Rahul led Ana into a corner of the balcony, making sure she was his prisoner, with his hands on either side of her bare shoulders and turned her around to face him.

"Mr Shah ...wh...at .. do you want?" She almost choked as Rahul slid his hands from her shoulders to her neck and flicked her ears lightly with his thumbs. She felt two bolts of lightning pass through her body and she shuddered slightly.

Ana closed her eyes as he brought his face close to her, wondering if he was going to kiss her. Her heartbeat peaked and she felt tingling sensation all over her body in anticipation of close encounter.

"Are you playing some kind of game with me? I told you to go back to Boston." He asked her, looking seriously into her eyes.

She took few seconds to recover and then replied looking down, "I don't work for you anymore and I am not going back to Boston."

"Why? Did you dump your boyfriend?"

"That is none of your business!" She raised her head and looked at him.

"Is that why you are so desperate to be here, to find a rich boyfriend? I saw you talking to Vicky. Ria was right about you .."

"How dare you talk about me ..." Ana was ready to slap him ... she was fuming with anger.

"Rahul! What are you doing? Leave her now!" Mandy came from behind.

Rahul immediately stepped back.

"Nothing Ma, I am trying to find who invited her to this party. She is not supposed to be here."

Mandy walked over to Ana and put a hand on her back to assure her, "Are you okay honey?"

"You know her?" Rahul's eyes widened with surprise. Meanwhile Ria joined them hearing the commotion.

"Yes, I invited her to the party and you are being very mean to my guest."

"Really! ... how do you know her?"

"She is the reason I am alive today. She saved my life and I am indebted to her. I am planning to ask her to be my PA." Mandy looked at Ana as if asking for her approval and pulled her closer.

"But you already have a PA." Rahul didn't like where the conversation was going. He wanted to be far away from her, but she seems to be getting closer.

"I know, she will be more like a personal companion. You know, after Neha's marriage, she settled in Florida and you are busy with business, so I need someone who can be with me and take care of me. Ana took good care of me and saved my life, so I think this is perfect for her and me, ofcourse if she agrees."

"Mandy, I can get a professional nurse who can take care of you" Ria spoke, trying to stop Ana from getting hired.

"Thanks Ria, I am not looking for another employee, but someone who is like a friend and family and I have a good feeling that Ana and I are going to bond perfectly. Even Neha likes her. If anyone has any issues with Ana, please go through me." Mandy led Ana away from them.

Ana could feel the heat of two pair of eyes drilling into her back as she walked away from Rahul and Ria.

Mandy then asked Ana to help her, not as an employee, but as a friend and promised to take care of her. Though Ana had her own doubts about accepting the job, she was overcome by emotion the way Mandy and Neha treated her, so she agreed to work with Mandy. In the course of the day, she lost her old project and job, but gained a new job and good friends. She was happy that with the current job, she would be able to afford Prince's day care.

Just as the party was ending, Vicky, heir to a fast food business empire, came upto her, "Ana, I am really glad, I came to the party today and got to know you. I am hosting a party at my place next month and would be very happy if you can honor us with your presence."

"Thanks Vicky, I am not sure about my plans yet, but will definitely try to be there." She answered and noticed Rahul glaring at her from a distance.

Later Mandy asked Miso to drop Ana home and made him responsible for her security and commute to the mansion daily. On her way back home, Ana's thoughts zeroed back to Rahul. She realized she was developing feelings for him, but was not sure what Rahul wanted from her and why he was being so mean to her. She also knew that Rahul was out of her reach, but she didn't want them to hate each other, so she decided to try her best to remove all misunderstandings between them.

The next few days Ana got busy with her new job. She didn't get to see Rahul, as he had his own bachelor pad near Central park in Manhattan and spent most of his time there.

Ana spent most of her time with Mandy, accompanying her to functions and parties and making sure she takes her medicine on time. She didn't feel like it was a job at all, because everyone around treated her like she was part of the family, especially Mandy. Sometimes Ana felt like it was the other way around, with Mandy taking care of her.

Mandy wanted to know everything about Ana, but didn't press her, hoping Ana will tell her personal story when she feels more comfortable.

It was Friday morning and as Ana entered the kitchen to make coffee for Mandy and herself, she noticed Rahul sitting at the kitchen island with his laptop on the counter. As soon as she saw him, her heart missed a beat and she noticed a warm feeling spread through her body.

"Hmm ... why do I feel so happy just looking at him" she thought to herself and started making fresh coffee. She made a cup for Rahul too and placed it in front of him.

"Mr Shah .. coffee!"

Rahul was doing his best to ignore her presence, forcing his eyes to look at the laptop screen. He was virtually at war with himself and tried his best to stay away from the mansion, but she was like a magnet dragging him to her. He was determined to boot her from his mind and keep her away.

But he couldn't help lifting his head and look at her, when she came upto him and placed his coffee in front of him. As their eyes met, there was that instant spark and a feeling of heart to heart connection, but breathing heavily both turned their eyes away.

Rahul decided to teach her a lesson for taunting him, got up and threw the coffee into the sink and walked away with his laptop.

Ana couldn't help the tears welling up, she couldn't understand the hatred Rahul was showing towards her. She wiped the two drops that escaped, with the back of her hand and took coffee for Mandy.

Mandy looked at Ana and realized something was wrong, "Are you okay Ana?"

"I am fine." She replied, not wanting to complain about Rahul.

"I want you to come with me and Rahul to visit an orphanage. We want to check it out before we decide on the donation amount."

Before Ana could reply, Rahul entered, "Shall we go?"

"Yes, let's move" Mandy replied moving towards the main door.

Ana entered the SUV and sat with Mandy, while Rahul sat opposite to them. Mandy sat with her eyes closed and Rahul was busy with his smartphone looking at his email. Ana looked at the passing cars to avoid looking at Rahul.

After fifteen minutes she couldn't take it anymore and glanced at him. She always saw him in his business suit, but today he was wearing casuals, jeans and a white tshirt. He had his aviator glasses on, so she couldn't tell where he was looking, but she took her time looking at him from top to bottom.

He was looking so strikingly handsome and fit, that she found it difficult to move her eyes away. She took a mental picture of him, before closing her eyes and thinking about him.

"I don't care if he has feelings for me or not, but I can't stop myself from having feelings for him. I know I can never have him, but I can always love him silently, without any expectations from him, as it makes me happy. Just being near him makes me so happy. I am going to build a love castle in my mind and keep him there. I just need to manage my expectations from him and not interfere with reality." She thought, trying to keep a normal expression, if he was watching her.

Rahul was actually watching her, though he was acting as if he was busy with his email. He saw her checking him out and wondered what she thought about him.

He reiterated to himself, there was no third option. He would wait for his sweetheart as long as possible and if he can't find her, he will go with his second option and marry Ria to save his business empire, but there is no room for Ana in his plans. He need to stay strong and not fall for her. She deserves someone better than him, someone who can love her fully and is not heartbroken like him.

After they reached the orphanage, the three of them sat in the front office and went through the management presentations and their plans to expand and improve the facilities and the budget layout.

"Rahul, you and Ana go around and check the facilities, while I go through these files." Mandy asked them to proceed without her.

Rahul looked at Mandy, to argue about it, but decided against it and looked at Ana, who was watching him closely for his reaction.

"Okay ..... let's go" he said, opening the office door for her.