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

The doors slid open with a mechanical hiss, revealing a sea of bodies packed tightly within the metro car. Dheer hesitated on the platform, his senses assaulted by the mayhem of voices and the mingling scents of perfumes and sweat. He had never seen so many people crammed into such a confined space. For a second he was overwhelmed with a strong urge to turn tail and run. He was not a crowd person. A gentle hand, wrapped around his shoulder and pulled him closer, saving him from behind crushed by the outgoing passengers.

Stepping inside, he found himself caught in the human tide, carried forward by the momentum of those behind him. Dhruv guided him inside the car before it would close. There was no place to sit. That was the first thing that Dheer noticed. Dhruv gently guided him towards the rear end of the car, where the crowd was relatively less. They had a little room to breathe.

"We will reach there in fifteen minutes." Dhruv told him when he noticed him searching for a seat. After a full day of work, even those fifteen minutes seemed forever. The train jerked to life, and Dhreer staggered, his hand fumbling for something to hold onto. The overhead handles were all occupied, but Dhruv gently pulled him back.

"Hold on to my jacket, until you get the hang of it. It's difficult the first time. You will get used to it, kiddo."

Dheer hesitated, but the next alternative was to hold on to a stranger. His brother- Dhruv he quickly corrected himself, was a far better option. He tried to hold Dhuruv's hand gently but when the next jerk came he held on Dhruv for his dear life. Dignity be damned. He wondered how people managed to ride the metro without falling flat on their faces. It was worse than a roller coaster ride. At least on those fast paced rided Dheer could enjoy the thrill. Now he had to duck the strangers around him.

"Never took the metro in New York?" Dhruv's voice was filled with amusement. The look on Dheer's face told him a lot. The boy was not comfortable with the crowds.

Dheer shook his head. Being the Randhawa heir came with a lot of restrictions. The security never let him go anywhere alone. Crowded places were out of the question. Even at airports he was given VIP access. Even now the security team trailed behind him. He could see his men blending naturally with the Mumbai crowd. They were taking the change much better than him. He had instructed them to do their job from the shadows and they followed his command. He paid them enough to keep their mouths shut. Thankfully he had made the payment before he came to India or his charming sister would have used it as a clause to get rid of him. Dheer was not taking any chances with her. She was the last person he trusted.

"How did you commute to college?"

Dheer looked back at his brother- AKA the question bank. He wondered if the man would ever stop questioning him.

"What makes you think that I went to college, Sir?"

For a second Dhruv felt a pang in his heart. He wanted the kid to go to college. He wanted him to have a formal education. He could train him to be a chef but a formal education prepared a person for real life. Dhruv had to learn everything the hard way. He knew nothing about balancing accounts, or branding. All he knew was to cook good food and that was not enough to run a successful business. One had to have a sound knowledge of operations and marketing, not to mention the laws. Dhruv had to depend on strangers for help. He was often duped and frauded. Each lesson came with a price. He taught himself how to balance the ledgers and got a CA to take care of the rest of the accounts. He was still struggling and would struggle for a long time. He did not want that for anyone else.

"If you do not have a degree in Hotel Management it will become difficult for you, Dheer." He said softly. "If you want to start your own business one day, make sure you get the degree. You don't want others to run the show for you."

Dhruv looked into his eyes. He could read a hint of sadness. Did Dhruv suffer because of lack of formal education? In all probability he was speaking from experience. Dheer had to look away to hide the anger that glinted in his eyes. Dhruv would have gotten the best education in the country if his mother had the decency to put her children before her selfishness. His hands fisted by his side. Dheer thought he had put the resentment behind him, but it would forever be a part of his life. That gave him more reason to hate the late Mrs. Randhawa.

The train came to a screeching halt, startling Dheer. He was still clinging on to Dhruv.

"We need to get down." Dhruv motioned towards the doors. Dheer was never more glad to hear about it. He was about to take a step towards the door when Dhruv stopped him.

"Let them get down first. You don't want to be assaulted on your way out."

Dheer bobbed his head. He had a steep learning curve before him. He was glad someone was there to ease him into it. If not for Dhruv he would be running around like a headless chicken. The situation was not lost on him.

