I Fell In Love With a Billionaire (Love Therapy Spinoff)

Chapter 6

A/N: I went on holiday so couldn't update, sorry 😅😅😅

***

To Kavya's surprise, her dad had been more fun than she had expected. After the "milkshake breakfast" he brought her down to the beach for a walk. They spent most of their time talking about things, mostly about her. Rohit wanted to know everything about her. Her likes and dislikes, her childhood, even her embarrassing stories... Rohit could only smile and wished to be there. If Shreya hadn't kept her from him, he would have been able to experience some of it too.

"You know, I've met you once," Kavya told him. "Before... This..."

Rohit cocked his eyebrows, intrigued by this new piece of information.

"I think I was seven," Kavya recalled. "You had some conference in London and I had a school field trip. I didn't know what to do then. I did, however, take photo of you."

Kavya pulled out an old crumpled photo from her purse and showed it to him. He couldn't help but be amazed by how much she looked up to him despite not knowing each other then.

"Mom freaked when she found out," she continued, laughing at the memory. "She was so worried that you'd find me. I almost had to miss school for the next three days."

"Did your mom talk a lot about me?" Rohit couldn't help but ask. Shreya Kapoor was a mystery he could never solve.

"Not really," she replied. "She doesn't know much but she'll answer my questions to the best that she can."

"Oh," Rohit said. "What's she like? Your mother?"

"She's nice when you're on her good side," Kavya answers. "She's just wary around you because she's afraid of losing me. I can tell she actually like you."

Rohit was taken aback by Kavya's last statement. He had never expected Shreya to like him. At least, not when he had served her the court papers.

"She'll warm up to you," Kavya added. "Just give her some time. And maybe she'll be nice to you too when you're not to fighting over me?"

"How does that make you feel?" Rohit asked. He had been so caught up with the court case that he never once considered Kavya's feelings. What if this wasn't what she wants? "The court case? Me being in your life?"

"I honestly don't know what to feel," Kavya answered. "I'm happy that you want me to be a part of your life but the court case upsets mom and I don't like to see her upset, especially if it's about me. I hate it that the both of you are fighting but then again it's not like you've been together for years and are getting a divorce. I'm so confused and conflicted that I don't know what to do or what to feel. I just want to be normal."

Rohit nodded.

"What about you?" Kavya added. "How do you feel?"

"Conflicted," he answered as he let out a huff of breath. "I hate separating the both of you but I have my own reasons. I just want to let you know that no matter what happens, I'll always be here for you."

Kavya smiled in response.

"If you're ready," Rohit continued. "There's someone I'd like you to meet."

Kavya's face scrunched in confusion. Her father is full of surprises today.

"Who?" Kavya asked.

Rohit's shoulders slumps as if in defeat. He lets out a shaky breath and replies.

"My mother."

***

On the way to the restaurant, Rohit had briefly told Kavya about his mother. By the look on his daughter's face, he was pretty sure that lunch with his mother would be a torture for the both father and daughter.

When they reached the restaurant, Nandini was already seated at the table, waiting for them.

"Hello ma," Rohit said casually. "Ma, this is Kavya, your granddaughter. And Kavya, this is your grandmother."

Rohit nudged Kavya and signalled to her to introduce herself.

"Namaste (Greetings)," Kavya said and went on to touch Nandini's feet.

"Jeete raho (Have a long life*)," she replied. Nandini then shifts her focus onto Rohit. "The girl has manners, unlike a certain someone."

*It's a blessing

Rohit rolled his eyes. Kavya couldn't help but feel uncomfortably as she stood beside her grandmother, waiting for her father to tell her what to do next.

"Come closer and let me take a good look at you," Nandini added.

Kavya hesitantly turned to Nandini and bent down to where she was sitting.

"You look like you father when he was your age," she told Kavya.

Kavya forced a smile in response. Is this how people are supposed to feel around their grandparents? Aren't they all warm and cuddly like those in movies? This was the first time Kavya had actually met a grandparent. Her maternal grandparents had kicked her mother out of their house when they found out her mother was pregnant with Kavya. Are all real life grandparents this heartless?

Thankfully, lunch went on without a hitch, save for Nandini's snide remarks about Rohit. Needless to say, Kavya felt like she was threading on eggshells. She felt that her grandmother was very harsh and judgmental towards her dad. She wouldn't hesitate to point out any flaws or faults that he had, even if they were in public. She wondered if it would be the same for her if she had grown up with her grandmother. Kavya shuddered at the thought.

Luckily for them, Nandini had to leave slightly earlier as she had another appointment to attend to. Kavya could see Rohit's body relaxing as Nandini left.

"Is she always like that?" Kavya asked out of curiosity.

"That's how she shows her love and concern for me," Rohit answered. "I never had a father growing up. He abandoned my mother when she was pregnant with me and married someone else. My mother and I needed to be strong, so she became like this."

"My mom isn't like that," Kavya said, still unable to comprehend the situation at hand. She couldn't understand how a mother could treat her child like how her grandmother treats her dad.

"My mother," Rohit explained. "Isn't like your mom. However, my mother, despite the cold and strict demeanor, loves me as much as your mom loves you. She just doesn't show it. To her, emotions are weaknesses and the biggest weakness of all is love."

"But you're different," she added, still trying to process this new piece of information.

"I used to think that way too," he replied. "Until I met you. You can call it a paternal instinct."

Kavya couldn't help but laughed at Rohit's remarks.

"I'm pretty sure there's no such thing as a paternal instinct," she said.

"Why not?" Rohit asked, slightly offended. "Agar ma ki pas maternal instincts hote toh baap ki pas kyun paternal instinct nahi ho sakte (If mothers have maternal instinct, why can't fathers have paternal instincts)?"

Kavya laughed again.

"Dad," she told him. "You're crazy."

***

A/N: I love how Rohit tries to connect with Kavya. It's a different dynamic that Kavya has with her mom. Also, will Kavya melt the ice queen Nandini-ji's heart?