HANA
' I found out about your marriage with Cillian. Please call me. Explain what is happening there.'
The message was sent 13 hours ago. And I am still waiting for Violet's reply with a ramen bowl on my bed. I know it is unhealthy. I feel full after completing this bowl. I am eating it anyway. I feel physically full, but mentally, it is not enough. Shalini said that it is not about food but about having an emotional need that food can't fulfil. She read it somewhere it seems.
I always eat more. She always eats less. Lucky her. When I was about to finish the ramen I made, I got a call from an unknown number. I immediately swiped it and kept it at my ear. "Violet," I said with a hope.
"Um..nope." I heard a male voice from the other side.
I instantly knew who it was, and I hated that I was able to recognise his voice. "What do you want?" I snapped at him.
"You." He simply said.
I rolled my eyes at that word. "Stop playing games, Bash. I barely know you."
"We can change that." He said from the other end.
What the hell is this man?
"What do you want from me?" I asked him.
"Your time." He said. "I need you to do a few things for me."
"Like?"
He gave a pause, and I thought the line went dead. "Be a spy." He said slowly.
"Ha ha ha. Bye." I said, and I almost hung up before he said, "Your sister."
"I can take care of my sister, Bash. Look out for your own ass." I said and hung up.
My phone blinked with a popup, and eagerly reached out for it, hoping that it was from Violet. But it is from Bash.
BASH: Just hear me out. It is a good deal.
I tossed the phone away. It was midnight when my phone rang again.
"I am not doing that Bash," I said as soon as I lifted it. But I heard Violet's voice on the other end.
"Which Bash?" She asked me.
I instantly sat up, and whatever sleep I had due to exhaustion faded away in seconds.
"Violet," I shouted. "Why didn't you call me?" I asked her. "It has been three fucking months."
"I know." She sighed. "I am sorry. Father has been so angry, and he started to observe our every move. I don't want to get you caught."
"You should have sent me a message," I tell her.
"I know. I am so sorry. How are you?" She asked me.
"I am fine. Tell me this first. Did father ask you to marry Cillian after I fled?"
She became silent before she answered. "They are still discussing it, Hana. Last week, Cillian's grandmother came home and said that she would like to marry me with Cillian."
"That's it. I am coming. I will not let them touch you. This is all my fault." I rushed to my wardrobe to pack my clothes.
"No, wait." She yelled from the other side. "It wasn't fixed. I already talked with Dad. Also, today, Cillian said he is reconsidering getting married to another Levine. I think it is almost cancelled."
Is that a coincidence or is Bash trying to prove a point?
"I am coming anyway," I said.
"No. Father will kill you the moment he sees you. There is nothing you could do by coming here, Hana. Please stay there. And how did you know about this?" She asked me with a suspicious tone.
"I met Cillian's cousin here. Bash. He told me."
"Bash? The guy we mistook for Cillian at a party five years ago?"
I didn't remember that. But I said yes anyway. I never noticed anything at the parties my parents took me to.
I heard a noise from the other end.
"I will call you again. Bye." She said and hung up before I said wait.
Wait. I want to tell you about so many things. Shalini has been a big help ever since I got here. It gets lonely sometimes. I couldn't sleep. I don't know whom to talk to about it. Call me sometime. Let's talk.
All the unsaid words hang in the air around me. It has always been me when I was a teenager. I never shared my darkest secrets with anyone. And I was fine with it. It is totally different now. I am not enough for myself. It didn't hit me how miserably I wanted to talk to someone about my situation until Violet called me.
I am so sick of this.
My phone rang again. This time I saw the number, and picked it.
"Sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart. It's Bash again." He said.
I remained silent. But he continued.
"How about I cancel your sister's marriage with Cillian, and you do the job for me?" He offered.
'There is nothing you could do by coming here.' Violet's words ran through my head again. What if I can do something from here? What if Bash is not joking? It doesn't hurt to hope.
"I don't know you. You don't know me. Why are you doing this? I don't think you are helping me. And whatever you get out of this is probably less than what I will gain."
"Come and meet me at Dunes tomorrow at 9 AM. I will explain." He ordered.
I didn't like the tone of it. "7. I will be there at 7 PM." I answered and hung up.
What am I even getting myself into?
