As soon as Mishka walked in through the main door, Leo rose from his chair and sauntered in her direction with a broad smile. “Mishka, my darling!!” He beamed with happiness.
Mishka grinned, and as Leo came close to her, she bent down and touched his feet first (Indians take the blessing of their elders touching their feet) and hugged him.
Leo embraced her with a surreal smile on his face and everyone was watching them as if a father and a daughter has reunited after a long time. “How are you, my child, and how was your flight? I hope you reached here comfortably.” Leo asked.
“I am good, Dadu. The flight was great, but I am exhausted. I can barely keep my eyes open.” Mishka answered with a tired expression.
“I know, sweetheart, let me introduce you to everyone here, then I'll take you to your room,” Leo said, holding her hand, and introduced her to everyone.
“This is Luke, my son and Chris’s father, this is Jennifer, this is my daughter Berry and her husband Dan, Jake’s mom and dad, and that’s my youngest son, Rony and his wife Rose.” Mishka shook hands with everyone and greeted them with a polite smile.
She reached Rose and stretched out her hand in her direction, but Rose asked if she would not touch her feet like she had touched Leo’s feet to seek his blessing and Mishka smiled.
“Yes, why not!!” She bent down but before she could touch her feet. Rose stopped her, holding her arms, and chuckled.
“I was kidding. Come on, give me a hug,” Rose smiled, and they hugged. Leo looked around the room and noticed that Christian and Daniel were not present.
“Oh yes, both of them went out to play basketball,” Leo called a servant and told him to call Christian and Daniel inside. The servant nodded and left.
The next minute, Daniel stormed inside, holding his ears before Leo and the latter narrowed his eyes. “What did you do this time, young man?” Leo asked, folding his arms across his chest.
“He threw the ball at Mishka’s face. It was good Mishka caught the ball before it could hit her face.” Jake answered, scowling at Daniel.
“Oh, my god. Are you alright, Mishka? Are you hurt anywhere?” Leo looked at Mishka and asked in a concerned voice.
“No Dadu, I am absolutely fine. It was just an accident. He didn’t intend to throw the ball at me. He was just playing with that guy.” Mishka said, gesturing to someone behind Leo.
Leo turned, and he looked at Christian standing at the door frame with hands in his pocket, watching all the drama. “Chris, come here. I want you to meet Mishka,” Leo called him in an enthusiastic voice, and Christian took long strides towards her with a poker face.
“Mishka, this is Christian, my eldest grandson, and Chris, this is Mishka.” Leo introduced both of them, and they both shook hands with each other.
Leo glanced at everyone’s face in the room and realised that only three people were genuinely happy, i.e. Rony, Rose, and Daniel. His eyes travelled back to Mishka and Christian, and he saw them still holding each other’s hands.
He smiled breaking their trance. “Mishka, come, let me show you your room. Take a rest because I want to discuss something really important later,” Leo said and Mishka nodded her head, retrieved her hand back, and followed Leo upstairs.
***
~ CHRISTIAN ~
While I was watching them walking inside the mansion, someone tapped on my shoulder. I turned, and it was Pasha behind me with a smirk plastered on his face.
Pasha was grandpa’s college friend and the most trustworthy person of his life. He is grandpa’s lawyer, advisor, private detective, and blah blah. He is basically grandpa’s everything except his wife. One can escape from grandpa’s scrutinising eyes but can’t escape Pasha. He is grandpa’s shadow, and he reports every minor detail to him.
“What? Why are you smirking at me?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Nothing. I can see she has cast her spell on you already.” He answered, grinning.
I rolled my eyes. “Bullshit! It’s not like that. I am just surprised to see that Indian girls carry themselves so confidently. I thought Indian girls are shy, at least a few in my college were timid and conservative. But she is exactly the contrary of what I expected!” I said, looking at the way from where she went in.
Pasha chuckled. “Don’t worry. She is full of surprises and gradually she will change all your opinion. Just wait and watch.” I was about to retaliate when the house helper interrupted our conversation and said that Grandpa was calling me and Daniel inside.
Listening to this, Daniel ran inside and I followed him. I stood at the doorframe and witnessed Daniel holding his ears. He was standing before Grandpa, and Jake was complaining about him. But Mishka confirmed it was an accident not intentional, pointing in my way.
Grandpa turned and asked me to come forward and meet her. I came forward and shook hands with her, and to be honest, I don’t know about her, but I felt some kind of spark inside me. But she quickly removed her hand from my grip and walked upstairs to her room with grandpa.
