The Favour

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 21

The anxiety was kicking in when she realized what part of delhi they were going in.

Ishan's phone couldn't stop ringing and he had to instruct the driver to take them directly to the office headquarters.

"You didn't tell we had to go towards South delhi? " Her voice became more like a whimper rather than a stern voice.

All past she forgot was creeping into her mind again. The tortures of her family, getting heart broken by her lover and everything. Ashi almost felt like she will pass out with thr effect of this city on her.

Then when felt a hand on her wrist. But she didn't flinch. Her eyes moved towards the hand only for her to realize it was ishan.

His long broad fingers grasping her delicate wrist and encircling it.

"Can you breathe for me? " He pulled her into his embrace and asked her softly.

She looked up at him , into his deep brown eyes that had flicks of golden around the corners.

She nodded a yes and closed her mouth, inhaling and taking shorter breaths through her nose.

Her fears calmed down for a second before she scooted away from ishan. Ashi didn't even realize he pulled her closer.

"Want to tell me what happened? " He asked looking into his laptop.

"No. not today" She breathed out before pressing the button on the armrest and looked out of the window.

They reached the headquarters of ishan's father's company. The security was top notch as if he is some sort if politician.

Bypassing all of the security, ishan took ashi's hand again in his and walked towards some place she didn't knew.

And then he came in view. Ashi's uncle raj saxena. Her steps halted in between making ishan look back at her in confusion.

His brows bunched in confusion with his eyes fixed on her.

But the terror on her face while she was looking at her uncle who made her go through so much was standing in front of her with a sinister smirk on his face.

"What happened? " Ishan questioned her but she only stared at the man in front of them.

"Ishan.. What is he.. He doing here? " Words finally spurt of her mouth.

Ishan followed her gaze and looked at him.

"What did he do to you? " A rush of protectiveness filled his veins , tightening his grip on her hand he tugged her forward to stand beside him.

"I'm here" His voice was raspy in her ear as he spoke.

Her eyes fluttered close at the feeling and she let those words sink in.

I'm here.

He was there for her, beside her, with her.

Ishan snaked his arm around her waist and tugged her closer rubbing small circles on her waist.

"Do you feel that? " He asked , never stopping the circles on her waist.

That somehow helped her as it distracted her, giving her all the feels of something that she shouldn't be thinking of.

"Yes"

"That's it. I'm here."

They approached her uncle who worked for ishan's father. He was one of the most trusted men of adarsh.

"Good morning, sir" Raj greeted ishan and his eyes moved to ashi who's bravery was hanging by a thread as she was holding ishan's bicep for her dear life.

He didn't change much. It was more half a decade since ashi last saw him. His face grew more older with wrinkles and a bald spot on his head with white hair. He looked more old with a I'll fitted suit he was wearing.

"I got the news of you both. Congratulations my girl" He brought his hand up to touch her on her head but stopped immediately when ishan spoke up in between.

"Touch her and you won't have hands in the next minute, saxena"

His voice held no humor. He was dead serious. A unwanted feeling settled in his chest at the thought of him touching ashi.

Raj who's eyes we're now wide in shock, laughed it off while fixing his coat.

"What brings you here by the way? " Raj retorted looking in ishan's direction.

Raj is adarsh's right hand since the moment he built his empire. He knows all the dirty secrets of mehra family, including the feud between the father and son.

"I don't owe you an explanation, saxena. Get out of my wife's and my way" Ishan took a hold of ashi's had again as she just stood there frozen in place watching them bicker.

She kept quiet as he led them to the waiting lounge and made her sit on the plush couch.

Ishan himself dropped down beside ashi waiting for ishan's business partner to come in view.