Page 31 of Twisted Bonds

Nandini sucked in a deep breath and tried not to blush or shoot daggers at the arrogant man who caught her completely unaware. She had no idea he would come to the auction or bid on her item.

It took quite a bit of effort not to say anything to him on the stage and in front of people. But luckily, he didn’t stay.

He left the event right away, not bothering to acknowledge or speak to the people who seemed eager to make his acquaintance as he was part of the powerful Kapoor family in London.

“I wonder if Mr. Kapoor is an art collector as well…”

“Maybe it’s a gift…”

“Who would give a fifty million gift? Since it’s a tiara, it would have to be to a woman. I don’t think he’s married.”

“Maybe he is. There were rumors of a secret marriage at the Kapoor estate that happened ten years ago…”

Nandini listened to the conversations as the guests discussed the enigmatic Rudransh Kapoor. She stayed at the event for some more time since many of the elites wanted to speak with her and take her card for commissioning art from Singoor.

By the time she headed out of the event, her heart beat with anticipation.

While everyone went to the front of the hotel, she took the side entrance. Half a dozen custom SUVs with tinted windows were waiting, as she guessed. Shaking her head, she got into the backseat of the SUV in the middle. It was a protocol her husband had set for her travels, no matter which country.

A short car ride later, the convoy approached tall metal gates that connected the never-ending concrete walls of the Kapoor residency. The entrance and the premises were heavily guarded, yet the security was discrete. The main house's entrance was hundreds of feet away from the gates, and the path that led to it was through well-maintained fruit-bearing orchards.

Her stomach fluttered in anticipation as the vehicles pulled in front of the mansion entrance. She thanked the bodyguard who held the door open for her and went indoors.

“Welcome back, Mrs. Kabali.” The elderly housekeeper greeted her. “Would you like some tea?”

Nandini smiled. “I’m okay, thank you, Mrs. Hobbs.” She looked around the surprisingly quiet residence and asked. “Where is everyone?”

Mrs. Hobbs smiled. “They are all outside. Kabir is waiting to take you there.”

She walked to the back of the mansion, where a golf cart waited for her. “Hello, Mr. Singh,” she greeted the Kapoor family’s butler, who was also Rudra’s grandfather’s trusted man.

“Good evening, Mrs. Kabali. I hope you had a wonderful day.”

“I did, thank you. Please call me Nandini.”

As usual, the older man ignored her request to address her informally. Mr. Kabir Singh was a proper English butler.

She smiled. “Where are everyone, Mr. Singh?”

“The racing track, Mrs. Kabali.”

She wasn’t surprised. She knew how much Rudra and his cousins enjoyed racing with each other, and it didn’t matter if it was cars or horses. They were close but also highly competitive. Nandini heard the sounds of cheers before the race track came into sight.

It was always fun to watch the Kapoor family enjoy racing. She hurried towards the track, not wanting to miss any of the action. Luckily, the race hadn’t finished yet.

She first caught sight of a pony and its rider. The pony seemed a bit too fast, but she wasn’t worried because the young rider was trained by the best. Rudra Kabali had put his son on a saddle when Bhairav was barely two years old. As the Kabali heir, she knew Bhairav would excel at horse riding.

She was also not worried because right behind the pony was a large black horse with a larger-than-life rider who would protect his son from any possible harm.

Smiling, she waited for the pony and horse to pass.

The pony and its rider sped by, but the next moment, strong hands grabbed her, and she found herself on top of a huge black horse. The rider’s muscled arm wrapped around her waist, keeping her secure against him.

Nandini laughed, feeling the wind against her face while she became a part of the race.

She was reminded of the time when Rudra stole her away in the Singoor desert to make her his bride. Her demon husband was as outrageous as ever.

By the time she reached the finish spot, the pony had won the race, and everyone was Bhairav for how well he rode the pony. The proudest of all was Yashwant Kapoor, the Kapoor family head.

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