Page 110 of Fixation

“Sure, I’m conniving,” Reina scoffed. “Aren’t you the one who told Dr. Williams about Vedant and me having an affair without even having proof of it, and despite Vedant making you believe otherwise? You simply did that out of spite.”

“Of course, it was me,” Laila said. “Like Su Min, I too believed that you and he were having an affair. Neither of you could get your eyes off each other. It had become obvious. I called Dr. Williams to complain about you before Vedant was rude to you in front of me. In that moment, I thought I’d hit the jackpot. Dr. Williams was going to fire you, and Vedant didn’t want you. Little did I know that he was going to ask me to leave his house the second you left the room. Nonetheless, you managed to snag the man and get a glowing recommendation from Dr. Williams. My guess is that it was you who complained about him to the management.”

Reina didn’t answer. Instead, she looked at the man seated next to her. “What is the plan here? You’re simply going to walk out with me and hand me over to Ivan? Is he here in Dubai?”

Laila cut in to say, “The plan was that Karl was to come first and scan the area. Then I would have arrived earlier than you,ordered some drinks, and spiked yours. Once you were feeling unwell, I’d have taken you outside, with his help, of course. But he messaged me saying that you arrived even earlier and were sitting with Su Min.”

Every cell in his body was screaming at Vedant to do something and get Reina out. He’d never felt more helpless than he did now in this very moment. Think… he had to think. He had to protect Reina.

“I recognise you,” Su Min put forth. She addressed Reina. “He was the reason I’ve been wanting to talk to you. He approached me a few days ago in London claiming to be Vasily’s friend. He told me that he was aware that Vasily was my boyfriend and he informed me that the Oshnovs had killed Vasily. He took advantage of my tears and shock and asked me all sorts of questions about Vedant and the Oshnovs. He then asked me about the rest of the team who was with me while caring for him. He told me to contact him if I wanted more answers about Vasily, and he also told me his boss would pay me a lot of money if I did as they said. After he left, I was tempted to call him to ask more about Vasily and what had happened to him. But he looked shady and frightening, so I decided to call you to beware in case he tried to get to you as well. But you weren’t answering my calls and texts.”

“Thanks, Su Min,” Reina said. “I suppose that’s how they got through to Laila. After all, money means the most to her.”

“That’s rich coming from someone who has tons of it,” Laila spat out. “Yes, I know who you are. I saw the news of Armaan Oshnov’s engagement. Since I started working with Karl, I was curious about the girl Armaan was marrying. All the news sites were carrying photos of Armaan Oshnov and his new fiancée. Imagine my surprise when I saw your photo pop up on a gossip site linking you to Navya. I told Karl who you were and that SuMin believed you and Vedant were together. After that, things quickly fell in place and here you are.”

Karl addressed Su Min. “And we thought you’d be more amenable to working with us because of Vasily. We thought that you’d want revenge on the Oshnovs. But you never contacted me. Instead, you came running here to Dubai to warn her.”

He pointed the gun at Reina. “Coming here and trying to get to you was a gamble. Even if by some chance you’re not involved with Vedant, you’re going to be Armaan’s sister in-law. In either scenario, you’re a bargaining chip for us.”

Fear knotted Vedant’s insides. These people were leaving no stone unturned to get to anyone who was important to him and his brothers.

“So, here’s what we are going to do,” he heard Karl say. “All of us are going to walk out of here. Laila can pay the bill and leave as her job here is done, while the two of you ladies will come with me. We are all going to get up slowly without making any unnecessary moves or sounds. I’m sure neither of you wants me to use the gun, correct?”

Vedant watched as Reina and Su Min stood along with Karl, while Laila called for the cheque.

Karl started ushering the women outside, and that was it. Vedant couldn’t sit still any more. The woman he loved was in danger, and he wasn’t going to sit around twiddling his thumbs like a loser. Before Mihir could even react, he threw his earpiece on the table and rushed out of the restaurant.

39

“Hello, Karl.” Reina spun around at the sound of Vedant’s voice. Her heart rate tripled. Why the hell was he here? She watched in mounting fear as Vedant made his way toward them.

What was he doing? Why was he putting himself in danger like this? Wasn’t it enough that she was already in this situation? Couldn’t he see that Karl still had the gun pointed at her? Karl didn’t want her; he wanted one of the Oshnovs, and this stupid man was offering himself on a platter.

“Go away, Vedant,” Reina yelled. “Don’t come closer.”

Yet, he kept walking toward her, making her pulse pound in her ears.

Karl sneered. “There you are. I was wondering if you’d actually let your lady love out of your sight.”

Vedant raised his hands up in the air. “I’m here, and I’m unarmed. Ivan doesn’t want these women; he wants to hurt my brothers and me. So, take me and let the ladies go.”

Karl waved his gun in Vedant’s direction, and her chest constricted with fear. She wouldn’t let him do this. Vedant wouldget himself killed. Goosebumps spread on her skin. She would never let that happen. There had to be another way.

The Estonian tipped his head to a side alley. “Let’s all move there. Vedant, you first. I’ll follow with the women.”

The empty alley curved around the side of the restaurant. Nestled between two tall skyscrapers, the place was significantly quieter and darker, as if the afternoon sun’s rays couldn’t penetrate this narrow passageway. In the far corner, she noted a van, probably the car used by this murderous-looking man who was pointing a gun at her.

Vedant stopped at the centre and turned. “Fine, we’re here. Let the women go.”

Karl studied Vedant. “I expected you to be in far worse shape. I thought Paul barely left you alive. He’s been gloating over how he overpowered you, while I barely managed to hurt your brother. Maybe I can show Paul how it’s done. I could just shoot you and end?—”

“—you couldn’t hurt Armaan because my sister fought alongside him against you and your men,” Reina interjected. From the corner of her eye, she noted Su Min shaking her head in fear. But Reina wouldn’t sit quiet when the man she loved had put himself in danger for her. She needed to give time to the others—Rajiv, Mihir, and Armaan—to plan something.

“Your sister is barely a fighter,” the man said. “I tossed her around like a ragged little doll.”

“That’s not the story we heard,” Vedant said, clearly understanding what she was doing. “As per my brother, his woman fought you like a tigress.”

Karl swore in a foreign language, the words harsh and heavy.

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