Playing With Fire

Chapter 1: Out with the Old

"Mum! He slept with another woman!"

That was the first time she'd spoken the words out loud in the week and a half since she'd caught her fiancé, Amir Khan, in bed with one of the women who worked under him in her father's firm. Yeah, Rani worked under him, all right. Little had Kajol known, the woman took her job very seriously. When she worked under Amir, she really worked under Amir.

Glancing up, Kajol saw an icy expression on her mother's slender face. Her gut clenched for one simple reason. In her twenty-five years she'd never screamed at her mother like she just had. Usually she responded to both her parents with a "Yes, Mum" or a "Yes, dad." To make matters worse, her always serious father stood watching her, cutting Kajol a sharp look that told her she'd just made a huge mistake.

Preparing herself for the lecture she could see in her father's narrowed eyes, she sat on the brown leather sofa in his home office. Ever the professional, he slipped behind his oversize dark oak desk as if in a business meeting rather than talking with his daughter about her cheating fiancé. Wouldn't most fathers comfort their daughters at a time like this? Hug them, let them cry, and offer to beat up their slime-ball ex? At the very least, wouldn't they fire him from the firm that carried her last name?

She wouldn't know, because her father hadn't done any of that. He'd never been the type to dirty his hands in any way. Not even for his daughter.

"I didn't raise you to speak to your mother that way, Kajol. I won't tolerate it."

He picked up a cigar and lit the end, knowing the smell bothered both her and her mother.

Well, at least she'd found one thing he wouldn't tolerate. God forbid she defend herself. Now Amir cheating, that was okay. Kajol raising her voice seemed to be a whole different story.

Too bad she didn't have the courage to tell him that.

Like she'd done since she was a child, she crawled into her shell when it came to her
parents. "I didn't mean to yell, Papa, but—"

"Amir made a mistake, Kajol."

Her mother joined her on the couch and patted her hand, feigning sympathy. That would be the extent of the comfort she received from either of her parents about this. Part of her felt shocked at even that. They were never very affectionate with her—or each other, for that matter. She didn't doubt her parents loved her in their own way, "If what Rani said is true, he made that same mistake over and over, in as many positions as possible, mum!" Her hand slapped against her mouth, surprised she'd let the words slip out.

"Don't be crude."

Kajol's elbows moved to rest on her knees. Head bent so she stared at the floor, she ran her hands through her black hair while a deep sigh fell from her lips. Yeah, like she was the crude one in this situation. Amir could screw his secretary all day long, but her parents would be damned before they'd let her talk about it. Did they really not see what they were trying to get her to do? How could she marry a man who cheated on her just weeks after the wedding date had been set? How could they expect her to? Why aren't I more upset the wedding is cancelled? She shook those thoughts from her head. Later. She'd figure that out later. Right now she had to deal with her mum and dad.

"I can't do what you're asking me to. I'm sorry, but I can't."

"Kajol, you're being foolish. You love Amir and he loves you. He had a bout of cold feet. The poor man feels terrible about it. He was here crying this morning. You didn't see what I saw," her mother told her. No, she didn't see that Amir stupidly feared he might lose his chance at making partner and his chance at taking over Mukherjee and Associates when her father decided to retire. He didn't give a damn about her. The fear she'd seen in his eyes when she'd walked in on him with Rani had been all about himself.

"I've been friends with Amir's father for many years, Kajol . They're like family to us, and I refuse to let you ruin that because you got your feelings hurt. It's time to grow up. Life throws you curve balls, and you need to learn how to deal with them." Her father took a long puff on his cigar and blew the repulsive smoke into the room around her.

Had she just heard him correctly? He refused to let her ruin their friendship? He wanted her to grow up? Nausea churned in her stomach.

"Talk to him. Let him apologize and forgive him. You gave your word to marry him. Mukherjees keep their word!" Her dad pushed up from the chair, his voice a booming echo in the office.

Kajol flinched. Her father's anger always got to her. Being on the receiving end of either of her parents' wrath never boded well for the other party.

What were they thinking? Somehow she'd woken up in Ancient India, not in the twenty-first century where a twenty-five-year-old woman didn't have to put up with a no-good cheat as a husband when she could get out of it. Kajol's pulse pounded in her ears. Her head swam with everything she'd done for her parents in her life that she hadn't wanted to do: going to law school, working in her father's firm as a law clerk, and agreeing to marry a man she'd probably tricked herself into believing she loved for their sakes as well.

After all she'd done for her parents they still expected her to do more, to be exactly who they wanted her to be instead of herself. They wanted her to marry a man who didn't love her enough to stay faithful to her. She couldn't do it. No matter how much she loved them, they had crossed the line. Her hands shaking, Kajol stood and looked her father in the eyes, hoping her voice didn't come out as shaky as she felt. "You're right, Papa."

"Oh, thank God." Her mum stood up. "I knew you'd come to your senses."

"I don't know what took me so long to see, Mother, but I've definitely come to my senses."

"Good girl," her father added.

"I do need to grow up, Papa. I'll go get my stuff packed. I'm moving out."

Straightening her back and holding her head high, Kajol turned and walked out of her father's smoke-filled office.