Rishabala One Shot Story Collections I

Intezaar

Hello everyone... thank you all for voting and commenting on the previous story.

This story was kind of requested by I_S_H_U and it is kind of based on the Chulbul track from Dil Boley Oberoi.

For all those who haven't watched DBO, Gauri stayed in Omkara's house as a male servant named Chulbul. She is a staunch believer of Shankarji. Omkara has issues with his father and calls him Mr. Oberoi. Tej and Pinky always fought over who would take over the business. Mainly because, even though Tej was the elder son, his son was younger than his younger brother's son. Gauri called him Omkaraji in the show.

This story is not similar to DBO, just some basic characteristics and threads.

Chulbul's look from DBO

Madhu

Hearing the alarm, I sit up on the bed. Praying to Shankarji for a minute, I get off the bed. After taking my body shower, I walk to the mirror. I look at myself. My long hair. My eyes.

"Bye Madhu... it's time for Chulbul." I whisper to my reflection in my fake male baritone.

Sighing sadly, I start plaiting my hair into multiple sets then I roll them up and pin them securely. After securely pinning my hair, I take the wig and puts it on my head. I fidget with it till it is securely pinned up. Taking the long rimmed spectacles, I wear them. finally, taking my cap, I wear it. Looking at my reflection for one last time, I leave the servant's quarters to get ready for the day.

**********

"How can you do this to me, Mom?"

Hearing Ishana Madam screaming on top of her voice, I turn to look as I continued to dust the window. Ishana Madam, Abhay Sir and their mother were in a heated argument.

"Ishana, your father gave his word to Mohan." Kamini tells her.

"Without even asking me?" Ishana Madam asks furiously.

"Mom, he is a bloody womanizer. He chases anything in skirt and you want Ishana to marry him?" Abhay Sir asks in outrage.

They were talking about Rishabh Kundra, whose marriage was fixed with Ishana Madam. He was coming here to stay in this house for a month so Ishana Madam and he could get to know each other.

"When Prakash formed this partnership with Mohan, he didn't know that Rishabh was like this."

"But now he knows." Abhay Sir tells her.

"How could he decide to marry me off to someone who he didn't even know?" Ishana Madam asks shocked.

"Prakash met Rishabh and was very impressed with his polite behavior." Kamini Madam tries to explain. "So he agreed."

"He is a bloody liar, Mom! I have heard stories of him from my friends! The things he does to get a girl in bed..." Abhay Sir stops in fury.

"How could he even think that he would decide whom I should marry and I will marry that person? It's my life. don't I have any say in it?" Ishana Madam asks her in outrage.

"I'll not let Dad do this to Ishana." Abhay Sir warns his mother.

"I will not marry Rishabh, Mom." Ishana Madam tells her in finality.

"Just meet him. Be nice to him. We will think of some way to call it off." Kamini Madam tells her.

"Why should I?" Ishana Madam asks her in anger.

"Because he is going to be a guest in our house. And we treat guests with respect." Kamini Madam reminds her and walks off.

I watched as Ishana Madam walked to her room and Abhay Sir walked out of the house. I felt sorry for Ishana Madam, she shouldn't have to marry someone she didn't want and specifically someone who was of loose moral. I thanked the Lord that I was in the get up of a boy now, I have had enough of men chasing me to last a life time.

**********

"Bring it here, Chulbul." Kamini madam tells me.

I hurried to the center of the living room, carrying refreshments for the guest, the infamous Rishabh Kundra. He was in a conversation with Prakash Sir, I stop in front of him and extends the tray towards him. He looks up at me and my breath gets caught in my throat. I have never seen anyone this good looking. No wonder he is a womanizer.

"Chulbul? Is that your name?" he asks me with a curious smile.

"Yes." I whisper.

He chuckles, "You have such a girlie voice."

Realizing my slip up, I ask him in my fake male baritone, "What?"

He shakes his head. "Thank you, Chulbul." he tells me as he raised the glass towards me. "Chulbul Pandey, reminds me of Dabangg"

I nod and turn around quickly, it would obviously remind him of Dabangg because I stole the name from that movie only.

I start to run to the kitchen and I notice Ishana Madam sitting looking so depressed. My heart went out to her, but if I didn't know about his kaali kartutein, I would have thought him to be kind and charming.

**********

"Chulbul!"

Hearing the call, I turn around curiously, and find Rishabh waving at me near his car. I walk to him though I was feeling a little nervous. I never felt nervous around Abhay Sir, but near him I was feeling conscious.

"Yes, Sir?"

"Can you help me with my bags, please?" Rishabh asks me politely.

"Sure, sir." I reply as I walk to the boot and sees two bags.

He wasn't planning to leave?

"You don't have to call me sir, Chulbul." Rishabh tells me as he pulled out one bag and kept it near my legs.

I nod. I bend down to pick that bag.

"That one is heavier. You can carry this one." Rishabh tells me as he handed the other bag.

I pick that up and start leading the way to the house. I hear him close the boot and follow me behind.

"This is your room." I tell him as I opened the door for him and stood by so he could enter.

He walks in and drops the bag on the floor. I leave his bag next to his other bag.

"Thank you." he says as he extended his hand.

I curiously look at his hand and sees cash in it.

"I don't want." I tell him.

"It is for helping me." he insists.

"I get salary for doing my job here and this is part of my job." I tell him with a slight frown.

"Oh." He looked surprised.

I knew that it was normal for the guests to tip the servants. I have never taken the tip though I have seen the other servants accept the cash happily.

"I just didn't think it is nice to take the tip when we get salary to do all these jobs." I tell him as I didn't want to offend him.

"I guess for each his own." Rishabh replies with a shrug as he kept the money back in his wallet.

"Is there anything you need?" I ask him.

"No, I am good. Thank you, Chulbul." He tells me.

**********

I started to feel bad for him. He was pretty left alone in the house. Both Ishana Madam and Abhay Sir refused to talk to him. They just ignored him and he didn't seem to mind it also. Prakash Sir would talk to him when he is home but then most of the time he would be at work, and Kamini Madam had nothing talk to him about because there wasn't anything that they could talk about. I really wondered why he was so desperate to marry Ishana Madam that he was putting up with all this.

I was moping the floor one day while he sat on the couch with his feet up reading a book. As I was passing by him, moping the floor I hear him sniff in.

"Why do you smell like a girl, Chulbul?"

"Whaa... what?" I turn to him in panic, my heart stopping in fear wondering whether he found out my secret.

He turns to look at her and maybe he saw the panic in my face that he gives me a devilish half smile, "Oh my! Sneaking in girls now, are we?"

"What?"

"Is it your girlfriend or just..." he asks ending with a slight wave of the head.

It took me a second to realize that he was asking me whether I was having one night stands with girls.

"NO!" I quickly tell him turning slightly pink.

"Look at you blush." He tells me grinning.

"I am not that kind."

"What kind?"

Turning even pinker, I tell him, "What you are accusing me of."

"then why do you smell very girlie?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"You smell girlie. I don't know what it is, your shampoo, soap, perfume, it smells floral... like a girl's." he explains frowning thoughtfully.

"Might be the shampoo." I tell him quickly.

"Possible." He shrugs and looks back to the book.

I sigh in relief.

"Is there any pubs or clubs around here?"

"Huh... what?"

"I want to get laid."

"WHAT?" I shout in shock.

"You screech like a girl." He tells me with an amused grin.

"What?" I ask in my baritone.

He chuckles, "So, you seriously aren't sneaking in any girls?"

"No."

"Hmmm okay."

"You are here to marry Ishana Madam. How can you say that?" I ask him frowning furiously.

"Oh she is going to say no." he tells me in a dismissing tone.

"How do you know that?" I ask him shocked.

"So, you do know that." he points out cheekily.

"I hear you are no prize." I tell him shrugging. I was still pissed with him for telling me that he wanted to get laid.

"And why is that?" he asks me curiously.

"It is not my place to talk about these things." I tell him as I tried to get back to work.

"Okay."

"But why are you still here if you know that she is going to say no?" I ask him curiously as I stopped and looked at him.

"I thought it was not your place to talk about these things."

I quickly look away and starts to mop.

"Because she hasn't said no yet." He tells me.

"Why are you not saying no?"

"Because I can't."

"Why can't you?"

He turns his attention back to the book and tells me in a dismissing tone, "It's not your place, Chulbul."

I nod and get back to mop.

**********

"I am bored, Chulbul." He tells me with a sigh.

I look at him and sees him throwing the TV remote on the couch and look at me.

I just didn't know what he expected me to do for him then. Did he want me to entertain him?

"Do you want to take me out to the city and show me around?"

"I don't know the places here." I tell him.

"Oh you are not from here?"

"No."

"Where are you from?"

"Bareilly." I reply before I could think.

"Ah okay. So, then can I take you around the city?" he asks me.

"I thought you didn't know the city."

"Yeah, but I have a phone, net connection and google."

"I can't come."

"You are the only one who talks to me here."

"I have seen Prakash Sir and Kamini Madam talk to you."

"Okay, the only interesting person who talks to me."

"I have work."

"Come on, Chulbul. If I have to stay in this house for another ten minutes, then I will go crazy. "

"You can go alone."

"It is not fun. And there are no interesting profiles on tinder too."

"Tinder?" now what is that?

"You don't know?" he asks me surprised.

"No." I shake my head in no.

"Finally, some entertainment. We should create a profile for you." he tells me excitedly.

"Profile for what?" I ask him too curious to ignore him.

"On tinder. Then we can swipe left and right." he tells me cheekily.

"Huh?"

"Let's start. I'll create an account for you. Do you want to give your real name or fake name?"

HOW DID HE KNOW THAT?

"WHAT?" I shout at him turning white.

"Some people give fake names. They are not comfortable revealing their true identity." He explains. "So, are you okay with your real name or should we come up with a fake name?"

I am already using one fake name, now I need a fake name for my fake name?

"Chulbul will do."

"Okay." he starts typing into his phone. "Age?"

"19."

"Okay... male or female?"

"WHAT?"

Does he know? Is he trying to get me to reveal my truth? Hey Shankarji.

"As in are you interested in males or females?" he asks me.

"Males." I reply sighing in relief too relieved to think straight.

"I did peg you for a homosexual." He tells me as he got busy on the phone.

"WHAT?"

"You do shout a lot." He tells me as he flinched a little.

"Is this a dirty app?" I ask him shocked.

"Dirty?" he looks at me chuckling.

"What is this for?"

"For hook ups!"

"I AM GOING TO HIT YOU!"

He looks at me in shock as he moved back.

realizing that I was standing with my hand raised to hit him, I quickly bring my hand down.

"It is making so much sense now." he tells me.

"What?" I ask him confused.

"Your sexuality."

"Huh?"

"You have more of feminine quality than masculine. Your gestures and the way you react; it is all feminine."

I move back in panic. How was he so suspicious when the rest of the house, nobody had given me a second look.

"Anyway, just to be clear." He starts.

I curiously look at him.

"I am into girls. This..." he gestures between us. "is just friendship. I don't want you to think I am interested in you in that way."

"Of course! you skirt chaser." I tell him offended.

He grins hearing that. "It is so nice to see that you are so comfortable with your sexuality. I've a friend, he is gay but he is not openly gay."

"What are you saying?" I am just feeling so lost with the way he is talking.

"Maybe you should meet him. Wait, let me check whether I have his photo on my phone. I feel you could teach him to live a little." Saying that he starts scrolling through his phone.

I snatch his phone from him, leaning down I glare at him. "I. Don't.Want.To.See.Your.Friend."

He stares into my eyes in shock for a few seconds then he grins, "Seriously, Chulbul, if you were a girl, I would have hit on you like anything."

"Whaa..." I couldn't even whisper my gasp. I could feel my cheeks turning pink.

"Any sisters?"

"Shut up!" I tell him recovering then turning around I leave the TV room. leaving my work half-done.

**********

"Can we please go out, Chulbul?"

I turn to him and sees him leaning on one of the dining table chairs while I wiped the dining table.

"Can't you go alone?"

"That would be depressing. I am alone when you are busy with your work. Outside also if I have to be alone, I am going to go crazy. Please come with me. Hyderabad has lot of amazing places to visit."

I felt bad for him just then. However, he was, he didn't deserve to be treated like that. and he wasn't that bad. Just that he couldn't keep it in his pants, otherwise he seemed like a sweet, friendly and caring guy, though outrageous too. Otherwise he wouldn't befriend the servant here. And there were four other female servants here and he only tried to befriend the only 'male' servant of the house.

"I have work. Kamini Madam might won't let me leave."

"I'll get permission for you." he tells me smiling then he turns to walk off, he stops and turns to me, "You are okay with coming with me, right?"

He was the guest of the boss, and I am their servant, all he had to do was get the permission of my boss, but he showed respect to me by asking me that. I couldn't help smile hearing that.

He looks at my face for a few seconds then says with a sigh, "Please tell me you have a sister, Chulbul."

Then he walks off missing out the blush that crept on my face.

**********

"Where do you want to go?"

"Temple." I tell him excitedly.

"What?" he shouts in shock.

"Yes."

"I want to go sightseeing."

"I haven't been to a temple in a while."

"Don't you go out?" he asks with a frown. "The Kapoors don't let you go out?"

"Weekends we can." I tell him, I didn't go because I didn't know the place and I didn't want people to see me and figure out that I am not a man. I try to stay out of everyone's sight but when it came to him, I just couldn't say no.

"Then why don't you?" he asks me as he took his mobile and started typing into it.

I shrug in reply.

When I didn't vocally reply he curiously looks up at me. I shrug again. he shakes his head and setting location on his mobile, he drives.

We didn't talk during the drive as I was busy looking out the window taking in the new city. I couldn't help smile seeing the city. I had missed coming out of the house. I should thank him for bringing me here. I was about to turn to thank him when the car came to a stop. Curiously I turn to look at him and sees the temple through his window. I couldn't contain my joy and I smile happily.

"Okay, come fast." He tells me.

"You are not coming?" I ask him shocked.

He turns to look at me and tells me, "I don't believe in all this. You go."

"You should come." I tell him.

"Why?"

"You are at the entrance of the temple and if you don't come in then what will Shankarji think?"

"I really don't believe in all this." He tells me again.

"I came because you called me. Now you should come because I am calling you." I tell him.

"Why do you do nakre like girls?" he asks me in exasperation.

I turn completely pink hearing that. I look away as I start to get out of the car. Then I hear him getting out. I look at him and he shakes his head at me.

I smile at him. "Thank you."

He shrugs at me.

"By the way, I feel it was very sexist of you to say that." I tell him as I walked to the temple steps.

"Okay, I take it back." He tells me just as easily.

I wasn't even sure if he really meant it.

"but I am only taking back like girls. You do show nakre." He tells me.

I blush as I looked down.

We were about to climb the stairs when I keep my hand on his arm seeing the steep steps. We both jerk back in shock feeling current pass through us.

"What the hell was that?" he asks me shocked as he looked at his arms.

"I don't know." I tell him as I rubbed my hands in shock.

"let's go." He tells me.

I nod.

While I prayed, he had just looked around, checking out the artwork of the temple. Even after I finished my prayers, he had walked around looking at all the works on the walls, taking his time studying them. I just stood back and watched him. His face was different as he looked at each sculpture. There was intensity in his gaze. Amazement, wonder, admiration and ... was it longing? I wasn't sure.

He turned to look at me. I was about to tell him that I was done, when he just turned around and continued to curiously look. He walked around the temple while I followed him behind.

Once he had finished taking a full circle and looking at everything, he turns to me, "Let's go?"

"Yes." I reply.

We both start to leave. We reach the steps and seeing the steep steps, I keep my palm on his and hold it without thinking. We start climbing down, few steps down and he clears his throat.

"Chulbul, why are we holding hands like a couple?" he gently asks me.

Realizing what I did, I pull my hand back.

"You know I am into girls only." He tells me.

"Shankarji! How can you talk like this on temple steps?" I ask him scandalized.

"I don't want to break your heart. I don't want you to think there is more to this."

"I don't." I tell him frowning. "The steps are steep and I just held your hand because of that."

"Ah okay." he nods. Then he smiles, "I got a little confused. But it is awkward."

"I am not interested in you." the moment the words were out of my lips; I knew I was lying. My heart skipped a beat. How did this happen? He is a womanizer. How could I even possibly find any interest in him? This shouldn't happen. In two weeks, he would be leaving. And I shouldn't form any kind of attachment to him.

"Why?"

Breaking out of my thoughts, I turn to him and sees him curiously looking at me. "What?"

"Why are you not interested in me?"

"What?" I frown at him.

"I am just curious." He tells me. "Do men not find me attractive?"

"I can't even believe that we are having this conversation!" I mutter and run down the stairs.

He follows me and comes near his car. I was waiting for him to unlock the car so I can get in.

"I noticed that you were not scared to run down the stairs." He tells me.

"What?" I frown at him.

"I just said I noticed that." he tells me as he unlocked the car. "So I don't believe you."

I had enough!!!! "And I noticed that you were holding my hand while we climbed down the stairs for a bit." We both get into the car.

"Oh that... I kind of forgot." He replies as he started the car. "You have such soft hand like a girl, that for a few seconds, I forgot that you were a guy."

I look away irately. This Casanova didn't even care which girl was holding his hand, all he cared was it was a girl! I really shouldn't waste my thoughts on him. I decided but then I couldn't do anything about the blush that had crept up my face.

*********

We remained silent for a while as he drove in silence.

"Where should we go next?"

I turn to him and sees him looking at me.

"I don't know." I reply.

"Are you upset?"

I shake my head.

He smiles at me.

"You were looking at the artwork in the temple." I tell him wanting to talk to him.

"Yes." He replies as he looked at the road.

"You like art?" I asked him.

He sighs and nods. "Where do you want to go next?"

"Wherever." I reply shrugging.

"Golkonda Fort is supposed to amazing." He tells me.

"Even I have heard." I tell him excitedly as I turned to him. "I've heard Ishana Madam telling someone that we need to get a guide if we are going to visit Golkonda Fort."

"Okay... let's go there." he says with a smile.

Excitedly I sit back, ever since I heard Ishana Madam tell one of her visiting relative of Golkonda Fort, I was dying to see it.

"Thank you." I tell him.

"For what?" he asks me surprised.

"For the outing."

He smiles, "Then thank you to you too for coming with me."

"My pleasure." I tell him smiling.

He gives me a weird look then he looks away.

**************

We found a guide and he took us around the fort. It was such a fascinating place. I felt so proud to be there, so proud of our history as the guide explained all the brilliance in the architecture. I turned to look at him and saw even he was amazed at what we were seeing. If there was anything close to art, then he would remain there for a few minutes as he studied it, which did irritate the guide a little in wasting his time.

We reached a certain section of the fort, and the guide asked us to go to two ends of the room. we were told to face the wall and whisper onto the wall.

I stood there not really understanding what to do when I hears his voice, "Chulbul?"

Surprised I turn around and find him standing at the other end of the room and looking at me. smiling excitedly, I turn around and whisper to the wall.

"Rishabhji."

"Rishabhji???" he asks back surprised.

I turn to look at him and sees him curiously looking at me.

I turn to the wall and tells him, "You only told me not to call you sir... that is why... should I call you sir?"

I turned to look at him. Then I hear his voice.

"It's okay... you can call me whatever you prefer."

I couldn't help blushing hearing that and I see him look at me. He frowns seeing me, I quickly turn around and says "Rishabhji." I couldn't hide the blush from my voice.

When he didn't say anything I look back and sees him watching me. He looked uncomfortable, seeing me look at him, he looks away and walk to our guide.

I close my eyes realizing that I was blushing too much and he might have thought that Chulbul has a crush on him. I wanted to kick myself. I shouldn't be entertaining this attraction, nothing was going to come of it. It felt like I was a moth and he was the fire, I will end up getting burned by him.

