“Good girl,” Mr Oberoi smirked. I avoided glancing in his direction. Ma was staring at me in concern, her worried orbs fixed on me. 

“How are you going to manage here?” Her eyes glanced the surrounding. “You're not safe here,” she was pleading with me. 

“She safer here than in your house.” Mr Oberoi interrupted, “you had married her to the person, who wanted her death. What more safety are you going to provide her with?” He inquired, I passed him a glare but he was least affected with my stare.

“The person who wants to kill him just to achieve some rank in his career. Your beloved son in law. The person with whom you had sent her to a separate city, to enjoy her new life. I don't think, it's give you any opportunity to decide for her. After making worse decisions for her.” 

“You're none to decide it for me,” I groaned as I glanced at mom’s ashamed face. 

“As much authority as she have in your life so does she…” Mr Oberoi pointed at Buba, she was passing a sad smile in my direction. “Don't forget your roots, Aachal. I understand you were adopted but the lady sitting here won't ever think of your harm. Can't say the same about the people whom you label as your parents,” he groaned walking out of the mansion in fury. 

“Don't mind him,” Buba mumbled after a minute of silence. “Sometimes, he losses his cool. She is very important for him. He won't allow any risk in her matter. He had lost her once, he isn't planning to make it twice.” Buba smiled at my mom. 

•••

“He really loves you,” Diya commented as mom had walked out in disappointment. 

“That's not love! He just want to have me,” I gritted my teeth in frustration. “It's more like an obsession.” 

“Really?” Diya seemed surprised with my opinion. “Do you really think so?” 

“Or what can explain his behaviour?” 

“He is protective towards you. He cares about you. Sometimes he might act impulsive or not consider his actions but I won't describe it as obsession.” 

“I am not allowed with my freedom. He is trying to dominate my life, my actions.” 

“Correction! You're allowed with freedom but with the supervision of Ronald. The biggest personality, celebratites have bodygard around them. Does that means they are deprived of freedom? Ronald is kept beside you for your safety, he cares about you and wants you safe.” 

“If his intention was to deprive you of freedom or rule your life. I guess… he won't have allowed you to get married to Mayur. Or would've interrupted your married life but he didn't. He even never made his presence known to you. Maybe he never wanted to interrupt your life if it wasn't about your safety.” Diya was trying to analyse Mr Oberoi's actions but I wasn't going to trust him so easily. 

I had been betrayed before, I won't allow it again. 

•••

“Mumma, why are you not coming with us?” Riddhi was staring at me with hopeful gaze. 

“Because I have some work to complete,” I muttered. Concentrating on cleaning the kitchen counter. I had kept myself occupied, keeping less contact to Mr Oberoi as much possible. 

“Your mumma is angry with me and don't want to be with me.” Mr Oberoi commented carrying the little angel in his arms. 

“Why?” Her innocent voice questioned. “What had you done to make Mumma angry on you? Haven't you completed your homework?” She was looking very serious while discussing about the matter with her father. I found them adorable together! The only time I adored Mr Oberoi presence. Riddhi brought the sweetest version out of him. 

“I don't get homework, princess.” Mr Oberoi attempted to explain her. 

“You had your lunch?” Oberoi nodded, “dinner?” He nodded once again, “than why is she mad?” 

“Because I didn't wanted her to leave us but she wanted to leave us behind.” Mr Oberoi was complaining. “What's my fault if…” he inched closer as his vacant hand grabbed my waist and pulled me towards them. “If I need my wife presence to survive.” 

“Mr Oberoi…” I attempted to push him off but his grip was tight. “What are you going?” I stared at him in utter horror. Had he lost it? 

“Just trying to pacify my wife, trying to calm her anger down.” 

“I am not your wife, stop calling me that!” I hissed attempting to shove him off. 

“Mumma,” Riddhi interrupted, diverting my attention from Mr Oberoi towards her. “Please forgive dada…” she pouted.

“Yeah, mumma please forgive her dada…” Mr Oberoi attempted to imitate her cute tone, a smile broke on my face at his imitation. 

