“It’s a yes from me.” I said drawing a deep breath, waiting for their reactions but when I looked at them, my family, they all were frozen at their places staring at me like I am some kind of alien.

“What did you say?” My father asked, his voice laced in disbelief.

“I said, I am ready for this marriage.” I repeated. Ughh these people are so annoying, why are they asking me again and again?

After telling them my decision I decided to go to my firm as it’s been almost a week since I went there or did any work related to the new cases I am handling after reaching the firm firstly I asked Zoya to bring me my coffee because I can literally not survive a day at work without my coffee, “God I think I need to go to a doctor or else my headache will literally kill me.” I muttered to myself, while I clutched my head.

Just as I took the first sip of my coffee my phone on the desk started buzzing. I looked at the caller I’d, it was an unknown number. I thought maybe it was some client so I picked it up and pressed the phone to my ear, “Hello, who is it?” I asked, taking another sip of my coffee.

But nothing could’ve prepared me for the voice that came from the other side, “H-Hello?!”

“Aalok?” My voice turned cold from polite in seconds.

“Who the fuck gave you my number?” I asked, my voice laced with fury.

“P-Pihu did,” he replied in a shaky tone.

I knew it, I had to be her, gosh I hate her so much.

“Look I am getting married so don’t you dare to call or text me ever again.” I said and just when I was about to hang up his pleading voice stopped me.

“P-Please don’t hang up, just… just listen to me once.” He pleaded.

And I swear on everything I have I wanted to hang up on him that very second just like he left me without any explanation 8 years ago, but something stopped me maybe the hope that I’ll finally get the answer why he left me? Why wasn't I enough?

“Go on, you have two minutes.” I said, My voice was cold, devoid of any warmth it used to have for him, as I set a timer of two minutes.

“A-Actually my wife had filed a fake dowry case against me and I heard you are the best lawyer in Australia so I thought—” He said but I cut him off in the middle and said, “And what on earth made you think that I’ll help you of all people even in my craziest dreams?” My voice was laced with sarcasm.

“I t-thought—” He tried to speak but I cut him off again, "That's the problem with you, you meticulously think that you are the smartest one and everyone else is just dumb.” I said I was too busy roasting him.That I didn’t realise that he just said that ‘His wife had filed a case against him.’

Then it clicked in my dumb mind,

He has a wife,

HE HAS A WIFE.

But I don’t feel sad God I don’t even feel anything at all…

I chuckled because if it was few years ago and I have got to know that he is going to marry and the bride is not me, I would’ve died but hell I don’t feel anything and I don’t even feel any empathy for him that he is been falsely accused, I was too far gone in my thoughts, the phone still pressed against my ear Aalok was still on the call not saying anything, maybe waiting for me to say something first.

I came back to reality when I heard a soft knock on my cabin’s door. “Come in” I said looking up slowly when my cold gaze met his soft, blue ones.

And everything around me froze. He was standing in front of me wearing beige pants and a pink T-shirt.

“H-Hii, Are you busy?” He asked, his voice soft as always, it brought me back to earth.

“Umm, No I am never busy for you come… Come sit.” I said standing up from my chair, which was unnecessary I know but I also can’t control how my heart and mind act when he is around.

“Well I brought you flowers, y-your favourite white lilies, thought you’d like them.” He said nervously, taking out a huge bouquet from behind him, but wait we don’t know each other that well then how did he know that these are my favourites?

“How did you know?” I asked, taking the bouquet.

“Shikha bhabhi told me.” He replied.

“I-Isha are you there?” Aalok’s voice came from my phone which was still pressed against my ear, but I hung up without wasting another second.

“Why did you come here?” I asked putting my phone and the bouquet he gave me on my desk.

“Seems like you didn’t like me coming here, I’ll leave.” God no that’s not what I meant.

“Umm, No it’s not like that I just asked because you came here without informing me.” I said, trying too hard to cover my nervousness.

“Ohh, actually I was here to meet a business partner in the restaurant just in front of your firm, and just when I was leaving my eyes went to this building and my mom had told me that you work here so I decided to come here and say, Hii.” He replied looking down the whole time while scratching the back of his neck.

“And what about these flowers?, Because as far as I know there’s no flower shop around my office.” I asked, raising an eyebrow, He swallowed nervously.

“Umm, I-I, Ohh yeah I brought it for my business partner, yeah business partner.” He answered nervously tugging at his tie.

I laughed, not the fake one which I have mastered over the years but a real deep throated laugh.

“You are a terrible liar, but it’s okay if you don’t want to tell me.” I said, trying to control my laughter, and I saw his cheeks turning pink. He didn't dare to meet my eyes.

“I-I should leave you seem very busy.” He said and before I could react or say anything he bolted out of my cabin.

Which made me laugh even more, after he left my mind was occupied with how cute he is, when the buzz of my phone brought me out of my train of thought, and when I looked at the caller I’d, my laughter died instantly and I rolled my eyes, scoffing. As I picked up the call.

“Hello.” I said, my voice getting back to its default setting.

“Why did you refuse to help Aalok?” Pihu's voice came from the other side.

“Because I didn’t want to help him.” I replied.

“And you even hung up on him?, Do you have any idea how bad he must’ve felt?” Her voice then took a furious edge.

“Neil had come to meet me, that’s why I hung up on Aalok.” I replied and I could hear her drawing a deep breath as if trying to calm herself down.

“Is Neil more important to you than Aalok?” She asked, and I chuckled listening to her because nothing could’ve prepared her for my answer.

“Yes, and you know what he’s more important to me than any other person in my life.” I answered without any hesitation.

“WHAT?!, Are you out of your mind?, You used to love Aalok like a fool.” She said all this in a single breath, her shock was evident in her voice.

“KEYWORD, USED TO. It’s all in the past now and I am not unemployed like you two to be crying over my past knowing I can’t change a thing about it. I don't have time to waste.”

And before she could say anything I hung up on her because I don’t want to waste another second of my life on people who don’t care even a bit about my feelings.

Then I sat back down on my chair zoning out again thinking about what I just said.

“Is Neil more important to you than Aalok?”

“Yes, and you know what he’s more important to me than any other person in my life.”

Those words replayed in my mind again and again.

“Ohh, God Isha are you out of your fucking mind.” I muttered to myself, my voice laced with frustration as I ran my fingers through my hair.