Sighing, I walk towards them. I have never felt like this for anyone before. Then why am I feeling such things for a man I know will not give me anything in return other than heart break. Because he was the first person in years to show genuine care to you. my heart whispered softly.

I felt my heart break and eyes fill up realizing that it was true.

"Let's move?"

I see him stand next to me, but I don't look at his face. I nod and follow him out to see the rest of the place.

"Are you okay?" he asks me softly as we walked to his car after finishing the fort.

I turn to look at him and sees him watching me in concern. Seeing the concern on his face, for the first time in a year, I wanted someone to see me as a girl. Not just someone, I wanted him to see me as a girl.

"You have been quiet."

"I am fine. Just tired." I whisper as I look down.

"Let's go back then." He tells me.

The drive back to the Kapoor's house was silent and long. We both were uncomfortable with the silence but neither of us spoke.

************

I come out of the bathroom after my shower. I stood by the mirror as I wiped my hair. Since I couldn't pin up my wet hair, I had started taking my head wash at night. Since I was supposed to be the only male servant apart from the watchman, I was asked to sleep in the servant quarters a little away from the house. It was just a bedroom with a bathroom. I was happy with this arrangement because away from everyone here, I could be myself. I could wear salwar. I could be a girl. Sighing, I let my waist length hair fall back on my body. I run my fingers through the hair to take of the tangles as I thought about him.

He has started plaguing my thoughts and I just couldn't stop thinking of him. I know all the bad things about him and still I can't help feeling like this for him. And I know these feelings Madhu was having for him, was making him uncomfortable around Chulbul. And I shouldn't do that, because Chulbul was his only friend in this house. I should curb these feelings for him, so he can continue to have his friend. With that resolve in mind, I went to sleep.

************

Next day, I looked around the whole house for him. I didn't find him anywhere, not even in his bedroom. I wondered whether he left. Would he leave without telling me? I shook my head at my crazy thoughts, he didn't owe me any considerations like that but a part of me knew that he wouldn't leave without telling me. maybe he just went out for a drive.

I was walking back after giving the watchman his lunch when I spots him in the garden. Leaning against the tree with a book in his hand. He seemed to be writing something. I couldn't contain my joy. Since the moment I woke up, I had been looking for him. I run to him excitedly.

Hearing me approach him, he looks up at me.

"I looked for you everywhere." I tell him smiling happily.

"What happened?"

"Nothing. What are you doing?" I ask him as I moved towards him to see what he was writing.

Before I could see, he closes the book. "It's personal, Chulbul."

"Oh... I am sorry." I quickly stop and step back. "I didn't mean to disturb you." I tell him feeling sad. I felt angry at myself, I had decided that I wouldn't make him uncomfortable with this attraction that I was having towards him and I just did that.

"It's okay."

"I'll go then." I tell him and turn to walk off.

"I don't want to hurt you, Chulbul." He gently tells me.

"You won't." I tell him as I turned to him.

"I know you have a crush on me."

"I don't." I quickly deny as my heart slammed against my chest in panic.

"I am not blind." He replies, a little offended that I lied to his face.

I just didn't know what to say or do then.

"I think it is best if I just stayed away from you." he tells me.

I felt my heart break hearing that. I felt like crying. I look away as I tried to control my emotions. I took deep breaths as I tried to calm myself down. Then I tell him gently, "I am sorry I made you uncomfortable."

"You are very innocent, Chulbul. I don't want to be the reason you are heart broken." He tells me.

I knew he was uncomfortable with what had happened yesterday, but still his main concern was that he would break Chulbul's heart. I felt my heart skip a beat, I felt tears fill my eyes as I realized that I was no longer just attracted to him, I was falling in love with him.

"You are a nice guy, Chulbul. I like you. but you know my orientation is different from yours. other than friendship there isn't anything I can give you." he whispers to me.

I kneel down in front of him and tell him, "All I want is to be your friend."

"I already consider you a friend, Chulbul."

I smile hearing that. "Whatever feelings I have for you, that shouldn't bother you. I know in two weeks you would leave from here and we might never meet again. I am prepared for that."

"Now you are breaking my heart." he says a little sadly.

"What?"

"Why won't we meet? If it wasn't for you, I would have gone crazy in this house."

I smile hearing that. "Then we will meet when we will meet."

"Ah that is better." He says smiling.

We remained silent for few seconds just simply smiling.

"Do you want to go out today?" I ask him seeing that he was relaxed.

"No. today I am in the mood for something else. Maybe tomorrow or day after?" he asks me smiling.

"Okay, whenever you want." I tell him smiling. "I'll leave you to it then. If you need anything let me know. I will be in the house or the servant's quarters." I tell him pointing at my room.

"That is where you stay?" he asks me curiously.

I nod. "Do you want anything? did you have lunch?"

"I didn't. I am not that hungry."

"If you want I can make you a sandwich." I offer.

"Okay." he replies smiling.

Smiling, I walk back to the house.

I was assembling the sandwich when I realized and stops in shock. Did I confess my love to him? Hey Shankarji! Hai Shankarji! I did. I did admit to him I have feelings for him! Shankarji! This mask of Chulbul was giving me unnecessary courage!

Shaking my head, I walk back to him with his sandwich. My only consolation was that he was never going to find out that Chulbul is a girl.

**********

Two days later, we again went for an outing. This time we went to Charminar. Since it was crowded, we had parked the car further away and had walked. As we entered Laad Bazar, I could see lots of shops. Seeing a choodi store, I excitedly run towards it.

"I'll come now." I call out to him and get into the shop.

The store was filled with beautiful choodis that I felt as if I had entered a long forgotten dream. I quickly start looking at different designs of the choodi. I try on a beautiful red choodi.

Feeling him join me, I ask him as I admired the choodi. "This is so beautiful, right?"

"Erm... yeah."

"I want 24 pieces." I tell the lady at the store as I returned the red choodi to her. then seeing a beautiful green choodi set, I try it on. "I want this too."

"You wear choodi?" he asks me so softly near my ears.

"Yes. At night." I reply as I removed the one I am wearing and handed it back to the shopkeeper.

"Oh."

I stop in shock and turn to look at him and he was looking at me in shock. Realizing what I had done, I quickly get out of the store without buying anything.

How could I be so stupid? Choodis were my weakness but that doesn't mean I should forget everything else when I see choodi. It is almost a year since I bought choodi and in front of him I had excitedly tried out choodi. My heart started slamming against my chest realizing that he might be suspicious about me. I so desperately wanted to turn back and look at him to see what he was doing but I was too scared. Maybe, I should just get lost in the crowd and slip out of here. Go back to the Kapoor's gather my things and money and leave the city before he decides to tell everyone that I am a girl. But a part of my heart whispered to me that he would never tell anyone my secret.

"I am sorry." He jogs next to me.

"What?" I turn to him in shock, wasn't it me who was supposed to apologize to him for my lies?

"I made you conscious and uncomfortable. It was not my intention."

"What are you saying?" I ask him as I stopped to look at him.

"Here." He tells me as he handed me a cover.

I look at it and sees the choodis I had selected. "You bought these?"

"I am very sorry. I wasn't judging you. I realize I didn't handle it well then."

"Handle what well?" I ask him utterly confused. It suddenly felt like he was speaking another language.

"It's your life and your wishes. You should do what you like. And I actually am envious of you being so proud of being yourself, and showing the courage to be true to yourself even if it is in privacy."

"I really don't understand what you are saying." I tell him feeling so confused. Is he saying that he knows that I am a girl?

"I am saying I am sorry that I didn't handle you being a crossdresser well back in the store." He politely tells me.

"Huh? Crossdresser? What is that?"

"That is what it is called."

"What called?" okay I was starting to lose my patience.

"You like dressing up as a girl. I understand that and I apologize that I made you conscious."

My eyes pop open realizing what he was saying, I am a chirrayya dressed like a chirotta and he thinks I am a chirotta who likes to dress up like a chirrayya?

I really didn't know how to react to that or what to say.

Seeing him looking at me so earnestly I tell him helplessly, "I don't know what to say."

"Please forgive me. I can only imagine how hard it is for you and I didn't make it any easy."

"Please you haven't done anything to apologize." I tell him feeling so guilty.

"We are cool, right?"

"Yes." I reply smiling. "Please don't apologize to me like this. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Okay." he replies smiling. "Do you want to get more choodis?"

I shake my head with a smile and a slight blush.

"You like choodis?"

"I love choodis. They are my weakness." I tell him as I didn't want to lie to him after the unnecessary guilt trip he was going through.

"Just choodis or...? I am just curious, if you don't want to share, I understand." He tells me quickly.

"I like ear rings. Big ones." I tell him.

"Ah... since when?"

"Since I was small."

"Hmmm... do you want to look for earrings?"

"No, we will go to Charminar." I tell him.

"Okay."

***********

The climb up the spiral staircase was tiring, a little scary and dizzy. But I managed to climb up. We spent some time at the top as we looked at the view.

"Nice, right?" he asks me as we looked at the busy street.

"Yes, it was worth the climb." I tell him.

"the climb was bad for you?" he asks me shocked.

"I felt a little scared and dizzy."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was okay... just a little dizzy." I tell him.

"You rest for a bit then we will go down."

I nod and smile seeing the way he was showering so much care and concern on me. only my best friend Trishna has shown care and concern to me all my life and never this much. I looked at him, he was looking at the street. I am never going to forget him. Once he leaves, I doubt whether he will remember me but I will always remember him. I started feeling the pain realizing that he will never be mine.

"Rishabhji?"

"Hmmm?" he turns to look at me.

"You are not going to marry Ishana Madam?"

He studies my face for a few seconds then replies. "No."

"She is actually very sweet." I tell him softly.

"You want me to marry her?" he asks me frowning at me.

"I want the best for you." I reply as I looked into his eyes.

He looks at me for a few seconds and I see a flicker of emotion in his eyes and he quickly looks away. I realized that he had stopped breathing.

"We should go." He tells me softly.

I nod. "I didn't mean to overstep my boundaries."

He nods.

"I am sorry." I tell him.

"Leave it." He tells me and starts to walk.

"Rishabhji?" I worriedly call him.

He turns to look at me.

"I am very sorry."

"Don't apologize. You didn't do or say anything." he tells me then he turns to me and asks, "Didn't you tell me once that I am no prize?"

My eyes open slightly realizing that I did say that. didn't I mean it too? Now, it feels like that there is no better prize in the world than him.

"What changed?"

"I feel if you put your heart into it, then you can be loyal to your wife."

"Wouldn't that be so boring?" he asks me cheekily.

I look away hearing that. it did hurt hearing him be so casual about it.

"My father cheated on my mother, I would never do it to anyone." He softly whispers to me.

I didn't know what to tell him, so I hold his hand.

"Let's go." He says quickly and walk off.

I hurry to catch up with him. He waits at the entrance to walk down, and I pass in front of him when he gestures me to go ahead. He follows me behind.

We start climbing down the spiral stairs. As I climbed down I realized that I found climbing down more difficult than climbing up. The dizziness was too much. I felt faint. I lean to the wall to stop myself from falling.

"Are you okay?" he asks me from behind as he kept his hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah... just feeling a little uneasy." I tell him.

"Stop then." He tells me as he tightens his hold on my shoulder.

I stop. Seeing the people behind us had reached us, we press ourselves to the wall so they could pass. Realizing there wasn't much space for them to pass, he holds my hand.

"Come." he tells me as he got in front of me.

We walked down a few steps then, he turns to the left where there was a small opening and he gets in there. I follow him. The space was tight but we both could stand. I lean on the wall and closes my eyes.

We stood there close to five minutes. Realizing that I will have to climb the stairs down, there was no other option, I tell him, "We should go."

"Will you be able to manage it?" he asks me in concern.

I nod though I wasn't feeling very comfortable with it. The thought itself was scaring me.

"Okay, hold my hand." He tells me as he offered his hand.

"Won't you feel awkward?" I asked him in concern remembering the temple steps incident.

"Don't be silly." He tells me as he held my hand and lead the way.

I started following him, climbing down the stairs. A few more turns and the dizziness returned tenfold. I tighten my hold on his hand and he quickly stop. Before he could turn to look at me, I lean down and rests my head on his broad shoulders, gripping his shirt to steady me.

He didn't say anything. he just stood there silently. Still like a statue. So still that he wasn't breathing but I was too tormented that I couldn't ponder on it.

"You are blocking the way." One man tells us as he passed by.

"We've to climb down, Chulbul." He whispers in a raspy tone.

I nod my head and tightens my hold on his shirt. He waits for a few seconds and I realized that he wanted me to let go off his shirt and move back. But I just couldn't.

"I can't let go." I whisper to him helplessly.

He stiffens even more then taking a deep breath, he starts climbing down and I follow his lead as I rested my head on his shoulder and my eyes on the steps.

I sigh in relief as we finally stepped out and I was hit by fresh air.

"Are you okay?" he asks softly.

Realizing I was still holding him, I step back letting go off his shirt. "Thank you."

He nods without looking at me. "I will bring the car."

"I'll come with you."

"You rest here I'll bring the car."

"It is getting dark here." I tell him softly getting a little worried.

"Okay."

We start walking, I lean on him resting my head on his arms. He stiffens immediately.

"I am sorry; I know it is awkward for you but I just can't... I am feeling uneasy." I tell him helplessly.

"It's okay." he whispers.

We reach the car and I lean on it as I closed my eyes. The giddy feeling was going and my heart beat was calming down. We remained like that for a while. Finally, I was feeling better and my head clear. I open my eyes and see him standing a little away from me, looking at nothingness.

"Rishabhji?" I call him realizing that we were pretty alone there then.

He turns around and walk to me. "Are you okay?"

"yes. Thank you." I tell him.

"Do you want water?" Then without waiting for a reply he walks to the driver's side opens the car and takes out the water bottle. He walks back to me and hands the bottle.

I take it and gulps down the water. Then taking water in my hand, I splash on my face to freshen up a little.

"Thank you." I tell him as I closed the bottle.

He nods as he walked back to me.

Looking down at my feet I whisper to him softly. "I am very sorry."

He moves towards me and tells me gently. "You weren't feeling well."

My heart felt heavy remembering how he had supported me. I felt my eyes fill up, all my life I had to look after myself, and for the first time someone was caring for me like this, he had put aside his comfort and bore the discomfort, just so I could feel comfortable. And in that moment I truly, madly and irrevocably fell in love with him. Now, there was no going back for me. I am in love with a man who will never be mine.

"You don't have to feel bad about it." He gently tells me.

Gulping the sob that was threatening to break out I nod my head.

"Look at me." he tells him.

I don't comply. I couldn't have him see me now.

I feel his hand on my chin and he lifts my face up, "Chul..." he starts and stops in shock. "Why are you crying?" he asks me softly.

"Please don't be so kind to me. life would be so hard when you go away." I whisper to him in anguish.

He stops breathing and I see his eyes fill up. I couldn't help it and I caress his cheek to console him. Feeling my hand on his cheek, his gaze moves to my lips and feeling his eyes on them, my lips part voluntarily. He leans down, and takes my lips in his. He gently sucks on my lips and I imitate him. With a groan his hand on my chin, gently coax it down and I part my lips further, giving him more access. His tongue sweeps in and touch my tongue. I feel a tightness between my legs and I hug him and moves my tongue against his as we kissed hungrily.

We part slowly, as our lips left each other's, his lips pecks on mine again and again as if not wanting to let go. I sigh against his lips feeling blissful and happy. He smiles against my lips as he kissed me again. I blush happily. he steps back with a smile on his face. I shyly look at him.

Then as I watched, his smile turns to confusion, then shock and finally to horror.

"Fuck!" he whispers as he stepped back in shock.

Realizing he was panicking as he thought he had kissed a boy, I gulp in panic, wanting to tell him that I am a girl but I was gripped by fear then. Of what his reaction would be to that, what if he felt that I betrayed him and fooled him? Then I was worried for my future.

White as a ghost, he quickly walks around the car and gets in. I quickly gets in. while I put on the seat belt he drives the car. Neither of us spoke to each other through out the rash drive. As soon as we reached the Kapoor house, we both got out and ran to the privacy of our room.

************

I was feeling so guilty for what happened the previous day that I couldn't sit still. I looked around the whole house for him so I could apologize to him even if I couldn't tell him the truth. Not finding him anywhere, I went to his room.

Gulping in nervousness I knock on his door. he opens the door and stops in shock seeing me.

"Rishabhji." I softly whisper his name.

"Go from here, Chulbul." He tells me and starts to close the door.

"Please." I tell him as I held the door.

"I don't want to see you or talk to you." he tells me getting angry.

"I just came to say that I am very sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen. I am sorry." I tell him as I felt tears fill my eyes.

He stares at me in fury before I could understand his intend, he grabs my arms and pulls me into his room. "I might be many things but I am not this!" he tells me in fury. "You and I know, that I initiated the kiss. So don't you fucking come here and apologize."

I couldn't hold the tears in my eyes and it starts spilling down. He lets go off me and steps back. Agitatedly he runs his hands through his hair. "Just go from here, Chulbul."

I helplessly look at him.

"If it wasn't for my father, I would have left this house. Hell! I wouldn't have ever come here! Now, I have to stay here 12 more days. So, please leave me alone!"

"I didn't mean for any of that to happen." I tell him helplessly.

"But it did happen!" he tells me in anger. He walks to me and tells me, "I am a straight guy. I have always been one! And now, it is like I don't know myself! I feel all my life was a lie."

"It is not. Please forget what happened yesterday." I helplessly request him.

"Forget it?" he asks me in anger. "You think it is easy? All I can think of is kissing you again! and you are asking me to forget it?"

"What?" I ask in a whisper, shocked at his admission.

"And you know what the worst thing is?" he asks me frowning in anger.

I shake my head in negative too dazed to speak.

"I just don't want to kiss you, I want more. I want to have sex with you. And the worst thing is, I don't want you as you." he tells me.

My heart starts slamming against my chest at his confession.

"I want you as a girl." He tells me. "Do you understand what that means? Because I fucking don't!"

I gulp not knowing what to say or what to do.

"Your thoughts are driving me crazy. I have never wanted anyone in my life like the way I want you. But the truth is I don't want you as you. I am hating you for being a man, does that make me a lesser of a human being? Because it is making me in my eyes."

He looks away agitatedly running his hand through his hair.

"I don't know what I am anymore. All I can think of is drag you to the bed. What does that make me? Straight? Gay? Bisexual? I just don't know. My life is already shit and now I have one more added to the list. I need to sort out my life. I need my shit together. For that I need space and distance from you. so, please as long as I am here, just stay away from me!"

*************

That day and the next day, neither I went in front of him nor he had come out of his room other than for meals. And I made sure I didn't linger around those times. It killed me that he was going through all this because of me. after all the time we spent together, I just didn't know how I could tell him that I was not Chulbul, that the person he had befriended and treated as an equal was a lie. And the pain of not seeing him was slowly killing me. I didn't know what would happen to me once he leaves. I shouldn't have fallen in love with him and I shouldn't have let all this happen. My only hope was once I was out of his sight and mind, he would be out of this confusions and be himself.

"Madam, I will go to my room?" I asked Kamini madam once I was done with all my work.

"Yeah, go." She tells me as she started to follow her family to the dining room. "Chulbul, ask Rishabh to come down for dinner."

"Me?" Hey Shankarji! How was I going to tell her that he asked me to stay away?

"Yeah, you. go and tell him. Tell him we are starting our dinner." Kamini Madam tells me and then turning to her husband, she tells him in a complaining tone, "He didn't come down for lunch today and we had kept waiting for half an hour. If he didn't want, couldn't he just come and say that? Abhay and Ishana are right, he is not what he seems to be."

