Kristen walked into Maahi's office at the start of their lunch break with a frown on her face and blame on her lips. "It's all your fault."

Maahi paused typing her patient notes to question, "Excuse me?"

Emma knocked on the door and walked in, slumping on the couch at once. "It's not even half day and I'm already burnt out."

Kristen asked, "Had the Conner's today?"

Emma nodded with a groan, "I swear, the two of them need to just stay the heck away from each other! You should hear some of the things they say to each other. I don't even know how to help them anymore. I've tried everything. One week they are fine and next, they are back at each other's throat."

Maahi said a rhetoric question, "Why don't they just leave each other?"

Kristen answered, "Not everyone recognizes a destructive relationship and are strong enough to walk away from it."

Maahi inhaled deeply and exhaled, resting back in her chair before directing to Kristen, "What was my fault, by the way?"

Kristen recalled, "Oh, yes! It is all your fault. Why do you have to get divorced?"

Maahi gaped at her coworker slash friend, "I beg your pardon?"

Kristen huffed, "So, what? If you hadn't gotten divorced, we wouldn't have gone out partying and I wouldn't have a stalker after me!"

Maahi sat up in concern. At first, she thought Kristen was just being dramatic. She shared a look with Emma before asking seriously, "Who is stalking you?"

"That guy who you had a body shot with."

Maahi relaxed and offered his name to Emma. "Oh. You mean Liam. He is harmless."

Kristen asked, "Is that his name?"

Maahi shook her head in amusement and pointed out, "How is it my fault? You're the one who had picked him."

Emma added, "How do you mean he is stalking you anyway?"

Instead of answering, Kristen asked a question of her own, "Did either of you give him my number?"

Emma answered for both of them, "Why would we do that?"

Kristen shrugged her shoulder, "Who else would? I certainly didn't. And prey tell, why the hell is he in the impression that we slept together? For sure we didn't! I woke up at Maahi's house, after all."

Maahi snickered a laugh, realizing Kristen didn't recall the trouble she'd given her and Liam in trying to get her home.

Kristen squinted at her, "What's funny over here? My loss of dignity certainly isn't."

Maahi pulled her lips in to stop the grin and shook her head, trying to sober up and look serious. "No. You're right. You did wake up at my house."

"See!"

Maahi added, "But he isn't wrong either."

Kristen question in confusion, "I couldn't have slept with him and wake up at your place." Then, her eyes widened. "We didn't have a threesome, did we?"

Maahi grabbed her post-its off the table and threw it at her friend for the indecent suggestion.

Emma commented, "Your sexual activities really concern me sometimes, Krissy."

Kristen, however, simply shrugged her shoulder thinking it to be a viable option.

Maahi cleared the air, "No, we didn't have a threesome - unless you want to count three people sleeping on the same bed in a complete non-sexual manner. You were just completely wasted and we figured it was just better to let you crash at my place."

Kristen relaxed at that, understanding Liam was messing with her. "That doesn't explain how he has my number."

"Maybe he used your phone to dial his number so he could keep in touch with you. Perhaps this'll teach you to add a lock system on your phone."

Kristen asked dismissing Maahi's later comment, "Why would he do that?"

Maahi and Emma both gave their mutual friend a look for Kristen was not so naïve that they had to spell it out for her. Kristen, in response, rolled her eyes. "Whatever, I'll get back at him later for lying to me and getting me all worked up. Let's get back to your guy, Maahi. Was he the one I briefly saw that morning?"

Maahi tried to keep color off her cheeks as she answered in a positive, filling them in on what he was doing there and how they agreed to make this official.

Emma complimented, "Geez, that's amazing. You talk about it one night and the next morning, it's already happening?"

Kristen added, "You're one lucky bitch, girl. Like honestly, what are the odds of that happening?"

Maahi chuckled, "Yeah, could have done with Sonu not getting in between and ruining all these years for me."

They narrowed their eyes in confusion for they did not know of her time with Parth three years ago and so she filled them in on that part of the story as well.

Kristen gushed, "Damn, girl! Imagine, you'd probably be married and all happily with your guy if that douche hadn't come along."

Maahi felt the need to inhale to keep her heart from clenching at the mention of Sonu. Yes, she'd unknowingly brought it up but she also knew... she had to talk about it so she could let go as keeping it all inside wasn't healthy. If she could talk about him as if it didn't mean anything, then it wouldn't keep a weight on her heart.