*
"Do you like raisins? How do you feel about a date?" I heard Mateo say from behind me as I walked toward my desk.
I still have no idea why he struggles to collect a pick-up line every day. I once caught a website with 100 Best Pickup Lines For Flirting on his monitor. He was googling it so that he could use it on me. I know I am too good for this guy in every term but beauty.
I am certainly not a pretty girl, not even close to my sister, Violet. I will either scowl or I will roll my eyes. The world is like that. That's not my fault. I don't have an hourglass body shape or am curvy like the women in my circle. I am lean, and whenever I eat a lot, which I always do, my stomach bloats. That's exactly something a woman should control, says my mom.
The only thing I love about myself is my long hair which reaches my waist, and my bow-shaped lips. Most importantly, my hidden dimple which only comes out when my lips spread widely. That means I have to laugh like that. But Misha says I laugh like a donkey, so people wouldn't want to see that.
"You have already used that line." I reminded him.
"Shit." He cursed to himself. "I will come up with a good one."
He was rushing to his desk, the next second. I shook my head in disbelief.
"Hi yaar." Shalini greeted me with a cheerful smile. She is wearing a mustard button-up sheath dress, and damn, the lady killed it. "What happened yesterday?" She asked me.
"First of all, I absolutely adore your dress," I tell her.
She smiled at me. "Now tell me what happened yesterday." She said, drawing her chair towards my desk.
I am ashamed to say that I have been terminated, and I have a one-month notice period. Also, I can't hide it from her forever.
"I think I will quit," I told her.
"What? She immediately got up from her seat, her eyes widened in shock.
I put my finger on my mouth. "Shh. Sit." I tell her.
All she did was hold her hips with her hands. "Why are they making you quit?" She demanded an answer.
"Sit down, please." I tried to calm her.
She threw her thumb above her shoulder. "Let's get out for a second, shall we?" She said, and I obeyed.
After ten minutes of explanation, she is still furious, and I am panting with all the talk.
"I told you many times. The only reason I am working in this project is because you are there. I am not staying in this project if you are not staying." She told me firmly.
"It will be fine," I assured her. "I think I am going to get another."
"What about me?" She pouted. "I will go back to India."
It took me another half an hour to make her stop from strangling our manager.
*
I wore a simple A-line maxi dress and a white shrug for my appointment with Bash. He will step out of the car with a tuxedo on for all I care. But I settled for whatever I was comfortable with. It is just a cafe, perhaps the most aesthetic and expensive cafe where you get the most expensive coffee in the city.
I was when I sat in the cafe. I feel like I am making decisions too fast. But Violet's life is on line like my life was once. I can't delay it. Then again, I knew nothing about Bash.
I counted ten numbers like my therapist once assisted. Then I started what I usually do. I observed my surroundings. The cafe is cute. The walls are painted in pastel green. There is a book shelf in one corner. My fingers ached to reach to them. But I controlled myself.
I sat near a glass window that was looking over the city. Just like I expected, Bash stepped out in a black suit as if he came for a meeting with some CEO. He caught everyone's attention when he walked. I will agree that he is hot. But I am not sweating.
"Hello." He said once he got settled in.
"Hi," I said.
"Did you order anything? What do you want, chocolate ice cream or pastry......"
"Cold coffee," I told him, crossing my hands across my chest.
Now that we were sitting close to him for almost ten minutes, I observed how truly beautiful his eyes were, sea green eyes- like they had in the lenses, with a dark ring around the iris to give beauty and depth. They reminded me of the deep ocean and infinite space. It is really hard to believe that they are real.
He removed his suit. He has broad shoulders, a narrow waist and long legs. I am sure he is chiselled with a clean, hard shape as though he was carved out of a stone. I wonder if Cillian looks like him in close.
"Had a good time checking me out?" He has asked me, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I rolled my eyes. "No one in their right mind checks you out, Bash," I tell him.
He looked over my shoulder and smirked. I followed his gaze to find a girl practically drooling at him. When I looked back at him, he was raising his eyebrow with the same smirk plastered on his face.
"I ...um...I am just thinking...." I tried to explain.
"You are thinking?" He asked.
"How good you look if..."
"If?" He asked me, his eyes brightened with anticipation.
I leaned toward him, and he did the same.
"If you played a Jesus Christ role." I continued. "You would be perfect."