Hearing that he hadn't had lunch broke my heart. I quickly hurry to call him for dinner. I felt a little anger rising against Kamini Madam, she doesn't know what he is going through and she is judging him. And she is judging him on basis of what Abhay Sir and Ishana Madam had told about him, but I am now starting to believe that he is not a lost cause as they accuse him of.

Reaching his bedroom, I knock on the door. when he didn't open after a while, I knock again. still no reply, I hesitantly try the handle and the door opens.

"Rishabhji?" I hesitantly call and sees that the room is empty.

I hear the sound of shower from the bathroom and I walk to the bathroom. "Rishabhji?" I hear the shower stop for a second then it starts again, slightly louder than before. Maybe he didn't hear me. "Rishabhji." I knock on the door as I called him a little more loudly

"Yeah?" I heard his irritated voice as the shower sound stopped.

"Kamini Madam is calling you down for dinner." I inform him.

"Okay." he replies and I hear the shower again.

I was about to leave the room when I find the book he had been writing on, lying on the bed. It was open and my breath gets caught in throat seeing that it was a drawing of my face. I walk to the bed and take the book in my hands.

The drawing had me looking up at something, water droplets on my face, eyes misty, my lips parted and there was longing on my face. I realize this was how I had looked at him when he had kissed me. I run my hand over my drawing. Then curious, I turn the page to see the previous drawings.

There was a drawing on Shankarji, it was from the temple that we visited. As I turned the pages more drawings were drawn all of which we both had seen at the temple or Golkonda Fort. His fingers had magic, each drawing looked like it had life in them.

I was so engrossed with his drawings that neither I noticed that the shower had stopped nor I heard the bathroom door open.

"What the fuck, Chulbul? I told you that was personal!" I hear his furious voice.

"Sorry." I reply quickly as I turn to face him and stops in shock seeing him only in his towel. I screech in panic and starts to run out of the room.

"Give my book!" he shouts in anger as he grabbed me.

He wrapped his hand around my waist and with the other he pulled the book from my hand.

"Sorry... sorry." I whisper as I tried to escape from the room. the moment I moved, I stopped in panic. His palm which was on the underside of breast brushed against my breast. I stopped breathing, and started praying hard that he didn't realize that he had his hand on my breast.

"Chulbul?" he whispers in shock.

I couldn't even blink in fear.

"Chulbul?"

"Please let me go."

And I feel his hand press on my breast so gently and softly as he put pressure on his hand.

"Fuck!" he whispers.

I turn around and pushing him off, I run out of the room.

***********

I ran till I reached my room. I knew I couldn't stay here anymore. My secret would be out to all. A part of me knew that he would never reveal my secret to all, a part of me was afraid that he would after what I made him go through today and the previous day. now, coming to this point, I realized that I should have told him the truth yesterday when I had the chance, but I didn't and now he found it out by his own.

I felt like crying in panic as I sat on the floor. I wanted to stay back and talk to him. But I was scared to do that. I just didn't know what I was supposed to do or say. And if I go from here, where would I go? I couldn't go back to Bareilly. I had nowhere else to go. What do I do?

Even after a while, when he hadn't followed me to my room, I started wondering if he would confront me on this. What if he is telling Kamini Madam and all the truth about me? or what if he is waiting to confront me in the morning? When he did, what answer do I give him? Yesterday, he had bared his heart to me and I had still remained silent. He is going to hate me. I felt my tears spill as my heart broke. I couldn't see hatred for me in his eyes. Getting up, I start shoving all my things into my bag.

I open the door and step out quietly. Wondering how I will get past the watchman, maybe I will act as if it was common knowledge that I was going to my native place for a visit. Maybe I will be able to get him to believe that Kamini Madam knew I was going tonight.

"Going somewhere?"

I turn around as my heart slammed against my chest and sees him leaning on the wall of the quarters blending into the dark.

"Rishabhji?" I whisper as panic set.

He steps into the light, biting into a sandwich which had chocolate spread threatening to spill. "Do you want to do this here, so everyone can hear us or inside where it is just us?"

It wasn't even much of choice. "Inside." I whisper.

"Lead the way then."

I step back in and he follows me inside. Then he closes the door and locks it. I panicked and shivered in fear.

"You had me doubting my sexuality." He tells me.

I could hear the anger in his voice.

"You made me suffer for nothing!"

"I am sorry." I whisper.

"Is that what you have to say?" he asks me in anger.

I helplessly look at him.

"Why didn't you tell me the truth? Before I can understand, it was not my place but after we kissed, why didn't you?"

"I don't know." I helplessly whispers to him as I cried.

"You don't know?" he asks angrily.

"Even now, you were running away without giving any explanations!"

"I didn't want you to hate me." I tell him as I closed my eyes tight in guilt.

"And running away would have made me love you?" he asks me sarcastically.

I look down as I cried raked with guilt.

"Will you stop crying and give me answers?" he asks me in a calmer tone.

I nod my head.

"No more lies." He tells me as he stepped forward.

"No more." I promise.

And I hear him sigh in relief. I look up at him and sees him watching me.

"I just didn't know why I did what I did." I tell him helplessly.

He nods. Then remembering the sandwich, he was holding, he shoves it into his mouth. I waited for him to finish eating and ask me whatever he wanted to ask me.

"Damn! I am hungry." He mutters. "I haven't had anything the whole day." he tells me softly.

"I am sorry."

"It was my decision to skip my meals. Why are you saying sorry for that?"

"It was because of me." I tell him as I looked at him.

Without saying anything he looks away. then he admits, "It was." Then he continues "I was worried about you slipping out at night that I didn't go for dinner, I asked one of the maid to get me a sandwich and she got me this. But now, this isn't enough."

"I'll bring you something to eat?" I ask him.

He frowns at me suspiciously, "Are you planning to run away on that pretense?"

"No." I quickly shake my head.

"I am really starving." He whispers.

"I'll bring your dinner." I tell him.

"Did you eat?" he asks me softly.

"I wasn't hungry." I reply to him.

He doesn't reply to that.

I start to walk and I points to his lips, "You got..."

"What?"

Touching my lips, I gesture to his lips pointing at the chocolate spread smudge there. he starts to wipe his lips, just when he was about to touch, he stops and looks at me.

My breath gets caught in my throat with the way he was looking at me. he moves towards me and stops in front of me. gulping I nervously take my finger to his lips to wipe it off. he turns his face away. then he turns to face me again. I again take my finger to his lips and he again turns away. heart slamming against my chest, leaning on my toes, I keep my lips on his. Closing my eyes, my tongue slips out and licks the chocolate on his lips. With a growl, he hugs me and hungrily start kissing me. I hug him and kiss him back with all my love.

"What is your name?" he asks me as he kissed me.

"Madhu." I whisper against him lips.

"Madhu." he whispers against my lips as he deepened the kiss.

I feel his hand on my jacket trying to lift it off. I still and hold his hand to stop him.

"Rishabhji." I worriedly whisper his name.

"I've never hungered for anyone as I hunger for you, Madhu." he whispers to me.

He starts to kiss me again and I turn my face. "This is wrong. It's a sin."

"Madhu..."

"Without marriage, all this is a sin. I won't." I tell him and gently pushing him off, I head to the door. "I'll get your food and come."

***********

I walk back in and find him standing by the window waiting for me. he turns to look at me and I set the plate on the bed. I remove the plate I had used to cover the food.

"Rishabhji, come." I tell him.

He walks to me and sits next to me. I give him the plate.

"You've with me." he tells me.

I nod and offer the plate I had used to cover his food. He puts the roti and sabzi on my plate. Sitting side by side, we ate in silence.

"Why are you like this?" he asks me as soon as I step out of the bathroom after washing my hands.

Seeing him stand by the window, I walk to him and stop next to him. "I grew up in an orphanage in Bareilly. Children are allowed to stay there only till they reach the age of 18. Once they reach 18, they should leave the orphanage. My best friend, Trishna she had to leave once she became 18. She got a job and she got a place of her own. we thought, once I turn 18 even I will stay with her and find a job. When it was time for me to leave, the orphanage matron told me that she has secured a job for me at Kaali Takur's haveli."

I turn to look at him and sees him looking at me, as he listened.

"Kaali Takur is the most powerful man there. and I was happy that I got a job there. so, I went to his haveli and then only I found out..." I shudder remembering the old memories.

I feel him keep his hand on my shoulder.

"He wanted me to marry him and his brothers."

"what?" he asks in a shocked whisper.

"When his wife found out that he was going to marry me, she committed suicide. But I still managed to escape." I close my eyes remembering those scary memories.

"It's okay." he whispers to me.

"but he managed to convince everyone that I was trying to seduce him and his wife committed suicide because of me. the police were going to arrest me. with Trishna's help I escaped, I dressed up as a boy so no one would recognize me and I got on a train. I got on multiple trains because I was scared of someone finding me. I ended up in Hyderabad."

"I didn't know what I to do or where to go. I went to a mandir there I saw Kamini Madam and she fell down the stairs. I helped her. she wanted to repay me for helping her. I told her I was looking for a job. Before I could tell her that I am a girl, she told me she is looking for a male servant. I thought, for the time being, this is a safe place for me and I took the job."

I sigh and turn to look at him. "That is my story."

"Why didn't you just tell me all this yesterday?" he asks me softly.

"I don't know." I reply then turning to look out the window I finally confess to him. "Maybe I was scared that you would also like everyone else believe that I tried to seduce a married man and his wife committed suicide because of me."

"I would never think that of you. I know you are not like that, Chul... Madhu."

"I am sorry, I was worried. Bareilly was the only home I had and I couldn't go back there if I had to leave this place." I confess to him.

He looks into my eyes and tells me with so much conviction. "One day, you will go back to Bareilly, Madhu. I promise you, Madhu, there will be a day without any fear, you can go back to your home."

Hearing him, I move to him and hug him. Keeping my head on his chest. Then I feel him wrap his hand around me. feeling content, I close my eyes. Right in his arms, I finally felt home.

Few seconds later, I realize that I was hugging him and I move back. "Sorry. I didn't want to make you feel awkward."

He tightens his hand on me and pulls me back to his chest. I look up at him in shock and he was looking down at me.

"Being close to Chulbul made me awkward. I like being close to you, Madhu." he whispers to me.

I gulp hearing him making me very conscious of our proximity. I start to step back when he holds me closer.

"I think I have a crush on you, Madhu." he tells me.

"what?" I whisper to him in shock, my heart going a little crazy with joy. Rishabhji likes me?

"I don't think otherwise I would have kissed you. I guess my heart always knew that you are girl. There were too many red flags." He ends with a chuckle. "My mind has ignored it all thinking that you haven't given me a reason so far to doubt you but my heart and maybe my body did process it all. Otherwise I know I would never have kissed a man who told me how much ever sincere he was in his wish for wanting the best for me or how much ever he was physically close to me or how much ever longing I see in his eyes or how much ever sure I was of his love, I wouldn't have kissed him. So, I guess, I always knew that you were a girl." He tells me and then he bends down and a second later his mouth was on me kissing me.

I couldn't help but kiss him back, it was giving me a heady feel. I feel his hand slip inside my jacket and I come to my sense and quickly step back.

"No." I whisper to him and walk a little away from him.

He sighs loudly. "I can't seem to control myself." he whispers in an apologetic way.

I nod, I couldn't really blame him when even I found it difficult to control myself when it came to him.

He watches me for a few minutes while I nervously looked everywhere but him. He walks to me and takes my hand in his. Then he leads me to my bed. I nervously gulp looking at him, not sure of his intentions. He makes me sit on the bed and kneels in front of me.

"I want to see you, can I?" he asks me.

I nervously nod.

He removes my specs. "Do you really have power?"

I shake my head in no.

He keeps the specs on the bed. Then he removes my cap. He removes my wig and smiles tenderly seeing the way I had pinned up my hair. He touches my hair with a smile. He gives me a sweet kiss on my cheek.

"You fooled everyone, didn't you?" he asks me in wonder.

"Not you." I whisper to him.

"I was a little fool." He tells me. "But how come no one else figured it out?"

"Only you bothered to talk to me here. I tried to stay out of everyone's way." I tell him.

"You were so lonely here, weren't you?" he asks me sadly.

"I thought it was safe." I tell him not wanting him to be sad for me.

He leans towards me and pecks my lips.

"You should go." I tell him worriedly.

"I want to stay here with you."

I worriedly look at him.

He quickly tells me, "We will just talk. Nothing else."

"Okay." I reply smiling, I liked talking to him.

He smiles and takes my hand and kisses it happily.

"I think I will sit on the other side of the bed." I quickly tell him feeling shy and worried for my chastity.

He chuckles and move to give me way.

I walk around the bed and sit on the floor as I faced him. He also sits on the floor. We just look at each other with a smile. Soon, I was feeling shy with the way he was looking at me. I look down shyly.

He leans over and touches my cheek with a finger. "Can't believe that you are girl." He tells me a chuckle. "I just hope that I don't wake up and realize it is a dream."

I chuckle hearing that.

"With the amount I dreamt of you in the past two nights, I won't be surprised."

"What did you dream?" I ask him shocked.

He gives me one of those flirty and sexy smile, "Your condition is this when I look at you, I don't know what your condition will be when I explain what all I dreamt about you."

I blush profusely as I looked down.

He chuckles happily.

"Did you see Chulbul?" I ask him shyly.

"I told you, I wanted you as a girl. Without even knowing, I dreamt of Madhu, not Chulbul."

I look down feeling so shy and nervous.

"You draw really well." I tell him wanting to change the topic.

And I see his face fall and he turn completely serious.

"What happened?" I ask him.

He shakes his head.

He knew all my secrets and it felt bad that he didn't want to share his feelings to me, but then at the end of the day, I was just a servant there and I shouldn't overstep my boundaries.

"You are upset." He points out.

I shake my head in no.

He sighs loudly and says. "I've a very controlling father."

I look at him not really understanding that and the connection to his drawings.

"I want to be a painter. My father wants me to join business."

"oh." I whisper as I held his hand.

"I am here because he forced me to come here. I never wanted to get married."

"Why?" I ask him feeling my heart break a little.

"I grew up seeing my father cheat on my mother. I just don't want to be in a position that she is, ever."

"Is that why you are..." I ask him.

"I am not as bad as you guys think." He tells me smiling.

"I have started feeling that." I tell him softly.

"when I met Prakash Uncle I didn't know my father was planning to get me married to Ishana. If I had known, I would have scared off Prakash uncle with my horrible behavior." He tells me with a chuckle. "and my father kind of trapped Prakash uncle with investing in his business and after that he threatened him of pulling off the funds if he didn't agree to the wedding. When I found out, I had a friend who is friends with a friend of Abhay. I told him to make up stories about me and scare off Abhay." He tells me cheekily.

I gape at him in shock then I ask him, "That day you were on dirty app and you told me you wanted to..."

"Get laid?" he asks with a teasing smile. "I was just trying to get you to spill that you were sneaking in girls and then I was also hoping you would go tell Prakash Uncle or Abhay that I told you that."

"Oh."

"And tinder, I actually thought of sneaking in a girl and having get caught by Ishana or one of the family members." He tells me cheekily.

"What?" I ask shocked.

"But then coincidently Mom called me that day and told me not to do anything that would embarrass our family. She promised that she will talk to my father and get him to change his mind."

He was silent for a few seconds then he tells me a little sadly, "She won't be able to change his mind, I know that. even she knows that. but she had asked me and I would do anything for her."

"If she asks you to marry Ishana Madam then?"

He sighs loudly. "I am not sure. I will tell her I don't want to marry her."

"Why are you letting your father dictate your life like this?" I ask him curiously.

"He would throw me out of the house and I am so used to this comfortable and luxurious life, it scares me." he tells me with a shrug. "I know, I am being a coward and poor little rich boy, but I just can't help it."

"You are." I agree as I didn't want to lie to him.

He smiles hearing that. then he tells me, "I had a girlfriend in college. I don't know if I loved her but I was very hurt when she teamed up with my father."

"What do you mean?" I ask him ignoring the pain of his past relation had caused my heart.

"I had got a scholarship to study art in a college in Germany, my father wanted me to do MBA. I thought of going to Germany without telling him and she told him. She helped him in getting my scholarship cancelled."

I hold his hand feeling his heart break.

"I broke up with her after that. I was hurt, don't know whether it was because I loved her or because she had betrayed me. after that I never had a relation. Only one night stands."

That hurt. I look down feeling hurt and I had no idea why it hurt. It is true I loved him but he has never made any commitments to me, and one-night stand, isn't that what he also wanted between us?

He holds my hand. "I don't want to hide anything from you. I am sick of wearing this mask in front of all. I want you to know the real me."

I smile hearing that. it made me feel special. He has that talent, to make me feel very special.

He smiles at me.

"Do you think of her?" I ask him referring to his girlfriend.

"No. I don't think I was in love with her. this crush that I have for you, it was nothing like this." He tells me.

I couldn't help smiling.

"This is not going to work out, you know, right?" he asks me gently.

I nod as I looked down sadly.

"I should stay away from you, but I can't seem to." He tells me regretfully. "I am being selfish, I know."

I don't say anything to that.

"Only 10 days and after that we might never see each other. We'll just let this go on like that till then?" he asks me softly.

I nod yes in reply. I knew I would fall more in love with him but then not seeing him after this was making me desperate.

We spent the rest of the night talking about random things.

I wake up hearing the alarm and find myself with my head on the bed while I sat on the floor. I look at him and see him holding my hand while he slept with his head on the bed.

"Rishabhji." I touch his hand with my other hand. "Rishabhji." I shake his hand gently.

Jerking, he looks up sleepily. Then seeing me, he sits up as he rubbed his eyes. "I slept off."

"You should go before everyone wakes up." I tell him.

He nods and let go off my hand. "Bye." He tells me as he stood up. I watch him leave the room and I went on to get ready for the day.

*************

He was in his room most of the day sleeping, and had only come down for lunch. I didn't talk to him in the main house. By evening he had gone out. He didn't tell me before he went out, I found out when I found his car was missing. I couldn't ask anyone about it, so I just didn't. I found it strange that he had gone out without telling me because he had never done that before, the truth was he went out only with me. I was a little worried whether he had decided to keep distance from me.

When I didn't see him for dinner also, I went to my room. feeling a little dejected. I decided not to ponder on it much as there was nothing I could do about it. I'll see him when he felt like seeing me.

After my shower, I wore my salwar and walked to the mirror. The usual relief or joy at seeing me as myself wasn't there tonight. I knew it was because my mind was still on him. Trying to take my mind of him, I open the packet of choodis that he had got for me and I wear them. I felt a little happy wearing the choodi that he got me. I was admiring the choodi remembering him when I hear a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" I ask in my male baritone worriedly, no one came to see me here.

"It's me. open."

Rishabhji? He ignored me the whole day and now, he has the audacity to come and say me and I should recognize his voice?

"Who?" I ask and immediately felt that I was being silly, and was about to open the door when I hear his irritated voice.

"Open the damn door, Madhu."

I scowl at him through the door, and asks "But who are you?"

"I am going to stand here and let someone find me. then you can explain why I am standing here." He tells me in an irritated voice.

"Why can't you tell me your name?" I ask cheekily.

"because I know you know who I am."

"I could be wrong too."

"Madhu!" he says my name in irritation.

I couldn't help giggle and was about to open the door when I realize that I was in my salwar. "Rishabhji, can you wait for 10 mins?" I ask him.

"Are you naked?"

"What no!"

"Are you indecent?"

"No."

"Then open the door."

Huffing at his high handedness, I open the door, hiding behind the door.

"Why are you acting so pricey?" he asks as he walked in and turns and locks the door.

"Where were you the whole day?"

"I was sleeping, I didn't sleep last night or the night before..." he turns and stops in shock seeing me. He sucks in a breath and stops breathing as he looked at me.

I felt blush creeping up my face seeing the way he was looking at me.

He raises his hand and I look down shyly. He takes a strand of my hair in between his fingers.