As I was watching her walking upstairs, I heard Daniel’s voice from behind, “She is gorgeous, Isn’t she?”
I looked back at Daniel and saw him drooling over her with wide eyes. “No, she is not, and stop staring at her like that. Go back home and finish your homework. You have school tomorrow!” I said sternly.
“If she doesn’t look gorgeous to you, then why were you staring at her? Ever since she set foot in this house.” He glared at me.
“Shut up. I was not staring at her.” I said and stormed out to think straight.
***
In the evening,
Christian was engrossed watching something on his phone while walking in the corridor when he bumped into someone. He looked up from his mobile screen and saw Mishka. She was wearing a pair of black joggers with a grey t-shirt, the same as him.
“I am so sorry. I didn’t see you coming!” Mishka apologised.
“It’s alright,” Christian said and turned to walk away.
“Hey! Chris, Could you please tell me where Dadu is?” She asked.
“What is Dadu?” Chris asked, puzzled.
“Oh, we in India refer to Grandpa as Dadu.” She replied with a smile.
“Oooo, Grandpa will probably be in his study. The third door on the second floor. You can go from there.” Christian pointed towards the staircase.
“Thanks,” Mishka smiled and walked away.
***
In Leo’s Study,
Leo was reading some important documents made by his lawyer, as per his request, when someone knocked on his door. He called the visitor in and started reading documents again.
“Dadu?” Mishka called, peeking in through the door.
“Oh, Mishka. Come inside. I was waiting for you,” Leo called her in and put all the documents aside.
“You said you have something important to discuss.” She said, taking a chair across from him. “What is it, Dadu?”
“Actually, I have had something on my mind since we met in India…” He paused and looked at her in the eyes, “I want you to marry my grandson Chris,” Leo stated and Mishka widened her eyes in shock.
“You are kidding me, right?” She asked, arching her eyebrow, completely baffled by the proposal.
It was around ten-thirty in the night, everyone checked into their rooms after dinner and Christian descended the stairs to grab his black coffee from the kitchen when he picked up a call from Lia. “What’s up?” Christian asked while sipping his coffee, sitting on the kitchen stool. “What are you doing? The entire day has passed, and I have not received a single text from you. Are you already busy with your soon-to-be wife?” Lia complained furiously. “Jealous?” Christian teased, raising an eyebrow. “Why would I be jealous of that Mishka? She is just a temporary arrangement. I am the permanent one.” Lia stated proudly. “Fuck, how did you take her name so well? I practised overnight, despite that, I still can not pronounce it so effortlessly.” Christian said, stunned. “Hahaha, anyway, I called you to inform you that the Contract Marriage papers are ready. I just got a text from your annoying lawyer friend, Danny. Now, you just have to persuade her to sign them.” Lia said anxiously,
Outside the W. S Mall, Christian handed over the car keys to the valet and followed Mishka inside the Mall, he saw her widening her eyes in excitement. “Oh my god. It’s so beautiful.” She exclaimed. “I am coming to such a big mall for the first time!! I’ve never been out of my city in India.” She started roaming in random directions praising the style of the mall and Christian was trailing behind her, but a few minutes later, he held her wrist to stop her and she turned to look at him, narrowing her eyes. “Now let’s do the work for which we are here. What do you think?” He asked, and she nodded her head in approval. “Sorry, I got a little excited. Let’s go.” Mishka apologised for her childish behaviour. “It’s okay, but we really need to rush,” Christian said, and held Mishka’s soft hand in his giant one, dragging her inside the vintage store. “I think we should buy this emerald coat for grandpa. What do you think?” Christian asked and looked at Mishka for her opinion, but she was
When they arrived home, Christian poked her in the arms to wake her up, but Mishka was in deep slumber. Christian heaved, stepping out of the chauffeur’s seat, and opened the door of the passenger seat. “It seems I have to pick you up,” Christian murmured and raised her up in his arms, striding inside the mansion. Opening the door of her room with his back, Christian carefully tucked her into the bed and was about to leave when he noticed a strand of her hair entangled in his wristwatch. He carefully tried to open the knot without interrupting her sleep, but Mishka woke up and was startled to find Christian close to her face. “Ow!! Ouch!” She struggled to sit on her bed in her panic state. “Just a second!” Christian pulled out her hair from his wristwatch. “How did I come to the room?” Mishka asked. “You fell asleep in the car. I tried hard to get you up, but you didn’t respond, so I had to pick you up and bring in you to your room.” Christian said and rose up
