Chapter 6: Contracts and Consequences

On the way home, I said to Arjun, “Why don’t we switch companies? I’ve explained my preferences clearly, but she still got it wrong.”

I kept my voice calm, even as anger simmered below the surface.

“I think she’s careless and not serious enough.”

I folded my arms, waiting for his reaction.

Arjun stared at the road for a long time, as if trying to figure out how to persuade me.

His hands gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white. I could sense the conflict in him.

When we pulled into the parking lot, he finally spoke, gently, “Ananya, this is the best interior company. My friend—Rahul, remember him? He just got married, and his house was designed and renovated by this company. The result was great.”

He glanced at me, trying to soften his tone. “You know how picky Rahul’s wife is—she was happy, so this company must be good.”

“Most importantly, their workers are experienced, the craftsmanship is excellent, and there’s CCTV monitoring, so you don’t have to go to the site every day.”

He tried to tempt me with convenience, as if that would erase my doubts.

“Yaar, itna bhi nakhre mat karo. Dekh lo, sab log kehte hain company best hai.”

His voice was weary, the plea clear in his eyes.

I looked him in the eye and said directly,

“I’m not being unfair. I just want what we agreed on. I want our house to feel like ours, not someone else’s idea of a home.”

“Did you really choose this company because your friend recommended it?”

I watched him closely, searching for the truth.

“No other reason? If that’s the case, I want to check out a few more companies and pick the best.”

I pressed my point. “Let’s keep our options open, Arjun.”

Arjun looked tired, leaning back in his seat and taking a deep breath.

He ran his hands through his hair, as if weighing his words carefully.

“Actually… this company was recommended by my boss. His wife is a major shareholder.”

He spoke quietly, as if confessing a secret.

“You know my boss values me. I don’t want to offend him.”

He looked at me, worry etched on his face. “You remember how much he’s helped me. It’s a big deal.”

“If you don’t believe me, you can check on MCA records.”

He sounded defensive, as if daring me to prove him wrong.

“I didn’t tell you the truth because I was afraid you’d think I didn’t care about our home. Even though my boss recommended it, it really is a top company in the industry.”

His shoulders slumped, guilt flickering in his eyes.

After he said this, I didn’t know what to say.

The silence stretched, broken only by the distant barking of street dogs.

So I asked, “Then you and Meera didn’t know each other before?”

I kept my tone casual, but my heart raced.

He froze, then took a while to react.

His hand paused on the ignition, lips parted in surprise.

“Huh? How did you know… Wait, are you jealous?”

A hint of amusement crept into his voice, even as he looked wary.

His expression quickly shifted from surprise to teasing. “No wonder you’ve been acting strange lately—you’re not usually so picky.”

He playfully pinched my cheek.

His touch was familiar, almost affectionate, but I pulled away.

“Yes, Meera and I were college classmates, but we lost touch after graduation. I only found out she works here when I came for the consultation.”

He spoke in a rush, as if eager to clear the air.

“I didn’t think it was important, so I didn’t mention it.”

He met my eyes, searching for forgiveness.

“Alright, Ananya, I’ve been busy with work lately. If you’re not satisfied, just have her revise it. Let’s not argue anymore, okay?”

He sounded tired, as if he couldn’t bear another fight.

Arjun’s honesty made me feel a bit petty.

For a second, I wondered if I was overreacting, reading too much into harmless messages.

This time, Meera was very efficient and soon sent over a new set of renderings.

Her emails came late at night, full of detailed notes. She addressed every item I’d mentioned.

This time, she finally took the design seriously, and none of the elements I disliked appeared again.

The colours were neutral, the lines clean. It felt closer to the home I’d imagined.

I circled a few details, wrote down my notes for changes, and sent them back, planning to settle on this version.

My heart felt lighter. Maybe, just maybe, we could still make this work.