I walked into my father's office, not being able to take it anymore. Ever since I confessed, we hadn't spoken. I knew what I did was wrong, but he couldn't hold it against me forever. At the same time, I expected greater repercussions.

When I arrived at my parent's house, I headed for my father's office, knowing he would most likely be there. Sure enough, he sat at his desk, looking over some paperwork.

"Papa," I said with a knock on the opened door. He glanced up. "Hey." I closed the door behind me before approaching him. "Can we talk?"

His attention returned to his papers. "About what?"

"You know what," I said. "About what I did."

"It's done," he said in a surprisingly calm voice. "There's nothing to talk about."

"I stole from Appeto."

"But you fixed it."

"Nila fixed it," I corrected. "If it wasn't for her, I'll still be Arush's little puppet. She fixes a lot."

"Don't do this again."

"Nila deserves to run the company," I said anyway. "Not me. Not only because she knows more and is more qualified and saved the company but because she would never do what I did."

"I don't want to talk about this!" he yelled. "Now, enough with this nonsense about Nila. You have other priorities right now. Like your engagement party."

I almost groaned. I forgot about that. Everything was happening so fast. "I can't do this, Papa," I said. "Right now, I don't even care anymore. I don't care what the aunties and uncles would think. I don't care about how this would make you look. I don't care if I'm selfish. I don't care about any of it."

I did care about Gabriel and what we had. I shouldn't have because he betrayed me, but I also cared about myself and my own well-being. I couldn't marry Anushka, and at this rate, I would be marrying her in no time. I couldn't wait the day of the wedding to call this off.

"I'm not marrying Anushka," I said, and my father narrowed his eyes. "I don't care what you say. I'm a grown man, and it's my life. I'm going to marry someone I love."

"Gyan," he said through gritted teeth.

"I'm calling it off," I went on. "Cancel the engagement party. Cancel the wedding. The Kumars can be pissed all they want."

I didn't give a damn. Gabriel cheating put things into perspective. Fuck what people wanted, including my father. I was going to look out for myself from now on, and if that made me selfish, so be it.

"Actually, not only am I done with the wedding, but I'm done with Appeto, too." My father's eyes widened. "I'll be giving you my resignation letter soon. I'm going to be working at Varun-ji's company from now on. We talked, and he'll love to have me join his team."

I couldn't believe I did it, but I reached out to my uncle, and it all worked out. It was the first step to my freedom. I didn't know what I wanted to do. I didn't expect to love my job and look forward to going every morning. I just didn't want to dread waking up every morning just because I knew I would have to go to work.

My father muttered something in Hindi. He could curse me out for all I cared. He glared at me. "No one's loyal these days."

"It's not about loyalty," I said. "It's about what's best for me."

"You don't know what's best for you!"

"Maybe not," I agreed. "But I know what isn't. Working at Appeto isn't it. Marrying Anushka isn't it. You controlling our lives isn't it. Do you even know what's happening to us? Ishaan is cheating on Nila. Alisha needs help. I got beaten up a couple days ago."

I was amazed he didn't say anything about my busted lip and swollen eye.

"I don't know what you do in your free time now-a-days," he said, "so I didn't bother asking."

I wanted to tell him that I fucked men up the ass in my free time. Sometimes, I took it up the ass myself. I wanted to tell him I loved it. I wanted to tell him that I was in love with a man. It was sad that this would disappoint him. That I only wanted to share this with him out of spite.

I chuckled, without an ounce of humor. "Of course. You don't care that your son got beaten up. You don't care that your daughter is being cheated on. You don't even care that your other daughter is in pain. You don't care!"

He stood up from his chair. "Everything I do is because I care. I provide for you ungrateful children. I try my best. Everything I do is for you."

"You need a different strategy," I mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

I met his gaze. "Papa. We can't keep going like this. We need a change."

"If you want a change, you're about to get it," he said. "Don't come to me when times get tough. You're on your own from now on. Time to be a man. You always got what you wanted, and you're a spoiled brat. You think I'm making your life miserable."

"I never said that."

"You don't appreciate the fact that most people would kill to have what you have," he continued. "I even admit. I gave you more than I gave your sisters. It still wasn't enough." He shook his head. "Gyan. Gyan. I don't know what to do with you."

I didn't know what to do with myself either, but I had to figure it out. On my own. I couldn't have everything handed to me on a silver platter, and that was okay. I could do this on my own. I didn't need my father holding my hand all the time.

"I can do this," I told him. "I can find my own...partner. I can find my own job. You don't have to help me with everything."

"You don't understand what's happening."

"I understand perfectly."

"You do not," he said, his voice rising. "I'm indebted to the Kumars. They are one of our greatest investors. You cancelling this wedding would sever our ties with them."

"You had good relations with them before me and Anushka. Why does things ending with us sever ties?"

"You don't know them." He sat back down. "You don't know how much I owe them. They've saved us multiple times. Times when Appeto was in trouble. You marrying Anushka is an indirect way of paying them back."

I slit my eyes at him. "So, you're pimping me out?"

"She's beautiful," he said. "Why is this so hard for you?"

"This isn't about me," I said as I watched him. "It's all about you. Me marrying Anushka is meant to save you. You save face. You pay off your debts. I'm just the puppet, and you're the master."

"This isn't only about you."

"I know it isn't," I said. "This is all centered around you."

"I'm tired of this conversation." His focus shifted to his work. "Marry Anushka, and you benefit your family. Call it off, and you're nothing but a selfish brat."

I glared at him, a part of me wanting to hate him for this. It didn't matter how much I stared at him, he wouldn't meet my gaze, and I couldn't burn a hole through him. When I couldn't take it anymore, I turned on my heels and walked out. Even hitting the steering wheel of the Sequoia didn't ease my anger.

