I stared out of the glass wall, down at the roads. I was tired, exhausted, physically as well as mentally.

I have been searching for that inner peace, satisfaction all these years but I failed to find it.

Seven years back, this is what I wanted; money, power, fame. And I thought that along with it I will find that peace even but I was wrong.

I was not yet satisfied with my life and now it's not money that I want, I don't want that anymore.

I always knew what will give me that satisfaction but...I am not able to find it. My soulmate; that's what I craved for and that's what I will be craving for all my life.

I walked upto my desk and pulled out my old diary, a diary in which I used to write my dreams, my romantic dreams.

Flickering through the pages, I stopped at a particular one in which I wrote a small letter to my soulmate.

And I read it out softly:

"To my soulmate,

Wish I could be in your arms right now, and every other problem will disappear cause in that moment, it will be only you and I that will matter.

And the storm will settle cause I will find my missing part, cause I will find YOU."

I sighed, smiling at my letter which I wrote to someone whom I didn't even know; I don't know who he is, how he is, where he is. Did God even create one for me?

The letter was old, the words were old but it still made sense to me, my soulmate was all I needed.

And now...I was married to Isaac. Can he be my soulmate?

I pondered upon that but failed to find an answer.

If my soulmate is out there, he will find me anyhow.

A knock on my door interrupted my thoughts as I gave the permission, Josh entered.

"You need to leave for your meeting", he reminded me.

"Yeah, thanks."

Grabbing my purse, I left the office and after sometime, I reached one of my restaurants where the meeting was going to be held between me and one of our client.

With Josh following behind me, we reached a private area where our client was already seated and soon the meeting started...

As the meeting finished, I got up and shook hands with the client and left the restaurant.

"Where's the car?", I asked Josh coming out of the restaurant.

"I'll call the driver", he said and after talking with the driver he informed me that the car will be here in a minute.

"Will you mind if I just go and grab some pantry item? I actually ran out of them", Josh asked with puppy eyes and how could I say no to him.

"Just give me five minutes", he added and I told him to go.

As he left, I started walking up and down the street just like that when I spotted an alley and what made it stand out was the faint cries that I could hear.

The moment I walked towards the alley, I spotted a small girl, sitting with her back against the wall and one of her legs was tucked under her while the other was sprawled on the ground.

Her head was down while she cried, a dirty frock and blonde hair.

I approached her slowly.

"What happened?", I asked her,

crouching down to her.

She stopped crying and slowly lifted her head, tears stained her cute, innocent face and there was something very familiar about those brown eyes.

Her sight melted my heart and I felt like crying on seeing her condition.

"I-I...am lost", she sobbed.

Oh God.

"And...", she said again, " m-my leg...hurts a lot."

I gently grabbed her face and wiped her tears.

"I'll send you back to your home, I promise", I assured her.

"But my leg...it's paining."

I looked down at her left leg which was swelled and as I touched it very gently, she winced loudly.

Her leg was sprained.

"Thera, what--", I heard Josh's voice from behind me but he stopped on seeing that girl.

I gently lifted her up in my arms, trying not to hurt her and Josh understood that she was hurt.

I took her to the car and gently placed her down.

"To the hospital, immediately!", I told the driver while sitting beside her and Josh sat at the passenger's seat.

"Since how long your leg is hurting?", I asked her.

Sniffing, she said, "Since morning."

And it was 1 in the afternoon right now, how could she even survive with that pain for so long.

"What's your name?"

"Emmeline."

"Your full name, it will help me send you back home."

"Emmeline...Madison."

It can't be. At the mention of her name, Josh looked back at me and our eyes met. I nodded slowly at him and then he sat back straight, sighing.

I looked back at her, "Is your father's name...Nathan Madison and your mother's name, Bethany Madison?"

She nodded enthusiastically and her eyes lit up in hope, "You know them?"

How the hell she got lost in New York when she was living in San Francisco?!

"...yes."

"You live in San Francisco then how come you got lost here?"

"I came here with my parents, two days back we had to go to airport for our flight but the airport was very very crowded and before entering inside the airport, I got lost."

"Two days?! Did you even eat anything?!"

That was a stupid questions.

She started crying again and shook her head.

I side hugged her and assured her that I will get her home as soon as possible.

"Josh, find her parents phone number and inform them that she is with...me and tell them that I will send her home soon", I instructed Josh and he nodded.

"She must avoid any major movements for at least two days", the doctor informed me after I had Emmeline's leg bandaged.

"What about traveling in a plane?"

"It would be better to not travel for a day or two even if you carry her in your arms."

I nodded at the doctor before coming out of the room and found Emmeline sitting on Josh's lap on a chair.

I gently took her from his lap and told Josh to buy some clothes for her.

I can't imagine a six year old girl surviving on the street for two days!

I guess...she is staying with me for now.

As far as Isaac is concerned, I will deal with him, hopefully.

"Where are we going?", she asked as I got inside the car.

"To my house", I smiled at her so that she would feel comfortable.

"But dad-"

I cut her off, "The doctor said not to travel so, I can't send you home right now. You will have to stay with me."

"Your parents are already informed and don't worry, you are safe with me", I added.

"But...I am hungry."

I gave her a sad smile, "I understand... I will get you fed as soon as we get home."

She nodded in response.

It was silent inside the car and then she said, "I think...I have seen you somewhere."

"Really?"

"You look familiar...", she trailed off, trying to think.

"Oh! I didn't even ask your name", she exclaimed innocently making me chuckle.

"My name is La...Thera."

"La Thera?"

"No", I sighed, "just Thera."

"Oh."

"Is that your house?!", Emmeline exclaimed as I stepped out of the car with her in my arms.

"Yes. You like it?"

"I love it!", she said making me laugh.

I took her inside and made her sit on the couch.

And I immediately went into the kitchen to make something for her to eat because Cynthia has taken a day off.

While I prepared Mac & cheese for her, I gave her a packet of chips to munch on till then.

Half way through the cook, Josh came with the clothes and as I told Josh to look over that Mac and cheese, I took her up to my bedroom.

I know I order Josh a lot but he is just like my sibling and he doesn't minds it.

I helped Emmeline bathe and then I dressed her in clean clothes.

Till I reached downstairs, Josh had already served the Mac and cheese in a bowl and and I helped her get fed.

___________________________________

After taking a nap, Emmeline was sitting on the couch, watching Frozen, seems like we both are huge fans of Frozen.

It was almost 7 in the evening, it had been a long day.

The front door opened and in came Isaac; I completely forgot about him.

He didn't even noticed Emmeline as he marched towards me and said," You left early and you didn't... "

He stopped abruptly as his eyes fell on her and they both looked at each other curiously.

"Who's she?!", he whispered shouted to me, pulling me into a corner.

"She got lost and her leg is sprained and the doctor said to not travel either so I can't send her back to her house which happens to be in San Francisco. Please let her stay for a day and two and then I will send her back, plea--"

"Fine."

He was looking at me intensely and I stared at him with wide eyes, did he just agree to me so easily?

"What?"

"I said it's fine, you can keep her."

"I thought...you will not like the fact that I brought some girl here..."

"I have a heart too, Thera...I am not a monster", he said softly.

He has a heart of gold, Nyle's words echoed in my ear.

"Well...um...thanks."

I was about to move but he pulled me back and questioned, "Why does she looks like your daughter?"

"What part of 'I haven't even kissed anyone', you don't understand?!"

He rolled his eyes, "You both have exactly same eyes."

"It can be a coincidence."

Well, it was not a coincidence.

"Whatever", he said and I watched him walk over to her.

Thank God, he agreed.

🎄