I avoided my gaze after seeing a smirk playing on his face. “I will come after completing the work.” 

“I have assigned staff for this work. I am not paying them to rest.” Mr Oberoi groaned, lossing his patience over me. “I had being watching you from past few days. You're simply burdening yourself with work. If you want me not to come to the room, I won't! But you don't need to burden yourself and our child with the work.” Mr Oberoi groaned as he walked out of the kitchen along with Riddhi. Maybe I had pissed him off! 

Why did I care? I wanted him to walk off and he did! Why was I disappointed? I shook my head as a minute later numerous staff entered the kitchen accompanied by Ronald. 

“Why are you so adamant to take their and my job away from us?” Ronald was staring at me in disbelief. “I had warned you before that boss don't admire you working in the mansion. He wants you to take rest, your child wants it as well. Why are you so adamant not to listen?” 

“I…”

“Ma’am please get to your room,” one senior among them muttered. “You're banned from using the kitchen until you deliver the baby and are perfectly well!” 

I wasn't left with a option, I gave a slight nod and walked out of the kitchen. I felt embarrassed, they were treating me as if I was a rebellious kid. This mansion was dominated by Mr Oberoi rules. I couldn't move a finger without his approval. 

I walked into the room with a frustrated mood. I was behaving moody from past few days, a month. “Where is Riddhi?” I inquired as I saw the vacant room. 

“She went to sleep as you were busy with your chores.” Mr Oberoi grumbled, I rolled my orbs. I was on the verge of walking out of the room and walk to Riddhi’s but Mr Oberoi's voice halted me. “She is sleeping,” there was a warning in his tone. 

“And I don't want you to go there and disturb her,” there was warning underlying in his words. 

“Obviously, you won't want your daughter to be disturbed.” I mocked as I pulled open the door of wardrobe. My mind was a mess, exhausted could define it better. 

“My daughter?” His voice whispered in ears. His arm wrapped around my waist. “Our… she is our daughter,” he repeated in his hoarse voice. “And I don’t want her to wake up and show tantrums further exhaust my beloved wife.” He pressed a slight kiss on my soft cheeks. I closed my orbs, I wasn't in a position, or was having strength to deny it. I was exhausted and was carving for love and care. I needed it! 

“Go and freshenup and come to sleep,” he muttered. Lossing his grip on me and walking back to the bed. 

A warm shower had lifted much of the exhaustion. I walked out of the washroom, Mr Oberoi was laying on the bed. Darkness spreading around the room, a small dim light was enough to make my way towards the bed. 

I laid on the bed, nuzzling my face in the soft pillow. His large cold arms got wrapped around my waist. He pulled me towards his chest, “stop getting so moody …” he muttered in my ears. 

“I am not moody,” I groaned in annoyance. 

“You're! But we can argue over the matter if we want to,” he pressed a kiss on my cheek. “But for now we should rest,” his face nuzzled in my neck.

•••

I rubbed my orbs, a yawn escaping from my throat. My orbs urging me to get more hours of sleep. I turned to find Mr Oberoi laying beside me. Usually, he used to be up by early morning. I had never seen him in bed during the late hours of the morning. He was particular about his occupation.

Why he had to be a criminal? Someone who killed people? Things would've been different if he was normal. I won't had to... I shook away those thoughts! I couldn't allow it. I stared at him. He was handsome, and his sleeping figure was melting my heart. As if there wasn't any mask covering him. My fingers reached to caress his cheek which woke him up from the beautiful sleep.

I cursed myself! Only if he was offered with some few minutes of rest. He seemed exhausted, craving for sleep. "Stop staring at me like that..."

"Like what?" I diverted my gaze from him.

"As if you can read me." He muttered, "you can understand me, as if you care about me."

"I don't..." I looked away, turning away. His arms got wrapped around my waist, pulling me close to his chest.

"You always did..." He muttered in my ears, pressing a kiss on my cheek.

