Behind The Shadows

3. Guarded Hearts

Ishita's POV

The next morning, the sun filters through the gauzy curtains of my bedroom, casting a soft glow on the room's lavish decor. But the warmth in the air does nothing to calm the storm brewing inside me. I feel restless, my thoughts a jumble of emotions I can't quite put into words. Last night's events still weigh heavily on my mind—especially Arjun.

Why does he make me feel like this? I ask myself for the hundredth time, pulling the sheets up to my chin, staring blankly at the chandelier above. There's something about him, something quiet and watchful, that gets under my skin.

I should be focused on my career, on the meeting with the director today, but my thoughts keep drifting back to him. Arjun Rathore—the mysterious bodyguard who seems to have stepped out of the shadows.

A quick glance at my phone pulls me back to reality. Tara's message from last night flashes on the screen, reminding me of our coffee date later today. Maybe a break is what I need—a breather from this world of appearances, family expectations, and hidden emotions.

As I get ready for the day, I slip into a flowy designer dress, one that's elegant but not too flashy. My hazel eyes catch their reflection in the mirror, and I pause. There's something different in them today, something I can't quite place.

...

Later that morning-

The meeting with the director goes as planned—discussions about scripts, schedules, and the upcoming press tour. My father, ever the perfectionist, insists on hammering out every detail. I nod along, but my mind is only half-present. My thoughts keep wandering back to Arjun's presence, the way he stood close yet distant last night, protective yet unreadable. I glanced around the room to see my manager writing everything as if his life depends on all this information. Well yeah, it does actually. He is kind of obsessed with my fame, he took years to build this image of me which by any chance he doesn't want anyone to ruin. My father likes him for his work. But I feel suffocated.

As the meeting wraps up, my father pulls me aside. His brow is furrowed, his voice low, as if to mask his concern beneath the veneer of professionalism.

"Stay focused, Ishita. The media will latch onto any slip-up. You need to be careful, especially with your image. We've worked too hard to build this."

"I know, Dad," I say, forcing a smile. "I've got this."

But even as I say the words, I know that something inside me is shifting—something that goes beyond just my career or the carefully crafted image I present to the world.

Arjun's POV

I stand by the car, my eyes scanning the perimeter, my gaze sweeping over the surroundings as Ishita, her father and her manager exit the building. My job is to remain vigilant, but I can't ignore the way my attention always shifts back to her, tracking her every movement.

Ishita Verma, the superstar, surrounded by glitz and glamour, yet she seems trapped in a world not entirely her own. Rahul Sethi, her manager, treats her like a commodity—a well-polished diamond that he can control and market to perfection. It bothers me more than it should.

As they exit the building, everything seems normal on the surface—just another business meeting for her career, another day of protecting someone who doesn't even know the real dangers that lurk beneath the glamour.

But my instincts are telling me something is off. Maybe it's the way her father, Rohit Verma, talks to her—controlled, measured, always pushing her toward perfection, her manager being obsessed with her being the limelight. Or maybe it's the fact that I'm becoming too attuned to her moods. I've noticed the way she's been distracted lately, lost in her thoughts.

I open the car door for them, my movements precise, practiced. Rohit nods at me as he gets in, and I offer Ishita a brief glance. She returns the look, her hazel eyes reflecting a flicker of something—curiosity, maybe?

Or is it something more?

The drive is quiet, but the silence feels heavy, loaded with unspoken words. My job is to protect her, not get involved in her personal life. Yet, I can't shake the feeling that something's coming, something bigger than either of us.

As we approach her bungalow, I notice a black SUV parked a little too far from the entrance, its tinted windows making it hard to see inside. My senses go on high alert. I discreetly memorize the license plate and file it away in my mental notes.

You're here to protect her. Keep it professional. I remind myself as I escort them inside. But even as I do, I can't help but feel the lines between duty and something deeper beginning to blur.

Tara's POV

"Tell me everything!" I demand as soon as I see Ishita at the café, waving at her from our usual spot. She looks stunning, of course, even in something as simple as a flowy dress. But I can tell there's something weighing on her mind.

Ishita smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "There's not much to tell, really. Just the usual—meetings, press, my father breathing down my neck."

I arch an eyebrow, sensing there's more to it. "Uh-huh. And what about a certain tall, brooding bodyguard who seems to be following you everywhere?"

She blushes, which is a rare sight. "It's not like that, Tara."

I grin. "Oh, come on. You can't fool me. There's something going on with you two, isn't there?"

Ishita shakes her head, laughing softly. "You're imagining things. He's just...doing his job."

"Uh-huh," I tease, leaning forward. "So why are you blushing then? And why do you keep talking about him even when you're not talking about him?"

She sighs, sipping her coffee, clearly not wanting to dive into that conversation. "It's complicated. He's just my bodyguard."

But I can see the conflict in her hazel eyes, and I know better. Ishita may be good at hiding her emotions from the world, but she's never been able to hide them from me.

Arjun's POV

Later that night, I find myself replaying the day in my mind—watching Ishita from the shadows, trying to decipher her emotions. There's something between us, something unspoken yet undeniable. But it's dangerous, and I know better than to act on it.

Stay focused, I remind myself. My job is to protect her, nothing more.

But even as I sit in my darkened apartment, poring over security details and reports, I can't stop thinking about her—about the way she looked at me this morning, the subtle shift in her demeanor, the way she was being carefree when she was with her friend. There's a tension between us that I can't ignore, and I'm not sure I want to.

The black SUV from earlier today keeps resurfacing in my mind as well, a nagging feeling that something isn't right. I need to dig deeper, find out who's behind it and why they're watching her.

As I scroll through my contacts, I decide it's time to call in a favor. Something tells me this is just the beginning, and I can't afford to let my guard down—not with Ishita's life at stake.

...

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