"Rishabhji." I nervously call him.

"You got such beautiful luscious hair." He whispers.

I didn't know how to react to that. "Why are you here?"

"I came to see you." he says letting go off my hair. "Here." He gives me a packet.

"What is this?" I ask curiously.

"Open and see." He tells me with a smile.

I quickly open and smiles seeing pani puri. "Pani puri?" I ask excitedly.

"Not as good as your Sharmaji's from Bareilly. last night, you were talking so much about it, I thought, I will get you the local one." He tells me smiling.

"Thank you." I tell him excitedly as I walked to the bed and sat on the floor leaning on the bed. I opened it and started making the puris. "Here, have." I tell him as I looked up at him.

"It's for you." he tells me smiling.

"You also have." I tell him smiling excitedly. I was so touched that he got me pani puri just because I was missing it.

Seeing him struggling with it, I take it from him. "Open your mouth."

He opens and I stuff the puri into his mouth. I was about to take my hand back, when he holds it and licks and sucks the juice from my hand.

I blush shyly feeling how his tongue on my fingers were affecting other parts of my body.

I shyly pull back my hand and we have pani puris.

After cleaning up, I walk back into the room and find him waiting for me. I walk to him. He takes my hand and touches my choodis.

He chuckles, "You fooled me good."

I giggle hearing that. "I thought you figured it out that I was a girl and you were thinking something else."

He laughs hearing that. I quickly move to him and covers his mouth so no one hears him.

He looks at me. I now knew what that look meant. He has been giving me those looks before he kissed me. as if to prove me right, he wraps his hand around my waist and pulls me close to him. I feel his tongue on my hand and I pull my hand back when I felt a pull right at the core of my womanhood. With a sexy smile, he pulls me towards him and takes my lips in his.

"I have something for you." he tells me as we parted.

"What?" I ask feeling breathless.

He puts his hand inside his pocket and brings out a pouch. Curiously I open it and find earrings, big ones, the type I like. Almost similar color to the green choodi he had got me.

"This is so beautiful." I whisper to him.

He smiles at me.

I walk to the mirror and wear the earring. Since I wore the type of studs that I had noticed Abhay Sir wear at times, my ear hole hadn't closed. As I finished wearing my ear rings, I feel him stand behind me.

He shows me a matching necklace of green stones. "May I?"

I nod feeling a little nervous as I pulled my hair to the front over my shoulders. He keeps the necklace on my neck and hooks it.

"Beautiful." he whispers to my ears.

"Thank you." I tell him with a blush, no one has got me gift other than Trishna.

"I want to take you on a date tomorrow." He tells me.

"No. I am scared." I quickly tell him ignoring how my heart was beating in excitement.

"Please, Madhu."

"No, Rishabhji."

He sighs loudly as he hugged me from behind. I blush feeling happy in his arms. He sees me blushing through the mirror and he kisses me on my cheek.

We walk to the bed and sit on the floor on either side of the bed and talk through the night. He started opening up to me more about his family, his father, his mother, his sister, his brother and his cousin brother Sultan. I felt blissful listening to him talk about his family.

*********

I was dusting the living room when I hear a loud sigh. I turn back curiously to check and find him sit on the couch with a book in hand. He was looking at me with a naughty smile, I blush and look away. as I was dusting, I couldn't resist and I turn and slyly look at him. He was engrossed in his book then I notice him peaking at me, I blush and he grins. I quickly turn back and continues with my work. But I couldn't control myself and I turned to look at him, every time I looked, he would look at me. I happily blushed as we stole glances at each other.

"Aunty!"

I hear him call out loud just when I was about to look at him. I look straight as I dusted the crystals.

"Yes, Rishabh?" Kamini Madam walks to him.

"I was thinking of going out for sightseeing today."

"Yeah, okay."

"Is Ishana or Abhay free to come with me?"

"No, Ishana has gone to college and Abhay to office."

"Oh." He says disappointed.

"Take Chulbul with you if you need company."

"Okay then." He answers. "Chulbul!" he calls me.

I turn to him as I fought my blush realizing what he did just then.

"Will you be ready to leave in an hour?" he asks me.

I nod in reply.

"Thank you, Chulbul." He sweetly smiles at me.

I quickly turn back as I didn't want Kamini Madam to see me blush.

*************

He again took me to Laad Bazar.

"Buy choodis or whatever you want." He tells me smiling.

I smile happily as excitedly walked into the shops. I was busy looking at the choodis when he comes near me.

"Choodis look good on you." he whispers to me.

I blush happily.

"Don't blush, people would start staring at us." he tells me.

I giggle as I looked down.

We happily walked around the bazar, talking and having street food.

"Do you want to go to Charminaar?" he asks me teasingly.

"No." I laugh remembering our last time together.

"I'll carry you up and down if you want." He jokes.

I laugh hearing him.

"First time, I am on a date with a boy." He tells me.

"I am girl!" I tell him feeling a little offended that he called me a boy.

"Ah so, you agree this is a date?" he asks me cheekily.

I blush hearing him.

We drove around the city, and went to a restaurant for dinner. After that we went back to Kapoor house.

I was getting ready for bed when I hear the knock at the door.

"Madhu?"

It was Rishabhji. I run to the door happily and open the door for him.

************

He spent all the nights with me. we would talk all night, sometimes about him, sometimes about me and other times about random things. He started opening up to me more, so much that, I started feeling that no one knew him better than me. I understood that he was falling in love with me, but he never said anything and I never asked him about it. He had already told me that we had no future. His family would never accept me or rather, his father, so I never broached the topic with him.

Hearing the knock, I open the door for him. He smiles at me a little nervously and walks in. I smile curiously wondering why he was feeling nervous. He was never nervous with me.

He extends his hand to me and I see his drawing book. "I have never shown this to anyone, but I wanted you to see it."

I couldn't control my joy and I snatch the book from him in excitement and opens the book. The first drawing was of a lady.

"That's mom." He tells me as he stood next to me.

"You are so talented." I whisper to him as I turned the page. "It's like they have life in them."

"Sultan." He tells me.

I look through the drawings to see Rudy bhaiyya, Priyanka, then it was the drawings of the ones I had seen from our outings. After Chulbul there was a drawing of me. it was from the night he had properly seen me as a girl. Looking at myself trough his eyes, I realized how beautiful I am. I blush happily.

He closes the book and take it off my hand.

"I wish you could do something with your passion." I tell him.

He sighs and hugs me from behind without saying anything.

"You are so talented. By not pursuing it, you are not only doing injustice to yourself but to the world also for depriving them from the magic in your fingers." I tell him feeling sad and heartbroken. I felt like crying.

I feel him kiss my hair as he hugged me tight. He was feeling emotional and I could feel the sadness radiating from him.

"Please don't give up, Rishabhji." I request him feeling so heart broken.

He sighs loudly. Then he moves my hair forward. I feel his lips on my neck. I gasp feeling the sensation it was causing me. he pulls on the dori at the back of my dress.

"Rishabhji." I nervously call him to bring him back to his sense.

"I want to make love to you, Madhu." he whispers to me.

I felt heat rushing through my body and I quickly run to the wall to put some distance between us.

"Shankarji, you and Trishna, are all I have in my life. it has been a year since I saw Trishna. Now, you are the only one I have. I would do anything for you, but I will not go against Shankarji for you." I tell him unable to hide the anguish from my voices. "Without the blessing of Shankarji, I can't be yours."

He walks to me and cups my face, "I am sorry, Madhu. I don't believe in all this, so I never understood your reservations. I am sorry."

I felt relief rush through me and I hug him. I keep my head on his chest.

"I am sorry, Madhu." he whispers to me as he hugged me.

***********

Next day, I find him in the garden with his drawing book. I walk to him to give his tea. He looks up and smiles at me as I knelt next to him and handed him the tea. He takes it and keeps it on the ground and I see paints and color pencils kept there.

"What are you drawing?" I ask him smiling curiously.

"trying to draw the choodi store from Laal Bazaar."

"Wow, will you show me after you are done?" I ask him excitedly.

"hmmm." He thoughtfully looks at me then smiling sweetly he says. "Okay."

I smile at him happily. the moment was broken when his mobile starts ringing. He looks at the mobile and his whole demeanor changes. He looked irritated, angry and had closed his eyes in exasperation. I realized it was his father.

"I have to take this." He tells me in a serious tone.

I realized that he wanted me to go. "I'll go then. If you need anything let me know."

He nods. "Thank you."

I give him an encouraging hopeful smile and walk off. as I walked off, I heard him answer the call with a suppressed angry voice "Yes!"

********

He had gone out after the call with his father. This time also he didn't tell me where he had gone off to. I was worried for him but I had no way to help him or console him. He hadn't turned up for dinner. I was getting really worried for him. I decided to go to my room and wait for him. he always came to my room at night. He slept in my room now, on either side of the bed with holding hands was how we slept. As I walked to my room, I saw his car in the parking, he was back? And I didn't notice? I turn around to go to his room to check when I noticed Kamini Madam closing the door. now I couldn't go back without having to answer her what I wanted. I will just wait in my room for him.

Sighing, I walk to my room. I open the door and step in. I closed the door while I fumbled for the switch on the side. I switch on the light and locking the door I turn around and stop in shock seeing him sleeping on my bed.

I walk to him and kneel next to the bed. He was sleeping on his stomach and was in deep sleep. I caress his hair but he continued to sleep. deciding not to disturb him, I watch him sleep for a while.

I felt relief rush through me, seeing him. but I knew his father might have said something that had caused him to leave and then come back and sleep like this, it might have been emotionally draining for him. Otherwise he would have waited for me. I decided to wait till he woke up to talk to him.

I go to take a shower. After my shower, I check on him and he was still deep in sleep. I sit on the floor near the bed. I keep my head on the bed as I watched him. I gently take his hand in mine and hold him. he immediately holds my hand back in his sleep. I smile realizing how used to he was in holding my hand while he slept.

Feeling someone lifting me up, I wake up.

"Sshhh, go to sleep, love." He whispers to me.

"Rishabhji, are you okay?" I ask him as I looked at him.

"I am fine." He tells me as he placed me on the bed. "You sleep." he tells me as he put the blanket on me.

I hold his hand wanting to know whether he was really fine.

"I am fine. You sleep, I'll come now."

"Where are you going?" I ask him.

"I need a shower."

"Okay."

He leans down and kisses my forehead. "Sleep." he instructs me again.

I nod in reply. Smiling at me, he walks off. I watched him walk off and was surprised to see him walk to my bathroom instead of the door. few minutes later, I hear the shower sound. I just lie back waiting for him.

Hearing the door open, I look at him and he comes out of the bathroom, looking fresh. His eyes fell on me immediately. "Didn't sleep?"

I shake my head in negative.

He closes the bathroom door and the room was again filled with darkness. Switching off the bathroom light, he walks to the bed.

"I used your towel, I hope that is okay with you." he whispers to me as he lay next to me.

I felt myself turning red, thinking how I had used that towel to wipe my whole body a few hours back and he has used the same towel to wipe his body with that.

"Exactly my thoughts." He whispers to me hotly in my ears.

"I should sleep on the floor." I tell him blushing uncontrollably and start to get up.

He quickly holds me down, "We'll just sleep."

I nod and lie back. He puts his hand over my stomach and his head on my shoulder.

"What happened with your father?" I ask him softly.

"Ishana."

"Hmmm."

"He is adamant. Abhay's fiancé belongs to this big business group and he wants to join the business with them. that is why he is pushing for me to marry Ishana."

I gently rub his hand to console him.

"Mom called and she said she tried but he is adamant. She is helpless. I already knew that she won't be able to influence him. now that, Sultan is going to marry Dipali, she belongs to Trivedi family, he is going crazy. It is so weird that he is competing with his nephew. Such an egoistic man."

"What did you tell him?" I ask him feeling a little worried.

"Can we talk about this tomorrow? I need to think about a few things." He asks me softly.

"Okay."

"I need to make a decision. Whatever I decide I will tell you tomorrow. Is that okay?"

"Yes." I reply feeling my heart heavy realizing he was thinking about marrying Ishana.

"Thank you. Good night." He whispers and he kisses my cheek. "Love you."

He quickly slept off while I spent the rest of the night, replaying his love you in my mind for a million times.

********

The next day, he had been lost in thoughts and was in his room most of the time. by lunch time, he had come out. I was clearing the table after lunch when he walks to the table to grab a tissue.

"I am going out." He whispers to me.

I nod as I continued to clear the table.

"I'll come back in some time. will see you when I get back."

"Okay." I whisper to him.

Soon after he left.

*********

At night I was waiting for him in my room. he had come back some time ago but since everyone was home we couldn't talk. Hearing the knock at the door, I hurriedly open it. He smiles at me and walk in.

"I wanted to talk to you." he tells me after I had locked the door.

I nod realizing that he had made a decision. He holds my hand and lead me to the bed. He makes me sit on the bed and kneels in front of me.

"I can't marry Ishana, Madhu." he tells me as he held my hand.

I felt relief wash through me hearing that. I nod feeling happy.

"the only person that comes to my mind when I think of marriage is you, Madhu. I can't think of spending my life with anyone else. I want to marry you, Madhu. I love you." he tells me as he looked into my eyes.

I felt tears prick my eyes hearing him.

"My father won't agree and I can't go against my father, I need time for that."

I nod understanding him.

"Right now, if I leave home, I don't know how I will be able to survive and take care of you. so, I need time."

I nod feeling a little worried.

"But I am scared." He whispers to me and I could see his worry in his eyes. "I don't know for how long I can fight my father. My father hurt my mother a lot and I don't want to hurt her. I don't want them to pressurize me into marrying someone. If you marry me then it will give me the courage to fight anyone and everyone for yours and my happiness. I will not let anyone force me into marrying someone else. Will you marry me?"

I gulps as I fought my tears, my heart filled so much joy, what I thought never possible was right now in my reach.

"Madhu, think before you answer." He tells me quickly. "I won't be able to take you with me now. you'll have to stay here. I need time to sort everything. Right now, I won't be able to give you the rights of my wife in front of the world, I need time for that."

I nod.

"Will you marry me, Madhu?" he asks me a little worriedly.

"Yes." I reply as I started sobbing happily.

He hugs me in relief. "I love you, Madhu."

"I love you, Rishabhji."

We stayed like that for a few minutes. Feeling joyous in our love.

"Come." he says as he took my hands and stood up.

I stand up and follow him as he led me to the small murti of Shankarji I had kept in my room. we stop in front of Shankarji and he takes my hands in his.

"In front of your Shankarji I accept you as my wife and I promise to love you and cherish you for as long as I am alive." He solemnly vows to me.

I felt my eyes fill up again.

He lets go off my hands and puts his hand inside his pocket and brings out a mangalsutra. I smile happily seeing it as he tied it around my neck. Then he takes out a small sindoor ka dabba and he fills my maang.

I hug him happily as I cried softly. He hugs me tight.

We walk to the bed and he makes me lie on the bed and then he also gets on the bed.

"you are happy, right?" he asks me as he leaned upon his elbow and looked down at me.

"Yes." I smile at him feeling happy. "Are you happy?"

He takes my hand and kisses it lovingly, "Yes."

I smile at him realizing that he was my husband now. I couldn't help it and I caress his cheek.

He kisses my palm as he looked at me. I blush seeing the way he was looking at me. he leans down and takes my lips in his.

"Now that we have your Shankarji's blessing, can we?" he asks me softly.

I hug him blushing happily, feeling excitement, nervousness and giddy.

He makes me lie back and look at my face. the intense look on his face made my heart beat faster.

"I love you, Madhu."

"I love you, my husband." I tell him smiling shyly.

He smiles hearing me and he leans down and takes my lips.

********

"Rishabhji" I softly call him.

"Hmmm?" he turns to me then he moves closer to me and starts kissing my shoulder.

"Did you know that I would marry you?"

"I was hopeful." He replies as he continued to kiss my shoulder.

"You had condoms in your wallet." I nervously broach the topic.

He stills hearing me. then he slowly leans up. He looked nervously at me.

"How come?" I ask him worriedly.

"I always have it in my wallet, Madhu." he hesitantly tells me.

I look away feeling my heartbreak.

"Baby, please don't do that." he quickly cups my face. "I told you everything about me. you know my past."

I nod realizing that I was being silly. Didn't I love him with all of his past? Then why am I behaving like this? "I am sorry." I whisper to him.

"Please don't be like this. It's our first night." He tells me as he made me face him. "None of them mattered. Only you matter. Only you'll ever matter."

"You are the only one I have loved and only one I will ever love. I belong to you heart, mind, soul and body. Now, no other girl will ever be able to come near me."

I smile hearing that.

"You are my wife, Madhu." he reminds me as he took my lips in his.

*********

I was walking to kitchen when I felt someone hold my hand and pull me. I gasp loudly and my mouth was covered by my husband's. he starts kissing me hungrily.

"Someone will see." I whisper to him against his lips.

"Let them. tell them I have every right." he whispers to me as he pulled me closer.

We were kissing when we hear a sound. We both stop and with bated breath listen. Realizing someone was walking towards our side, he quickly ducks and runs off, leaving me chuckling after his retreating form. So much for every right.

I didn't know the Kapoor house had this many corners as my husband showed me in the next two days. Throughout the day, he would be stealing kisses from me and at night, he would be in a hurry to get me to the room.

That day, the Kapoor family had a wedding to attend and Rishabhji had declined to attend the wedding with them. the moment they left the house, he had grabbed my hand and ran to his room.

"The maids are still here." I nervously tell him as he locked the room.

"They will just assume Chulbul is talking to me." he tells me as he removed my cap and started removing my wig and unpinning my hair.

I also start to remove the pins on my hair. Finally, my hair was free, and he lets it all fall down. He ruffles my hair.

"I love your hair." He tells me, his eyes on my hair.

I smile hearing that, I knew that he loved my hair. He was always touching and kissing it.

He leans down and takes my lips in his.

We were lying on his bed. He was lying on his side as he watched me.

"I was lying on this bed and trying to figure out why I was falling for Chulbul and now I am here with you." he tells me smiling amazed.

I smile hearing that.

"That day, I was taking shower and you had come to call me. I was going so crazy for you that when I heard you call my name, I got turned on."

"What?"

"Crazy where those two days." He tells me chuckling.

"You really got turned on?" I ask him shocked. "Just hearing my voice?"

"first time you called, I got turned on, I thought I will just ignore you and thought you will leave. Then you called again and it was full on hard on." He tells me.

"And?" I ask him feeling heat spread through me.

"And what? I turned off the hot shower and turned on the cold shower." He tells me grinning. "How furious I had been that time."

I laugh remembering his condition.

"Remember how I figured out you were a girl?" he asks me grinning.

I laugh softly remembering that and I feel his hand on my breast, caressing my nipples. I started getting turned on and from the look on his face, I knew even he was. he was insatiable.

"Do you still feel like that for me?" I ask him softly.

"With the way, I keep running behind you, you have doubts?" he asks me as he took my lips in his.

I smile hearing that.

"The more I have you, the more I want you." he hotly whispers to me as he moved on top of me.

*********

"I'll leave tomorrow."

I turn to him and sees him staring at the ceiling. I hug him, keeping my head on his chest. He wraps his hand around me. I wanted to cry. I was going to miss him.

"Will you miss me?" I ask him.

"Yes." He replies then he cups my face. "Let's not talk about this. We will just utilize tonight. okay?"

I nod in agreement. I will have the next couple of weeks to cry missing him, tonight we will enjoy our time together.

I feel his hand on my chest and look at him. he was looking at my mangalsutra. I always wore my mangalsutra and sindoor, my jacket hid my mangalsutra and my wig covered my sindoor.

"Be careful of this." He tells me softly.

I nod.

"I am not here, so you have to be extra careful."

"I will be." I promise him.

"Don't wear your sindoor."

"I want to."

