The departure from Roopa Mansion was a masterpiece of staged normalcy. The entire Salai family stood at the massive exit doors, waving and smiling like a portrait of domestic harmony. Divya's eyes, however, remained fixed on Meira until the car doors finally clicked shut, a silent command for her to stay in character.
Dev took the lead, his energy focused and purposeful. He was the only one who knew the destination, and he seemed to relish the mystery. As the car sped away from the mansion's iron gates, the suffocating atmosphere of the house began to thin, replaced by the humming of the engine and the blur of the Mumbai skyline.
They eventually pulled into a private airfield, away from the chaos of the main terminals. Waiting for them on the tarmac was a sleek, private jet, its silver body gleaming under the airfield's floodlights. Dev had booked the entire aircraft for the four of them, ensuring total privacy.
As Meira followed Taniya up the boarding stairs, she felt like she was stepping into a different dimension. She had spent years confined to a single room or a single wing of a house; the sheer scale of this luxury was overwhelming. Inside, the cabin was a sanctuary of soft leather, polished wood, and warm, ambient lighting. Every detail—from the personalized service to the quiet hum of the engines—shouted of a world where Meira was never meant to belong.
She took a seat by the window, her heart racing. She gripped the velvet armrest, her knuckles turning white. To anyone watching, she looked like a composed, slightly quiet young woman, but internally, she was fighting to keep her breath steady. She remembered Divya's voice: "Show everything is normal."
She forced herself to look away from the lavish interior and stare at her own reflection in the dark window, trying to convince herself that she was just "the best friend" on a trip, and not a girl whose entire life was a secret kept under lock and key.
The flight had lasted nearly ten hours, a blur of silver clouds and quiet luxury that felt like a dream Meira didn't want to wake from. By the time the wheels touched the tarmac, the morning sun was beginning to hit the frost-covered runway.
As they stepped off the plane, the crisp, biting air of a different continent hit them. Aditya looked around at the Cyrillic signs and the distinct architecture of the private terminal, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Moscow? OMG, Dev... this is unexpected!" Aditya shouted, his voice full of overwhelming excitement. He turned to Taniya, sharing a look of pure joy.
Dev gave a huge, triumphant smile, looking every bit the mastermind of the adventure. "I told you it was a surprise."
They were whisked away to a legendary hotel, a palace of marble and gold that made Roopa Mansion look modest. As they entered the grand suite, Meira instinctively moved toward Taniya, reaching for her bag to help her settle in, her mind still repeating Divya's instructions to be the perfect companion.
Suddenly, a firm hand caught her wrist. Before she could react, she was pulled away from the main group and toward a secluded balcony overlooking the Red Square.
Startled, Meira looked up to see Dev. Her heart hammered against her ribs—not from fear, but from the sudden proximity. "What are you doing?" she whispered, glancing back to see as if Divya is somehow watching from across the ocean.
"Exactly what are you doing, Meira?" Dev countered, his gaze intense.
Meira blinked, confused. "I... I'm just trying to help Taniya."
"Stop following her everywhere," Dev said, his tone dropping to a more private level.
"But I am here to help her," Meira argued, her voice small. "That's why I'm here."
"Oh, but she has helpers for that, don't you understand?" Dev's expression softened into a smirk. "I brought them here so they could spend some time together, Meira. You have to give them some space to be a couple."
Meira paused, the logic of it hitting her, but her internal script was failing. "I know... but then, why have I come? Why am I here?"
"For me," Dev said.
The world seemed to stop for a second. Meira's breath hitched. Dev quickly cleared his throat, his confident mask slipping for just a fraction of a second. "I mean, look... I planned this for them, but I can't exactly be a third wheel. They'll feel guilty or worry about me being bored. That's why I brought you—so I'm not alone."
Meira felt a wave of calm wash over her, though her heart didn't quite slow down. The idea that she wasn't just a shadow for Taniya, but a companion for Dev, was a thought she didn't know how to process.
"Now go," Dev said, gently nudging her toward the door of her own room. "Go to your room and get ready. There is something special coming."