Arohi's pov

Oh God!

What is happening to me?

Why did I react to his touch like that?

I could still feel the heat of his body against mine.

I stared at him as he flicked his fingers, dismissing me as though I am nobody.

I just turned on my heels and walked away, not wanting to see his stupid face any longer.

As I walked past, I saw Mia sitting on the couch and staring into nothing.

"Hey sweetie, what are you thinking about?" I asked 

"I miss nana and nani," she said sadly.

Oh poor thing! She is missing her grandparents.

"Why don't you tell your daddy to make a call to them, so that you can talk to them?" I asked with a soft smile and instantly her face turned from sad to angry.

"Hate him," she said vehemently. 

It seems too toxic for a four year old little girl to hold so much hatred for someone. Especially her father.

"Hey, did you like my cookies?" I asked with a wide smile, changing the topic.

"Yes" she said, with an equally big smile.

"Will you make cookies for me again?" She asked, looking at me eagerly.

"Hmmm. Let's see if I can find some very healthy recipes. We wouldn't want you falling sick eating all the sugars, would we?" I asked.

"No," she said, nodding her head slowly.

"Shall we go out into the garden?" I asked and she nodded her head. 

I took her hand in mine and we walked through the garden, with Bhuvan uncle telling us the names of all the flowers in the small garden.

"Do you like flowers, Mia?" I asked.

"Yes,"

"Bhuvan uncle, can we pluck flowers from your garden, pretty please?" I asked with my puppy eyes, making Mia giggle cutely.

Bhuvan uncle chuckled and nodded his head.

"Great. You are such a sweetheart, Bhuvan uncle." I said and hugged him in gratitude, shocking the poor old man.

Mia again giggled seeing the look on Bhuvan uncle's face.

"Mia, sweetie. Which flower do you want?" I asked and she pointed at a white rose.

I plucked it from the plant and placed it behind her ears making her smile.

I plucked a red rose for myself and did the same.

"Don't we look pretty, Bhuvan uncle?" I asked, pointing at myself and little Mia

"Very much," Bhuvan uncle said with a smile.

"Mia, sweetie, is it okay if I go out for a while?" I asked.

I seriously need to get away from Kashinath’s presence and think clearly.

I will not be able to do that when he is under the same roof.

"Okay," Mia nodded sadly.

Oh dear! I didn't want to leave her alone with her father whom for some reason she hates.

But I really need to get away.

"I will be back in a jiffy," I promised.

"Okay."

I dropped an affectionate kiss on top of her head and dropped her at the doorstep of the cottage, and walked out of the compound.

*****

Kashinath's pov!

"What the hell!" I cursed as soon as Alok told me the bad news.

"The new issue raised is your father’s mafia connections," Alok said in a deadpan voice.

"Damn! It is of no relevance in this case," I argued.

"On the contrary, it is, Nath." Alok said.

"What the hell do you mean by that?" I asked angrily.

"It is the matter of a child's future." Alok said.

"Her future will be better with me, rather than that psycho." I said, cursing Isha in my mind.

That woman will never let me live in peace.

How could I not realise who she was when I first met her. If I knew who she really was, I wouldn't have gotten into an affair with her.

"Nath, calm down. We expected her to go for the appeal again. We will deal with this." Alok said with enough conviction to calm down my fury.

I trust Alok to deal with it. He is the best in the business.

"So? How's the little girl? Any break through?" Alok asked.

"It's not simple," I snapped. 

He very well knew that Mia hated me when she went to sleep last night. Did he expect that she would develop an overpowering love for her father overnight?

"Work hard on it, Nath. If the court approves her appeal, I would appreciate it if you could at least have a civilised relationship with your daughter." Alok said.

"Well, I might have found some option for that." I said, thinking about the green eyed beauty, who got to my daughter in a way even the nannies couldn't. 

"What is it?" Alok asked curiously. 

"Well, let's just say that Mia isn't screaming the house down at the moment." I said dryly.

"She isn't?" Alok asked in surprise. 

Well, can't blame him for being surprised. I myself am finding it difficult to believe. 

For the one week she stayed at my house in the city, the only time she wasn't screaming was when she was sleeping, all exhausted after all the screaming and wailing.

"No. She drank her milk and ate her cookies happily." I said.

"That's a great improvement. Keep doing what you are doing." Alok said.

And an image of myself pressed up against Arohi popped into my head. Because that was what I have been doing.

All blood rushed south, as those images plagued my mind again.

Damn it! I need a cold shower!

"Have her watched. Keep me posted." I ordered and hung up the call.

I walked inside the cottage from the patio, and found my daughter sitting sadly and alone on the couch.

I looked around to see where Arohi is?

I was about to ask Mia, but then thought better of it.

She is only sad now. If I talk to her, she might start screaming!

I walked towards the kitchen, without Mia seeing.

"Mrs Patel? Where is Miss Sharma?" I asked, with a frown. 

