Third person’s pov!

Dhruv stepped out of the cab and looked at the small cottage in front of him. His sister’s home.

He pressed the doorbell and waited for the door to be opened. He could hear the tinkling laughter of a little boy from the other side and a smile made its way to his face. His nephew. Ansh.

The door opened and he was knocked for sixer.

There stood a gorgeous girl. She was wearing a simple salwar suit. Her hair was braided. And there was not a speck of makeup on her face. Not even an eyeliner or lip gloss. Yet she was looking stunning, with beautiful doe shaped eyes, thick eyelashes, a cupid shaped lips and fair clear skin.

Dhruv felt his heart skip a beat just by looking at her.

No wonder Sid fell hard, Dhruv thought dryly.

“Sir?” She snapped her fingers in front of the man, seeing him looking lost somewhere.

“Huh?” Dhruv asked, startled and she frowned.

“How may I help you, Sir?” The girl asked.

“Dhruv. I am Diya’s brother..” Dhruv said and the girl smiled at him. And what a smile it was…

“I am sorry, I didn’t recognise you. Please come in, Sir. I will let Diya Ma’am know..” She said and made way for him.

As he went inside, he saw his little nephew on the floor, with colouring books and crayons sprawled over the carpet.

“Look who is here to meet you, Ansh..” The girl said excitedly, as she walked towards the little boy. Ansh looked up from his sketchbook and his eyes widened in glee seeing Dhruv.

“Dhruv Mamu…” The little boy cheered happily and ran to him. Dhruv chuckled and picked him up.

Hearing the sound, Diya had also come out. Diya rushed to her brother, her eyes filled up with tears.

“Bhai..” Diya went into Dhruv’s protective embrace and she felt everything would be better now.

“Diya, won’t you introduce the beautiful lady to me?” Dhruv asked with a charming smile and the girl flushed at the unexpected compliment.

“Bhai, this is Shradda. The new nanny. She joined just a couple of months ago.” Diya said, her heart aching as a scene from a few days ago flashed in front of her eyes. Shraddha was lying on Ansh’s bed with him and reading a book for him. Sid was sitting on the same bed and looking at the two of them with a smile on his face.

“Ah Shraddha. What a beautiful name, for the beautiful lady.” Dhruv said with a charming smile and Shradda was out of her depth. She smiled out of respect for the man, who is related to her employers.

Little Ansh was running excitedly around his uncle.

“What is your full name?” Dhruv asked in a casual tone and her smile faltered.

“It’s just Shraddha..” Shraddha said in a soft tone.

Ah! So an orphan! Dhruv thought.

“I will get something to drink..” Shradda said, excusing herself from there.

“Coffee please.” Dhruv said and she smiled and disappeared into the kitchen. As soon as Shraddha was out of sight, the smile vanished from Dhruv’s face.

“She is the one, right?” Dhruv asked.

“Yes, bhai..” Diya said, her eyes welling up again.

“Don’t worry. I am here, right. I will make everything alright. But just think once again. Do you really want to live with him anymore? Just a word, Diya. I will destroy him. Don’t make the same mistake Momma did.” Dhruv said vehemently.

“Bhai, I love him..” Diya cried and Dhruv sighed in exasperation.

“Where is he?” Dhruv asked curiously.

“He has gone out of town. He is planning to do some new course. He had gone for something related to that. It will take a week for him to return.” Diya said.

“Ah great! One week is more than enough..” Dhruv said with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

Shraddha returned from the kitchen, carrying a tray with coffee and a plate of assorted snacks. She approached Dhruv and Diya with a calm, composed demeanour, setting the tray on the coffee table.

Dhruv took a sip of the coffee and felt an instant appreciation for its rich, balanced flavour. 

"Wow! Perfect for my taste, Shraddha," he remarked, genuinely impressed.

"Thank you, Sir." Shraddha's smile brightened at the compliment.

"Is it just coffee? Or are you a genius in cooking as well?" Dhruv asked casually, a hint of curiosity in his tone.

"I know how to cook, and I believe I am moderately good at it," Shraddha replied humbly.

"Then I am sure you are an awesome cook. You should definitely cook for me. I will be staying over for a week. Or is it beyond your call of duty?" Dhruv asked with a teasing smile.

"Oh no, Sir. I would love to cook for you," Shraddha responded with a warm smile.

"Would you mind helping me out a bit, Shraddha? I am terrible when it comes to making the bed. Even Diya is. It's Sid who always does it. And he isn't here. So..." Dhruv trailed off, his tone suggesting a hint of helplessness. Shraddha nodded with a smile.. 

"No problem, Sir. I will get your bed ready. Siddhant ji won't be back for another week."

Dhruv's eyes narrowed slightly at the informality with which she referred to Siddhant. Siddhant ji and Diya Ma'am — well, that was interesting.

"Lead the way," Dhruv said, rising from his seat.

Shraddha guided Dhruv to the guest bedroom, a small but cosy space with light-coloured walls and simple furnishings. She opened the cupboard and pulled out a fresh bedspread, its fabric crisp and inviting.

As she spread it across the bed, Dhruv watched her intently. Each movement was deliberate and graceful, her actions almost hypnotic. She was like a piece of art, her form and gestures flowing seamlessly. Dhruv had to admit to himself that he felt a strong, unexpected attraction to her.

Shraddha finished smoothing out the bedspread and turned to Dhruv with a smile. 

"It's done, Sir. You can take a rest now."

"You have a very beautiful smile, Shraddha," Dhruv said softly, his gaze lingering on her.

Shraddha's cheeks flushed slightly at the compliment. She met his eyes, feeling a flutter of nervousness mixed with curiosity. Though Dhruv’s gaze was intense, it wasn’t lecherous like her previous employer. Instead, there was something in his eyes — a deep, unspoken thing — that made her blush even more. She wasn’t uncomfortable, but the way he looked at her stirred a feeling she couldn’t quite place.

"Thank you, Sir," Shraddha replied, her voice soft.

"I am sure I will be very comfortable here, thanks to you." 

As Shraddha turned to leave, Dhruv remained by the bed, his mind racing with thoughts about how to play this drama out!