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Digvijay was looking at the list in his hand. Among the hundreds of their nemesis he was trying to find the one who was brave enough to cross his limits and set an eye on their treasure, their Aadya.

"He is not in the list," his curt voice echoed as he threw his head back and shut his eyes.

Her innocent face appeared in front of him, looking at him with anger in her feline eyes and a pout on her pink shiny lips.

"But boss, they are our primal enemies. And five of them are famous for their mastery in painting, especially the Don of Tragervile," Alessandro took a moment before continuing,"and he is famous for his likeness towards Asian women."

Vikram's brown orbs gleamed with untamed fury as he snapped,"And what the fuck that means?

Seeing the anger in Vikram's eyes Alessandro did not say anything and bowed down his head like a good servant.

Digvijay shook his head,"It's not him, Sandro. This time the enemy is unknown, so are his intentions," he said looking at Aadya who snuggled more to Rudra as her henna painted hands dangled on her sides.

"Whoever that motherfucker is. One thing is certain he is going to die a death of a dog for setting his eyes on my darling," Vikram barked, crushing the ashes of the painting under his injured hand.

The trio looked at her sleeping face. For a moment they felt they were looking at the same painting which burned down in ashes a few hours ago.

"Alessandro, get out," Rudra, who was silent till now, said in a blank tone.

Vikram and Digvijay gave him a puzzled look, Alessandro has been a loyal and faithful servant to them. He is throwing him out of such an important conversation, it's not like he will betray them.

Alessandro didn't say anything and went out.

"I will never allow her to go out," his emotionless voice pulsated on the thick walls.

"She will be here with us , locked in our room forever. No one can see her, hear her, no one is allowed to look at even a single thread of her cloth," looking down at his woman he kissed her lips.

"No man other than us can witness the love in her eyes. No one except us is allowed to even gaze at her feet, if anyone does that then the river of their blood will flow around this estate, I will make sure of it. I will lock her like this, forever,"his words were filled with raw possessiveness and protectiveness. Aadya winced in her sleep when he tightened his hold around her body.

Rudra could never forget those two hours. Two hours of restlessness, two hours of fear.

Fear of losing her.

After a long twenty two years he had cried. He had cried for her when she was not near him.

The only thing which was running on his mind was her.

Where is she? How is she? Did something happen to her? Did anyone kidnap her? Or she had gone out on her own?

He was numb. Rudra who had always believed that a real man never cries was not even trying to hide his tears from the people around him.

They say there are seven stages of love.

Dilkashi (attraction)

Uns (infatuation)

Ishq (love)

Akidat (trust)

Ibadat (worship)

Junoon (madness)

And Maut (death).

He already had crossed the road of worship when he started admiring every little thing about her but today his love for her had reached the level of junoon (madness) when for her he had given his own father a death threat.

Wiping the single drop of tear from the corner of his eyes, he had dialed his father's number after a whole two months.

His white shirt was creased from different places and his silky black hair disheveled.

He was sweating so much on the lower degree weather making him smell unpleasant but he didn't care and waited for his father to receive the call.

"Where is my Aadya? Have you done something to her?" there was a warning in his tone, it surprised his father. Rudra had never spoken to him like this.

"Aadya? Who Aadya?" his father said as if he didn't know any woman by this name.

"You definitely know who Aadya is. Did you kidnap her? I know your way father. You can do anything to save your pride. I swear father if you have done anything to my wife.. " his jaws clenched as he gritted out the words, "I will kill you."

His father was paralysed in his spot. Did he really say that? His own flesh and blood, his once obedient son, his heir who used to worship him like a god was threatening him for a mere girl.

"Are you okay ?" his wife wiped the sweat from his forehead with the edge of her saree, he looked at his wife who was looking at him, concerned.

She has given him the worst son.

His face turned red in anger as he barked on the phone," I don't know where your whore is. Maybe she had lured some other rich men and eloped with him. Whores like her are famous for.." Rudra threw his phone on the ground, not able to hear those words about Aadya from his own father.

His jaws clenched remembering that, he looked down at the sleeping princess in his arms who was able to damp down his anger.

He had respected his father before but now he can't respect him especially after what he had said about Aadya.

Rudra was sure one day he would even cross the last stage of love only because of her and for her.

He would be honored to die for her.

"She will kill you if you don't let her go out. She is not a naturally submissive woman, Rudra. She loves her freedom," Digvijay said recalling the morning incident,"she loves her freedom more than anything."

She was furious when he had said the same thing.

In her fury she said those words which had directly pierced his heart.

Digvijay could never forget what she said, "You disgust me. You are sick."

"I don't care if she kills me for keeping her in front of my eyes twenty four seven. Her safety is more important to me. Especially after what happened last night and this painting incident,"Rudra barked, making Aadya flinch in her sleep.

He controlled his raging breaths, caressing her head he sent her to slumber, "you are not understanding Rudra," Digvijay shook his head.

"You are not understanding. Rudra is absolutely right. We should never allow her to go out without us. We should lock her in our room at least till the time we find out who motherfucker sent that painting," Vikram said with his gaze fixed on her stole which was wrapped on his hand.

Before Digvijay could say anything he continued," This world is full of scoundrels. Today someone sent a painting of her. What if tomorrow someone snatch her from us.."

"Vikram," both Rudra and Digvijay yelled.

"Keep your voice down, you fools. She is sleeping,"Vikram hissed.

