Priya's eyes glued to her mother, who was just silently standing on the platform a few feet away. After Priya's outburst that night, Indira was unusually closed off and not meddling with any of her affairs. It was frustrating Priya.

At present, they were standing in the Delhi bus station, to send Indira to her hometown in Lucknow, to help with the preparations of Priya's cousin's wedding.

"Maa," Priya called, almost whining. As Indira looked at her, Priya pouted, showing how sad she was and asked, "Are you still upset with me?"

"I can never be upset with you, Priya." Indira smiled, cupping Priya's cheeks.

Priya held on to her mother's hands and asked, "Then why are you giving me your silent treatment? It's making me cry." She wiped the invisible tears dramatically to add more effect.

"Ahaan..." Indira cocked up an eyebrow, placing hands on hips, "Why do I feel like you are relieved from my nagging?"

"Haha... Relieved? It's making me feel weird. Please be like before Maa."

"I'm..." Indira sighed and bowed her head down as she continued, "I am not upset with you... But with myself... Giving into my fears I didn't realize what my kids would be going through with my reckless behavior."

Priya hugged her mother tightly, feeling emotional. "I'm glad you understand, Maa. But you don't have to berate yourself. I'm happy. I have you, Aditya, Madhu. Now, I want you to give me your usual smile. Then only I'll let you go to your sister."

Indira laughed. Patting Priya's head, she said, "Silly girl."

Priya pulled back, grinning. She frowned when again her mother's face fell.

"About Mr. Sinha..." Indira paused. A look of apprehension on her face, as she held her daughter's hands.

Priya did not understand what her mother was afraid of in regards to Abhay. She waited patiently for Indira to continue.

Indira inhaled deeply and said, "If you want to work there in his company then okay. I will not argue with you. But... stay away from him, dear."

Priya's frown deepened. "Why?"

"Don't ask me any questions. Apart from your office business. Just... stay away," Indira sounded persistent.

"But..."

"Let's go..." Aditya yelled, jumping off the bus, stopping Priya midway. He came to them smiling and started talking, "Maa, I'd placed your bag right above your seat. Take help of someone else to get your bag down. It's quite heavy. And... water bottles are also placed there. Did I forget anything else, Di?"

Priya didn't respond as she was thinking about Indira's words. She blinked as her mother squeezed her hands and smiled at Aditya.

"You didn't forget anything," Indira replied instead to Aditya as she patted him on his shoulder proudly, "Arey wah! My son has become a responsible man."

Aditya grinned.

"You both take care of each other. Eat on time and..." Indira continued with her safety measures to her kids, until it was time for her to leave. Priya and Aditya waved their hands to their mother till the bus left the premises.

"Let's go," Priya said, turning in the direction of their parked car, "I will take you first to your friend's house and then I should go to Mr. Sinha's home."

"Are you going to see Aisha?" Aditya asked as he stepped in with her.

"Yes since I'm going to her home."

"I will also come."

"No... I'm going there to talk about something important with Mr. Sinha. How can I take you unannounced?"

"Please, Di. It's been a while since I saw Aisha. I miss the kid."

"By the time I drop you at your friends I will be late to the party." Today, they were hosting the party for the merger between ASO and Sharma's since it was the weekend. Every staff member from the Sharma's was invited and Priya was given the charge of this party.

"I will go on my own. Please."

Priya sighed. "Ok fine. But behave there."

Aditya rolled his eyes. "As if..."

They reached their car. Priya opened the driver's side door and stopped when she heard him. "They are my employers. I don't want them to have any bad impression."

"You are thinking too much. It's not like you are marrying into their home."

Priya's mouth opened wide at his innocent joke. "Shut up!" She snapped and glared at him.

He lifted his hands up in mock surrender. "Geez! Fine."

She muttered angrily and climbed in, shutting the door hard. She glared when her brother chuckled, settling next to her and started to their destination.

∞∞∞

When the siblings reached Sinha's, an instant smile spread on her face when she caught sight of Aisha in the lawn. They laughed as Aisha ran across the lawn with Sharadha chasing and panting behind her with a bowl in her hands. But the little one was giving a hard time to her grandmother.

"She is Sharadha Sinha," Priya said to Aditya, "Mr. Sinha's mom." He nodded.

