SOHAM'S POV

" Why are you sad? " Dhruv questioned me as I sat on floor looking at my mom's picture on the wall.

" You have such a comfy bed, come up!  We need to decide what color Aahana might like for this room.  You know women tend to change the color of the room in which they live with their partners!  I just hope Aahana is not as demanding as mine" he spoke

" Soham when the lady of your dreams marries you,  make sure you keep a proposal in front of her that she shouldn't dictate to you much like I do to your dad " Mom said pinching my nose.

" But Mom,  what's wrong with it?  She's going to leave her family and stay with me her whole life.  I can allow her to dictate to me at least.  By the way she's free to do whatever she wants to do" I said smiling at her.

" Good Soham!  But remember one thing, she might be staying with you,  owning your family as hers but you have equal responsibility to stay with her and her family at any cost.  Protect, cherish,  and share her emotions as well as difficulties.  "  Mom warned.

" You have raised me well enough that I take care of my future wife without you lecturing me about it"  I said smiling widely.

" Soham,  if you were asked to leave your house and enter somewhere,  where you can identify a person's face but not their personality as you are completely new in their world and life,  would you not get scared to face such situations?  Imagine how your future wife might be dealing with it.  I want you to promise me that you would do anything to make her happy and keep her safe.  " She said holding my hand.

" Promise " I spoke out loud.

" What?  Will you stop daydreaming?  If you needed some alone time with your thoughts then why did you call me immediately?  I am already angry that you did not even think of inviting me while getting engaged even though we are in the same city. Now you are ignoring me!  " he huffed lying on my bed.

I crawled beside him and slept on his hand while he tried to jerk me off.  Dhruv has always been my good friend,  our bond grew strong when he went into depression knowing that my sister got kidnapped.  He had a special attachment with her I don't know why but he considered her as his sister.  If not for Dhruv's persistent search for my sister,  I would have never reached her or even know where she is. 

" I miss her nagging about my dirty shoes " he said with teary eyes.

" Nidhi was taught to always keep her shoes shiny by her teacher at school" I said smiling a bit.

" That's the reason,  I put dirt on shoes whenever I visit her. She was like a daughter to me.  If my wife gives birth to a girl,  I will be most happiest person on earth Soham" he said turning towards me.

" I will be too.  " I replied

" I was tracing his calls the other day,  he spoke with you for straight twelve minutes.  What did he say?  " he asked.

I told him whatever conversation took place between us, Dhruv might appear calm but he loses his temper pretty quickly. 

" Like seriously?  That's not even threatening Soham,  still he got worried.  I like it that you mentioned about his men.  He must be wondering where they went ." Dhruv snickered. 

" What did you do with those men? " I questioned him. 

" See perks of having influence everywhere.  I don't need to be a billionaire like you but yeah I got some contacts who can handle such people " he boasted about himself.

" Billionaire?  Seriously?  I just run a small publication house.  By the way what contacts are you talking about?  You are head of network security engineers at multinational company.  I can proudly say my ethical hacker but do explain how in the world you have access to contacts which I don't have?" I questioned him. 

" Dear Soham,  many companies fall at my feet to keep their company data secure and safe.  I tend to help them and in return, I get the help I want! Simple!  " he boasted again winking at me. 

He chose a completely different profession. I thought he may not progress much in his field but the amount of talent and work experience he had brought him to this level.  I don't know what happened with his men but I am sure they are never going to return to him nor to our orphanage again.  My phone rang making me move to grab it. 

" Hello? " I answered without looking at the caller ID. 

" Aahana here " I heard her voice and I jumped immediately moving away from Dhruv. 

" Yes Aahu,  sorry I didn't see caller ID" I spoke.

" I wanted to let you know that I can't marry you Soham " she said seriously making my heart skip a beat.

" What?  Why?  What happened suddenly? " I questioned her.

" I am not able to find any perfect outfit for the wedding.  I mean I don't want to be as plain as I am on my engagement day, wearing a ponytail." she replied calming my nerves down. 

You scared me, woman! 

" Aahana don't worry.  I will ask my friends if they know any place where you can get your wedding dress.  " I suggested hoping she would calm down.

