His Precious Iris

40. Jealousy

Isabelle's POV -

As I turned around, there was Naveen ji, strutting into the venue like he owned the place, looking sharp as ever in his suit. I swear, does he have a secret stash of charm hidden somewhere? Meanwhile, as I was lost in admiration, in walks this girl dressed head to toe in black, giving off major witch vibes.

"Iski maa ki!" I muttered under my breath as she went in for a hug with Naveen.

"Aahan!" I called out to my friend. "Who's that girl?"

"Huh?!" Aahan exclaimed, glancing over. "Oh, her! That's Allegra, Rossi's daughter. She and Naveen used to be classmates in college."

"Why is she clinging onto him like a koala?" I questioned as they clinked glasses.

"Feeling a little jelly, are we?" Reyansh chimed in, appearing out of nowhere with Aahania.

"Me? Please! Why would I be jealous? What's so great about her anyway?" I retorted, eyeing him up.

"34-24-34," Aahan interjected, earning himself a smack on the head.

"Numbers don't lie, do they?" Aahan grinned.

"Well, personality counts too!" I insisted.

"Isse sharam nahi hai kya?! Shaadi shuda mard pe dore dal rahi hai!" I exclaimed as she grazed his bicep.

"Maybe she didn't even know he's married," Reyansh supplied.

"WHAT?" I gasped.

"Yeah, she wasn't around when he got hitched. So, there's that. Plus, he ain't wearing a ring," Aahan added.

"Why not?" I demanded in disbelief.

"He probably forgot to put it on, or maybe he's trying to pull off some secret agent vibe," Reyansh chuckled.

"Well, someone needs to remind him he's taken!" I declared, eyeing Allegra with newfound determination.

"Isa don't do anything stupid. She's the head's daughter. Agar kuch uch neech hui na, Naveen ki deal ja sakti hai." Aahania said.

I nodded my head and tried to casually look away, attempting to calm my nerves, when out of nowhere I heard someone whisper, "Naveen and Allegra make quite the pair, don't they?" What on earth were they basing that on?

Just as I attempted to turn around, Aahan popped up in front of me, saying, "Hey, let's grab something to eat."

"No, wait!" I exclaimed, shoving him slightly to get a better view of the scene unfolding. Why were they standing so close? And why was she staring at his lips? Is she going to...?

"Oh, this is it!" I muttered as I made my way towards them, snagging a glass of wine on the way.

"Isa, listen! Isa!" Reyansh called after me, trying to catch up, but I was on a mission, swiftly reaching the duo.

"Oh my goodness! I'm terribly sorry!" I exclaimed as I "accidentally" spilled the wine on Naveen ji's shirt, strategically targeting the left side.

"Let me help!" I said, snatching his hanky and feverishly patting at the stain, making sure to emphasize the area near his heart.

"Nav, what's that?" Allegra inquired, her eyes widening.

"Oh, that? That's my name tattooed on his skin, right where his heart his," I declared proudly, finally turning to face them.

"I never properly introduced myself, did I? I'm Isabelle Agnihotri, his wife. And you?" I announced, observing her disappointment.

"Allegra, Allegra Rossi," she replied, forcing a smile. "I had no idea he was married," she admitted.

"Well, now you know. So, Ms. Algebra, kindly refrain from eyeing up my husband's lips," I quipped, grabbing Naveen ji's arm and striding past her. But before I could resist the urge to add one more thing...

"Oh, by the way! Back in school, I always used to outsmart Algebra. And I can still do it. Just a heads up," I tossed over my shoulder with a mischievous grin.

"Her name's Allegra, not Algebra," Naveen ji corrected as I dragged him back to our group.

"Why do you care about her name? And didn't you say you learned Italian for her father? Then why the heck were you speaking Italian to her and English to her father?" I interrogated him.

"You did that?" Aahan chimed in, taking a sip of his cocktail.

"So bad, Naveen Bhai!" Reyansh added, munching on his pie.

"Very bad, bhai!" Aahania chimed in, taking a sip of her wine.

"Shut up, guys!" Naveen ji's voice quivered with pent-up emotion, his frustration boiling over as he confronted me. "Why did you act like that, huh?" His words hung in the air, heavy with accusation, as his eyes bore into mine, searching for answers.

"How was I supposed to act then?" I replied, my voice trembling with the weight of unshed tears. "How could I stand by and watch as my heart shattered into a million pieces, witnessing the person I love slipping away?"

"I am not your man, Ms. Fernandez," Naveen ji's voice cracked with a mix of pain and resignation, his words cutting through me like a knife. "Didn't you just say that this morning? Then why are you now claiming ownership over me?"

"We both know I didn't mean that," I whispered, my voice barely audible above the thumping of my own heart, heavy with the burden of unspoken truths.

"Really?" Naveen ji's tone softened, a glimmer of vulnerability breaking through his facade of strength. "Even if your words didn't convey it, your eyes did. These eyes... they never lie."

Before I could respond, Naveen ji turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, feeling the sting of his departure like a dagger through the heart. And then, as if his absence wasn't enough to tear me apart, his final words echoed in my mind like a haunting melody.

"And yea! My love is not fake for you, for me to be stolen by someone," he had said, a painful reminder of the depth of his feelings, and the fragility of our bond.

As he disappeared into the crowd, a heavy silence enveloped our group, the weight of unspoken emotions hanging in the air like a thick fog. Aahan, Reyansh, and Aahania exchanged concerned glances, sensing the depth of the rift between Naveen ji and me.

"Isa..." Aahan began tentatively, reaching out a hand to comfort me, but I shook my head, unable to find the strength to hold back the tears any longer.

"It's okay," I managed to choke out, forcing a weak smile. "Let's just... let's just try to enjoy the rest of the evening, okay?"