"What are you doing here?" Shlok groaned at the smaller version of Aachal.

"I am eating," Aachal passed a smile in his direction. Shlok groaned, glancing at numerous orbs planted on them.

It was lunch time and everyone in the orphanage were having their lunch. As Buba couldn't afford dining table, they used to sit on the floor. They used to sit in circle excluding only one person and that was Shlok. He never jointed them. Aachal had noticed it from past few days so she decided to joint him.

"Go there and eat!" He glared at her, trying to intimidate her. That was how he had scared people off! Anyone who attempted to get close to him, he would scare them off.

"I want to eat with you, Shlok." She almost pouted. Shlok stared at her for a minute, before glaring at her again. She was adorable and he couldn't deny it.

"I am not Shlok!" He gritted his teeth in annoyance. Though he admired the name given to him by her but he won't confess it.

"For me, you're... Only my Shlok," she passed him a beautiful smile.

"Aachal," the smaller kid rushed to her. "What are you doing here?" He was annoyed by the friendship building between Shlok and Aachal. "You shouldn't sit with him." He was trying to grab hold of Aachal while she was trying to defeat his moves.

"Don't!" Shlok warned, staring straight at the kid's orbs.

The smaller kid was taken aback with his warning but he couldn't afford leaving his friend along with him. He was trying to force her when Buba interrupted. "Tanmay, get back to your plate." She ordered, shutting the commotion. "And have the lunch peacefully," she completed.

Buba was the happiest to glance at the new bond forming in the orphanage home. She hadn't accepted someone would build the courage to initiate a friendship with the most dangerous and mysterious person in the orphanage. Buba found it difficult to understand him. He was hiding alot of pain behind his cold texture. The bigger kid called her partial towards him but she was only trying to provide him with emotional support, attempting to heal those raw wounds which hadn't even being healed after years.

"Why you wanted to be my friend, Rose?" He inquired, his fingers drawing pattern on her cheeks.

"I don't know..." I shrugged my shoulder. "Only if I did know..." Life would've been less complicated if I knew answer to this questions. "Was I friend with you?" I inquired, maybe I could be offered with some answers.

"The only friend I had," he muttered, pressing a kiss on my cheek.

"Only friend?" I pushed but he gifted with silence. "Why only me?"

"Because you thought I wasn't a monster...." Those words brought out those flashes buried in the prison of my memories.

"Have you gone crazy?" Tanmay was yelling at Aachal. "We are not playing with him." He was fuming in rage.

"Why?" Aachal pouted. She wanted both of her friends to be friends with one another.

"Because he is a monster," one among them muttered. A girl much of the age of Aachal, her orbs glaring at them.

"He isn't a monster!" Aachal yelled at them in frustration as she grabbed Shlok hand and dragged him along with her.

Shlok had no interest in playing with them. But Aachal had dragged him along with her when she was called to play with them. They were stubborn not to include him in their group. Shlok was amused the way Aachal stood for him, fought with them for him. None had done that before!

"Why did you yelled at your friends?" Shlok asked as she came at sat on their favorite place. Under the tree!

"They aren't my friends," she groaned in disappointment. "If they were my friends they would have included you."

"They don't like me, why will they play with me?" He shook his head at her foolish reasoning.

"Why will not anyone like you?" She inquired, her brows frowning in confusion.

"Why would anyone like me?" Shlok questioned back.

"Why won't they?" Aachal glared at him. "I do like you," she continued. "You had tied my hairs so many times. You have helped me with those stupid homeworks," she continued. "You even listens to my blabbers, my nonsense as Tanmay calls it. You never call me stupid," she smiled at me. "Why won't anyone like you? As you're the best..." She raised from the ground asking Shlok to lean down. Shlok frowned but obeyed her, and was gifted with a peck on his cheek. Shock would be understatement. He was unable to process it!

"That was the first time I received love," Shlok whispered. "Someone told me that I was liked," his lips turning upward in smile. "Someone taught me to love...." He pressed a kiss on her cheeks.