He sighs, "There is no use arguing, is there?"

"No." I tell him smiling.

He smiles at me. "I love you."

"I love you too." I whisper to him and lean down and take his lips in mine.

He stretches his hand to the table and grab the condom packet. "There is one more left. Let's make good use of it."

***********

I couldn't sit still knowing that he was packing his bags to leave. The thought that he would be leaving in two hours was killing me. unable to control myself, I went to his room.

He opens the door hearing me knock. He looks at me surprised.

"Where is everyone?"

"In their rooms and study." I tell him, my eyes filling with tears.

"Come inside." He tells me as he pulled me in and locks the door.

"Are you okay, love?" he asks me a he cupped my cheek.

"I will miss you." I tell him unable to lie to him.

"I will miss you too, love." He tells me as he kissed me.

"You will be okay here, right?" he asks me.

I nod in yes. "When will you come?"

He looks down uncertainly then looking up at me he says, "I need time, Madhu. please be patient."

"Okay." I tell him nodding my head.

"Don't tell anyone about our marriage, if my father finds out then it will be difficult for us."

"I won't." I promise him.

"3 months, whether I sort out everything or not, I will come for you in 3 months."

Even though my heart broke at the thought of not seeing him for 3 months, I promise him, "I'll wait for you."

He smiles and leaning down takes my lips in his.

"I will miss you like crazy." He whispers to me as he kissed me hungrily.

It would be so lonely without him, but I couldn't tell him that and hurt him. so, I kiss him back hungrily.

Soon, just kissing wasn't enough for either of us.

"We don't have time." I whisper to him as I kissed him hungrily, craving for him so badly.

"I know." He whispers to me as he pushed me to the wall and started kissing my neck and his hand roaming over my chest.

Then I felt his hand on my jeans buckle. Realizing his intend, I start unbuckling his jeans. He quickly got me out of my bottoms and then he lifts me up as he anchored me onto the wall. I wrap my legs around his waist and he enters me. I moan in pleasure feeling the length of him in me. he leans down and takes my lip in his and kisses me hungrily to silence my moans as he thrust into me. with each thrust, he took me to heights of passion, till it reached the crescendo and I exploded in a mind shattering orgasm and he followed quickly. I felt warm liquid slide down my legs, but I ignored it as I was so lost in him.

"This was no fantasy of mine." He tells me as he looked at me smiling.

"What?" I ask unable to frown seeing him smile.

"Making love to Chulbul."

I giggle hearing that.

"I'll come for you." he promises me turning a little sober.

"I'll wait for you, however long it takes." I promise him.

********

"Thank you for having me here, Uncle." I watch as Rishabhji said his farewell to the Kapoor family.

Prakash Sir nods in reply.

"My father will call you, I think." Rishabhji tells him.

"I have a new investor, in a few days, I will return Mohan's money. So, I guess I will call him to say no soon." Prakash Sir tells him.

"Thank God." Rishabhji says smiling in relief.

"Why were you even here if you didn't want to marry my daughter?" Prakash Sir asks him frowning offended and in anger.

"You were not the only one who was manipulated by Mr. Kundra." Rishabhji tells him softly then turning to Ishana Madam, he says smiling, "I hope you find someone who loves you and appreciate you the way you deserve to be, Ishana. Chulbul speaks very highly of you, in fact all of you."

I was surprised he would mention me in his goodbye to the family. For a few seconds, they all turn to look at me. Then I see him walk to Abhay Sir and shakes hands with him.

"Nice meeting you, Abhay."

Abhay Sir nods with a hesitant smile.

"Good bye, everyone." Rishabhji says happily. "Chulbul, can you please help me with my bag?"

I take one of his bag and walk out of the house.

"It felt so weird calling you Chulbul." He whispers to me as he opened the boot. "They all are watching, don't cry okay?"

"Hmmm." I nod in yes as I kept his bag inside the boot.

"Take care, Madhu." he whispers to me.

Then I watched him drive away as I fought my tears.

*********

The days that followed were miserable. I cried myself to sleep missing him. during the day time, I got busy with all the works I could find so I wouldn't think of him and at night, I would cry myself to exhaustion. It took me a few days to get used to the separation, as everywhere I looked I would have memory to relive of his. I realized that the wait for him was going to kill me.

Soon, days turned to months. It's been two months since he had left. I was yearning to see him or talk to him. since I had no mobile, it never occurred to me to get his number. So, I had no way to contact him when I went out. I regularly started going to the temple now, so I could pray for him and me. only if, I had his number, I could have called him from a public booth or got a mobile so I could talk to him.

"There is something wrong with this phone." I hear Kamini Madam say furiously as she slammed the receiver down.

"What happened?" Ishana Madam asks curiously.

"When I answer the phone I can't hear anything from the other side."

"Earlier I spoke on the phone and there was no problem." Abhay Sir says frowning.

"Then why is it acting weird?" Kamini Madam asks.

"Is it that you can't hear or is someone giving blank calls?" Abhay Sir asks.

My heart skipped a beat wondering if it was Rishabhji calling for me.

"Why would anyone give blank calls?" Kamini Madam asks curiously.

"Maybe someone is looking to talk to Ishana, maybe a secret admirer." Abhay Sir teases Ishana Madam. Soon, they had got into an argument.

But I had made my decision. I was going to hang around the phone whole day.

With a pen in my pocket, I did odd jobs around the living room waiting for the phone to ring. I would take Rishabhji's number and will buy a mobile so we could talk to each other.

It took me three days to finally answer the phone, as someone else would always get to the phone before me, mostly Kamini Madam or Ishana Madam. The frequency and time of the blank calls varied daily. Hearing the phone, I hurriedly answer it.

"Hello?" my heart slamming against my chest, my excitement knowing no bounds. "Rishabhji?"

The phone call drops.

"Hello?" I say even though I could hear the beep sound. It wasn't Rishabhji. If it was him, he wouldn't have cut the call hearing me. in that moment I felt my heart break into small pieces because I had built a fantasy of being able to talk to him daily. Keeping the phone back, I run to my room, to cry.

**********

Just 3 more weeks for him to come.

I have been counting down the days since he left.

I was walking to the main house one morning when I felt dizzy. Unable to hold on to anything, I had fell down and just as I fell, I hit my head on the pavement and felt warm liquid run through my face before I lost consciousness.

I wake up to find myself on a hospital bed. I felt my head heavy and I touch it to feel a bandage. I try to sit up and that is when I realized that I was wearing a hospital gown. I felt the blood drain from my face as realization dawns that the Kapoor family knew my secret. My heart started slamming against my chest. I wanted Rishabhji. I was scared. I hear the door open and I look at the door to find Kamini Madam and Ishana Madam.

"Get dressed. You have been discharged." Kamini Madam says in unsuppressed fury.

Gulping I nod my head.

********

Shivering head to toe, I follow Kamini Madam and Ishana Madam to the Kapoor house. As soon as we enter, I hear loud arguments. Kamini Madam gestures me to follow her and Ishana Madam and I follow her to Prakash Sir's study.

"What the hell, Dad? I didn't even know that she is a girl!" Abhay Sir shouts in outrage.

"You are sure, right?" Prakash Sir asks him suspiciously.

"How dare you even ask me that, Dad? Did you forget I am engaged?"

"So you didn't get her pregnant?" Kamini Madam asks her son.

My hand flies to my stomach in shock. I am pregnant? Rishabhji's and my baby was growing in me? I felt joy and panic hit me at the same time.

"WHAT THE HELL? I THOUGHT SHE WAS A BOY ALL THIS WHILE JUST LIKE YOU ALL!"

"I am married!" I inform them. I couldn't have our baby be tarnished like that. I felt tears fill my eyes.

"SATISFIED?" Abhay Sir asks furiously. "So little faith you have on your own son!"

"I am sorry, Abhay. You were the only male here." Prakash tells his son regretfully.

"Even you are a male, Dad! But nobody asked you whether you got her pregnant!" Abhay Sir says still reeling from the slander on him.

"Enough, Abhay." Kamini Madam tells him sternly.

"Where is your husband? And how did you pregnant when you were staying here?" Prakash Sir asks.

"He has been going to temple every other day lately. Now, I am wondering where exactly she has been going." Kamini Madam says as she furiously looked me.

I gulp worriedly.

"Call your husband. Ask him to come and take you from here." Prakash Sir tells me.

Panic hits me. I couldn't call Rishabhji. I didn't know his number. "He will come in 3 weeks to get me." I tell him.

"You are not even staying here for 3 hours! Call your husband." He says as he extended the phone to me.

"I can't. I don't have his number." I whisper to him.

"You don't have your husband's number?" Ishana Madam asks shocked.

"Please, he will come for me. he is not here now."

"What is your husband's name?" Prakash Sir asks me.

"I can't tell you that."

"Why?" he asks furiously.

"Nobody knows we got married." I tell him as I looked down.

"You married a man secretly. He sleeps with you and gets you pregnant. Then he goes off without a contact number promising you that he would come for you?" Ishana Madam asks me in shock.

I felt my heartbreak hearing them make Rishabhji sound like a cheat.

"You do realize that he is not coming for you, right? You were a fool and he used you." Abhay Sir tells me.

"he will come for me. I am his wife." I argue angrily.

"Is there any witness to your wedding?" Abhay Sir asks me.

I shake my head in no.

"Not even a Pundit?" he asks shocked.

"No."

"How exactly did you get married without a Pundit?"

"In front of Shankarji."

"She is crazy!" Abhay Sir says in shock. "She got duped and she is so stupid that she is not even realizing it."

"My husband loves me. he will come for me." I argue unable to take the slander on Rishabhji and our relation.

"What is your name?" Kamini Madam asks me.

"Madhu."

"Madhu, did he ask you to stay here as a boy?"

"No. I did that." I tell them looking down.

"Why?" Kamini Madam asks me.

"I was wanted by the police for a false case. A man told everyone that I am the reason his wife committed suicide." I tell them as I fought my tears.

"What?" Kamini Madam asks in a shocked whisper.

"I want you out of my house in an hour." Prakash Sir tells me.

"Please, just 3 weeks. I'll go when my husband comes." I beg them as I felt my eyes fill up.

"Give me your husband's name, I'll try to find him."

"I can't." I tell him hesitantly. I had promised Rishabhji, I couldn't break that promise and get him in trouble.

"Then you'll leave."

"Dad, she is pregnant." Ishana Madam gently reminds them.

"Did you forget that he just accused me of getting her pregnant? Do you want the whole world to do it when her so-called husband fails to turn up in 3 weeks?" Abhay Sir asks his sister in fury.

"Abhay is right. You can't stay here Chulbul." Kamini Madam tells me in finality.

Soon, I was packing up my stuff. Since the Kapoor family had taken care of my food and shelter for the last one year, I had saved every single penny I got as salary. Now, I had substantial amount to survive for a while.

Taking my things, I head to the railway station. Rishabhji had said he was going to Delhi, and that is where I'll go to find him. there was nowhere else in the world I could go to.

**********

As soon as I reached Delhi, I started searching for Kundra house. I had stood in shock seeing the house realizing exactly how rich Rishabhji was. his house was a mansion. The Kundras were so famous and well known that I found their mansion in mere hours. Soon, I realized that reaching Delhi and finding his house was easier than getting an entry into the house. the security had chased me away as I couldn't give them a reason why I was there.

I found a room at an old couple's house for a meager rent through the classified. Daily I went outside his house hoping to catch him while he entered or exited the house. but not even once, I saw him even though I saw Sultan bhaiyya come and go daily. Then I saw Rudy bhaiyya and Priyanka also.

Almost two weeks later, luck turned in my favor when I noticed the decorations and hoard of people come and go into the Mansion. I realized that it was Sultan Bhaiyya's wedding celebrations. Rishabhji had told me about it and I knew that he would not miss it for anything in the world.

On the night of the mehendi I had noticed a bunch of girls go inside and I had blended with them and sneaked into the house. Since all the girls were dressed like me and not in the expensive clothes the rest of the crowd were wearing I realized that they were the girls who had come to apply mehendi. The moment I got a chance, I slipped out of there and started going around the house in hopes of finding Rishabhji.

"Jethji! Jethaniji!" I hear a loud voice.

I curiously hurry to check who it was. I see, Sultan Bhaiyya with an elderly lady and man. I guessed them to be his parents, Rishabhji's Choti Ma and Chote Papa. I see Sultan Bhaiyya walk forward and touch a man's feet. Then I noticed Rishabhji's mother behind that man. Sultan Bhaiyya hugs her while I looked around for Rishabhji, but only Rudy bhaiyya and Priyanka were there.

"You are coming now? at the last minute?" I hear Choti Ma ask.

"There are here now, Mom." Sultan Bhaiyya tells her gently.

"Mohan had some important meetings so we couldn't come earlier." Rishabhji's mother tell them. "That is why we send Rudra and Priyanka last week itself."

"How was your flight, Badi Ma?" I hear Sultan Bhaiyya ask.

My heart skips a beat realizing that this was not Rishabhji's house. they didn't stay in Delhi. Then where is he from? He always spoke of growing up with Sultan Bhaiyya in Delhi, but he is not from Delhi?

"where is Rishabh?" Choti Ma asks them.

I eagerly look to find the answer.

"Er... Meera, Rishabh won't be coming." maaji tells her.

My heart breaks in panic. What am I going to do now? how am I to find him?

"What do you mean he is not coming?" Choti Ma asks offended.

"He had an important meeting, Meera. There are a few things he needs to handle at the office." Papaji answers her.

Rishabhji started going to office? But why? He didn't like it. I was hopeful he would follow his passion of paintings but he gave in to his father's demands? I felt sad thinking about the pain and frustration he would be going through now. my heart bleeding for him.

"Meeting? It's Sultan's wedding!" Choti Ma says outraged.

"He told me, Mom." Sultan Bhaiyya informs her. "Trust me, if he could have avoided it, he would have."

Choti Ma sighs loudly. "So, he will reach tomorrow?"

"He is going to be busy with work, Meera." Papaji informs her.

"More important than Sultan's wedding?"

"It is really important, Meera. Don't make a scene. Rest of the family is here. Rishabh is needed at the office now." Papaji tells her.

"Fine! By the way Jethaniji, next week we are having a birthday party for Dipali, you all should be here. Ask Rishabh to come for that at least."

Before I could rejoice about that, I hear Maaji tell her, "Rishabh is going to be away for a conference in Tokyo. After that he is going to London to oversee the new office we are opening."

Rishabhji is going away? how am I going to find him then? Next week he was supposed to come pick me from Hyderabad. Then? Was he planning to drop me to his house and go away for business? Or was he planning to come for me after that? what if he is coming to Hyderabad next week before he went for his business trip? I should go back to Hyderabad.

"Who are you?"

I look up and sees Sultan Bhaiyya and everyone staring at me. I gulp in panic.

"What are you doing in this section of the house? this is off limits." He tells me.

For a fleeting second I thought of telling Sultan Bhaiyya the truth, Sultan Bhaiyya was like Rishabhji's real brother, very close to him. but seeing his father looking at me, I couldn't tell him that.

"Mehendi." I whisper.

"It's not here. This is a family meeting." He tells me frowning angrily at me.

"I am sorry, I got lost." I whisper and I quickly leave.

I leave the house deciding to go back to Hyderabad.

***********

The next week, I spend outside the Kapoor house making sure none of the Kapoor family or the servants caught me. at the end of the week, when he didn't reach I felt my heart break. He was supposed to come for me by yesterday and he wasn't here. I felt my eyes prick with tears realizing that he had gone to foreign for his business and he was planning to come for me after that. I didn't know what I was supposed to do or where I was supposed to go.

I was aimlessly walking around when I noticed a man reading an English newspaper and the headlines of the front page and the photo caught my eyes. Hurrying to the nearby shop, I bought the newspaper and started reading the news. It was a news on arrest of Kaali Takur and his brothers. He was arrested for abetment of suicide and kidnap of me? I stop in shock. My orphanage warden had turned state witness and exposed him. I realized that since I had escaped, he might not have paid her the money he had promised her for me, and she might have turned against him and his brothers. I read in relief where it said that the case against me was withdrawn and I was a victim. I started crying in relief. I could go back home. I could go to Bareilly and Rishabhji as soon as he finds out of Kaali Takur's arrest he would know that I would go to Bareilly. and he will come for me there.

**********

"How could you be so stupid, Madhu?" Trishna asks me furiously.

I had reached Bareilly today morning and had immediately gone to the company that Trishna worked as an insurance agent. After the reunion, she had brought me to her hostel room. I had poured my heart out to her.

"Do you really think this Rishabh is coming for you?"

"He is." I tell her.

"Madhu, then why didn't he come to Hyderabad for you as he promised?"

"He had to go for business trip."

"He knew you were waiting for him and he went away on a trip?"

"His father is very controlling. He might not have had a choice." I tell him as I cried, I couldn't take it that Trishna was misunderstanding Rishabhji.

"So, his choice was leaving you waiting?" she asks angrily.

"He loves me, Trishna. He can't live without me."

Trishna looks at me in fury and asks me, "Didn't you hear that Abhay say that he would do anything to get a girl into bed?"

"I told you that was a lie Rishabhji had asked his friend to say so Ishana Madam would refuse to marry him." I reason with her. I had told her everything since the time he had reached Kapoor house, so she wouldn't judge us for marrying in secret or being pregnant now.

"Or was the lie what he told you, Madhu? so, he could sleep with you."

"No, Trishna. He loves me. I am his wife." I argue.

"God, Madhu! He himself told you that he would never get married. He doesn't believe in marriage and overnight, he decided to marry you. don't you find it even a little bit fishy?"

"I told you, he was scared he would have to marry someone his mother chose as he won't be able to say no to her. that is why we got married in secret."

Trishna looks at me helplessly and tells me, "Ever since you were a kid, you have wanted to belong, you wanted someone to love you and he made good use of it."

"Rishabhji loves me, Trishna. I will not hear a word against him." I tell her getting angry.

Trishna sighs loudly. "It's a good thing you reached today."

"Why?" I ask her confused.

"Today was my last day. I got another job."

"Will you get a job for me too?" I ask her worriedly as I had to survive till Rishabhji came for me and my money was already half now.

"You are pregnant. You need rest." She sternly tells me.

"But..."

"Did you see a doctor?"

I shake my head in negative. I thought of finding Rishabhji first.

"And you have been travelling like this without consulting your doctor? You can't be careless like this, Madhu. you are responsible for another life too."

I keep my hand on my stomach where our baby was growing. I should have gone to a doctor first, but I was so desperate to find Rishabhji that I kept putting it off, fearing that a few minutes away from my spot and I would miss him.

"How many months are you?"

"3." I quickly tell her from my last period.

"We have to find a place to stay. They will not let a pregnant girl stay here."

"You would leave here for me?" I ask my eyes filling up.

"Of course." she says offended that I even had to ask.

I hug her as I cried. Ever since Rishabhji had left, I have been feeling so lonely. "I am so happy to see you, Trishna."

"I am happy to see you too, Madhu."

*********

We got a small studio for a very cheap rent. I went to the doctor and everything was fine. I felt relief rush through me and I was angry at myself for being so irresponsible like that. I shouldn't have taken any risks. Rishabhji would scream at me if he finds out how careless I had been in my desperation to find him.

Trishna even managed to get me a job as a telephone operator in her new company, even though the salary was really less, it helped us survive without any problem. Very soon, I started showing and people started noticing my baby bump. Every time someone asked me for my husband, I felt my heart break. Rishabhji was missing so much with my pregnancy. I wished he would come faster.

********

Intezaar.

