CHAPTER 19 （One love）
TRISHA
I felt a bit uncomfortable in the lehenga I was wearing.
It had been years since I had worn such a traditional attire—the last time was during my own engagement ceremony, which now seemed like a lifetime ago.
Life was good back then, but with Krish in my life now, it felt more meaningful and driven.
My eyes were fixed on Meher as she mingled with her relatives at the event we were attending in South Bombay.
It was good to see her enjoying herself, especially given the escalating threats against the Shergill and Walia families recently.
I scanned the lawn, ensuring Meher’s other guards were in position before my attention was drawn to a group of young boys, a few years younger than me, openly admiring me.
I sighed and looked away, thinking, ‘typical kids.’ That’s when I recalled Meher’s earlier teasing about showing me off to her cousins and an idea formed in my mind.
Why not poke a little fun at Krish, who had been so adorably insecure about me wearing this lehenga to an event where I might catch the eye of other men?
Turning my back to the ogling boys, I took a selfie, deliberately angling the camera to capture them in the background, staring at my almost backless back. I playful pouted in the photo and quickly sent it to Krish with a message.
‘I might have a fan club of boys here who want my attention. I didn’t know traditional attire could make my charm irresistible not just to men but young boys too.’
I smiled, knowing his reaction wouldn’t be good, and sure enough, my phone pinged with his reply moments later.
‘Tell those boys to keep their eyes and their hands to themselves, or I’ll have to teach them a lesson they won’t forget. And as for your ‘charm,’ it’s always been irresistible to me, no matter what you wear.’
I giggled at his cute, naughty, and jealous mix of a reply. Trust Krish to turn a teasing message into a possessive declaration of his feelings for me.
A while later, true to her word, Meher introduced me to her cousin brothers. As they flirted with me, exchanging harmless compliments, Meher couldn’t resist teasing them back.
“You’re lucky Trisha isn’t in her bodyguard avatar right now,” she quipped. “Otherwise, you’d have to watch out for her stunts and kicks.”
We all shared a laugh at her joke, and I checked my phone to see if Krish had sent any further messages. Unfortunately, my mobile network connection was weak, and I had to ignore it for the time being, focusing instead on keeping a watchful eye on Meher as the event continued.
During a lull in the festivities, Meher sidled up to me, a mischievous glint in her eye. “So, Trisha, did you like any of my cousins yet?”
“Meher,” I rolled my eyes playfully.
“What?” she grinned. “Don’t tell me you need Krish’s approval for that too. But besides, it’s fun to see Krish all riled up and possessive over you.”
“Well, I’m glad you find it amusing, but he is not possessive of me,” I replied dryly, though I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Krish’s adorable jealousy.
Meher nudged me conspiratorially. “Admit it, Trisha. He is. And you love it when he gets all worked up over you. It’s cute.”
I felt my cheeks flush slightly, but I couldn’t deny the truth in her words. There was something undeniably endearing about Krish’s protective instincts, even if they bordered on the irrational at times.
Before I could respond, another one of Meher’s cousins approached us, his eyes fixed on me appreciatively. “Meher, you didn’t tell me your friend was so beautiful,” he said, flashing me a charming smile.
Meher grinned, clearly enjoying the opportunity to tease me further. “Ah, yes, this is Trisha. She’s not just my friend, but also my bodyguard.”
The cousin’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “A bodyguard? But she’s so... delicate.”
I couldn’t resist the urge to play along, stepping closer to him and giving him my most intimidating glare. “Appearances can be deceiving,” I said in a low, challenging tone.
The poor boy visibly gulped, and Meher burst into laughter at his discomfort. “I tried to warn you,” she scolded her cousin playfully. “Trisha may look like a delicate flower, but she’s a force to be reckoned with.”
I winked at the flustered young man, unable to resist the urge to have a little fun at his expense. “Don’t worry, I only unleash my ‘stunts and kicks’ on those who deserve it.”
His cheeks flushed scarlet as he stammered out an apology, quickly making his retreat. Meher and I dissolved into a fit of giggles, drawing curious glances from those around us.
“You’re terrible, Trisha,” Meher chided, though her eyes sparkled with mirth.
I shrugged unapologetically.
