Page 40 of The Redemption
“Tell me honestly, how many more hunger strikes did you go on this time to make the government listen?” I add, with clear disapproval in my voice.
Baba lets out a quiet laugh, shaking his head.
“I didn’t do any,” he says. “And even if I wanted to, you, Ayaan, and Meher would not let me now.”
That sounds about right. He leans back slightly, still smiling. “It’s just age, Raghav,” he continues. “And I prefer it this way. Less weight makes it easier to move around. Easier to be present where I’m needed.”
He takes another sip of his coffee, and his gaze shifts back to me. “How is the business going?” he asks.
I give him a brief overview. The expansion work, the increase in tourist inflow, the vineyard output, and the new contracts we are closing. He listens carefully, nodding at intervals and taking in every word attentively.
This place, and the people here, have always belonged to him as much as they do to me. Before I took over the estate, it was he who looked after everything. My mother had entrusted this estate to him instead of my father, and Baba had accepted that responsibility without hesitation. He has seen RK Estate grow and is now watching me shape it further.
“I’m glad,” he says finally. “You’ve done well with this place.”
There’s a brief pause after that. I see it in the way his fingers fidget slightly around the cup. In the way his gaze lingers, teasingly, a second longer than before. He is about to ask something else. About the video call.About her.But I don’t give him the chance.
“You should get some rest,” I say, breaking the silence before it can turn into a question. “You just travelled. You’ll need it.”
“Alright,” he agrees, setting his cup down.
I stand up and lead him to one of the guest rooms myself, making sure everything is in place. This is his usual room, the one he stays in whenever he is here.
“Call me if you need anything.”
He gives a small nod in return, and I leave, closing the door softly behind me.
The moment I step outside, I dial Esha. She picks up almost immediately. I give her the next set of instructions regarding Siya Vardhaan, and as always, she takes them without question. Then, I end the call. For once, I hope thefeisty princessdoes exactly what she’s been told and not mess this up.
CHAPTER 10
SIYA
Same Morning
I wake up to the shrill ring of the phone in my cottage suite. At first, I don’t move, wanting to sleep a little longer, but the persistent ringing forces me to reach for it.
I pick up the receiver and speak, my voice still thick with sleep. “Hello?”
“Good morning, Ma’am. This is Esha, the resort manager.”
I take a few seconds to register the name before pressing the phone properly to my ear.
“This is just to inform you that the vineyard tour will be starting sharp at ten today. We would like you to come down to the lobby so we can begin with the other guests.”
I blink, trying to process what she just said. “Vineyard tour?” My brows draw together in confusion. “Why would I come to the lobby? I haven’t booked any tour.”
There’s a small pause on the other end, followed by the sound of Esha clearing her throat. “I know, Ma’am, but today’s tour is quite special. Since you’re one of our valued guests, we thought you might enjoy being a part of it. We assure you it will be… exciting.”
“I’m not interested,” I reply after a beat, still trying to make sense of it. “Not today. That’s fine.”
Before she can say anything else, I disconnect the call, turn onto my side, and pull the blanket more snugly around me. I have barely closed my eyes when the phone rings again.
My eyes fly open. I stare at it for a second before answering, my patience already thinning. “Hello?”
“Ma’am…” It’s Esha again, but a little quicker this time, as if she doesn’t want to give me a chance to hang up. “The vineyard tour today includes a few exclusive experiences for you. We’ve even arranged horse riding, if you’re interested. It’s not something we usually offer, but since you are a special guest, we wanted to extend it to you.”
I sit up now as irritation replaces whatever sleep was left. “Esha, what is wrong with you? Is this how you treat a special guest? By calling repeatedly and pushing for things I’ve already refused?”
