I reached home within 15 minutes and was on cloud nine again! This time, I was not coming back from there.

I was walking up the stairs to get ready when my leg slipped and I lost my balance. I was about to fall down but Abhimanyu held my hand and I was swinging mid air. If he leaves, I'll be done. Surely break three four bones.

" What are you thinking!? Drag me up!" I exclaimed.

" I am thinking of leaving your hand. You will learn your lesson of being careful the next time." He said, smirking.

" Okay, do that. Then I will not be able to come to the court for defense and you won't get a lawyer as good as me with paying tonnes." I replied.

" That's the only reason that you are not down right now." He muttered, pulling me up.

It was my turn to smirk.

" Now out of my way. I need to get ready and go." I said, walking away.

" You know the hearing starts at 10. It's just 7:30 right now." He said.

" I need to go to office first Einstein." I replied, mocking him and closed the door.

I still couldn't get over the fact that Sahil had called me mumma. I don't know how long it would last, but I am going to enjoy every moment of it!

I then took bath and got dressed. Coming down, I saw Maa had already served breakfast.

" Maa, this is not done." I said.

" What happened Shivanya?" She asked.

" Cooking is my work!" I whined.

" No it's our work. We both will cook breakfast together, I'll do the lunch and send it to all of you and you do the dinner for us? Okay?" She asked.

" Maa. I can do it. I don't have a problem." I replied, smiling at her.

" Shivanya, the past few months, I was not like that before. Aditi's death changed me and I did not like the person I became. Now that I am recovering, I need you to help me." She said, teary eyed.

I went and hugged her.

" Maa, you call me Shivi. Those who love me call me by this name and I have forgiven you so don't stay in guilt. I love you." I said.

" I must say, Sharmas' raise their daughters really well." She replied and we both laughed.

We all ate together in a comfortable silence.

" Okay, bye maa. Abhimanyu, papa I'll see you in court and this is not a threat before anyone makes a comment about my statement." I said, sternly.

" Bye beta." Maa said.

" Shivi, why don't you take one of Abhi's car instead of a cab? He has so many and can't drive all of them at once." Papa suggested.

" No papa. All his cars are so extravagant. I prefer subtle cars." I told him honestly. Papa laughed and he frowned.

" You don't have appreciation for fine cars. Not my fault." He muttered. I rolled my eyes.

" Then come with us. Your firm is hardly a kilometer away from the office. Abhi will drop you." Papa said, strictly.

" No papa. There are so many cabs in Mumbai and I need to take care of their income too. This is me giving back to the society." I said, joking.

" So humble beta." He said sarcastically.

" But on a serious note, if you don't want to use Abhi's cars which I can totally understand, when are you buying your own?" Maa asked.

" Soon maa, it's the first thing on my to do list." I told her.

She nodded.

" Let's go?" Abhimanyu asked.

" You both go. I'll come to the court directly." Papa said.

" Okay." Abhimanyu replied and we started walking off.

I ordered the cab.

" What are you waiting for? Sit." He said, already in the car.

" I booked the cab. You leave." I said.

" You earn too much? Why do you keep refusing for free rides?" He asked.

" Because I hate giving lifts to people. I can't keep on taking lifts if I don't like offering them." I did what I do the best. Play with words.

" What are you? A lawyer?" He said.

" Yes." I replied back.

" Seriously Shivanya, come and sit." He said.

" I told you. Go." I spat back.

He sighed.

" See, my cab is here." I replied as the car stopped in front of the gate.

" Bye Mr. Singhania. Be on time in the court." I said, getting inside the car.

Oh god! It was so fun irritating him! I am going to do this often now....!

I was in my cabin in half an hour.

" Kritik, are you done with the Raichand and Sons?" I asked, spotting him.

" Yes mam. They agreed for 3 million. Your idea was fab." He said.

I gave him a smile.

It was time to start for the court and I was about to book a cab.

" Get in the car." I heard a voice say.

" Sorry to don't take orders from someone who is not my boss." I said, without looking up from my phone.

" Aditi had judged you right. You are stubborn as hell." I heard the voice say again.

I finally looked up. It was Abhimanyu.

" Oh, it's you. Fine, I'll come with you. This cab will take 15 minutes anyways to get here." I replied and sat in the passenger's seat.

We made me attempt for a conversation. The ride was silent yet comfortable.

" Okay, now listen to me carefully. Don't show your arrogance in court. Be humble." I schooled him.

" I am not arrogant." He replied back.

" Sure." I said sarcastically.

Then I walked in. Kritik was already waiting for me.

The judge entered the court room and the hearing started.

The prosecutor was an asshole who was constantly makes sneaky remarks on me.

" Your honour, what this woman fails to understand here is that the money is not everything. Working conditions and workers' psychological trauma." He said.

You want to go there bitch! He has bring upon his own downfall.

" What this man failed was research in his law school, your honour." I remarked and the court room irrupted in laughter.

" Order Order." The judge banged the gavel.

" Your point Ms. Sharma?" The judge asked.