He didn't expect this. His smirk vanished, and it was my turn to smirk.
"I was giving you a compliment," I told him.
"I would rather be the villain." He said.
I narrowed my eyebrows at his words.
He sinks more into his seat. "Come on. Girls love villains."
I nod my head. "Lucky for me. I prefer heroes."
Why the hell am I talking to him about the useless stuff? I don't know.
"I was talking about girls who look like girls."
I crossed my hands across my chest. "Are we done? Can I go?" I asked him.
I raised his hands. "Just curious. One question before we start our negotiation."
"I didn't even accept your offer yet." I reminded him.
"You will." He said with so much confidence. "Now back to the question," He leaned toward the table, his hands folded on it, "What if you fall in love with a Villain? What would you do?"
"I will never fall in love," I stressed on the word love, and he gave a cut nod.
He unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and cleared his throat before he started. "Nimbus National Bank. They are our clients."
I was stunned at that statement. When did the company I work for become his company? When I received a termination letter, I thought he pulled some strings since he is influential. I thought he was some client to our company. But I never imagined he would be a part of the company that pays me. I shook my head.
"Wait. How is Trigo Technologies related to you or any of your family?"
"We bought it." He said, "Very recently."
He laughed at my plight. "Didn't check the news, did we? It actually belonged to a friend of Cillian. He was supposed to be here. But what to do? His bride ran away. He got a lot of shit to deal with."
"You sure love him so much," I commented.
"Anyway back to the topic, the Bank has observed several thefts and credit card frauds recently. He gave a file to me and studied all the reports mentioned."
"It is an ATO, account takeover. They got access to so many customer's account details." I said after seeing the report.
He nodded his head, agreeing with me. "When we first received the report, we investigated all the bank employees. Everything is fine there. Someone from inside Trigo is selling the customers' credentials. We have a tight security. We don't allow phones, pen- drives or anything that may be used for data sharing. Thorough checking was done when you entered and exited. Still, the fraud is happening. Transactions are done without the customer's acknowledgement. We received several concerns like that. The CEO of the bank wants an immediate solution."
"How is that even possible? We won't have access to CVV or OTPs."
"For a cybercriminal, what we had is enough. Someone is helping the fraudsters to steal the credentials."
"With the security we have, it is highly impossible," I stated.
"But it is happening. You specialised in fraud analytics. I want you to join that project. The project manager is hiring new people. Shifting from one project to another is quite natural here. So no one will doubt you."
I shook my head. "You could hire people better than me. You don't have to go to the lengths where you threaten my job and my sister's life just so you could find out the fraud happening in one of the projects taken over by one of your companies. I don't trust you. There is something else."
"There is nothing, Hana. I chose you because I can trust you."
"I left your cousin at the altar." I reminded him.
"That's exactly why I trust you. You don't do things for money."
"Trust me. I need money."
"I know," he said coolly. "I will give a seventy-five per cent raise." He offered. And I knew right then that he was up to something.
"I hardly have two years of experience in fraud analytics." I tried to make him understand.
There is more I gain and less he receives. Why is he offering me a such good deal? Why didn't he tell Cillian about me?