I realized that my life has been a long wait. When I saw other children with their parents, I waited for my birth parents to come for me. then I grew a little older and realized that I was in the orphanage because my birth parents didn't want me, I started waiting for an adoptive parent who would adopt me like the other children of the orphanage. When I grew a little older, I realized that I wouldn't be adopted and I started waiting for the day, I could leave the orphanage at 18. Then the roller coaster ride my life was after that, I had to leave Bareilly and go to Hyderabad, there I waited for my freedom to be myself and to go back to Bareilly. now, I have that, I am waiting for Rishabhji. When will this wait in my life will ever end?

************

I stood by the window as I caressed my stomach. I was closing in on 5 months and it has been almost 5 months since I last saw Rishabhji. He should be back from his foreign trip by now. each day, I expected to find him when I opened the door and each night I go to bed with prayers for us and for him to come for us the next day.

"You should file a case against him."

I turn to Trishna and tells her sternly, "Rishabhji didn't betray me. he will come for me."

"Then why isn't he here yet?"

"He might have other commitments."

"What could be bigger than the commitment he has towards you?" Trishna asks me in anger.

"I've faith in him, Trishna."

"You are being delusional, Madhu. he is not going to come."

"You don't know him, Trishna. I know him. no one knows him the way I know him and I know, he loves me. I knew it even before he told me he loves me. I know him and his heart. Only I am there in his heart. he is not a cheat."

Trishna furiously walk out.

*********

"Madhu, wake up... wake up."

I hear Trishna's urgent voice and her shaking me up.

"Rishabhji is here?" I ask her as I came awake.

Trishna stops in shock hearing my question.

"Is he here?" I ask her as I tried to get out of the bed.

"No." she replies quickly.

I stop as disappointment filled my heart. disappointment was the new emotion that I related to the most now.

"I went down to get grocery and I heard two ladies talk."

"What?" I ask her curiously.

"They were talking about this big function that is happening in Bareilly."

"What function?" I ask losing my interest in it.

"Mohan Kundra's son and daughter, both of them are getting engaged today." Trishna worriedly tells me.

"What?" I ask in shock as I processed the news.

"Yes, Madhu." she tells me in a sympathetic tone.

"You are sure?" I ask her as my heart started beating fast.

"Yes. I am sure."

"Then Rishabhji would be there." I tell her happily. "We have to go there."

"Madhu..." she looks at me in shock.

"What, Trishna? We have to go there." I tell her as I excitedly got up to get ready. I couldn't believe that after five long months I was going to see him today.

"He is Mohan Kundra's son, Madhu." Trishna points out.

I chuckle, "He has a younger brother. Rudy Bhaiyya. It would be his engagement."

"He is younger than Rishabh, why would he be getting engaged before Rishabh?" Trishna asks him.

"It is not Rishabhji's engagement. He loves me." I tell her sternly. "You'll see it today when you meet him." I tell her in a challenging tone, I was getting sick and tired of people telling me he didn't love me and he just wanted sex from me. they don't know my husband, I do and I know that he loves me. I trusted in him just like how trusted in my Shankarji.

***********

Trishna and I reach the venue and sees lots of cars and people. Seeing the security checking everyone, I hold Trishna's hand.

"We can't go in like that. they won't let us in." I tell her remembering how it had been for Sultan bhaiyya's wedding.

"Let us go around the place and see." Trishna tells me.

I nod and we walk around the venue. Finally, finding the kitchen, we sneak in. it took us a while to find the party hall. Once I found the party hall, I stopped in shock seeing the crowd. It looked like the whole of Bareilly was invited for the function. How am I going to find Rishabhji in this?

"You look for him; I'll also ask around for him." Trishna tells me.

I nod.

I started walking around the hall, navigating my way around all the people as I looked for Rishabhji. My heart was in my mouth in fear and excitement. Excitement of seeing him and fear of being disappointed again. if I didn't find him here, I didn't know how I was going to handle it. I felt my eyes fill up, I quickly wipe them away as I walked around.

I was walking around when I notice people getting on the center stage. I realized that the function was about to start. Realizing that Rishabhji would be somewhere around the stage, I walk towards the stage. I could see Rishabhji's parents, then other elderly people on the stage. Then I see Rudy bhaiyya and Priyanka join his parents.

"Where is Rishabh?" I hear Maaji ask as she looked around.

I start looking around frantically, hoping to see him. I push my way to the front.

"Bhai!" I hear Rudy bhaiyya waving at somone.

I turn to the direction and I see Rishabhji walk in from outside. I stopped feeling relief and joy rush through me for having seen him. he looked as handsome as ever. He looked so handsome in his sherwani, with his hair neatly set.

I walk towards him, my eyes only on him while his eyes on the stage. He looked serious. I have never seen him this serious before. He looked sad. I had decided to talk to him after function so there won't be any problems but seeing him so sad, I couldn't control myself. As he walked past me, I hold his hand.

He stops and turns around immediately. In less than a second his eyes lock on mine. His eyes widen seeing me, he stares at me in shock without breathing.

"Rishabhji." I softly call him when he just continued to stare at me.

He takes a step towards me and whispers, "Madhu."

Hearing him call my name after so long, my eyes fill up in joy. I smile at him with tear filled eyes. My vision was blaring.

With a loud sigh and thud, he falls to his knees in front of me. "Is that really you, Madhu?" he asks me in a scared tone, his eyes filling with tears.

I nod my head in yes as I started crying.

Next second, he wraps his hand around my waist, hugging me. "Where did you go off to, Madhu? I looked for you everywhere. One call? Why, Madhu?" he asks as he looked up at me with tear stained face. "You couldn't tell the Kapoors to call me? why, Madhu?"

"You told me not to tell anyone about our marriage." I tell him feeling so guilty seeing him in tears.

"That was when I thought you were safe and secure with the Kapoors. Do you have any idea what I went through when I found out that they kicked you out? I looked for you everywhere. Every time, I thought I would find you and end up being disappointed. Right now, I was looking for you outside. I was so sure you would come hearing about the function and when I didn't find you there, I..." he stops as he sobbed.

I kneel next to him realizing the hell he went through looking for me. "I am sorry."

"You saw Sultan. He spoke to you. still you didn't tell him that you are my wife. Why?"

"I thought it would cause problems for you."

"Hell with it all. Nothing is more important than you."

"I am sorry." I whisper to him as I hugged him.

"Rishabh." I hear his mother call him.

We part and he tightens his hold on me.

"You are not going away from my arms." He tells me sternly.

"Rishabh, is that Madhu?" I hear maaji ask him.

"Madhu?" I hear his father ask.

Hearing their voice, I turn my face to look at them and I see Maaji's face brighten up with a smile seeing my face.

"Yes. This is my Madhu." Rishabhji says as he lovingly looked at my face.

"How can you be so irresponsible, Rishabh?" I hear his father screaming in anger. "She is pregnant, get her off her knees."

"You know?" I ask him in shock.

"Ishana told me." he replies as he helped me up. "Are you okay?" he asks me as he kept his hand on my stomach.

I nod my head in yes. He hugs me happily. I smile happily, finally feeling safe and home.

"You scared us, Madhu." Maaji tells me as she caressed my hair.

Seeing her talking to me with so much love, I start to bend down to touch her feet when Rishabhji tightens his arms around me.

"You are not getting out of my arms." He tells me stubbornly.

I couldn't help blushing seeing him like that. the hell that we went through was all worth it for this moment to be in his arms.

"Chulbul bhabhi!" Rudy bhaiyya calls me as he ran to me and hugged me.

It felt so weird to have him hug me when Rishabhji was hugging me and refusing to let me go.

"I was so hoping you would dress up like Chulbul and come." he tells me making me chuckle.

"I could really whack you, Madhu." Sultan bhaiyya tells me as he joined Rudy bhaiyya. "You were right in front of me and you couldn't tell me that you were Rishu's Madhu? or that your name is Madhu?"

"Papaji was there, so I was scared." I tell him. "I am sorry."

Sultan bhaiyya leans towards me and kisses my forehead, "We are just happy that you are safe and with us."

"You all know me?" I ask them amazed and surprised.

"I told them." Rishabhji tells me.

"Every single thing about you, Chulbul." A girl says smiling happily at me.

"This is Dipali Bhabhi." Rishabhji tells me.

Dipali Bhabhi happily hugs me and I couldn't hug her back because Rishabhji wasn't in any mood to let go off me.

"So, this is Madhu Bhabhi?" Priyanka comes running with a man.

"Yes." Rishabhji replies smiling. "Madhu, you know Priyanka. This is her fiancé Ranveer."

I smile at them.

"You were looking for her all this while and she found you." Ranveer says with a smile.

"I found her." Papaji says from behind.

I look at him surprised at what he said. I curiously look at Rishabhji and sees him looking at his father.

"Thank you, Dad."

I was surprised to hear him call his father, Dad, ever since he found out of his affair with his secretary, he had been calling him Mr. Kundra.

"I kept my word, now you keep your word. From tomorrow onwards join office."

"I'll." Rishabhji promises him.

Papaji looks at me for a few seconds and declares, "She needs a makeover."

Before I could let the humiliation set in, I see Rishabhji turn furiously to his father, all set to pounce on him. Sultan bhaiyya, Rudy and Priyanka quickly hold him back.

"Come on stage. We have to conduct the function." Papaji says and walk off as if Rishabhji wasn't just about to go for his throat.

"Cool down." Sultan bhaiyya whispers to him.

"Leave all that. Chulbul Bhabhi, I'll introduce you to my fiancé Bhavya after the engagement. Now come, let's get me engaged." Rudy bhaiyya tells me and walks to the stage.

"You ignore him, okay?" Rishabhji tells me.

I nod in yes. "Nothing can hurt me, Rishabhji as long as you are there with me." I tell him smiling.

He smiles hearing me and kisses me on my forehead. "Let's go." Rishabhji tells me as he guided me to the stage.

"You are joining office?" I ask him worriedly remembering the earlier conversation.

"A small price I had to pay for finding you." he whispers to me.

"But Rishabhji..." I worriedly.

"I don't regret it, and I won't regret it ever." He tells me. "I got you back." He tells me as he cupped my face.

I felt my eyes fill up again.

"Hello everyone, thank you all for accepting our invitation and joining us." Papaji says on the mic as he addressed the guest. "Before we start the engagement ceremony there is someone important I want to introduce to all." Saying that he turns to look at us, "Rishabh." He waves us over.

Holding my hand, Rishabhji walks to his father.

"This is Rishabh's wife, Madhubala Rishabh Kundra." Papaji says as he kept his hand on my shoulder. "They have been married for 6 months now."

I turn to look at Rishabhji in shock and sees him looking at me with a smile.

Then he announces, "On this happy occasion I want to inform you all that in a few months, Madhu will be giving the Kundra kandaan its first warris."

I just didn't understand what was happening. Rishabhji was so scared of his father not accepting me and he was announcing about me so proudly. What brought this change?

We walk back, and stands near the couples. As Rudy bhaiyya and Bhavya exchanged rings and Priyanka and Ranveer exchanged rings, Rishabhji leans down to my ears.

"I am sorry you had to go through so much stress at this time."

"I was sure you would come." I tell him smiling.

He smiles hearing that, "And I was sure you would wait for me."

I smile even more hearing that.

"you are okay, right?" he asks me worriedly.

"Yes. And now you are here, I am perfect." I tell him smiling.

He keeps his hand over my stomach. "And the baby?"

I keep my hand over his and smiling ear to ear, I inform him, "Babies."

"What? Babies? Two?" he asks his eyes going wide in surprise and joy.

Chuckling I nod my head.

"WE ARE HAVING TWINS!" Rishabhji announces to his family happily.

There was a loud round of cheers from his family.

Right after the ring exchange was over, Rishabhji whisked me away to the side away from the crowd.

"I missed you." he tells me as he hugged me.

"I missed you too."

"You were running around all over the place. How could you put our babies at risk like that?" he asks me frowning.

I look at him in surprise, "How did you know?"

He glares at me and reminds me, "You didn't answer me."

"I wanted to see you." I tell him as I looked down in guilt. It was true, till I reached Bareilly, I had been travelling too much.

"You knew, I would come, right?"

"I did but I just..."

He sighs loudly, "I know. Even I was going crazy."

"I can't believe that we are finally together." I tell him as I caressed his cheek.

He kisses my palm and tells me, "I never gave up hope."

I smile at him.

"Sultan and Rudy were worried that you would lose faith in me but I knew you would never lose your faith in me. No one knows me as much as you and you know what you mean to me." he tells me as he cupped my face.

I felt my eyes fill up. "I can never lose my faith in you."

He leans down and kisses my forehead.

"You stopped eating Sharmaji's pani puri?" he asks me curiously.

"I used to go there every day hoping you would come there." I tell him shocked. Trishna and Sharmaji were the two things I associated most with Bareilly and I was sure he would come to either of these places.

"Even I used to go to him daily. There is more than one?" he asks me confused.

"I used to go to the one behind the Shiv Mandir."

"I should have known." He mutters.

"Where did you go?"

"The one near your orphanage."

"Oh."

He sighs loudly. "I just don't understand why destiny fought to keep us apart."

"So, we could love each other more." I tell him smiling.

He smiles hearing that. "Were you happy when you found out about the babies?"

"I was. I was sad that you missed all these months of my pregnancy."

"Now, I will be there always." He promises me.

"Were you happy about the babies?" I ask him.

"I was more worried about how you would manage." He confesses.

"But you are happy, right? I know we didn't plan this." I ask him worriedly.

"It's our babies, Madhu." he tells me smiling.

I smile in relief hearing that then I hear him chuckle.

"What?" I ask him chuckling.

"I fell in love with Madhu. but I ended up getting Chulbul pregnant."

"that is such a crazy thing to say. I am and I was always Madhu."

"I meant the dress up." He tells me. "Your hair turns me on the most and that time it was hidden inside your wig."

I hit him for talking like that in such a public place. He chuckles.

"We could have made the babies another time also." I tell him.

"You mean, these two fought through a condom? Wicked!"

"Shut up." I blush happily and I see Trishna. I quickly wave her over. "You didn't meet, Trishna. She is here."

"Well, where is she?" he says turning serious and angry.

I was surprised to see his change in attitude. I see Trishna join us.

"Trishna, I want you to meet Rishabhji." I tell her.

Before she could say anything, Rishabhji turns to her in anger, "I wanted to kill you, Trishna. Don't you know that when you leave a job or change your accommodation, it is common practice to leave a forwarding address? If you had done that I would have found my wife a month back."

"What?" Trishna asks shocked as she looked at him and me. "You were looking for me?"

"Of course! you are the only one Madhu knows here. So obviously she would come to you. and you just took her and disappeared."

"Erm I didn't know you would be looking for me." Trishna tells him a little worried.

"Exactly how did you think I was looking for my wife?"

Before Trishna could tell him that she didn't even think he would look for me, I ask her, "Rishabhji knows that you are the only one I have. So, it was obvious he would look for you, knowing I was with you. didn't you realize that?"

"No." she says shaking her head in shock. "If I did I would have definitely informed my previous employers were I was moving and how to find me."

"I was so sure he would come for me because I knew he would find me through you. otherwise how was he to find me in his place?" I ask Trishna in shock.

"I am sorry, Madhu. but you should have told me."

I wanted to tell her that I would have had that conversation when she would have stopped her Rishabhji is a cheat rants. But I don't say anything.

"I am so sorry." Trishna tells me in regret.

"It's okay." I tell her with a smile as I moved to hug her and I was stopped midway with my arms stretched out. Rishabhji hadn't let go off me. I turn to him in shock.

"I am not letting you move away from me." he tells me stubbornly.

I move back after squeezing Trishna's hand to let her know that I wasn't angry with her.

"He really loves you." Trishna says in shock. "He did come for you."

"Don't tell me you were filling her ears with I was in it for just sex speeches." Rishabhji says offended.

"Ermm..." Trishna worriedly looks at him.

"Why does everyone think that I did a fake marriage to sleep with her?"

I pat his hand gently and says, "Not everyone."

He looks at me and he smiles at me with so much love that I felt my eyes fill up. He hugs me and then turning to Trishna, he tells her, "Thank you so much for taking care of her. you were my only relief."

Trishna smiles hearing that. her eyes filling with tears. "I should leave now."

"No, this is a family function and you are family. So, you are staying." Rishabhji tells her.

I smile in joy hearing that and Trishna also smiles. Ever since we were small, we both had craved for family.

I smile at Rishabhji realizing that my wait was finally over. I have found my home in him and a family with him. as if reading my thoughts, he smiles at me.

He seemed to know what I went through to get to him, I wondered what he went through to find me.

Rishabh

Patil opens the door for me. I smile at him and then skipping normal pleasantries I asks him, "Where is Sultan?"

"In his room."

"Rudy reached?"

"Half an hour back."

"Okay. thank you, Patil." I tell him and head to Sultan's room, not looking for Chote Papa and Choti Ma. I had time for that later, but first I need to meet my brothers.

"hey Rishu." Sultan says as he hugged me.

"Bhai... why did you ask me to come here urgently?" Rudy asks me as he hugged me over Sultan.

"Sultan... if you have a household help who doesn't have any family or friends. Is a loner and if one day that person get a mobile in mail would you be suspicious?" I ask Sultan the thought that had plagued me since I had reached halfway to Delhi.

"I would. I would do a background check before I hire someone. But out of nowhere if he gets a mobile, I would keep my eyes on him." Sultan replies with a frown. "Why do you ask? Who got a mobile here?"

I sigh. I was so stupid. I should have got her a mobile before I left. Why didn't I think of it? True I am not much of a mobile person but I should have realized that I had no other way to communicate with Madhu. I was so scared of leaving her behind that every time the thought occurred to me I kept pushing it off and the truth was I didn't think of the time I had to leave her or what I would do without her by my side. And I didn't give her my number too. What if she has to call me? I'll call her on Kapoor's landline and give her my number. I will ask her to get a mobile too, that way we can talk to each other daily.

"Rishu?" Sultan calls me breaking me out of my thoughts.

"There is something I need to tell you both." I tell them.

"How did it go with Ishana?" Rudy asks me.

"I hear Bade Papa is pretty stubborn." Sultan tells me worriedly.

"I am not marrying Ishana." I tell them as I locked the door.

"Dad is going to blow his fuse." Rudy cheekily tells me.

"Stop it, Rudy." Sultan tells him then turning to me he says, "Is that why you came here directly from Hyderabad?"

"No."

"Then?"

I look at my brothers and I wasn't nervous or scared of sharing my big news with them. whatever decision I make; I knew they would support me. "I got married." I inform them smiling.

"WHAT?" Rudy shouts in shock.

"Did you just say you got married?" Sultan asks in shock.

I chuckle seeing their reaction. "Yeah."

"But you didn't believe in marriages." Sultan points out to me.

"I didn't believe in love also." I tell him grinning happily.

"You are in love?" Sultan asks surprised and happy.

"Yes." I reply chuckling.

"Ishana?" Rudy asks curiously.

"Madhu." I tell them smiling.

"Who is Madhu?" they both ask at the same time.

I smile and tell them everything.

"How can you leave Bhabhi there, Bhai?" Rudy asks me in anger.

"I couldn't bring her with me. I don't know what Mr. Kundra would do."

"But you left her there as a servant." Rudy points out to me in anger.

I felt disgust brewing at myself remembering that. "I had no choice, Rudy." I tell him softly. "And I will bring her to our house only as my wife, not as anything else."

"Rishu, we will go now. bring her here. Let her stay here." Sultan tells me.

"I can't take that risk, Sultan." I tell him softly. "You think I didn't think of it?"

"We don't have to tell anyone that she is your wife. We'll tell them she is mine or Dipali's friend. Or anything. let her stay here."

I realized that Sultan misunderstood my reasons and I shake my head. "No, Sultan. She will stay there."

"She will stay here as my sister." Sultan vows.

I realized that Sultan would argue till I told him my real concern regarding that, so I tell him honestly but as gently as I could, "I will not leave Madhu here alone to be bullied by Choti Ma."

Sultan looks away hearing that.

