Vivian approached me, his steps deliberate and heavy, and said in a cold, dark tone, "Are you planning to put on this drama in front of the whole world too?"
Confused and a bit startled, I asked, "What drama?"
Vivian pointed at my mangalsutra, his e...
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As soon as the lights in the bar flickered back on, I watched as Karan, my old school friend, gracefully descended from the stage. He still had that same confident stride, the same infectious energy that drew people towards him.
"Hey Bros, wassup?" Karan's voice boomed across the hall, cutting through the background noise.
We all rose from our seats. Samir was the first to embrace him.
"Wow, Karan! What an entry, bro," Samir said, pulling back with a grin.
Vedaant was next, giving Karan a tight hug. "Yeah, Karan, you haven't changed a bit."
Just then, Samir asked, "Well Karan, when did you come to India ? You didn't even tell us after coming here."
Karan's eyes met mine, a mischievous glint evident as he extended his hand towards me. "You knew, didn't you, Vivian?"
"Hmm, I was the one who suggested Karan to come here," I replied, taking my seat on the worn leather sofa again. Yes, I had invited Karan to India. He wanted to start his business here, and I had offered him a project under the Bhatt Group.
"Keeping secrets from us now, are we?" Vedaant teased, sitting down next to me.
"When did you come back to India, Karan?" Samir asked, curiosity evident in his tone. "You left after Vivian did."
Karan settled into the sofa, his presence radiating confidence. "Yeah, but now I need to set up my New York business here in India. So, I'll be around for a while."
Vedaant leaned back, a grin spreading across his face. "That's great news. We'll all have a blast together."
Karan nodded in agreement, his eyes then shifting to the all three girls sitting nearby. "Well, who are these lovely ladies? And which one of them is my sister-in-law?"
Samir, sitting beside Ria and casually placing his hand on her shoulder, replied, " she's my fiancée."
Karan shook hands with Ria, his expression warm. "Oh, so you're the lucky lady who caught his eye."
Ria smiled back. "Yes, that's me."
Karan's gaze then moved to Navya and Aarini. "And these two beautiful girls?"
Vedaant gestured towards Navya. "That's my girlfriend, Navya." Navya blushed at the introduction, her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink.
Karan extended his hand towards Navya. "Hello, Navya."
"Hello, Karan," Navya responded, shaking his hand.
Then Karan turned to Aarini, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Now, let me guess."
As Karan tried to guess, I couldn't help but feel a surge of possessiveness.
"Vivian," Karan's voice pulled me from my thoughts as he looked at me. "care to give me a hint?"
