Shattered (Book #1 In Heart Series)✔️

Chapter 31: Karthik to reveal Aditya's truth

Kritika's POV

Oh, damn it! Now what am I going to do? He knows I intentionally spiced up that dish. God, please save me from his wrath.

I muttered a prayer as I washed the dishes, deliberately taking my time to avoid encountering that Khadoos (grump).

"Kritika, you're still awake?" Priya babhi asked, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

"No, babhi. Do you need something?" I asked, trying to appear composed.

"No, I just came for some water. You can leave all this for tomorrow," she suggested.

"But..."

"No excuses. Go on. Otherwise, I'll call mom," she threatened, cutting me off. I nodded and left the kitchen after rinsing my hands.
"I hope that Khadoos is asleep," I muttered under my breath as I cautiously opened the door.

Where is he?

I wondered, stepping into the room and finding it empty.

"Oh, finally, you're here," a voice startled me, and I spun around to face the devil himself.

"You know, your patidev (husband) was missing you a lot," he pouted, advancing towards me.
Pout? Seriously?

A squeal escaped my lips as he grabbed my waist and pinned me against the wall.

"Your acting was quite convincing, but it didn't affect me," he whispered, lightly caressing my cheek.

I shuddered at the unfamiliar sensation, my mind flashing back to our first peculiar encounter in this very room.

Will history repeat itself?

"Look at me when I'm speaking," he growled into my ear, his tone dripping with anger, causing me to flinch.

"Never. I said never dare to pull such childish stunts on me. Do you understand?" he spat, his words hitting me like a slap. I nodded, fear gripping me.

With one last intense gaze, he released me, leaving me to collect myself. I wiped the sweat from my forehead with the edge of my saree.

Is he bipolar?

Regardless, I must tread carefully. Otherwise, he'll devour me whole.
It was a new day, and I resolved to gather clues about his past after he left for the office.

Entering the room, I found Mr. Singhania looking as dashing as ever in his Armani suit.

Did I really just think that?

"I know I'm handsome. So stop ogling me," he remarked, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Oh, please. I wasn't checking you out. I just zoned out," I retorted, offering a feeble excuse.

"Anyway, listen. I'm off to the office. But that doesn't mean you have free reign over my room.

 Don't touch anything except the wardrobe," he ordered sternly, to which I obediently nodded.

Gathering his bag and car keys, he departed, leaving me with a lingering glare. As soon as he was out of sight, I dashed out to ensure he was truly gone.

Phew, he's gone. Now I can begin my search.

Rushing back to the room, I wasted no time in scouring every nook and cranny. Despite my efforts, all I found were his belongings—watches, clothes, and some business files.

Kneeling down, I checked under the bed, but it was spotless. Sighing in defeat, I sank onto the bed, racking my brains for a new plan of action.

I paced the room, lost in thought, when my phone suddenly rang. It was Aradhya. Grinning, I answered the call.

"Hello, Aru. How are you?" I greeted.

"I'm fine, Kriti. What about you?" she responded.

"Just okay," I replied monotonously.

"By the way, has there been any change in your and jiju's relationship?" she inquired.

"No change. We're still at odds, like Tom and Jerry. Oh, and Aru, Ma finally found out about our charade," I informed her.

"What? How?" she exclaimed.

"Well, she walked in on us arguing and demanded the truth. I couldn't bear to deceive her, so I spilled everything—except about our agreement," I explained.

"But couldn't you have concocted a little white lie?" she suggested.

"I considered it, but Ma has high expectations of us. She practically begged me to come clean, and I couldn't betray her trust. So, I spilled the beans—minus the agreement," I justified.

"Does jiju know about this?" she inquired further.

"No, I haven't told him, and I can't. I'm on a mission," I confessed.

"A mission?" she echoed, amused.

"Yes, a mission to tame the Khadoos Singhania," I declared, grinning. She chuckled.

"You're joking, right?" she laughed.

"No, I'm serious. Ma told me that Mr. Singhania isn't who he seems to be. Something changed him after his return from London, and I'm determined to find out what," I affirmed.

"So, you're trying to uncover his past?" she deduced.

"Yes, Ma cried in front of me, begging me to change Mr. Singhania. I made her a promise, and I intend to keep it. That's why I'm hunting for any clues," I elaborated.

"And have you found anything?" she asked.

"No, not yet. I searched the entire room, but nothing," I lamented, pouting.

"Don't worry, Kriti. God will show you the way," she reassured me.

"I hope so, Aru," I sighed.

"Jaan," I heard Kartik bhai's voice from her end.

"So, Aru, what's with all the 'jaan' and stuff, huh?" I taunted playfully, earning a blush from her.

"K-Kriti, I can't hear you. I'll call you later. Bye," she rushed, hanging up abruptly.

So, bhai calls her 'jaan.'

Karthik bhai really loves her . Chalo Kriti let's continue searching before that Khadoos comes .

Karthik's POV

"Jaan," I called out as I entered the room, noticing my wife blushing while talking on the phone.

"What made her blush so early in the morning?" I muttered to myself.

As she hung up, she turned towards me.

"Who was that?" I inquired.

"Kritika," she replied.

"Is everything okay? Did something happen?" I asked, a hint of concern in my voice as I wondered if Aditya had done something to upset her.

"No, Karthi. Everything's fine. It was just a casual chat," she reassured me. I nodded, accepting her explanation.

"Karthi, did you know that Aditya jiju has a past?" she suddenly asked, catching me off guard.

"Who told you that?" I asked nervously, my mind racing with possibilities.

"Kritika mentioned it. She's trying to find out more about it," Aradhya informed me.

Did Aditya confide in her about his past? No, he wouldn't do that. But why would Kritika think he has a past?

"Karthi, what's wrong?" Aradhya's concerned voice brought me back to the present.

"Nothing, just lost in thought," I lied, trying to brush off the conversation. "And why does Kritika believe Aditya has a past? Did he tell her?" I probed further.

"No, Swetha aunty mentioned that Aditya changed after his time in London. Kriti put two and two together and decided to investigate. She promised aunty that she would change Mr. Singhania completely," Aradhya explained.

Kritika wants to bring back the old Adi. She believes she's the only one who can change him, but first, she needs to uncover his past. Should I tell her? What if Adi finds out?

Finally, I made up my mind. For Adi's own good, I had to tell Kritika about his past, even if it meant breaking my promise to him. I picked up the phone and dialed Kritika's number.

"Hello, bhai," she greeted.

"Hi, Kritika. How are you?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

"I'm fine, bhai," she replied.

"Um, Kritika, can we meet tomorrow? I need to tell you something important," I said hesitantly.

"Of course, bhai, no problem," she responded.

"Okay, then. Let's meet at Joggers Park at 11. I'll be there," I confirmed.

"Alright, bhai, I'll come," she agreed.

"And Kritika, don't mention this to Aditya, okay?" I cautioned her.

"Don't worry, bhai. I'll take care of it," she assured me.

"Okay, goodnight. See you tomorrow," I bid her farewell.

"Goodnight, bhai," she replied, and we hung up.

God, please bring both of them together.