Chapter 4: Rivals and Revelations

Aisha’s face turned cold as ice at the sight of Priya Reddy.

Priya was her sworn rival. Both hailed as among Hyderabad’s most striking women, their businesses—spanning salons and hospitality—clashed fiercely, sparking cutthroat competition that once nearly ruined them both. Their personalities clashed like monsoon storms, every encounter a battle of wits and wills. Worse, Priya had moved into an apartment just across from Aisha’s in Banjara Hills, their frequent run-ins fueling a bitter feud.

The rain-soaked street outside their upscale apartment glistened under streetlights, the ambulance siren fading as it sped toward Apollo Hospital. The air still carried the faint scent of uneaten biryani and sheer khurma from Sarita’s Birthday, now a distant memory.

“Is this the First Love Aisha di’s been pining for? Not bad-looking! You’ve got taste, di,” Priya said, her voice light but teasing, casting a playful glance at Vikram Malhotra.

That single, charming look set Vikram’s pulse racing. Priya’s effortless beauty—radiant even in a simple white top and fitted jeans—stirred something in him. Aisha was all icy elegance, but Priya’s warmth and confidence sparked a different fire.

“Could Priya Reddy be into me?” Vikram wondered, his ego inflating. Returning to Hyderabad was proving to be a jackpot. Aisha’s wealth was within reach, and now Priya? He could have it all.

Aisha swallowed her anger. “Priya Reddy, what are you doing here?”

“Didn’t I just say? I’m taking Robin, to the hospital. Aunty’s unwell, and I’m worried. I’ve booked the best cardiologist at Apollo and a VIP ward. Don’t stress about Aunty, Aisha di—I’ve got it covered,” Priya replied, her tone sweet but edged, as she swayed closer to Robin, masking her nerves with a warm smile. “Robin, let’s go see Aunty, okay?”

Robin paused, his smartwatch buzzing with Sarita’s vitals from his AI-driven Ayurvedic app. He nodded, climbing into the passenger seat of Priya’s Porsche without glancing at Aisha.

“Robin! Get out of that car!” Aisha’s voice cracked, her chest tightening.

Robin knew Priya was her rival, yet he chose her car? In the past, when Priya teased him, he’d brushed her off without a second thought.

“We’ve signed the divorce papers. What right do you have to tell me whose car I take?” Robin’s voice was calm, cutting.

“I…” Aisha froze, words failing her. He was right—they were done. What claim did she have over him now?

“You’re divorced?” Priya’s heart leapt, her calm facade nearly cracking. The moment she’d waited for had arrived. If they weren’t in public, she’d have wept with joy. She’d waited years for this, never daring to hope. Aisha had made a catastrophic mistake.

“So what?” Aisha snapped, confused by Priya’s excitement. Did Priya have feelings for Robin? Impossible. Priya, one of Hyderabad’s most sought-after women, falling for a nobody like Robin? It didn’t add up.

“Congrats, Aisha di. Hope you don’t regret it! You don’t love Robin anymore ?,” Priya asked, her voice steady but her heart racing. Aisha was clueless about the man she’d thrown away.

Priya glanced at Vikram, then slid into the driver’s seat, her eyes soft on Robin. “Robin, let’s go.”

With a roar, the Porsche sped off through Hyderabad’s rain-slicked streets, leaving Aisha reeling. Since signing the papers, Robin hadn’t looked at her once. The distance between them stung, a dull ache she couldn’t name.

Was divorcing Robin a mistake? “No… I love Vikram,” Aisha told herself, pushing the thought away as she drove to Apollo Hospital with Vikram. She needed to know Sarita was okay.

“Hey, can I crash at your place tonight?” Vikram asked suddenly, his voice smooth.

Aisha glanced at Robin and Priya’s car ahead, shaking her head. “I’ve booked you a hotel.”

“But I want to be with you. I can’t stand being apart,” Vikram pressed, his tone syrupy.

It grated on Aisha, reminding her of Robin’s quiet strength. “We’ll see later. This is the cooling-off month for my divorce. We need distance—no gossip,” she said, irritated.

Vikram hid his frustration. He wanted Aisha now, then Priya next. Both were his for the taking, but he’d play the long game.

“What’s the deal with Priya and Robin?” Vikram asked, curious.

Aisha shrugged. “I don’t know. After we moved to Banjara Hills, Priya bought the apartment across from us for some reason. She’s always finding ways to bump into me and Robin. Probably just to mess with me.”

“So that’s it? I thought they had some secret thing going on,” Vikram said, relieved. Priya’s playful glance earlier convinced him she was into him, not Robin.

In the Porsche, Priya’s hands gripped the wheel, nerves tingling. “Robin, are you really divorced from Aisha di?”

“Yeah. We’ll file at the registry tomorrow. After the cooling-off month, we’re done,” Robin said, his voice flat, his app still tracking Sarita’s vitals.

“Great!” Priya blurted, then caught herself. “I mean… uh, nothing.”

She steadied herself. “Robin, where’ll you stay now?”

“Haven’t decided.”

“Why not my place? It’s just me,” Priya offered, her voice soft.

“Not appropriate,” Robin replied, focused on his smartwatch.

“Robin… you forgot you saved my life,” Priya whispered. Years ago, on a rainy Hyderabad night, she’d been trapped by a trafficking ring, branded for smuggling abroad, her life in despair. Robin, then a feared underworld figure, stormed in, his unstoppable strikes—felling her captors. He’d given her money to start anew, a debt she’d never forget. She’d loved him ever since but stayed silent, knowing he was married. He’d kept her at arm’s length, forgetting her.

“My apartment’s right by Aisha’s. You can keep an eye on Tara. If she’s mistreated, you’ll know,” Priya pressed. “Plus, don’t you want to show Aisha what she’s lost? We could… pretend to be close, rile her up.”

Her voice was almost a plea.

“I’ll think about it,” Robin said, not committing. Staying near Tara made sense—she was his world, his five-year-old reason for everything.

They reached Apollo Hospital, the rain drumming on its glass facade. Robin and Priya stepped out, followed by Aisha and Vikram.

“Robin, let’s go in. Aunty’ll be fine,” Priya said, boldly taking his arm, her heart pounding. She shot Aisha a defiant look. “Aisha di, Robin bhai and I have Aunty covered. You’re so busy—why don’t you head back?”

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