Kashinath's pov

"Who's that?" Arohi asked as the terrifying high-pitched screams filled the darkness of the villa.

I didn't stop to respond to her.

I ran!

I ran as fast as I could to get to the room where Mia had fallen asleep.

I could hear the footsteps of Arohi running behind me.

As I entered the small bedroom and switched on the light, I saw the little body on the bed thrashing against the mattress, as she screamed.

Her eyes were still closed.

"Oh God," Arohi gasped looking at the child.

I rushed to Mia and tried to console her.

"Mia, sweetie. Daddy is here. Daddy is here." I murmured but in vain.

Mia wasn't listening to me.

She was still screaming.

"Give her a cuddle, will you?" Arohi snapped at me

I turned to glare at her.

Who the hell does she think she is!

"Out." I ordered coldly.

She shot a look of absolute fury at me.

"I am not going anywhere. With the way you are struggling to even hold her, it is glaringly evident that you are out of your depths." Arohi said.

She is spot on!

I might be a daddy. But I know nothing about being a daddy!

"What do you want me to do?" I asked grudgingly, clenching my teeth in anger.

I hate being helpless!

But when it comes to Mia, I am helpless!

Helpless!

"May I?" Arohi asked. 

"Yes," I bit out through clenched teeth and moved aside to give her space.

Arohi gently moved towards the bed, got into it with Mia and cuddled her hard.

The child kept thrashing her hands and legs, but Arohi didn't loosen her hold.

"What's her favourite bedtime story?" Arohi asked.

"I don't know," I admitted shamefully.

How could I not know!

The look Arohi threw my way indicated the same question!

I ignored it.

Who the hell is she to judge me!

She is a mere housekeeper. She has no right to look at me like that!

Arohi turned away from me and concentrated on Mia.

"Oh, darling! It's okay. You are going to be okay." Arohi murmured. 

Mia kept crying.

"Do you know Mirrie? That's Phoebe's magical horse!" Arohi said out of the blue, making me frown.

What the bloody hell is she talking about?

"Phoebe is a little girl. She looks just like you. Pretty, with pretty dark hair and cute little blue eyes. And she loves Mirrie, her horse. Mirrie has a switch in her tummy. When Phoebe presses on the switch, the tummy opens and do you know what's inside the tummy?" Arohi asked, with all the animation and dramatics she could bring into her voice.

Mia's screams reduced to hiccups and she was now attentively listening to Arohi's ridiculous story.

"A baby?" Mia asked with her eyes wide in expectations.

"No silly," Arohi said with a laugh.

A very delightful laugh. It sounded melodious!

What the hell, Kashi!

"Then?" Mia asked in wonder.

"It opened into a very luxurious room. There was a big bed, a couch, television, air conditioning and so much more. There were lots of fruits and food." Arohi said, smacking her lips dramatically.

"And?"

"And Phoebe got inside because she was tired after a day full of adventures and she wanted to sleep," Arohi said.

"Oh!" 

"Do you also want to sleep, while Phoebe is sleeping?" Arohi asked softly.

"Will you wake me up when Phoebe wakes up?" Mia asked innocently.

"Of course. I will wake you up, with your milk and cookies too." Arohi promised.

Mia's eyes shut, and she fell into a peaceful slumber.

Arohi gently alleviated herself out of Mia's hold, without waking her up.

I watched in incredulity, seeing the child sleeping with a smile on her face for the first time in the last week.

How the hell did she manage to do it?

What experienced nannies failed to accomplish, this woman achieved so effortlessly.

Arohi trudged out of the bedroom and I followed her out, after switching off the main light, leaving just the night lamp on.

"You will get an additional amount with your salary, for the work you did now," I told her coldly

She looked at me furiously.

"A thank you would have been enough," She declared.

"Everything has a price, Ms Sharma," I said coldly.

"Not everything is about money, Mr Agnivanshi." Arohi argued back.

"I don't take favours from anybody, Ms Sharma. Especially not from my lowly employees." I said harshly, wanting to stop myself from pulling her into my arms and kissing her senseless.

She was looking so damn gorgeous and the fire in her eyes isn't helping one bit.

I need to keep her away!

Getting involved with employees is a disaster.

I have seen first-hand what problems it could bring.

"Fine, Mr Agnivanshi. You can do as you please." Arohi said stiffly, her voice quivering.

Why?

I had no idea!

"I always do as I please, Ms Sharma," I said arrogantly.

She rolled her eyes

"Bully for you. Now, if there is no other pressing matter at hand, may I retire for the night, Mr Agnivanshi," she asked, in a professional tone, through her eyes that looked red. 

Is she going to cry?

I have no time for weeping women!

The sooner I can get rid of her, the better!

"Yes. That's all for the night. You may leave, Ms Sharma." I said coldly.

Just then my phone rang!

Before I could reach for it, Arohi picked it up from the kitchen island and handed it over to me.

"Ms Sharma, never touch my things." I growled at her and she took a step back startled at my reaction.

"I apologise, Mr Agnivanshi. It was not my intention to do so." Arohi said stiffly and walked away from there.

I looked at my phone screen and saw that it was an unknown number.

Who the hell is calling me at midnight.

I picked up the phone, annoyed at everything in the world.