As the crowd thinned, Dhruv grabbed his hand and hurried out of the car. They stepped out on the platform a second before the doors closed. The timing was just perfect. He had to learn the trick.

"That way" Dhruv pointed towards the exit.

As they made their way to the exit, an elderly man rushed to greet them. "Dhruv Singh Randhawa?" Dheer could read a hint of hesitation.

Dhruv flashed a big smile and then shocked Dheer by touching the old man's feet. "Kaise ho aap, sir? (How are you, sir?)"

"Good god, Dhruv. You have grown quite a muscle."

Dhruv smiled. The man was his highschool teacher. Back then he was a skinny boy who preferred to blend in the shadows. A far cry from the man he had become.

"Going back from work?"

Dhruv nodded his head again as they made their way to the exit together. Dheer continued to look at them from under his eyelashes. He wanted to ask who the oldie was, but did not think that it was any of his business.

"Is that, Devansh?" The old man pointed towards Dheer. "Looks quite grown up too."

Dhruv shook his head. "He is my colleague. Dev has joined college this year. Why don't you come home with me, sir. We can catch up. You can meet Dhriti."

The old man shook his head. "I am running late, Dhruv. Some other time." He stopped at the exit and looked back at Dhruv. "You were one of my best students, Dhruv. I am really proud of you. I still tell my students about you. No one won the product launch competition after you did. You would have made a great businessman. It's a tragedy that you had to give up on the college of your dreams."

The old man patted Dhruv on his back. "But what makes me proud is that you made something of yourself. I heard about your restaurant. My daughter tells me that it is the best in the city. She often dines there. I wish one of my sons had your zeal." The last part was laced with regret. "Anyways, take care of yourself, son. Give my blessings to our doctor."

Dhruv nodded his head. The old man walked away with a smile. Dhruv and Dheer walked in silence. The conversation that Dheer overheard left him restless. He knew his Bhaiya wanted to pursue Hotel Management. That was all he talked about when they met the last time. Things had changed so much between them. He wanted to ask so many things, but knew he did not have the right.

"Do you have siblings, Dheer?" It was Dhruv who broke the silence first.

Dheer shook his head.

"Cousins?"

Dheer looked away but nodded his head.

"Good, so you will not have a problem sharing a room with my brother. He is the closest to your age and has a big room with twin beds. You can bunk with him until you get a paycheck, and then get a place for yourself. How does it sound?"

Dheer was shocked. It was not something he planned. When Dhuv asked him to come home he assumed it was only for a night. The offer took him by surprise.

"I can't pay rent now" was the first thing that came to his mind.

"Don't worry, I will deduct it from your paycheck. Think of it as a perk to your apprenticeship. Dev is a good kid, you will not have any problem sharing the room with him. If you are not comfortable, we can look for other options."

Dheer grabbed his hand and stopped him. Dhruv's behavior caused him concern. He was a stranger. The man should be cautious. "Why are you doing this? I mean I am a stranger. For all you know I am a serial killer who likes to murder kids in their bed."

"Do you watch a lot of Netflix, kid?" Dhurv's eyebrows shot up.

Dheer shook his head. The question was completely lost on his brother. "Agar main chor nikla toh aap kya karoge? (What would you do If turn out to be a thief?) What if I rob you silly and run away."

"All you will get in my home is some fresh vegetables and used furniture. Nothing that you can run away with. And Aman recommended you. I have looked into the man, he is no fool. If you were a thief you would not be thinking of getting another job. I may know nothing about you, but I can read people a little. You are neither a thief nor a serial killer, you are only a kid with a goal in focus. I like that about you." I see a reflection of myself in you. Dhruv shook his head and pointed at the house.

"We are here. Let's go in. I hope Dhriti is at home. It's best if you meet them all today."

Dheer braced himself. Meeting Dhriti again would be anything but pleasant. If she opened her mouth his game would be over, but she knew he held the cards. If she was really smart, she would not say a word. Or so he hoped. So far the Randhwa siblings proved to be a mystery to him. He would rather stop making assumptions and go with the flow. It was too late to turn tail and run.