He looked out at the golden moon shining in the dark sky,"When she was not with me I died thousands of times. I have never felt this before. That feeling, that fear was unreal. It was the first time in my life that other than my mother someone's absence had sparked a fear in me. Fear of losing my darling. My darling.. Such a sentimental name I never had thought even in my worst dreams that I would call a woman by those touchy endearments but here I am calling her my darling.

Digvijay, I don't know if this is love or not but whatever it is. It is definitely real and true. If she hates me that's fine by me if it ensures her well being," turning around he looked at her face for a minute then moving his gaze to Digvijay he said," It's time to take hard decisions."

"Unicorns..purple unicorns," the trio glanced at her when she mumbled something incoherent in her sleep.

Flashback

"If you can't find her in the next five minutes. I am going to shoot all the bullets straight into your mouth!" Vikram shouted on the phone making everyone in the control room gulp in fear.

They had been searching for her for the last two hours. They searched her every street and every corner of the city but couldn't find her.

It was the last day of the year, 31st December. The whole city was bubbling in excitement and joy for the celebrations. Colors and lights everywhere it was hard to find her among this sea of people.

Rudra's eyes were roaming from one screen to another in hope to find his Aadya. It's been more than two hours since she went missing. He had called her at least a hundred times but he had got no reply.

Everything was swirling in front of his eyes. The first time he saw her. She was wearing a white dress truly resembling a princess.

The time when under the influence of intoxication and desire she had kissed him without caring about anything.

She had told him she would not go anywhere but she did. She lied to him, he was angry but more than angry he was afraid. Afraid what if something happens to her? What if somehow the incidents of last night repeat?

No he can't let that happen. He wiped the tear which was dangling on his long eyelashes and again started searching for his Aadya on one of the footage.

"Did you find anything? Who had given the painting?" Digvijay's voice was blank as he clutched the handle of his chair tightly while taping his shoes on the floor.

Alessandro could see the yearning Digvijay's eyes were holding, "No sir," his eyes were down, not able to meet his boss's gaze.

"Then what the hell were you doing till now! " he shouted and threw the chair across the room.

Alessnsdro flinched at his temper. Digvijay has never expressed his anger like this before.

Digvijay's intuition had never been wrong before and he was getting this feeling that something is going to happen soon and it would not be good for any of them.

His mind raked to everybody.

His family, his colleagues, his enemies, everybody. Except for a few family members, nobody knows about Aadya and them. Then who the hell has sent that painting and where the hell is she?

He was afraid of the possibility of someone having.. No. He said to himself. Nothing bad has happened to her, his heart is saying she will be with them.

She was just playing a game with them, nothing el

They just have to find her and she will be here with them, again and will giggle seeing the tension on their faces.

"Boss," one of the men shouted, pointing at the CCTV footage. "What? Did you find her?" anxiety was dripping from Vikram's voice.

He just pointed to the large screen. The three men followed where he was pointing.

.....

Aadya was oblivious of the people around her stealing glimpses of her beauty as she was applying the mascara on her eyes looking in the small heart shaped mirror.

It's been more than half an hour since she had been waiting for the train to arrive. But like everytime the train to Hazuri Bagh was again late.

In her boredom she had opened her makeup box and started doing makeup just to pass the time as she forgot her phone in her room.

Sitting on the iron bench she was doing her makeup without caring about her surroundings.

The red dot on her forehead was confirming that she had spent a good time in the devi temple praying to the goddess for a happy and peaceful future.

Everyone's eyes on her as walked through the busy crowd of the station, people were stealing the glances of her beauty and she was unaware of it.

She was looking like a naive queen who didn't care about evil eyes as she sat on the iron bench in a cotton white dress and green glass bangles in her hands, waiting for the train to arrive.

Keeping the mascara inside the bag she took out the red lipstick, opened it's cap and rolled it up. She was about to apply the lipstick on her lips when someone held her hand making the lipstick draw out of her lips.

"What the," the words stuck in her throat when she looked at the three angry alpha in front of her.

They were sweating in the cold winter, their shirts half drenched in sweat, creasing at several places. She visibly gulped looking at the outraged look on their face.

"You are hot Sugar," she said, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

She waited for them to say something but instead of saying something the three men hugged her, surprising her.

She gasped when their arms tightened around her petite figure, almost crushing her to their body. She tried to free herself from their hold however she wasn't strong enough to do so.

She could hear the people murmuring,"everyone is watching," she said, trying to come out of their hold.

They were in a public place, in a Railway Station. What people must be thinking ? Three men hugging a girl that too so intimately.

Before she could say anything, Vikram grasped her hand and stormed out.

Before she could understand anything she was sitting beside Vikram who was holding her hand in a tight grip making the glass bangles in her hand break which cut her soft skin.

Biting her lips between her teeth she tried to not let out a wince of pain and keep looking at him with her questionable gaze.

She had just opened her mouth to say something when Digvijay started the engine of the car making her jolt on her seat.

She was sure that something had got into Digvijay because he was driving at such a rush speed.

The cold air coming from the open window was making her shiver and her heart was coming into her throat as he was driving at a bullet speed, "slow down," her voice was barely hearable because of the sharp and piercing wind.

Her vision was becoming blurred and her heart rate increasing, she had never liked rash driving.

She was terrified of speed and this condition was not helping at all, especially when she felt her hands getting numb in Vikram's hold.

