The Legal Affair - Nisha Sharma Page 0,1

his head and the privacy glass quietly raised behind him to block out their driver. “You know I hate threats. Raj, you’d do the same exact thing in my position. You keep secrets all the time. Hell, how long did it take you to confess to Mina about my new job? See? You even lie to her.”

Because his accusation hit home, Raj felt herself stiffen even more. “I keep secrets because I’m in the business of keeping secrets. But I don’t tell lies. Especially to those people in my life who have my loyalty. That used to include you.”

“You’re the one who asked for a divorce, and you’re talking loyalty?”

She scrambled forward until she was practically nose to nose with him, breathing the same fire. “I asked for a divorce because you wanted to have a baby and you know I don’t want one,” she bit out. “At least, not right now, and definitely not with my business partner.”

“And that’s the real reason, isn’t it?” His face turned a molten red. “Even though we’ve been together for so long, you don’t want a kid with me. Because your maternal instincts are fine, dammit. You’re always volunteering at that animal shelter and raising money for them.”

“Oh my god.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “A dog is not a child, Robert.”

“It’s pretty much the same thing, Raj.”

“I can’t believe you’re—You know what? Never mind. I gave you an out so you can have that family you want. And then you screwed me. You fucking screwed me.”

He jabbed a finger at her. “No, what I did was waste years of my life with a woman who never wanted me to be anything but the convenient partner in a contract that wasn’t in my best interests.”

The limo slowed to a stop in front of Lincoln Center. Raj straightened in her seat and adjusted her sweetheart neckline as the driver rounded the car to open her door.

“I won’t waste my time telling you that you knew what you were getting into when you signed that contract. And luckily, the agreement is now broken. You can have a child with a woman who shares your vision for your future and work wherever you want. Don’t slouch tonight, darling. It’s the last time we do this as a couple. Let’s try to make it memorable, okay?”

The door opened, and floodlights temporarily blinded her. Lincoln Center glowed at the top of the broad expanse of steps that were blanketed in a vibrant red carpet.

The fundraiser for the Gen One Foundation was nothing like the scene at the Met Gala every year, but that was to be expected. The public never understood that business could be more entertaining, cutthroat, and sexy than Hollywood glam.

Raj adjusted the slit in her gown again so her shoes and then her legs made an entrance first. She grabbed her driver’s hand, winked at him in thanks, and waited for Robert to step out behind her. They moved in sync, like they’d done for years. She slid to the left just as he lifted her hand, kissed her knuckles, and tucked it under his arm. His blotchy skin had returned to its smooth, pale complexion and he had an unimpressed expression on his face now.

She smiled serenely at the cameras, already hating the fact that she would no longer have a convenient partner to stand by her side during events like these. She was fine on her own, but it was nice to have companionship to combat anyone who wanted more than business from her, and to deal with the loneliness that haunted leadership.

Raj waved to a few familiar faces as she and Robert made their way up the stairs and waited for their cue to stand in front of the vinyl backdrop. They posed, smiled some more, and then Robert stepped away so that Raj could pose on her own.

Once inside, they followed the marked path to the Grand Promenade and entered under a canopy of pale pink and purple flowers dripping from the ceiling and the second-floor balcony. A twelve-piece jazz band stationed in the center of the portico made upbeat music that echoed through the space.

“I need a drink,” Robert said. He stepped away from Raj’s side. “What’s our table?”

“We’re at Kia’s table tonight. The one up front and center to the raised platform.”

“I’ll meet you there.” Without another word, he walked away.

“Ms. Hothi!” Raj turned to see who had called her name. A woman with flaming red hair