He places his hand briefly over her head, then pulls her into a small hug. Even while hugging her, his eyes find mine again, filled with that same look that saysSiya is perfect for me… as a life partner.
I shake my head in denial and look away. If Baba ever found out who Siya truly is, he would still treat her with the same warmth and kindness. That would never change. But he would never want me anywhere near her. Not knowingly.Not even by mistake.
The moment Siya steps back, I move forward and bend to touch Baba’s feet. As soon as I straighten, he pulls me into a firm hug, patting my back just the way he always does before leaving.
“Take care,” I tell him quietly. “We’ll meet at the function.”
“Yes,” he nods before adding, “And you think about what I said.”
I don’t answer that. Instead, I walk him towards the helicopter, helping him step inside and settling him comfortably into his seat. Once he is seated, I step back and signal the crew. A second later, the blades begin to move, the sound building gradually as the helicopter prepares for take-off.
I walk back to where Siya is standing and stop beside her. We both look ahead as the helicopter slowly lifts off the ground,rising steadily before gaining height. Baba looks out through the window and raises his hand. Siya immediately waves back with a smile. I don’t. I simply stand there, watching until the helicopter becomes smaller and smaller before finally disappearing from sight altogether.
As soon as it’s gone, I turn to leave.
“I want to ride Rogan.” Her voice comes from behind me just as I’m about to take a step forward.
I stop and turn around. “Rogan is not up for riding,” I tell her the moment she stops in front of me.
“Let Rogan decide that, not you,” she shoots back.
It’s almost impressive how quickly she responds every single time, always ready to argue and defy every damn thing I decide. I take a slow breath, my patience beginning to wear thin.
“Esha offered you the horse-riding experience yesterday along with the vineyard tour,” I remind her. “You had the opportunity, and you chose to turn it down. And now, that offer stands closed.”
“That wasn’t an offer,” she counters instantly. “That was you trying to distract me because you didn’t want me talking to Kailash Uncle. But unfortunately, your plans failed.”
She’s right, but I’m not interested in admitting that to her. So, I step closer instead. “Call it whatever you want, Siya Vardhaan. This ismyestate, and those aremyhorses. And onlyIdecide who goes near them. So stay away from the stable.”
“I see,” she mocks. “So theDark Princehas left the mafia, but clearly his obsession to control everything around him hasn’t.”
The moment that name leaves her mouth, something rages inside me. I step closer, so much so that I’m almost invading her personal space. “Don’t,” I growl, pointing a finger at her. “Don’t ever takethatname here again.”
Her hand wraps around my wrist before I can move. I look down at her hand, then back at her.
“Fine,” she says, not loosening her grip. “Then give me Uncle’s number. I need to send him the selfie.”
“No.”
“But he literally asked you to give it to me,” she argues. “You can’t just decide otherwise. What if he waits for my message and asks you about it later?”
“That’s my problem. Not yours,” I reply, pulling my hand free and breaking the contact in one clean motion.
Her expression shifts instantly from stubborn to annoyed. But I’m already done with this conversation, so I turn away from her again and head towards the buggywaiting for me.
“RK!” Her voice rings out behind me, now filled with anger.
I don’t stop.
“I hate you!” she yells, loud enough for her voice to echo across the Shivtara Valley.
That makes me pause. But not enough to turn around or acknowledge it. If Siya expects a reaction from me, she’s not going to get one. I exhale slowly and continue walking as though her words meant absolutely nothing.
Without looking back, I get into the buggy and keep my eyes fixed ahead as it starts moving. Yet instinctively, my gaze shifts to the rear-view mirror. And there she is, standing exactly where I left her, frustration written all over her face. She stomps her foot down in irritation before finally marching back towards her own buggy, clearly furious.
Good.
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