Mr. Billionaire's Wife

chapter13

After Vatsal had readily agreed to the plan within the span of three seconds, Kavya knew that she cornered with nowhere to run to. So, she willingly surrendered to Aisha's plan and prayed for the best.

Right after Vatsal agreed to the plan, Aisha's phone went off. Her manager had called Aisha to audition, for a perfume campaign of a very prominent company. With no power to go against her stern manager, Aisha remorsefully parted ways with Kavya.

Sometimes, it amused Kavya how clingy Aisha was. They've been like this since they were in diapers....

Kavya walked out of the hospital and realized how early in the afternoon it was. The sun was bright in the sky, and it was only two in the afternoon.

Because her schedule was blank without any important meetings with her Dadu, Kavya decided to burn sometime and roam around the streets of Mumbai.

After few hours in the mindless window shopping; enjoying lunch at a cute little cafe, and visiting the closest bookstore, the sun was finally going down.

Kavya glanced at her watch and was surprised to read it was six o'clock. She was more surprised that even after her long walks, she was still within the vicinity of Fortis Hospital. As a matter of fact, the enormous white building was just across the street.

Deciding that it was best to go home, she was prepared to hail a cab home, something caught her attention.

An old grandma was selling vegetables, but she didn't seem to have done a lot of business. Her cart was still full, despite the long day she spent trying to sell them.

Kavya hurriedly walked to the nearest corner store, bought a packet of hand warmers, then walked to the elderly woman.

"Good afternoon, ma'am." Kavya politely greeted the old woman".

She was surprised at the sight of a wide variety of locally grown vegetables. They seemed to be really fresh and well-grown.

"Good afternoon, young lady." The woman smiled, revealing fine likes of wrinkles of aged grandma.

"sayad aaj raat ko thand hone wali hai aap ye haato ka muja rak lo aapko garmi degi (It's quite cold tonight, this should warm you up)". Kavya placed the hand warmer into the Dadi's (granny's) hand. Surprising her in the process.

"Oh my, thank you, bachi (child). I didn't think youngsters these days were so polite". She brightly said, placing a few extra pieces of vegetables into Kavya's bag for free.

"Ah, there's no need-" But it was too late, the woman had already placed a few additional things into Kavya's bag.

"Don't worry bachi. Kindness is priceless." The woman smiled again, her eyes crinkling.

Kavya bit lips and decided that it was best to buy more. The vegetables were decently price, maybe a bit lower than commercially grown supermarket plants, but the grandma humble about the prices.

"Oh my bachi, what big family you have to feed". The Dadi chuckled at the amount of vegetable that Kavya was buying.

"No, no, I don't have a family. I just really enjoy eating vegetables." Kavya chuckled at the idea of the family. Did she look that old? Perhaps a new mother? The sudden thought of becoming a mother prickled her heart. Suddenly, painful memories threatened to resurface, but Kavya managed to compose herself and push her down.

My Dadu really like organic and locally grown food from countryside. He thinks it's healthier." Kavya explained, picking up few more leafy greens.

She hadn't made him home-cooked meals in a while and thought it might be a good gesture to visit him soon and cook for himm

"Indeed it is". The woman nodded herself, Weighing the vegetables that Kavya picked up.

There was something suspicious about this kind and gentle grandma, but Kavya ignored it. She blamed it on the night sky and the unflattering light of street lamps.

"Bahut derr hochuki hai ghar jaau (You should go home now), bachi. It's getting quite dark. It's not safe for a beautiful woman like you to roam around the streets". The granny worriedly said, hurriedly packing up the vegetables.

"Thank you, Dadi. I hope you're planning on going home early as well. The cold is settling in. It's not good for your health and body". Kavya took off scarf she wore and placed it around the woman's neck.

It this was the old Kavya, she wouldn't have cared about elders. She used to think that they talked too slow or nagged too much. But after maturing in two years she had long retracted that belief.

Now, she valued her elders a lot more and worried about them.

"Oh my bachi, what a lovely scarf! Are you sure you want to give it away?" The woman asked, her hands lightly touching the soft material.

Kavya readily nodded. "Of course. It will keep you warm". She said, helping the woman wrap it around her neck.

"Thank you, my bachi. You're simply too kind.
"The woman warmly said, as her wrinkled hands patted Kavya's contrasting smooth hand.

"Now, off you go. Wouldn't want you to get home so late". The woman jokingly shooed Kavya away. She lightly laughed and bidding the woman goodbye, she began to walk away.

The entire time she walked off, she didn't realize the heavy stare on her back. The gaze had been on her for a while now, starting from the first moment that Kavya decided to buy pack of hand warmers....

The man was surprised to see Kavya act so politely towards the elderly. He thought she capable of kindness and placing the need of others above her own...

Kya ye wohi Kavya Ahuja hai (Was that really Kavya Ahuja)?

No, it was probably just some women that looked like her. The Kavya Ahuja that he knew, was a vengeful and cruel woman who wouldn't understand the word "Kindness" even if you tied her down forced her to memorize it.

Armaan took one last puff of his cigarette before throwing it on the ground and stubbing it with the heel of his leather shoes.

He was originally going to visit the hospital when he heard Oberoi Enterprise's Big Boss was gravely injured in a horrific car accident.

Armaan didn't plan to see Kavya, but his intrigued eyes couldn't help but allow her interactions with the elderly grandma. He was so surprised to see her act that way, he inclined to look on further to prove that it was truly Kavya he was staring at.

But his car was a good few meters away from the cart, so it was hard to catch a glimpse of the women.

"Sir, it's not good to stand in the cold for so long. We should head inside and pay our respects to CEO Oberoi. "His private secretary, Alka , a beautiful woman in her early twenties, spoke up.

She was curious about what he had been staring at while he was smoking, but because Armaan's frame was so tall and she was standing on his left side, she couldn't see anything.

"Fine, let's go". Armaan curtly said. He strolled into the hospital with his hands tucked into the pockets of his fitted suit.

Alka followed him but stood one step behind him out of respect. She checked her tablet and realized there was a new message.

"Madam Akhila's daughter, Kashti's birthday is coming up. She has invited you to come will you accept the invitation?" Alka relayed the message.

Armaan didn't think his decision through before answering her.

"Reject it. I don't have time for these useless birthday banquets". Armaan walked through the automatic sliding doors of the hospital and made his way to the elevator.

"Ah, but Ms. Malika is a friend of Kashti and has expressed interests-"

"Then accept the invitation". Armaan smiled at the opportunity of making Malika happy. Recently, they've gotten into a small misunderstanding, and she was angry at him.

Perhaps this birthday banquet would cheer her up...