She stopped the car in the driveaway and the next second there was a knock at her window. Tyagi was standing outside, waving his hand and smiling at her. She returned the smile and opened the door, taking her handbag. But her smile fell and she narrowed her eyes when she heard his greeting.

"Good morning, ma'am."

"I told you," she emphasized, sounding annoyed, "A hundred times may be... Call me by my name." She shut the door and crossed her hands. Aditya came around and joined his sister, looking in between her and Tyagi.

Tyagi pressed his lips and raised his eyebrows in a conflict. "I cannot. Abhay sir..." he trailed off unfinished.

Priya rolled her eyes. "Hell with you and your sir," she said irately. The first time when Tyagi called her ma'am, she told him to call her by her name. Because she wasn't used to her colleagues calling her ma'am and she liked it that way. But Abhay was right next to her when this conversation happened and right in front of her he commanded Tyagi to call her either 'ma'am or Ms. Malhotra.'She was utterly shocked and annoyed. If she doesn't have any problem, then why does he?

Poor Tyagi was stuck in between his boss Abhay and Priya.

"Aunty!"

Priya's gaze shifted to the sound, where Aisha was running towards her excitedly. Sharadha stopped running and started to walk slowly towards them breathing hard, not able to keep up with her granddaughter. Priya kneeled down and spread her arms as Aisha ran into her and they both hugged tightly as if they were long lost friends.

"You are here," Aisha beamed, pulling slightly back but not leaving Priya's embrace.

"Ahaan!" Priya tweaked Aisha's nose playfully, which made her giggle.

"Oh, hello Miss," Aditya said, waving a hand in between their faces, "I also came to see you," he spread his hands for her expecting the same reaction. But instead, Aisha's reaction made everyone laugh.

"Hello Adi bhaiya! How are you?" Aisha asked simply.

Aditya pouted and kept hands on his hips. "Not good. I begged my Di to see my cutie and I get just a hello? Looks like nobody misses me," he brushed fake tears, saying, "I am hurt." He turned to the other side in fake anger.

Priya and Aisha looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders, lifting their hands up as if 'What's wrong with him?' That made Sharadha and Tyagi laugh.

"That's bad," Sharadha said, as she reached them, "Who is this young man?" she asked, looking at Aditya.

Priya stood, holding Aisha's hand and made the introductions. "Ma'am, this is my brother, Aditya." Aditya joined his hands in a namasthe and smiled. Priya added, "He wanted to see Aisha. So..."

"That's great. You are always welcome here," Sharadha said to Aditya pleasantly, "By the way, you are one handsome man."

"Thank you, Ma'am," Aditya said delighted by her compliment, lifting his collar, and added, "What to do when God blessed me with this good looks." Priya's eyes widened while Sharadha and Tyagi chuckled. Priya nudged her brother in the stomach, making him groan.

"I like him," Sharadha said.

Aditya grinned and gave Priya a look saying 'See!' that made her shake her head.

"What are you doing here? I thought you will be busy with the preparations for the party," Sharadha asked curiously as she looked at Priya, "How is it going?"

"Everything was set. Just a few things to be looked at before the party starts," Priya said and suddenly became excited, "I have something to share with Mr. Sinha."

"What is it?"

"Surprise."

"Okay," Sharadha raised an eyebrow and looked down at Aisha, "My doll, come on... eat," she extended a piece of apple towards her. But, Aisha turned her face and hid behind Priya giggling.

Sharadha sighed tiredly. "You are going to be the death of me." As she said, Ramu came running out of the house calling for Sharadha.

They all looked at him.

"Ma'am, Shekhar saab is calling you," Ramu informed.

"What does he want?" Sharadha asked.

Ramu blushed, making everyone confused while Sharadha understood "He did not tell. He said it is urgent."

"Aargh!" Sharadha let out a frustrated growl, "I don't have ten hands. Tell him to dry his own hair." At her angry outburst, Ramu shook in fear and ran inside.

Priya and Aditya's eyebrows raised while Tyagi shifted his gaze casually being used to the elder Sinha couple's banters.

"Yay! Dadu is a baby. Got to dry his hair. Dadu is a baby. Got to kiss goodbye. La la la la la..." Aisha sang in her baby voice.

They all tried to hold back their laughter.

