Avni's POV " I told you. " I said and started to move when he stopped me again. " Didn't you know he was rich?? Richer than your father. He could buy the stable he worked in. " He asked me at once with a frowned face. " I didn't marry him for his money. " I said, giving an explanation. Somehow it hurt me a lot. I didn't want him to assume that I was with John for his money. " You don't have to say that... I already know that. In fact, we all know that." He said immediately. " I came to know only when he brought me to meet your parents. Trust us, I really didn't know... " I gave the explanation again but he did not let me finish it. " My father wanted to give you John's share but you refused it and all other offers of financial help. So I know that you are not like that. "" I don't want it... I have my own money. It is nothing big as per your standard but it is more than enough to be independent. I inherited it from my mother. " I said and he kept looking at me for a long
Avni's POV" Uncle, see Avni can skip so well. But she is too big and the rope is small for me. " She said and I smiled. She was so cute. " She is your Aunt, Lara. Please call her that. " Robert told her and she looked at me. " Oh, ok... But she said she was our friend. " She seemed to be confused because we both introduced me in different ways. " It's ok, I am your friend too. Where is Bill?? " I asked her." He is coming... " She said and just then we saw him coming with his football. He came and greeted us with a smile. " Let's have breakfast, I am famished," Robert said. We all went to have our breakfast. Mrs Gomez had prepared an elaborate English breakfast. We all enjoyed everything, and I complimented her for her cooking and asked why she made so many things. " It is my passion... I love cooking. I like Indian food too but have not tried cooking it. I wish I had tried it, I could have made a few things for you. " She said and smiled at me. It was so sweet of her. I r
Robert's POV I was going to my work and was still thinking about Avni. I was supposed to leave in the morning itself but thought to spend some more time with her. But I think she was getting uncomfortable around me, so I thought that it would be much better if I left her alone. I still remember the day, I saw her for the first time. My mom had told me that John was bringing someone to meet them. She was very excited that maybe she was going to meet her future daughter-in-law. She wanted me to come too but as I was in Mumbai at that time, I said that I would try to come as soon as possible. But after a few hours, she gave me the terrible news of the accident. I just dropped everything and rushed there. I came to know that he was already married to an Indian girl. I looked for her and saw a very simple but pretty girl. She was extremely shocked and shattered, staring at some imaginary point on the horizon. Her eyes were lifeless. It seemed that she was totally oblivious to the w
14Avni's POVRob was gone and I don't know how I felt. It was something between relief and guilt. I felt bad that I was rude to him, but I felt that somehow, he had a knack for causing ripples, and he made me furious because he was creating waves in the still waters of my life. I spent the whole week getting to know kids even better. We made a schedule together after I understood their curriculum, books, hobbies, and other activities. According to the schedule, they were to study at least 3 subjects daily. Do some activity which helped them in learning their subjects better. Then spending some time on their hobbies. Bill was very good at sketching and was fond of plants and Lara was good at dancing and wanted to learn drawing and painting. So we decided to do at least one of them every day. I also started teaching them some new rhymes and stories. They wanted me to tell them bedtime stories and I was more than happy to do it. We got different things from the market to do differen
Avni's POV The whole next week was spent in more or less the same manner. The bond between the kids and me was getting stronger day by day. It was Friday night again. I was having dinner when I realized that Robert might come on the next day. I again felt embarrassed when I recalled that he had called last week and asked if I wanted him to come back and I had bluntly said, No. I looked at the phone, thinking, what would I say if he again asked if I wanted him to come home?? I had no idea... I don't know if I wanted to see him or not. He did not call and I don't know why I felt bad. But why should he call to take permission from her? It was his home, he could come and go anytime he wanted. He just wanted to know if she was settled or not or if the kids were fine or not. I was not coming home as he didn't have to. Because now I was here to take care of his wards. I went to my room to sleep but sleep was too far off from my eyes. I just kept thinking about how he made me feel d
Robert's POVI was quite aware of the fact that Tina was trying to impress me and wanted me to make the first move in her direction. Tina even suggested that the kids did not want a governess but a loving and complete family, and since Samantha was not in the right frame of mind and was getting divorced, I must get married to a good girl who could take care of them as a mother. Not a bad suggestion actually... but I was in no mood to discuss it with her. I told her to work on the Buransh flower juice project. I was still working in my office when Aman called me.Aman Mehra was my best friend in India and was the CEO of a Multinational logistics company. We have known each other for the last 6 years when we both met at a few meetings related to work. He was 4 years older than me, but we instantly liked each other, and since then, this friendship has been strengthened.We went out to dinner and he asked me what was going on. I told him about Sam's divorce case and that I was the guar
