‘I don’t know, exactly. A legal document, a folder. I’ll know when I see it.’
He clapped lightly, mocking her. ‘So, you thought of this whole heist without knowing what you plan to steal?’
‘I do know that I’m not supposed to know it exists.’
Humour fled from his gaze as he studied her closely. ‘You think Dad’s hiding something from you?’
‘I know he is. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t sure,’ she replied with conviction. Now, she just had to find the extent of his lies.
‘And if you find it?’
‘I’ll finally have proof for what I’ve often suspected, that Dad has been lying to us for a long time.’
‘But you don’t do such rebellious things. What changed?’
‘It’s something my mother left for me, which I should have received when I turned eighteen, but didn’t,’ she said, swallowing the curse words threatening to come out.
She stole a glance at her watch and her heart kicked into a panicked rhythm. ‘C’mon, help me find it,’ she urged and turned back to the desk.
Dhruv scoffed, moving away from the door. ‘What makes you think I’ll help you?’
‘Ah,’ Siya said, facing him again. ‘Let me guess, you don’t care about me enough to steal from our father, right? Is that why you’ve been stealing my designs and pushing me out of the design team for years?’
‘I never stole anything! Dad… he didn’t want to hype you in the eyes of the investors and he knew you’d try to argue with him, so he’d put my name on your designs. You expected betrayal from me so he always used me as a shield.’
‘And you let him do it because you don’t care about me, right?’
Her tone made him pause, and he gave her a hesitant nod.
‘Is that why, three days after I learned I can’t have kids, you sent us to an orphanage where you’re the benefactor to celebrate my friend’s birthday?’
His eyes widened, and he looked away. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
When he reached for the door handle, Siya quickly said, ‘I read the text you sent to Raghav. Also, Vihaan told me everything.’
Dhruv froze, the handle half-turned, but didn’t say anything.
‘Maybe you’re right. You don’t care about me. After all, when Dad and Dadi were ripping me apart at dinner the other night, you just sat there.’
‘No, you don’t understand,’ he blurted out. ‘They don't tolerate split loyalty—especially not when it comes to you or Kashvi. If I’d defended you, it would’ve only made things worse. I learned that lesson the hard way, so I taught myself not to care.’
Siya stepped around the desk, and walked up to stand behind him. ‘Why help me realise my shot at building a family isn’t over if you don’t care about me?’
‘It wasn’t for you,’ he shrugged, still facing away.
‘Whether it was for me or not, why do you care enough to talk to Vihaan and set up everything?’
‘If you had bothered to know me a little, you’d know why.’
‘Why don't you enlighten me now?’
‘Because you’re my sister!’ Dhruv snapped, anguish burning in his eyes. ‘But you don’t even think I deserved to know that you’ve been married to Abhay for two years, so I shouldn’t be surprised.’
Siya blinked. ‘What?’
‘You didn’t think I had at least one percent right to know that part of your life? I may not be your favourite person, but I thought that still meant something. Apparently, I was wrong.’
‘You… you aren’t in on it?’ she asked, voice barely above a whisper.
