"You?" Nikhil shouts in surprise after the initial shack.

Ananya stood still in her place.

Nikhil Nair!

"Do you know me, Mr. Nikhil Nair?" she takes a pause, raising her eyebrows in question and curiosity following it.

"I, I mean, yeah," he mumbles, and a nanosecond later fumbles, "No. I...I don't. I mean, yeah, in dreams."

"What?" What is it that he wanted to tell, yes or no? Ananya looks at him in suspicion.

"I mean, yeah! I've seen you in Dreams Palace. You've fought with someone there, remember?" he narrows his gaze questioning her.

Ananya raises her eyebrows and her chin up, "Oh? Alright!"

Nikhil sighs at her simple and straightforward answer.

Can he expect more from her?

"By the way, you know, you're really good. He deserved that. In fact, I was about to help you! But as I said you're too good to need me or anyone." He smiles at her.

"Thank you, Mr. Nair!" she sounded nonchalant.

"How do you know my name?" he didn't catch the first time she has called him as he was too lost in his thoughts. Or is it her thoughts? He knows his heart.

"I'm assuming you're not hanging that ID Card in your pocket for nothing." She eyes towards his pocket, where he can see his ID Card sticking out.

He smiles sheepishly at her, caressing his neck.

Three days ago,

Ananya was out to have coffee and some lunch at Dreams Palace. She hoped to have a peaceful afternoon. But ever normal happened with Ananya Saini?

No. Never!

"How dare you touch me?" Ananya heard a girl in her early teen scream at a man who looked not more than 25.

"What happened, Madam?" the waiter from the restaurant had to ask. Their Palace's reputation is at risk. His Manager shouldn't know or he'd be out of his job. For he wouldn't be fit if he wouldn't able to stop a drama attracting people here.

"He's touching me inappropriately," she replies to the waiter.

She's an 18 years-old girl sitting in her place, alone and going through the menu when the man in front of her table stood up, walked beside her, and brushed his hands against the sides of her chest. She fumed in humiliation and anger. She had to take it out on him.

So, she's here screaming at him. For touching her. And that gathered the attention of so many people, including Ananya and Nikhil.

Nikhil Nair was here too, for the lunch, and has been sitting a table away from Ananya's and admiring her from far from the moment he has seen her.

Ananya always had something in her that could attract the opposite gender, with not much from her side.

Mystery is one of the secrets for attraction to take its birth and such an attraction could put his adrenaline to shame. It has never happened with him.

It could be nothing but magic if he was allured by her, to an extent that he forgot he came over for lunch. With Ananya, he can never be the Nikhil he was.

And the funny part is, he didn't even know her name.

He was out of his not-so-innocent thoughts when he heard the woman scream.

Oh, sorry! Is it a girl, a teenage one at that? He recognized it by her dress. She had a jeans and crop top on with two french braids.

He, again, looked at the woman he doesn't know the name of.

The girl he was attracted to had her attention on the man and the girl and so was his.

"So, what if I touched? She is beautiful!" the man commented, the girl squirmed in her place from his gaze. His running gaze on her body made her feel uncomfortable and she wasn't that confident anymore.

Humiliation and her lost confidence brought tears to her eyes.

"Sir, you cannot behave like that with our customer. I request you to apologize to her and leave. Otherwise, we need to report your behavior and take an action against you," the waiter talked rules. Rules that are to be followed in their Palace.

Ananya frowned, it didn't go well with her.

"What do you mean he cannot behave like that with your customer?" Everyone had their heads turned toward Ananya. She stood up from her place and walked to the spot.

"Madam?" the waiter was confused. He didn't know what does she mean by that.

He had to put his thought out, "What do you mean, Madam?"

"What do you mean by your customer? Does that mean he can get out and misbehave with someone else out there who's not your customer?" She narrowed her gaze at him.

The arrow hit his heart and he went speechless, "Madam, I," he takes a pause and opens his mouth to say something but couldn't gather the right words.

How can he? She was right with her words.

If the girl went out, the man had permission to do anything outside of their premises?

"And why are you interfering, woman?" the nasty man questions, his gaze lingering on Ananya and her figure now.

"I don't know about that girl but if you try it on me, trust me I'd slap you in the face," she grits her teeth looking at the man.

His ego was hurt. A woman who doesn't even reach his height had publicly declared she'd slap him, her words were nothing but explicit.

"Do you know who am I? Slap me and you'll face the consequences," he smirks, his chest expanding with pride as he raises his hand.

Nikhil facepalms. He's damn sure he's getting his hands on the wrong woman.

"You know you're a better option than this girl here. I'd touch you here and you can do nothing." He was about to touch her when she kicks his hand away, slapping him across the face.

Force was such that he didn't even know when it happened. He needs to re rewind it to know that again.

Alas! Such men have no brains! How can he rewind?

"I'd see it to you. You have your hands on the wrong man here. Just let me call my father." He points his finger out at her taking his phone from the pocket with his other one.

"What can your father do, after all? Nothing." She smirks.

It instigates him more, "What can he do? Do you even know who he is? He is the Minister here."

