"Aap ki company kaise claim kar sakti hai ke aapka security system best hai, jabh ke aap ki khud ki beti aap ke ghar se kidnap ho gayi ho?"

"Enough! I don't know where you're getting your sources, but my daughter is fine. Agar na hoti, toh main aag laga deta. Meri beti ko kui haath nahi laga sakta. There is no story here," Rishabh put on his glasses and pushed past the journalists to get to his car.

No fine would have mattered to him as he raced to get home. They could say whatever they wanted to about him, but they couldn't mess with his daughter. Mehra was already home to speak with him. He left the car running in the driveway and stormed inside, leaving the outside staff to put it away.

"What the hell is going on, Mehra?" Rishabh yelled.

"Kuch pata nahi sir, but we're trying to figure it out. I've put people on this," Mehra tried.

"Prerna?!" Rishabh screamed in the house calling for her.

Ms. Briganza stepped forward. "Ma'am baby ko park le kar gayi hain," she told him.

"Call them back," Rishabh ordered. "Mujhe woh dono abhi issi waqt ghar pe chahiye!"

"Ji, sir," Ms. Briganza nodded and went to call Prerna's cell.

"The rest of you: I want all of Ms. Sharma's things packed."

"Sir," Mehra tried to step in.

"She's outlived her contract," Rishabh finished his earlier statement and pulled out his phone before turning to Mehra. "Aap ne to kiya nahi hoga jo main ne aap se kaha tha."

Mehra pursed his lips. He hadn't. Rishabh had called his lawyer, and was now asking him to bring Prerna's severance package home.

"Agar mujhe dobara kehna pade, toh aap sabh unke saath jaa sakte hain," Rishabh threatened the staff when they were hesitant to move.

The people started running to get to work and Rishabh turned on the tv to see if there was anything. Of course news channels were covering this incident. What he didn't expect to see were pictures of his little girl sitting in a corner with her finger on her lips. He wanted to kill whoever was behind the camera.

"Yeh kahan se aayi hain, Mehra?"

"Hum ne IT department ko assign kiya hai, aur cyber security walon ko bhi involve kiya hai. Jald pata lag jaye ga," Mehra replied.

Rishabh was fuming in the living room for a full twenty minutes before the girls came home.

"We're home!" Kukki announced and Rishabh snapped out of his mind and ran to her.

"Khushi!" He cried her birth name and ran to get her in his arms.

"Papa you're so tight!" Kukki laughed as he hugged her tightly.

Rishabh moved himself back so he could look at her, his hand checking her for injuries.

"Aap thik ho na?" Rishabh asked worriedly.

"Yes, papa! I'm fine," Kukki kissed his cheek to comfort him. "Pari mere saath thi!"

At her mention, Rishabh finally payed attention to Prerna. Behind her, his lawyer also came in. Rishabh put Kukki down and kneeled next to her. He smiled and caressed her face.

"Kukki. Aap Ms. B ke saath room mein jao. Maine Prerna aunty se kuch baat karni hai."

Kukki smiled and took Ms. Briganza's hand and went to her room. Prerna watched her leave and smiled at her and then turned to the others with confusion.

"Kuch, hua hai kya?" She asked aloud.

Rishabh whipped around to answer her. He was in full mood to yell at her, to scold her for being irresponsible. But then she was in front of his eyes and he saw her state and he dialed back his anger. He pinched his nose and invited his lawyer in, taking the large envelope from him.

"You knew this was coming," Rishabh warned her as she followed him into the living room.

Prerna was starting to understand the situation and her heartbeat started getting faster. She forced herself to sit in one of the armchairs.

"Hamara contract Kukki ke thik hone tak tha."

"Mujhe yaad hai," Prerna swallowed.

"Aapko wapis jaane ki jaldi hai, and I would like to get back to business," he hinted as he looked up at her to see if she was getting it.

He was talking about the Basus. Prerna didn't say anything. She didn't know what to say.

Rishabh got up off the couch and handed her the packet. "Yeh aapke severance papers hain. They'll explain everything. Aapka samaan packed hai. Aap Kukki ko bye keh kar jaa sakti hain. I'll handle her later," he said as slowly as he could and then quickly went upstairs before anyone could react.