Aadya could not understand in which world Vikram was and he couldn't see that he was hurting her.

It was the last day of the year, the roads were full of crowds and Digvijay was driving so fast, it was scaring her more, she was not only afraid for her and them but the people on the road too.

"Digvijay, please slow down the car. You are scaring me," she cried, her tears making their way to her cheeks.

Rudra who was in a passenger seat and glared at her," you are scared? Do you have any idea how much we were scared when we couldn't find you anywhere," she flinched hearing the harshness in his voice.

"Don't talk to me like that!" she almost shouted while trying to free her hand out of Vikram's grasp.

"Leave my hand. You are hurting me," she cried at the pain shooting to her thin wrist, she was sure if he held her like that for a few more minutes he would break her wrist.

"Do you know how many negative things were going through my mind when I couldn't find you anywhere," Aadya winced, turning her head away from Vikram when he shouted at her.

He held her chin tightly making her look at him,"I thought something bad has happened to you," his voice cracked a bit when he looked at her teary eyes.

A sob left passed her mouth when with a single jerk he pulled her to his lap, his grasp on her wrist not losing a bit, "When we were scared for you, you were doing makeup on some corner of the railway platform," Vikram clenched out.

"I pro-m-i-se I w-will no-t do ma-k-eup just s-l-ow do-w-m a bit," she hiccuped between her sobs.

Her head was spinning from the speed, she was feeling like vomiting as the cold winds slapped her face, her hair was messy and was sticking to the tears on her cheeks.

The mascara and kohl that she had applied to make her pretty eyes look more pretty was now smudged around her eyes.

Aadya knew they would not like it if she went out without telling them but she didn't know that they would get so angry at her.

So many thoughts started running in her mind, and one of them being that she had upset them.

The tears which used to melt their heart were doing nothing to them now. They couldn't see the fear in her eyes as they were blind by their fury.

She again pleaded," Please stop. My head is hurting," but no one listened to her.

Instead of slowing down the car he increased the speed, they were on a highway by now. She could see the big trucks and vehicles coming from both sides . It increased her worry more and she started crying hysterically.

"b-ab-y ple-as-e s-t-o-p," Aadya begged him, pouring all the love in her words. Her throat went dry, her wrist numb as if it was paralysed and her face had turned red and blue.

Digvijay looked at her when he heard her crying voice, she was begging him through her eyes. The look of helplessness doesn't suit her beautiful face.

Suddenly, her eyes flickered to the truck coming from the wrong side, her heart stopped and she screamed, "aah."

Everything flashed through her mind as she froze, hiding her face behind her hands.

She waited to feel the pain, for the screams but nothing happened.

Leaning to Vikram's chest she was taking shallow breaths.

When everything turned quiet she heard his heartbeat.

Aadya whimpered when someone held her wrist,"fuck,"she heard him cursing and her eyes flung open.

The car was parked at the side of the road, the truck long gone. Two pairs of eyes were looking at her crying face while the other one was glaring at the blood on her wrist.

She hiccuped when she acknowledged their presence near her, surrounding her shivering figure in their triangle.

Aadya hissed in pain again when Vikram touched her wrist,"I did that," he whispers as if even he couldn't believe what he had done.

"I did that," he repeated. Her hands are already so thin and fragile and the glass cuts were making her wrist look so limb all because of him.

Rudra tried to touch her face and wipe the tears from her cheeks but she moved her face away.

She moved to the very corner of the seat not wanting to show them how ugly she must be looking right now.

When she wiped her cheeks the black kohl of her eyes was painted to her hands like a dirty coal. Looking down at her palms she couldn't hold herself more and she sobbed.

She sobbed like never before, she was not this scared even last night.

Her slumping shoulders shook as she was crying her eyes out.

Soon her loud wails echoed in the silent car, her eyes didn't stop neither her throat as she cried loudly as if remembering something sorrowful.

Hiding her face in her hands she again tried to control herself and gulp down the sobs but it was fruitless as again she felt someone touching her and she cried more loudly.

She flinched when Digvijay touched her shoulders but he didn't care and pulled her closer to him.

Aadya was withering in his hold but he didn't let her go.

Like a small kid she screamed, she hit him, bit him on his shoulder making it bleed but he didn't leave her.

They have never seen their Aadya this broken before, her tears, her wails will echo in their ears for years.

She was completely different from the Aadya that they have known till now. She was behaving like a seven year old girl who was wailing over her fate.

She was kicking and hitting him to let her go but he only tightened his hold on her. Aadya yelped when she raised her other hand to hit but the pain shot through her arms, "Ouchie," she slumped against his chest holding her wrist in her other hand.

Her tears were twinkling in her eyes like shining stars as her loud sobs turned into silent sobs as she felt Rudra soothingly caressing her back, "shh.. Don't cry love.shh.." his tone was different from earlier.

Another pool of tears came to her eyes hearing his soothing voice, if he can talk to her so sweetly so why was he bashing on her before?

"Please stop crying babe. I will die if you cry more because of me," she looked at digvijay through her glossy eyes.

Her lips quivered when she heard the die,"No die please. No car racing. No speed. I hate speed. I hate speed. I hate speed," she mumbled again and again between her sobs.

Digvijay hugged her close to his chest, kissing her messy hair,"I am sorry, babe. I was blind by rage. I am..," he was unable to say anything more because she was in this condition. He had hurted her for the second time on this day.

