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I stand there for a moment, watching as they drive away, before returning inside to my team to check if they’ve traced any new lead on Zayed’s location.

*****************

Veer has been cranky from the moment Simran left for work. After weeks of her working from home, he had grown used to having her around, soaking up all her attention. Now, with her sudden absence, he refuses to settle. His nanny does her best to calm him, rocking him gently and distracting him with toys, but nothing works. He squirms in her arms, whining softly, his little arms reaching toward the door as if hoping his mother will walk in any second.

Even Devika tries to engage him with Avika, who holds out a stuffed animal for her little brother, smiling widely. But Veer barely looks at it. His bottom lip wobbles, his eyes filling with tears. I quickly take him into my arms, and thankfully, he stops crying. His tiny fingers fist my shirt, his face pressing into my chest. I sigh, rubbing his back gently.

“Missing your Mumma, huh?” I whisper, feeling his tiny body relax against mine. “She’ll be back soon, son.”

For the next hour, Veer refuses to let me out of his sight. Even when he eventually starts playing with Avika under the watchful eyes of Devika and his nanny, his eyes constantly look for me, making sure I’m still around. The second I step out of his view, his cries echo through the mansion. It takes everything in me to calm him down each time. He clings to me like I’m the only thing keeping him grounded in this big, scary world.

Two hours later, just as I manage to get Veer to settle into his playtime, I am called to the living room. Dad is standing near the entrance, already dressed, looking far too excited for my liking. The second I see that gleam in his eyes, I know something is up.

“What’s going on?” I ask, stepping closer, instantly on alert.

“Vishnu,” Dad begins, his voice carrying the same authority it always does when he’s made up his mind about something. “I need to head to the Alibaug farmhouse for an hour or two.”

My entire body stiffens. “No.”

His brows furrow. “Listen to me first.”

“No,” I snap again. “I cleared your entire schedule this week so you wouldn’t have to leave the house, Dad. And now you’re telling me you want to go all the way to Alibaug?”

“I had called the decorators here to discuss the arrangements for Veer’s birthday,” he explains calmly. “But they suggested it would be better to meet at the farmhouse so they can plan the decor accordingly. It made sense to me, so I agreed.”

I inhale sharply, barely containing my frustration.

“I let you plan Veer’s birthday at Alibaug despite the security concerns, but I am not letting you step out of Walia Mansion right now. It’s too risky.”

He sighs, shaking his head. “Vishnu, I am taking the entire convoy of guards with me. Nothing will go wrong.”

“I don’t care how many guards you take. You are not leaving anywhere.”

“Vishnu…” His tone softens as he steps closer, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Please.”

I glare at him, hating the way he plays the emotional card. He knows very well I can’t refuse him when he asks me like this, making me feel as if I’m suffocating him by being overly protective. I exhale harshly, rubbing a hand down my face.

“Fine,” I grit out. “But I’m coming with you.”

He raises a brow. “And Veer?”

I glance toward my son, who is now finally content, playing with Avika. Simran won’t be home for another couple of hours, and I don’t want to disturb her when she’s already juggling so much. If Veer is already this restless in her absence, leaving him behind without me is out of the question.

“We’ll take him along,” I decide.

Dad nods in agreement, and I immediately shift into command mode. I summon my security team and brief them on the new plan. Half of the team will stay back to guard the rest of the family, while I’ll take the best fifteen men with me to Alibaug. I am not taking any chances.

The Walias have long owned a luxury speedboat with a twenty-seater capacity, perfect for quick and frequent travel to our Alibaug farmhouse. Over the years, Dad has used it to host numerous exclusive parties for his political circle there.

Once I make sure that all the protocols are in place, we make our way to the dock. I send a quick message to Simran, letting her know about the sudden trip.

‘Taking Veer and his nanny with me to Alibaug. He won’t stay here without me, and Dad won’t let go of this farmhouse visit. Don’t worry, we’ll be back in 2-3 hours. Call me once you’re done.’

Her reply comes almost instantly.

‘Be careful. Safe trip. Love you.’

I grip my phone tighter, exhaling. I love her too. More than she knows. And I’ll be damned if anything, or anyone dares to threaten what we’ve built together.