"Kashinath Agnivanshi speaking," I said into my phone. 

"Kashinath, you basta*d. Where is my child? I want her back. I will sue you, you brute," the drunk voice from the other side screeched into the phone.

Arohi's pov!

"Okay, Arohi. You just ignore him if you see him. You are off duty during the day. Just give the little girl the milk and cookies you promised and leave." I looked into the mirror and spoke to myself.

It was six thirty in the morning and I was an early riser. Had always been.

Keep away from Mr D&D, I kept chanting to myself.

I reached the kitchen and looked around for the ingredients I needed to make cookies.

As I was mixing the dough for the cookies, Mr D&D walked in, in all his dark dangerous glory.

He was wearing only shorts and his chest was bare. His hair was sleep mussled. 

I sucked in a sharp breath and quickly turned around to look back at the work in hand.

“One Coffee. Black. No sugar,” he ordered, as he took a seat near the kitchen island.

How dare he order me around.

“Forgive me, Mre Agnivanshi. This is not a cafe. I think you have some misunderstanding.” I said, without turning around to face him.

The sight of him is very dangerous.

“What the hell! I need my coffee first thing in the morning,” he said furiously.

“Is that so? Feel free to make a coffee for yourselves. This is your kitchen after all.” I said, with a casual shrug of my shoulders

If he thinks he can order me around like he does with his other employees, then he has another thing coming.

“What the hell is your problem? Did you get your head hit somewhere early in the morning? I am your boss, Miss Sharma,” he said angrily.

“Tsk Tsk.. What a poor memory” I said, clucking my tongue in disappointment.

“I am paying you to do your job, Mr Sharma,” he said coldly.

“Did you already forget what your assistant said last night? I am a part time housekeeper. I am on the night shift. And I don’t work outside my duty hours, Mre Agnivanshi.” I said cheerfully.

I heard him cursing under his breath.

“Just get me a coffee. I cannot start my day without my coffee,” he said, still in the demanding tone.

“Maybe if you ask me politely, I can think about it.” I said, batting my eyelashes innocently at him.

“F*ck off,” he said and walked towards the coffee maker. I saw him struggling to figure out how it works.

Bloody rich spoiled kid.

He must have never done anything for himself in his life ever.

“Arggh!” He growled and went to take a boiling pan.

Seems like he is going to make the coffee the traditional way.

I winced as I saw him dumping a couple of spoonfuls of coffee powder into the boiling water.

Oh dear God!

“I am perfectly capable of making a coffee myself” He said smugly, as he poured the coffee into a cup.

I maintained a diplomatic silence, trying hard to stop myself from laughing.

Let him drink it and then I can laugh.

He took a sip of the self made coffee and as soon as the coffee hit his palate, he spat it out with a loud curse. And I couldn’t hold my laughter anymore.

I burst out laughing, holding my tummy.

“Shut up. Just shut up!” He screamed, but I was too busy laughing.

In a swift move, he pinned me to the kitchen counter knocking the air out of me.

“What are you doing?” I squeaked, feeling his torso press against me.

“Why? Not laughing anymore?” He asked mockingly.

“Let me go,” I said, trying to get out of his hold.

“I am a dangerous man, Miss Sharma. Be careful when you play with me.” He said, in a warning tone.

“I am not scared of anyone.” I challenged back, although my heart was making a tattoo against my ribs.

I will die before letting him know that he succeeded in scaring me.

“Then I will have to scare you a little more, won't I?” He asked, leaning forwards.

“I will file a sexual harassment case against you.” I said, warning him.

He laughed out loud hearing my warning. It was not a pleasant laugh. It was a sarcastic laugh.

“You think you will win such a case? Would anybody believe you if you make such a complaint?” He asked sarcastically.

“At least it will cause a dent in your reputation among people.” I said.

“And you think I care? Let me tell you, Miss Sharma, I don’t care what people think about me. I never cared,” he said, still pinning me to the counter.

“Well, at least it will definitely reach your wife’s ears. She will know what you are up to when she isn’t around.” I said, glaring at him.

“Wife?” He looked at me in amusement.

We were disturbed by a distinctive cough and we turned around to see the housekeeper Shyamala Patel, looking at us, with no expression on her face.

Kashinath moved away from me and I was too embarrassed to look at Mrs Patel, after being caught in such a compromising position with the boss.

“Mr Agnivanshi, it is a pleasure to meet you again. I would have stayed back, had I known that you were arriving.” Shyamala said

“That’s alright, Mrs Patel. Miss Sharma here took good care of me last night,” the hateful man said.

My eyes widened hearing the double meaning in his sentence.

I glared at him and saw that he had an arrogant smirk on his face.

Bloody loathful man!

“Arohi, you are off duty in the mornings. You don’t have to make breakfast.” Shyamala said stiffly.

“I wasn’t making breakfast, Mrs Patel. I promised the child that I would give her milk and cookies in the morning.” I said, wanting to get over with the cookies quickly, so that I can get out of here in no time.

“Child? Which child?” Mrs Patel asked, frowning in confusion.

“Mre Agnivanshi’s child, Mrs Patel.” I said and saw her looking at Kashinath in shock.

“Mr Agnivanshi doesn’t have a child.” Mrs Patel said, making me frown.

Then who is that little girl?