"She left, Mr Agnivanshi," the older woman said and I looked at her in horror.

"Left? What do you mean by ‘she left’?" I asked in disbelief.

"Uh. She has the morning hours free. She had told me yesterday that she would go sightseeing during the day time," the older woman said.

Sightseeing?

She left for sightseeing leaving my daughter alone?

How dare she!!

Arohi's pov!

I returned back to the cottage by noon.

I could have spent more time out, but the thought of little Mia’s sad face when I told her I was going out, kept taunting me.

I was feeling a very strong affection for the little girl. 

Where was her mother?

She said she missed her grandparents.

She didn't say a word about her mother.

Could it be that her mother passed away? 

Oh poor child!

As I stepped into the compound, a six feet broad muscled wall appeared in front of me.

When I looked up, I saw Kashinath breathing fire at me.

"What did I do now?" I asked impatiently. 

I have known this man for hardly twelve  hours. And in these twelve hours he had shouted at me more than twelve times.

"With whose permission did you go out, Miss Sharma?" Kashinath asked.

Bloody hell!

"And what makes you think that I need someone's permission to go out. I am an independent woman, Mr Agnivanshi. I decide what I do." I said challengingly.

"I am your employer, Miss Sharma. You need my permission," he said.

"Correction once again, Mr Agnivanshi. And I hate repeating this like an old tape recorder. So, why don't you just get this into your head once and for all. I am your employee, yes! But my working hours are from six in the evening to six in the morning. So, at the moment, you are not entitled to the benefits of being a boss." I said.

"You agreed to be my child's companion. So every hour is a working hour for you," he bit out angrily.

"I agreed, yes. But we didn't sign an official contract yet. Until then, I do as I please." I said, not willing to step back from the fight.

Bloody authoritative brute!

"Well. You will have the contract ready for signing in an hour then, Miss Sharma," he said coldly and walked back briskly into the cottage.

"Great. Last hour of freedom, Arohi. Enjoy it to the fullest" I spoke to myself and walked into the cottage.

I found Mia sitting at the same place where she was when I left. The expression is the same on her face.

Dear God! Did she even move from there?

I saw some neglected toys and books lying on the floor.

"Hey sweetie," I called out loudly, earning her attention.

She looked up at me and smiled widely.

"You are back," she said, a relieved smile on her face, and rushed to me.

"Yes, darling. Were you waiting for me?" I asked, feeling guilty.

I know I have no reason to feel guilty, but somehow the guilt was there.

I knew she wasn't comfortable with the people around here. Though she didn't know me, I was the only person she found herself comfortable with. And I left her here.

Never again!

I will leave only after bridging the gap between the father and daughter. 

Well, if the father is worth it, that is!

Kashinath's pov!

Bloody insolent woman!

I have never had someone disrespect me like this!

And this chit of a girl! A middle class nobody! She dared to disobey me?

Will bind her in a contract in such a way that she will never disrespect me in any way!

I picked up my call and dialled Alok.

"Alok Salar," he spoke into his phone as soon as the call was attended.

"It's me."

"Nath? What happened?" Alok asked.

"I want you to draw up a contract. And I need you to do it as quickly as possible. Mail me the contract within two days. Not a second more." I ordered coldly.

"Care to explain?" He asked, ignoring the ice in my tone.

It never bothered the man! He is not the cowering kind and that is what I like about him. And that is the reason why he is my only friend.

I have enough sycophants in my life! 

"I told you in the morning. Something to bring Mia out of her shell." I said.

"Okay. You didn't tell me what the idea is." Alok said.

"I have found a new nanny for Mia." I said.

"Well, we tried a few while you were in Delhi. Do you think this will work?" Alok asked.

"It already is." I told him.

"Really? Tell me about this nanny." Alok asked.

And I told him the bare minimum facts. 

That she is the temporary part time housekeeper of the cottage. And that she is on her vacation here.

"This lady is not a professional nanny?" Alok asked, and I could imagine the frown on his face.

"No. But she managed to get to Mia in a way the professional nannies couldn't." I said.

"Well. Give it a try then. Why do you need a contract?" Alok asked.

"Because I have offered her four times the normal salary for a nanny. And I want her to deliver the results without failure. So, a contract is needed." I said.

"Four times? Are you crazy?" Alok asked in shock.

"Desperate times, desperate means, Alok." I said impatiently. 

He is simply wasting his time asking questions.

"She definitely took advantage of your desperation. Four times the salary." Alok said and the disgust was evident in his voice.

"Yes. Now get on with the contract preparation. Be sure to add the clauses that I mention." I said and mentioned the clauses I wanted him to add to the contract. 

"You sure?" Alok asked as he heard my clauses.

"Absolutely," I said.

"What did she do to you?" Alok asked curiously. He wanted to know why I was adding these clauses.

"Nothing you need to know, Alok." I told him without remorse.

"Okay. Will send you the contract in two days," he said and hung up the call.