Dear Readers,

Thank you to everyone who has taken an active part in the comments section.

This is an unedited draft of the book, meaning there will be several grammatical errors, name mismatches, plot discrepancies, and other sematic errors. If that is something you find offence, please do not proceed further.

The book is made available on Wattpad for feedback, once feedback is collected the book will be pulled from the platform, sent for professional editing and then published on Amazon kindle as a part of its unlimited program.

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Swati Sandeep

Dheer looked at the ingredients hard, trying to memorize their names. He never knew that so many ingredients went in what he ate. Dhruv had shown him a bunch of spices and asked him to name them. To his dismay he was barely able to recognize six of them and there were more than a hundred. 

Dhruv put the kitchen towel down and gave Dheer a serious look. Even his Dev recognized more ingredients than the boy. He did not understand how someone could be so clueless. For a second he wanted to yell at him, but then those confused eyes, that looked at him with apprehension, tied his tongue. Dev had the same look in his eyes whenever he messed up. He did not know why he was comparing the boy to his brother but he could not help himself.

"Did you never help your parents in the kitchen?" Dhruv asked casually, but the pain that flickered in Dheer's eyes made him question himself.

"Did I ask something wrong?"

Dheer shook his head. There was no way Dhruv would know about his parents. Aman introduced him as his Butler's son. So the question was not meant to hurt, but the mention of his parents always left a pang in his heart. He grabbed an ingredient to distract himself. It looked a deep shade of red. He was sure it was not paprika and took a whiff to see if he recognized the smell. That was the wrong thing to do. He came down with a fit of sneezes as the cursed ingredient wrecked havoc with his respiratory system. He could barely breathe.

Dhruv grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out of the kitchen. For the second time in a row, Dheer came down with an asthma attack and he barely ever suffered from those anymore. It was as if fate was hell bent on creating trouble for him. Dhruv made him sit in the office and helped him with the medicine again. The staff were already talking. Dheer was a disaster in the kitchen. Dhruv did not know what to do with the boy.

The flushed face, and his condition worried him to no end. The boy was better off in an airconditioned office than the kitchen. He did not know why he volunteered to be a chef. It was to earn a keep then Dheer was making a mistake. Cooking was not for him.

"Tu theek hai? (Are you okay?)" Dhruv asked, once Dheer stopped wheezing. Dheer could only nod his head. He did not know what the bloody ingredient was, but he was determined to keep the hell away from it.

Dhruv turned the chair around, forcing Dheer to look at him. "Look at me and tell me why you want to be a chef?"

Dhruv looked up, a lie ready on his lips, but when those amber eyes bore into him, he could barely muster a word. His lips refused to form the lie.

"I asked you a question, Dheer."

Dheer took a deep breath. He could do it, he told himself but his dumb mouth refused to cooperate.

"Do you have a hearing problem?"

"I am sorry." Dheer muttered. "I will not mess up again. I will not give you a chance to complain." Dheer promised himself to be more careful. He could not behave like an idiot.

Dhruv shook his head. The kid did not know what he wanted, or he was under a lot of pressure. Either way Dhruv was worried that he was not the right person for the job. "Cooking is not everyones cup of tea, Dheer." Dhruv said as gently as he could.. "I don't know why you took up this job, but maybe this is not your calling. Tell me honestly, is this what you want to do?"

Dheer looked back at Dhruv. "I can learn, Sir."

"Anyone can learn to cook. It's not rocket science. I am not saying you won't be able to learn. What I am asking is if you can see yourself as a chef? Is this what you want?"

"Usse kya farq padega, sir? (How will it make a difference, Sir?)"

"Your profession plays a major part in your life. You dedicate 8 hours to work every day. That is more than one third of your adult life. If you are stuck doing something you do not like, life will become a burden. You are young, Dheer. You have your whole life ahead of you. Think this through. Do not rush into something that will make you regret in future...."

"I will not regret it, Sir." Dheer gently cut him off. "I may not know much about cooking, but I am determined to learn. You will not lose. You can trust me."

Dhruv did not press him further. The boy was not his blood, if he was he would have asked him to stop the madness. It was clear that Dheer did not want to become a chef, he was doing it out of necessity. One day the boy would realize the error of his ways, but it would be too late for him. Dhruv could only wish that Dheer would open his eyes sooner. Maybe if he felt the heat of the situation, he would understand what Dhruv was trying to say.

Dhruv decided to take the bull by the horns. "In that case, we should get back to the kitchen. I want you to do an inventory of everything we have in the freezer. It is your responsibility from now on. I want the stock updated everyday. You will not leave until the inventory is done."

