Manik's pov

I was sitting at a nearby swimming pool, tuning my guitar. It was so peaceful here. Only me and my passion towards music. Dad isn't here to interfere between us. Uff that oldie never leaves us in peace. Anyways I was playing my guitar when I saw a girl slowly approaching me. She was wearing a white kurti with matching churidar but her face wasn't clear to me. I was spellbound at her appearance only. She must be so beautiful. I was trying to see her face when she cupped my face and said,

"Manu baby, wake up."

What the hell? Her voice should be famine right? Then why does her voice sound like my dad's voice?

"Manu wake up fast, you have to go for a jog."

Jogging? Seriously?

"Who are you? And I don't like to go jogging."

I pouted remembering my everyday torture. That oldie dad will never change for good. Huff who the hell goes on jogging early in the morning?

"Now you forgot your dad? What kind of son are you? Come on wake up now."

"You are my dad?"

"That's it. My mistake to wake you up sweetly."

Thud!!!

I scream loudly holding my bum. Ouch that hurts. Who the hell dare to kick me? Doesn't he know who's son I am? I shouted loudly,

"Who the hell are you? Do you know my Dad? He will kick your ass for hurting me."

Splash!!!

I opened my eyes with a jerk. Damn it's so cold. I started shivering like hell.

"If you prince has woken up from his beauty sleep then go and freshen up fast."

Okay now I get it. Only my dad has this courage to kick my ass. Damn my beautiful dream was broken just because of him. I cursed him mentally and rushed to the washroom, otherwise I won't have my breakfast if I get late. He is such a Hitler. Who does this to his own son? But I have to agree that he is my dad because we look alike. Poor me.

At Park

I was jogging with my all time bodyguard Cabir who is such a flunkey of my Hitler dad followed by two more bodyguards who usually follow me everywhere. Did I say this everywhere? Yes I did mean it. In fact they stand in front of my washroom sometimes. Trust me being the only son of a billionaire is not easy. I don't have any freedom like a normal boy or have many friends. In fact nobody does friendship with me without their own selfish reason. Again poor me.

"Two more rounds, sir."

"I can't, please have some mercy on me."

I huffed badly. Damn my legs are hurting like hell. But this flunkey of my dad is not in a mood to leave me.

"No sir. You have to jog two more rounds."

"Okay, fine."

I was running to complete my jogging soon when I naughty idea popped into my mind. What if I get missing from here? That flunkey will get nicely from my dad. How dare he disobey me? Let's teach him a lesson. I smirked evilly and ran faster. I was looking at Cabir as the other two bodyguards were standing at the main gate of the park. At that moment Cabir got a call and taking this opportunity I ran towards the wall and jumped out quickly. Now I was running on the road. I am feeling like a free bird. No barrier, no boundaries. I am just Manik. Not Manik Malhotra, the only son of the great businessman Raj Malhotra.

Thud!!!

I opened my eyes only to shut them again as the light was too bright.

"Hey, are you okay?"

I heard a melodious voice. I opened my eyes only to see a pair of beautiful brown orbs looking at me. She was a beautiful girl wearing a white kurti just like my dream. Am I still dreaming?

"Are you okay?"

I looked around to see my surroundings totally different from my mansion.

"Where am I?"

I tried to get up only to hold my leg in pain. Damn it's hurting like hell. Wait a minute how I came here? Who is she? I am kidnapped like my dad used to say?

"Hey relax. Actually you had an accident with my scooty. How are you feeling now?"

Oh so I had an accident. Shit I had an accident. Dad will kill me for this prank. I thought about going somewhere and hid so that Cabir would get scolded by dad but my plan backfired because of my excitement. Damn it, my head is also hurting. I held my head only to find a bandage there. She held my hand and said,

"Don't touch it. It will hurt more."

"Where am I?"

"You are in my house. My brother has banged your wounds, though you need an X-ray to confirm if your leg is broken or not."

"Who are you?"

"I am Nandini, Nandini Murthy. And you?"

No no no. I can't say my name. What if she recognizes me and calls my dad? She can be a kidnapper too. Who knows?

"I... I don't remember my name."

"What? You don't remember your name? Oh my god, you have lost your memories. Now how will I find your family and inform them? Bhai will kill me for this."

Damn, she is so cute. She was babbling continuously while biting her nails. Opsy biting nails is a bad habit. Dad forbid me to do that.

"Biting nails is bad manners. It can have germs in it."

She stopped biting her nails and looked at me with a serious face.

"Are you seriously can't remember anything? Like anything. Where do you live, with whom do you live? Any contact number of your family or friends?"

I looked at the wall clock. It's 11 am. Dad had a flight to London today morning. So there is no chance of him knowing that I am missing. His phone usually remains switched off during the flight. I have a few hours till then let's have some fun with her.

"I can't remember anything."

I pouted sadly. Damn I had a passion for music but I never knew that I could act so well. Either she is a dumb girl or I am too smart. Second opinion gives satisfaction to my big fat ego. I love it.

"Oh god, now what will I do? If I go to the police they will arrest me for driving the scooty without any license."

She was babbling to herself. So that's the reason I was in her house rather than any hospital. She is not that dumb I thought. Anyways I am damn hungry now. Rats are literally fighting for food in my stomach.

"I am hungry."

"Okay I am bringing breakfast for you."

She brought a plate to me. I expected some sandwiches but to my surprise she brought aloo paratha and butter chicken. Yyyyyyyyyyyy his is the best day of my life. Oh did I forget to mention that aloo paratha and butter chicken are my favorite? Well dad never allow me to have them in breakfast. Aww it's yummy. Can I stay here forever?