"I can feed her," Priya offered.

"You sure?" Sharadha asked unsure, "She can be handful."

Priya lifted a shoulder. "I got used to it when she stayed with me," she said.

Sharadha nodded and handed her the bowl. "Please make sure she finishes the whole thing. She's quite picky with food." With that instruction, she left to go see her husband.

Priya turned around and blinked as she didn't see Aisha there when one minute back she was standing there. She looked up and saw Aditya giving her a lost case look and wiggling his index finger, pointing to his left. She looked to where he was pointing and saw Aisha running away back to the lawn.

"Aisha!" Priya shouted.

"First catch, then eat," Aisha shouted back, laughing and running across the lawn.

"Catch her," Priya yelled at Aditya and Tyagi as she started chasing after Aisha and they automatically followed her lead. They all spread across the garden to get hold of the giggling little one, but she was fast enough to escape their clutches.

Aisha was heading towards the house and Tyagi stood in the way spreading his arms and legs wide. To his surprise, Aisha bent down, escaping from between his legs. He blinked, bent at his hips looking between his legs at Aisha as she poked her tongue out and ran inside the house.

Priya reached him and gave a smack on his head. Then she ran behind Aisha calling her name. Tyagi rubbed his head embarrassed while Aditya laughed reaching his side.

On the other hand, Priya followed Aisha inside the house but couldn't get any sign of her. She came across Ramu as he climbed down the stairs and asked, "Did you see Aisha?"

Ramu just looked up the stairs from where he came from. Without a word, she ran up, panting hard. Now, she understood what Sharadha was saying.

"Aisha," Priya called, holding her stomach, "You have become naughty. It's going to be bad when I catch you." She said, searching for her on every corner of the floor. Suddenly, she heard a giggling sound coming from inside a room. She stopped in front of it and kept her ear close to the door. Sure enough, she heard Aisha's voice.

"Where is Aisha?" Priya asked in a sing-song voice, and heard a door sound from inside. She smirked. "Caught you!" she yelled, opening the door and stopped when she saw whom she caught.

"What the..."

She blinked, her smile dropped and all thoughts left her as her eyes moved slowly up and down because what she caught was not a three foot but a six foot purely adult man who could only be seen on a magazine cover or a silver screen. And there he stood, her boss, barely a foot in front of her wearing nothing but a white towel resting low on his hips. With his sharp jaw, dark brown eyes, and wet black hair sticking to his forehead, he was an eye candy. Even the brooding frown on his face was making him irresistible.

The bowl in her hands fell to the floor and the sound made her snap out of her daydreaming.

Then she did the only thing that came to her mind.

She screamed.

"Aargh!"

"What the!" He flinched, closing his ears from her ear splitting scream and stared at her wide-eyed.

Her eyes did a top-to-toe again and if possible, she screamed even louder. "Aargh!"

Maybe, having enough of her piercing outburst, his one hand shot out to close the door and the other to shut her mouth.

"Shut up," he growled. He pressed her against the door with his hand on her mouth. She looked down and saw their position. He caged her.

She didn't stop screaming. Thankfully, his hand muffled her voice and she started shaking her head frantically, staring in between his face and his hand. Annoyed, he pressed into her more to stop her and automatically her hands shot up to push him away. Her hands found strong muscles and she stopped. She looked at where her hands rested on his chest and unconsciously, her fingers curled trailing the light hair on his chest. She stared mesmerized. There were tiny droplets over his heart and she brushed them off carefully like a feather touch. She could feel the steady pick up of his heart and looked up to find him staring down at her with a strange dark expression.

"Aunty caught Daddy!"

They both snapped out of the spell they were under hearing Aisha's voice. They turned their faces and saw Aisha standing there, jumping and clapping her hands happily, seeing them both.

Priya looked at Abhay and realized his one hand was holding her waist flush against him and the other holding her hand over his heart. She gasped, giving a hard push and moving away from the door. With the sudden change, he stumbled a few feet back and glared quickly holding on to his towel by reflex as it loosened by her action. Priya burned in embarrassment and something more that she couldn't fathom in her wildest dreams. She closed her eyes and gave him her back.

Darn it!

Firm fingers curled around her arm and she stiffened. She did not open her eyes, even when he made her turn around roughly.