Mishka spent the day in her room, scrolling through her phone, and doing something she loves the most, but she was sorry about not being able to fulfil her Dadu’s wish and she couldn’t stop thinking about it. Suddenly, an idea popped into her mind and she stormed out of her room, sprinting to the kitchen. Asking for all the ingredients from the house helpers, Mishka made a sugar-free vanilla cake for Leo, precisely how he loves it with the icing of dry fruits. All the helpers were in awe, staring at the cake as she placed it inside the refrigerator and left for her room. It was six in the evening when her mobile buzzed in her pocket. She took the phone out and looked at Leo’s message while climbing the stairs. Dadu: I have called some stylists for you. They will show up shortly to prepare you for the party. Me: Dadu, there was no need for you to do so much for me. I would have prepared myself. It’s your birthday and you are pampering me. Dadu: I know you can prepare yourself, but
At the Farmhouse, “Leo, I think you should cut the cake. The guests are waiting.” Agnes said, handing over the glass of wine to Leo and Pasha. “Not until Mishka is here. Pasha, did you call them? Where are they?” Leo asked Pasha anxiously. “Yeah, I messaged Mishka, and she said they will be here in ten minutes. Don’t worry! She is with Chris.” Pasha answered. “And that’s exactly why I’m worried!” Leo murmured. “Let’s start the party if they are just ten minutes off. They must be reaching” Leo bottomed up wine, and they strode over to the centre table where the three-tier vanilla cake was waiting for Leo. Soon, all the guests gathered around the table, but Leo’s eyes were fixed on the entrance. *** Christian’s conversation with his friend opened up his other side to Mishka and now she doesn’t even want to see his face, let alone if he was the most handsome man she has ever seen. But her honour meant everything to her. The entire day, she was upset about turning down Leo’s wish, bu
Since Leo was busy accompanying some foreign delegates and Rose was attending her guest, Mishka was roaming around the party aimlessly when she spotted Lisa, the dress designer, who prepared her for the party. She was at the bar enjoying red wine when Mishka reached her. “Hey Lisa, what a surprise! I didn’t know you were invited to this party? We’d have come together!” Mishka smiled, standing next to her. “Hi Mish, I had some work, it’s finished early, so I came here to wish Sir Leo,” Lisa answered and Mishka nodded her head, ordering an orange juice for herself. “I am glad you came, and by the way, you are looking stunning tonight!” Mishka complimented. “Not more than you, Mish! You are looking breathtakingly gorgeous, and this gown, this is Madame Rosella’s last designed gown and the diamonds in the neckline are worth one million pounds, but sadly, it’s not for sale. Sir Leo reserved this dress for his grandson’s future bride. He wanted to gift this dress to the girl as Madame Ro
“What’s wrong with me?!?! I was about to kiss her! Thank god Lia called in time, bringing me back to my senses!” Christian opened the first two buttons of his shirt and took a deep breath. “Why do I feel so attracted to her? Why has she been constantly on my mind since she stepped foot in my house? Why there are so many whys in my mind suddenly?” He scolded himself, pacing in the open area. His phone buzzed in his trousers again and he took it out, irritated. “Hey baby, How is the party going?” He received the call and Lia chirped from the other side. “Yeah, great!” He responded nonchalantly. “Are you having fun?” Lia asked, but Christian’s mind was racing back to Mishka and it annoyed him. “Lia, is there something important? I need to go back inside.” He said in an irritated tone. “Umm… Actually, I called to apologise for my behaviour at the café. I am sorry!” She said sweetly. “It’s alright! No worries,” He answered calmly. “Have you taken Mishka’s signature on the marriage c
Leo, Mishka, and Agnes headed back inside the hall, and Leo left Mishka walking toward the stage. “Oh, no! I didn’t tell Chris I have changed my decision.” Mishka mentally facepalmed herself and glanced around at the party for Christian. She spotted him at the bar with a glass of alcohol and he was busy doing something on his mobile. Mishka was three-four steps away from him when he averted his gaze from the mobile and looked up at her while taking a sip from his glass. Mishka was about to take another step in his direction when she heard an announcement. She turned to the stage and saw Leo holding the mic. “Now no one can save little Chris from this big surprise.” She thought. “Ladies and Gentlemen, can I have your attention please!” Leo smiled. “Thank you for joining us tonight and now I have an important announcement to make. I request Christian and Mishka to please join me here on the stage.” Leo said and Mishka glanced at Christian, who was looking confused, but stood up and sa