"It's yummy. I must say that your cook is very talented."

I licked my fingers with a yummy pout. She smiled at me and put another aloo paratha on my plate.

"Well we don't have any cook. I made it."

"Seriously? But you don't look like a cook."

Trust me she doesn't look like a cook to me. We have cooks in our mansion and I have seen them.

"I am not a cook. But still I can cook food for us."

"Why do you cook? Is your cook on leave?"

"No. We don't have any cook."

"Why so?"

She looked at me from top to bottom as if I were an alien.

"Because we are middle class people. We can't afford to keep a cook for us. By seeing your branded attire I think you belong from a rich family that's why you are asking all those questions. Wait wait wait I got an idea. I will take a picture of yours and post it on social media. Someone will definitely recognize you."

"No no no. Don't do that."

I screamed on the top of my voice. She was confused seeing my behavior.

"Why so?"

"What if some kidnappers claim me as their relative and kidnap me?"

"But why would kidnappers kidnap you? You can't remember anything about yourself, right? Then what will they get by kidnapping you?"

"They can kidnap me for my body organs. You know body organs are so expensive."

I somehow convinced her with my innocent face. Innocent? Am I? A big question mark on that.

"Yeah that's true. Anyways, thank god that your leg is not swollen yet. That means it's just a minor sprain."

"Yeah I think so."

"I will inform Bhai that there is no need for plaster. Just a crepe bandage will be fine."

She went to call her brother and I roamed my eyes around the room. It's not a luxury room. Things are very ordinary and cheap. In fact this bed mattress is also very hard unlike my king size bed. Maybe that's how middle class people live here. No cook, no luxury, nothing. I felt lucky to be a billionaire. She came back to my room and said,

"Bhai told you to take a rest. Maybe you got a shock because of that incident, that's why you forgot everything. If you take a rest you will be fine."

"Okay. I need to use the washroom."

"This way. Let me help you."

She held my shoulder gently and helped me to walk. I have fallen sick many times and had many servants to take care of me too but I never saw this much concern for me in them. What they did for me they got paid for that. But why is she doing this much for me? I washed my face. Damn I was stinking like hell. I came out of the washroom.

"Can I get an outfit? I am stinking badly."

"I think my brother's outfit will fit you. Wait, I am bringing a spare outfit for you."

Now I have to wear someone else's clothes. God I hardly wear an outfit twice. She brought a t-shirt and trousers for me and started to examine it.

"Which brand it is? I am not finding any logos here."

"It's not branded. Come on we are middle class people. We have to buy things according to our ability. By the way I gifted this t-shirt to my brother last month and he hasn't worn it till now. You like it or not, you have to wear it only because it's the end of the month and I can't afford to buy you a new branded outfit."

"What do you do?"

"I just completed my graduation and now looking for a job. Today I had an interview at Malhotra Industries. I was late for the interview so my friend suggested that I take her scooty and see what happened. I badly needed this job but I couldn't go for the interview."

"And what does your brother do?"

"He is a graduate too. But he couldn't get a government job. You know corruption and all. They asked for ten lakhs. We are middle class people. How will we arrange this much money? So he is doing a job in a private company."

"How much salary does he gets?"

"Forty thousand."

Forty thousand? Seriously? My shoes are more expensive than that.

"How do you manage your expenses with this less money?"

"I do a part time job in a cafe. So it's manageable."

"What about your parents?"

"They are no more."

"Oh I am sorry."

"It's okay."

She left the room and I changed my clothes. It's an ordinary t-shirt and trousers. I never thought that I would wear such a cheap outfit. But it's comfortable. Middle class people aren't that bad. They are far better than my money minded selfish rich friends. I am loving their hospitality. I wish I could live here with them forever.

At evening

I was supposed to contract Cabir and return back to my mansion but after lunch I got a fever. I don't know why I am so sensitive. I fall sick very easily. Right now Nandini's elder brother Abhimanyu was taking care of me. He was keeping wet clothes on my forehead and Nandini was rubbing my palm. They both are so sweet. I don't want to go from here. I guess Cabir hasn't done my missing complaint yet. I was lost in my own thoughts when Abhimanyu said,

"So you don't remember anything?"

"Nope."

"Okay. You don't need to stress your mind. Tomorrow we will go to the police station. They will help you to find your family."

No no no. That can't happen. I don't want them to know who I am. I want them to treat me like a stranger only.

"But if you take me to the police station they will arrest Nandini for driving the scooty without a license and causing that accident."

"She made a mistake so she has to suffer for the same. Don't worry, I will talk to a lawyer and apply for the bail. But it's necessary to find your family. They must be worried for you."

They are so honest and humble. In this situation they are thinking about me and my family without thinking about themselves. How I wished to tell them that there is no one waiting for me at home. Dad is still on the flight. I have to get back to the mansion before he lands, otherwise he will put the whole Mumbai on his head and he is capable of that. I don't want to create any drama and bother these poor people.

At morning

I was feeling better now. I saw Abhimanyu was sleeping beside me. He didn't leave me alone thinking I might need his help at night or my fever will increase again. He kept checking on my fever until he fell asleep. I found Abhimanyu's phone beside his pillow. I took it and went to the balcony. I already asked about this address from them. So I called Cabir and told him my location. He said he will pick me up soon. I took a pen and paper, wrote a letter for them. When Cabir reached there I asked for my dad's visiting card from him. He gave me a confused look seeing my ordinary and cheap outfit but handed me the same without asking anything. I kept that visiting card with that letter and left the house with a heavy heart. I wish I could stay a little longer with them. But the prince has to return to his kingdom now.

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Cover credit goes to xx_moony_xx
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