Page 42 of The Pursuit
Yug, sensing the tension, interrupted.
“Alright, Trishi, you carry on then. I’ll see you soon.”
Trishi?He had the audacity to call her by some sickeningly sweet endearment? My blood boiled as I watched Yug lean in and press a kiss to Trisha’s cheek, murmuring, “Love you.”
“Love you more,” Trisha replied, and I damn near had a heart attack. She could say those words so easily to this Yug, when she had never said them to me?
I somehow managed to contain my anger and jealousy until Yug had gotten into his car and driven off. The moment he was gone, I grabbed Trisha by the arms, turning her to face me.
“So, he’s the one because of whom you couldn’t reciprocate my feelings?” I demanded, my grip tightening. “Or did he just recently enter your life, and you changed your ideologies about giving relationships and commitment a chance?”
I pulled her closer, our bodies nearly flush.
“And if that’s the case, then how could you just choose someone else? Didn’t you think about me even for a moment? You knew how much I loved you, Trisha, and yet you didn’t come back to me?”
I poured out all my pent-up feelings, but Trisha remained infuriatingly silent. When I finally paused, she shrugged off my hold and crossed her arms defensively.
“Yug is my nephew,” she stated simply.
My anger suddenly cooled down, like someone had just thrown a bucket of ice water on me.Nephew?I looked Trisha up and down, making sure I heard correctly.
“Nephew? How is that possible? He looks almost your age,” I questioned.
Trisha rolled her eyes. “So? His mother, my cousin sister, was almost my mother’s age. Yug is her son, my nephew.”
She fixed me with a stern gaze. “And tell me, Krish, how does it even matter to you what Yug or any other man in my life means to me? Didn’t you tell me the other day that you have no more feelings for me? To leave you alone, to stay away from you? So why are you interfering in my life now? Or should I say, you lied to me that time—that I don’t mean anything to you anymore. Because you are clearly overreacting now?”
I was speechless as she continued.
“When I left the Shergill Mansion, I saw your car following me. If I wanted, I would have stopped right then and confronted you. But I wanted to see how far you’d go to interfere in my personal matters. That’s why I didn’t stop you. I continued with my plans and met Yug here.”
I was dumbfounded as she unleashed her rant.
“You say you don’t have feelings for me, then why did you follow me? Stalk me? Jealousy and insecurity are written all over your face, Krish. I’m sure even Yug could see that. You behaved like you have rights over me, and then you have the audacity to ask me to stay away? Why these double standards? You were burning in anger when Yug kissed my cheek.”
“Of course, I would burn with anger and jealousy, seeing him touch you. No one is supposed to touch you, Trisha.No one but...” I trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
Trisha and I both went silent, the implication of my words hanging heavily in the air. I was the first to break the trance, banging my fist against the pillar beside us in frustration.
“Let’s go,” I muttered, turning to head to my car, but Trisha grabbed my elbow, stopping me and pinning me to the pillar.
“Tell me honestly, Krish. Do you still love me?” she asked, her gaze unwavering.
I stared at her blankly, contemplating my response. “What would you do, even if I gave you an honest reply, Trisha?”
Her expression faltered, and I let out a sardonic smirk.
“See, you don’t have an answer to that, do you? That’s why I’m not answerable to you, either, Trisha.”
With that, I shrugged off her hold and walked away to my car, needing to put some distance between us. As I climbed into the driver’s seat, I couldn’t help but glance back at Trisha, standing there alone, her beautiful face etched with a mix of confusion and... regret?
I clenched the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white. Why did this woman have such a hold over me, even after all this time? Even after I had tried so hard to push her away, to convince myself that I no longer cared?
The truth was, I was still utterly, hopelessly in love with Trisha. And the thought of her moving on, of her finding happiness with someone else —even if that someone was just her nephew—it tore me apart inside.
But what right did I have to demand her affection, her loyalty, when I had so cruelly rejected her in the last weekwhen she kissed? With a resigned sigh, I started the car. I knew I couldn’t avoid Trisha, not when we were both a part of the Shergill household. But I would have to find a way to keep my distance, to guard my heart against the temptation of her presence. Because if I let myself fall for her again, I knew I might not survive the heartbreak a second time around.
CHAPTER 16 (Safe Heaven)