" Your honour, these are the copies of the reports of the implementation of-

Factories Act, 1948

Shops and Establishment Act

Industrial Employment Standing Order Act, 1946

Contract Labour ( Regulation and Abolition ) Act, 1970

Trade Unions Act, 1926

Payment of Wages Act, 1936

Minimum Wages Act, 1948

Equal Remuneration Act, 1976

Workmen's Compensation Act, 1923 and

Employees State Insurance Act, 1948 all signed and verified by the concered departments as of 18TH December 2018, two months back. These were the exact reasons for my client being sued by the labour union." I said.

" The prosecution wants to say something?" The judge asked.

" I thought so." I said when he has nothing to say.

" This is an open and shut case your honor." I said.

" The court finds Singhania Corporation innocent." The judge said.

" Your honor, I would also like to demand that the union pay compensation for wasting the precious time of the court and putting false accusations on an innocent." I said.

Soon, the verdict was out and the labour union would pay Rs. 50000 compensation.

" So this is the reason why you are known as one of the best in the business." Papa said.

I gave him a smile.

" Thank you Shivanya. I thought that this case will be dragged on for months and he goodwill of the firm will be tarnished. Thank you." Abhimanyu said.

" That's what I do." I said, a little cockily.

The prosecutor was glaring at me.

" You have something to say? Be man enough to come and do it here instead of glaring at me like that like some teenage girl." I said to him.

" How dare you?" He said, coming closer to me.

" I let go of those ridiculous comments in the court but I don't appreciate you violating my personal space." I said.

" You insulted me in there." He shouted.

" What were you doing? You thought that I won't stand a chance against you? Didn't you?" I questioned.

" You little bi..." He shouted but a hard punch landed on his face.

Abhimanyu had attacked him.

" Abhimanyu, calm down! Jesus! Back off." I said, pulling him by his bicep.

" Get away from here before I punch you. You are going to remember me for a very long time dude." I said as he walked away.

" Let's get out of here." Papa said.

" What were you thinking!?" I asked him as we sat in the car. Papa had gone home in his own car. I had taken half day.

" He was going to say ..." I didn't let him continue.

" Abhimanyu, I meet people like him daily. I don't go on punching them. As much as I appreciate it, I can fight my own battles." I told him.

" I know you can but I will defend you whenever I feel that situation is going out of hand." He said sternly.

I rolled my eyes.

" I have to go and pick Sahil up." I informed him.

" Let's go." He said.

" You don't have work?" I asked, looking at him.

" I had cleared all my schedule for today because of the hearing. I am free." He said.

I nodded and we were at Sahil's school in 15 minutes.

" Hi papa, hi mumma." He said, spotting us.

" Hii baby." I said, holding his hand.

Abhimanyu gave a very surprised look to Sahil first and then me.

" Please don't get angry. I swear I didn't force him to call me mumma. He did that on his own." I whispered to Abhimanyu as he started driving.

" I am not angry. Just surprised." He said, almost like assuring me.

Sahil went on telling us about his school.

" Mumma, will you take me to that beautiful house today?" He asked, referring to my house.

" Of course beta, but why do you want to go there?" I asked him curiously.

" Because I liked it." He said.

I nodded, giving him a smile.

" Papa, I want to eat pizza." He demanded.

" Yesss." I shouted at the top of my voice.

Abhimanyu applied breaks immediately. I must have startled him.

" I am sorry." I muttered, embarrassed.

" One of her kind." I heard him mutter before driving to Dominos.

" I want a cheese burst." I said.

" Me too." Sahil joint me.

Abhimanyu ordered one large cheese burst pizza.

I made Sahil eat and took a bite from the same pizza. Abhimanyu was just sitting there, staring at both of us.

" No one stopped you from eating papa then why are you sitting just like that?" Sahil asked Abhimanyu.

" Nothing beta, just wondering how two people can be so alike." He said, looking at Sahil and me peculiarly.

I rolled my eyes. What he meant was that I was behaving like a four year old.

Soon we were done eating.

" We are splitting the bill." I said.

" Please Shivanya, not this right now." He said, paying.

" You did not even eat the pizza." I said, accusing.

" Because I don't like it." He replied.

I gave him a look so disgusted that even Sahil started laughing as we started for home.

I then put Sahil to bed for a nap. Mom and dad had left for Pune for a few weeks to live with papa's brother.

" Freshen up. I am heating food for you." I said to Abhimanyu as I got out of Sahil's bedroom.

He nodded and I went to the kitchen.

I started serving him food.

My phone rang again. It was Lavanya.

" Bitch, where are you? I am waiting." She said.

Shit.

" I am in a traffic jam." I lied.

" Come soon." She replied and hung up.

" What was that all about?" Abhimanyu asked.

" My best friend, Lavanya is pregnant. I promised her that I'd go and meet her and it totally slipped my mind. I am going now." I said, booking a cab.

" I am getting you a car soon. This way, your are going to spend all your salary on cabs." He muttered and I laughed.

Definitely not lovers, but we sure shot could be good friends!