Page 188 of No Boss
Meera opened her mouth.
Abhinav spoke first. “There is a private prayer chamber in the old wing.”
His voice reached every corner with control.
“It belongs to the Anand family. Meera went there this afternoon to pray. She was unwell. She fell asleep and lost track of time.”
Silence followed the wordchamber.
Devendra’s eyes moved toward him. Then to Meera.
Two elderly women at the back exchanged a quick glance before lowering their heads. One of the gardeners looked down at once.
The Thakur had revealed the existence of a hidden place inside Anand Mahal.
No one questioned him.
Curiosity had limits here. Everyone knew them.
“My apologies for the worry caused tonight.” His tone changed, firm and final. “I should have realized sooner where she was. The fault is mine.”
The lie settled over the courtyard. He had taken the blame. That closed the matter.
The truth burned through Meera’s throat so harsh it almost choked her. She could not deny him. Could not tell them she had vanished because she believed the man she loved had betrayed her.
Devendra looked at her again. His eyes held hers, seeing more than she wanted him to. Gauri’s attention moved between Meera and Abhinav. Whatever she found eased the tension in her shoulders.
Sarita remained near the steps, her focus fixed on her son.
Abhinav stood disordered in a manner she had never seen before. His clothes were creased and marked with dust. His hair bore the signs of hands dragged through it again and again.
He crossed to his mother without a word and pulled her into his arms. Held her close. His chin lowered to the top of her head.
“Maa, I am sorry for earlier. It will not happen again.”
Sarita’s hand moved over his back, grounding him through touch alone, feeling the tremor trapped within him.
Her voice came softer. “How did you get inside?”
He gave no answer. He held her for one heartbeat longer, then stepped away.
His face revealed nothing. Yet she kept looking at him. At the exhaustion. At the silence behind his eyes. At the face of a manwho had walked through terror and rage and helplessness and returned with more than he could explain.
Her attention moved once toward the flame burning behind glass. The question faded there.
Then she turned to Meera.
The moment Meera looked at her, guilt surged through her chest so fierce it stole breath.
Sarita crossed the distance and pulled her into an embrace without hesitation. Relief left her in a slow breath.
“You could have come to me, beta,” she murmured softly against her hair. “If you were worried about anything at all… you could have come to me.”
That ended whatever control Meera had left. She buried her face into Sarita’s shoulder, tears returning.
“I’m sorry.” Her voice broke. “I’m so sorry.”
Sarita patted her head once more, then gestured for Gauri to take her back to her room.