Raising her eyelids she looked at Rudra as he was staring at her with an unknown emotion. She felt like he was seeing her soul and finding her deepest secret in her eyes.

"Your parents died in a car accident," his words were enough for Aadya to let out another cry while nodding her head in yes. Digvijay took a sharp breath when everything settled down to him.

His rash driving had triggered her.

He shut his eyes, it was the first time he had lost his mind and taken an impulsive decision which more than him had hurted his Aadya.

He tightened his hold on her more,"ouch," she whimpered again when her wrist came between their bodies.

"Fuck," Rudra and Digvijay curse aloud when they saw the blood on her wrist.

The broken pieces of bangles were still on her lap, one of them sticking to her skin.

Aadya abruptly hid her hand behind her back, her skin becomes very pale in winter and those blue and red marks were looking hideous on her skin.

She tried to hide her hands from the two men however Vikram who was sitting behind her was still staring at the red patches of blood. He had hurt her.

His mind was paralysed, he was never supposed to hurt her emotionally or physically, that's not what real men do. But he did. He had hurted his darling.

His hands trembled as he touched her hand, Aadya gasped and looked towards him.

He was holding her hand in his and staring at the little wound she gulped looking at the blankness in his eyes.

He gently took out the glass piece off her skin, he took it out so slowly that she didn't wince in pain.

Rudra snatched her wrist from Vikram's hands and taking out the cold cream he gently applied it on her wrist all the while cursing and glaring at Vikram.

"Ah," Digvijay kissed her shoulder blade when Aadya winced in pain.

Vikram could not take it any more, his heart was burning seeing her in this state. Coming out of the car he clutched his hair in his hands and screamed out of anger and guilt.

She looked towards him when she heard him screaming but Rudra turned her face to him not letting her look at Vikram.

"You shouldn't have gone without us," Rudra said.

"I was scared," he said, making her look at him, frowning. Rudra Pratap singh was accepting that he was scared. He was scared because of her.

She didn't say anything and the silence prevailed.

.....

The sun was on its journey to the west; its rays were warm, not too hot. They were shining pleasantly over his brown and slightly long hair.

Vikram was blankly staring at his hands. His palms and the lines on his palms had turned dark because of dirt and sweats. He had gone to that slum again to search for her.

He was looking at his hands and was wondering how the hands which should caress her soft cheeks and wipe her tears were actually hurting her, bringing more tears in her beautiful eyes.

He can never forget the look in her eyes. It was the look of pain which he had given her.

Those red and swollen eyes, black kohl smudged on her lashes.. He will never forget that look.

Vikram opened the trunk of the car, his eyes searching for the sharpest knife among all the other guns and knives.

Finally he got the knife with the sharpest blade and without giving a second thought he plunged the knife into the same hand with which he had gripped her so tightly that it made her bleed.

The blood dropped like water from the bloody wound tainting his white shirt however he was not satisfied.

He didn't even felt a slight pain, he should feel the same pain that he had given her.

Raising the bloody knife again in the air he was ready to plunge the blade directly through his hands but before the tip of the knife could touch his skin a soft hand held his hand.

He looked at his darling who was shaking her head slowly with tears in her eyes begging him to not hurt himself.

"Don't," she whispered.

"I deserve this. I hurt you," he had a crazy look in his eyes.

It scared her for a moment but then the same look made her feel loved.

"No," her voice was different, thick with the pool of emotions. "It's hurting me," her lips wobbled.

Vikram couldn't meet her gaze, he looked down in anger as well as guilt, he was hurting her.

Instead of cutting his hand he should have killed himself for hurting her, she is crying for him.

The blood from his hand was dripping on the sand as they stood on the side of the road, under the sun.

I am hurting her. I should get the punishment for it, Vikram was adamant.

He again raised the knife to hurt himself however before he could harm himself more Aadya slapped the knife away from his hand.

"Vikram,"she whispered, cupping his face in her hand as she made him look at her.

"This is not hurting me," she glanced at her wrist. "This is hurting me," holding his wounded hand she spoke.

His brows creased, he stared at her, not able to despair. What is she?

She sniffled, blinking her teary eyes as she took out the scarf from her leather bag and wrapped it around his hand as the tears streamed through her eyes.

"With what substance are you made of?" he asked, wiping her tears.

He was bleeding but she was crying.

"The same substance with which you are made of," she said looking deep in his eyes.

"I could never forgive myself for hurting you," he said.

She could hear the regret in his voice, he was really hating himself for holding her like that,"But I forgive you."

Vikram shook his head at her words. She was really something different, he smiled slightly, "I can never understand you."

"Where were you going?"

Came the voice from behind, she looked at Rudra,"No where," she whispered.

"Stop lying Aadya," she shivered at Digvijay's tone.

Vikram noticed it and gave a look to Digvijay telling him not to use that tone on her right now.

"Why don't we tell the truth darling? It will save our time. We will take you wherever you want to go, okay," Aadya gasped when grabbing her by her waist Vikram made her sit on the car's bonnet, "holy crap," Vikram cursed when his blood smeared on her white dress.

"I know you will not take me there," she said looking down.

She knew it from the beginning that's why she hid it from them otherwise why would she sneak out from her own apartment.

"And why do you think so? "asked Rudra, perplexed, she met his gaze, "because you don't like them."

"them?"

She nodded, slightly, "Them. My parents."

