"Guilty as charged," Mayank said with a boyish grin. "Surprised?"
"A little," Sia admitted, composing herself. "I wasn't expecting this."
Mayank chuckled. "Well, I've been following your work for a while. It's impressive, Sia. Truly."
She smiled faintly, still cautious. "Thank you. So, what exactly do you have in mind?"
As they talked, Sia felt herself relaxing slightly. Mayank's enthusiasm for her work was genuine, and his ideas were compelling.
Just as they were about to leave, something happenedâSia's heel caught on the edge of the carpet, and she stumbled.
"Careful!" Mayank exclaimed, his arms shooting out to catch her before she fell. He steadied her, his hands lingering for a moment to ensure she was okay.
Sia quickly stepped back, her cheeks flushing. "Thank you," she said softly, avoiding his gaze.
"Anytime," Mayank said, his smile kind.
But once again, someone in the shadows had been watching. The camera clicked, capturing the moment of Mayank holding Sia.
Back at the Mehta Mansion
The photos, now carefully edited, were sent to Riya. She smiled as she scrolled through them. "This is going to be fun," she murmured to herself, already plotting her next move.