The next few days, Raghav was able to keep the dragon in his chest under control. While Pallavi was still calling and meeting with Vikram, the fact that she wasn't talking too much about him but instead the boutique reassured Raghav that even if Vikram's intentions were shady, Pallavi wasn't responding in kind.
When Vikram's daughter came for her second lesson, Pallavi was surprised that her nanny had come to drop her off, she asked the nanny about Vikram. "Vikram sir is busy today, so he asked me to bring Vidya along."
Raghav, sitting in the living room was listening intently, and was silently pleased that Vikram Singh Rathore seemed to have understood his threat from last week very clearly.
After Vidya came back home from her lesson with the nanny, she ran up to her father and said, "I'm so happy you found Pallavi Aunty to teach me Papa, but why didn't you come today, Pallavi Aunty asked Nanny about you."
Vikram smiled and said to himself, "Interesting, she had asked after him."
He decided to call Pallavi.
"Vikram, how are you? Tell Vidya I miss her already, and that she has to practice for an hour every day until next week." Pallavi put the phone on speaker and started setting the table. Raghav, from the living room, was listening to every word.
"Of course, Master Ji, I'm doing well, I was just calling to ask if you had any plans for tomorrow night. My team and I always celebrate before a new launch, and considering that your designs are hitting my shelves next week, I thought tomorrow would be a perfect night. One of my friends has the opening of his club tomorrow night, and it's probably going to the best spot in Hyderabad."
Pallavi hesitated, as Raghav slowly made his way to the dining room, "Celebrating sounds like fun, Vikram. But I'm not really a club person, I don't think—"
Then Raghav was behind her and he picked the phone up off the table, Pallavi turned to him, shocked. "Vikram, so nice to hear from you, and do tell Vidya how excellent her dancing is shaping up to be. Of course we'll come, I wouldn't miss a chance to celebrate Pallavi's achievement. Raghav smiled at Pallavi who was growing more confused by the second.
Vikram tried to hide the disappointment in his voice, "Excellent. Raghav, I'll send you the address of the club. I'll see you two there." He hung up the phone without saying goodbye to Pallavi.
"When are you going to stop listening to my conversations?" Pallavi asked, talking her phone back.
"I have better things to do with my life than listen to your phone calls, don't keep your phone on speakerphone next time." Raghav said, wondering what Vikram's intentions were inviting Pallavi to this party.
"Fine, now why did you agree for us to go to this club, I was going to refuse—" Pallavi started.
"When a business colleague invites you somewhere, you don't refuse." Raghav said, "It's bad manners."
"Fine, we'll go, but don't create a scene. I don't know what you said to Vikram when he was here last week during your 'business' conversation, but he's seemed down this past week. He didn't even come to drop Vidya..." Pallavi warned Raghav, wondering if Vikram was doing alright.
"You seem very worried about him?" Raghav asked, raising an eyebrow, "what, have you started having feelings for the man?" He asked, only half joking, and mostly wanting to hear her reaction."
"Don't start with this nonsense in front of Amma, unless you want to tell her the real reason behind our wedding?" Pallavi glared at him, and then walked into the kitchen.
Raghav's worry grew, why hadn't Pallavi denied anything? Was she really starting to feel for the man? Had Vikram been right, was he losing something he didn't even know he wanted?