A/N: Vote and comment.
***
Dhruv bent down, picking up Riyan from his car seat. "Dada adada." He squealed and Dhruv smiled kissing his cheek.
"That's right. Dada. My smart boy...My precious boy..." Cooing he shut the car door. Neeta was already waiting along the hood of the car.
"You look nervous."
"I am scared. What if they transfer custody to him? I don't want to lose Riyan." She said walking towards the courthouse.
"I understand but Janvi was recommended this lawyer so she must be good so stop worrying, it'll be fine."
When they reached the entrance, they already saw Smitha; their lawyer standing. "Good morning, Mr. Kapadia. I didn't know you were joining us."
"How could I not? Riyan is my son too, even though he's not biologically mine."
"I did hear that divorce cases don't hold strongly in the face of custody battles." Neeta said.
"They don't. This is family court. They will look at what is best for the child."
Neeta groaned, dropping her head into her palms. "Ms. Neeta, I'm sorry but the court doesn't look in favour of single mothers. If Riyan was a girl, the matter would've been different."
"Parag is single too...this is unfair."
"He's a man...and he might remarry and most of all, he's rich with a stable income. You are not working..."
"I- I might marry too. We're dating!" Neeta blurted out and all Dhruv could do was smile to not let his irritation show.
"I will see what I can do." Smitha said.
***
"Ms. Neeta, you can understand our concern about how you will raise this child alone." The judge said.
"Your honor, Ms. Neeta has assured me that she is going to remarry soon to Mr. Dhruv Kapadia. He was also the one whose care Riyan was in all these months."
Dhruv stiffened at the statement and shifted in his chair.
"Can I take Riyan?" The judge extended her hands and Dhruv stood up and deposited him into her arms. In a moment, Riyan sniffed and started pouting crying.
She held the baby towards Parag and Riyan cried harder , wriggling in her arms, she let him down on the floor.
And Riyan bumbled crying towards him, Dhruv picked him up and kissed his head and rocked him, "It's okay, shhh..."
The judge then said, "It's clear that Riyan is attached to Mr. Dhruv. So I will transfer full custody to Ms. Neeta on the condition that she gets married to Mr. Dhruv Kapadia within a month and the court orders Mr. Parag to pay child support monthly..."
Dhruv had zoned out after that, he was only aware when Neeta called him. They were in the car driving home.
"Are you mad at me?"
"I'm not happy about this..." He said in a stiff stone.
"I didn't know what else to say or do. I wanted Riyan..."
"I'm not ready to get married again, Neeta."
"I am not too. But Dhruv, please. Let's do this. Let's get married."
"I have to think about this." God, he hated this. How had he gotten into this situation again? He wondered. It was upside down again. He stopped the car at the bottom of the building.
"You take Riyan and go inside, I have work to do."
When Neeta got down he drove straight to the hospital where she would be.
***
"Oh you're really here."
"Yes." He stood up from the canteen chair. He smiled.
"Why did you call me here?"
"To talk. To apologise." He slid into his chair when she say in hers.
"I'm sorry for what I said yesterday."
"Thanks for apologising. I also understand you said stuff in the heat of the moment..."
He slid the box towards her. She looked at him with curiosity and amusement, "Were you going to bribe me in case I didn't accept your apology?"
"Oh damn! How did you know?" She laughed and he felt his heart twist. It had been too long since he had heard her laugh.
"I am kidding. It's not. I had ordered it but then...never got a chance to give it to you."
"Dhruv..." Her face fell. "I can't. I really can't take this... it's not right."
"Can you atleast open it?"
"You have a girlfriend. It's not right that you're giving jewellery to me." She shook her head sideways.
"Please. Can you open it?"
"Fine." Saying that she opened the box. "Ohh."
***
If she had the ability to produce tears, her eyes would've teared up now. But yet Khushi felt warm all over, she looked at the heart earrings. If wasn't a love heart, it was an anatomically correct heart.
"Do you understand why I can't regift it? Also, I ordered it long before Neeta...so please keep it."
"Fine. I will keep it. Is this why you came?"
"No. I wanted to tell you something."
"What is it?"
She should've known from the grim expression on his face but yet she pushed the negative thoughts away.
"The custody battle for Riyan..."
"Oh right! Who won?"
"Um...it was Neeta. But on the condition that she gets married within a month."
Khushi only looked at the table and gripped the box tightly in her palm, "You're marrying her?"
"I.. don't know...I just thought you should know it from me first."
"Thanks for the thought. And congratulations!" She faked her cheer.
"Khushi... I'm sorry."
"Oh my God. Why are you sorry? You should be happy. I know I am!"
"I don't want to do this."
"Why not?"
"Don't you know how our marriage turned out? It was a marriage of convenience too."
"Still we fell in love. So this time too..."
"Shut it, Khushi!" He snapped and Khushi looked at him shocked. He then let out a breath.
"How can you say that to me? It won't happen again!" Saying that he stormed out, Khushi slid the box in her pocket and walked in the elevator. Her heart was clenching.
It was for the best, she thought. He would truly move on and he would have Riyan. It was what he deserved, she thought. And no matter what he said, she hoped he would fall in love again. With time he would. She knew that.
She wanted to cry but she had lost the strength to do so.
***
A/N: Vote and Comment. I'm going to try and upload frequently so that I can end this story this year.
Anyways, thanks for all the comments in the last chapter.
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