Two Brothers: Shadows of Deception

Chapter 42

Shadows of the Past: Love, Insecurity, and Unspoken Fears

(Niharika)

I was preparing the new auction report, which was of utmost importance for our company. The land being auctioned was located in the heart of the city, and developing an integrated township there would be a significant asset. I had confidence in the success of the auction, and Siddharth shared the same optimism. He had requested me to prepare the report as quickly as possible for his review.

After finishing the report and giving it a thorough proofreading, I printed it out and carefully filed it in a folder. I decided to personally deliver it to Siddharth. It had been a while since I last saw Priya, and I missed our friendly chats. As I exited the elevator and headed towards Siddharth's office, I noticed Priya stepping out of her cabin with a stack of files. She spotted me and greeted me with a warm smile, which I reciprocated.

"Hey, where have you been? I haven't seen you since the party," I inquired. Her smile faded slightly, and she nervously bit her lip. "I... I wasn't feeling well, so I took sick leave," she explained. Concerned, I asked, "Oh no, what happened? Are you feeling better now?" She assured me, "Yeah, I'm fine now. How about you? What brings you here?"

"I'm good. I came to deliver the auction report to Sid and thought I could also spend some time with my dear friend," I replied, playfully pinching her nose. She chuckled and rubbed her nose, feigning annoyance. "Alright then, come inside. I need to give this file to him too. After that, we can head to the canteen and grab some coffee," she suggested, pulling me along.

Upon entering Siddharth's office, we interrupted him while he was engrossed in his computer work. He looked up, a wide smile spreading across his face upon hearing our giggles. Rising from his chair, he enthusiastically approached me and enveloped me in a bear hug. "How's my sweet sis-in-law? I've missed you," he exclaimed happily. I couldn't help but scoff at his exaggerated greeting. "I'm fine. How have you been?" I responded. He smirked, casting a teasing glance at Priya, causing her to avert her gaze. "Never been better," he replied, still looking at her. Confused and slightly irritated, I frowned at both of them.

"What's going on here?" I asked, crossing my arms and giving them a questioning look.

"Nothing," Priya quickly interjected. I scoffed in disbelief at her rushed response.

"Why is he calling you sis-in-law?" Priya shot me the same inquisitive look. I bit my lip and turned to Sid. With a smile and a confident demeanor, he crossed his arms and addressed Priya.

"Because she is my sis-in-law," he explained, the hint of a smile playing on his lips. Priya's forehead creased with confusion.

"She is married to my brother," he clarified. Priya's mouth fell open in surprise as she looked back and forth between us.

"You mean Mr. Vedant Aryan?" she asked, seeking confirmation. Sid nodded affirmatively. Priya's gaze shifted towards me, her eyes filled with astonishment. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" she inquired.

"It's complicated," I responded with a wry smirk, conveying that there were deeper layers to the situation. She raised an eyebrow and tilted her head, silently acknowledging my choice to reveal the details at a later time.

"I'll explain it to you later," I added, offering her a blank expression. She nodded understandingly, conveying her acceptance of the delay.

I looked at Priya, noticing the mix of surprise and curiosity in her eyes. It was clear that she wanted to know more about my relationship with Mr. Vedant Aryan, but it was a complicated story—one that I wasn't ready to divulge just yet. With a quick exchange of glances, we silently agreed to discuss it later when we had more privacy.