Page 60 of The Redemption
But what I don’t understand is that Raghav knew about this arms deal. Despite that, he chose not to tell his brother. Could it have something to do withme? Is he keeping quiet to protect me from some danger? And if he is, then why would he do it?
Besides, as far as I know, I’m the only one from the mafia world who knows he is alive. I can’t let anyone find out because this is no longer just about Raghav. It’s also about his family, his people, and the life he’s built here. The very people who would never survive the darkness of his past if it ever reached their door.
But somehow even that is not the worst part. It is what happens when he’s around me. Like what happened last night at the stable. I felt it during the vineyard tour too. How he just picked me and carried me out of the wooden vat in front of everyone. Kailash Uncle, Kriti, even the staff moving around us… all of them noticed. He may not have been aware, but I noticed their subtle glances, their curiosity, and the silent questions that nobody asked but everyone was thinking.
And ever since that… nothing feels the same. In a place like this, how long does it really take for whispers to travel and turn into stories? The behaviour of the estate staff towards me has changed. They look at me differently now, as if I’m no longer just another passing guest. They pay me more attention, and someone is always checking if I’m comfortable or if I need anything.
And through all of this, the actual reason that brought me to RK estate keeps pressing at the back of my mind, refusing to be forgotten.
I came here for Raghav.
For something I need from him. Something important enough to walk straight into a place I knew I should have stayedaway from. Yet, I haven’t even spoken to him about it because I don’t fully trust him.
Whenever things get like this, whenever everything starts feeling too loud and crowded… I have my ways of coping with it. Going for a long drive helps. But Michael and the guards won’t let me step out alone. Horse riding could’ve helped too, but Raghav has forbidden me from riding his horses. That leaves me with only one option.Hit the Gym!
And that is exactly where I’m heading now. To push myself until my body gives in before my mind can take over. I reach the gym and push the door open, only to bump into someone stepping out.
Kriti!!
She stops, clearly not expecting to see me here. There’s a faint flush on her cheeks and a thin sheen of sweat along her temples, telling me she’s already done with her workout. She looks annoyingly put together even when exhausted. And despite noticing the faint dislike I’d seen on her face the first time we met, I still offer her a small smile.
“Hi.”
“Hi,” she replies casually, but her eyes make a quick, deliberate sweep over me before settling back on my face. “I didn’t expect to see you here. I thought you would be… occupied elsewhere.”
I catch the underlying meaning in her words. My smile doesn’t drop, but it definitely tightens.
“What do you mean?”
Her lips curve slightly.
“Well,” she shrugs, “these days everyone here seems quite… invested in the special guest.”
So?
“And given how personally you’re being taken care of,” she adds, “I assumed you wouldn’t really need to find your own ways to pass time.”
There it is.
Her jealousy. She’s clearly unhappy with how Kailash Uncle and probably even Raghav is giving me extra attention. I let out a slow breath.
“You are right,” I nod. “RK Estate is taking very good care of me. Besides, the kinder we are to people, the more they see you as your own. And anyway, people will always talk. It depends on what you choose to make of it.”
Her smile doesn’t fade. But something in her eyes hardens.
“Of course. But here at RK estate,” she says, her lips curving a little more, “all guests are treated equally. So it’s a bit surprising when some guests suddenly start receiving more attention than others.”
“And you know what’s surprising to me?” I return just as smoothly.
Her brows lift faintly.
“That some people,” I continue, “seem to notice that too closely even if it’s none of their business.”
That hits home. I see it in the way her jaw ticks for the briefest moment before she recovers. We are both smiling at each other, but neither of us means it. Then she exhales lightly, as if letting it go.
“Anyway,” she says, stepping aside. “Enjoy your workout.”
“I will.”
