Page 10
Story: The Deceit
I take a deep breath, forcing myself to focus. I can’t let my wounded heart interfere with Simran’s safety. That’s why I’m here, after all. To protect her, nothing more. I grab my phone and quickly type a message to my father, offering a vague reassurance that I’ve arrived in New York and will explain everything soon. It’s not enough, but it’ll have to do for now.
As I set the phone down, a thought strikes me. There’s someone else I need to call, someone whose skills I trust implicitly when it comes to ensuring safety. My fingers move of their own accord, dialling a number I know by heart.
Abhayanswers on the second ring. My most trusted associate and my go-to guy, he’s been by my side through countless political cleanups and delicate situations I had to handle for my father’s political career. If anyone can help me steer this minefield, it’s him.
“I’ve got a job for you,” I say, my voice steadier than I feel.
“Where?” Abhay’s voice crackles through the line.
“New York,” I reply, pacing the length of the hotel room. “I need you here. Tomorrow.”
There’s a brief pause on the other end. “Must be serious if you’re calling me all the way out there. What’s the situation?”
I hesitate, unsure of how much to reveal. “Someone needs to be protected here with my life…” I trail off, the words caught in my throat.
Abhay picks up on my hesitation. “Another one from the Walia family?”
“She’snota Walia,” I say, closing my eyes at the admission.
There’s a long pause before he speaks again.
“What aren’t you telling me?” he asks. “Protecting someone with your life, someone who isn’t even a Walia? Has to be special.”
“Just get on the next flight here,” I command, clenching my jaw, not wanting to answer his queries at the moment.
“Yes, Boss,” he assures me.
As I hang up, a mix of relief and determination washes over me. With Abhay by my side, I can focus on what truly matters—keeping Simran safe. My personal feelings, the ache in my chest, the burning questions about her child and his father—all of that has to take a backseat.
I walk over to the window and look out at the glittering New York skyline. Just a block away, Simran is living her new life, unaware of the storm brewing inside me. I press my forehead against the cool glass, allowing myself a fleeting moment of weakness.
“I will protect you, Simran,” I whisper into the night. “Even if it breaks me in the process.”
CHAPTER 3
VISHNU
I stand outside Simran’s apartment door at 9:00 a.m. sharp, my finger hovering over the doorbell. Even with my jet lag from India to New York, I couldn’t sleep last night. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Simran holding that baby—someone else’s baby.The image cut through my heart like a knife, reopening old wounds with every painful flashback.
But today, I have a purpose. I’m here to protect her from the threat that’s been hanging over her head. Beyond that, I’m done. My role in her life ends there!
Taking a deep breath, I finally press the doorbell. To my surprise, an elderly woman, probably in her sixties, answers the door. Before I can ask for Simran, I hear her familiar voice from inside.
“It’s okay, Claire. He’s here for me.”
The older woman—Claire, I assume—nods at me and steps aside. As she walks away, I hear her softly say, “Take care, Simran.”
And then, there she is. My breath catches in my throat as I take in the sight of her. Simran looks ready to leave and is dressed in a way that screams New York fashion designer. She’s wearing a tailored blazer in a rich emerald green, and has paired it with sleek black trousers that accentuate her figure. A silk scarf with an abstract print adds a pop of colour, tied elegantly around her neck. Her hair is swept up in an elegant updo, with a few artfully loose strands framing her face. She looks modern, sophisticated, and undeniably beautiful—enough to make my heart race as if I’m running a marathon.
For a moment, I forget everything else and simply admire her. The thought that she’s now a mother to a toddler flits through my mind, but I push it aside, unwilling to let it spoil this moment. She’s still Simran—still capable of taking my breath away with a single glance.
If only I had realised and confessed my feelings for her before she left for New York eighteen months ago.
Simran clears her throat, snapping me out of my trance. “Let’s go,” she says, her voice crisp and businesslike.
Confusion furrows my brow. “Go where?”
“You said we need to talk about the threat I received, right?” She raises an eyebrow. “So let’s go and talk about it somewhere.”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10 (Reading here)
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189