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“A R E  Y O U  O U T  OF  Y O U R  M I N D, Siya?”

“Lower your voice, Rishi!”

“But you realize your father will discover everything within a few hours.”

“I'm aware, and I don't care! I can’t stay here, waiting for him to auction me off to some stranger!” I retorted, my teeth clenched.

The night was at its darkest hour as I prepared to slip away unnoticed. My dad and the servants were all asleep, so there was no risk of them hearing us. And as for the guards outside the gates,

Rishi was there to help me. He is my father's assistant, essentially a right-hand and a really cool guy. Despite his close relationship with my dad, he knew and understood each thing I went through. I trusted him completely. He was tall and muscular, with bushy eyebrows and about ten years older than me, but had always treated me like a little sister.

“Do you really think he won't try to find you, Tiger?” He folded his arms, a skeptical look on his face.

“He definitely will. Once he realises I've fled, he'll send someone after me. Luckily, he can't hunt me down himself because of a dozen charges against him. He's not allowed to travel overseas”

He nodded slowly. “But I am sending two guards with you who’ll keep a watch from far” He pointed at two tall men behind the car with pocket guns. My eyes widened.

“Are you sure? What if they aren’t safe with me?”

“You don’t worry about that and keep this money” He pulled out a small stack of dollars from his pocket and handed it to me.

“You don’t have to do that, Rishi, I have my own money. And there are plenty of jobs available for chefs anywhere you may go”

“Stop arguing and just take it. Now, when you reach your destination, do not reveal anything extra about yourself. Your dad's famous in the whole world now. Go straight to the hotel assigned and keep the money safe. Stay away from weird haired guys, okay? I've heard they do drugs. I will keep in touch through the phone I’ve kept inside your backpack and don’t come back here on any circumstances. Do you hear me?”

This guy.

I smiled, embracing him tightly, knowing it would probably be our last hug. I would miss him terribly. Rishi had been my pillar of support, guiding me through every challenge life threw my way. And ow, he was risking everything to help me escape my father's clutches. If my father ever found out, Rishi would surely face his wrath.

“What if he finds out? What would happen to you?”

“I have survived two bullets and several murder attempts for a man I don’t care about. Do you think I can’t manage this?”

A heaviness settled in my chest, a mix of sadness and apprehension. I knew the path ahead would not be easy.

“Go and be safe, Tiger. Mehra mansion is not one of your worries anymore” He patted my head and gave him a kiss on the cheek, I hurried outside the gates, where Rishi had very smartly distracted the guards.

“Wait, where am I going in the first place?”

“An island”

“Oh. God, I don't know anything about it. Where is -?”

“You'll know when you get there. Now get your butt your of this mansion!”

Clutching my suitcase tightly, I recalled the events of last night. After overhearing my father's intentions, I had hastily begun packing. I gathered my clothes, documents, passport, and other necessities. I made sure not to forget my small brown teddy bear, Wally, as well.

As soon as I stepped outside the mansion's premises, I hailed a cab to the airport. I kept my eyes peeled for any sign of my dad's cars as we navigated through the traffic. Finally, the airport came into view, and I couldn't help but press a palm to my chest in relief.

However, I realized I still had a lot of time left before my flight. My heart pounded in my chest as the reality sank in—I was about to embark on a new chapter of my life, all alone in a foreign land. Out of all the things, leaving my country was something I had ever expected. I couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at the thought of being away from everything I have ever known.

As the announcement for my flight echoed through the airport, my foot stilled its restless tapping. I glanced back one last time, taking in the sights and sounds where I grew up. Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself for takeoff, closing my eyes as the plane began its ascent, leaving my homeland behind as I said one last prayer that I get out of this part of my life, alive.

❦

“Excuse me”

“Hello?”

“You need to wake up, now”

I felt a palm shaking my shoulder. My eyes opened groggily. A woman smiled down at me.

“I thought you were dead or something. The plane's about to land now” She chuckled.

I rubbed my eyes and looked around.

Oh, I am still on the plane.

“Thanks for waking me up”

“You’re welcome. I, too, love sleeping on planes, but the seats here aren't always good”

“Huh?” I was still recovering from my heavenly deep sleep as I tried to recollect her words in an accent I wasn’t familiar with. Her short cinnamon hair caught my eye.

“Oh, nothing. I'm Fiona, by the way” She smiled and extended her hand.

“I'm Siya”

“I really like your name”

I smiled weakly. “Thank you, I like yours”

I straightened myself and gazed out the window. The view was breathtaking with nothing but the vast expanse of the sapphire ocean stretching out endlessly before me. After a few minutes, a small piece of land came into view, appearing tiny from up.
I bit my lip as it all sunk in. My new home.

Exiting the plane, Fiona tried to make conversation with me, but I had to ignore her as I remembered Rishi’s warnings. With a short goodbye, I rushed out of the airport and stepped onto the tarmac, I was greeted by a cool breeze carrying the earthy scent of sand.

I checked the time on my phone. It's almost 23 hrs since I've been away from home.

Dragging my suitcase out, I searched for a taxi while I texted Rishi. His reply said that he had already booked a room for me in a hotel here, which was the only huge hotel in the entire island.

“Tourist?” The driver asked. He looked like a local, so I jumped in. After a ten minute drive, he dropped me in front of a magnificent white tower, so tall that it left me wondering how they even made it. I paid the driver quickly, though the dollar payment confused me a bit. The door man gathered my luggage the moment he saw me, and I clutched my backpack to me like a child. I was tired and confused and in the middle of nowhere. Call me a brat, but I’d never traveled anywhere this far, alone and without someone by my side.

Amid my anxiety, I couldn’t take my eyes off the tower. It was genuinely the most beautiful hotel I had ever seen. The structure appeared to be crafted entirely from glass, shimmering in the glow of golden lights. Nestled amidst water on three sides, the hotel was a beacon of elegance. A magnificent water fountain stood proudly before the entrance, adding to the grandeur of the tower.

Despite the happy air and the gilded doors that welcomed me in, I was just here to hide, not spread my wings

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