BASH Just one and a half kilometres. If I make it to one and a half kilometres or at least one kilometre, I can get help. The pain is excruciating. I was shot just above the chest. He missed it, and he is coming for me. I couldn't run more. I couldn't fight him. I could see the lights of the resort I visited this morning. So close yet so far. I dragged myself to the cottage I spotted twenty steps away. There is no one here except for the wooden logs. I can't use my right hand as the bullet pierced on the right side. I can't fight a murderer who intends to kill me at any cost with my left hand. But I waited for him to enter so that I could knock him down with the log. I heard the creaking sound of the door. But it wasn't the killer in the red mask who walked in but a teenage girl. I don't know why she entered an abandoned cottage in the middle of woods in a baby pink pyjamas. She did. She wasn't shocked when he looked at me. She looked as though she was contemplating
HANA "Are you a parking ticket? Because you’ve got FINE written all over you." When I turned to him, Matteo made a Korean heart gesture by crossing his thumb and index finger. His hair covered his entire forehead, and his glass skin always amazed me when I looked at him. How come he is so cute and annoying at the same time? "Matteo?" I called his name slowly. "Did I already use that?" He asked me with a serious tone. "I don't know. But get the hell away from my desk. I have an important activity to complete by EOD." "Okay." He said and disappeared. Shalini is smiling without looking at me. "Stop smiling," I told her, gently patting her shoulder with mine. "He is trying hard. You should give him a chance." I was dumbfounded at her suggestion. "He is younger than me." "Just two years." She shrugged as if it was not a big deal. "Physically, yes. Mentally, he is five years younger than my age and I am ten years
HANA "There are three months to the wedding. I need to talk to you about something very important. Your father has already taken the decision." Whenever my mom added the line about my father taking the decision, I knew that there was something I didn't like coming my way. But I should not protest because my father, Benjamin Levine has already taken the decision. "What is it?" I asked her, combing my hair. For the first time, she took the comb from my hand, and she started to do it. I hate that very act. She wanted something from me, and she was putting on an act so that I would agree. But the most pathetic thing is my heart felt warm with that simple gesture. I've been so desperate to have a connection with someone in my life that as soon as my mother held the comb, I couldn't care about the wedding they were forcing on me. I would do it if she was like this to me every day. She gently removed a few strands from my face. "You know tha
BASH My secretary stared at me as if she was seeing a ghost. "What?" I questioned her. "It is a simple question." "Sorry. Can you repeat it?" She asked me again. Impatience started to make its way inside me. Why no one in the world don't understand that I don't have enough time? I repeated my question to her. "On a scale of one to ten, how likely is a twenty-three-year-old woman like a nineteen-year-old boy who is shorter than her?" This time, I told her slowly so that she would not ask me to repeat it. "How does the boy look?" She asked me. I thought of Matteo. He looked like a kid to me. But his skin is flawless. "He has a glass skin," I tell her. She nodded her head, writing in her notepad. She writes everything in her notepad. "Is he muscular?" She asked. "He is thin." "What about the hair?" "Golden," I tell her, already getting annoyed by her questions. "Does he have ba
HANA “Eco Central Mall,” Mateo shouted, jumping like a kid. Shalini gave me her best puppy eyes which never worked on me before and never will. She added her pout to that. “Okay,” I agreed. “I will go.” They both hugged me at the same time. It’s Sunday evening for goddamn sake. Why would anyone want to go to a crowded place? Everyone does that for some unknown reason. Shalini and Mateo are so familiar with the Mall that they know every inch of it. I am sure I will get lost here even if I come here ten times. I observed all the people, some of them were enjoying their weekends or some were really shopping, and some were probably wasting money, I do not know. People in malls make me feel insecure. I started looking at my clothes and shoes. If I had been with my parents, I would not have worried about that. Now that I am barely saving any money, I spend less on my clothes. I never want to mingle in them anyway. I always avoided these thing
Bash I thought, knowing about the girl you like through her own words is decency and intimate. I had to change it now. I will have to hire a detective. Hana is far more complex than I imagined. I think she is still figuring out what she is. But her need to regard every man who showed a little kindness to be bad is beyond me. The world is black and white for her and I highly believe there is no white. She will not accept me if I say I'm simply helping her. She will not trust if a passenger is only trying to get her attention without posing any harm to her. She thinks like how I used to think before. If a person is good, then they are not really good. They have other intentions. "We should get drunk." Mateo who just found us in the middle of a street, suggested. "I really need a drink." Shalini agreed. But Hana shook her head. "I am not drinking. I have to go home." "I will drive you, home." I offered. Actually, I declared. "And why would
