The Lustre [On Hold]

chapter eighteen

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chapter eighteen • was i wrong about him?
Z A R A A U R O R A M A L H O T R A

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"You scared me, Aria didi!" I sigh, sitting on the chair next to her hospital bed. "I literally thought you were serious!"

"It was. I freaked the heck out." Her husband, Aman Jiju rolls his eyes and Aria didi chuckles.

"It was yesterday but I'm under observation now. I'll be able to even leave after I'm neutralized. Don't worry about me, behend."
[Translation: Behend - Sister]

"I'm glad you're okay. And I truly hope you'll be able to recover completely and leave."

"Thank you, dear. Did you drive here?"

"No, my husband dropped me here."

"How're you going home then?"

"He's still downstairs. He'll wait till I'm done."

Her eyebrows furrow. "Does that mean he doesn't want to see me?"

What the fuck, no! "No, didi! He insisted on coming but I stopped him. It's my fault, not his."

"Well, why did you stop him?"

"I... I don't know." I know. I don't like him walking around with me like we're an actual couple. "But it's on me."

"Then ask him to come up now." She demands strictly. "Call your husband up."

I sigh. There's no fighting with her. She's the oldest cousin and whatever she says is the final word.

"Give me a second."

I walk far away so they can't hear me as I take out my phone to call him.

"Yes, princess?" He says after answering immediately.

"Uh... Raj..."

"Is everything okay? What's going on?"

"No, everything's fine. Can you... um... come up?"

It was silent for a few seconds. I think he's wondering why the sudden change. "Why?"

"Aria didi wants to see you. She thought you didn't want to see her."

"What?" He sounded shocked.

"No, don't worry. I already told her it was my fault. I was the one who stopped you from coming with me. So, come up now. Tell the receptionist you would like to see Aria Oudh Jain and you're her relative."

"Okay, I'm coming."

He ends the call and I walk back to Aria, sitting on the chair. "He's coming, didi."

"Good. Why would you make the poor man wait there? I was so stoked to meet him as well. I only saw him at your wedding and I couldn't talk to him at all."

I lower my eyelids because she's right. Why am I always making things so difficult for the people around me?

"Sorry, didi. I thought I just wanted to see how you're doing and let you rest."