I didn't want his attention. I didn't want his money or help. I didn't want to be his favorite child. I just wanted to be left alone, so I could live my life.

When I arrived home, all I wanted to do was take a swim in the pool. I was too riled up to read a book or play chess. I needed to work off this energy. Before I could head to my room to change, the doorbell rang.

To my surprise, Angelica stood outside my door with her arms crossed. "Angelica?" She entered my apartment and turned to face me after I closed the door. "What are you doing here?" Then it hit me. "Let me guess. You're here because of Gabriel. You're here to plead his case."

She squinted her eyes. "I never liked you." My expression was blank. "I always thought you were pompous and spoiled. But you made Gabriel happy, so I tolerated you. Now, I don't like you again."

"Because I broke up with, Gabriel?" I took a step forward. "Hate to break it to you, but he cheated on me. I'm not in the wrong here."

She scoffed. "You still believe that?"

"He had sex with someone else."

"It's sad that you won't give him the benefit of the doubt."

"That's bullshit."

I was sick of everyone acting like I was the bad guy here. Gabriel was the one who cheated. I gave him the benefit of the doubt when he lied.

"I can't believe you kicked him out."

What else was I supposed to do when he told me that he had sex with someone else?

"Do you really think Gabriel would do this?" she asked. "Think about it. Why would he cheat on you with some basic guy when he's in love with you? When you're his Gyan? A guy he's loved since college. Does that make any sense to you?"

"Well, it happened," I said, despite my own thoughts screaming otherwise at me.

It didn't make sense, but he said it. The words came out of his own mouth. Why would he lie about something like that if it wasn't true?

"Gyan." Angelica's features softened. "Gabriel was raped."

The blood felt like it drained from my body from her words.

"What?" My voice was a mere whisper.

Angelica kept her tears at bay. "Steven raped him, Gyan." A tear fell. "He drugged him, and he raped him. Gabriel doesn't remember anything. All he knows is that Steven told him that they had sex the night before. How can he cheat when he's unconscious? When he can't remember what happened?" She cried harder. "My poor brother."

This couldn't be real. How could Gabriel...? This couldn't have happened to him. Not while I was here.

I wanted to speak, but nothing came out.

"He would never cheat on you." She wiped at her eyes. "That's not Gabriel. He loves you too much." She forced a chuckle. "You know Gabriel and monogamy."

I wiped at my forehead, not knowing what to do with myself. I didn't know what to say or what to do.

I would rather have Gabriel cheat on me than have this be true.

Not my Gabriel.

"I need to go." I grabbed my things as Angelica watched me.

"I have your number," she said. "I'll text you the address of where Gabriel is staying at. You need to fix this, Gyan."

"I just..." I stopped, catching my breath. "I need to go see him."

Angelica nodded, and we left the apartment together. I hopped into the Sequoia, waiting for Angelica's text while driving God-knows-where. When I received it, I stepped on the accelerator, not caring if I got pulled over. I didn't care about anything at that moment.

Only Gabriel.

I groaned as the tears threatened to fall. How could this happen? How could I let this happen? I was supposed to protect him. I knew something was wrong with that Steven guy. Why didn't I trust my instincts? Why wasn't I better?

And I kicked him out. I was pissed at him. Someone did this to him, and I wasn't even there.

When I arrived at the motel, I hoped out of the car, the urge to see Gabriel keeping my tears back. In record time, I stood at his door, and the moment he opened it, I pulled him into my arms.

"Gyan," he said before wrapping his arms around me.

"Shhh." I smoothed his hair back. "You're okay. I'm here now." He held me tighter. "I'm not going anywhere, Gabriel."

"Angelica," he muttered, and the cries started.

"I'm here," I repeated, and I held him as he cried.

"I'm sorry," he said between cries. "I'm sorry for not listening to you. I'm sorry for putting myself in that situation."

"No." I pulled him back to look at him. "There's nothing to apologize for. This isn't your fault." I frowned. "That son of a bitch."

That was when his brows furrowed. He cupped my cheek. "Your face."

My jaw tightened. "It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does," he said. "What happened?"

"We'll talk about that later." I wrapped him in my embrace once more. "Right now, let's focus on you." He relaxed into my arms, his cries quieting down. "He's not going to get away with this." I glared at nothing in particular. "I'm gonna kill him."

Steven fucked with the wrong person. No one messed with my Gabriel. Not while I was here.

I was just pissed that I wasn't with him sooner.

"Let's go." I entered the room, moving for his things. "Let's get you out of here." He approached me. "We're going home."

He sent me a small smile, and I kissed him on the forehead.

With that, we gathered his belongings, and Gabriel checked out. We got into the Sequoia, heading home. I gripped the steering wheel, and I stared ahead, not able to contain my frown.

"Gyan," he said, and I snuck a glimpse of him. "Don't worry about me. It'll be okay."

"You don't have to make me feel better," I said. "This is about you."

He reached over for my hand, giving it a squeeze. "It's about us. It's never just me or you. It's us. We're a duo."

I refused to let go of his hand, and I glanced his way when we stopped at a red light. "I'm never going to doubt you again."

"I don't doubt you either," he said. "I don't doubt that you'll call this wedding off with Anushka." I gulped. "I don't doubt that you'll fight for us. You usually don't, but I know you will now."

The light switched to green, and I broke our gaze. "I will."

This wasn't only about me anymore. It was about the both of us. My father thought I was being selfish, but he was wrong.

The man I loved needed me, and I was going to be there for him no matter what.