"And why do you think that?"

"Why should I not think that? You didn't talk to me properly after I told everyone about me being a bastard child. It clearly says that you are not okay with this part of my life."

"I can understand you. You three come from a high society. The families of values and culture it's hard for you to accept my parents as they were. I know you think I am not as pure as you once thought. I am what they called an orphan bastard child," her heart became heavy, she remembered how they didn't talk to her properly after that night and she was sure that it was because of her past.

"Especially you Rudra. You do have a problem with my past right? I saw that look in your eyes. It said everything... My past can bring turmoil in your career. When people will know about us they will also know about me being a bastard child. And this truth of mine can definitely affect your political career. I know this and I am sorry for that but please don't look away from me like.. " she couldn't complete her sentence as he shut her up by capturing her quivering lips in a kiss.

It was a blind kiss, enlightening the sweet love which has now started to melt down in their heart. He held her face in his hand as if she was made of glass and poured his deep and raw feeling in the kiss.

Aadya trembled in his hold and grip his strong arms with her shivering hands afraid of getting completely drenched by his kiss.

With her eyes closed she let him kiss her the way he wanted, his kiss was bringing all the pacification her heart was needing.

The silent tears of her eyes cascade down her cheeks as being in his arms and inhaling the fragrances of his body she tasted the sweetness of his kiss and this moment.

Rudra was drinking her every tears away, through his kiss he was telling her how stupid she was to think that she can ever bring a shame to his name.

This kiss was as emotional and loving for him as it was for her.

Everything was so sweet about her. This moment, this kiss, her lips, her sensitivity, her warm tears every fucking thing about her was sweet.

Kissing away her sorrow he gave her a long smooch and left her mouth, she gasped and touched her lips with her fingertips they were tingling. This small yet sweet kiss was something different.

Totally different from their first kiss. Their first kiss was filled with lust and confusion but this kiss, it was full of raw love.

Putting his hands on her nape he joined their forehead and made her look at his eyes.

Aadya's lips parted in shock when she witnessed that crazy look in his eyes. His eyes were red, an unknown but untamed desire was swirling in those brown orbs. Aadya shivered at the intensity with which those eyes were staring at her.

She could see a sea of pain and anger in those brown orbs which made her insides knot like a thin thread.

All the warmth she was feeling in his touch had now vanished somewhere.

"Rudr..," she tried to call his name but he did not let her complete her sentence and said in a hard tone, "You are stupid. An utterly ridiculous fool. An idiot. A stupid girl who overthink everything."

"I'm not stupid. I am not a fool and not certainly an idiot," she pouted, offended by his words.

"Yes you are,"said Rudra, "I don't hate your parents or your past Aadya," he sighed. "more than my political career you are important to me Aadya."

"Neither do we hate your parents or past,"Vikram said.

"But.. but," she couldn't form a proper sentence. Did she really overthink everything?

"If you want to visit your old home. You should have told us. There was no need to sneak out like that," Vikram said.

"I had no other choice after what happened last night. I knew you would not let me go out," she said, while looking at Digvijay.

Vikram sighed ,"You wanted to visit your old home then let's go. We would also like to meet your parents and thank them for giving us you," Vikram said, flicking her little nose.

"Really? " her eyes shined like diamonds as she looked at him rubbing her nose.

....

Aadya was looking at the moving sun who was playing hide and seek with her, sometimes hiding behind the trees and other times right in front of her eyes.

Everything was long forgotten. Now she just wanted to spend her time with them in her old home.

She was resting her head on Vikram's lap while her feet were on Rudra's lap, she was holding Vikram's injured hands on hers, twitching her lips at his stupidity as he caressed her hair.

Suddenly her breath hitched when she felt the tingling sensation on her feet. She looked at Rudra who was brushing his fingertips on the sole of her feet, she shuddered at the feeling and her toes curled.

Unaware of her condition Rudra was racing his fingertips towards the toe ring on her middle toe, twisting the silver ring playing with it.

Her grip on Vikram's hand tightened, making him hiss in pain when he felt the pressure on his cut.

He looked down at Aadya whose brows were knitting together and her lips quivering as her eyes fixed on her feet on Rudra's lap while Rudra was looking out from the window totally unaware of what he was doing to her.

Rudra's fingers ran to her toes and twisted it a little earning a silent moan from her, "umm" she moved her feet from his lap making Rudra look at her in confusion.

It didn't take much time for a man like Vikram to know what just happened right now, however he let the matter swept under the rug at least for now.

Only one day after that she herself will tell them all of her desires, what turns her on, what she likes in bed and what not. He smiled at this thought.

After two hours,

A big smile stretched on her lips as soon as she inhaled the faint fragrance of Gulmohar in the air. She watched out from the window at the side of the path filled with hundreds of Gulmohar trees.

"We are here," she screamed in excitement, it's been years since she had last visited her childhood home.

Every memory of her childhood was refreshed in her mind as she set her foot out of the car.

Her eyes sparkled as they cruised by the field of flowers, they were still blooming happily just like years ago when her mother used to take care of them, wanting to have a beautiful garden with so many vibrant flowers.

"Wow" Vikram whispered looking at the field of flowers, for a moment he felt like he was in heaven. Aadya threw a cheeky smile his way," my mumma loved flowers.''

Every side the beauty of nature was roaring like a candle who put light in every corner. The colors of the blooming tulips, red, yellow, pink, purple are all so beautiful, lined by a fine line.

