Chapter 4: Chapter 4

"And why would you think that??" Janani asked in total bewilderment as to why he is so confident that she would agree to all his demands.

"Because I hold all the cards sweetheart" he said making her wince at the sarcastic note in the endearment.

"I have security camera visuals of you stealing credit cards and using them in acts of fraud and if I should chose to pass the evidence to police...-"

"You are threatening me???" Janani interrupted in shock

Stealing credit cards??

Was he serious??

Did Saanvi sunk that low while she was working in Delhi??

"I'm simply stating the facts ,because the police is already after you.All they need is solid proof" Armaan said calmly

But Janani had turned pale as death.

Proof of theft

Goodness!!

He could have her arrested right here right now!!

Forcibly part her from Advi

Her lashes fluttered rapidly as she struggled to think

"So you will agree to DNA testing??" Armaan queried once more

"Yes" she agreed

"We will try to be civilised about this matter"

Janani's palm tingled

Never in her life had she so badly wanted to slap someone for lying.

There is nothing civilised about the man standing in front of her.

He is literally threatening her and offering her a civilised conversation in the same breath

"Yes, we must try to be civilised " she heard herself muttering.

What other option did she have??

"I can be reasonable" Armaan declared smoothly

"Ofcourse " Janani conceded not really believing in any way he could be reasonable.

Okay!! You have to be fair here Janani.

He is the wronged party here.

His reactions are justifiable.

But that didnt give her enough courage to give up on Advi.

So she would hang on as long as she could.

"The technician will call in to take the DNA samples in the morning" he added

"You are not wasting any time" Janani remarked grumbily

"You have already wasted a great deal of my time" he told her with brutal bluntness.

Once Armaan left Janani picked up her phone and dialed her best friend Richa.

"Run past me the rights you mentioned Saanvi would have had on Advi" Janani asked as soon as Richa answered her call

"Did you call me at midnight to ask that??" Richa grumbled sleepily.

"Armaan Verma dropped by.He left only now.He says he has some proofs against Saanvi" Janani relayed the things Armaan had told her.

"Look Jan, I dont think Saanvi particularly has any rights over the baby. She might have signed away her rights before the IVF" Richa said

"But you told me Saanvi has rights " Janani reminded

"I'm not a lawyer Janani..I thought she does have some rights....but it turns out she doesn't " Richa said and Janani felt miserable.

She is going to lose her beloved Advi

"Then why is Mr Verma being so reasonable??" Janani asked confused

"Haa....this I have an idea about!! And you could capitalize on in Janani. I'm personally against you continuing this charade ,but I know how important Advi is to you"

"Tell me" Janani prompted

"Commercial surrogacy is banned in India. So Mr Hotshot already breeched the law when he resorted to one."

"Oh" that was news to her.She basically had no idea about surrogacies

"And Mr Verma is an insanely private person.There are a lot of informations about his business life on the internet,  but there is nothing of his personal life"

"You did a thorough research on him??"  Janani asked in disbelief

"Ofcourse I did. It's not every day my best friend gets acquainted with a hotshot billionaire " Richa said making Janani roll her eyes.

"Well??" Janani prompted Richa to continue the conversation they were having

"Ah yes ,the surrogacy!! If the police is involved, the media might get involved. His business dealings are all legal.There is nothing people could point a finger at.So if it comes into media attention that he did breech the law in his personal life ,they would have a field day. And Mr Verma, from what I understand, will do everything in his power to stay out of paparazzi attention."

"I see.So as long as he thinks I'm Saanvi, he wouldn't be able to take him off me so easily"

"Yes ,but once he realises that the biological mother of the baby is dead.He could easily destroy the details of surrogacy and claim that he did have a relationship with the mother and the baby is conceived in a natural way.He is very influential" Richa pointed out her assumptions.

"I will keep all this in mind."

"Also keep in mind ,Armaan Verma makes the worst enemy one could have." Richa said before hanging up the call

The next morning was a hustle bustle with the technician coming to collect the swab for DNA testing.

By the time the technician left Janani was in no mood for further company and she suppressed a weary groan when she heard the door bell ringing yet again.

Her face stiffened when she saw the man at her door step.

It was her ex fiance

Vikram Thakur!!

She was still friends with him because her parents liked him.

They have no idea of the real reason why they broke up.

She had let the believe it was a mutual decision to call off the engagement

They don't know about Saanvi's involvement in it.

Or how easily displaced Vikaram's affections were.

"May I come in??" Vikram asked once the polite small talk on the door step about her parents little holiday dried up and she was hoping he would take the hint and leave.

"Advi is still up" Janani warned him

It is no secret that Vikram is not very fond of her twin's baby.

"Well how is the little chap doing??" He asked with his widest fakest smile

"Well his father might have showed up" Janani heard herself saying and cursed herself for saying that to him.

"Well that's a great news" Vikram said

Janani genuinely did not hold Vikram's deception against him

How could she possibly blame him for finding her colourful lively twin more attractive

What annoyed Janani was that he was smugly convinced that he could talk his way back into Janani's affection now that Saanvi is gone.

Not that her sister and ex fiance were really suited.

They had a brief fling and parted ways when Saanvi returned to Delhi just before her surrogacy.

"Tell me more about him" he encouraged

And Janani told him the base facts withholding the information she received about her sister's theft

"That's the best news I have heard in weeks" Vikram exclaimed happily

"I admire your affection for Advaith, but keeping him isn't practical in your circumstances " He added

"Sometimes feelings aren't practical " Janani countered quietly

Vikram gave her an earnest appraisal

"You know how I feel about you Janani.How long is it going to take for you to forgive me? I was foolish. I made a mistake.But I learned from it"

"If you had really loved me ,Vikram , you wouldn't have wanted Saanvi"

"I admit I made a mistake"

Janani breathed in heavily

"I have moved on now. I'm fond of you but I'm afraid that's all it will be" Janani said looking him in the eyes.

"Dont think I didn't notice that the child is preventing us from getting together again.Think again once his father has taken him away." Vikram told her through gritted teeth.

Janani resisted the urge to roll her eyes

It amazed her that she had failed to appreciate what a conceited and judgemental jerk he actually is.

To think she had once fancied herself in love with this man!!