"You seriously going to have tea with her, Janani? I don't like this Shreya" Richa said
Janani wrinkled her nose.
Her best friend, Richa, was very quick in her judgements but Janani tried to give everyone a
fair hearing.
And that included Shreya Iyyer.
After all, Janani would have been the first to admit that the main source of her unease about
Shreya was that the other woman's close blood tie to Armaan's ex and Ava's mother.
"I don't think she is evil" Janani admitted. Though she feels uncomfortable around Shreya,
she has to admit the woman is not an evil character.
The gentleness with which she treats Ava and even Advi proves that.
It is just around her, Shreya seems different.
Can't blame her for that either.
In any case, she had to admit that Shreya had proved to be an almost invisible guest,
occasionally dropping by to visit Ava and Advi, over the past week while Armaan had been
abroad.
Richa had reached three days before and Janani had wasted her time going on wedding
shopping and relaxing with her best friend.
"What is she even doing there locked up in that guest house all day" Richa remarked
suspiciously
"She is working on her next book" Janani said
Janani had learned from Aadesh that Shreya is an amazing upcoming writer and her first
book had been a best seller nation wide.
Janani hadn't been too keen on reading ever and preferred outdoor activities like gardening
anytime over being cooped up somewhere with a book.
The guest house Shreya was staying over was situated a walking distance from Verma
Mansion, located at a much more silent area surrounded by thick trees around.
Janani was wryly amused that she had found it necessary to dress up to visit Shreya.
"Oh, you haven't brought the kids." Shreya sighed in disappointment as soon as she opened
the door. "Come in."
"They always has a nap straight after lunch."
"Good god! You sound like one of those rigid nannies people joke about" Shreya commented
with a teasing smile
"I hope not" Janani stilled on the threshold of a spacious reception room that was dominated
by photos and portraits of a very beautiful woman.
What caught her attention was the big portrait in the centre.
Armaan and the woman, both looking into each other's eyes with a smile on their faces
"Ishana, my sister" Shreya said pointing at the woman in the photos.
"Oh" was all Janani could say
"Oh, didn't you know that the guest house is where Armaan keeps his stash of
memorabilia?" Shreya remarked in apparent surprise.
"I thought you would have guessed. I mean, there's nothing at all to be seen up at the
mansion" Shreya said
"No, nothing" Janani agreed, having naturally noticed that, surprisingly, Armaan had not a
single photograph on display anywhere of his daughter's mother.
"Even I didn't know" Shreya sighed "Without knowing the depth of his feelings I had been
blaming him for long for every