I felt distant vibrations. My vision still black and my skin felt the coldness of the air and I dragged my comforter more close to me and clicked my tongue when I was still feeling the vibrations. I slowly opened my eyes to reach the phone on the side table. My vision was still hazy when I finally realised the time was 7 in the morning.

"Damn" I woke up with a startle. I sprinted off my bed to get the things done as quickly as possible as I had over slept half an hour extra.

"Misha baby. Get up please. We'll miss your school bus. " I called as I checked the time on the wall clock while I was preparing the breakfast.

"5 more minutes Ree please" she whined and I sighed. "If you wake up now I will let you watch your favourite series one episode more in the evening" I said and waited to hear the ruffling of bed sheets and tapping of feet as Misha ran to the wash room to freshen herself up.

"Oh I have to make sure she finishes her home work soon. Just hope her school doesn't send a lot of home work today" I told to myself and continued work on the disaster I call breakfast.

Living alone was a different kind of battle when you compare to the one you have to fight when you have to live with one more person specially a kid.

Misha like her father loved food and every time her face twitched while she tasted the food I made I felt horrible. I cursed myself for not learning basic culinary skills so that I could make her life a bit less miserable.

Every time she tried to smile at me to hide that distaste on her tongue it broke my heart. It always made me go back in time and remember how her life was nothing less than perfect while she lived with Adi.

I still have no idea why he made me her guardian of all people.

The door bell rang while I sadly watched Misha unwillingly munch on the food. I turned to the door and signed her to relax and walked to the door.

As I opened the door I was shocked to find Shresht there smiling down at me as he leaned to the door. I gave him a quizzical look.

"Why are you here at this time?" I asked him and was shocked when he bent to my height placing a soft kiss on my lips. "Good morning to you too sunshine" he said sweetly and walked passing me while I stood there collecting my thoughts thinking about what just happened.

"Superman" Misha jumped in happiness and ran to hug Shresht who knelt down to be at her height and smiled widely as Misha dangled her hands across his neck.

I rolled my eyes at the nicknames she had invented for both the Wadhwa brothers.

"Stop calling him that" I said as I sat on the chair beside Shresht while Misha sat back in her place to eat the breakfast.

"What are you eating by the way?" Shresht reached for the food but Misha moved the plate away quickly. "Mi... Bad manners" I said a bit stiff when Misha apologetically looked at Shresht.

"I... I don't like sharing food"she said a bit hesitant. Shresht looked at her sceptical. I nodded my head and walked to the kitchen to get one more serve for him. It was not that Mr. Shresht Wadhwa would walk out of his mansion hungry but just as a courtesy I thought may be I should offer him some.

When I was walking back to the dining table I heard Misha speaking lowly to Shresht. "Please don't leave Ree" she said and Shresht looked at her confused.

"Why will I do that Princess?" Shresht caressed her cheek fondly. "Papa might be so happy that Ree finally got a boy friend. But if you eat what Ree made you will run away" she said innocently. I was confused. Then I took a small bite and tasted the break fast I made and coughed due to it and spit it in the basin.

"Why are you eating this?" I quickly walked to Misha and moved the plate away from her. I sat on my knees and held her hands to comfort her after she jolted hearing my voice.

"I'm sorry Mi... I am so bad. I can't even cook a proper meal for you. I am sorry that I am making your life more difficult" I felt so helpless at the moment and Misha nodded her head negatively and dangled her hands across my neck and hugged me.

"You are the best Ree. You at least try to feed me. You know when I was at mumma's place she wouldn't even care if I are food. If papa didn't knew cooking will I be angry on him? No right. Because he is special to me and you are special to me too" she cutely smiled at me and felt so warm within I couldn't describe.

Shresht stood up and me and Misha watched him puzzled. "Are you leaving Ree?" Misha reached him and looked up at him. He picked her in his arms and walked to the kitchen and I had to run to stop him at the entrance.

He gave me a puzzled look. I nodded my head silently looking at him with my deep eyes. He just moved me aside and cleared the counter where I had piled so many things and made Misha to sit there and turned to the stove.

And with my boggled out eyes and half open mouth I watched Mr. Senior Wadhwa work like a magician and prepare something in just five minutes.

He took a small spoon and offered Mish to taste it. She slowly moved towards the spoon and tasted it and her eyes went wide and turned into saucers. "It's so yummy" she screeched happy and Shresht smiled at her reaction.

I was still in shock while Shresht made two cute ponytails with Misha's hair and she kissed his cheek after she checked herself in the mirror liking her new hair style.

We were alerted by the school bus horn. "Time to get in the bus Mi" Shresht offered his hand and she gladly placed her hand on his and I kept watching them walk out of the door.

