CHAPTER 11
SIYA
Two Hours Later
Up close, the vineyard looks almost unreal, just like a beautiful painting that has come to life. Rows upon rows of grapevines stretch across the rolling slopes, their leaves glistening under the pale light that slips through the cold mountain air.
“Careful,” Kailash Uncle murmurs as we step down from the buggy onto the narrow gravel path. His hand hovers close to mine, not because I need help, but maybe because he’s so used to offering it.
I smile and hold his arm lightly to steady myself. “I should be the one saying that to you.”
He chuckles. “Ah! Age doesn’t make me fragile, Siya. Just a little wiser about where I place my steps.”
“Fair enough,” I reply, tugging my coat a little tighter as the breeze brushes against my face.
We begin walking slowly along the vines. A staff member walks a little ahead of us, explaining the richness of the soil and the variety of grapes grown here. Kailash Uncle listens for a while, then waves him off politely.
“I think I’ll take it from here,” he says.
The man nods and steps back, leaving the two of us alone.
Well… not entirely. Raghav is with us too.
Of course, he wouldn’t leave me alone with his Baba.
So now, he’s decided to tag along and become a part of my exclusive vineyard tour.
He and his ever-watchful shadow, Haider, the man who looks at me as though I’ve personally ruined his boss’s peace, are somewhere behind us.
Raghav keeps his distance, yet he’s never far enough to remain uninvolved. His eyes and ears are glued to us.
I had firmly told my guards not to hover around me during this private tour, not even Michael.
It took a lot of convincing, but ultimately, they agreed.
Michael was not happy about it. But Haider stepped in just before the tour began and assured him that my security would not be compromised.
The resort’s surveillance system was fully accessible, and my guards could continue to monitor me through the camera feeds, just as they always did.
So Michael stayed at a distance, still watching, still reporting, and doing his job.
And for once, I was able to move without them breathing down my neck.
I ignore that thought and focus on Uncle, who gestures towards the vines. “These are the heart of everything you see here. Every bottle that leaves this place begins right here.”
He lightly runs his hand over the grapes.
“People think making wine is about machines and techniques. But it’s mostly about waiting for the fruit to be ready.
You cannot force them to ripen faster. If you harvest too early, the taste never fully develops.
The grapes need months to reach that perfect balance.
And even after that, the wine needs time to age, to settle, to become what it is meant to be.
If you interfere too much or try to hurry up the process, it loses its soul. ”
That makes sense. I run my fingers gently over one of the leaves, feeling its soft texture. “It shows,” I say honestly.
As we continue moving, the path opens up into a slightly wider clearing where a stone structure stands ahead. When we step inside, the temperature drops, the light dims, and the scent changes instantly. It’s rich, deep, and aged. Large wooden barrels line the walls and are arranged in neat rows.
“This is where the wine rests,” Uncle says, his voice lowering as we enter inside. “These oak barrels allow the wine to breathe and mature slowly.”
I move closer, running my fingers lightly over the smooth wood and then turn back to him. “Uncle, I’m really glad you’re personally giving me this tour. I don’t think it would have been this interesting with anyone else.”
“I’m enjoying it too,” he replies with a warm smile. “I don’t often get to share this place the way I like. The last time I did this,” he says, glancing around the space as if revisiting a memory, “was around two and a half years ago… with Raghav.”
His eyes shift past me, and instinctively, I follow his gaze. Raghav is standing near another row of barrels, his hand resting against one as if he’s inspecting it.
“The boy is a genius,” Uncle continues with pride in his voice. “What I had built in my own way… he has taken it far beyond that. Expanded it, refined it, and transformed it into something more.”
He gestures around us, taking in the entire space. “The resort was here even before he stepped in. It was good. Functional. But Raghav… he transformed it completely. Turned it into what you see today. A curated luxury experience. A destination people travel to not just to stay, but to feel.”
His gaze returns to Raghav for a moment before settling back on me. “Today, the wines from here are not only known within the country, but they’re exported and recognised internationally.” There is a quiet pause before he adds, “I’m so proud of him.”
I watch Raghav more closely now. There is no reaction on his face.
If anything, he looks almost withdrawn. His fingers move along the curve of the barrel, checking something that doesn’t seem to need checking, his focus fixed anywhere but here.
