7. Vikram Thakur

"Mr Armaan Verma?" Vikram Thakur asked as soon as Armaan opened the door of his suite.

"Yes. And you are?"

"Vikram Thakur. Someone very close to Janani and her family." Vikram Thakur said smugly as he walked into Armaan's suite. 

"So?" Armaan asked 

"And I am here to talk about your decision to take Janani with you and your son to Mumbai" Vikram said in a demanding voice and it didn't bode well with Armaan.  

"I dont think it's any of your business Mr Thakur" Armaan said coldly  

"It's Dr Thakur" Vikram corrected 

"Yeah, whatever. It doesn't really matter. Anyways, it must be clear as daylight that my son and Janani share a deep bond. You must have seen that yourself. So, I would like to make it easier for my son when she moves on. An outright separation will not be good for him" Armaan said with a shrug.

"And what about Janani? Taking her to Mumbai is a stupid move. How is it going to let her move on" Vikram said with a polite smile and Armaan shrugged.

"It is better if you could simply take your son away and let Janani get on with her life. The child has been an obstacle in her normal life" he added making Armaan grit his teeth  

The way Thakur speaks says he believes the surrogate mother never should have got attached to the child.

He himself believes that. 

Then why the hell is he bothered by the image Vikram Thakur is painting  

"Happily your opinion doesn't count, Thakur" Armaan retorted 

"It is going to. In the future. She is the woman I intend to marry" Vikram said

Armaan almost rolled his eyes at the thought of Janani, with her wild tendencies anchored by a nuptial chain to the man in front of him 

"Congratulations" Armaan said smoothly  

Janani has no plans to marry Thakur. He was quite sure of that. 

But somehow, that didn't eradicate an almost overwhelming temptation to smash a fist through Vikram Thakur's face. 

He didn't understand that violent urge and suppressed it, thoroughly caught off guard by that tendency.

He had felt it before,  of course he had 

But never where a woman was concerned.  

And it unsettled him!! 

"If that's all you are here for, the door is right over there." Armaan waved a hand towards the door 

**** 

Janani looked around her living room exhausted.  

Once Armaan Verma had decreed his orders, his security officer Khanna, whose name she now knows, all but bundled her and Advi into the expensive car and drove her home. 

And now at ten to five ,all she wanted was a bed and pillow and she could sleep for ages. 

Richa groaned 

"Are you sure about this Janani? Do you have any idea what you have signed up for?" Richa asked, cuddling Advi whom she is sure gonna miss. 

Oh the little guy had grown on her too!

That's why she is supporting Janani in this crazy scheme. 

For she could imagine, if this is how she feels at missing Advi, Janani must be miserable. 

So let her hold on to Advi as long as she could.  

Once Armaan Verma learns the truth he would be livid. 

They would deal with that together when that happens, for she is going to make sure she will stand strong for her friend and tell Mr Verma some home truths. 

For he definitely owes Janani. 

"I am not sure about anything other than that I can't let Advi go" Janani sighed 

They heard a knock on the door at sharp five. 

Armaan entered the living room and was momentarily stunned at the amount of things packed 

There sure were more than five big cardboard boxes. 

And two travel bags. 

"You sure are not planning to stay with me forever, are you??" Armaan asked sarcastically, eyeing the luggage. 

"This would hardly last for a week" Janani retorted, rolling her eyes making Armaan frown. 

Ofcourse!!  

What had he expected?? 

She might have already planned for her new wardrobe at his expense  

Hardly for a week, she said!! 

What is she planning to do with all these clothes in a week? 

"If you think you can go partying leaving Advaith at home, then you can very well think again" he said coldly and heard a snort 

That's when he noticed the other woman standing there with Advaith in her arms. 

He raised an eyebrow at her as to what she meant by that very un-lady like snort 

"Oh I was just thinking only if you knew how much our Janani enjoys partying" she said with a sickeningly sweet smile which earned her a kick from Janani 

"Our Janani??" He asked and he almost cringed as soon as the words got out 

What the hell possessed him to ask that. 

"Oh yes. Ours. Mine and Advi's " she said smiling brightly at the child who is playing with her chain now. 

