Chapter 30 Veera

Chapter 30 Veera

Veera hadn't eaten or drunk anything all day and now she was sure she was being tested because she wanted to kill everybody.

And probably cry.

"Olivia," Deepak said. "What are you doing here?"

"I came because I had to talk to you," she said. "I'm sorry, it looks like you are in the middle of something, but this was

really the only time that I could get away." Olivia waved to the aunties who were standing in the back making no secret that

they were staring in open curiosity. "Is there a place that we can talk?"

Deepak looked over at Kareena and Prem who had crossed the patio to stand at Veera and Deepak's side. Prem was the first to

speak. "We have an office upstairs. Why don't you both go ahead and have your conversation up there?"

Deepak turned to Veera and rested his hand on her lower back. "Are you okay with this? Do you want to come upstairs to hear

what Olivia has to say, too?"

She wanted to roll her eyes. Of course, she wasn't okay with this, but at the same time, she was mature enough to know that

Deepak and Olivia had some unresolved issues they had to sort out. "I'll be fine. You can share the highlights."

He pressed a kiss at the corner of her mouth. "Yes," he said. "Promise."

"Veera, there is someone waiting out front that I think you should talk to," Olivia said quietly. She glanced up at the aunties and then back at her. "She didn't want to come in because she knows everyone here."

Veera straightened. Her sister. Sana was here.

"Should we all go around to the front?" Deepak asked Veera quietly.

"No, I'll talk to her myself," Veera said.

"Okay, call me if you need me." With one last look in her direction, Deepak motioned for Olivia to follow him through the

sliding doors, into the house and down the hallway out of sight. If Veera was a stronger woman, maybe it wouldn't bother her

so much to see Deepak with his ex-fiancée.

Or the fact that he once thought Olivia was the better fit for him for Illyria.

Because Illyria was still his first goal. His first love.

"What's going on?" Bobbi said in a low voice when she reached Veera's side. Bunty had also walked over, a small bowl of kheer

in his hand that he was steadily devouring. If Veera wasn't so distracted, then she would've probably found the sight of him

eating rice pudding out of a tiny bowl in his brawny hands amusing.

"Olivia is back," Kareena said to Bobbi.

"I saw that," she said. "But is there anything we can do to help?" She turned to Veera, her gaze always so perceptive.

"I honestly have no idea," Veera said. "I have to talk to my sister."

She slipped past her friends, and after one small, forced smile toward the aunties and her mother-in-law, Veera walked the

front of the house. She found her shoes from the pile that had accumulated next to the front door. She paused at the base

of the stairs, straining to hear voices, but when she was greeted with silence, she had to close her eyes and move on.

This was Deepak. This was her friend and the man she loved. They were sleeping together, and he had earned her trust and respect. She had to trust him now, too. He would never hurt her, even if he hadn't told her how he felt yet.

Veera quickly put her shoes on and walked out the front door.

Her twin stood at the end of the walkway. Sana Mathur leaned against a cherry red Audi parked right in front of the house.

Her hair was slightly longer and curled at her nape. Her clothes were fitted dark pants, a tucked-in button-down shirt, and

a long thigh-length coat.

"Hi, sis," Sana said slowly as she straightened. She held out her arms for a hug. "After eight months, you'd think I would

be sick of seeing your face."

Veera's throat burned. "Same," she said and quickly made her way down the walkway in her sari and heels, bracing herself against

the chilly night air, until she hugged her twin.

The soft warmth of Sana's familiar body, of her fierce hug, was a soothing balm. Deepak was the other part of her heart, but

Sana was the other part of her soul.

"Sana," she said, as she pulled back, "why are you and Olivia crashing a Karva Chauth celebration in New Jersey?"

"We wanted to warn you before you both found out on your own. Thankfully, I still had Kareena's address from the last time

I visited with you a few years ago."

"Warn us about what?" Veera said. She had a feeling she was not going to like this.

Sana shifted from one foot to the other. "We're not going back to the city. We're staying at Mom and Dad's house."

