A sleek black Mercedes came to a screeching halt outside a 20 storeyed building in one of the posh localities of Delhi. A man of around 33 years entered the building with his 2 bodyguards by his side. He stepped into the elevator and motioned them to stop with his fingers. He entered the office dressed in a 3 piece with his glares on making all the girls drool at their new boss who was not less than a Greek God but he gave a damn to all of them and entered his new cabin. He was none other than Sidharth Shukla the top businessman in the field of education. He sat down on his seat and took out a photo from his wallet "Baby, your love has added another company in his name" he said and kissed her photo.

His manager informed him that he had to meet the principal of the school which was now a part of the Shukla Educare but there were some issues which needed to be sorted out. He reached the school and suddenly he felt a sense of attachment towards it but he shrugged all those thoughts as he has stopped experiencing those feelings long back. He had a word with the principal but she had refused to sort out things and threatened to take a legal action against his company. He lost his temper and informed that they would have a formal meeting in an hour in his office with their respective solicitors.

"What do you mean he is out of the country?" he shouted at his assistant who gave him the news that his lawyer was out of the country. He was high on his anger now because he could not let go of this one so easily as he had toiled days and nights for this and now he could not afford to lose it just because of a silly reason. Sidharth ordered his manager to look out for a lawyer here in Delhi itself and explain him the case well. His manager immediately rushed to find the best lawyer of the city. He was sulking in anger when he saw a pair of innocent eyes looking at him with fear and instantly his eyes turned softer seeing the owner of the eyes smiling at him. He called out to her and bent down on his knees to reach her height.

Girl - Why are you angry? Did your mother shout at you or you lost something... she asked him innocently

Seeing the girl he felt a heart to heart connection with her as if she was his own part. He smiled at her probably a genuine smile after years. They say it right Children are truly God's form on the earth.

Sidharth - It is just that I am about to lose something...

Girl - Don't worry you will not lose... my Mom says if you truly want anything then you should close your eyes... imagine the thing you want and pray to Babaji to give you that. You know I think I have seen you somewhere... she said cutely

He froze at her statement and didn't hear the last line what she said as it was the same statement that she used to say him whenever he would be dejected or was scared to lose something. He was broken out of the thoughts by a boy's voice. He looked at the boy and then came another shock he was totally her replica.

"Heck, what was going on today why was he reminded of her so much today..." he sighed

Shehzaan - Sidhvi, what are u doing here. how many times to tell u not to talk with strangers... eyeing Sidharth from top to bottom.

Sidhvi - But bhai he is not a stranger... she whispered something in his ears and he looked at Sidharth with narrowed eyes.

Shehzaan - Leave it Sidhvi let's go, Mom would be waiting for us

He left with her but before leaving Sidhvi ran and kissed his cheeks leaving him all the more shocked. Shehzaan gave him a backward glance and then walked away with his sister. He felt as if someone is pulling the life out of him, he followed them with quick steps and there she saw both of them hugging a petite woman who was dressed in a chiffon saree. Her back was facing him but he could hear her laughter while she was talking to them and again that laughter reminded him of her.

Sidhvi - Bhai I am sure he was that guy whose photo we had seen in Mom's cupboard... that is what she had whispered in his ears but Shehzaan was doubtful about it

Woman - What is cooking between you two?

She asked them but Shehzaan was quick enough to save themselves from their mother's suspicion. They all hopped in the car and left to their home.

He sat on the bench in the school's garden as he started to feel nostalgic about the past and her memories seeped in through his mind and he again drifted to the most beautiful phase of his life.

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13 years back

Sid was 20 years old then and had gone to Canada to pursue higher studies in management and got himself enrolled in a prestigious university there. It was there he had seen her for the first time. She studied in the same University as he did but she was a law student and 2 years younger to him. The girl was Shehnaaz Kaur Gill, a Punjabi girl... vivacious, bubbly, chirpy, independent, and modern in her outlook as well. Her family was settled in Canada for past 60 years hence she was a Canadian but she preferred herself to call an Indian. He was an angry young man from his childhood basically due to the stupid rituals, traditions and customs which were followed in his house since he belonged to a household of priests and he always felt suffocated in that environment. Only he knew how much difficult it was for him to convince his parents to marry his sister Preeti with the guy she loved. She was the only person who understood her in the so called house. He just wanted to live freely that is why he requested his grandpa to send him to Canada for further studies. He knew he was his granddad's favourite as he was his only heir after his elder brother who had quit all his wealth to marry off a girl who was out of their religion. Hence all the responsibility of his so called family reputation lied on him and that is the reason he would generally be in a sulking mood. His mother never gave him the motherly love which he always wanted because she was more engaged in handling her household chores, her traditions and that is why he always maintained a distance from her and stayed away from the girls by giving them a cold shoulder whenever they would approach him and frankly there was not even a single girl who was able to win his heart till date.