Dhriti sank into the couch, her eyes fluttering shut as she felt her brother's fingers working their magic in her hair. The tension that had been building up all week seemed to melt away with the gentle touch. His fingers moved in slow, deliberate circles, working their way through her tangled hair and onto her scalp. Dhriti let out a sigh of relief as she felt the muscles relaxing under his ministrations. Dev was a godsend.

"You have magic in your hands, Kiddo." A soft smile graced her lips. The conversation with Dheer had left her in a bitter mood. Dheer had the renewed document sent to her chamber, hand-delivered by a posh looking lawyer. She had to take a break from her shift to meet an over-expensive lawyer to go through the cursed document. She was several thousands in debt with her best friend, whose husband was the lawyer. They managed to sort out a decent payment plan. At least she did not have to sell her kidneys to pay the man's fee.

Abhishek, her lawyer, took a look at the document and told her that it was legally binding. There was no way she could get out of it if the kid succeeded in the dumb bet. The only way out was if Dheer violated the agreement and overspent. Which according to her would happen in a day or two, but the thought of him succeeding put her on the edge. If he won, she would have to honor the deal. She hated her grandparents for good reasons. If she had her way she or her brothers would stay away from them forever. Dhriti had to make sure Dheer did not win. She could go to any lengths to protect her siblings. The boy did not know what he was asking her.

Her hands fisted by her side as she fumed in anger. Dev gave her hair a gentle pull. "This won't work if you don't relax, di" He gave her a gentle reproach. "Why are you so stressed out?"

Dhriti wished she could tell him, but Dev, like Dhruv, had a kind heart. The mention of Dheer would only complicate things. Though Dev did not know anything about Dheer, Dhruv made sure the boy knew that he had a cousin. Every year on Dheer's birthday Dhruv distributed food in the temple. His way of praying for the boy. Dev had grown up in Dhruv's shadows. The boy could not hate anyone Dhruv loved, despite it being wrong.

"Phir se headache? (Are you suffering from a headache again?)" Dhruv's question startled Dhriti out of her thoughts. They were waiting for him. He had texted to let them know that he would be there for dinner. Dev refused to eat when Dhruv was coming home early. So did she.

She got up to greet him with a smile, but the smile faded away when she saw Dheer at the door instead. Dhruv was right beside him encouraging him to come inside. Dhriti could not move. For a second she felt panic racing though her heart. Was he there to tell Dhruv everything? She looked at Dhruv. Did her twin know who the boy was?

"Did you have enough water today?" Dhruv gave her a gentle nudge. Dhriti did not realize he had come closer. She was busy glaring at Dheer who looked anything but comfortable.

"What is he doing here?" Dhriti hissed in anger, throwing caution to the wind. If he was there to create trouble for them she would not hesitate to rip out his heart.

"Dheer." Dhruv turned around and looked at the boy, "Wahe kyun khada hai, andar aa na? (Why are you standing there? Come inside.)"

Dhriti's face lost all color. So Dhruv knew about him. How much did Dheer tell Dhruv? Dhruv was still smiling, if Dheer told him about the music lessons or the dumb contract, Dhruv would not be smiling.

"Dheer?" Dhriti questioned carefully, gently testing the waters.

"Dheer Maheshwari." Dhruv made the introductions. "He is training under me. Dheer will stay with us for a few days."

Dhriti's eyes widened in shock. Dhruv never brought his employees home. She did not know how Dheer managed to get through her twin's defenses but she did not appreciate the deception. Dheeren Singh Randhwa could own the world, but her family was off limits.

"Dheer this is my twin, Dr. Dhriti, and he is my younger brother Devansh.."

Dev offered Dheer a shy smile as Dhriti fumed in anger. When he saw Dheer shaking hands with her younger brother she lost her cool. There was no way she was letting Dheer continue with his deception. She opened her mouth to rat him out and then remembered the contract. Her hands fisted by her side. Dheer had a signed copy of the document. That alone was enough to hurt Dhruv. If the moron told Dhruv the truth about Dev her family would be shattered. She could not have that.

Dhriti took a deep calming breath and focused on the problem. Dhruv would never do anything she did not want. No matter what game Dheer was playing she would always have an upper hand in her home.

