Daniel nodded and asked the question that had been burning in his mind. “How is she?”

Anil studied him for a moment. “Well, she was in love with you, and you left her. In the hospital. What do you think?”

Daniel looked away and grunted. “She should move on.”

Anil shrugged. “Probably.”

“She hasn’t? But I thought you and Auntie were keen on Sajan.”

Anil chuckled. “We were. But Annika is not. And when was the last time Annika did anything she did not want to do?”

A spark of hope lit Daniel’s heart. The way he’d left her, he’d thought for sure...and that day, in Nilay’s room. The way she had looked at him, as if he’d better not dare ask for her back. He thought for sure she’d started seeing Sajan.

Daniel looked Anil in the eye. “She’s not why I’m here.”

Anil raised an eyebrow.

“I mean, I’m not getting help just to get her back.” Daniel sighed. “Quite frankly, I believe she can do better.” The daydream be damned. He should put it to rest. There would never be a baby for them.

“That’s quite possible.” Anil grinned. “Why are you here, then? What do you hope to gain?”

“Peace. I want to put my agony and fear to rest.”

“And?”

Damn it. “And I want her back.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

ANNIKA

ANNIKA SQUIRMED IN her childhood bed, avoided opening her eyes. The smell of masala chai floated up to her from the kitchen, mixed with the clean scent of her sheets, and took her back to her childhood, where everything was warm and soft and sunny. No one was disappointed, no hearts were broken, big evil men hadn’t punched her brother, and no children had been shot.

Annika wanted to live in that moment for as long as she could, because when she opened her eyes, she would have to acknowledge all those things. And the pain from that was too much today. But today was the day she had to face. It had been a year ago today that she and Steven had gone to the emergency room. A year ago today that Daniel had held her for the first time. A year ago today that she lost her baby. Her heart ached, but she had no more tears. Just as well; she had shed too many this past year. Time to move on.