KRISH
It had been four months since the threat of the Bat gang was finally neutralised, and Ayaan and Meher’s lives could return to normalcy.
The moment Ayaan revealed his real profession as a Director at GLEN to his family, I decided it was time to open up to him about the depth of my feelings for Trisha.
The perfect opportunity arose during Devika’s baby naming ceremony, with the entire Shergill and Walia clans in full attendance.
I pulled Ayaan aside and confided my intention to propose to Trisha.
I couldn’t reveal that we’d been secretly dating for the past four months, but it was true that today I was going to propose to Trisha—for marriage, something even Trisha was not aware of.
Seeing my best friend deliriously happy in his married life gave me the push I needed to seek the same joy with the woman I loved.
In the last four months, I had never broached the subject of taking that monumental next step. Today, I was finally going to ask for her hand—if she’d have me.
Ayaan gave me a thumbs up, adding with a teasing smirk, “She likes you enough to not say no, dude.”
His vote of confidence helped settle the flock of nerves in my stomach.
Still, I couldn’t deny the kernel of doubt, that maybe Trisha wasn’t ready for that level of commitment yet.
Her role as an agent at GLEN mattered immensely to her.
Would she still want the life of a spy if it meant being a wife too?
There was only one way to find out. Just before dinner, I took Trisha’s hand and led her away from the crowd to a secluded courtyard nearby.
“Krish, what’s going on?” she asked with a bemused smile as I turned to face her.
“Trisha...” I began, suddenly feeling like a lovesick teenager all over again as I gazed into her warm brown eyes. “These last few months with you have been... everything.”
Her expression softened, but she remained silent, letting me gather my thoughts. I pressed on, “You know how deeply I love you. How important you are to my life now.”
I drew in a fortifying breath.
“We’ve faced so much together, and every moment, good or bad, has only made me love you more.”
She smiled, a soft blush colouring her cheeks. “Krish, you’re making me blush. What’s this all about?”
I took a deep breath, my hand trembling slightly as I reached for hers.
“Trisha, I know how much your role as a GLEN agent means to you. Your passion and dedication are part of what I love about you. I would never want to come between you and your work. But... I want to give a name to our relationship. I want the world to know that you are mine, and I am yours.”
Her eyes widened in surprise as she realised where this was going. “Krish, are you...?”
I nodded, feeling my throat tighten. “I know we might have to stay apart sometimes because of our missions. But despite that, I want us to be a couple, a married couple. Trisha Choudhary, will you marry me?”
There was a moment of silence, and I could see the wheels turning in her mind.
I was already afraid she might not be ready, that her dedication to her work would make her hesitant.
She stared at me for a long moment, her mouth working soundlessly.
A pit of dread formed in my stomach—maybe I had been too presumptuous after all.
What if this was too much, too fast, and. ..?
“Krish,” she began, her voice soft and thoughtful. “I never imagined you’d ask me this, especially not tonight.”
Here it comes. I can’t believe I’ve botched this so utterly... “Just think about it, at least? No pressure at all, I just—”
“Yes.”
The single syllable cut through my panicked rambling, and my eyes shot to hers in disbelief.
“Yes?” I echoed dumbly.
She laughed, that bright, melodious sound that never failed to make my heart swell. “Yes, you idiot! Of course, I’ll marry you!”
Before I could react, she flung herself into my arms, crushing her lips against mine in a searing kiss. I instantly melted into her touch, heady with giddy euphoria. While still kissing her raw and deep, I managed to take out the ring from my pocket and slid it onto her finger.
Trisha pulled away slightly, her eyes widening in surprise as she glanced at her hand. “Did you just put the ring on while we were kissing?”
I chuckled, feeling a bit sheepish. “I couldn’t wait to put it on you, and I didn’t want to stop the kiss, so I did it in the middle. You know how I can multitask,” I winked.
She laughed again, louder this time, and threw her arms around my neck, hugging me fiercely. “You impossible, ridiculous, wonderful man...”
Holding her close, I murmured into the fragrant silk of her hair, “There’s one more thing. Next week, we’re going to Austria to meet my father. I can’t wait for you to meet Dad and become an official part of the family.”
She pulled back, beaming up at me with unguarded adoration shining in her eyes. “Neither can I. God, I love you so much.”
“And I love you, too,” I added, a touch of smug satisfaction creeping in my voice before claiming her lips once more.
**************
Before flying to Austria, there was one more thing that needed to be done—Trisha was being relieved from her duty as Meher’s personal bodyguard to take on more specialised missions, befitting her immense skill set.
I could tell it was an emotional parting for the two women, Meher and Trisha, who had grown incredibly close over the months they spent together, practically glued at the hip. Ayaan had already assigned another one of our top protective agents to take over for Trisha.
“Trisha, I’m going to miss having you around all the time,” Meher said, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
“I’ll miss you too, Meher,” Trisha replied, hugging her tightly. “But as they say, it’s time for me to move on to new missions.”
Meher sniffled and then smiled. “I’m happy you’re joining the family once you and Krish get married. That’s what matters the most.”
I watched the two of them, feeling a mixture of pride and happiness. Trisha had become more than just a bodyguard to Meher; she was family now.
“By the way, Krish,” Meher said, turning to me with a mischievous grin, “you saved me the trouble of matchmaking by finding your perfect partner yourself. I still have to look after two more—for Vishnu and Raghav.”
My lips curved into a smug smile as I slipped an arm around Trisha’s waist, pulling her closer. “Well, actually, Trisha was off-limits for other suitors even before she met you or Ayaan.”
Meher and Ayaan both looked confused.
“What do you mean?” Ayaan asked, raising a brow.
“Well, when I first met Trisha, I fell for her almost instantly,” I confessed. “We had a misunderstanding and broke off for two years. It was only thanks to Ayaan, who brought her back as your bodyguard that our relationship took a turn, and we sorted things out.”
Ayaan crossed his arms, feigning anger. “How could you hide that from me, Krish?”
“Even I am a bit miffed you two didn’t give me any hints about your previous romantic endeavours!” Meher added, but then her face softened into a warm smile. “But you two deserve this happiness more than anyone. I’m so glad you found your way back to each other.”
“You might forgive him, Meher. I won’t,” Ayaan continued, his tone mock-serious. “Krish, I never expected you to hide things from me, especially something this important. I told you everything about Meher and me from day one!”
Meher rolled her eyes and turned to Trisha. “And here we thought only women couldn’t keep anything in their stomachs and shared everything with their besties. Men are worse than us.”
We all burst into laughter, the tension melting away as Ayaan bumped his fist on my chest, gently though.
“Dare you hide anything from me ever again,” he warned.
“Never,” I replied sincerely, giving him a tight hug. “Anyway, it’s time. Trisha and I have a flight to catch to Austria so I can introduce her to our big boss… my dad.”
“Yep. Say hi to Boss,” Ayaan added. “I’ll be working from here for some time, as he already knows. But you never know when work back there calls.”
“Will miss you, buddy,” I replied before saying our final goodbyes to them and heading out to the car.
The flight was long, but we were both in high spirits. This trip was more than just a visit; it was a chance to introduce Trisha to my father and solidify our future together.