𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 ( 𝐘𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐯𝐢 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐥 )

23

A few weeks later
5th September

Yashasvi Jaiswal wiped the sweat from his brow, his muscles burning as he pushed through the last set of reps. The hotel gym was quiet, the only sound the steady rhythm of weights clinking and his controlled breaths. It was early, and he always preferred to get his workout done before the rest of the people around him stirred. It gave him a sense of calm before the chaos of the day began.

He was at the NCA in Bengaluru to practice for the upcoming Duleep Trophy.

He was halfway through a set of bench presses when his phone, lying on the bench next to him, vibrated. He frowned, placing the weights back and reaching for it. The name flashing on the screen made him pause.

Smriti Mandhana.

Yashasvi wasn't sure why she'd be calling him, especially so early in the morning, but he swiped to answer.

"Hey, Smriti. What's up?" he asked, trying to keep his tone casual.

"Morning, Jaiswal!" Smriti's voice was chirpy, even at this hour. "Got a minute?"

"Yeah, just finishing up my workout. What's going on?"

Smriti didn't waste any time. "So... it's Jemi's birthday today," she said, her tone suggesting there was more to come.

Yashasvi tensed slightly at the mention of Jemimah. He hadn't forgotten her birthday, of course. But hearing her name, especially from Smriti, made him suddenly more alert.

"And...?" he prompted.

"And I was wondering if you guys had any romantic plans?" Smriti asked, her voice teasing. "You know, couple stuff? Dinners, walks, maybe something a little more special?"

Yashasvi blinked, momentarily thrown off by her assumption. Of course, Smriti didn't know that the whole thing with Jemimah was fake. No one did. It was a carefully orchestrated plan by their managers, Rhea and Shreya, to keep the media at bay.

"Uh, nothing planned yet. She didn't want anything too big because of the media," he lied, trying to sound nonchalant. "Why do you ask?"

Smriti chuckled. "Well, our friends and I are throwing a surprise party for her at the hotel later tonight, but we need your help. We don't want her to suspect anything, so we need you to keep her away from the hotel for a few hours this afternoon."

Yashasvi's heart sank slightly. Keep her away for a few hours? Spending more time with Jemimah wasn't exactly an issue—he enjoyed being around her more than he'd admit to anyone.

Still, he didn't have much of a choice.

"I can do that," he agreed, though his mind was already racing. "What time are you planning the party?"

"6 p.m.," Smriti replied. "But we'll need her gone by 2 p.m. Can you manage that?"

"Yeah, I'll figure something out," Yashasvi said, already mentally working through how to pull this off without Jemimah suspecting anything.

"Thanks, Jaiswal. You're a lifesaver," Smriti said brightly before hanging up.

Yashasvi sighed, placing his phone back on the bench and staring at it for a moment. He wasn't sure how to handle this. Jemimah was smart, too smart. She'd ask questions, and if he was the one to suggest spending the entire afternoon together, she'd definitely see through it. He had to think of a better plan.

That's when the idea struck him.

Rhea.

Their manager. She'd know how to handle this without Jemimah getting suspicious.