《Billionaire's Baby ✓》Chapter Twenty-Three
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A month passed by and it felt like a year to Srishti because too many things happened in that month. First of all she got to know that Zevah had started working and that too at the 'Singhania Industries'. It was shocking knowing how much she disliked Aditya or maybe pretended to.
About the regular checkups, Sahil was there with her and thankfully there were no complications. But after that day, he had been more aloof and cold but then when was he not.
The court marriage idea had been dropped for it meant letting the news spread everywhere because there was this procedure to allow objections on their marriage from anyone and that would mean exposure. So now it was a normal wedding with all the rituals and that too at Aditya's mansion to avoid unnecessary attention.
The date was just two days ahead and she was yet to inform Zevah. Oh, how she was going to be killed with just her looks.
The matter about Neil back at the orphanage had been solved as well and she was glad that she had visited them and listened to him. She chuckled as she remembered what had happened that day.
Srishti was searching for Neil at the orphanage when Tina came up and held her hand, pulling her somewhere. She frowned but let her guide the way and when they reached the terrace of 'Hope' she found Neil sitting there on the edge with his legs dangling.
"Neil!" Srishti yelled horrified and walked fast towards him but he was quick enough to turn and get down from there much to her relief. That didn't mean she wasn't concerned or angry about this careless behaviour.
"What is all this Neil? How dare you sit there knowing how dangerous it is? And Tina, what if tomorrow she copies you?" She scolded him and he looked at Tina in the end who had been hiding behind her and peeking at him.
"I'm sorry." He looked down accepting his mistake and Srishti sighed. She glanced at Tina and then turned towards her.
"Tina, can you please go down and play with your friends?" She softly asked her and she looked at her and then at Neil before running away.
Sighing she turned her attention to Neil who immediately looked down again. She held his hand and took him to her room, closing the door behind her.
"Now tell me what is the matter with you?" She questioned directly and Neil was still avoiding any eye contact.
"I don't know. I feel that nobody loves me or wants to be my friend." His timid voice was enough for Srishti to know that he was feeling lonely.
"But you have so many friends." She said softly holding his chin and making him look at her.
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"They're not my friends. They don't include me in their games and even if I ask them to include me, they say I'm too boring and weird. Am I weird?" He asked innocently and she sighed cupping his face.
"Neil, no one is weird in this world. Everyone is different and being different is not a bad thing. You are special in your own way. Maybe you don't like these games they play but yet you took the initiative to indulge with them, right?" He nodded immediately and she smiled.
"You are a big boy Neil and I'm proud of you." She ruffled his hair and he grinned widely.
"I'm a big girl too." They heard a voice and exchanged looks knowing who it was.
"Did you hear that Neil? I think someone is listening to our talks secretly." Srishti said rather loudly and smiled at Neil who was enjoying this as well.
"Oh yes, but who can it be?" He pretended to look around and they heard her giggle in return.
"Uff I give up. I can't find the person." Srishti said dramatically and Tina jumped in giggling all the time.
"Srishti, Neil you both are so dumb. It was me." She laughed and both of them chuckled at her happiness. She then stretched her hands towards Neil taking them both by surprise.
"I want to sit beside, Srishti. You picked me up last time so now do it again." She ordered and Neil rolled his eyes but did as told. He picked her up in his arms and made her sit beside Srishti whereas Neil sat on her other side.
"Why was Tina listening to our talks? It's bad manners you know." Srishti flicked her nose and she frowned swatting her hand away.
"No only Sahil can do that." She declared and Srishti was stunned. Sahil? As in Sahil Malhotra? She remembers him?
"Srishti, I am Neil's friend too. He is not bad." She said with an innocent face and Neil stared at her amused because this was not what she had to say last time.
"Really? Then why did you say that he's bad the last time I visited?" Srishti asked raising her eyebrows and Tina smiled sheepishly.
"That he was irritating me so I said it to make him feel bad. Sorry." She informed and Srishti shook her head in disbelief. Without another word Neil attacked her with tickles which caused her to scream and laugh loudly.
Srishti smiled looking at the duo finally feeling relaxed.
The most shocking thing out of the whole ordeal was that Tina remembered Sahil even though she had met him only once. She had even inquired about when he was going to visit again, of which she had no answer. Who knew if he wanted to visit them again or not.