She smiled, the caretakers were doing their job nicely.

Her mumma loved floriculture.The field of flowers was an example of it. Even after so many years the flowers are still vibrant and blooming, spreading their beauty around the old wooden one floor house.

Her hands were trembling when she put the old brass key in the lock. It's not like she never missed her old home but she was not strong enough to come here again after lighting the pyre of her dead parents.

The old wooden door didn't open so easily, it had faced every rainy season alone since the last fourteen years. Now it has swelled up making it hard for a thin girl like her to open it.

She smiled awkwardly when Rudra pushed open the door in a single push, only if she was that seven years old Aadya. She would have swung the door open without anyone's help.

It would be a lie if she says nothing has changed.

To be honest everything has changed, from the tall wood walls to the small window where a cuckoo used to sit every morning and sing. Her once small and beautiful home was now resembling a ruined and ugly warehouse.

The caretakers can take care of the garden but only a homemaker can take care of the home.

She looked down at the old red rug which spread on the floor then her eyes moved to the red torn sofa where her father used to sit and do her hair.

"Braid my hair properly papa," five year old Aadya said while crossing her tiny arms over her chest as she sat on the floor in Indian style while her Papa tried his best to make two pigtails out of her untangled hair.

"I am trying," her papa pouted in helplessness, her hair is thicker than her mother's.

Aadya's mumma glanced at the father daughter Duo from the kitchen and smiled, shaking her head as she added three more chocolate pastries in Aadya's tiffin box.

Her little firecracker will be surprised when she will open her tiffin box and will find five pastries instead of two.

Not everyday she gets this special treatment but today's her sixth birthday she deserves three more pastries at least.

"Eww, Papa what have you done! Aadya exclaimed, holding her pigtails, one was going south while the other was to the north, there was no perfect balance, it was making her look like a baboon more than a birthday girl.

She pouted thinking about her crush, Kri.. Kri.., "what happened Aadya?" her mother asked, coming towards them with Aadya's unicorn school bag in her hands.

"Mumma, look what papa did," she showed her pigtails to her mumma, pouting. Aadya's mumma gave a look to her papa who shrugged innocently.

"Now what will Kri..Kri..tarth think of me? He will never look at me again,'' Aadya whispered, her voice breaking.

"Who?" asked her father, confused.

"Kiri..tarth my boyfriend," she sniffled.

"You have a boyfriend!" her papa shouted, making her flinch.

She hid her face in her mumma's saree and nodded yes in reply. "Holy hell! I have to plan a murder right at this moment." His little fairy-like daughter who should only know A for apple and B for ball was now not only knowing B for boyfriend but having a boyfriend too!

Aadya's mumma rolled her eyes at her husband and said, "Kritaarth, the kid from her school. He is senior to Aadya. You can't kill a baby, Z," she said, opening Aadya's braid and leaving her long hair open.

"And he is my boyfriend," Aadya mumbled, earning a warning look from her Papa, she stuck out her pink tongue in reply.

Her father's eyes widened seeing how his little fairy was now teasing him.

He tugged his little fairy towards him, she was clad in a white shirt and gray tunic school uniform,"My little fairy. Do you love papa?" he asked sweetly.

"Yes. I love papa. Lots and lots and lots," she yelled, opening her arms she told him how much she loves him.

He smiled and kissed her on her rosy cheeks, saying, "then break up with him." it again made her pout.

She had applied a little extra Ponds baby powder and her mumma's strawberry lip balm too, he noticed," Why so much makeup my fairy? Is it because it's your birthday today?" he asked.

She shook her head, a little smile playing on her baby lips,"kiri will do googly woogly woosh. He said he likes my cheeks," she shyly said, pinching her cheeks a little and then hiding her face in her hands.

Her Papa gasped at her confession while her mumma laughed seeing Aadya's red cheeks.

Aadya smiled with eyes full of tears remembering the old times. Wiping her tears she looked around her, a frown etched on her forehead when she didn't find them behind her.

Digvijay was looking at the pictures hanging on the wall, more like a small toothy smile of a little girl which was visible as the dust was hiding the happy faces in the pictures.

Taking out the handkerchief from his pants pocket he wiped the dust from the picture.

A beautiful little girl with short hair emerged in his vision. She was wearing a white saree with a small bindi on her forehead

She was smiling at the camera, showing her milk teeth.

Aadya was an extremely cute and beautiful baby. She looked so happy in those photographs he had never seen her this much happy.

He didn't want to look away from that innocent smile but he had to do it when he saw a glimpse of another picture, wiping the dust from it he gazed at the picture.

It was a family picture. Aadya was with her parents.

Her parents were smiling at the camera as little Aadya sat on her father's lap while her mother put her head on her husband's shoulder, encircling her hands around his arm. There was a dinosaur toy in Aadya's tiny hands which she was pointing to the camera making a cute roaring face.

"I was pestering her to buy that dinosaur toy for me but she didn't listen to me," the smile on his lips vanished and he looked behind at Aadya, she was too gazing at the old pictures.

"But when the lady standing before us in the queue said, 'girls play with barbies not dinosaurs' something clicked inside me and I roared at her like a dinosaur," she chuckled as she stood beside him.

"Rebel since childhood," he said.

"No doubt, and it benefited me. My mumma was happy that I didn't listen to that lady and bought this dinosaur toy for me right in front of that lady," she said, staring at her beautiful mumma.

