Page 46 of The Redemption
SIYA
Two Hours Later
Up close, the vineyard looks almost unreal,just like a beautiful painting that has come to life. Rows upon rows of grapevines stretch across the rolling slopes, their leaves glistening under the pale light that slips through the cold mountain air.
“Careful,” Kailash Uncle murmurs as we step down from the buggy onto the narrow gravel path. His hand hovers close to mine, not because I need help, but maybe because he’s so used to offering it.
I smile and hold his arm lightly to steady myself. “I should be the one saying that to you.”
He chuckles. “Ah! Age doesn’t make me fragile, Siya. Just a little wiser about where I place my steps.”
“Fair enough,” I reply, tugging my coat a little tighter as the breeze brushes against my face.
We begin walking slowly along the vines. A staff member walks a little ahead of us, explaining the richness of the soil and the variety of grapes grown here. Kailash Uncle listens for a while, then waves him off politely.
“I think I’ll take it from here,” he says.
The man nods and steps back, leaving the two of us alone. Well… not entirely. Raghav is with us too. Of course, he wouldn’t leave me alone with his Baba. So now, he’s decided to tag along and become a part of my exclusive vineyard tour. He and his ever-watchful shadow, Haider, the man who looks at me as though I’ve personally ruined his boss’s peace, are somewhere behind us. Raghav keeps his distance, yet he’s never far enough to remain uninvolved. His eyes and ears are glued to us.
I had firmly told my guards not to hover around me during this private tour, not even Michael. It took a lot of convincing, but ultimately, they agreed. Michael was not happy about it. But Haider stepped in just before the tour began and assured him that my security would not be compromised. The resort’s surveillance system was fully accessible, and my guards could continue to monitor me through the camera feeds, just as they always did. So Michael stayed at a distance, still watching, still reporting, and doing his job. And for once, I was able to move without them breathing down my neck.
I ignore that thought and focus on Uncle, who gestures towards the vines. “These are the heart of everything you see here. Every bottle that leaves this place begins right here.”
He lightly runs his hand over the grapes. “People think making wine is about machines and techniques. But it’s mostly about waiting for the fruit to be ready. You cannot force them to ripen faster. If you harvest too early, the taste never fully develops. The grapes need months to reach that perfect balance. And even after that, the wine needs time to age, to settle, to become what it is meant to be. If you interfere too much or try to hurry up the process, it loses its soul.”
That makes sense. I run my fingers gently over one of the leaves, feeling its soft texture. “It shows,” I say honestly.
As we continue moving, the path opens up into a slightly wider clearing where a stone structure stands ahead. When westep inside,the temperature drops, the light dims, and the scent changes instantly.It’s rich, deep, and aged.Large wooden barrels line the walls and are arranged in neat rows.
“This is where the wine rests,” Uncle says, his voice lowering as we enter inside. “These oak barrels allow the wine to breathe and mature slowly.”
I move closer, running my fingers lightly over the smooth wood and then turn back to him. “Uncle, I’m really glad you’re personally giving me this tour. I don’t think it would have been this interesting with anyone else.”
“I’m enjoying it too,” he replies with a warm smile. “I don’t often get to share this place the way I like. The last time I did this,” he says, glancing around the space as if revisiting a memory, “was around two and a half years ago… with Raghav.”
His eyes shift past me, and instinctively, I follow his gaze. Raghav is standing near another row of barrels, his hand resting against one as if he’s inspecting it.
“The boy is a genius,” Uncle continues with pride in his voice. “What I had built in my own way… he has taken it far beyond that. Expanded it, refined it, and transformed it into something more.”
He gestures around us, taking in the entire space. “The resort was here even before he stepped in. It was good. Functional. But Raghav… he transformed it completely. Turned it into what you see today. A curated luxury experience. A destination people travel to not just to stay, but to feel.”
His gaze returns to Raghav for a moment before settling back on me. “Today, the wines from here are not only known within the country, but they’re exported and recognised internationally.” There is a quiet pause before he adds, “I’m so proud of him.”
I watch Raghav more closely now. There is no reaction on his face. If anything, he looks almost withdrawn. His fingers movealong the curve of the barrel, checking something that doesn’t seem to need checking, his focus fixed anywhere but here. It’s as if he would rather busy himself with anything than stand here and listen to someone speak highly of him.
Uncle notices it too. “And now,” he adds with a teasing smile, “I’m waiting for the day he gives a tour like this to someone special to him.”
My gaze flickers between the two of them in confusion.
“Like his wife,” Uncle says.
Before I can process that fully, Raghav looks up. His gaze lands onmefor a moment before shifting to Uncle.
Why me?
“Are we done here?” he asks, almost getting impatient. “We don’t have an entire day for this private tour.”
Uncle laughs again.