Sultan is the wall that protected the family, but there were certain things that Sultan couldn't protect the family from, one of them was his mother's tongue.

"Choti Ma will only see Madhu as a charity case. I'll not let her stay here like that. she might be a servant with the Kapoors. However, they were to me, they treat their household help with kindness and compassion. Madhu would be treated well there." I tell them.

They don't argue further maybe they agreed with me or thought that I was too stubborn to listen to reasons.

I take both their hands in mine and tells them, "I wanted you both to know about Madhu. so if anything happens to me, then you both would be there to take care of her. if I am not there, please take care of my Madhu. she already considers you both as her brothers."

"She is our sister, Rishu." Sultan tells me.

"Chulbul Bhabhi." Rudy says with a smile making me chuckle.

"I miss her so much." I tell them feeling a little sad.

They smile at me; they were seeing me like this for the first time.

"The mobile thing, Chulbul Bhabhi has no mobile?" Rudy asks me frowning.

Rudy was the sharpest among the three of us.

"No. I forgot to give her my number too." I tell them unable to hide my worry.

"How can you be so irresponsible, Rishu?" Sultan asks me angrily.

"I didn't think of it. You know, I rarely talk on the phone." I tell him regretfully.

"What if she has some emergency?" Rudy asks me.

"I am hoping she doesn't have one." I tell him. "Anyway I was thinking of calling the Kapoor landline and talk to her and give her my number."

"Don't you think it would be weird for you to call Chulbul at Kapoor residency?" Sultan asks me softly.

"Once they reject the proposal, Dad is not going to sit still and at that time if they realize that you are showing extra interest in their household help, it could create problems for Bhabhi." Rudy tells me.

I nod realizing that I couldn't take any kind of risk where Madhu was concerned. That reminds me, I turn to Sultan. "I need a favor from you."

"What?"

"I told you about Kaali Takur. You have so many contacts in the police, can you get Madhu's name cleared and have that Kaali Takur arrested?" I ask him. I wanted to take Madhu to Bareilly, and she would go there as Madhu and not Chulbul.

"I'll make some calls." Sultan promises me.

**********

Few days later, I reach Mumbai. By the time, I had reached Prakash Uncle had called Mr. Kundra and called off the wedding. Due to which, Mr. Kundra had been fuming and cursing. Each time, I went in front of him, he would start blaming me about disappointing him and about me not joining office. So, I just stayed out of his way.

Praying at least now, Madhu would pick up the call, I dial Kapoor house. I hear the landline ring. As I waited for someone to answer the call, I notice my mother looking my way, I quickly put the phone down. Seeing her walking towards me, I cut the call.

"Rishu... I wanted to talk to you."

"Yeah, mom?" I ask her though I knew what she wanted to talk about. Since, a week Mr. Kundra has been pestering me to go see a girl regarding marriage and I have been ignoring it.

"The new proposal is really good." She tells me.

"I am not interested, Mom."

"At least go meet the girl, Rishu." she requests me. "Then you can say no if you don't like her."

I look away as I couldn't betray Madhu like that, not even for mom. "I'll not see any girl, Mom. I am sorry." I tell her.

"I really liked her, Rishu. I am sure you'll like her once you meet her." mom tells me in an almost pleading tone.

I look at her and tell her as politely as I could. "There is a girl waiting for me, Mom. I'll not see any girl."

"Who, Rishu?" she asks me surprised, a small smile on her face.

"Not now, Mom. I don't trust your husband. I love her and I'll not let anything jeopardize it." I tell her.

"If you love her then I'll also love her." she tells me smiling.

"I know, Mom." I smile at her feeling happy, I never doubted whether Mom would accept Madhu.

********

I was going crazy; it had been more than two months since I talked to Madhu. every time I called the Kapoor house it was either Kamini Aunty or one of the servants who answered the call. Never Madhu. I knew, it was time for me to make a decision and settle my life before I brought Madhu home. But every time I try to have a civilized conversation with Mr. Kundra, it backfires. He has only two things to tell me, marry for a business deal and join office.

For Madhu, I started going to the office to see if I could be happy with that life, but I wasn't happy and the whole time I am in the office, I am restless and depressed. I didn't understand business. Each day was proof that I had no talent or the brains for it. That I didn't belong there. Life was becoming miserable. Without Madhu by my side, it was becoming even harder. Slowly, I was realizing that I couldn't compromise on my life for the luxury and security that the Kundra name was giving me.

*********

All the plan was set, and now it was time to execute it perfectly. This time, I couldn't waste time with driving, so I had taken a flight to Hyderabad and had rented a car from the airport. I call Sultan to inform him that I reached.

"Mom and Mr. Kundra reached?" I asked him as I drove to Kapoor house.

"Yes. They even had some words with my mom but it is all under control."

"Was it about me?" I ask him.

"Yes. But don't worry, you are needed there."

"You know I wouldn't have missed your wedding for anything. but this is for Madhu."

"I know, Rishu. you don't have to give me any explanations." Sultan tells me.

I felt relief rush through me. even though I felt guilty for not being there with Sultan for the most important event of his life, I would do it a hundred times more for my Madhu.

"Won't Bade Papa realize that you are not at the meeting?" Sultan asks me curiously.

"Arjun is handling the meetings and he is sending me minute by minute updates of it, and I am forwarding it all to Mr. Kundra. So, he won't be suspicious for a bit."

"Okay. you haven't changed your mind about coming back?" Sultan asks me sadly.

"No. I'll meet Madhu and from there we will go to Bareilly. till Kaali Takur is arrested she will have to stay on as Chulbul, but you said you are on it, right?"

"Yes, I'll be able to break that orphanage warden. It should be done in a few days."

"Thank you, Sultan. Then this Tokyo and London trip should give us enough time to disappear in Bareilly. I found a job. It is an art teachers job in a school. Salary isn't that great but I know we will be happy."

"You don't worry about money, Rishu." Sultan tells me.

"No, Sultan. I don't want to live off you or Mr. Kundra. I want Madhu to be proud of me. we won't have the luxury of the Kundras but we will be happy."

"You won't regret this, right?" Sultan asks me worriedly.

"I once told her that I was living under the thumb of Mr. Kundra because I was scared of losing the life that I knew. I told her that I was a coward and she agreed with me." I tell him with a chuckle. "She didn't sugarcoat the words to make me feel special, she was honest. I think since then I have wanted her to be proud of me. the truth was even when she is living as a maid, she lived her life with more self-respect than I did as Kundra. I want her to be proud of me."

"She will be." Sultan tells me smiling.

I smile hearing that. "Okay, I'll call you later tonight. we will stay in Hyderabad tonight and head to Bareilly in the morning."

"Okay."

********

I excitedly got out of the car as I looked at the room that Madhu used. Seeing it closed I wondered for a fleeting second whether I should wait in her room and surprise her. but then decided against it. Since the watchman saw me drive in, it was a matter of time before they would all know I was here. so, I walk to the main house and ring the bell. I couldn't wait to see the joy on Madhu's face seeing me.

The door opens and I was ushered in by one of the maids. I curiously look around for Madhu, my heart beating fast in joy. It felt like ages since I last saw her.

"Rishabh?" Prakash uncle looks at me surprised.

"Hello Uncle." I politely smile at him as I walked to him. I noticed his whole family was there. I want to be polite and smile at them but I couldn't hold on to look at them when my eyes kept wandering looking to find Madhu.

"What are you doing here?" Prakash uncle ask me.

"Isn't it your cousin's mehendi today?" Kamini Aunty asks me at the same time.

"Yes, today is Sultan's mehendi." I answer her.

"Why are you here instead of there?" uncle asks me.

"Erm... I wanted to meet Chulbul. Can you please call Chulbul?" I ask him.

"Chulbul?" uncle asks in shock.

"What do you want with Chulbul?" aunty asks me with a frown.

"It is personal." I tell her. I didn't want them to file a case against Madhu for fraud and impersonation.

"Oh my God." I hear Ishana whisper. I turn to look at her and see her covering her mouth in shock.

"Is there a problem?" I ask her curiously seeing her reaction.

"You knew Chulbul was a girl, right?" Ishana asks me in shock.

I felt my heart skip a beat hearing that.

"You think it is him?" Uncle asks furiously.

"You guys know?" I ask at the same time. "Where is Madhu?"

"It was you?" Ishana asks me in shock.

"What?" I ask her in confusion, panic hitting me. "Can someone call Madhu?"

"You got her pregnant?" Ishana asks me.

I stop in shock hearing that. "Madhu is pregnant?" I ask in a whisper. How is that possible? We always used condoms. Not the last time. my heart whispered. Oh God. "Where is she?" I ask them as I looked around. If I have to tear the place upside down to find her then I was going to do it.

"You are the guy who did the fake marriage with her to sleep with her?" Abhay asks me in anger.

"MADHU IS MY WIFE." I tell him furiously.

"She was so sure that her husband would come for her." Ishana whispers in shock.

"Her husband is here. Now, can you call my wife?" I ask them as the panic increased.

"She is not here." Kamini aunty informs me.

And I felt my world crash. "What do you mean she is not here?" I ask, the blood draining from my face. my heart gripped in horror.

"We asked her to leave."

I stop in shock. Words failing me. my mind going blank. Madhu was somewhere out there alone now.

"She refused to tell us who her husband was and whatever she told us about him, sounded shady. We didn't want anyone accusing Abhay for the pregnancy." Prakash Uncle tell me a little uncomfortably.

"I trusted you all over my father. I thought you would keep her safe. I thought she would be safe here." I whisper to them, my mouth going dry in fear.

"We never promised you anything." Abhay tells me.

Yes, they never promised me anything but I thought Madhu would be safe with them. what did I do? I shouldn't have left her here. Oh my God, Madhu, where are you?

"She said there was a police case on her. For a year she was living as a boy here. And she had this mysterious husband who got her pregnant and absconded. We just couldn't trust her anymore to let her live in this house." Kamini aunty tells me in a regretful tone.

"Why didn't she call me?" I ask them helplessly.

"she said she didn't have your number." Prakash uncle tells me.

"But you knew. Why didn't she ask you to call me?" I ask them not understanding. Why would Madhu not tell them to call me? was it because I told her to hide our marriage from everyone? I close my eyes in pain and regret. What was I thinking?

"she refused to tell us your name."

"Why didn't anyone of you suspect me? I was here for a month and it didn't occur to you that I could be her husband?" I ask them in shock.

"I did think of you, but you just met her, so I didn't think you would have convinced her to marry you in such a short time." Kamini aunty tells me.

"I was sure it was you." Abhay says softly.

"Then why didn't you inform me?" I ask him shocked.

"after all that I heard of you, I thought you might have convinced her that whatever you did to be a true marriage and your true intention was just to sleep with her. she was so firm in her belief that her husband loved her, I didn't know how she would have handled it when she finds out that you never loved her. all you wanted was sex." Abhay tells me hesitantly.

"I LOVE HER! SHE IS MY WIFE. WE ARE MARRIED." I tell him furiously.

"I realize that I was wrong." Abhay says regretfully.

"We might not have had a grand wedding or a temple wedding. But we accepted each other as husband and wife with our heart. that is greater than all of the marriage vows that you make." I tell him unable to handle them calling our marriage a farce.

"she was so sure you would come." Ishana tells me softly. "She was so sure of you."

"How am I going to find her now? where could have she gone?" I ask them feeling so lost like a small kid.

"We are sorry, Rishabh." Ishana says softly.

"She loved and respected you all so much." I tell them in an accusing tone.

"She should have told us the truth." Uncle says.

I look away as I ran my hand through my hairs. He was right, she should have told them to call me. now what am I going to do?

"When did she leave?" I ask them as my mind started processing on ways to find her.

**********

I went around Hyderabad, mainly to the places that we had visited together. But she was nowhere to be found. I desperately tried to hold on to my hope, not letting the scary thoughts enter my mind. I knew, she wouldn't dare to go to Bareilly now, as the threat of Kaali Takur was still at large. Now that she was pregnant, she wouldn't even think of going there as Chulbul. God, Madhu was pregnant. She should have been in Mumbai in my house, getting pampered by me, my mother, Priyanka and my brothers. Now, she was all alone and pregnant in this world. I close my eyes as tears spilled from my eyes. Like the Kapoors what if everyone else told her that I didn't love her and our marriage was not real, would she start doubting our relation? No, Madhu would never mistrust me. she knew me better than I knew myself. she knows that my heart beats only for her. she loved me with all my shortcomings. She knows me.

It was late at night, and my fears kept increasing tenfold wondering whether Madhu would be in a safe place? Did she have a roof over her head? or was she walking around the streets all alone? My thoughts kept scaring me. hearing my mobile ring, I quickly grab it. For a second, my mind unreasonably said it could be Madhu. I check the screen and see it was Sultan.

"Hello?"

"Rishu, why didn't you call after meeting Madhu?" Sultan asks from the other end.

"How did Chulbul Bhabhi react seeing you?" Rudy asks me excitedly. "Put her on the phone."

"She is not here." I tell them as I started crying.

"What do you mean she is not there?" Sultan asks in a tensed voice.

"They found out she is a girl. They threw her out."

"WHAT?" Rudy shouts in shock.

"Where could have she gone? Do you have any idea?" Sultan asks me worriedly.

"I don't know. She can't go back to Bareilly. that is the only place she knows."

"We will find her, Rishu. don't worry." Sultan tells me.

"She is pregnant." I inform them.

There was silence from the other end. I knew they were too shocked to react.

"Bhai." I hear Rudy's urgent voice.

"Yes?" I reply reacting to his urgency, maybe he could have some insight that I missed.

"Do you have a photo of her?" Rudy ask me urgently.

"No." I reply sadly.

"How does she look?"

"Why?" I ask him confused.

"It's important. How does she look?"

"I've drawings of hers." I tell him as I parked the car and got out of the car. I went to the boot and opened my bag and took out my sketch book. Closing the bag and boot, I get back into the car. Turning on the lights, I take a picture of the drawing I made of Madhu and send it to Rudy.

"I've sent you the photo." I tell him.

A few seconds later, I hear both Sultan and Rudy whisper, "Shit!"

"What happened?" I ask them worriedly.

"She was here." Sultan tells me.

"In Delhi? In your house?" I ask in shock. Feeling a ray of hope.

"Yes, but when I asked her who she is, she just lied that she was here for the mehendi." Sultan tells me.

"Maybe because everyone was with us." Rudy guesses.

"Is she still there?" I ask as I started the car to head to the airport.

"We'll call you back." Sultan says and quickly cuts the call.

Twenty minutes later, they called back as I waited with bated breath.

"She isn't here, Rishu." Sultan tells me.

"Are you sure?" I ask my hope squashing.

"Yes. The CCTV has her leaving the house."

"But how did she come here?" Rudy asks me.

"Maybe she heard about Sultan's wedding and thought I would be there. dammit!" I curse loudly.

"We'll find her, Rishu. don't worry."

"I am coming there." I inform them.

"You know what? We were talking about you when she was near us." Sultan tells me and proceeds to tell me what had happened.

"So, she thinks I am in Mumbai?" I ask them.

"if she heard us, then yes." Rudy tells me.

"I'll go to Mumbai then. God, I hope I find her soon." I tell them as my eyes filled up. Then after years, I prayed, I prayed to Madhu's Shankarji for her.

**********

"Did anyone come to see me?" I ask the security head as soon as I reached my house.

"No, sir."

"Ask everyone else." I instruct him as I took my mobile to check the train schedules.

Realizing I was parched, I walk to the kitchen to grab a bottle. I immediately walked back. When I didn't find him back yet, I walk out of the house to see him talking to other securities. I walk to them.

"Nobody came, sir." He informs me.

"If anyone comes asking for me, man or female, bring them to me immediately." I instruct them.

"Yes, sir."

"Whoever it is, assume that I am waiting for them. night or day, whenever they reach inform me immediately."

"Yes, sir."

I nod and head to my car to go to the railway station. There is a train that would be reaching from Mumbai in an hour. I knew that Madhu couldn't be in that train, it was too soon, but still I want to check and be sure.

*******

She wasn't there in the trains. I went to the bus station also to check even though I knew that she couldn't possibly reach by this time, but I had to see with my own eyes. I called up my home to find out if she had reached and she hadn't. so, I drove around Mumbai near the railway station to see if she had reached. In between Mr. Kundra kept calling me regarding the meetings, after the first call I stopped answering his phones.

Things went on like that for the next two weeks. Then my family reached Mumbai.

Rudy joined me in my search for Madhu while Mr. Kundra had brought the house down screaming that I didn't leave for Tokyo. I didn't even bother listening to him and had left him in mid rant.

"Do you think she thought that you betrayed her?" Rudy asked me one night.

"She would never think that." I tell him.

"You know, she heard that you were going away to Tokyo and London, what if she thought that you had no intentions of going for her?" Rudy asks me.

I remembered what Abhay had told me and I knew that Abhay would have said the same thing to her. would it shake her faith in me?

"Bhai, I know you are going through hell to find her. but when you find her and find out that she thought that you were using her, don't take it in the wrong way. Understand that she has been going through hell and it is normal to think like that and be insecure." Rudy tells me.

"Madhu would never think that." I argue because I knew it in my heart that she wouldn't misunderstand me.

"But still, Bhai, she is pregnant. It might take a toll on her and she might lose some faith."

"She won't." I tell him sternly then seeing that he was about to argue, I tell him confidently, "You'll see."

Rudy nods giving in. later that night, when Sultan called, even he said the same thing to me and I realized that Sultan and Rudy had been discussing about it. I felt a little angry at them for losing their faith in Madhu like that, I knew they were worried and concerned but they should have faith in Madhu.

*********

"I've told Prataps that you would go see Bhavya today." Mr. Kundra informs me at the dining table.

"I won't." I reply, I avoided him like the plague nowadays. I was already worried about Madhu and I had no time for his shit. But today, Mom had insisted and I had joined for her.

"Rishabh, I am not asking you. you'll go. I want Prataps and us to join in business."

"Make something of your own instead of joining business." I tell him in anger.

"Says the one who has been living off me since he was born." He tells me in disgust.

"Because you wouldn't let me follow my passion." I tell him furiously.

"I never stopped you. you can follow it, but for that you will have to leave my house and I won't give you a penny from my property." He tells me with a smirk still thinking that I was that Rishabh that who was still scared of living a life outside the comforts of the Kundra name.

I was about to set him straight when I realized that more than anything I needed the Kundra name now, the Kundra name was all I had in my search for Madhu.

"Stop it, Mohan. I told you not to force him." Mom tells him. "He is not interested in Bhavya."

"I don't care. he should be of some use to me."

"He is your son. He doesn't have to be of use to you." Mom tells him furiously.

"Enough!" Rudra shouts in anger.

Everyone turn to him in shock at his outrage, Rudy was never one for confrontations.

"Dad, you can cut Bhai out of your will but he is still an Kundra and he still has the right to Daddaji's shares. It is ancestral and you can't deny him that." Rudy tells him.

"But there are too many people who have a right to that and he will have a legal battle to get it." Mr. Kundra tells him with a smirk.

"Not if Sultan bhaiyya, Priyanka and I give it to him."

"Stop it, Rudy." I tell him, I no longer cared of the property and money, so this was a moot argument.

Rudy sighs loudly then in a calm tone he says, "If you are so hell bent on joining the family business, I'll meet Bhavya."

"Have you gone mad?" I ask him furiously. I didn't want him to lose his freedom just because I could be with Madhu.

"I said I will meet. I didn't say I would marry. I'll marry her if I like her." Rudy tells me.

"You don't have to make sacrifices for me. You should fall in love and marry, Rudy." I tell him. after experiencing the bliss of love, I wanted everyone to enjoy it.

"I am not making sacrifices. Anyway I have to get married and mom is so confident of Bhavya, I feel I should give it a chance. What if I get lucky and fall in love with her?" Rudy asks me.

