As Bela and Mahir already left, leaving Rishi alone to manage himself, Saanvi dragged Rishi to her car with Suchi jumping in his arms.

Like a waterfall, tears kept pouring out of Rishi's eyes while Suchi kept on kissing his cheeks excitedly. Since he lost in the statue-statue game and was crying he deserved kisses. Isn't it? And as he was Suchi's Dad he deserved more kisses, right?

"Sir! Sir! " They heard an urgent voice. On turning back they found a man in his mid-twenties running towards them. As soon as he reached them, he filled his lungs with oxygen taking deep breaths.

"What happened? " Saanvi asked.

"Mam, Rishi sir's phone " The Man extended the phone towards her.

Saanvi looked at him confused, " Who is Rishi? "

"Your supposed husband" Rishi gritted his teeth beside her.

Did I miss hearing his name?  Shit! Saanvi thought hitting her forehead and springing her tongue out. "Sorry " She gave an apologetic smile to Rishi and proceeded to take the phone from the Man who was already giving them hopeless stares.

Thanking him, they again moved towards Saanvis's Car when her phone rang, she picked up the call and after talking for a minute in a worried tone she turned to Rishi.

"Sorry, Rishi! It's very urgent I have to go for now. I will come tomorrow to your house and will explain everything to your parents."

"But...

" Give me your number " Saanvi commanded and Rishi's face went pale.

Why is she asking for my number? What she will do? Is she really trying to trap me? Oh no! what if she is a fraud. Rishi stood numb thinking all the possible reasons.

"Rishi" Saanvi shouted on top of her voice making Suchi and Rishi flinch.

"What? " He looked at her keeping his palm on his heart.

"You idiot! Give me your number " She fumed at him.
She was already getting late and here he was busing wasting time in zoning out.

Rishi quickly parroted his number.

"Great! Message your address on this number. I will come tomorrow" She gave a missed call on his number.

"Come Suchi! " She extended her hands towards Suchi but she shook her head encircling her arms around Rishi's neck.

"Suchi! Please come, baby." Saanvi pleaded.

"Dadda" Suchi mumbled and buried her face in his chest.

"Suchi come here this instant! " Saanvi commanded in a higher tone but suchi hid more into Rishi's chest.

Seconds later Rishi felt his shirt getting wet. She was such a chirpy girl and now seeing her crying like this Rishi felt bad. He patted her back trying to calm her down while helplessly looking at Saanvi. Whatever it was, the small innocent heart was not at fault.

"Suchi, we need to go to the hospital. Dadu is sick " Saanvi forcefully separated Suchi from Rishi. Suchi kept whining throwing her limbs and crying but Saanvi held her firmly.

Saanvi turned to go not before assuring Rishi that she will surely visit his home tomorrow. As she kept moving nearer to her car, Suchi's cries intensified.
Suchi looked at Rishi with hopeful eyes. Her eyes were filled with tears but didn't waver giving betrayed looks to Rishi. She thought her Dad will not let her go. She was attached to him the moment she saw his picture, the moment she knew he was her dad.

Rishi's heart melted looking at her. She could hardly understand what was happening around her. Rishi could not stand her disappointed, heartbroken looks. He didn't know what came to his mind, he ran to them.

"Listen"

Saanvi turned to look at him.

"I can take Suchi with me for today if you allow"  Saanvi looked at him surprised. She ruined his image in front of his family and here he was being nice to her?.

"No. It's fine "

"You are going to the hospital, right? Obviously, you won't take suchi there. So you know you can do this... " He suggested looking at Suchi, who was grinning finding her Dad near her.

"No, Rishi... I told you... "

"You can in this way, you can assure me that you will come tomorrow. When you will come you can take back Suchi with you " He didn't know why he was doing this and what will be the consequences but a part of his heart was forcing him to do this.

"How can I trust you with my daughter? " Saanvi spoke angrily. She thought he was a decent guy but he was behaving like a jerk.  He was not helping her. He was just seeing her daughter as his assurance.

