Heart Of the Underworld

Chapter 4.

Author's P.O.V

Khushi woke up to the sound of her alarm piercing through the morning stillness. Another day, another shift at the hospital. The familiar scent of antiseptic filled her senses as she hurriedly dressed, slipping into her crisp white coat over her scrubs. Today felt different; an inexplicable tension hung in the air, but she brushed it aside.

"Breakfast before work," she mumbled to herself, making her way to the hall. With her family out of town, the house felt eerily quiet. She quickly poured herself a cup of coffee and skimmed through the morning news on her phone, irritated by the absence of anyone to share a meal with.

Time was slipping away, and Khushi rushed out, barely registering her surroundings. But as she reached her car, she stopped in her tracks.

"What in the world...?"

In front of her car stood a thick line of bodyguards, five on each side, all clad in immaculate black suits that brought to mind images of action films. Their imposing stature dwarfed her - she felt like she stood half their height.

"Hey, Karan!" she called out, her voice laced with confusion. "What is this?"

Karan, her older brother, strolled out of his office with the unassuming nonchalance that typically infuriated her. "You're the one who chose them to guard you," he said simply, waving a hand towards the intimidating figures. "Looks like they're already here."

She frowned, feeling a mixture of curiosity and annoyance. "I didn't think they'd actually show up!"

Karan just shrugged, heading back inside, leaving her standing there, staring at the guards. "You guys," she called, breaking their stoic pose. "Can you at least change into something that doesn't scream 'security detail'?"

To her surprise, they nodded in unison, their expressions unreadable. A flicker of amusement sparked inside her. She felt like a princess with her own army.

The hospital was bustling, chaotic but comfortable to Khushi. She dove into her rounds, attending to patients with care and precision. But she remained acutely aware of the presence lurking at a distance. Victor, her chosen guard, had a hauntingly captivating energy - the way he moved, the depth of his gaze, everything about him drew her in like a moth to a flame.

After hours of demanding work, exhaustion started to seep into her bones. Khushi found a vacant chair in the corridor and sank into it, resting her head in her hands.

"Need some coffee?" A deep, husky voice cut through her fatigue.

She looked up to find Victor standing before her, a steaming cup in his hand. His broad shoulders and well-built physique seemed to radiate warmth, the muscles in his arms subtly flexing as he offered the cup.

"T-thank you," she stammered, taken aback by the unexpected gesture. He sat down beside her, an action that surprised her even more. Bodyguards typically kept their distance; they were supposed to be watchful, not friendly.

The air around them thickened, the atmosphere shifting as she felt his intensity. "What are you doing here?" she finally managed, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Isn't it obvious?" he replied, his voice low and filled with unspoken promise. "If you are here, I have to be here with you."

Khushi was at a loss for words as she processed his reply. Her pulse quickened. She glanced at him, then quickly looked away, her heart dancing wildly in her chest.

Determined to shake off the moment's intensity, Khushi rose to leave, needing to put space between them. But as she walked, she felt the unmistakable weight of someone behind her. She turned, half-prepared to confront Victor.

"Why are you following me?" she asked, her heartbeat quickening.

He stepped closer, pinning her against the wall with a gentle but firm grip. "Do I have to repeat myself?" His eyes darkened with an intense seriousness. "I always have to be with you."

Khushi swallowed hard, the proximity making her head spin. She somehow found the strength to escape from under his arms, hastily walking towards her cabin, heart racing both from fear and exhilaration.

As she reached her cabin, she grabbed the handle, ready to shut him out. But just before she could open the door, Victor's hand shot out, gripping her wrist lightly.

"Don't ever run....away from me," he whispered against her ear, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine.

Her eyes went wide as she turned to face him. "What are you doing?" she managed in a stammer, voice barely above a whisper.

"Just following you," he replied, that infuriatingly charming smirk gracing his lips.

With a quick motion, she opened the door, slipping inside her cabin, and closed it firmly as a protective barrier between them. She leaned against it, her heart racing, her mind awash with confusion and uninvited excitement.

As the evening settled in, Khushi's mind lingered on Victor and their brief encounter. Her thoughts were a chaotic mix of attraction and confusion. She wasn't just surprised by his actions; she was also unnerved by how easily he disrupted her carefully crafted world.

The next day, as her shift resumed, she tried to shake off the lingering echoes of their last encounter. Victor was there, watching over her from a distance, but the charged atmosphere from the previous day had vanished. Now, it was replaced with tension tinged with something unspoken.

During her rounds, she avoided making eye contact with him. But when she found herself in a private moment, he appeared at her side again. "You're so good with your patients," he complimented, a small smirk playing at the corners of his lips.

"Thank you," Khushi replied, surprised by the warmth in his voice. "But...I'm just doing my job."

"Just? Giving people hope and healing isn't just anything," he said, inching closer, a look of genuine admiration in his eyes. "You do more than that. You inspire."

Khushi's heart raced again, but she fought to keep her composure. "You don't have to say things just because you're here to protect me."

"Maybe I like to say things," he argued, his gaze penetrating, "that are true."

It was the sudden intensity in his voice that made her realize how little she truly knew about him. With his powerful presence, he was an enigma wrapped in secrecy. "What about you?" she challenged, her curiosity piqued. "What do you do when you're not following me?"

Victor chuckled lightly, but the sound was rich and deep. "I protect. That's what I'm trained for," he said, a note of seriousness in his tone. "But I never revealed my past."

"Why not?" she asked, trying to probe gently, yet with determination.

He paused, eyes darkening. "Some stories are better left untold, Khushi."

Suddenly, the corridor was filled with noise as doctors and nurses bustled past them. She watched as Victor resumed his watchful demeanor, the small window into his life closing just as quickly as it had opened.

Days turned into weeks, their connection deepening beneath layers of unspoken words and watchful glances. Khushi found herself stirring with feelings she hadn't anticipated. It was wrong, yet thrilling; a dangerous game neither of them seemed ready to acknowledge openly.

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