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With a sigh, she waited for Zevah to arrive as she had asked Aditya to give her a day off because she had to drop the bomb of her marriage. God save her!
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Sahil was tired because working from home wasn't his thing. Infact he disliked it very much but he had to for Srishti. Of course Greta was there as well but for now she was on leave and maybe he wasn't going to call her back.
Now that the marriage was to take place at Aditya's mansion, it had made him more and more worked up because his place wasn't that safe either. Media and reporters were flogging his place as well so he was in search of another place for the time being.
He heard some voices from outside which caused him to stand up and go in the living room. He saw Zevah hugging Srishti and Srishti grinning to her fullest.
His eyes remained on her smiling face for more than a few minutes and he wondered what was so different about her smile that it captivated him? She's never smiled infront of him, not that he gave her any reason to but he's always seen her smiling with everybody else.
He was brought out of his thoughts by the ping of his phone. He looked around and found that both the ladies were gone. Taking out his phone he walked back into his study.
Finally he had a place which was not known to anyone else. Not even Aditya.
He typed back a message asking Rohit to arrange everything for the marriage. Two days he had in his hand so there was no chance for a mistake.
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Zevah watched as Srishti kept caressing her belly unconsciously and seemed lost in her thoughts. She seemed rather nervous and distracted to her. Aditya had asked her to be at the Malhotra mansion out of the blue but then she knew it was something serious.
"Srishti, what is it? You've been lost in your thoughts since the last twenty minutes." Zevah urged and Srishti looked at her with nervousness written all over her face.
"I'm getting married." She blurted out finally and felt like a deja vu because before this she had told her about this deal in the same manner.
"What?" Zevah yelled making Sarishti wince and close her eyes.
"Do you always call me to give heart attacks? Or it is only me?" Zevah glared at her and Srishti found her eyes tearing up. Pregnancy hormones were a good shield sometimes as she saw Zevah's eyes softening.
"Okay relax, I'm not mad. When did this happen and when are you getting married?" She asked calmly and Srishti purposely kept sniffing.
"In two days." She deliberately answered only the second question but it still brought her trouble.
"Are you even serious? And no, don't start crying." Zevah warned angrily but it didn't affect Srishti as the waterworks had already started.
"What the hell is going on here?" The door opened and Sahil appeared out of nowhere causing Zevah to groan in annoyance. She felt like she could strangle him right then.
Sahil's eyes fell on Srishti and seeing her tears, his eyes immediately went on Zevah who was glaring back at him.
"Care to explain what have you done?" Sahil questioned crossing his arms and staring at Zevah who stood up and narrowed her eyes at him.
"I should be the one asking you this. What have you done? Your contract clearly stated that you don't want any relationship with her then why now? What changed? Have you miraculously fallen in love with her?" She asked sarcastically quoting with her hands while Srishti watched the duo worriedly.
"What is between me and her, is none of your business. You can keep your nose out of it." His words held a warning which she had detected but refused to back down.
"You ─"
"Mr. Malhotra!" Srishti squealed suddenly and they both turned their heads in her direction.
"I'll make her understand, don't worry." She smiled nervously and Zevah's mouth hung open while Sahil turned and left without another word.
Zevah looked back only to find him gone which angered her even further. She glared at Srishti who just smiled sheepishly in return.
"Why the hell are you doing this, Srishti? Why are you giving up your life for him?" Zevah still couldn't believe that she was ready was this. And for what?
"I'm not doing this for him, Zevah. I'm doing this for this baby. My baby. I don't want the world to raise questions at him/her. You know right being called orphan is far better than being called an illegitimate child. In this case neither the fault is mine not this child's." She sighed and Zevah narrowed her eyes.
"You're right. It's entirely that Sahil Malhotra's fault. He trapped you into this situation. I won't spare him." She hissed and got up only to be pulled back.
"Okay enough. What kind of aunt are you? Did you even spend some time with this innocent baby of mine?" Srishti pouted looking at her belly and peeking at Zevah.
As expected, Zevah's anger evaporated in less than a minute and she was lost in discussing things with the baby while Srishti thanked her stars.
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