"I'm not going in there."
As soon as Swapnil stepped out of the car and looked up at the building, he declared his refusal.
"Look, you and I both know," Samir said firmly, "This is the only person who can get you out of this mess right now."
"Anyone but him. There are bigger names in the world, you know." Swapnil remained adamant.
"Sure, there are. But in his field, he's the best. And you need the best right now. On other hand, this matter needs a secrecy." Samir argued.
" You expect secrecy from him???" Swapnil questions. "He's got the biggest mouth. You know how fast these things will spread." Swapnil retorted.
"We'll make him swear to keep quiet. Just come inside." Samir said, trying to drag him along.
Swapnil looked at the building one more time. Deep down, he knew Samir was right. This man was indeed the only one who could get him out of this tangled mess. But Swapnil would never admit that aloud. With a reluctant sigh, he followed Samir inside.
They were greeted by a man walking toward them with open arms.
"What an honor to have you both here!" he exclaimed theatrically.
---
"Hahaha! What a story!" Saurabh laughed, nearly falling over. "People call this an accident. Why don't such accidents ever happen to me?"
Saurabh Patil, a well-known divorce lawyer in Mumbai, was Swapnil's younger brother. The two had always been close, but after a certain incident, Swapnil had distanced himself from the entire family, including Saurabh.
Now, with no other option, he had come back.
"Are you done being amused? Let's go, Samir. You've seen how much 'HELP' your friend has given me." Swapnil said sarcastically.
"Just wait. I'm trying to make him understand." Samir responded.
"No one here is trying to understand anything. I'm the joke here. And it's your fault - only yours." Swapnil snapped.
"What do you mean, my fault?" Samir wasn't ready to accept blame.
"Fine, I admit I signed the papers. I invited him. But you were supposed to double-check everything. Who signs documents without reading? You should know better! Even Meera should have read before signing. You clearly can't manage your employees. This one's on you."
Saurabh stepped between them.
"Alright, enough! Let's calm down. I'll see what can be done. First, tell me - who's the girl? Where is she?"
"Meera Patel. She works in my office as a training assistant manager." Swapnil answered.
"Ah, must be hot. Since when you hire female assistants?" Saurabh smirked.
Swapnil glared at him, then turned to Samir.
"Let's face it, all this started with you."
"Oh, please! Don't start again. I already said it's not my fault." Samir said in exasperation.
"I was out that day for a meeting. You were sick, remember? I had to redistribute the team and assigned her to you. She was the most capable among them. You wanted the best assistant - well, you got her. She handled everything better than any of the guys. Even you won't deny that. This - this mess - is the result of both of your mistakes, not mine."
"Guys," Saurabh interrupted again, "I'm the lawyer here. Can we please move from 'who's at fault' to 'what's next'?
"What's next? You'll cancel this marriage right now. It was a mistake. You just need to present that in court. Done." Swapnil said firmly.
"This isn't your living room, brother. This is court. You don't just order things here. You need proper evidence. And not just that - the girl has to appear in court, too. Also, this marriage certificate is valid. It's not fake or bought. If you want out, you'll have to go through a formal divorce."
Swapnil and Samir looked at each other, shocked. Swapnil slumped onto the couch.
"Have you lost your mind? I'm not even married yet, and you're talking about divorce?"
Samir burst out laughing. Swapnil shot him an angry look.
"Sorry! Not joking, but I have to ask - do we get divorced before getting married properly, or do we first have a wedding and then file for divorce?"
Saurabh joined in the laughter.
"Valid question! Either way, you'll have to go through divorce proceedings. And yes, you'll be labeled divorced - another bonus."
Swapnil looked at his brother.
"I don't care about labels. I just don't want her trapped in an unwanted relationship."
"You might not care, but she will be called a divorcee too. Have you thought about that?" Saurabh's words hit Swapnil hard. He had a point. Whether Swapnil cared or not, Meera didn't deserve that label - especially when none of this was her fault.
That's why he had come to Saurabh - only he could find a way out without creating a scene.
Samir put a hand on Swapnil's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, man. You were right - it was my fault. If I hadn't brought her into your life, none of this would've happened. If it helps, I'll testify in court. I'll take full responsibility."
Swapnil nodded and looked at Saurabh.
"Fine. Since he admits it now, take him and get the marriage annulled. Whatever it costs - I'll pay."
Saurabh and Samir stared at him in disbelief.
"What kind of friend are you? I was just trying to make you feel better! I said I was willing to testify - not that it was all my fault. You both signed the papers. You're equally responsible."
"Guys!" Saurabh shouted. "Please! Stop arguing about fault. We need to focus on what can be done. I'll try everything I can to get this marriage annulled. But since the certificate is already issued, chances are slim. If it goes to divorce, both of you - Swapnil and Meera - will have to appear in court."
"Wait - does that mean we have to tell Meera everything?" Samir asked.
"Don't tell me she doesn't know yet?" Saurabh stared in disbelief.
Silence.
"Oh my God. You people are unbelievable. Especially you, bhai. The perfectionist of the family, showing up with a marriage certificate that not even the bride knows about!"
---
Later, at the office, Swapnil and Samir sat in the cabin, trying to figure out how to tell Meera. Finally, Swapnil made a call and asked Meera to come to his office and lock the door behind her.
Meera was confused and slightly anxious - something serious was clearly about to happen. She locked the door and took a seat across from Swapnil.
"Meera…" he took a deep breath. "I have something to tell you."
She nodded silently.
"Do you remember a few days ago, when I wasn't well, and we had to sign and send off a bunch of documents in a hurry?"
Again, Meera nodded.
"Yes. The same papers you asked me about this morning. Did something go wrong with them?"
"One of those papers," Samir interjected, "was a marriage registration form."
Meera turned to him, still clueless.
"Oh... congratulations! Whose wedding, was it?"
Neither of them answered. Swapnil finally spoke.
"Congratulations to you too, Meera. The marriage was between the two people who signed those papers. Without reading."
Meera stared at them - her face went pale as realization dawned.