HANA I spent three years in a boarding school until I was sixteen. I used to look at my phone waiting for a call from my phone. Whenever I got a call, it was to inform me about an important event I needed to attend or it was to mention the name of the guard who was going to pick me up. I have two options. One is to become lonely and a depressed girl or to give zero fucks. My teenage was like that. Everything is at its extremes. But it's hard no matter how much I tried. My nightmares scared my roommates. Officially, I was the girl who was possessed. I was sixteen when my mom finally decided that I should go back to Seattle. I never liked my school. I was alone there, fighting my demons. That was the period when I hated every person in the world. I felt like the world owed me an apology for causing me this much pain when in reality it was the man who touched me and my parents who failed to trust me and take action. I didn't know at that time you were the only person who was there
HANA Shalini was staring at her phone for an hour now. Sometimes, she was angry, sometimes she was sad, and sometimes, she looked frustrated. "You alright?" I asked her, turning my chair towards her. She shook her head. "I texted him yesterday night. He hasn't replied yet." "Your boyfriend?" She nods her head. "He might be busy," I told her. I am not good at these things. I didn't have much experience when it came to relationships. I dated one guy in college, and it lasted for two months until he decided that I was not good for him. So the least I could do was listen to her. "It takes one minute to text, Hana. He is always on his phone. We don't even have much time difference. It's not even midnight in India. I don't know where it went wrong. Do you think it is because of the long distance?" She asked me. "Honestly, I can't say anything about that," I tell her. "It's not the first time he did it, Hana. Even when we were in India, his replies always came late. He is not cheatin
BASH Celia is not due until next month. But that little shit can't wait for any longer. He came out earlier than expected, and if you are asking me why I am calling a one-hour-old baby, little shit, wait until I finish the full story. I didn't let Hana step out of our room for another five days. She has stitches, and what was she thinking, trying to sit in a wheelchair? Not under my watch. My Rose yawned in my arms and went back to sleep, her tiny hand wrapped around my finger. A few days back, if someone had told me that I would call another human being cute other than my wife, I would have laughed at them. Now, looking at Rose's sleeping form, that's all I can think - cute, delicate. She needs to be protected from all the ugliness of the world. I will make sure she is untouched. When my wife and daughter were being discharged, we visited Celia and Alex. Three-year-old Willow ran to me, hugging my leg. "Hey, sweetheart." I smile at her. "Mommy birth me a brother."
HANA"What are we doing in Japan?" I asked, glancing around at the sea of cherry blossoms, their delicate petals drifting through the air like whispered dreams.Bash smirked. "I told you that's exactly what you would ask."It took me a moment to understand. Then, I remembered—the night we spoke of impossible dreams in Istanbul, the ones we knew would never come true. Anniversaries we’d never celebrate, trips we’d never take, a life we’d never have.Yet, here we were."It happened," I whispered, as a pink petal landed softly on my cheek.Bash's eyes held mine, warm and unwavering. "We made it, Mrs. Merrick."And then he kissed me beneath the cherry blossom trees.Ahmet always said we were just two lovesick fools wandering the world, celebrating life. He wasn’t wrong. For three months, that’s exactly what we did—travelling with no destination, doing nothing but making love, laughing, and getting lost in each other.Then, we returned to Istanbul.Bash wanted to rewrite the memories. What
HANA"Can I disown him?" Sandro muttered behind me. I followed his gaze to Matias sitting in the front row and wiping his tears with a tissue. "Fuck." Another hiss from Sandro. Matias is sniffling-- hard.Bash is scowling at the kid. I nudged him gently so that he would change his expression. My attempt is futile."I will disown him." "No," It's Vin this time.I like how the guys tried to blend in. But they failed miserably. With their tattooed body, hidden arms, and bulky personality, there's no way Sandro and his crew can blend in. But I can give ten out of ten for the attempt. Though Bash and Sandro still joke about killing each other (sometimes it doesn't sound like a joke at all), they are there for each other. They formed a bond. Bash is not part of the outfit anymore, but they have each other back in their own way."Where is Luna?" I questioned Bash while posing for the photo."Avoiding me," Sandro answered.As the night came alive, we danced. Bash glared at everyone who dan