"Hello Dr. Dhriti." Dhruv extended his hand to her, his lips compressed. Dhriti shot daggers at him but took his hand. Two could play at a game. She would soon show him the door.

"Hello." She gritted her teeth and greeted him, and then looked at Dhruv, "I need to talk to you, Dhruv."

Dhruv nodded his head. He could understand her apprehensions. He had never before brough anyone home without informing her. Dhruv turned around and looked at Dev. "Take him to your room, beta. He will stay with you for a few days."

Dev bobbed his head. He did not mind sharing his room. Dhruv had already texted him to ask if he was willing to share his room with an employee. He told him that an employee needed a place to crash for a few days. Dhruv never did anything without his consent. Dev's room was the biggest in their home. It had 2 beds. Dev did not mind sharing it with anyone. If Dhruv trusted someone he did too.

"This way, Bhai." Dev pointed to the stairs. His room was the only room on the second floor. Both Driti and Dhruv had their rooms on the ground floor.

Dheer stiffened when he heard the word 'Bhai'. Dev had addressed him casually, but the word brother tugged at his heart strings. He had not given Dev much thought, but the boy was his brother. He could not unsee it even if he wanted to. Dev reached for his backpack but Dheer stopped him. He could carry his own back. Dev guided him upstairs.

Dhriti waited until she heard the door closing and then confronted Dhruv. "What were you thinking, Dhruv? Who is the boy? Why did you bring him home?"

Dhruv made her sit and explained to her the situation. He had tried to call her but her phone was switched off. He could only manage to talk to Dev before reaching home. Dhriti listened in disbelief as Dhruv explained everything.

"How can you believe this Shekhawat? What if he is trying to fool you?" Dhriti already concluded that Aman Shekhawat was a fraudster. Anyone who helped Dheer was an enemy. She wanted to wring the man's neck even without knowing anything about him.

"I checked him out. His mother was a regular diner at our place." Dhruv gave her hand a gentle pat. "Relax, Dhriti. I will not bring a stranger to our home. The kid is good, and a little in trouble. We can help him out."

"Why?" Dhriti's eyes glinted. "Why should we help him? Who was there to help us when we needed it? Did anyone come to help us? We had to struggle on our own. You gave up your education....."

"Kya ho gaya tujhe? (What happened to you?). Why are you speaking this way? You always help people, Driti. You don't even take a fee from the patients who can't afford treatment. Why the sudden bitterness?"

Dhriti's hands fisted by her side. She did not know how to tell him the truth.

"The kid did not ask for my help, I offered it to him. This is a good business deal, Dhriti. If I am able to train the kid, Shekhawat will offer a generous compensation. Think about the money. It will change our life, Angel."

"Dhruv..."

"I know what you are thinking. The boy is a stranger. Dev is very young. If you don't want them sharing a room, I will ask him to stay in the penthouse. It will..."

"Someone has already paid a six months lease for the penthouse" Dhriti cut him off. A broker approached her in the evening with the contract. She closed the deal before the other party could change their mind. The money could come in handy.

Dhruv was pleasantly surprised.

"Everything is falling into place, princess. This is a positive sign. I will ask Dheer to share my room."

"No" Dhriti protested immediately. Dhruv and Dheer getting closer was not something she wanted. "I mean your room is small. For now let the boy stay with Dev, but he better be well behaved Dhruv. Agar usne Dev ko zara bhi parehsaan keya toh(If he gives Dev even a little trouble)...."

"I will throw him out myself. No one comes before, Dev." Dhruv assured her. "You know that princess."

Dhriti nodded her head. Dhruv excused himself to get a shower and asked her to set the dinner table. He had prepared enough curry to feed all of them. All he had to do was prepare the rotis. Usually Dev and Driti make do with rice, since he was home early he could treat them to a decent warm dinner.

Driti waited until Dhruv went to his room and marched upstairs. It was time she set Dheer Singh Randhawa right. The moron did not know what was coming for him.

1- What is your take on today's episode?

2- What are your expectations from Dheer and Dev bond?

3- What are your expectations from Dhruv and Dheer.

4- Who was right and wrong today?

The teaser will be covered in next chapter. Stay tuned.