Abhay leaned down and hissed. "What are you doing in my room?"

"I... I..." she stammered.

"Cat got your tongue or what? You were screaming so loud before," he mocked, shaking her by the arm.

Her lips trembled. "I was feeding Aisha."

"That doesn't explain what you are doing in my room."

"She was hiding in here and I followed her. I didn't know it was your room."

"You-" he was cut off by an urgent bang on the door.

"Abhay?" Shekhar's concerned voice came from outside as the banging turned insistent.

"Who is that inside?" Sharadha's voice came next, followed by few more whispers, "Is everything okay?"

Could it get any worse than this? Priya bit her lips mortified. What would everyone think if they saw her in Abhay's, her boss' room who was practically naked?

She was anxious. She looked at Abhay and found him cool. How could be nonchalant while she was freaking out? She wondered. He left her hand and was moving to open the door when she caught his arm with both hands. She stilled, realizing what she'd done. The simple, innocent touch felt so electric.

He stopped and glanced at her face and where her hands were.

"Don't..." she whispered.

He cocked up an eyebrow in question.

"They cannot see me here... with you... like this," she reasoned, shifting her eyes head-to- chest and immediately averted her eyes. Was it an embarrassment? Or something else? She thought as she felt her face heat up even more if possible.

"Then, what did you expect?" he mocked.

Again, they knocked. Before Priya or Abhay could react, Aisha was opening the door, eager to start the hide-and-seek again and ran outside, leaving the door wide open for everyone.

Priya blinked, finding the stunned expressions of Sharadha, Shekhar, Tyagi and also Aditya, as they stared at their compromising position. She immediately retrieved her hands and took a long step away from Abhay as if he burnt her.

Priya started explaining. "No... No... it's not what you think... Aisha led me here... I don't even know that it is sir's room."

"Did they ask you?" Abhay whispered and she threw a glare at him.

The elder couple pressed their lips, and shared glances. Tyagi scratched his head, bemused by the situation. While Aditya glared at Abhay, as an understanding dawned in his mind.

"Should admit Priya," Sharadha said, looking teasingly at them both, "Whenever you come, you bring the hidden side of my stone hearted son out."

That made Abhay scowl at his mother. Priya bowed down to hide her face.

"Sharadha... that girl is already embarrassed. Don't keep her in a hot spot," Shekhar said. A small smile played in his lips as he stared at his son and the pretty woman next to him.

"You always try to shut my mouth," Sharadha complained, twisting her mouth and leaving the place.

"Wear some clothes, my son," Shekhar said, throwing a glance between the young ones and he too left the place. Tyagi followed.

They were silent.

"I'm leaving," Priya said and took a step to leave when he caught her arm. She glanced at his hand.

"What are you doing here? I thought you'll be at the party venue looking at the arrangements?" He asked.

"They are being taken care of," she said simply, avoiding his face, "I am here as a friend, sir." Then, she added, "Can you please leave my hand?"

He didn't. Instead, he tightened his grip and asked huskily, "If you are here as a friend, then it is only right to drop the formalities. Don't you think," he leaned close to her and whispered huskily, "Priya."

It tickled her senses, feeling his hot breath on her skin. She opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by her brother.

"Di!"

She forgot Aditya was still with them. When she looked at Aditya, he gestured with his head to come with him and left. She shrugged Abhay's hand and followed her brother, aware of his scorching gaze.

They were climbing down the stairs when Aditya suddenly turned around and asked in a whisper. "Do you like him, Di?" He shot the direct question.

"What?" She asked, perplexed.

Aditya narrowed his gaze. "Are you seriously dumb or acting?"

Her brows closed together and she kept a hand on her hip intimidatingly. "Come again?"

Aditya rolled his eyes. "If you are not interested in your boss, then keep your distance from him."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because he is interested in you."

She cracked up with laughter. "That's impossible."

He looked serious. "He's definitely interested."

She stopped laughing. "How could you be sure?"

He shrugged. "You can say it's a man's instinct. The look in his eyes when he sees you is..." he hesitated, as he glanced at his sister.

"What?"

"You are my sister. It's hard to explain..."

She frowned. "What is it?" When he stayed silent, she added, "Will you tell me or should I tell Maa of your girlfriend?"