Avni's POVI couldn't sleep well last night. It was morning, and I was glad to leave bed. The night seemed to have gone on forever. I went to take a shower, and after getting ready, I went to the breakfast room.I just drank a cup of coffee and had a few cookies which Mrs Gomes had made yesterday. It was quite early for the kids to start their day, so I went to the stables. I was too restless since last night. So I saddled one of the horses and went riding. I was riding very fast as if I wanted to leave my thoughts behind me. All of a sudden, the horse stumbled into a pit, and I fell down. Before I could get up, the horse took off, leaving her alone.It was my fault I didn't see it as I was still trying to get rid of my thoughts. I was not hurt badly but still was not in a condition or mood to walk back to the stables.I was sure that when the horse would reach the stables, one of the stablemen or maybe Tom would come looking for me.I wanted to be alone as it was, so I lay down ther
Avni's POV I was not afraid of him, I was just not interested in any kind of physical contact with any man. I got up the horse and rode it towards the stables leaving him alone to walk all the way back on his feet. But by the time I reached the stable, my anger was gone, and I felt bad for my behavior. I sat down on a bench there.I don't know what was happening to me. I had never behaved like this around others and rarely got angry with anyone. He came to look for me. He took care of me, and he said he thought that I was dead. He must have been scared that I was also dead like his brother. He must have panicked when he saw me lying there. I didn't wake up when he called my name and shook me and he was just checking my pulse only. I should not have shouted at him. I should not have behaved like that. I was never this rude or angry with anyone. I just didn't want him to touch me as I had never felt anything like this in my entire life the way I felt around him. My whole being was
Robert's POV I was still trying to figure out when Aman called me. " Hey, man!! How are you?? Any developments regarding Avni ?? Did she get jealous?? " He asked me. " Aman, mike... " I was so tense at that time that I didn't know what to say. " Mike?? What happened?? " He asked. " Mike abducted kids and Avni today outside the school. Now he will try to negotiate with us regarding divorce settlement. " I told him. " What the hell ?? How?? " He asked and I told him. " Oh, I am coming... Don't worry, we will find them..." He said immediately. I also wanted mental strength right now. " Yeah come... " I said. ******" Tom!! Tell me everything... " Aman was also there and he asked Tom. " I got her call, and she said- Tom, there seems to be some kind of problem, I think; I just saw Mike in the school... " he said." And then I said- I am coming there in 10 minutes. Take care. Don't let him come near them. Don't worry, I am coming." He told us with a sad face. " That scoundre
Avni's POVLara was still upset she was crying for her mom. One of the men came into the room and offered food to us but she kept crying. Even Bill refused to eat the food he brought. The man said that it was all we were going to get. But Bill and Lara refused to eat it. Bill said that he wanted a pizza or burger with fries from his favorite outlet. The man shook his head and went out. By chance, the children were still carrying their bags on their backs. Mrs Ghomes had this habit of giving some extra help to children so that they could share and still have enough to eat. I opened their boxes, and there were sandwiches and cookies; I made them eat those. The man came back in about 3 hours to check on us and saw that the food he left there for us was still untouched. He tried to threaten him but Bill said he would rather remain hungry than eat that food. He called Mike and told him that the kids were not eating or drinking anything. Mike told him to get the food they wanted. The
Avni's POV Lara clung to me like anything, she was crying bitterly. " Take this girl with you too. We can't leave her behind. Now hurry up. And if she creates a problem, kill her, I don't care. I just want the children." He shouted at his men. I tried to resist when he made us sit in the car, but I had only two options: to be killed here and let the children go along with them or go with them. So I decided to go with them. I could not leave them alone with them. So, I kept holding the children and went away with them. Mike went his own way and the goons took us in another direction. I saw Tom coming from another side as I recognized the vehicle. But there was no way I could indicate to him that we were in this car as one of the goons was holding a knife against Bill's body. I turned to see the car, but Tom was too tense about reaching the school as soon as possible and looking for us that he would not have imagined that we were in that car. I wish he had come just a few minutes