"Right, Advi??" She asked and at the mention of his name the baby looked up and then turned to look at him. 

At the sight of him, his little lips curled down and with a little cry he gave a sudden lurch from the woman's arms towards Janani who scooped him up and gave him a tight cuddle. 

Armaan's lips thinned into a straight line. 

His son is scared of him. 

His daughter is scared of him. 

Is he so scary?

So unlovable?? 

Ofcourse, his own mother couldn't love him, then how will anyone else love him 

"He is teething, which always makes him a bit clingy" Janani said in Advi's defence  "And he is tired and irritated after a long day" 

"He is terrified of me. Isn't he used to meeting people" Armaan asked critically 

"He is more used to women"  

"You mean you never brought your men home??" Armaan asked and his lips curled in contempt  

Janani sucked in a sharp breath 

"I refuse to have this discussion in Advi's presence" Janani said with a pointed glare at Armaan. 

Armaan cursed himself.  

What had gotten into him?? 

The men in her life is her business 

He was just worried that Advaith has had a string of uncles in his life. 

As long as Janani keeps her men away from his son everything will be alright.

Not that she would be upto her usual tricks in Mumbai, not under his watch anyway!! 

***** 

The trip to the nearest airport took almost three hours. 

In the beginning Advi was very silent because of the presence of the big man.  

But slowly he became less wary and started examining the leather of the car seat. 

Then he wanted to play with the overhead light inside the car. 

"Mama??" He called pointing at the overhead light asking her to switch it on 

He is pretty forward in development compared to other babies his age. 

He is already learning to walk and talk. 

She covertly glanced at the man sitting next to her looking amused at Advi's antics and was reminded again of whose genes had dominated her nephew. 

She switched the light on and then off once.  

And it turned out to be a game for Advi who wanted to play switching the light on and off until Janani successfully diverted his attention to the passing by trees outside 

**** 

Once inside Armaan's private jet Janani looked around gaping at the interiors.  

This is her first time flying. 

She had never been on a plane before but she is pretty darn sure no commercial planes would look like this 

Almost like a five star hotel 

She settled on one of the plush couch and cuddled Advi while feeding him milk from his favourite cup. 

Armaan looked on at the sight of Advi suckling eagerly from the baby cup and Janani cooing at the baby in her arms. 

"You don't breastfeed him??" Armaan asked and it came out accusingly. 

She looked up with a frown as if she already forgot about him. 

"Of course, you don't. Can't ruin your figure now, can we??" He asked sarcastically  

What the hell had gotten into him?

Breastfeeding wasn't a part of the contract they signed.  

She was supposed to hand over the baby as soon as he was born.  

Then why does he have the sudden urge to see her breastfeeding his son! 

All the emotional turmoil of the last few months is finally catching up.. 

That's it!! 

It has nothing to do with Janani Trivedi!! 

"I couldn't " came the meek voice and he saw her shifting in the seat and she looked so uncomfortable  

"Of course you couldn't. When will you have time to feed him when most of the times you were partying in Delhi" He seethed 

Janani sucked in a breath as he reminded her again of the lie she was living for his benefit 

After all nobody could be in two places at once. 

While Janani had been teaching at the nursery school and covering Advi's child care cost, Saanvi had been in Delhi 

"I had to work" she said in a mild tone knowing that Advi's eyes are drooping and he will be asleep soon. 

Armaan let out a bitter laugh 

"Work? You mean the escort service you were doing??" He asked  

"Es- Escort??" Janani stammered as her eyes widened in horror 

"You don't really think that I didn't know about it? I have a complete dossier on all your activities." Armaan asked raising an eyebrow  

Oh he knew alright!! 

It was she who didn't know!! 

"What I don't understand is how you managed to get the child so attached to you when you were always away" he asked critically  

"I have spent more time with Advi than you can imagine" she said, looking pointedly at Armaan. 

He will never know how much time Janani had spent with her nephew ever since she met him when he was a week old. 

Advi stuck his thumb in his mouth and sagged against Janani 

"Please buckle your seatbelts. Take off in five minutes" they heard the pilot's announcement through the speakers.