Katt had always trusted her gut, and right now, it was screaming at her.
Rahul had been acting differently, secretive texts, last-minute cancellations, and that restless, distracted look in his eyes whenever she asked questions. At first, she had given him the benefit of the doubt. But when she found a lipstick-stained tissue in his car, one that definitely wasn’t hers, she decided enough was enough.
So, she followed him.
From the moment he left his apartment, she tracked his every move, weaving through the city unnoticed. He made his way to a quiet cafe on the outskirts of town, one she had never seen him visit before. Her heart pounded as she watched him take a seat in the corner, glancing around like he was expecting someone.
And then, she walked in.
Katt’s breath hitched. It wasn’t just any woman.
It was Shruti.
Her childhood best friend. The girl who had been her shadow, her secret-keeper, her sister in everything but blood. The same girl who had disappeared without a word five years ago.
Katt froze. Why Shruti? Of all people, why her?
The café suddenly felt too small, too suffocating. Betrayal, confusion, and a white-hot anger flared in her chest. Before she could stop herself, she stormed inside, heading straight for their table.
Rahul’s face went pale. “K-Katt?”
Shruti turned, her expression unreadable. “Katt…”
The sound of her name from Shruti’s lips sent Katt over the edge.
“You lying piece of…” She barely held herself back as she glared at Rahul. “This is what you’ve been hiding? You’re cheating on me with my best friend?” Her voice cracked, but she refused to show weakness.
Shruti stood up slowly. “It’s not what you think.”
“Oh really?” Katt crossed her arms, her nails digging into her palms. “Because it looks exactly like what I think.”
Rahul opened his mouth, but Shruti silenced him with a sharp look before turning back to Katt. “I didn’t leave you by choice,” she said, voice steady but laced with something heavy. “I had to disappear… for your sake.”
Katt scoffed. “That’s the best excuse you’ve got? You ghosted me for five years to protect me?”
Shruti’s jaw tightened. “Yes.”
Katt let out a bitter laugh. “And what, you needed my boyfriend to help you disappear too?”
Shruti exhaled sharply. “Rahul wasn’t meant to be with me.”
Katt frowned. “Then what the hell is going on?”
Rahul finally spoke, his voice quiet but firm. “Katt… I was never meant to be with you.”
A cold weight settled in her stomach. “What?”
Shruti sighed. “Rahul was assigned to you, Katt. Not to love you. To protect you.”
Katt took a step back, as if she had been slapped. “What are you saying?”
Rahul looked at her, something pained in his gaze. “I was never just your boyfriend. I was hired to keep you safe.”
Katt shook her head, her mind reeling. “That’s insane.”
Shruti’s voice softened. “No, it’s the truth. Five years ago, my father, he’s not just some businessman, Katt. He’s a mafia boss. And back then, when we were kids, I was reckless. I thought we were untouchable. But then… someone decided to use you to get to me.”
Katt’s throat tightened.
Shruti continued. “I had two choices, stay and put you in danger, or leave. I chose to leave. But I knew it wouldn’t be enough, so I arranged for Rahul to be placed in your life.”
Katt’s head snapped to Rahul. “So, what? You were pretending this whole time?”
Rahul’s eyes burned with something raw. “No,” he said, his voice breaking slightly. “That wasn’t supposed to happen. I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with you.”
Katt’s heart stopped.
Rahul ran a hand through his hair, his jaw clenched. “At first, you were just another job. Keep an eye on you, make sure you stayed out of harm’s way. But then I got to know you, Katt. Really know you. And before I realized it, protecting you wasn’t just a job anymore. It became everything.”
Katt swallowed hard. “And you didn’t think to tell me? You let me believe all of this was real?”
Rahul took a step closer, but she backed away. His face twisted in pain. “It was real. Every moment. Every laugh. Every fight. Every kiss. That was all me. I wanted to tell you, but if I did, you would’ve been in even more danger.”
Katt closed her eyes. This was too much.
Rahul stepped forward, his voice barely above a whisper. “Katt, please… I never meant to hurt you.”
She opened her eyes and met his.
For the first time since she followed him, she truly looked at him. The way his fists were clenched at his sides like he was holding himself back. The way his breathing was uneven, like he had just been through hell and back. The way his eyes—eyes she had trusted, loved—pleaded with her to believe him.
Katt took a deep breath.
She turned back to Shruti, her emotions warring inside her. “And what now? Am I still in danger?”
Shruti met her gaze, something raw in her eyes. “Yes.”
Katt clenched her jaw. “Then you better stay.”
Both Rahul and Shruti looked at her in shock.
Katt’s voice was steady, unwavering. “I don’t run, not from danger, not from betrayal, and not from the past. If someone’s coming for me, I need to know. And if you still care, you’ll stand beside me, not in the shadows.”
Shruti’s eyes softened. Then, for the first time in years, she smiled. “You haven’t changed.”
Katt crossed her arms. “Neither have you. Still keeping secrets.”
Shruti chuckled. “Fair enough.” Then, her expression turned serious. “I’ll stay.”
Katt turned to Rahul. “And you? Are you going to keep playing bodyguard, or do you have a choice of your own to make?”
Rahul hesitated, then shook his head. “I was never playing, Katt.”
She nodded. “Then prove it.”
For the first time that night, she felt in control. This wasn’t about lost love or betrayal anymore. It was about survival. And if there was one thing Katt knew how to do, it was fight for herself.
And this time, she wouldn’t be fighting alone.