7. Personal Bodyguard.
Aditi Mehra:
It was a Monday morning, and I was waiting for Yash and Shikha Di. They had asked me to be ready outside the house as they had a surprise prepared for me. Soon, Shikha Di and Yash arrived. We went inside the house and sat on the couch.
"My boss is sending a personal bodyguard for you. It was hard to make him say yes, but I finally succeeded. "
"Do you know what my sister did to Dad to make him agree? She hid all his socks, and he was shouting at her all morning."
"Really? There was no need to go this far, Di," I said remorsefully.
"Even you are family. This is nothing. I can do much more than this," she replied.
Shikha Di noticed a car arriving from the window and quickly stood up.
"Get ready, Aditi, your surprise is here."
We all stood up and went outside to see a man coming out of the car. It was none other than the hoodie man who had protected me during the knife attack. This time I was able to see him fully. His hair was wavy and beautiful, a bit long. Everything was the same, but there was a different aura radiating from inside of him because of his hair. I couldn't decide what I was feeling while looking at him approaching me. My heart was racing heavily. He walked towards me slowly.
"Hello, Miss Mehra," he said, raising his hand for a handshake. "I hope you recognized me."
"Yes, of course, I recognized you," I stammered.
"Both of you already know each other?" Shikha Di asked, looking confused.
"Yes, Di. He was the one who saved me that day from the attack."
"Ohh! That means we've got the perfect person for you, Adu!" Yash said, while playfully tapping my shoulders.
"Aditi, his name is Arjun Rathore. He has worked as a personal bodyguard for many respected personnel. My father has personally booked him for you. You're all the details are already submitted. Take him inside to show your house Aditi," Di said with a confident voice.
He had been looking at me the whole time. I gestured for him to come inside. The room fell silent. I realized Yash and Shikha Di had already returned, and now there were only two of us in the room.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't even get time to say a proper thank you that day," I said, starting a conversation.
"No, it's fine. I knew how busy you were."
"Actually, I searched for you afterwards, but you had already left by then."
"Yes, I had some important things to handle. Now, do you mind if I take a glance around your house?"
"Yes, sure." I was a little skeptical about a personal bodyguard who would be there with me most of my time outside. However, knowing he is my personal bodyguard, I felt a sense of relief.
Arjun Singh Rathod:
After the incident, I gathered information about Yash Singhania to confirm if he was the same person from my world. However, I was mistaken. He was born in this world and has been living here since birth. That means he is not Prince Yashomitra, and the third prince is actually dead.
Two days later, I saw an article by 'Singhania Publications' for a need of a personal bodyguard. I was sure about whom the article was for. Mrs. Mehra. I contacted them and got hired easily. My hardwork of 6yrs came handy now.
On the day of our second meeting, I went upstairs to search for any evidence I needed to prove that she knows how to enter into my world. I wanted to know if she was still controlling me through her writing. My thoughts, my words, my actions - everything was her afterthought. And that haunted me as much as it fueled anger within me. I went inside her room; I searched every page she wrote but found nothing. Absolutely nothing about how to enter or exit the Door.
I was convinced that she belonged in this world. Was everything merely a product of her imagination, or was there an exceptionally harsh truth enveloping this girl? Prior to my complete dismantling of her, I needed to ascertain a means of returning to my own world. It was during this juncture that I found myself pursuing her bookshelf, when Aditi arrived at the door.
Are you in search of something?" she inquired.
I quickly kept the book down and stood in a straight posture.
"Yes. I am conducting an assessment for potential threats within your premises. A perpetrator would likely target your room first. I am inspecting for concealed surveillance equipment," I explained.
"Very well. I shall leave you to your task undisturbed," she acquiesced before departing.
Was she truly this unsuspecting? Did she possess no knowledge of the world she had articulated within her book? Was it all a figment of her imagination? Was she feigning ignorance? I desired a comprehensive understanding of every aspect. It was imperative that I unearthed the truth. Nonetheless, I could not allow her to harbor any doubts about me, so I proceeded downstairs.
She stood gazing out of the window. As I entered the room, she turned to face me.
"Have you discovered anything?"
"No, there are no cameras or dangerous items in your room."
"So, does that mean I am safe?"
"No. And what about the room to the left of yours? Whose is it?"
"That room is my brother's room. He is a cardiologist and lives in US for research purposes. I call him everyday. "
I supposed the keys to my mysteries be hidden in that room.
"Ok, Is there anything more I should know about you?"
"I have been dealing with a heart disorder since the age of 14. At 17, I had to undergo a surgery to address this issue. While the surgery helped to alleviate many complications, I still experience the effects of having a weakened heart."
"Yes, I know about your illness. What happens in times of adverse conditions?"
I asked only to leave her in a mess when these moments occur.
"Nothing, most of the times, my heart beats at an unusual rate. In rare cases, I fall unconscious."
"Okay. I will keep them in mind. Mrs. Mehra"
"You can call me by my name Mr. Arjun."
"You are my client Ms. Mehra. I shall not address you by your name. It is disrespectful."
"Ok, if you think so. You can call me whatever suits you best Mr. Arjun."
I wanted to kill her at this moment. However that only meant a lifelong prison for me in this world and a sweet death for her. Either of which, I did not want.