Dheer nodded his head. He did not know half the ingredients. He would have to do some quick learning.

"For today I will help you with the names. I expect you to memorise them, Dheer. There is no scope for mistakes. We only serve the best, which means every ingredient should be fresh and in stock. You may be new, but I will not tolerate mistakes. Remember that."

Dheer bobbed his head. He would never make a mistake. He would check them ten times to make sure everything was fine. "Now come with me. I will show you our freezer. You need to learn to operate it."

Dhruv did not wait for his response and made his way to the back of the kitchen. Dheer quietly trailed behind. His life was quickly changing. All he could do was adapt.

By the end of the eight hour shift Dheer understood what Dhruv was trying to say. Anyone could cook, but it took much more than skill to become a chef. Four hours in the freezer with those ingredients and smells gave Dheer a headache. If he had his way he would not step into a kitchen again. Everytime he closed his eyes he could only think about ingredients and vegetables. If he continued with the work, he would add those damn ingredients to his gaming app.

Dheer shook his head to get rid of the smell but it only made the headache worsen. All he wanted to do was go home and sleep, but the thought of Metro filled him with dread. Dhruv had given him the metro pass and asked him to take a ride back on his own as he had to stay back to greet a VIP client. Now he was on his own. He would  have rather walked but their home was  a good ten miles away. Walking was out of question.

Dheer resigned himself and made his way to the metro station. As the crowd thickened he plugged in the earphones to drown the reality. Whenever he felt low he listened to his Bade papa's songs. His father had been an ardent admirer and Dheer grew up listening to those songs. There was a time when Abhishek Singh Randhawa was an inspiration to many. He was acclaimed the Voice of the Nation. He had taken music to great heights, delivered blockbuster hits, but fate took a drastic turn when he lost it all.

Dheer felt a wave of sadness wash over him as he recalled the past. Something happened after the accident. Abhishek never sang after that. His career took a big hit. Within two years he lost everything that he had gained over the years, the fame, the reputation, the respect, even the money. No one knew what happened.
The Randhwa couple were too busy trying to help Dheer out of his trauma. The accident left him with scars. It took him three years to even sit in a car without panicking. Another two years to make peace with the loss. His grandparents made it their life mission to help him and somewhere they lost track of reality.

As his bade papa sang about hope and trust, Dheer could feel his filling up. He wished someone was there to give hope to his uncle. Someone to tell him that everything would get better. The man had been too proud to ask for help. In the end both the families had paid the price.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Dheer did not realize when the train came to a stop. He was filled with regrets and longing. As he made his way out of the station someone patted his back. He was so lost in thought that he was not paying attention. He turned around to look at the person, and felt his heart skipping a beat again.

It was the same girl from the beach. For a second he stood frozen in his place. He did not know if he was imagining things. Or if she was really there. The girl was saying something but he could not hear a word. The music blocked out everything else. The girl hit her forehead and pulled the earphones out of his ears. "Aapse baat kar rahe hoon, Janab. (I am talking to you, mister.)" She shook her head in frustration. "You left your bag behind." She handed him his backpack.

Dheer's eyes widened in shock. He had not realized that he had done so. The backpack had his laptop. If he lost it he would have lost a lot of data, not to mention that he did not have the funds to buy a new one.

"Thank you." He managed to blurt out.

"New to Mumbai?" She shook her head again. She could spot a newbie from a mile far.

Dheer nodded his head as they made their way outside.

"This city does not stop for anyone. If you lose something you are not going to get it back. Don't be careless again."

Dheer could sense the reprimand. The girl looked younger than him but she sounded experienced. Since she helped him and was pleasant on the sight, Dheer smiled in answer. She gave him a wave and walked away. Dheer followed behind her. The girl suddenly stopped and turned around. Her eyes flashing with irritation. "Why are you following me, Mister?"

Dheer's eyebrows shot up as he realized that he was indeed following her, albeit unintentionally. "I was not following you lady." He corrected her misconception. "I was going to my ho- place." Dheer corrected himself at the last minute. The word home was too enticing. He had to remind himself that it was not his home. It was only a place to stay.

"And you stay in Nirav Hills?" Her eyes glinted.

Dheer nodded his head. Her eyes told him that she did not believe him, but he was not in a mood to convince anyone. He was in desperate need of a shower. Dheer was almost sure that he smelt like marinated chicken. That is not the first impression he wanted to make on any girl. Least of someone who looked like a goddess. He gave her a salute and walked away.

The girl waited for a few minutes before following behind him. Dheer could hear her footsteps but did not pay heed. If he was in New York he would not have hesitated to chase her. Even asked her out for coffee, but now he did not have the luxury or the money to even get her a bottle of water. Coffee was out of the question. Until he got back to his life he could not think about dating or women.

