Page 37 of The Pursuit
I struggled to compose myself.
“Where is Director Ayaan? He called me here.”
“Ayaan will be here shortly,” Krish replied coolly. “And don’t call him Director here. No one knows about our roles at GLEN.”
I blinked in surprise at that revelation, but Krish continued without missing a beat. “Ayaan asked me to brief you on the role he wants you to take.”
My heart stuttered as he explained further.
“Ayaan wants you to protect his would-be wife, Meher Walia, starting tomorrow,” Krish explained, his words hanging heavily in the air. “You’ll need to ensure her safety around the clock, which means you’ll be staying here at the Shergill Mansion with us.”
“Us?” I interrupted, confusion evident in my tone. “You... I mean... you’re staying here too?”
“Unfortunately, yes. I’m stuck here with Ayaan until we uncover the identity of the gang that targeted Kailash uncle. The intel we have so far indicates that these people are dangerous, and both the Shergills and the Walias will need protection until we find them and understand their motives.”
This was already more complicated than I could have imagined. Not only was I being forced to work with Ayaan Shergill again, but now there was Krish as well. It would be hard, especially after the way I had destroyed his heart and trust in me.
“Did you recommend me for this role to Ayaan?” I asked, almost accusingly.
Krish let out a mirthless chuckle. “If it were up to me, Miss Trisha Chaudhary, I would never recommend you to Ayaan. Not after our last conversation.” His words felt like a slap. “So, no. This wasn’t my idea at all.”
I swallowed hard, taken aback by the cold fury simmering behind his eyes. This Krish was a far cry from the caring, affectionate man I had known. Understandably so, after how I had crushed him. But seeing the transformation up close pained me deeply.
“One last mission together,” he stated flatly, all business now. “Are you in or out?”
I hesitated, knowing this could be emotionally devastating for me. For both of us. “Only if you don’t mix up your feelings with the mission this time,” I countered, my voice steadier than I felt.
Krish’s jaw clenched, his expression darkening. “Who said I still feel for you? I’ve stopped looking for love in you a long time ago.”
His harsh dismissal felt like a punch to the gut. Before I could muster a response, the study door swung open, and Ayaan strode in.
Pushing aside the storm of emotions, I straightened my spine and slipped into professional mode.
“Hello, Director,” I greeted Ayaan with a smile.
“Hey Trisha, good to see you again. I’m sure Krish has briefed you already. So, are you in or out?” Ayaan asked.
I swallowed nervously but straightened my posture.
“I’m in, Sir.”
“Good. Welcome back to the team, Agent Trisha,” Ayaan replied, offering his hand for a handshake. I shook his hand, aware of Krish’s gaze on me. I didn’t know if I had made the right choice. But no matter what it cost me, I would be the flawless operative they needed. My past with Krish would never cloud my judgement again. I had made that mistake once before—I wouldn’t be so foolish twice.
***************
A day after…
After agreeing to this mission, I returned to Delhi yesterday to pack my belongings before moving into the Shergill Mansion in Mumbai again to start my new job as Meher Shergill’s bodyguard. That’s why I missed Ayaan’s wedding. This morning, I had settled into the guest room and ventured out to find Meher, wanting to properly introduce myself.
As I stepped out of my room, I nearly collided with someone—Krish himself. His damp hair and casual clothes made him look incredibly attractive, but exhaustion clouded his eyes. Despite my efforts to appear professional, I couldn’t resist asking, “Didn’t sleep well last night?”
Krish looked surprised by my concern.
“Didn’t sleep at all. But don’t worry, not because of you,” he replied, with a mocking edge in his tone.
His jeering tone stung. Krish had never mocked me like this before. Lately, it felt like he took out all hisfrustrations on me at every opportunity. As he turned to leave, I blurted, “Would you be like this throughout now? Showing everyone around us that something is wrong between us?”
Krish stopped and slowly turned back to face me. With a stern expression, he closed the distance between us until we were merely a foot apart. Our bodies hadn’t been this close in so long. And God knew how I wanted to slide my arms around him and embrace him. But I fisted my fingers to ensure I didn’t make that mistake. Neither of us broke eye contact.
