Tanya

Patting my hair dry, I open the french door to enter the balcony of my room. Being a person who was born and brought up in Mumbai, Ooty feels so pleasant and peaceful. Though I'm yet to explore this beautiful place entirely, I'm in love with it with whatever I have seen.

After Tina moved in with Rudhran sir, now it's only me in the Heiress wing along Thooriga and her guards. Yesterday when I went to meet Rudhran sir in his office, I was in a dilemma whether to address him as Uncle as a friend of Thooriga or Jeetji as a friend of Tina, so I professionally went with Sir.

Though we three shared the same drom in our university campus according to the alphabetical order allotment method, we three were from different majors. Thooriga majored in Business Administration, Tina in Computer while I did Business Commerce.

Last week, when Thooriga mentioned Harshvardhan Estate, I thought it would be a tea or coffee estate like it appears in movies. But after arriving at the organisation, I learnt it's a mini conglomerate.

Harshavardhan Holdings Inc runs all types of businesses from Tea Estate to IT companies and has several other investments in various fields. I was placed to work in their Financial Trading sector and Tina in their IT sector.

It's going to be a heavy burden for Thooriga to manage all these and I'm glad she has her Bodyguard mama, Eshwaran Mama, Rudhran Chitha and us to help her.

The square shaped balcony has three sides of view. Opening the door I'm greeted with the visuals of the beautiful landscape of the Estate, to my right is the balcony of Thooriga and the front lawn of the Mansion and to my left the park area between the Mansion and the quarters.

I collect my hair to my right side and whack my towel on it for the water drops sticking on the hair to fall and to remove some tangles. I turn to enter back into the room when Saby walks into the balcony of his house in shorts and patting his hair with a towel.

He hadn't noticed me yet. He looks into the landscape and hangs the towel on the cloth hanger for it to dry. He turns back on his right side and about to enter his house but stops, turns to his left and directly looks at me.

I jerk in shock of getting caught while watching him but Saby calmly walks to the railing and holds it, hunching his shoulders. He doesn't mouth or gesture anything but just keeps watching me. My eyes travel down his bare torso but from this distance I could vaguely make out his scars. I look up and hold his eyes with mine, throwing a smile, I turn, walk back into my room.

After Thooriga and Tina, I spoke to Saby about my dark history. I felt if I had to explore my limits with a man with whom I feel safe, I would have to reveal my past. I was afraid that he would walk away after knowing my past but he didn't.

That kiss on the staircase was sheering hot.

I cover my face with my hands.

But will you be able to do more than kiss with a man, Tanya?

Though I kissed him back, my heart was beating so fast that it could have almost come out of my body. I want to explore my fears and limits with him as much as I wished to explore his scars when I saw them just now.

I hope I don't hurt him in the process and he hates me.

Rudhran

I wake up feeling my shoulder numb and I try to stretch my limbs but I find Taran lying close with me with his right hand and leg thrown over me. I looked at the wall clock to check the time and since it shows eight past seven, I decided to wake him up.

Wait a minute.

I find another hand placed on my chest and turn to find Tina rolled closer to Taran. Her hand is mostly over him but her palm is resting on my chest. She is sleeping peacefully with a strand of hair falling on her face as her eyelashes pillowed on her cheeks and slightly parted lips.

Usually what a hero does in a movie or serial? He will tuck the loose strand behind the heroine's ear but I'm not a hero and neither is she a heroine. So scream is what I do and sit uprooted.

Tina and Taran sit up too. "Yen daddy kaththureenga? Ennum five minutes please" Taran rubs his eyes and lies back to sleep for some more time. (Why did you scream daddy? Please five more minutes)

"Night unnoda mummy kitta vantha lizard ippo en kitta vanthuchu athan," I lock my eyes with her, "athan kathunen." (The lizard that came to your mommy last night came to me now and I got scared seeing it first thing in the morning.)

Tina breathes hot air through her nostrils. Last night when I unintentionally made a mistake by her against me thinking it's Taran, she not just screamed but she told Taran to ask me to keep my hands to me. Now why would I stay silent when she makes a mistake, unintentionally.

I get off the bed, walk around the bed to enter the closet but Tina swiftly runs into the closet and locks the door. I knocked on the door, "I need to use the bathroom."

"Even do I," I hear her voice drift before I hear the sound of the bathroom door closing.