Ananya smirks internally, that's what she wanted exactly. For him to get instigated. Burn in more ego, for it'd make him blurt the truth.

Some men and egos go well with each other. He's one of them and she guessed it right.

A man with bruised ego either can destroy the other or himself.

Ananya is an expert in making any man go crazy, either with her beauty or with her brain.

Her brain was the task here as he blurts out the name of his father in public.

"Good! I'll see how your father is gonna save you."

When he himself wouldn't be able to save his political career! She completes it in her mind.

"Hello, dad!" he calls out for his father only to get shocked by the answer on the other side.

"You Bitch!" he curses her, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Ananya smirks and it aggresses him more.

"But again, you're really good, you know!" Nikhil praises her again.

Ananya slightly smiles. She was never good at expressions and when it comes to compliments, never to infinity!

"See you tomorrow. I gotta go." She walks out after collecting her phone from the ground which was lying lifelessly till now.

Thank God! It wasn't damaged much! A scratch or two.

Nikhil was left staring at her back.

He sighs. He didn't ask her name. Well, he forgot, again! This woman allured him in a way he lost control of his hormones — that didn't work at the right age, teenage to be exact— which never happened before. He's too much into studies to get into anything else, working on his hormones is out of his brain.

That doesn't mean he never had any crushes or attractions, he did. It's just that he never acted upon them, not to this extent. Never. He's too much of a celibate and didn't find things intriguing enough or maybe he did.  Only he knows. 

He collects his files as he saw no more of hers.

Wait! Did she say she'll see him tomorrow? One part of his brain asked.

Yeah! She did. The other part of it has replied.

He reminded her words and damn, he was right! He heard it right and although it puzzled him, the plight excited him so much!

He'd see the woman of his dreams. That was enough of a reason to excite him.

He collects the reports and looks at his office, CBI. It's been two months since he joined here, in CBI, and as a forensic doctor under his senior, he is learning a lot. He's loving it. For it's giving him the scope of exposure and so much more.

He walks in with the reports in his hands.

"Hey, Nikhil!" Akash waves at him.

Nikhil reciprocates with a Hi back. And without his permission, Nikhil's mind stops at Ananya's thoughts.

Didn't she just get out of his office?

Oh! Yes, she did.

Does that mean .....?

He didn't let the thoughts enter his mind further.

Why waste his time thinking if he could get it from someone?

"Akash, the woman in the cream shirt-" Nikhil starts asking, and just when he was about to describe her, Akash cuts him.

"Yeah. The woman in cream and black, she's our Senior Ethical Hacker, a new join and will be here from tomorrow," Akash passes the information, and Nikhil's heart jumps with joy.

Wow! Luck is dancing on his head it seems!

Nikhil smiles a little, suppressing the urge to scream for his luck, and walks away to their common cabin.

CC,

Nusrat was working on the reports when Nikhil enters.

"Hey!" he greets her.

"Hi, Nikhil!" Her thirst was no more. She is been hoping to see him and he's here. She's in little peace now, as if she's been left in the Sahara Desert till a minute ago.

Nusrat is an intern here and is been working here after her MBBS on personal recommendation. Though she had to give an exam and complete the process, she had a reference and that made it easy for her to join here with her MBBS.

"Here's your report. I'll have to go. I've some plans," he places the reports on the table and after giving a small smile, walks out even before Nusrat could register his words.

And when she did, she could only see his disappearing figure. She sighs in disappointment. Nonetheless gets back to work. She can be free tomorrow if she completes it today.

Nair's Mansion

He walks into the Mansion, literally dancing and whistling on his way.

"Hi, Mama!" he stops in his track looking at the little bundle of three feet on his way.

"Hey, Princess!" he scoops her in his arms.

The little one screams in his Uncle's arms.

"Where were you?" she asks grabbing his cheeks.

"I was in office, my princess!" Nikhil answers releasing his cheek from her hold and kissing her other cheek.

"But you promised! We'll go shopping today." Sia had to pout her little lips, battling her eyelashes oh-so innocently at her Mama.

Well, she knows her Mama's weakness. He melts in her charms like ice cream would in the sun.

"I know, baby! That's why I'm here, right?" he pecks her on the forehead.

"But I didn't see when I woke up." She complains playing with his button, as he sits on the sofa.

"You woke up late, sweetheart!" Nikhil reasons tapping the tip of her nose.

"Yeah, just like his Mama!" Nitya comes into the hall exclaiming.

Nikhil stops smiling and huffs looking at his Sister.

"I still wonder how did she get your sleeping habit!" Nitya sighs sitting beside her brother.

"Well, even you used to sleep, in fact, more than me!" He reminds her of their childhood.

"Liar!" She air-quotes, dismissing his statement.

"Sweety, tell your mom not to lie, it's bad manners," he teaches his niece to repeat and little Sia, who was looking at her mother and uncle, nods her little head.

Nitya frowns at her daughter.

Sia is the little devil of her Mama and Mama is always her favorite.

She shouldn't be surprised if she repeats the words.