Veera gaped. "Mom and Dad's? You're seeing Dad? Sana!" The betrayal felt like a knife in the gut. "Why would you even consider letting him back into your life after all that he's done to us? To you!"

"It's more because Mom wanted to meet Olivia," Sana said. "And, ah, Dad and I are working on an announcement for my candidacy

for CEO of Illyria Media Group. I've decided that I'm applying for the role. I have a really good shot at it, too."

Her sister, Sana, was the other candidate. Her sister was going up against Deepak and the board. Veera stumbled back a step.

The wind whipped down the sidewalk chilling her to her bones.

"What the hell are you doing, Sana?"

"I'm taking an opportunity," Sana said, her voice hardening. She shoved her hands deep in her pockets. "Mathur Financial Group

was our legacy. After running around the UK with Olivia, I realized that I didn't want to just consult with random clients.

I didn't want to have to spend most of my time selling my services. I want the life that I had, and this is the best way to

take it back." Her lips flattened in a thin line. "Working with Dad is like working with the devil, but he's better than trusting

Deepak."

There was that bitterness again, that hatred her twin had developed for the man she loved.

"Deepak is not the person who is trying to hurt me," Veera said. "Dad was the one who canceled my proposal presentation. He

nixed it before it even made it to Deepak's father's desk."

"There you go, defending him again," Sana said evenly. Her voice was the same condescending tone that she used to use when

they were kids. It was often applied when Sana said, Oh, Veera. There you go again, being so optimistic or nice to people.

"You said you did recon," Veera replied. "What did you find out?"

Sana didn't answer her.

"You are such a chutiya."

"Hey! Don't call me a chutiya!"

"How can I not when you are literally a chutiya," Veera shot back. She wanted to strangle her sister. "You couldn't find any

evidence that Deepak turned down my proposal, could you? You're trusting Dad."

"It doesn't matter," Sana said, chin tilted up, hands on her hips. "The board isn't going to support Deepak, which means the

job has to go to someone else. Dad said that with my candidacy, we could run Illyria—"

Veera gasped. "You are kidding me!" she shouted. There was the sound of a car alarm going off, of a door slamming, of a dog

barking down the street, and Veera counted to five, desperately trying to keep her temper under control, otherwise she was

going to shove her sister's face in Kareena's manicured lawn the same way she beat Sana after her twin cut off her Indian

Barbie's hair when they were seven.

"Sana," Veera said, trying to sound as calm as possible. "Dad is taking advantage of a situation. He sees you as a way to

get that power and take over Illyria Media Group."

"He won't take advantage of me," Sana said.

Nope, there was no way she was staying calm. "This is why I will always be smarter than you are."

"Shut up, Vee!"

"Come on, Sana, be realistic," Veera said. "I mean, Dad is already getting you to do what he wants! You've never been the

kind to write press releases about your intentions. Not until you've won whatever you're after."

"The press release is not just about the candidacy," Sana said slowly. "It's about your wedding, too."

Everything that she'd come to love about her new life was going to fall apart and shatter. "You wouldn't," she whispered, her voice barely louder than the wind.

"Vee, he's taking advantage of you," Sana said. She stepped forward, hands outstretched. "This is the only way. Then it'll

be easier for you to untangle yourself from him and move on."

Something about her tone had the hair on the back of Veera's neck prickling. "This isn't about the job at all, is it? It's

all about Deepak. It's about hating him because he gets the support you want."

"Fine, maybe it is about Deepak," Sana said, her eyes filled with rage. "You were taking his side again, defending him whenever

I made a comment about the way he did business, the things he said, or his history with Olivia, and I could see you changing.

I could see you moving further away from me."

"I'm not an object to belong to you or anyone else," Veera snapped.

Sana rubbed the back of her neck. "Look, when Dad approached me, I saw a way to the life I was promised, a life that was gifted

to Deepak while we fought tooth and nail for half of what he received. He shouldn't get everything he wants while you're still

unemployed. That's not fair. He doesn't deserve your loyalty. Hell, he doesn't deserve your love, either."

Veera wrapped the end of her dupatta around her ice-cold arms. "Can't you see that what you're trying to do is just going

to hurt me in the end?"

