Naina sat on the sofa, a bag of chips in her hand, deep in thought. Rivaanâs proposal had taken her by surprise. Living together or having a separate place with a caretaker? It was a lot to process. She weighed the pros and cons, considering every detail. Living with Rivaan would mean constant support and perhaps more comfort, but it also meant dealing with him every day and her own confused feelings. The other option offered her more independence, but it also came with its challenges.
After what felt like hours of internal debate, she finally made up her mind.
The doorbell rang, breaking her thoughts. She got up and opened the door to find Rivaan standing there, holding bags of food. She could smell the aroma of Indian spices immediately, and her stomach growled in response.
He handed her the bags without a word, and she took them to the kitchen, quickly setting out the food on plates. She didn't wait for any pleasantries or conversation; she was starving. Rivaan watched her eat, letting her satisfy her hunger before bringing up what he came to discuss.
When she finally finished, leaning back with a satisfied sigh, he asked, âSo, whatâs your decision?â
Naina wiped her mouth with a napkin and looked at him. âIâll take the caretaker and the apartment,â she said firmly.
Rivaan nodded. âOkay. Pack your bags. Tomorrow, youâll be moving into your new place. And you wonât be coming to the office anymore.â
Her eyes narrowed, a spark of anger lighting them. âWhat do you mean Iâm not coming to the office?â
âBecause youâre pregnant,â he said, as if that explained everything.
Nainaâs anger flared. âSo what if Iâm pregnant? Iâm not disabled. I can still work. Iâll come to the office until Iâm too sick or too far along to be there. Do you understand?â
Rivaan opened his mouth to argue but stopped himself. He didnât want to start a fight, not now. He clenched his jaw, clearly unhappy with her decision but unwilling to push her further tonight. âFine. But if you ever feel unwell, youâll stop immediately.â
She crossed her arms, giving him a look. âIâll be the judge of that.â
They sat in silence for a moment, the tension in the room palpable. Rivaan looked like he wanted to say more but held back. He knew this wasnât the time to push her. Naina, too, felt a mix of relief and uncertainty. She had made her choice, but what lay ahead was still a vast unknown.
âGet some rest,â he finally said, standing up to leave. âIâll send someone to help you pack in the morning.â
Naina nodded, watching him go. As the door closed behind him, she took a deep breath. She had made her decision, but it was only the beginning of a journey that was bound to be challenging in more ways than one.