Page 124 of The Redemption
“Family?” I cut her off sharply. “What do you mean?”
For a moment, Trisha goes silent, and then she exhales heavily. “While you were busy waging war at Vardhaan Mansion, I was on a call with Ayaan.”
F*ck!
“And the second Ayaan found out you were in Cape Town yourself,” she continues, “I had to show them everything live because even I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.”
Every muscle in my body goes still.
“Ayaan, Meher, Krish, Kailash Uncle… we all saw it, Raghav. We saw how you and your army entered Vardhaan Mansion, how you shot Parag, threatened Samarjeet, and forcefully married Siya. Seeing you like that was nothing less than a nightmare for all of us.”
For one long second, all I can see is Baba’s face in my mind. I realise what he, Ayaan, and Meher must have gone through while watching me become that version of myself again. The version I buried thirty months ago. The version I promised them would never return.
But I don’t regret any of it. None of this would have happened if Ayaan hadn’t gone behind my back in the first place. He knew exactly what he was doing when he changed the drop-offlocation. He knew I would never allow Siya to disappear across the other side of the world from me. And yet he did it anyway.
Big mistake. A big f*cking mistake.
I drag a hand across my face as Trisha lets out a tired breath.
“I promised Siya that I would give her the freedom she wanted. But I failed to keep that promise because of you. You’ve complicated everything for all of us, Raghav,” she accuses. “And now be prepared for the family to come to the RK Estate. You know they will. And they’re not going to be easy on you.”
Of course they won’t.Especially Ayaan.
Good. Because even I can’t wait to ask my brother how the hell he thought he could make decisions about Siya behind my back.
“Let them come,” I say coldly. “And stop blaming yourself for what happened. The only person responsible for all this is Ayaan. I’ll deal with him when he gets here. WhatIdid was simply the consequence ofhisactions.”
“Really?” she fires back. “You want to blame Ayaan for this too? Don’t even try that, Raghav. What you did to Siya is entirely on you. You forced her into that marriage. You used her mother against her. You cornered her until she had no way out.” She shakes her head in disbelief. “Neither Ayaan nor any of us had anything to do with that decision. You crossed that line on your own. God knows what Siya must be going through right now after what you did to her.”
“She’s fine,” I mutter angrily. “If anything, she’s safer now than she’s ever been. And she’ll have the best life possible here.”
“You can’t decide that for her.”
“I already did, Trisha,” I snap, my tone sharper this time. “And everyone, including Siya, will see that in time.”
“I hope so,” she exhales, still not convinced. “But this is still far from over. Right now, not just the family, but the entire underworld is at your back. You’d better be prepared.”
Saying that, she disconnects the call, and the hallway falls silent once more. She is right about one thing.My marrying Siya has changed everything. But it’s nothing I can’t handle.
Eventually, I slide the phone back into my pocket and turn towards the room downstairs where I left Siya and her mother. The door is still open, and Siya is alone inside. Her mother is probably in the washroom. Siya has opened one of her suitcases and is shoving her clothes into the wardrobe, as if she has already decided this is where she will be staying.
As if she has a choice. The moment her eyes lift and land on me, she deliberately looks away again.
F*ck.
Even after everything that happened at the Vardhaan Mansion, the blood, the gunshots, the marriage, this woman still looks at me like she’s ready to go to war again. She knows exactly what I did to bring her here. She has seen what I’m capable of when it comes to getting what I want. And yet, the fire inside her hasn’t dimmed. She still has that same stubbornness, that same defiance.
Perfect.I was never built for a woman who surrenders easily anyway. And if Siya thinks she can walk away from me after everything, then she clearly doesn’t understand what I’m willing to do to keep her here.
I walk further into the room, keeping my gaze fixed on her as she drags another suitcase across the floor. Before she can lift it and put it on the bed, I pull it away from her.
“This room isonlyfor your mother,” I say flatly. “You’re not staying here.”
“The hell I’m not.” Her eyes blaze furiously. “I already agreed to stay in your villa. That doesn’t mean I’m sharing a room with you, RK. I’ll stay with Mom.”
My jaw ticks.I knew she wouldn’t take this marriage seriously overnight.
“You are my wife now.” I step closer, ignoring her stubborn glare. “And my wife willnotsleep in another room while I’m under the same roof.”