I keep walking in my room trying to control my urgency and Tina opens the closet door leisurely after twenty minutes, dressed in a bathrobe and towel around her head. She sees me and tries to close the door again but I run and hold the door.

I push it and losing her balance Tina is about to fall but I hold her around waist saving her from the fall. The lapels of her bathrobe parts a little and I avert my eyes. "Sorry, it's an urgency," before she could register what I said, I dropped her on the floor and walked past her into the bathroom.

"Argh," I heard her as I locked the bathroom door. I finished my morning chores and opened the door but I found it locked from outside. "Tina," I knocked on the door.

"I'll open the door once I finish dressing." She replies from outside and I bang on the door for one last time. I decided to take a bath in the meantime and I did so.

Once I finish bathing, I walk to the vanity and tie a towel around my waist. When I'm about to take the bathrobe from the anchor, a crooked idea comes to my mind.

You made me squirm with urgency now I'll make you squirm in shyness.

I ditch the bathrobe, unlock the bathroom door and lightly pull on the door to check whether it's still locked or not. Tina has unlocked the doors as she said. I pull it further to find Tina whacking her hair with the towel before dropping the towel in the laundry basket.

I walk into the closet just in the towel and stand beside her as she takes the kumkum box to apply kumkum on her hairline. I bend close to her and drop my used clothes in the basket.

Tina freezes for a second, "Rudhran ji, why are you behaving so shamelessly?"

I open the first layer of my towel without revealing anything, "Wanna see the shameless me?"

She turns the other way and I tuck my towel back in place. I hold her left arm and turn her, pulling her closer to me. I hold her right arm too. She shuts her eyes tight and hunch her shoulders in fear.

"I'm not a shameless creep to undress in front of a third person," she slowly opens her eyes and looks at me. "Even coming out of the bathroom without a bathrobe is to make a point. If you mess with me, I'll mess with you. What happened last night to me has happened to you today. So understand the difference between intentional and unintentional mistakes and behave accordingly."

Tina's lips quiver, "Sorry," she whispers before closing her eyes again. She looks like a beautiful art in the peach colour Churidar with the flushed skin, tightly shut eyes, small bindi between her eyebrows, wet hair and the kumkum in her hairline.

I release her arms, taking a step back, I retrieve a three piece suit from my wardrobe and enter the bathroom after whispering an apology to her. It seems like I need to get changed inside the bathroom today and start back the process of co-existing.

But what the fuck is wrong with my mind?

Raj

"Intha supervisor enga poi tholanjan?" I check the watch. It's been five minutes since we reached the Harshavardhan Plantation grounds and called the supervisor to come and show us around. (Where the hell did this supervisor go?)

Today, morning Thooriga was escorted to the Harshavardhan Holdings Inc and I explained to her about the operations. When the Harshavardhan estate was founded, it was only with Tea and Vegetable plantations. As it was passed on by the generations, with new ideas various operations in different fields have started.

Lately Thooran sir launched hospitality services and IT company under the Harshavardhan Holdings Inc. After his demise we were just working on the development of current ventures as only Thooriga has the power to start or try her hand in any other new venture.

Though Eshwaran sir has a snarky tongue without his and Rudhran's help, I wouldn't have been able to handle this empire. I'm governing the fifty two percent shares of Thooriga while Rudhran, Ilakkiya ma'am, Eshwaran Sir and their other cousins who are not staying in the Mansion own the remaining percentage of shares.

"Mr Bodyyy-guard, innum evlo neram wait pananum?" Thooriga asks me while we are waiting inside the car for the supervisor to arrive. (Mr Bodyguard, how long do we need to wait?)

"Therila Heiress, Intha supervisor..." A knock on the car window stops me and I find a short image of the supervisor standing outside the car. (Not sure Heiress, This supervisor...)

(Redin Kingsley as Supervisor Govind)

I lower the glass and he salutes us wearing a greyish green safari suit, "Good Aftarnoon Sar, Good Aftarnoon Heiress, I'm supervisor Govindan at your service."

"Car la eru, Heiress ku Estate suthi kaatanum," I ordered him. (Get into the car and show around the Estate to the Heiress.)

"Aiyoo Car ah? Walking illa horse riding la ponna thaan nalla suthi paaka mudiyum" He screeches in his high pitched voice. (In the car? It'll be nice only if we look around by walking or riding on a horse.)