Emma, noticing the falter on her face, helped her out by distracting her for the time being with talks of their patients to get each other's professional opinions on certain cases and how the rest of the week was going to be while they had their lunch.

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That evening, Maahi replied to Parth's text as she sat in her car after walking out of the hospital building.

Maahi: Hey! Sorry, it's been a busy day. Call you when I get home in a few?

Leaving her phone in a cup holder, she shifted gears to reverse out of the parking lot and make her way to her apartment which was a good twenty minutes away considering the evening traffic.

Parking in front of her building and getting out of the car with her bag size purse as it held her laptop as well, she checked her messages for Parth's reply in an affirmative in pressed the call button. Taking the stairs up, she had her phone in between her shoulder and ear while she fished her purse for her house keys.

At the third ring, Parth answered the call as he too had just gotten home and had been freshening up. "Hey, love. That was quick. You didn't speed just to talk to me, did you?"

Maahi smiled pushing the door open and walking inside the apartment, "Well, to be honest, I did miss your voice, but not so much that I'd risk my life over it."

She heard the soft sound of his chuckle which only made her smile wider. "Good, because if something happened to you, I don't know what I would do."

She shook her head at the mindless sweet things he said. "Yeah, right. Don't be cheesy now. What's up? Is everything okay? You said you had something important to say?"

He sighed, wanting her to know he was serious about what he had said. He could not fathom thoughts of if he lost her - even though the conversation had started in a light manner. "Yeah... I do. Are you sitting?"

The gap between her forehead lessened, placing her keys on the kitchen counter along with her purse. "Uh... no? Why are...?"

He requested, "Sit, then?"

She got the feeling that the news he wanted to share was a serious one, but it also concerned her. "Parth, what's wrong? You're worrying me."

"Are you seated?"

She sat on the couch and asked impatiently. "Yes, now will you tell me already?"

Parth inhaled and exhaled through his mouth as he conveyed the news. "Okay... so this morning, I heard back from the embassy. Well, my boss did and he informed me."

"Okay..." She said understanding this had to do something with the case and started to now worry that Sonu might have gotten away with everything.

"He's sentenced to 7 years and fined. I don't know the amount but I'm sure you'll be contacted soon."

Maahi released a breath she had been holding in and lightly scolded him, "Parth, you idiot. You scared me into thinking it was something bad."

He asked his own questions of concern instead of apologizing for making it sound as negative by asking her sit first. "Are you okay?"

Maahi ran her fingers through her hair before settling them in her usual parting. "Am I okay? Let's see... yeah, I think so. He's in prison, right? He deserves more with deceiving three people at a time but I'm fine with it. I doubt he will learn his lesson but atleast he won't ruin anyone else's life."

"Yeah..." He answered for he wanted to give her the space to say anything else she might want to get off her chest.

Though, Maahi didn't think she could yet. The news had to settle in first and as far as Sonu was concerned, she did not care about him. She knew the actions she had taken in the past months had been the right ones. However, it did have to hurt that he didn't just cheat on her as she had originally thought when she had first served him with divorce papers but he had married someone else as well and not once had she seen through his lying, manipulative, conning face.

He requested when he was met with silence at the other end of the call, "Maahi... please say something."

She sighed, settling back in the couch, her body morphing into the cushion. "I don't know, Parth, honestly. I'm just... I've been trying not to think about it, you know? I've tried to just focus on work and myself but it does hurt somewhere. No... more than hurt, I feel mad at myself. I see through people's words on a daily basis at work. How could I have not seen this? Not just with him but my grandmother too? I feel stupid, you know? Like is it so easy for people to take advantage? What does it say about me?"

He said so she wouldn't be so harsh to herself, "They were family, love. You thought them to be and with family, you don't second guess them or look for ulterior motives. With family, we get blindsided. It's not your fault."

She wanted to believe him. She did. But, she couldn't just yet. "It feels like it is though."

He breathed out, laying back on his bed and staring at the ceiling, trying to not turn this topic into his anger. "I don't know how anyone could cheat on you. You're so... amazing. Kind-hearted. So caring toward everyone. Your entire career is about helping people. You literally put other's lives before your own. And, I'm not just saying this, love, but really. If you ask anyone, they'll agree too. You're like a fresh ray of sunshine. Anyone who meets you once would want to keep you in their life. I can't..."