I still couldn't believe I wasn't dreaming. Walking back to the kitchen I started to clean up the mess. And after some time I felt Shrest's arms around my waist and he rested his chin on my shoulder.

I felt current of emotions pass through my entire body as his strong hands held me so gently as if I will break. His breathing on my neck was making me shiver.

He kisse my cheek to cheer me and a smile momentarily came up on my face but quickly faded.

"Ree" he said softly and turned me as I stood looking at my feet and he without me saying understood what I was feeling. I placed my head on his chest where I could feel his heart beat.

"It's okay " he kissed my hair and I hugged him more tightly. "You'll learn" he softly spoke as he caressed my hair. 

"Why did Adi even think that I am of any good to take care of his daughter?" I said a bit defeated. Shresht moved me out of the hug and cupped my face and I looked up at him.

"Because he knew you will never give up on his daughter. You will do everything possible to make her have a deserving life. He knew you will make sure she gets what she deserves. You'll protect her and be with her may whatever happens" he smiled down at me and I felt my heart quickening as his thumb was caressing my skin.

He without a warning leaned in capturing my lips. I was lost in some other world before I could re collect my thoughts. His lips gently moving in sync with mine made my boggled out eyes close and I felt myself melting in his touch.

His hands moved to my hair and he removed the clutch which was holding my hair in a messy bun. I felt my hair falling across us. We stood still touching each other's forehead while we stopped kissing to breath.

"I love how your hair feels. I love every moment I spend with you Ri. The way your skin feels, the way your eyes light up, the way your shoulders drop, the way you breath against my lips while we kiss. I love every damn thing about you" he said and I smiled with my closed eyes.

He dragged me into another heated needy kiss while his hands moved to my waist and I shivered when his fingers touched my bare skin so gently that I felt all the air was sucked out of me in an instant.

His hand kept caressing my skin setting it on fire and he breathed in dragging me more near to himself.

"Aren't we getting late?" I asked when we broke the kiss again. His hand travelled a bit up my spine and I regretted what I said.

"Shresht" I said struggling to breath. His teeth held the skin at my neck for a little longer and I held his shoulder a bit tighter while he breathed out on my neck.

"I will be in car" he whispered and left me to catch my breathing. I still felt like it was a dream. And a smile crept on my lips.

"Is this fine Dan?" I asked Daniel as he was adjusting his camera lens. "That looks good. Just get approval from boss okay" he smiled at me and I nodded my head picking some photographs.

"Where have you been ?" I was startled when I was about to bump into Shikar on my out of Daniel's office. Daniel smiled greeting Shikar as he walked out to reach the studio.

"Damn" I said as I stopped to breath again. "I was a bit preoccupied" I said looking at the files in my hand.

Shikar huffed and dragged me inside the office locking the door behind him. I was confused. I looked at the door and then at Mr. Jerk Wadhwa.

"What the hell is your problem?" I asked him annoyed. He pinned me to the wall and looked into my eyes threateningly.

His hand moved to my hair and he moved the hair strand over my shoulder and I could literally see him fuming when he looked back into my eyes.

"My brother is getting territorial I see" he touched my neck which was actually hurting some time ago. I didn't understand what he meant.

"What are you talking about?" I asked him confused. "It's really necessary that you stay away from my brother" he said. "And enlighten me why I should listen to you?" I crossed my arms and looked at him challengingly.

"It won't turn out good if you be so close to my brother" he said without changing his expression.
"For whom? For you?" I mocked him and he made my head hit the wall when his face neared mine.

"For you" he said in a threatening tone. For a moment my spine went chill. "Quit playing with me. I am already dating your brother" I said pushing him a bit.

I walked out of the office to reach the main building of WWG. "Listen to me will you?" Shikar walked behind me and got inside the lift which headed to Shresht's cabin.

"You can't force me to listen to your non sense Mr. Wadhwa. So just leave me alone" I said rolling my eyes.

"Just listen to me" he insisted. The lift door opened and I spoke back to him "I don't want to and you can't make me to listen...."

I stopped and looked at Shresht's table and my heart which I felt in years shattered like it was a glass piece which was hit by a hard stone. And the pieces were so many that I couldn't even count.

"Ree" Shresht's voice was still clear in my ears. When I was getting inside the lift I also felt the thud of a person falling on the carpet and Siya's short yelp was the last thing my ears registered before the doors of the lift closed and I fell on my knees as the lift made its way towards the ground.

No tears..... Nothing more was left within me to break anymore. I didn't even stop when Madhu kept calling me holding the intercom in her one hand.  But was the storm inside going to stop anywhere?

***.****

Not actually back. But just wanted to wish you all happy New year.

Happy New Year guys.

Love you all.