"I.." she stopped when she looked at him and already found him looking at her.

The way he was looking deep into her eyes made her feel self conscious, she looked down awkwardly rubbing her fingers on her neck, "Stop looking at me like that."

But he didn't stop and kept looking at her.

Was he thinking about today's morning? She was worried.

"It looks like I was crying before this picture was clicked," she tried diverting his attention and wiped the dust from one of her childhood pictures.

"Yes, you were a cute kid," Aadya smiled slightly at his remark.

"But you had a runny nose," he said, blankly.

"What? No!"Aadya screeched, she was not a snotty kid. She was always clean and proper even when she was a tiny bundle of human being.

"Look at this picture carefully. There is a dried snot between your nose and lips," he said with no expression on his face.

Aadya scrunched her nose, shaking her head she said, "Eww, that's not a snot. That's dried milk, look I am having my meal here."

"It's a snot."

"No!! " giving him an angry look she stomped out from there.

When she entered the living room she found Vikram gazing out from the window, "What are you looking at? "she asked.

He looked at Aadya who was smiling tilting her head slightly,"Just seeing how beautiful everything is," her cheeks turned crimson and she looked out at the familiar garden.

"There are so many gulmohar trees here," Vikram says after a few minutes of silence.

His words bring a smile on her lips as she said, "Yes. My mother loved gulmohar. Whenever I see a gulmohar tree it reminds me of my mother. She was an ideal woman, Vikram. I wish you three could meet her," there was a slight regret in her words but what can she do, the matter of life and death is not in our hands.

"I am sure I would be her favorite son in law if your mumma would have met me," Vikram said, trying to lighten her sullen mood. Aadya frowned and thought, yes maybe he would have been mumma's favorite son in law but she didn't say it to him, it will only boost his ego more.

She chose to ignore his comment and pointed to the broken swing on the mango tree,"You know I love swings. I used to spend all my day swinging on that swing with Alex. My father had especially made that swing for me as here we didn't have any neighbors. It was only me, Mumma, Papa and Alex."

Vikram was carefully listening to her. He was mesmerized by the glint in her eyes as she talked about her childhood but his brows knitted together when she took a name Alex.

"Who is Alex?" His tone was hard.

Aadya smiled remembering her best friend. He was her only support after her first crush and boyfriend Kritaarth transferred to another city with his parents.

He was the friend she always craved for, her Alex. His name alone brings tears in her eyes.

She loved him so damn much.

"I asked you something darling. Who is Alex?" Vikram held her chin and made her look at him.

"He was my best friend, my brother, my pet Alex. He was a beautiful rabbit, Vikram I am missing him so much," she sniffled and hugged him tightly.

Vikram sighed after knowing that Alex was only her pet animal, not some boy or worse her boyfriend. He hugged her back feeling content.

"Where is my Sugar?" she asked.

"I don't know where he is," he mumbled, making her baby hair fly out with his breath.

"Let me find him then."

Rudra had a long list of achievements whether it's winning the election from one of the toughest constituencies to reaching their company to the unimaginable heights.

In all those ups and downs of his journey of a successful young politician and a business tycoon he had to sacrifice a lot. The hardest sacrifice he made was the sacrifice of his passion.

He loved cooking but one word from his father and he never set foot in the kitchen, at least till the time Aadya arrived in his life. He didn't feel much bad when he couldn't try to make different dishes for his mother, however when time snatched his other passion from him, that was the day he had made a big sacrifice for his career.

"A car with red beacon lights suits a politician not a two wheeler bike," those words from his father and he forget his passion and madness for bikes.

And now seeing a black royal beauty in front of him his eyes shone like stars.

"Yamaha RD350. It was the first bike my papa bought. My mother used to tell me that more than him, she was impressed by his bikes. My father was not offended by her remarks, he treasured his bikes," Aadya roamed her eyes at all the seven bikes.

"You like bikes too," she asked, she was sure she had seen the fascination in his eyes for the bikes.

"No. I like four wheelers.. " he stopped when Aadya arched her brows in his denial. Rudra sighed saying, "yes I loved bikes but I have to give up on it because I don't have enough time for it."

"Really ? Do you even know their names, Mr. Richie rich?"

"Of course I know. That black and silver beauty's name is Confederate Hellcat X132. That silver monster is Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R. This monster can achieve 300km/hr."

"Only a fool would not know this timeless beauty. You know this is my favorite since the time I watched Terminator 2 back in my school days. The almighty Harley Davidson FatBoy."

He didn't stop and kept telling her about all the seven bikes in the garage. The bikes were old with dust occupying their shiny texture but he was so much fascinated by the collection that he didn't care about his hands getting dirty.

"They just need a little servicing then these monsters will roar on the roads again," Aadya said, wiping the dust from the mirror of the great royal enfield.

"Let me find the keys. They must be in my parents room. We give them servicing and then you can ride these monsters on the city's roads," saying she was ready to go out of the garage.

"wait! What are you saying? " Rudra couldn't believe what she was trying to say.

"I'm saying that we will take all these bikes from here and after servicing you can ride them. They are not my father's anymore. They all are yours now," she shrugged, not understanding why he was looking at her with a shocked face.

"I can't take this. This is sounding like a dowry to me," Rudra denied her straight.

