Roop's POV
"So what's with the emergency night out?" Vivek asked while holding a bottle of sugary soda. We were inside a shake-factory shop chasing the stress away.
"You won't believe this but Moon requested me to be her personal caretaker," I said with a pout.
"To be what?!" Niyon exclaimed with his eyes widened.
"Isn't that unfair? I don't have the right to say no. He said it was an order. He did not even ask me if I want it or if it was okay with me to work as his daughter's caretaker." I grunted.
"If you don't like it, then why don't you tell him?" Vivek said.
"He said he's not giving me choices. I should follow. He's not asking for a favor, it's an order. He will triple my salary. That's exactly what he said." I narrated everything.
"He will triple your salary?! I am willing to trade jobs with you. But the problem, Moon is not fond of me." Niyon chimed in.
"It's not about the money, Niyon. I feel poor because I feel as if he has bought me. If he wanted, he would have asked me nicely, I would have agreed, after all, I also like Moon" I said sadly.
"Well Roop, to tell you the truth, I would do anything to trade places with you. I would love to sit in a mansion, eat like I am in a fine dine-in, sleep on a luxurious bed, and just talk and play with a little girl all day long and get paid triple. I mean come on, what more can you ask for? Think about it." Niyon said and yes, he was right. Somehow, I'll have more benefits there.
"And if I may add, you also get yourself a grumpy boyfriend." Vivek laughed.
"Shut up Vivek! Why did you even think about that?" This Vivek.
"So you're not going to the office starting Monday?" Vivek asked, changing the topic.
"He said I will wait for Moon in the office. Then we will go home after lunch. I'm starting to hate my job and I'm not starting yet." I sighed in disbelief. I'm already dreading next week to come. If I can only stop the time.
"Well, I think it is more stressful in the office. At least, well probably, at home, Parth sir is a different person. You wouldn't know." Vivek added.
"What if he is worst at home? Oh my... why is this happening to me? It all started with me vomiting and picking a fight with him in his bar, him just scolding me and calling me names all the time and now he wanted me to be his daughter's caretaker. If he thinks I'm foolish, why would he even entrust his daughter to me?." I'm complaining, yes.
"I don't want to assume but I think he likes you." Vivek said and Niyon added, "I think so too!"
I don't want that topic to progress because that's totally nonsense. "Change topic, before I forgot, if ever Mr. Omkar asked you to go to Thistlestone, please take care. Mr. Arun is a pervert!"
Niyon and Vivek's eyes widened. "Really? Why?"
"Parth sir already knew that Mr. Arun was plotting to do something perverted to me. Maybe he knew Mr. Arun very well. The water he had there that was supposed to be given to me has some kind of sleeping aid in it. I'm just lucky Parth sir sensed that there's something wrong with Mr. Arun's requests. Otherwise, that old man already assaulted me."
"Oh gosh! That's scary." Niyon was shocked by what I just said. "Now I wondered how Mr. Arun disappeared so suddenly by the world, yesterday I read in the news that people saw him transforming into water vapor," Niyon told us sadly, as we all know that no sinner survives in this new world, sinners vanish into the air as soon as they commit a sin just like what happened with Mr. Arun. Maybe he took advantage of people in the past, so today God made him disappear as a vapor, maybe this is his end. "You're still lucky Roop. Well, to be honest, Mr. Parth is just very cold all the time but he is a very smart and strong guy." Said Niyon.
"I agree." Vivek nodded in agreement.
I suddenly remember what he said to Mr. Arun. I don't want to assume the meaning behind it but I must admit that his words flustered me. Flustered not because he defended me. But flustered in a different way that I cannot explain.
"I am here to tell you personally to not dare lay your hand on my Roop. Yes, you heard it right! What's mine is mine! I am not willing to share him with you and with anyone who wants him."
Sounded very nice to my ears that I want to repeat it again and again. But then, I reminded myself again, he's fire and I'm ice.
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"But Mamma.."
"Aishhh Roopeshwar. I can handle myself well. Besides, your boss sent someone earlier to help me with all the work. She is actually very good. As much as I want to pay her, she said Mr. Parth Omkar is in charge of her salary. Isn't he nice?" I know Mamma just trying to be brave, she just can't let me go like that. She held my hand and rubs her fingers on my knuckles.
"Roop, listen baby. I know you want to work as an office employee. I want that for you too. But the thought of that child wanting you to be her caretaker is something that touches me. As you said, she doesn't have a mother. And Mr. Parth is a busy man. Maybe she saw the love and attention she was searching for from you. You cared for her, you showed her she's important, you know how to talk to her properly to make her follow her father's orders and you know what makes her cringe. She reminded me of your little sister. She loved being called princess too." Mamma smiled.
"Roop, my heart breaks for that child. If I could only take care of her, I would. Because I miss taking care of your little sister. Just think of her as your little sister. And then, when she's already at the right age or if Mr. Parth decided to get married, you can always go back to the corporate world."
Somehow, Mamma was right. Once Parth sir got married or once Moon is old enough, I will leave their house and work again in a corporate setting. As much as I wanted to resign, I simply can't. My mother needs financial assistance to go to that concert. We need to pay for the tickets and other bills. But now, since I'm not given a choice, I will try my best to take care of Moon. Just like the way I cared for my little sister.
But to go there, I decided one thing, I would reform that cold-hearted man. I will end the sorrows of Partha sir and make him happy again, as a well-wisher and suppress his harshness.So that he doesn't hurt anyone else, his other employees, or anyone else, maybe God is sending me there so that I can show him the path to happiness. And at the same time be able to give my affection to that sweet little girl, I will be successful because I have hope!