HANA || THREE MONTHS LATER "Are you fucking someone else?" Bash gasped, turning around. "Jeez, babe. What are you doing up so late?" It is almost one o clock in the night. According to my fiance, it is the ideal time to come home. At first, I didn't give it much thought. There are a lot of things to take care of with Sandro taking over and Bash cleaning the mess Elio left in his export and import businesses. It has been three months since I almost lost my life. For the first few weeks, Bash didn't leave my side. He nursed me back to health, accompanied me to the hospitals, and made sure I had a perfect diet and sleep. Once he started going to work, he seemed distant. I thought he was busy. I thought he was feeling guilty for what happened. I can understand how his mind works. He is fiercely protective of me. He thinks he failed me. Still, that doesn't explain the growing distance between us. I took a threatening step forward. "Are you fucking someone else? Are you
BASHThe world narrows to the rhythmic sound of Hana's laboured breathing. Her blood stains my hands, her pulse weak beneath my fingertips. "Sandro," I command, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. "Take care of Colton and his men. I'll take Hana to the hospital."He came to my side, and for the first time, his eyes softened at Hana in my arms. "Take care of her. Luna won't like it if something happens to her sister."At this moment, I don't even care why Luna's likes matter to him anymore."Do you want Colton alive?" He asked me.A gun fired in the distance, and someone screamed.I gently lift Hana, cradling her against me. Her eyes flutter open, and she offers a faint, reassuring smile."I'm here," I whisper, brushing a strand of hair from her face."I don't care what you do with him. It doesn't matter anymore."Sandro nods, understanding the gravity of my decision.With urgency, I carry her to the car, my mind racing. The nearest hospital is miles away, and every second co
BASH The tension in the room was palpable. Colton stood across from me, a smug grin playing on his lips as he held Hana captive. Her eyes met mine, filled with a mix of fear and determination. I looked for any visible wounds on her body. I swear if he touched her, I'd make Colton's death ten times more painful. I'll do the same even if he doesn't touch her. Hana looked terrified. Her eyes filled with unshed tears find mine. She would have pressed her knuckles to her eyes if her hands weren't tied. That must have hurt. She has no pain threshold when it comes to physical wounds. Emotionally, she fought many battles. Her wrists will have marks from that rope and I imagined choking Colton's neck with the same. Her eyes zeroed on my clenched fists and she shook her head. She is trying to be brave —For me. She is asking me not to lose my patience. "Finally." Colton opened his filthy mouth, "The son of Xavier and Rose. We had a history we need to settle." I unclenched my
BASHThe snipers might have reached my house by now. Hana is safe. For now.“Elio knows what we’re doing,” Sandro said. “Vin and his team will take care of him. We need to get to Colton’s house. Now.”“Why now?” I asked, brow furrowing. “And I thought Elio knew about this long ago.”“Colton is seeking Drago’s help. If Drago steps in, we’re outnumbered.”“And this Drago is—”“Someone powerful,” Sandro cut in. “That’s all you need to know.”I nodded, pulling out my phone to send a quick text to my Bee—Thud.Someone crashed into me, knocking the phone from my grip. It hit the floor with a crack, the screen shattering into a useless mess.A string of Italian curses spilled from the idiot who ran into me.Sandro didn’t even glance his way. He was already focused on the guy’s message.“The fuckard broke my phone,” I muttered.“We need to hurry,” the guy panted. “Colton is unguarded.”I scoffed. “Colton? Unguarded? Yeah, right.”“We killed half his men,” the newcomer said in a thick Italian
HANA It has been two months since we sent Mateo and Luna away. Even I have no idea where Alexander hid them. No one knows. He says it is for their own safety. Sandro has started to lose his mind. There were tensions in the outfit. The supplies to Elio's territories have stopped coming. Distributors are worried because Elio is losing power. Bash started avoiding his calls. Elio almost came home last week. Sandro interfered, and they met at his house instead. I rarely stepped out of our home these two months. Even if I did, Dion and his team would follow me everywhere. I don't what information Luna has given about her father. Sandro started to attack his clubs, his brothels, and the restaurants he owned. Bash tells me Sandro has no reason for going against Colton except for Matias's attempted kidnap. But he is somehow taking this who takes down Matrix to a different level. The Matrix organisation's main business is human trafficking. They can make cash with the deadbod
BASH I covered my face with my palm as she clicked another photo of me, lying on the bed, naked and satiated. Since yesterday night, Hana has captured hundreds of pictures, of our rings, our hands, of me and us. "It's enough baby. Come to bed now." She shook her head, looking for a different angle. I wrapped my fingers around her neck and pulled her to me, capturing her lips into a fierce kiss. "Are you going to take a rest or not?" I demanded. She shook her head again like a kid. "I am too excited and happy to take a rest." She jumped on the bed, "I have to show the ring to Shalini and Mateo." I groaned, pulled her again and wrapped her in my arms, "Stay here." I whispered. Half an hour later, the three friends are still talking about the rings. "Yaaaaaarrrrrrrrr... Congratulations!" Shalini screamed in the video call. My bee flaunted her ring for the tenth time, showing her friends all four of t