Prerna was sitting on the seat, holding the envelope. She knew this was always going happen, but still she sat shocked, as if she couldn't comprehend what had just happened. She hadn't thought about the Basus in forever. She was busy playing house with the Bajaj's and she was internally starting to get used to it as if this was naturally her life. Damn him for taking care of her, for making her feel like part of the family when he was always going to kick her out at the end.

Slowly, she found her feet and got off the sofa. The staff was standing around, waiting with her bags. She smiled at them and went to Kukki's room.

Kukki was playing with her toys and was happy to see Prerna, but the little girl read her face. She went up and grabbed her hand, pulling Prerna to the bed.

"What happened? Aap sad ho?" Kukki asked.

Prerna looked at Ms. Briganza and held back tears. She smiled for the little girl and cupped her face.

"Thoda sa. Woh na, mujhe uh... actually, you know my Dadi? Aap mili thi na unse?"

Kukki smiled and nodded. "Ji! Woh bohot acchi hai! Mujhe stories bhi sunai thi!"

"Ji. Wohi. Woh na, aaj kal bohot sick hai, aur mujhe unke paas jaana hai."

"I will come too!" Kukki offered excitedly.

Prerna smiled and shook her head. "Aap nahi jaa sakti, Kukki. Main nahi chahti ke aap bhi sick ho jao."

"Oh, woh type of sick," Kukki frowned.

"Ji. Aur agar hum dono chale gaye to papa ki take care kon kare ga?"

"Ms. B hain na?" Kukki reminded.

Prerna laughed. "Aur papa kabh sunte hain Ms. B ki? Papa sirf meri ya aap ki sunte hain."

"Hmm," Kukki agreed.

"Toh phir, mere piche aap papa ka khayaal rakkho gi na?"

Kukki got an idea. "I can play mama!"

"You can play mama," Prerna laughed. "Aur aap mujhe kabhi bhi phone kar sakti hain, whenever you want. Aur Kukki," she grabbed her hands for a more serious conversation, "main Dadi ke saath thori stress main hoon. I have to go take care of her. Agar aap good girl nahi bani toh..."

Kukki grabbed Prerna's face. "Main good girl banu gi, pari ma! Main papa ko nahi tung karungi!"

"Aur Ms. B ko bhi nahi? Sabh ki baat mane gi Kukki?" Prerna confirmed.

Kukki nodded.

"Accha, toh aapko sabh time table pata hai na? Kabh uthna hai, kabh school jaana hai, kabh sona hai?"

"Oh ho, pari ma! I know everything! Aap jao!" Kukki assured her.

Prerna laughed and cried, and pulled Kukki in for a hug. She pulled back and kissed her face.

"Accha, to phir mama ko abhi jaana hai, Kukki. Aap mujhe see off karo gi?"

Kukki nodded and jumped off the bed. Prerna grabbed her hand and followed her out of the room. The staff were standing around to say goodbye. As she passed them, all of them raised their hands prayer to bid her goodbye. The driver and chauffeur had loaded all her bags in the car and were waiting outside.

Prerna turned to look inside the house one last time. She smiled at the staff and knelt to hug Kukki one last time.

"Main aapko rose call karungi, thik hai?" Prerna promised.

"Okay. Main bhi call karungi!" Kukki replied.

The driver opened the door and ushered her inside. The window was already rolled down so she could say goodbye.

Rishabh was out on the balcony of his bedroom, smoking to calm his mind. He watched the car pull off in the driveway.

"Bye, Pari ma!" He heard Kukki shouting from the door. "I love you!"

Bye Prerna, his heart was shouting from the balcony. I love you.

Prerna was silent the whole ride home. The car had to stop outside the neighborhood because the streets were so narrow. She wanted to just run home, but the driver and chauffeur wanted to walk her home. She walked home in a daze, holding the strap of her tote purse tightly.

Finally she arrived outside Sharma nivas and rang the bell. Shekhar opened the door. He took one look at her face and knew what had happened.

"Priyu?" He said her name but she walked inside quietly. Everyone in the house rose quietly, saying her name but she didn't listen.

"Prerna?" Her mother came in from the veranda and Prerna hugged her, and finally broke down.