I couldn't argue with that. "Marry only if you love her."

"Obviously. After seeing you and Sultan bhaiyya so in love, I am not going to settle for anything less." He tells me smiling.

"What do you mean by Rishabh is in love?" Mr. Kundra asks frowning.

"It means I am in love." I tell him.

"Who is she?"

"You think I would tell you?" I ask him back in an exasperated tone.

"I won't allow it. You are going to see Bhavya today." he tells me in finality.

"I am not."

"Dad, I said I will meet Bhavya." Rudy tells him.

"I have other plans for you." Mr. Kundra says in a dismissing tone.

And I lost it. "Mr. Kundra, I would suggest that you take this opportunity if you so badly want to merge with the Prataps. Because you've only one unmarried son and that is Rudy." I tell him and walk off ignoring his furious screams.

************

"Rishu."

I feel Mom keep her hand on my shoulder. I look up at her and smile.

"You got married?" she asks as she sat next to me.

I open my sketch book that I had been staring at, and shows her the drawing I made of Madhu.

"She is so beautiful." Mom says with a smile.

"She is."

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"How could I tell you when he is like this?" I ask her back.

She sighs understanding.

"You are so talented, Rishu." she tells me with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry that I couldn't support you."

"We both know how he is. And I wasn't strong enough to fight him." I tell her.

"You always fought for me but when it came to your life, you just let him bully you." she tells me softly.

"I couldn't see the way he treated you. that time only you mattered. But now, I have decided that he will not control my life anymore. Once I find Madhu I will leave this house."

She frowns, "Find Madhu?"

"She is missing, Mom." I tell her.

"But how?" she asks me in shock. "Why didn't you bring her home after you married her?"

"I didn't know what he would do. I was worried for her. I wanted to set my life straight before I brought her here."

"How is she missing?" Mom asks me worriedly.

I sigh loudly. "She couldn't stay on the place she had been living and by the time I went to get her, she had to go from there. now I don't know where she is."

"We'll find her, Rishu."

"We'll. I won't rest till I find her." I tell her.

Mom nods and turns to look at Madhu again. "I feel I know her. like I have seen her somewhere."

"You have." I tell her smiling.

"I have?" she asks surprised.

"In Delhi."

"For the mehendi." She says smiling shocked.

"Yes."

"She was there right in front of us, Rishu. you should have told us." Mom gently admonishes me.

"I should have." I admit regretfully. All this mess was because of me, because I wasn't strong enough to stand against my father.

She gently rubs her hand over my shoulder. "We'll find her."

I decided not to tell her that Madhu was pregnant because I didn't want to increase her worries.

"I really wished Mohan would help you. you know the contacts and power he has." Mom tells me sadly.

"He would die before he would help me." I reply in scoff.

************

Mom's words kept replaying in my mind. And I knew it was true. Mr. Kundra had too many legal and illegal dealings that he had the connection to help me. It was two weeks and there was no news of Madhu. and desperation got the best of me.

I walked into his study one night after my unsuccessful search of Madhu. hearing me walk in, he looks up at me with a frown. I hear Mom and Rudy follow me in curiosity. I never went looking for my father voluntarily before.

"I need your help." I tell him.

He smirks at me in reply.

"I can't find Madhu." I tell him fighting my tears.

"Madhu?" he asks frowning.

"My wife. She is missing."

"Good." He replies with a satisfied smirk.

"MOHAN!" Mom shouts at him in fury.

"Please Dad, I am so worried for her. I can't find her. please help me. she is all alone in this world. I'll do anything you want in return." I promise him as I fell to my knees begging him. "Just help me find my wife and bring her home."

I could see that he was shocked that I called him Dad. Even I was shocked at that, how did it slip through?

"You know he wouldn't have called you Dad if he wasn't this worried." Mom tells him gently.

"She is gone. I say she did us all a favor." He says with a dismissing tone.

"Don't you care even a little bit for us?" Rudy asks him in shock.

"I care and that is why I don't want a sadakchaap girl as his wife."

"Please, Mr. Kundra," I beg him. "She is pregnant."

And his whole demeanor changes. He stands up in shock. "And you are sure it is yours?"

"Madhu is my wife!" I tell him furiously. It was my mistake I shouldn't have come to him.

I start to get up to leave.

"Why didn't you tell me, Rishu?" Mom asks me in shock.

"I didn't want to worry you." I tell her.

"How many months is she pregnant?"

I ignore him and start to leave.

"They were together when he was in Hyderabad." Rudy answers for me.

"I'll bring my warris home." Mr. Kundra declares.

I turn to him in shock. Instead of relief, I felt anger rise in me, "You never loved me then how can you love my baby?"

"You are my son; I do love you." Mr. Kundra tells me in a matter of fact tone. "It is another thing; you were a disappointment all your life."

"But you will bring Madhu home, right?" Mom asks him.

"Yes."

"Why?" I ask in shock, not understanding the change in his attitude.

"Finally you did something right." he says in a dismissing tone.

"What?" I ask confused.

"Produced an heir before Sultan bhaiyya." Rudy answers.

I turn to Rudy in shock. "What?"

"The eldest child of every generation becomes the head of family and business. Don't you know that?" Rudy asks me.

"Yeah. Why does it matter?" I ask him.

"It doesn't matter to you. it does to him. He is the head of the family and business but it is killing him that his sons are younger to his nephew and his nephew is going to be in charge of family and business when he steps down. Now that your child is going to be the eldest one in the next generation, he wants the Kundra warris to be from his blood." Rudy explains to me.

"It is true," Mom says as she looked at Mr. Kundra in disgust. "But Rudy, you knew he would behave like this then why didn't you say something earlier?"

Rudy looks at me and says in regret, "I am sorry, Bhai. I didn't say it because I thought Dad would call your baby illegitimate. The truth is your marriage has no witness and it is not registered."

How much ever I wanted to argue with him that our marriage was true, I knew that he was right. we hadn't legalized our marriage. We didn't have the time and I was scared that to legalize the marriage, we would need to use Madhu's identity and we couldn't afford to do that when there was a criminal case on Madhu.

"I can legalize it in minutes." Mr. Kundra says in a dismissing tone.

I turn to him, relieved that he is now going to help me find Madhu and disgusted that he is my father.

"I'll bring your wife home and you'll join the office in return." He tells me.

Now that I knew he would do anything for my baby I wasn't going to give him that power over me again.

He smiles seeing me silent. "How hard do you think it is for me to just bring my warris home without your wife?"

I felt a chill pass through me. I couldn't put it past him to snatch our baby from Madhu and throw her into the streets.

"We have a deal, Mr. Kundra." I tell him ignoring the outrage and gasp from Mom and Rudy.

"Now that you have called me Dad, let's stick to it." He tells me in a victorious tone.

"Okay, Dad."

************

"Why the hell were you searching for her in Mumbai?"

My father asked me the next evening as soon as I walked back home from my search for Madhu.

"She overheard you all talking that I was in Mumbai." I tell him.

"Does she know that you are from Mumbai? I doubt we mentioned the word Mumbai."

I stop in shock. Doesn't Madhu know that I am from Mumbai? She should be knowing. I try to think back on our conversations and I was drawing a big blank.

"What was she doing in Delhi?" he asks me.

"She might have found out about Sultan's..." I stop in shock as realization dawned. "I told her I was going to Delhi from Hyderabad."

"Ah so she assumed your home was in Delhi?" he asks me. "What kind of husband and wife are you both that she doesn't even know where your home is?"

I ignore the jab in his words and tell him, "For me home has always been Delhi." We grew up in Delhi, we had been a joint-family. After Dadi's death, Mr. Kundra had shifted the whole family to Mumbai. His excuse was that he wanted to expand the business further though the truth was Sultan was joining the business and he didn't want his sons to work under Sultan, so he had set up an alternate business in Mumbai. But I had always felt our home in Delhi as my home were I spent most of my childhood and teenage years.

"So, she didn't know where your home exactly was." he points out.

I stop in shock realizing what he was saying was the truth. I was searching in the wrong place all this time.

"She took a train to Hyderabad from Delhi." He informs me.

"How do you know?" I ask him shocked.

"CCTV footage from railway station." He answers me and walk off.

Why would she go to Hyderabad? I ask myself.

Where else would she go when she didn't know where my house was? my heart answers. She went back to the only place; where I promised to meet her. she had gone to Hyderabad to wait for me.

***********

"Rishabh, what are you doing here?" Kamini aunty asks me seeing me walk in.

I stop in disappointment realizing Madhu hadn't come back there.

"Did you find Madhu?" Ishana asks me.

I shake my head in negative. "She took a train to Hyderabad a month back. I thought she would have come here."

"No. she didn't." Kamini aunty answers me.

I sigh in disappointment.

"We would have called you if she had come here." Ishana tells me.

I nod and turn to leave.

"Do inform us when you find her." Ishana tells me.

"We are praying for her." Kamini aunty tells me.

"Thank you. I'll inform you when I find her."

*************

Where could she have gone? Now the only place was Bareilly. would she have found out about Kaali Takur's arrest? We had the newspaper publish that news for a week so that she wouldn't miss it. So one of her worries would be over. When I thought she was in Mumbai, I thought any day she would come to my house so I didn't consider Bareilly as an option. Now I know for sure that she hadn't come to Mumbai, and when she didn't find me in Hyderabad at the end of the 3 months that I promised her, what if she had gone to Bareilly? she knew for sure that is one place I would search for her.

I close my eyes realizing how much she was travelling in her pregnancy period because of me. Wasn't the first trimester very risky? She would be in her second trimester now. how I wish I was with her to take care of her now.

"Hello?" Mr. Kundra answers the call.

"She isn't here." I inform him.

"hmmm."

"Can you find out if she is in Bareilly?"

"Can I?" the arrogant ass asks me back.

I grit my teeth in fury. "Most likely she would have left Hyderabad 3 weeks back."

"Okay."

"I am going to Bareilly."

"Stay there in Hyderabad. Stop running around the whole country. I'll inform you if she is in fact in Bareilly or not."

**********

Two days later, I got down in Bareilly because Mr. Kundra had confirmed that Madhu had boarded a train to Bareilly and had got down in Bareilly. I straight went to her orphanage.

The warden had resigned, now that she was a rich lady thanks to the deal she made with me through Sultan, she no longer had to work. I met the new warden and at first she was hesitant, but when I explained to her why I was searching for Madhu, she gave me details about Trishna.

I straight away went to where Trishna worked.

"Trishna resigned last month." The manager told me.

"Where is she working now?" I ask him.

"She didn't mention that." he says shaking his head.

"Can you ask others please?" I ask him, seeing he was about to refuse I requests him, "Please it is really important that I meet her."

Sighing he waves over one of the staff and asks that girl. "She didn't say. She said she had two options and she hadn't decided which one she was going to choose."

I sigh sadly. "Do you have her mobile number?"

"She was using the company phone, she returned it when she resigned."

I close my eyes in exasperation. "Do you know where she stays?"

"In the working women's hostel."

"Thank you." I tell her with a smile then taking my mobile, I take the photo of Madhu's drawing and shows it to her, "Do you remember seeing this girl here?"

She looks at the drawing with a frown. "Yes, she had come on Trishna's last day of work. They left together."

I sigh in relief knowing that Madhu was with Trishna, she wasn't alone anymore.

I head to her hostel.

"We don't accommodate pregnant girls, so they left."

"Do you have any idea where they left?" I ask them.

"She didn't say where she was shifting too. That girl was here for two days, as soon as they found accommodation, they left."

I sigh as I walked out of the hostel. I felt so helpless. Madhu was somewhere near me and I just couldn't find her.

I drove around Bareilly hoping to find Madhu somewhere walking on the streets. Madhu's orphanage, the temple near her orphanage, Trishna's previous work and hostel were the places that I frequented most. Noticing pani puri stall, I stop remembering the time Madhu and I had shared pani puris. I felt my eyes fill up. It took me a few minutes to read the name of the stall, sharmaji. Stopping the car, I walk to the stall and sits on the bench near it. Hoping Madhu would come for Sharmaji's pani puri.

***********

Hearing the mobile ring, I answer it realizing that it was Mr. Kundra.

"Did you find anything?" I ask him.

"No."

"It's been a month and you can't even find out where a girl works or stays?" I ask him, anger getting the better of me.

"Bareilly is not Mumbai." He snaps at me.

I furiously keep my mouth shut.

"We have fixed a date for the engagement."

Rudy had decided to marry Bhavya, I wasn't even sorry or concerned that Rudy was getting married because I had married Madhu. there was no need for concern because ever since Rudy had met Bhavya, he has been acting so lovesick, if I hadn't been so worried about Madhu, I would have laughed my ass off seeing him like that.

"I am not leaving Bareilly without Madhu. I won't come for the engagements." I tell him, as Priyanka was also getting married to Mr. Kundra's best friend's son and her longtime boyfriend, Ranveer.

"If she finds out you are there, will she come looking for you?" he asks me.

"Of course." what kind of a question is that even?

"We are coming there then." He declares.

"What?" I was confused, what was he going to achieve by coming here?

"Whole of Bareilly will know that Mohan Kundra's son and daughter are getting engaged in Bareilly." he tells me.

I couldn't help the smile spread through my face. "Thank you, Dad."

**********

Finally, the engagement day was there and I got ready excitedly. I couldn't sleep the whole night because I was so sure that I was going to meet my Madhu. today, we will be together and I am not going to let her out of my sight ever.

I stood with my brothers as I looked at every person that came to the venue. Strict instructions had been given to the securities that no one should be turned away. as I stood in my vantage point near the entrance, I scanned every single face that was there. all the securities were given Madhu's drawing too, so they could spot her.

"It is time we have to go in." Sultan tells me.

"You guys go, I'll come." I tell him.

"Bhai, please come." Rudy requests me.

"I'll come when it is time." I promise him, I had abandoned Sultan during his wedding, and that was the only reason that Madhu wasn't with me today, I won't do the same mistake again.

They both walk back in while I stood there looking at everyone.

"Where is Rishabh?" I hear mom's loud question.

I ignore it for a second as I continued to look for Madhu.

"Bhai!" I hear Rudy's voice, and realized it was time.

sighing disappointed and sad, I walk back in. I couldn't believe that Madhu hadn't come. what if she went to some other place to look for me? no, she knew I would look for her in Bareilly. I was so sure I would see her today, and... my heart was breaking thinking of the possibility that I might never be able to find her. NO! I shook the thought away. I will see her. if not today then tomorrow. Madhu, where are you?

I feel someone hold my hand. That touch! I turn around immediately. And my eyes lock with hers. I stop in shock seeing her. I couldn't breathe, too scared to take a breath and have her vanish.

"Rishabhji." I hear her ever so sweet and melodious voice.

"Madhu." I whisper. Too scared to believe my eyes.

Then I see her eyes fill with tears. Relief rushed through me realizing that my Madhu was here. I fall to my knees in relief and I sighed, thanking our Shankarji.

************

A year later

Hearing a mumble, I quickly come awake. Turning to look at Madhu, I see her in deep sleep. I sit up and start pulling on my pants as I leaned to look at my sons.

"Dada is here." I whisper to him as I pulled my tshirt on.

Ahaan mumbles again a little louder as he started waking up. I quickly pick him up and the baby monitor and leaves the room.

I started rocking him as I walked around the corridor outside our room as I tried to put him back to sleep. the twins had the habit of waking up at around 6 in the morning for no apparent reasons. No hunger and no diaper change. They just woke up and made a fuss for a while and went back to sleep.

"Madhu is sleeping?"

I turn to mom and find her walking towards us.

"Yes." I tell her. "She didn't sleep the whole night." I explain to her, letting my sons take the fall for keeping her awake when it was me.

She smiles as she caressed Ahaan.

I hear another mumble and sigh. She chuckles.

"I'll get him."

"No, you take him, I'll bring Ahil." I tell Mom so she doesn't find Madhu naked on the bed.

Handing over, Ahaan to her, I go back in just in time to stop Ahil from crying out loud. I bring him out and finds Mom walking around in an attempt to put Ahaan to sleep. I also start walking, as I rocked Ahil to go back to sleep.

Ahil quickly went back to sleep, and I went back in and put him on his crib. Then I walked out and took Ahaan from mom. After Mom left, I walked with him in the corridor. It took him a while to go back to sleep. finally, sighing in relief, I walk back into the room and place him on his crib.

I smile watching my sons sleep. I felt my heart fill with love and peace watching them sleep. I turn to look at Madhu and finds her still in deep sleep. she had slept through it all. I smile lovingly at her sleeping form. I thank Shankarji for saving us all and keeping us together. It still shook me to realize that how close I was to losing it all.

Now, I was finding peace in my life. I no longer had any complaints. I accepted that Mr. Kundra would be Mr. Kundra always, there was nothing that could change him. For most part, he neither interacted with or ignored Madhu. I didn't take it as a slight as that was how he behaves with Bhavya too.

I had resigned to my fate and had started working in Kundra Industries. I wasn't happy but I didn't complain because that was the price I paid for Madhu. but Madhu was unhappy and forced me to start painting again. I painted whenever the mood struck me and that was most of the time. and I found joy in Madhu, my kids, my family and paintings. But one day I had walked into my studio to find my paintings missing, only a note was there to dress up and go to a location. I did.

Madhu with Sultan's and Rudy's help had organized an exhibition of my paintings. All my paintings were sold off and for good money that I was amazed. I started feeling a confidence in my talent.

From then I started dreaming.

Now, I had enough money to pursue that art course that was once my dream. Madhu and I am all set to leave for Germany in a few days. Madhu would join college there while I pursued my art course. her admission, our apartment and the kids' day care were all sorted. I knew it was going to be difficult to manage classes and the twins. But we were confident we could do it.

Mr. Kundra hadn't even put up a fight when I told him my decision, I guess even he finally accepted that I had no brains for business and I would continue to ask Sultan before I made any decision in business. There was nothing more humiliating to him than me following Sultan's lead in business, for every single decision. I wasn't doing it to insult him, I was doing it because I didn't want a bad decision on my part to affect the thousands that depended on the Kundra business.

I knew Mr. Kundra was consoling himself with Ahil and Ahaan. He was so sure they would join Kundra business and take his legacy forward. I let him build castles in the air. When the time comes, Madhu and I would support our kids to follow their dreams, if they wanted to join family business then they would do that and if they wanted to pursue something else then they would do that.

I felt happy and content. It was all because of Madhu. she gave me my life back. I walk to bed and kisses Madhu lovingly on her cheek.

"I love you, Madhu."

"No, Rishabhji. No more babies. Please." She mumbles in her sleep.

I chuckle hearing her. the twins were hands full for us.

"We'll adopt a 5-year-old girl, please. I just want to sleep through the night."

"That we can do. But I want a girl exactly like you too. Who I'm going to dress up like a boy and..." I tell her smiling.

"And name her Chulbul." She mumbles finishing for me as she rolled over to sleep.

I chuckle hearing her. naming her Chulbul was a joke. Because there would be no other Chulbul for me other than my Madhu.

*** The End ***

I had been toying with a story idea for a long while now, where it starts off with the girl being pregnant and she is searching for her lover. The lover is a playboy and one night he confesses his feelings for her and consummate. Next day he goes away for some work promising to come for her. but due to some reasons, she has to leave her house and she is on the search for him. while everyone tells her that he didn't love her, she stays strong in her belief. The story would have ended with one day she comes home to find him waiting for her, all battered up and bandaged, showing he went through hell looking for her. but when I got around to writing it, I couldn't just say that their love and faith in each other was so strong, so I spent most of the story building up that relation, and reduced the main story idea to just 25% of this story.

I don't know if you guys felt bored reading Rishabh's side of story when you already knew how they would meet. I wrote it because I felt some of you might feel the story incomplete without his story.

I hope you guys liked this story. Please do leave your comments and likes.

- Lazy