Naina woke up feeling hungry and made her way to the fridge. As she opened it, she saw a figure laying on the sofa and remembered the events of last night. Slowly, she approached the sofa and saw Rivaan sleeping. In his sleep, he looked almost childlike and innocent. Her hand moved instinctively, reaching out to touch his face, but before she could, his eyes opened, startling her. They stared at each other for a moment before she quickly broke the eye contact.
"Wake up and freshen up. Iâm making breakfast for us," she said, and he nodded, heading towards the bathroom.
They ate breakfast in silence, the tension between them palpable. Finally, Rivaan spoke. "So, what are you planning to do?"
Nainaâs heart sank. She thought he was going to suggest she get rid of the baby. âIâm not aborting my baby. I can raise him or her by myself. I donât need anyone. I can do this alone,â she said, her voice firm with determination.
âAre you mad? This is also my baby! I would never think of doing something like that,â he replied, frustration and anger coloring his tone.
âIâm keeping it, and I donât need your help, Mr. Rivaan Raghuvanshi,â she insisted.
âYou canât make this decision by yourself,â he countered, his voice steady. âAnd you canât live alone in this small apartment. What if you get sick or, worse, faint in your condition? Whoâs going to help you?â
For a moment, she thought he cared about her. But then he added, âIf something happens to my babyâ¦â
His words stung. Did he care only about the baby, not her? He continued, his voice softer but firm. âYou have two choices: either move in with me, or Iâll arrange for another apartment with a caretaker who will look after you. The choice is yours to make. Either me or this.â
Naina looked away, her mind racing. âI need some time to think about it,â she said finally.
âFine. Iâll come back in the evening. Make sure youâve made your decision by then,â he said before leaving her alone in the apartment, the weight of his ultimatum pressing down on her.
She sat on the sofa, staring at the empty space he had just occupied, her heart and mind in turmoil. What did he really want from her? Was it just about the baby, or was there something more? She had only a few hours to decide, but the answer seemed more elusive than ever.