13 . A deal with the Devil she knew

Chahat stared at Ashwat in shock, eyes wide open.

She couldn't understand how he could talk to her like that.

She was talking about walking away from his life—and yet he was taunting her.

"You don't need to worry about any of this. What I do with my life is none of your business,"

Ashwat snapped.

Chahat frowned. She didn't care about him anymore either.

She wanted to leave this mess behind—but it was him who kept inserting himself into her life and work.

She glared at him and said with a tight jaw,

"I don't care about you either, but let me remind you that you're the one interfering with my work right now. Why did you buy this shop if Anira is the only one that matters to you—not me?"

Ashwat stared at Chahat, who now stood before him in the form of Vrinda.

He didn't know much about Chahat, but Vrinda? He knew her well.

She had changed.

She used to be quiet, timid—she never talked back.

She never questioned him, no matter what he did.

So what had happened now? Why was she answering him back?

Ashwat couldn't believe how much she'd changed in just four days.

He was still processing that when Chahat interrupted his thoughts.

"Anyway, forget it. I don't care about your personal life, nor do I want to know. Just tell me—how are you going to leave this shop? I don't want you involved in my work."

Ashwat looked at her.

And then—unexpectedly—a faint smile formed on his lips, unnoticed by anyone.

He leaned back in his seat, crossed one leg over the other, and looked at her.

"If that's the case... then I want a partnership in your bakery. Thirty percent. And after that, even if you don't pay the rent, I won't care,"

he said coolly.

Chahat stared at him in disbelief.

What did this man even want?

Just moments ago, he was telling her to stay out of his life.

Now he wanted to be her business partner?

Ashwat's words went completely over her head.

She looked at him and asked,

"But weren't you the one who said you didn't want me interfering in your life?"

"So you won't be professional now? Learn to separate personal and professional life. Otherwise, things fall apart quickly,"

Ashwat replied, standing up from his seat.

"You've got time until this evening to think about it. Otherwise, I'll hand the shop to someone else,"

he added, and walked away.

---

Chahat kept watching him leave.

She couldn't understand why Ashwat was behaving this way.

On one hand, he said he didn't care about her.

On the other, he kept interfering in her life.

Anyway, understanding Ashwat was beyond her.

She quietly got up and stepped outside—only to see Ashwat talking on the phone.

She looked at him once and then turned toward the road to hail a taxi.

But no taxi stopped for her.

Ashwat ended his call and looked toward the gate, only to realize she wasn't there.

He turned his head and spotted her by the roadside, trying to stop a cab.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head as if to say, "Of course she'd do this."

Then, he started walking toward her.

He came and stood beside her.

"If you're done now, get in the car," he said.

Chahat looked at him and replied,

"Weren't you the one who said we should keep our personal and professional lives separate? And that I shouldn't interfere in yours?"

Ashwat sighed, ran his fingers across his forehead, and looked at her.

Without saying another word, he grabbed her hand and walked her to the car, making her sit inside.

Chahat was utterly confused now.

What was going on with Ashwat?

She sat in the car as he drove away.

---

Evening was approaching.

Chahat was pacing in her room, still confused about what to do.

Should she accept Ashwat's proposal or not?

She didn't have the money to rent another shop—and she had already signed the contract papers with him.

But was it really a good idea to let Ashwat be her business partner?

As far as she knew, the two of them would be separating in a few months anyway.

Would involving him in her work be a wise decision?

All these thoughts made her head ache.

She sat down on her bed, holding her head in her hands, and muttered,

"I don't even know why I jumped into this story... I was about to die peacefully, but no, my life still had more drama left.

Now what should I do? Should I give him the partnership or not?

I don't understand this man at all. He already has a whole company making him millions, and yet he wants a share in my tiny bakery that hasn't even opened yet?"

Suddenly, a thought struck her.

"I'm not giving him this partnership. No matter what.

If I do that, Ashwat will never leave me alone again,"

she said to herself and walked downstairs.

---

What's going to happen next?

What will Chahat do?

Will she accept Ashwat's condition or reject it?

What is Ashwat really planning?

To find out, keep reading — Rebirth in Novel.