It’s as if he would rather busy himself with anything than stand here and listen to someone speak highly of him.
Uncle notices it too. “And now,” he adds with a teasing smile, “I’m waiting for the day he gives a tour like this to someone special to him.”
My gaze flickers between the two of them in confusion.
“Like his wife,” Uncle says.
Before I can process that fully, Raghav looks up. His gaze lands on me for a moment before shifting to Uncle.
Why me?
“Are we done here?” he asks, almost getting impatient. “We don’t have an entire day for this private tour.”
Uncle laughs again.
“My boy is shy,” he says, shaking his head. “That’s why he’s avoiding the topic.”
Heat rises to my face before I can stop it. I immediately compose myself and turn towards Raghav.
“No one asked you to join us,” I say, meeting his gaze head-on. “Your Baba is perfectly safe with me. You can leave whenever you like. Who is stopping you?”
His expression hardens as he steps closer. “Even I don’t stay where I’m not needed, Siya Vardhaan. I’m here only because of my Baba, and I alone decide who he’s safe with.”
His gaze does not leave mine.
Uncle clears his throat lightly. “Bas, bas… enough,” he says, shaking his head as he looks between us. “Both of you… just stop now and enjoy the place. Not everything has to turn into a battle.”
Raghav exhales slowly and leaves first on the pretext of making a call. It suddenly occurs to me how easily I had spoken against him in front of Kailash Uncle earlier. Yet, despite that, Uncle has been nothing but kind to me.
“I’m sorry,” I say, turning to him.
Uncle looks at me, slightly surprised. “Oh, you don’t have to be. Raghav is very protective when it comes to his family, so he doesn’t easily listen when someone makes decisions for us against his wishes.”
“I can see that now,” I admit. “But that’s not why I’m apologising.” I pause, choosing my words more carefully this time. “I shouldn’t have complained about him to you this morning. If I had known you were his family, I wouldn’t have said those things so casually.”
He watches me for a moment, and then a small smile tugs at his lips.
“You think I would be offended just because you spoke against him?”
“Of course.” I nod. “You are his Baba, and fathers usually don’t like to hear any nonsense about their children from someone else.”
As soon as the words leave my mouth, my own memories come rushing back.
“My dad was like that too,” I add before I can stop myself. “No matter what my brother said, he always took my side. Always.” I let out a sigh. “So I know what it feels like when someone speaks about your child like that.”
I try to keep my calm, but Uncle still notices the lone tear that slips from my eye.
“Where is your father now?” he asks gently.
I swallow hard before answering, “He’s not… he passed away a year ago in a car accident.”
Uncle looks shocked, and for a second, there’s nothing but silence between us. Then his hand comes to rest on my head.
“I’m sorry, beta,” he says softly.
I blink, forcing the tears away as I compose myself. “I have my mother though, and I love her very much.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” he says warmly.
“But don’t say you only have her. You have me, too, now.
” He smiles brightly, clearly trying to make me feel better.
“I may not have children of my own, but Ayaan and Raghav… they’ve never let me feel that void.
They’ve always allowed me to be there for them in every way that matters. ”
I nod. He seems like a great father, just like my dad was.
“Ayaan?” I ask. “You mean RK’s twin brother, right?”
“Yes. Initially, it was just the two of us. Then, a few years ago, Ayaan married Meher, and now even Raghav has joined our family. I’m surrounded by my children, and soon, I’m going to be a grandfather too. Meher is pregnant with twins. Our family is growing.”
I’m still processing their family details.
They all look so happy and deeply connected to one other.
Although I can’t imagine a man like Raghav to be so family oriented.
He is truly lucky to have them in his life.
People who genuinely love him. It’s not easy to find a family like that, one that not only accepts you, but also understands you, stands by you, and claims you as their own without conditions.
Almost again, my gaze drifts back to Raghav, who has just finished his call. His eyes shift to mine as if he knows what we are talking about. But just as quickly, he looks away, as if it meant nothing.
“Come,” Uncle says gently, pulling my attention back. “There is more to see.”
We step outside again, and the cool air brushes against my face as we walk along the stretch of vineyards. A staff member brings a small buggy around, and Uncle gestures for me to get in first.
“No.” I shake my head. “You go ahead.”