As he reached the house a gentle melody greeted him, making him smile. He did not have to take a guess at who it was, he knew it was his brother. His investigator had been through. He knew Dev was enrolled in one of the best music colleges of the country. Though the deception did not sit well with him he knew he was proud of Dev's talent.

He rushed inside, desperate to see the boy playing, but as he pushed the door to the room open, Dev got up in a hurry. He looked flushed and sacred, his eyes searching behind him. Dev relaxed when he saw no one. He sat down on the bed and palmed his face. Dheer closed the door behind him and approached the boy. The fear in his eyes had been real. He did not understand the reason, but he did not like seeing the nervousness.

"Are you okay, Dev?" He spoke softly, so as not to startle him.

Dev nodded his head and looked away. Dheer could see the moisture in the boy's eyes. He was not just scared. It was something more than that. Dheer walked out to give him time to compose himself. No boy that age deserved to fear being caught. His detective told him that Dhruv did not like music. The very thought was absurd to him. It was Dhruv who taught him guitar. He could never forget the joy in Dhruv's eyes as he strummed the guitar. He did not know what changed so suddenly, but whatever it was, Dhruv had no right to dictate Dev's choices. The man who was counseling a stranger about the importance of career was ignoring his brother's distress.

Dheer was filled with anger. He wanted to confront Dhruv and give him a peace of mind. Kis haq se? (What right do you have?) His conscience questioned him. Dheer knew he had no right. His life was their own. They had their right to make their own choices. He was no one to question them. Dheer grabbed a glass of water and walked back to the room.

He could not leave the boy alone when he looked so disheartened. Dev looked up when he heard the footsteps. He tried to smile but the warmth was missing from his eyes.

"How was your day, Bhai?"

Dheer made him sit and handed him the water. "I will not ask you what upset you, Dev." He told him casually. "Don't put on an act for me. We all have the right to be ourselves in our homes. I don't want to take that away from you."

Dev looked down. He wanted to cry, but controlled his emotions. Every Time he played he was filled with happiness, but at the same time guilt ate at him. He was deceiving the one person he respected the most and hated himself for it. Dhriti kept assuring him that she would talk to Dhruv and sort things out. When she had handed him the college application she promised him to make everything right in a few weeks. Weeks turned into months and nothing happened. The college helped him realize what he was missing in life. Now that he had gotten a taste, Dev knew he would not be able to take a step back even to please Dhruv. If Dhiti waited for the right moment, he dreaded the confrontation. One day too soon Dhruv would know the truth and then they would have to talk about it. He would have to tell his Bhaiya that he could not give up his dream. That would forever change things between them. Dhruv would no longer love him. He would hate him. His eyes filled at the thought. He wished someone would convince his Bhaiya that music was not bad. What happened to their father was an unfortunate thing. Not every singer faced the same fate. He was not sure if he would ever be successful, but he knew he would not make his father's mistakes. He had seen his family fall apart because of his father's deeds. He could not offer them the same pain. He wished...

"Have some water." Dheer's gentle voice startled Dev out of his thoughts. He took the water without protest.

"If you want to be alone I can wait in the living room."

Dev shook his head. He did not wish to be on his own. If he was alone he would over think. That was the last thing he wanted to do.

"Do you play chess?" Dev asked with hesitation.

Dheer nodded his head. It was his grandfather's favorite game. They often played for hours without break. Both of them were stubborn and refused to give up. That ended in a lot of stalemates.

"Can we play?"

Dheer was exhausted, but he nodded his head. Anything to get rid of the gloom in Dev's eyes.

"I will grab a quick shower first." Dheer told him with a smile. "Why don't you set up the board?"

Dev bobbed his head. Dheer grabbed his clothes and walked inside. For once he wished his grandmother was there to talk to Dhruv. She always knew what to say, and had a knack with words. If she was a part of their lives she would have made Dhruv realize his mistake. She would have taken a stand for Dev, the way she did for him. She was there to fight for his wishes, the kid was on his own. There was Dhriti, Dheer conceded, but the Lady Gaga was handling the thing the wrong way.

Lies and deception only led to more trouble. He wanted to judge but then he was acting no better. The truth would come out one day. All they could do was pray that Dev would not have to pay the price.

Dhriti rushed home as soon as the agent called to let her know that the new tenant would be moving in the evening. Dhruv was busy with the VIP dinner, she could not let Dev alone with strangers. Though the agent assured her that the Tenant was a gentleman, she could not trust a stranger blindly. Not with her brother.