“He should learn not to underestimate a woman, especially one trained in the art of combat.”
Meher looped her arm through mine, her expression one of pure affection. “I’m so glad Ayaan hired you as my bodyguard. You’re not just protecting me—you’re keeping me entertained too.”
As we rejoined the festivities, my phone buzzed with another message from Krish.
I couldn’t wait to share the details of our mischievous antics with him later, knowing he would find it both vexing and endearing.
Such was the nature of our love—a perfect blend of playfulness, protectiveness, and an unbreakable bond that could weather any storm.
But the moment I opened the message, my heart skipped a beat. It was a red alert from Krish.
‘Code Red. Get Meher back to Shergill Mansion.’
The instant I read it, I alerted the guards to prepare the vehicles.
What was wrong? Why did Krish send that kind of an urgent message?
I dialled his number, but the call wouldn’t connect.
Without creating chaos or drawing attention, I paced over to where Meher was chatting happily with her relatives and whispered that we had to leave immediately—it was a direct order from Krish himself.
Meher tensed beside me, but by now, she knew the protocol. She quickly informed her relatives about an urgency that had come up at home, and we would have to leave. I pulled her with me as the guards surrounded us, ushering us toward the cars.
“What happened?” Meher asked, panic lacing her voice. “Is Ayaan okay?”
“I don’t know anything,” I replied, my voice restless. “Just that Krish wants us back home. It’s code red.”
“What is code red?” she pressed as we hurried our pace to the parking area.
“Code red means a severe threat has been detected, and we need to evacuate immediately,” I explained, my heart pounding in my chest.
We reached the cars only to find the tyres of both vehicles had been slashed, rendering them useless. Someone had done it deliberately to prevent our escape. I groaned in frustration before ordering the guards to arrange another vehicle as soon as possible.
That’s when one of the guard’s phones rang with an incoming call from Krish. He quickly passed it to me, and I answered, “We have a situation. The tyres are flat, and it looks like someone did it on purpose to keep us from leaving.”
Krish’s voice was tense but controlled.
“Wait for a few minutes. I’m already on my way, and I’ve sent an additional backup that will reach you in five minutes. Stay with Meher, and don’t let her out of your sight.”
I clutched Meher’s arm tightly, scanning our surroundings for any potential threats as I disconnected the call. True to Krish’s word, a team of additional guards arrived within five minutes, providing an extra layer of security.
Just a few minutes later, Krish’s car pulled up, and he motioned for us to get in quickly.
Meher slid into the backseat beside me, while one of the bodyguards took the front passenger seat beside Krish.
Without wasting a second, he accelerated out of the parking lot, leaving the potential danger behind.
Once we were on the road and safe, I finally found my voice. “Krish, what’s going on? Why the code red?”
His eyes met mine in the rearview mirror, his expression grave.
“The Bat gang has been monitoring the Shergills and Walias movements, and they saw an opportunity today. We received a direct threat call from Raghav a while ago, and he knew Meher was here, and that Ayaan’s father was at the Krida Udhyan attending the rally there to support Meher’s father’s campaign.
Raghav might have planned a possible attack during the event there or here. ”
Meher gasped, her hand tightening around mine. “But how? We had security in place.”
“They must have had inside information,” Krish replied grimly. “Someone leaked the details of our security arrangements.”
A chill ran down my spine at the realisation that they were making us dance like puppets to the tune of their threats.
“Where is Ayaan?” Meher asked in worry.
“At the Krida Udhyan to bring Kailash uncle back. And he has also warned Vishnu to stay vigilant around your father there,” Krish replied, his jaw clenched.
The rest of the drive was filled with tense silence, with Krish manoeuvering the streets with expert precision, constantly vigilant for any potential threats. Finally, we arrived at the Shergill Mansion, where a team of GLEN agents was waiting to escort us inside.
It took a few more hours to handle the situation after reaching home safely. Ayaan had ensured his father’s security, and now he and Krish were busy discussing how to end the threats from Raghav and his father, the Bat gang, once and for all. I remained with Meher until then.
Finally, after everyone had dispersed to their respective rooms, I headed toward mine, still clad in the traditional lehenga choli, waiting to undress. It had been a hectic day, and dealing with Raghav’s mind games had been truly exhausting.