"Safety protocol, car la thaan porom." I glared at him. (For safety protocols, get into the car.)

"Tsk Tsk Tsk, Sorry Heiress, oru supervisor ah ungaluku best tour experience ennala koduka mudila," He lowers and shakes his head dramatically before getting into the car. (As a supervisor, I failed to give you the best touring experience.)

We take the road as Govind shows her around and explains about the process of Plantation as Saby plays mild music in the car. Thooriga looks so excited to see and learn everything as a grown up adult.

Aval mugam paarthu

Naan indru thadumaarinen

When he shows the plantation on the left side, she leans over me and looks out the window.

Nizhal thoda verthu

Uyir konda silai aaguren

I've been controlling myself since last night and she is testing my patience a lot.

Oh aval mugam paarthu

Naan indru thadumaarineno

She leans back and eyes me. I know she is doing it purposely.

Nizhal thoda verthu

Uyir konda silai aagureno

So baby don't you

Break break my break break my heart

So baby don't you

Break break my break break my heart

Don't you dare break my heart

Break my heart break my heart

So baby don't you

Break break my break break my heart

So baby don't you

[heavy beat mixed with western and classical fusion]

"Konjam orey edathula ukanthu paakuriya?" I requested her, adjusting my throat. (Can you sit in a place and watch?)

"Ennaku inga irunthu seriya theriya maatenguthu," She pouts at me and Govind turns to look at us. She throws him the same hurt puppy look. (I'm unable to see properly from this side.)

[swarangal with heavy music, goes on]

"Ithuku thaan naan appave sonnen walking illa horse riding la poona naala suthi pakalam," Govind shouts over the music. (That's why I said if we go walking or horse riding it will be easy.)

"Mama pleaseee," Thooriga purrs in a low voice, moving close to me without others hearing it.

"Okay fine," I agree and Saby stops close to one of the entrances of the plantation from the road. Thooriga gets down the car excited and breathes in the fresh pollution free car.

Idhuvarai paartha pennil

Unai pola enai yaarumae

Azhagaalae kondru thindru

Uyir meettu thara villaiyae

She looks so beautiful in the turtleneck sweatshirt and slim fit jeans accenturing her curves and the high rise ponytail makes her heart shaped cheekbones sharper.

Oh idhuvarai paartha pennil

Unai pola enai yaarumae

Azhagaalae kondru thindru

Uyir meettu thara villaiyae

Thooriga and I walk surrounded by the guards with Saby and Jagan in front and Govind guides by walking a couple of steps between them and us.

Unnoda nadakkindra Siru dhooram

Kidaikkindra sila neram

En vaazhvin varamaagavae

Iravellam unai thedi alaigindren

Kidaithum naan tholaigindren

Puyal kaatril vilakkaagavae

Thooriga closely watches and learns the process of plantation and talks amicably with the workers when Govid introduces them to her.

So baby don't you

Break break my break break my heart

So baby don't you

Break break my break break my heart

All workers are pleased to find the down to earth Heiress and she woos everyone easily with her natural charm.

Don't you dare break my heart

Break my heart break my heart

So baby don't you

Break break my break break my heart

So baby don't you

"Cheri inga iruthu cleaning and shipping process poi paaka porom, athuku horse la polam," Govind announces to us before calling the hostler to bring the horses. (Okay, from here we will ride on a horse to reach the cleaning and shipping process area.)

Thooriga claps her excitedly and looks at me. Instantly her eyes changed from excitement into hooded, "I loveee riding," she take a couple of seconds break, "Horses."

Fuck this girl is going to be the death of me.

But I'm not going to let her go after teasing me, "I love flogging them." I fold my arms behind me and look straight.

"I'd love to..." Thooriga stops as Saby coughs.

"Enna aachu, Saby?" I lift an eyebrow. (What happened, Saby?)

"I love coughing, Boss," He rubs his chest and turns away.

The horses arrive and I help Thooriga to get on one, "Ghoda mela Ghodi eruthu," I whisper as she hops and sits on the saddle. (A mare is hopping on a horse.)

She looks at me gaped as I hop on the horse. She bends and rubs the neck of the horse as she rocks her hips on the saddle. And it's my turn to look at her gaped. I rub my hands together and scratch in my middle palm looking at her top to bottom before holding the reins. I check my watch and it's almost four in the evening.

Just a few more hours heiress. All your hardwork will be paid.