When she pulled her car into the driveway she saw the other car waiting outside. Dhriti was glad the agent followed instructions and waited for her to come home. The lease was already signed but she wanted to talk to the tenants before they moved in. She got out and grabbed the keys from the car. She always carried a spare set of house keys with her. A necessary precaution. She undid the penthouse keys and projected them. If she was satisfied she would have to give it to them.

As she approached the car, she heard a lady's laughter and stopped. The agent told him that a gentleman had rented the place. A lady put her at the edge. Dhruv would throw a fit if was an unmarried couple. He had nothing against live-in-relationships, but he did not want any complications. Neither did she. The money was very tempting. She prayed they were married and walked towards the car.

The agent greeted her with a warm smile. He was waiting outside the car. "They are here ma'am. You have the keys?"

"I would like to meet them once." Dhriti's voice left no room for argument. The car door opened and Aman strolled outside. He was waiting for a good thirty minutes. The lady had absolutely no sense of time. He was already pissed. Before he could open his mouth and say something damaging Akshu got out and took over smoothly.

"You must be Dr. Randhwa." Akshu offered her hand, coming between Aman and the lady. Her brother was whining for the past 30 minutes. Aman in that mood was not good company. She could not condemn her worst enemy to his company.

Dhriti was glad she had come between. Her heart was doing a somersault in her chest. Never before had a man managed to capture her attention at the first glance. Aman Shekhawat. She took a minute to compose her features. She did not understand why her heart behaved like a lunatic. It was not like she was starved for male company. She dated often, but never took any of those dates casually. She was not in the market for commitment and she made sure she made it clear to them. Most of the men she dated were more handsome than Aman, but there was something about his rugged look that she found irresistible. He is with another girl, Dhriti. Get a grip on your emotions. She chastised herself.

"Akshara Shekhawat" Akshu introduced herself. "My brother leased this place for us."

Dhriti nodded her head as her heart raced again. So she was his sister not his girl.

"Dhriti Singh Randhawa." Dhriti introduced herself. "Why don't you come inside for coffee? I need to give you the keys."

Akshara looked at Aman. He did not like soliciting with strangers. She needed to know if he was okay with the idea, but then she found him staring at Dhriti. She knew the look well. Her brother fell in and out of love easily. It did not surprise her that he found Dhriti attractive. She was a beautiful woman, but she did not think the lady would appreciate being stared at. She gave her brother a little nudge before he could embarrass himself. Aman stifled a wince and glared at Akshara. She had almost bruised his rib.

"Coffee ke leye chale, Bhaiyu? (Shall we go for the coffee, Bhaiyu?)"

Aman could only bob his head. All the irritation he felt when he was waiting for her washed away at the sight of her. He was never in shortage for female company, but the lady looked like an angel. He had dated many beautiful women, but there was something about Dhriti that he found irresistible. He could barely take his eyes off her.

Dhriti walked inside in a hurry, trying hard to school her emotions. Akhara grabbed Aman's hand hissed under her breath. "Will you stop staring? You will make her uncomfortable."

Aman rolled his eyes. "She was staring right back, princess."

"Anyone would state back when they see a creep ogling them. Stop it before she throws us out. You wanted to rent the place. She is your landlady. Behave."

"What did I do?"

"I know you well, Aman. She is Dheer's cousin. You don't want to mess with Dheren Singh Randhawa. The boy is very cool, but he is very possessive about his family. I don't want you to end up with broken bones."

"As if our boy can take me on."

"He is not just your partner." Akshara shook her head. "He is a brother as well. You have no idea how brothers are about their sisters. You are the only exception I have ever encountered."

"You want me to play the bodyguard?" Aman draped his arms around her and pulled her closer. He never had to act as the dragon to his princess, she could always guard herself. He had always been proud of her.

"Hell no." Akshara smiled as she leaned into his warmth. "Just don't show your fangs yet. Let the lady get used to you first. Okay?"

"I have very very pretty fangs, princess. Maybe she will fall for them?"

Akshara let out a soft laugh. He might have pretty fangs but he had a sharp tongue as well. That is what kept the ladies at bay. It took a special someone to put up with her Bhaiyu's saas. The right woman would know how to deal with it and put him firmly in his place. Until he found his Ms. Perfect Aman could fall in and love as he pleased. She had no objections, but she sincerely hoped Aman found his woman soon. She could not wait to welcome her Bahbhi.

1- What do you think about Abhishek Singh Randhawa?

2- Is Dev right?

3- Which bro-sis bond do you like until now. And why?

Stay tuned for Teaser.

Next update is on Monday.