Page 99 of The Redemption
“My footwear.”
I blink once.
“Two entire bags?” I repeat slowly. “For only your footwears?”
She scrunches her nose at me like I’m the unreasonable one here. “You won’t understand.”
I actually laugh now. “Clearly not.”
Siya folds her arms stubbornly. “I’m not running away from my own wedding barefoot or emotionally devastated without my designer heels.”
“Oh my God.” I chuckle, rubbing my forehead. “What is this obsession you have with footwear?”
She lifts her chin proudly. “It’s called priorities.”
I groan while she grins unapologetically. Eventually, I throw my hands up in surrender. “Fine. I’ll make sure all three bags are safely checked out before I extract you. Happy?”
Her smile turns instantly victorious.
“Very.”
I then open my phone and show her the small blueprint of Vardhaan Mansion, pointing towards the narrow service corridor marked near the eastern wing.
“From here, I’ll take your mom out quietly. My men will be waiting at a secure checkpoint outside the mansion. Once she reaches them safely, I’ll come back for you. It will take me around twenty minutes to get your mom out and return to your room.”
“What if someone comes to take me downstairs before you return?”
“They won’t. I’ll be back well before the muhurat. And by the time anyone comes looking for you, we’ll already be at the private airstrip ready to fly.”
Siya smiles, excited at that very thought. “You sound very confident.”
“I am. Because I don’t take on missions unless I know I can finish them.”
She watches me for a second before nodding slowly.
“So, you’ll stay inside your room no matter what, okay?” I add. “No wandering. No last-minute heroics. And no trying to fight Samarjeet or his guards alone. Please.”
A dramatic sigh leaves her.
“Sounds boring.” She rolls her eyes.
“Siya, c’mon,” I sigh. “You punching people every fifteen minutes is exactly why this mission is so difficult.”
That finally earns me a grin. And I see there. The hope in her eyes at the thought of freedom. I will give her that. Because it hits me now how badly she wants to leave this world behind.
Siya sinks back into the couch before muttering, “I still think there’s a better solution to all of this. What if instead of extractingmefirst, you people simply kidnap Parag before the wedding?”
I lift a brow as she continues very seriously, “Like… transport him to some abandoned island thousands of miles away from Cape Town. Somewhere with no network, no boats, no weapons, and absolutely no human beings.”
I stare at her as she points dramatically while presenting her plan. “Leave him there with maybe… two coconuts and a fishing rod. He’ll survive for some days. What say?”
For a moment, we both stare at each other with complete seriousness. Then both of us burst out laughing.
“I’m serious,” she insists through her laughter. “It sounds far easier than risking our lives inside this psychopath convention disguised as a wedding.”
I shake my head, still laughing. “The mission is to extract you and your mother. Not dump the groom on a deserted island.”
“Disappointing.” She groans loudly. “I had high hopes from your team.”
