(earlier the same day)

Closing my laptop, I stretch my body, which had gone numb due to sitting on the same chair for six hours continuous. There was a major upcoming project, and I know I should be taking a bit of time off on a weekend but this was the only way I could divert my mind from thinking about Pooja.

I had locked myself in my office after breakfast. I was happy I could see my Pooja but what irritated me more was that Ryan guy who always walked with her, as if she was his.

God forbid or I would end up murdering him.

And not to tell about the little girl. I hold nothing against her but a small part in me was afraid. What if she was Pooja's and Ryan's daughter. Then I wouldn't be wanting to hurt her more. If she's happy being with him, I'll let her go even if it kills me.

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I knock at the door, and a muffled 'yes' could be heard from inside. Opening the door I enter the room to see Ajay and Megha in the balcony sitting, or rather cuddling in each other's arms, on a sofa. Grabbing a chair from the room I sit opposite them.

Looking at them always reminded me of that gapping hole in my heart. But still they were the best support and the most understanding, if you don't include Megha's initial hatred towards me, when everything went downhill in my life.

"What brings my humble student here?", Megha asks me, bringing a small smile on my face, as if she already knows what I was going to talk. And yes. I was her student. Being a single father wasn't easy and the only person who would willingly help me was her.

"You spoke to her yesterday?", Megha literally had a breakdown yesterday in middle of the night before running off to speak with Pooja. I try masking my curiosity in my voice, but a big smile already made it to her face.

"Don't interrupt me and I'll tell you all that you need to know." I smile and nod towards her to continue.

"First, don't worry she and Ryan aren't together the way you think.", though a mischievous glint comes to her eyes, I was more than relieved to hear that.

"And the last, I haven't given her any details about you or Renuka, except the fact that she had come to stay here when Pooja left.", that didn't bring much relief.

"Did she ask about me?", Megha's smile drops at the hint of hope in my voice.

I bite the inside of my cheek when I suddenly feel like a boulder drop in my stomach.

"Is she happy?", though I don't like it my voice trembled.

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Whole of the family were there in the hall to spend some family time, according to Ma, when that Ryan guy came. He looked pretty disturbed and tensed when he said he wanted to talk to me personally.

"What?", my voice came out harsher than I intended it to be. Though he and Pooja weren't together I couldn't help but feel he was trying to take her away from me.

We were in the backyard and I could see Ajay coming. Probably thinking I would maybe kill this prick here.

"Did Pooja call any of you guys here? Or did she atleast tell where she was going?", he was restless and I could see him shifting his weight from one leg to another.

"No. Why want happened?", concern laced in my voice. Ajay had also joined us by now. I look at him and he just shrugs his shoulder, "She hasn't called Megha since she left."

"Her phone's switched off and I have been trying to reach her for the past three hours.", he runs his hand through his hair and we three stood there in silence thinking about what to do. Though it frustrated me, I could clearly see how much he cared for her.

What if he is better than me?

I shut that thought out as soon as it came. Not the time to think about it.

Then suddenly Ajay's eyes lit up, "She must have gone to meet Bhaiya. Megha told somethinglike that. Let me just ring him up."

Bhaiya and I weren't on good terms as he hasn't still forgiven me for hurting his little sister.

"She left from there after lunch and hasn't called him since then. Anyway he's coming over.", Ajay told us as he ended the call.

Where the hell are you Pooja?

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I don't know when I decided to return back to the guesthouse, but I could see the city sleeping in a pool of darkness with only the streetlights shining. My phone had gone dead around six and I had lost track of time.

When I reached the guesthouse, it was locked and I could see pretty much all the lights in the Kashyaps house were lit. Having no choice I go there only to find a police car parked in front of the house.

As I entered the house I could see everyone, even my brother, gathered in the hall and four policemen talking to Arjun, Megha, Bhaiya and Tani, in each corner of the house. Megha was in hysterics and Ajay was by her side trying to calm her down while she spoke.

No one had noticed me until Esha ran, or more like stumbled, towards me screaming 'mama'. As I picked her up, the room had gone pin-drop silent. I pepper my daughter's tear stricken face with kisses, making the room fill with her laughs.

Suddenly my left arm starts stinging and I see Megha repeatedly slapping my arm, on which I'm sure she would be leaving a bruise, calling me names. Ajay pulls her back and Bhaiya comes and side hugs me, "You scared us princess."

"Where the hell were you Pooja? And why is your phone switched off?", you could see smoke coming out of Arjun's ears.

"I was just visiting some of my old friends.", the lie out came so smoothly, but I could still see no one was ready to buy it. "And what can I do when the battery had gone dead?"

It seems like everyone had got worried when I hadn't reached home even after dinner time and had informed the police. After clearing up everything the police and Bhaiya left. My friends returned back to the guesthouse while Megha asked me to stay back.

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Megha's son, Varun and Esha was playing on the bed, where on one side I sat while on the other Megha sat. Ajay sat on a chair opposite us. We were all in Megha's and Ajay's room. Ajay was the one who broke the silence, telling me how sorry he was for lashing out on me while Megha was hospitalised.

"There is no need for any sorry Ajay. Anybody in your shoes would have done the same.", I wave it off smiling. Questions from last night were clouding my mind and I had to get the answers. I look at both Megha and Ajay before asking -

"Megha, you said Renuka came to live here after I left. Why didn't I see her till now?"

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