58Avni's POV" Don't waste time... We are busy. He can't talk, whatever it is, manage it on your own. " She said. " Tell him Mike is here in school. " I said in desperation. But the stubborn woman didn't give up and disconnected the call. I wanted to slap her hard. But there was no point in wasting time. So I called Tom. " Hello? " Tom picked up the phone on the second ring. " Tom, there seems to be some kind of problem, I think, I just saw Mike in the school. " I said. " What?? Oh god !!! I am coming there in 10 minutes. Take care. Don't let him come near them. Don't worry, I am coming." He said hurriedly. Just then, I saw Mike coming towards us. I caught their hands and ran towards our car, making them sit in the car. But before I could lock it, Mike reached us. So I got panicked, and I started the car and drove home. I didn't want him anywhere near the children. But he was still following me now. And at one point he overtook me and stopped his car in a slating position. I
Robert's POVWe were working on my study as we really had a lot of work this week. But I had decided not to go away from the kids. But Tina said one of the companies was insisting that we should have a meeting with them. I told her my decision was that I would not go to Delhi or Mumbai. She talked to them and persuaded them to come to Ranikhet, but they said that they would prefer Nainital as they had a few meetings there. Since Nainital was very near to our Ranikhet, I agreed to meet them. We were supposed to meet them at around two in the afternoon. We were working on the deal. I wanted all the clauses of the deal to preserve youth. Before the meeting, they had already sent us their proposal, and I wanted to change a few of the clauses. We were still working when there was a knock on the door of my study. Tina went to see it and I saw Avni coming towards me. It was a pleasure to see her in front of me as I was missing her already. I saw her at breakfast time, but that was for a
Avni's POV" Please don't bother so much, Robert, what we are doing is very important. I think she is capable of doing that much on her own. Won't you, Ms Avni." Tina said. I got annoyed at her. Who gave her permission to interrupt our conversation?? She was really annoying. " Certainly, Ms Tina. Rest assured sir, I can manage that on my own. You don't need to come with me, please continue with your work. I didn't want to disturb you but yesterday you insisted that I must tell you before going anywhere, so I am here." I said politely though I was annoyed as hell. How can he marry someone so fake and rude? " Yes, I appreciate that you informed me. I could still accompany you in a few hours. " He said." No, I will be fine. As it is, Ms Tina has come here to work, all the way from New Delhi. It must be important... so please continue with your work. " I said and was going out of the study when Tina called my name. " Ms Avni, Please get us coffee. " She ordered me. " Ok!! "
Avni's POVI felt as if I was torn into two parts. One said that I must say yes and agree to help Robert. While another part was really scary and did not let me do it. I was not sure what I should do. We were still thinking about all this when the children came back, rushing to show their drawings to their uncle. He was so impressed with Bill and praised him a lot, but when he saw Lara's drawing, he got emotional too. He picked her up in his arms and held her against his chest. " I promise you, princess, Your mom will be back very soon with you and will not leave you alone. You will never have to miss her. " He said and placed a kiss on her forehead. It was time for supper and we all went towards the dining room. Just then Ms Tina also walked in to have dinner. She gave a seductive smile to him and he smiled back. Then she gave a very broad but fake smile to the kids, but they did not respond to her. She tried to start some conversation with the children but they just gave unfri
Robert's POVI wanted to spend some time with the kids so I went to meet them. But they were not in the room.I went looking for them and found them in the garden. Three of them were playing and enjoying themselves. I saw that Bill was blindfolded and was being teased by Avni and Lara. They were touching him and running away from him before he could catch any of them. Finally, he touched Avni. Bill removed the blindfold and tied it to Avni's eyes. Lara was jumping while clapping and Avni was laughing like a small girl. They were enjoying themselves so much that I could not control myself. Bill caught her hand and turned her once, and then whenever her back was towards them, they touched her. She kept trying to catch them, but they seemed to be experts in the game. I had reached them by now, and the kids saw me and were about to shout for me, but I put a finger on my lips, telling them to be quiet. Lara placed a hand on her mouth and laughed and Bill just smiled and nodded. They
Robert's POVI came back downstairs after talking to her. She said that she was not well. I spoilt everything... I should not have talked to her like that, the day before. She was concerned about me and, most of all, about kids. She has been avoiding me since then. It was not her fault if she did not feel the same way for me. I can persuade her to marry me but not pressure her. She had every right to make decisions about her life. But I was drunk... I was stressed out because of Mike and this case. I hope Samantha is doing well. I decided to call Aman to ask about her. I also wanted to talk to someone.I called him and he picked up the call. " Hello, Rob!!! How are you? " " Fine, how are you? What was Sam like, when you met her?? " " I am good, Sam is doing good. Though she was getting panicked, I made her understand that we would not let Mike have the children. I told her how worried you were about her and that you were taking very good care of the children. I also tried to m