Aadya laughed at his remark, shaking her head she said, "It's not a dowry Rudra. They are useless here. No one is going to ride these masterpieces here. I saw the shine in your eyes when you looked at them. I guess we end up here in my old home because these lions are destined to be yours. It's not a dowry. It's just a way to revive your old passion. My father would be happy knowing a good rider is riding his monsters," cupping his face in her hand she caressed his cheek, smiling she turned around and went out of the garage leaving a shocked Rudra behind.

She smiled to herself as she walked towards her parent's room however her steps faltered a bit when she came face to face to that old blue painted door.

She had not opened this door before, not even when her parents were alive. She would always knock on it and only enter their room when her mother would open the door.

"mumma.. mumma.." Aadya cried, hitting her knuckles on the wooden door.

Wiping the running tears from her cheeks she looked at the monster standing behind her ready to tackle her tiny figure and eat her alive.

She sobbed loudly when the monster raised his hand to clutch her in his palm,"mumma open the door fast."

Her heartbeat quickened and she was on the verge of fainting when finally the door opened.

"what happened Aadu? " Her mumma asked.

Aadya looked at her mumma who looked like she was running a marathon with disheveled hair and deep breathing. Her eyes were red as she was sweating too much.

Aadya didn't waste a minute and hugged her mumma tightly,"Mumma monster came to eat me. He was so strong that I couldn't even move,"she cried.

"Aww mera baccha (my baby) come to mumma," her mumma held close to her chest and took her in.

Aadya wrapped her hands around her mumma neck tightly, she could feel the heat coming from her mumma's body. She was smelling a little weird too, her nose twitched on the smell.

"What happened ? Why is my little angel crying? "her papa wiped pearl like tears from her cheeks as she snuggled closer to his bare chest.

"Mouse monster. He came again with his family," she whispered, afraid of what if the monster is hiding under the bed, she hugged her papa tightly on this possibility.

"Don't worry my fairy. Papa got your back yeah,"

"Hmm," closing her eyes she hummed in reply.

"Papa."

"Yeah?" he whispered to his little girl who was close to sleeping.

"Why were you exercising at night?"

Aadya grimaced remembering those nights. She would never forget the look on their face whenever she would intrude in their room in the middle of the night.

She would always find her papa shirtless while her mother would look like a red tomato. She can't even tell how many times she has disturbed them.

She made a face in those memories and pushed open the door of her parent's room.

Her throat tightened when she looked around the small room. It was much smaller than her room. They have given her a big size room while they used to live in a small one.

Everything was the same as she remembered.

The bed, the desk, a small bookshelf on the corner, a steel glass on the nightstand, the woolen rugs made by her mother. Every single thing was same like it was again that same night.

For a moment she felt that she had traveled back in time. Only if she could do so.

Aadya gulped down the tears and walked towards the metal almirah. Opening the almirah she starts looking for the keys of all the bikes.

Suddenly some books dropped off from one of the compartments of the Almirah. She frowned, picking up the books from the floor.

There were a total of three books, and the edges of the books were torn. She had never seen these books in her mumma's or papa's hands. Aadya decided to take these books with her too.

She again looked for the keys and smiled when finally she found them.

However her smile vanished when something caught her eyes.

It was an old cassette and she knew which cassette was it.

She tried to ignore it, she tried her best but her hands work in their own accordance.

The cassette was old and she was sure it would not play. Maybe that belief of her made her insert that cassette in the tape player.

Her mind screamed at her to not press the start button but she convinced herself saying that it's an old machine it will definitely not work.

But it did as soon as she pressed the start button.

A sweet voice filled with a mother's love for her daughter echoed in the little home.

Making Aadya's heart cry in want for her mother.

It was an immortal lullaby which her mother had written for aadya.

Her mother used to sing this song for aadya before she went to bed. She had written this song when Aadya was in her womb, somehow she knew she would be having a precious princess.

Every single word of the song was dedicated to Aadya.

A small angel has come to my house.

A small angel.

Riding on a beautiful chariot. She has come to my house.

A small angel has come to my house.

Her words have the sweetness of honey.

Her breath has a fragrance of perfume.

Her lips are like a moist rose flower.

Her cheeks are red like pomegranate.

A small angel has come to my house.

I asked her as to who she was

She smiled and said I'm your love.

I was always in your heart.

Today for the first time I have come to your home.

She has come to my house.

A small angel has come to my home.

A small angel...

Listening to the poignant heart touching words of her mumma for her she could not control herself anymore and ended up crying.

When the trio heard a sweet song speeding around the four walls of the small home they followed the voice and found their Aadya on the corner of the room, sitting idle, her tears cascading down her cheeks like waterfall.

"Why are you crying now?" Rudra asked, getting closer to her. She had already cried so much today. How there are still more tears left in her eyes.

"I am missing my mumma," she croaked out. They don't know what to do, how to console her. They looked at each other helplessly.

"When they didn't come that night I thought they had run away leaving me alone," Aadya remembered the night when she lost her parents. Sitting on the porch she had waited all night long for her mumma, papa but they didn't come.

She frowned and looked at them, "Did you also think the same thing when you couldn't find me today?"

"For a minute, yes. We did."

She shook her head smiling a little, looking at them with her teary eyes she said," where will I go leaving you behind? You are my everything."

Saying so she hugged them oblivious to what her few words did to them.

Just like now.

Oblivious to everything she was sleeping soundly in her lover's arms as the three men stared at her all night long.

.....

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