Page 98 of The Redemption
I glance at her sharply, knowing she is talking aboutRaghav, not Parag.
“I’ve never seen him this determined to safeguard someone before. Especially someone outside his family,” Trisha adds, her eyes drifting towards me knowingly. “Siya is special to him.”
My heart stumbles. And I hate that it does. I cannot be special to Raghav. One kiss cannot make me special in his eyes.He must have kissed countless beautiful women before me. Yet, at that moment, when his lips touched mine, it felt as though, just like me, he was discovering what a kiss truly meant.
Ugh. Stop it, Siya.
I glare at Trisha, but she only grins. And while Mom and Trisha return to their small talk, I find myself feeling lost. Lost in decoding what’s going on in Raghav’s head? He actually sent me a GLEN operative. A spy. And not some random field agent either. Someone like Trisha, who is skilled enough to fight like that and smart enough to survive inside a syndicate like the Vardhaans.
Trisha already told me that GLEN does not interfere in mafia family affairs unless absolutely necessary. And Ayaan, as Director of GLEN, would never risk the life of one of his best agents for a mission like this. This means Raghav must have convinced him for this operation.
The same Raghav who refused to tell his family my real identity at RK Estate because he didn’t want them dragged into mafia problems. Now, that same man is willing to risk it all for me.
Why?
And now that Raghav is truly stepping back into that dark world because of me, I don’t know whether I should feel relieved… or terrified for him.
CHAPTER 20
TRISHA
Same Night – Cape Town
Siya and I are sitting indoors in a secluded lounge near the west wing balcony. The entire Vardhaan Mansion is buzzing with wedding preparations. Staff rush endlessly through the hallways carrying floral arrangements, jewellery cases, and even weapons concealed beneath ceremonial trays. Armed guards stand posted across every corridor, keeping an eye on every movement in and out of the mansion.
More men. More security. More surveillance.
There is enough security here to lock down a small country if necessary. Because this is amafia wedding.
The lounge we’re sitting in is one of the few blind spots inside the mansion. No one is allowed near this side unless summoned. Siya sits curled up on the couch across from me in loose black sweatpants and an oversized shirt, with one leg tucked beneath her. Calm on the outside. Restless underneath. I can already tell.
“Okay, now listen carefully,” I begin. “Your extraction from here will happen on the wedding day. It’s the only time this mansion will be drowning in enough chaos, guests, movement, and distractions for us to get you out unnoticed. Everybody will be focused on the wedding. No one is going to notice a missing bride straight away. Not for the first few minutes, at least.”
Siya agrees as I continue. “So, until then, everything stays normal. You go through the wedding preparations as expected. Wear the bridal outfit, the jewellery, sit through the makeup, all of it.”
Her nose wrinkles immediately. “I already hate this.”
“You hate the marriage,” I correct, teasing her a bit. “Not the outfit.”
She almost laughs because she knows I’m right.
“Besides, you need to act normal,” I continue. “If Samarjeet or Parag suspect anything before the extraction, the entire mansion will go into lockdown.”
Her expression turns serious again.
Then suddenly I narrow my eyes at her. “And did you at least pack your bags?”
Her face brightens instantly. “Yes.”
“How many?” I ask suspiciously.
“Three.”
I stare at her. “Siya, I told you to pack light.”
“This is light,” she argues immediately. “One bag has clothes and essentials.”
“And the other two?”
