ETHEREAL

.7.

Her steps were slow when she walk up the stairs. Holding the soft shiny metal with her delicate fingers. She could bet her fingers felt colder as compare to the cool metal.

Once she reached to the big black door, she took a deep breath.

Knocking the door softly she prepared herself like we prepare ourselves before our roller coaster ride is about to start.

Breath stuck. Nervous but thrilled.

"Come in."

His voice alone can melt her insides. She is surprised by the effect he has on her. Nobody had this effect on her in her entire life. Literally.

Pushing the huge door away she step inside the cold room. .

Cold

Just like his demeanor.

She felt more icy now. Chills were running down her spine when her eyes fall on him, sitting behind a desk.

Those glasses.

Damn.

She walk upto his desk and stand still in front of it. He didn't look up. Not even once. He didn't even said a word.

She began to feel self concious all of a sudden.

Though she is always more comfortable in jeans and loose top but today they made her feel suffocated and confidence was nowhere to be seen.

"Take a seat." Came his abrupt order in a cold voice.

Sudden obedience made her jolt to the nearest chair but there she controlled herself.

Moving slowly, gracefully. Not trying to embarrass herself was the priority.

"Your name?"

It made her blink.

He know that already.

"Sanyukta."

Then he looked up. His eyes as cold as his voice.

"Full name?"

He asked again.

"Sanyukta."

It was true. She didn't has a surname or family. She left that years ago.

He keep looking into her eyes as if trying to read her soul.

"Why did you leave your family?" Came his next question.

He knows.

He fucking know everything.

To my surname to my ancestors.

He had it all.

She could tell by the look in his eyes which were staring deep into her eyes.

"That's personal." Sanyukta replied.

"And I want the answer." Randhir demanded.

"What is this? An interview for some job?" Sanyukta was flushed and was on verge of loosing it. It's always happen whenever her past is mentioned.

"What else it would be?" Randhir answer surprised her.

"Did you really think I would let anybody come here and stay in my premises for free?" Randhir sat back in his seats like he want to enjoy how his mock is going to affect her.

It did.

Can this be more embarrassing for her?

"But it's your luck I guess. My grandparents didn't want to let you go. " Randhir sighed clearly stressing my grandparents.

" You want me to leave? " Sanyukta was ready to leave if he would have said yes.

"I didn't ask you to stay so it's not me who can ask you to leave." Randhir was a man with morals. Atleast it looked like so.

"What do you want me to do?" Randhir straight up hearing her question as if this was what he waiting for.

"You do what you are good at. Take care of them." Randhir stated.

He had this all planned. He introduced me already as caretaker to his staff downstairs.

"Be with them. Keep them busy. Take them out. Schedule their medical check ups. Their health. Their diet. Everything. Keep them happy. " He stated as if doing a business deal.

"And you ? What would you do? It's you who they need most. It's you who they been yearning for years. It's you who can made them happy." I told him truthfully. I would have told him how much they used to talk about him if he wouldn't have made that pissed face that made her want to run away.

"I'm appointing you only as their caretaker. If I would have wanted a counsellor then I would have asked." Randhir taunted and took his attention to the file in his hand and began writing something.

She looked down when he forward the same file to her.

"Fill the amount down there and sign it." He ordered.

What the hell is this?

She screamed mentally.

She took her time. She took all the time she need to read those three pages.

Twice.

It was a three month contract as their caretaker with list of the things she has to do. There was also a list of things which she is not allowed to do in this time.

No Clubbing. No problem.
No Drinking. No problem.
No Relationships. Not at all a problem.
No Bringing friends in mansion. She rarely have someone to call friend.
No other jobs. Okay.
No Asking questions. What?

The audacity this man has to specifically write that in a fucking contract.

Then there was an blank.

She had to fill it with amount she is expecting to get as salary.

Then signature.

It didn't took her seconds to decide what she wants.

"I can't sign it." She stated.

He looked over his glasses and she realised that he was watching her this whole time.

The thought made blood rush to her cheeks.

"Is it the relationship clause?" He asked.

she denied.

"i would not take money for taking care of them."

It didn't feel right to her.

When you help your mom in kitchen, do you ask her to pay. When your parent work to feed you do they ask you anything in return?

How can she take money for taking care of someone she love?

"You won't do the job?" Randhir ask to confirm.

"I am ready to take care of them. For three months as a start but ... I won't take money for that work." Sanyukta looked away from him. He was intimidating her, even when he was sitting back, relaxed, listening to her and trying to understand her.

"This doesn't work this way." Randhir finally said. "If you are working then I have to pay it to you. I don't want to owe anybody anything."

Everything is a deal to this man.

"Do you cook? Or clean?" Randhir enquired.

"Yes but I'm going to do that for them already. So I want take money for any work related to them." Sanyukta stand still on her ground.

Randhir realised that too.

He let out a tired sigh. Only then she noticed how tired his eyes look. It must be a tiring day for him too.

Just like her.

But his next sentence made all her tiredness flew out of the window.

"Work for me then."