Oh, yes! She was right.

"Ma, it's bad manners to lie."

Nitya facepalms. Didn't she say the little 3 feet devil is her Mama's follower?

Here is the proof. Nikhil laughs at his sister.

"Take it, Di! You're a liar," he teases his sister.

Nitya Mehra is a 31 years-old woman, married to an NRI Businessman, and has a daughter of 4-year-old, Sia Mehra. She stays in the US along with her husband and comes to India for a week or two a year.

Lucky was this month as they arrived 2 days before and his only and favorite niece is here, in his arms.

"Yes. Mom can say it better." She turns and screams out at her mother for complaining about his brother.

Drithi Nair, the mother of two grown-up kids sighs at their usual banter and doesn't respond back at her daughter.

Who knows if they'd get the food to eat if she does?

"Mom is so busy. Can't you see? Why don't you go and help her instead?" Nikhil teased his Di again. His Di pouts getting no response from their Mother.

"Why don't you go and help her then? Why me? Why girls? Why not you?" She fumes, looking at him.

Is he making fun of her?

"Hello. It's me who helps mother in your absence, okay?" he glares at her.

Well, he's true! He helps his mother in the kitchen whenever it's possible for him. 

Although they have servants, their mother likes cooking for them. 

Well, a mother is a mother. No one can stop her when she wants to, strongly.

Her desire of feeding her kids is indeed strong! 

"Uffo! Ma and Mama had started again," she whispers, but the innocent bundle doesn't know that her Mama and Ma can hear her.

They both look at little Sia and laugh at her innocence. 

She's a true blessing! Their heaven and peace. Lighting their home with her twinkling eyes, scintillating laughter, sparkling innocence, and gleaming naughtiness. 

"Is my princess ready? We're on a shopping spree, remember?" he tickles her on the stomach.

"Yes," she giggles trying to pry his hands off her stomach. Her Bad! Her hands were very little. 

She continued giggling, "Yes. Mama stop na," she giggles again squirming on his lap, trying to get off his lap.

Smart Baby!

So what if she couldn't pry off his hands, she could get herself off from her Mama's lap. Isn't it?

Nikhil stops her, putting an end to the tickling session saying, "So ready to shop, my baby?"

"Yes. Yes. I'm ready," she jumped on his lap in excitement, gulping down after the uncontrollable tickles she had on her little stomach. 

"So, let's go then." He takes her in his arms.

"Go say bye-bye to your Nani and come," he puts her on the ground and the little bird flies into the kitchen to bid bye to her Nani.

"Be careful, Nikhil," Nitya instructs him and Nikhil rolls his eyes.

"Come on, Di! It's not the first time I'm taking my niece out alone," he repeats his statement exasperated.

Every time Nikhil would take her out and Nitya would repeat the same dialogue.

"You won't understand the feelings of a sister and mother ever," she tries to be dramatic and Nikhil stares at her, his look screams really?

"Yeah and that's why I never gifted you the Watch, Hand Bag, Necklace, The Secret, and -" he was about to continue the list when Nitya stops him.

"I got it! Stop." She always knows the woman keeps the track of things but her brother is one in a billion. He would keep the track of everything he does. She knows that, right? Why did she open her mouth?

Her thoughts came to halt listening to her daughter's words.

"I said bye-bye to Nani," she bounces in her steps reaching her dearest Mama.

"Good girl, honey! Say bye to your Ma too. We'll go," he picks her in his arms again.

"Bye, Ma!" She waves her hand at Nitya. Nitya smiles kissing her cheek.

"Empty your Mama's pocket as much as you can, sweetheart," she pats her cheek as Sia bobs her head, ready to empty her Uncle's pocket.

Well, her Uncle is ready to empty his pocket for his princess as well.

Nikhil walks out with Sia in his arms, takes out his car, and makes her sit in the front seat.

Sia is an intelligent girl. She takes the seat belt in her hands and tightens it across her chest. Nikhil double-checks for her seat belt, smiling at his little princess's intelligence.

"Bilkul Mama pe gayi!" he whispers, taking in the credit and the pride that comes along.

(Went after her Uncle!)

He closes the door as he settles himself in the driver's seat.

After half an hour of the journey, he stops his car at the mall and parks it.

He opens the door for his little one and Sia has already her seat belt off. As soon as he opens, "Yaay! We are at the mall," Sia readily jumps into her Mama's arms, excited about shopping.

He walks into the mall with his niece in his arms locking his car. There isn't much crowd, and he is so protective of his niece, so, he carefully chose the least crowded mall.

Sia's little chocolate-brown eyes same as her Mama's wanders a bit around until she could see.

A toy shop catches her attention and she drags her Mama's face in that direction.

"Woah! What does my princess want?" he asks her getting into the shop and Sia curiously looks around for the toys she'd like to play with.

"That one," she points out to a big Doremon.

Nikhil looks at the sight only to halt in his tracks.

Did he say luck was dancing on his head?

Well, well! Luck is dancing on his head indeed! 

To be continued..,

Let me know what you think of the update!

-24/10/2022

-polymath_land