He stopped talking when he heard a sniffle on the other end and got concerned. "Maahi?"

She lifted her hand to wipe her watery lashes and mumbled, "I'm not crying."

Though he was worried for her, her resistance made him smile affectionately.

It had been his thoughts for her more than anything else that she was focusing on. She wasn't focusing on why Sonu didn't see all of this, but instead on the fact that Parth did see the person she's always tried to be before Sonu came along.

She always wanted to help people. It's why she had entered this field. She's always held a positive light and a smile on her face, wanting those around her to be happy as well.

He said, trying to change the topic slightly. "You're turning into my lucky charm, you know that?"

She hiccupped, getting a hold over her emotions. "H-how?"

"ADA assigned me my first case today as lead prosecutor impressed with my work on your case."

She sat up in excitement for her, "Seriously? Congratulations! I'm sure that's a big thing, right?"

"Yeah, the biggest for someone as young as me to get that vote of confidence."

"I'm so happy for you!" She exclaimed while sitting up to get a glass of water for herself and move on from their earlier conversation.

"Thanks... I hope I don't screw it up."

She expressed her confidence in him, "You won't. You got this, don't worry."

He asked genuinely, "How can you be so sure?"

She pointed out, "Have you forgotten I've seen you in the court room? You're dedicated to what you do, Parth. So, I know you're going to go places one day. Just believe in yourself."

He teased, "As long as you keep being my lucky charm."

She chuckled, walking to her room "I would consider it if I were getting some incentive from that job title."

"Incentive?"

She couldn't help the grin on staying on her face as she answered, "Ofcourse. It'll be unfair if I do all the work and you get all the credit, you know?"

He cleared his throat to ask seriously though he too was smiling from ear to ear. He loved talking to her and the playfulness they had going. "I see. That would be unfair. So, Ms. Kaur, what incentives do you have in mind? Anything in particular that you were hoping for?"

She thought along while she changed out of her clothes and turned the phone to speaker, placing it on the bed. "Hmm... what can I ask for? Let's see..."

"Maahi?" He interrupted.

"Yeah?"

"Why am I seeing your ceiling fan?"

"What?" She questioned in confusion and approached the bed, leaning over the phone to realize she'd accidentally pressed the button for video call as well as the speaker. "Shit."

He cleared his throat further, teasing. "If you wanted to give me a strip show, you could've just said so."

Her eyes widened as she glanced down at herself to the top few buttons undone. Her dark red bra showing just barely. Snapping back to the call, her fingers fumbled to end the video call. She breathed out, downright flushing and sinking to the carpet to sit on her knees, her elbows digging into the mattress and hiding her face in it as she scolded herself for the carelessness.

The silence in the room filled with her phone ringing and she lifted her head knowing full well it was Parth calling back. She groaned to herself for her stupidity before sliding the bar to answer and placing the phone to her ear. Before he could have said anything, she warned. "Not a word, you hear me?"

He let out a chuckle and hummed, "Mhmm."

He didn't say anything afterwards. She remained silent as well.

Seconds passed before he did speak, "So, we were talking about incentives."

She let her head drop to the mattress again, mumbling. "Yeah, no. Let's talk about something else." She couldn't continue that teasing conversation right now.

"Oh, come on." He tried to get her to play along. "I can't keep my word if you don't tell me what you want in return."

She pushed herself up on her feet, "Right now, I want a good shower and dinner. So, bye."

"Maahi, wait, listen though." He tried but she knew he would only push the same topic so ended the call herself to make a point.

Where was she even thinking that conversation would go when she brought it up? She had no idea. After all, incentives...? No. Her mind had truly been blank. She wasn't familiar with this game of flirting. She was new to it and as evidence had it, Parth had made her loose in the past multiple times in a single move.

She flushed further recalling those times... once in the kitchen while they were making pasta and the second time later that evening itself in her hotel room bed when he had effectively distracted her. That kiss the next day while sharing ice-cream...

She sighed, unfamiliar with this feeling churning in the pit of her stomach but welcomed it nonetheless as she knew it only meant one thing. Even if it had only been a day of last seeing him.

She missed him.

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