My eyes fluttered open when the sunrays hit my face.
It was day again.
I checked my watch. By this time, I should've reached.
"Good morning, sir, would you like to have breakfast?" The air hostess asked me with a wide smile that felt unnerving and extremely high energy for my morning.
"No."
I said straightly and covered my mouth to supress a yawn.
"Why haven't we reached yet?" I asked the air hostess.
"Sir...it's been five hours since you were asleep."
Only five hours?
I nodded and again started looking out of the window, the only view which felt cure to my eyes.
'And heart?'
A voice hidden behind layers of my medulla oblongata spoke.
'What about heart?'
Another deep voice spoke, from the corner of my pons region.
'How long will you stay alone?'
'Why does that matter to you?'
'Your wife is home alone.'
'She isn't a kid; she can take care of herself.'
'She can't. she needs you.'
'She is strong herself.'
'But remember when she was approached by Rushaan in your absence?'
'Remember when she raised a knife at Mirhaan when he carried me till the room injured.'
A small smile formed on my face.
"Listen you both just shut up." I mumbled to myself.
"She can take care of herself, if not she can call me. I have a multi dollar company to run aside from playing the facade of a good husband."
"Sir, is everything alright?" The air hostess looked at me with raised eyebrows. Her hands already holding the coffee mug, as if she felt that I'd say something to her.
I nodded calmly, cursing myself internally.
Hours later.
The plane landed.
Finally, away from the confined metal and silence, I had the right to step back on the land.
I checked my blazer once, fixed it and stepped outside the plane.
An array of bodyguards dressed in black lined up in front of the plane. A black SUV to fetch me, Personal secretary number 2, Axel waiting for me with a determined professional look.
Good.
No unnecessary greetings.
No unnecessary gestures.
Before I could open the door of the SUV car, the driver rushed and opened it for me.
Too late.
When my eyes were set and I was about to grasp the handle.
"Better sooner."
With that I sat in the car and soon we were at the other branch of my company.
"Meeting?"
"Shifted tonight sir." a voice came from right behind me.
"Why delayed?"
"The head of Luxurian company said that you were delaying."
I stopped on my tracks.
My eyes squinted.
I was delaying?
"Call him right away, say that I have reached and he should he here within 30 minutes, no delay."
I commanded coldly and went to my cabin with fast pace.
How dare he even say that? delaying? me?
My jaw clenched.
The accusation replayed in my mind from scratch.
I took the nearest glass ball from my desk and threw it with entire strength I had in a hope to calm down my nerves.
It didn't.
It won't until I prove him, he was wrong.
Axel came in the cabin moments back.
Not scared, but suspicious to see the glass broken.
"Sir, he said that he's in another meeting."
"How can he schedule another meeting when our meeting was scheduled?"
"Suspicious, sir."
"Planned. Substituted. Greed." I mumbled to myself and nodded.
"Meeting with which company?"
"Vestlar."
The company under me. My lips twitched up slightly.
"Mail him. The meeting is cancelled, for forever. I do not wish to seal the deal with such a company who throws blames on others while double playing. Mail Vestlar corporation that I have rejected the deal as soon as they mail for permission."
"Final, sir?"
"Yes, final."
I paused and stared at the broken glass.
"A person who shifts blame instead of accepting responsibility for a meeting can do the same when something bigger is at stake."
My voice remained cold.
"I don't do business with people I cannot trust."
Axel nodded.
"Tonight's meeting at 8 is fixed with KV corporation."
"Finalise that only in schedule."
He checked his tab, marked something with his ball point digital pen and turned his heels to go out of the cabin.
My phone tinged.
After 10 hours of staying in airplane mode, I was freeing this little device from its confines.
But instead, a notification from...
Naina.
"Aapne bhabhi ko bhi bulwaya hai kya?"
("Have you called for bhabhi too?")
My eyes frowned slightly.
"Why?" I texted back instantly.
"She's not here in mansion."
Not in the mansion? I had barely been gone a day.
Where the hell are you, Kruthi?
I didn't respond later and instead called my guards to check her everywhere. Company, mansion, her parents' home, friend (which was rare).
She wasn't someone who would leave without informing me.
Why would she do that? especially knowing the danger surrounding her.
"Check in kitchen."
I texted Naina suddenly.
"Checked. That's why I am texting you."
Checked? Still not there?
Then why would she do that?
The final decision would depend on my guards' update.
Seconds passed.
Minutes became an hour.
One became two.
Two became four.
And then more...
I finished reviewing files, signing documents, and clearing reports.
No update.
My guards were not this inefficient.
Hours which felt like a burden now felt like delay.
No text.
No message.
No information.
This was not Kruthi.
Or maybe...
I misjudged?
The mere thought burned my veins on fire.
I trusted...
the wrong...