He remembered their first meeting, she had accidentally bumped into him and that is when he had fallen for her. It was love at first sight for him, she had just smiled mumbling a sorry to him and left from there but she had made a straight way into his heart. After that they met up several times sometimes in canteen or in campus etc. It was one fine day when he was invited to his friend's house party. He went and even Shehnaaz was present there and it was then that they got formally introduced to each other. They became friends and gelled up instantly. Sid was reserved whereas Shehnaaz was an extreme extrovert and being with her made him forget all his worries and he started to open up with her. Both started to like each other's company and after 6 months of friendship, Sid finally confessed his feelings to her to which she answered with a kiss. He was bowled over by her boldness. After another 6 months of relationship they indulged in physical intimacy. Later, they both were busy in their respective studies so they hardly got time with each other. When they finished with their exams, Sid hesitantly asked Shehnaaz to move in with him. She agreed in an instant but he feared her family but to his good luck her family was never a hurdle in their relationship. Her family always liked him and she moved in with him. Day by day their love and intimacy for each other reached new heights.

The thing that always scared him was her blind trust on him. He sometimes thought what if he breaks it he will never be able to forgive himself. He remembered how naive she was, once when they had gone to hospital to see her friend's baby she was very scared to touch the baby and hearing all the women shouting in labour pain she had clearly told him that they would have an adopted baby and that she will never conceive. He had chuckled at her innocence then. It was 2 years since they were together, every day was a new day for them. Sid had changed completely he was not the same person what he used to be when he had come to Canada. He was Naaz Ka Sid now.

It was a Sunday and they were cuddled up in each other's arms when the shrill sound of his phone broke their moment and what he heard made him drop the phone. Shehnaaz asked him what was the matter and he told her that his grandpa was breathing his last and wanted to see him. She immediately arranged the tickets for him and he promised her that he would be back in a month's time. God knows why she was having a gut feeling that something wrong was going to happen but she didn't want to tense him and put up a smiling face in front of him. He bade her good bye and she hugged him for the last time. It had been over 3 months since he was in India he had called only once that too also when he reached safely, after that there was no sign of him. From past few days she was feeling nauseating and was constantly throwing up. When she went to the doctor she got the shock of her life when she came to know that she was pregnant. She tried to reach him on his mobile number but she realised that she has his Canadian number. She emailed him too but he was unavailable there as well. But then she remembered that his email ID was recently hacked and he failed to make a new one. Somehow she found his landline number and contacted him... finally someone picked up the phone. It was an elderly lady who picked up the phone and when she asked to hand over the phone to Sidharth she snapped at her saying that he was getting married and she should forget him. Her life came to a standstill but she was somehow sure that her Sid could never this to her. But what the lady spoke also made her think twice.

She was now determined to move on and focus on her motherhood and career. She continued with her studies and gave her final exam when she was 8 months pregnant. She could not thank more to God who gave her such a supportive family. Her mom and dad supported her doing during this tough phase. Only she knew how she controlled her craving for him. She would cry all night remembering him. During labour pain, she constantly shouted Sid's name and she gave birth to twins Sidhvi and Shehzaan. Sidhvi was just like her father and Shehzaan like her. After 4 years she moved to Delhi with her children because she got an opportunity she couldn't refuse... She wanted to give her best to fulfill Sid's dream to see her as a successful lawyer.

Here on reaching India Sid got the biggest shock of his life seeing his grandpa all fit and fine. They had deceived him so that he comes to India since he hardly contacted them in 2 years and instantly a fear had grown in them of losing their second son also so they lied to him and arranged his marriage with a girl of their choice...

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This work is very close to my heart as this is one of the first stories I had written around 7 years back...😄

And I imagined SidNaaz so thought to dedicate this story to them....😁

Do read, vote and comment...😉