"God, no. I love you! You're my sister. This was never against you." Her eyes filled with tears, and like it had always worked

between the two of them, Veera's eyes immediately did the same.

Sana used her sleeve to swipe at her cheeks. "You may have forgotten, but I still remember when you called me, crying in that bathroom at your friend's reception party, devastated that he couldn't see you for how beautiful you really are."

"Can't you see beyond your rage?" Veera asked. "What happens if you win? What happens if this ridiculous plan of yours works

out? That press release would ruin any chance I have of getting a job in this city when it's done. And that job you think

you want? That life you are envisioning for yourself? It isn't anything like what you had with Mathur Financial Group. You

got to travel the world and explore market areas, but I was here, doing the grunt work and dealing with Dad every single day."

She jabbed a finger against her chest with every word. "It was fucking miserable, and I have way more patience than you do."

"I'll take my chances with the job, and I'll protect your reputation." She stepped forward to grab Veera's shoulders, to pull

her into an embrace, but Veera shoved her sister's hands away.

"I don't need you to protect me," Veera said, as she walked backward toward the house. "I never did. I just wanted you around

for your support."

"Veera? Wait, Veera, hold on a minute. Vee, he took everything from us!"

"Go see Mom and Dad," Veera said, as she spun around to yell back at her sister. "I hope you realize that his love is conditional

and you stop this nonsense before you lose me, too."

"Fuck you," Sana snapped. "How dare you say that to me?"

"I'm your twin, jerk," she shouted. "I'm saying it about myself, too! He failed us, Sana. He failed us and it sucks, but being just like him isn't going to get you anywhere. And you're doing exactly what he'd want

by hurting Deepak. By hurting me ."

There was a sniffle and another gasp. "No, I'm not! We're twins. Twin-tuition! This isn't about hurting you—"

"Sana," Veera said, her voice firm and in a tone she rarely used toward anyone unless she was truly upset. "I am so disappointed in you that you can't see the truth. You should be ashamed of yourself."

This time, her sister's tears were audible, but Veera didn't stop. She refused to let Sana decide what was best for her. Veera

had let her get away with it in the past because she truly didn't care about the outcomes, but this was her future. This was

the man she loved.

Without another backward glance, Veera stepped inside the house and shut the door. The warmth enveloped her with such intensity

that her entire body shivered. She looked up the darkened stairwell and wished that Deepak were with her.

What was she supposed to do now? Go back with the aunties and celebrate womanhood like her twin didn't just betray her? Go

back outside and risk seeing Sana again and fighting some more with her twin?

After another moment of silence where she stood in the stairwell on wobbling heels, she realized that she had to leave. Between

Karva Chauth and Olivia returning, between her sister going back to their father and Sana's bid for CEO, Veera needed to get

out of there right now so she could breathe. She wasn't going to disappear like she had almost a year ago, but she wanted

to go back to her house, the same one she lived in with Deepak, and get some air. Then, when he was done with Olivia, she

wanted to tell him how she felt, lay it all out there for him so that there were no secrets between them.

She loved him, and she wanted to know if he loved her enough to support her, too.

Just as she turned for the door, a familiar face entered the hallway. Her mother-in-law's expression was painted with concern.

"Beta, are you okay?"

Veera's eyes welled with tears. She felt strong but, damn, a good cry would definitely help her feel stronger. "I don't think I can wait for Deepak. I really need to go home right now and get myself together," she said, her voice cracking. "I'm fine. Really. Deepak and I are fine. But I have to figure out what to do with my sister."

The older woman nodded. "Then we'll get you home." She had her phone in her hand a second later and texted by tapping the

screen with her index finger. "My driver will take you back to Brooklyn. I'll send your things with Deepak. Why don't you

slip out now before the rest of your aunties come to check on you?"

Veera nodded, and before she could turn to leave, she wrapped her arms around her mother-in-law and squeezed. "No matter what

happens, thank you for being in my life."

"Beta," the woman said, sighing. "Go take a few deep breaths and drink some water. You and Deepak will figure this out. The

important thing to remember is that you have a whole village behind you."