" Don't want to buy too expensive one!  I will maximum wear it for that one day.  Plus I can't afford also Soham.  " she complained. 

" Buy whatever you want to,  no one is going to ask your wedding dress cost on your wedding Aahu.  Just calm down.  I will call you back with the information you need.  Anything else?" I asked her.

" Yeah,  we have exams at college and I can't take leave.  So we can't marry Soham!  So many problems! I can't take this stress !" she shouted.

" Just calm down.  We both will go and talk with your Principal.  I am sure she will allow and find a substitute for your absence.  Don't get stressed Aahu,  you have completed your college. So just chill.  Exams are for students not for you " I said chuckling at the way she's overreacting to everything. 

" OK bye " she said disconnecting our call suddenly. 

Great!

" Offo!  She's bad!  Should have talked for an hour or so,  I will wait no problem!  I am not married,  my wife is certainly not pregnant and most of all I am unemployed,  so I got all the time in the world to wait for you " I heard Dhruv shouting over my shoulder annoying me.

" Dhruv,  shut up!  " I said walking back to my bed.

" Yeah,  OK " he replied. 

" Listen,  I feel someone is keeping an eye on us for him.  You know someone we know, I can't point out or say who it might be but I have a feeling,  it's someone close to us.  " I started.

" I feel that person might be working for me or staying in this building with me.  I don't know.  You can't help me unless I give you the benefit of the doubt on someone.  " I continued.

" Did you find anything suspicious? " he asked me.

" I didn't.  Can't even imagine who can it be.  Do you think someone from the orphanage is working for him?  " I questioned him.

" I don't know Soham. We can't do anything until that person makes some mistake for us to doubt them " he said making me nod my head in approval.

" You asked me to visit you to talk about this?  Seriously?  What were you thinking?  " he punched making me laugh at him.  I walked to my closet and took out the box which I always wanted him to see. 

"Here take this,  it's Nidhi's.  She collected articles which asked her to do.  " I said handing him the box.

He had tears in his eyes.  Who knew a jolly person like him would have such a soft heart?  He wanted Nidhi to know about different animals and their habitats as she was weak in remembering their names,  he suggested that she should collect pictures from the newspaper .

" She collected so many Soham! " he exclaimed taking one after another. 

" I wanted to stick them in her room,  with names below it.  Wanted to make her learn about animals!  I miss her so much Soham,  she has been the apple of our eyes.  I will never forgive that animal who took her life " he spoke with anger lacing his voice. 

We both were silent looking at the paper cuttings Nidhi collected.  Suddenly Dhruv stopped looking at pictures and turned to papers.

" Soham! Look here!  It's an article about your orphanage!  There's an interview with people who live in your orphanage Soham!  I think they printed it behind the wildlife article.  Let's assemble it " he shouted.  We both struggled to get piece by piece and somehow joined half of the article. 

" Get a tape!  Now!  " he shouted.

" Dhruv,  it's just an article about the orphanage,  how it runs and all.  What will we find in it? " I questioned him.

" Just get a tape Soham! " he shouted making me flinch. 

" Shit,  this article about wildlife is half-page!  Another half of the interview is missing!  We don't even have a date section here Soham " he said taping each paper piece together.

'Yes I came here from the hospital,  I was told my mom died giving birth to my baby brother '

Do you know who is your father? 

' I don't remember my father,  if I see his face maybe I will recognize him'

Did you come here with your baby brother?

' No,  I was told he died too.  '

How are you liking here?  We heard you are the most disciplined and responsible one here,  do you like the way you grew up?  Were you happy after coming here?  What do you think about this orphanage?

' I am happy here.  I don't remember much about my life before this.  So I can't compare.  Here everyone looked after me as their own.  But I do want to know my identity,  don't want to get recognized as someone who grew up in an orphanage as I have some family somewhere I do want to search and find them.  This orphanage has given me everything.  They made my life.  '

" See this particular one?  I think it's him.  Why don't you find out?  They might have some copy in your orphanage about his interview. " Dhruv suggested. 

As I was getting ready to leave,  my phone rang.

" Hello? " Dhruv answered.

" You! " he shouted and I knew who it is. 

" Give me the phone " I said taking it from him. 

" Well hello there Soham!  " he greeted me sweetly. 

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