"Exactly! How can I trust you with my image? What if you don't come tomorrow? " Rishi knew he hit the right spot.

"What if you do something with my daughter moreover I told you I will come didn't I? " She glared at him.

"My parents have got a name in the industry. If I ever do something odd it will always be tagged with them. Neither they would do anything bad nor they will allow me to.
And moreover, I don't wish to put up a fight by harming daughter of a woman who looks like she will burn down the whole world if pissed off." He said the last part smirking at her.

"You can trust me. Even if I plan revenge, I won't harm this little heart. " He said sincerely.

Saanvi was still hesitant but his words calmed her a little.

"Since you spoiled everything, you are required to fix the mess" He said rolling his eyes at her.

"Fine! But listen. Just a scratch on my daughter and I will burn you down " Her voice was dangerously calm.

Rishi nodded at her and took Suchi from her who readily jumped in his arms.

Suchi showered Rishi's face with kisses while he kept chuckling.

Saanvi's heart felt a pang at how Suchi grew attached to Rishi in just a matter of a few hours but looking at their giggling face, for once she wanted to forget about the future happenings.

"Bye! Mumma" Suchi threw a flying kiss at Saanvi.

Saanvi nodded her head and got back into her car. She glared at Rishi before leaving. He shook his head at Saanvi.

He called for another car and sat on the bench waiting, with Suchi in his lap.

"Dadda! I missed you " Suchi again hugged him. "Did you? " She asked innocently.

Rishi melted again, "of course! I did too"

"Good Dadda " She kissed his nose.

Rishi chuckled at her, patting her head.

They kept sitting there with Suchi continuously talking gibberish, and Rishi patiently listening to her.
She was narrating all that she knew like a professional storyteller with her expert expressions and hand movements. He could not help but adore the little bundle of joy.
Even Meera was like that when she was small. She too would sit on his lap and narrate all her primary school incidents to him. She loved gossiping to him. Well, she loved it still with her Rishi bhaiyu.

Rishi was anxious about the stunt Saanvi pulled before, he was under stress but when Saanvi said she will make everything fine. He breathed in relaxation. But Suchi was the one who calmed his heart further. Suchi went on and on with her talks that included anything and everything but he didn't mind it. This little child's innocence was melting him every now and then.

"Mumma is cutu " Suchi said showing how her Mumma poses in front of the mirror after getting ready.

Rishi laughed throwing his head back.
He could not believe that the girl whose face had only two expressions either sadness or anger could pose like that. He found it to be cute imagining her doing that.

Before they could gossip more about Saanvi, the driver came with the car.

"Acha fine! Now let's go before you start spilling all you Mumma's secret." Rishi picked her up in his arms, she giggled rubbing her face on his chest.

He settled in the car, he tried to make Suchi sit beside him but she climbed onto his lap, pouting.

Pulling her cheeks, Rishi made her sit on his lap again, making her feel at peace.

"You got late " Rishi stated to the driver, caressing Suchi's head.

"Yes, sir! Actually, I went to pick up Andy Sir and Sumitra Mam along with Bade Sir and Mam from the airport" the Driver responded.

"They... They... are back? " Rishi asked horrified.

"Yes Sir" 

"Wrong timing" Rishi's heart started thumping. It was easy to explain Mahir and Bela but explaining all the oldies is going to cost him a big time.

He sulked knowing he is gone once he reaches home.

He can't even go to any of his friends' houses too, they are more loyal to his Mumma and Dad than him. They will call them as soon as he will park the car below their house.

He looked at Suchi, who was sleeping peacefully, tried of playing.
How was he going to hide the munchkin from them?

They won't listen to him.

Of course, he didn't want to get slapped after 27 years of existence.

A series of slaps to be precise.

I am dead he muttered under his breath.

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Please ignore grammatical mistakes.

Thanks for reading❤.