Disguised Darling|✓

Prologue

It had been thundering down the street all night, loud lightning and dark sky but it is only now that the pitter-patter of the rain has begun.

Mishti had been waiting for the arrival of her brother for half an hour, hands clutching tightly at the straps of her bag, half of her face covered by a scarf in an attempt to conceal her identity, her eyes warily gazing at her surroundings every five seconds, apprehension getting best of her.

It was then when she had received a call, from the said man who stated that his car has broken down but he'll be there shortly.

Mishti, like a good sister, had told him not to bother and that she'll come home by herself in a cab.

Mihir had protested.

"No, Chutki. It's twelve in the night, the weather is not very amiable, neither are those things in your bag. You know we can't let anyone doubt you." He had said and then groaned, most likely to himself.

"I – I don't know how this happened. Everything was planned, I was on my way to you but then the tire punctured. I can't seem to find any cab on this highway, and it would take Raghav or Ranvi so much more time to reach to you...."

"Bhai! Calm down, will you? I'm big enough to take care of myself as well as this bag, so don't worry, ok? I'm pretty sure I'll find some transport on this street. I'll see you in half an hour." Mishti could tell that he wanted to protest but knew that this was probably the fastest option, and so he had begrudgingly agreed.

That had been fifteen minutes ago and Mishti is still waiting for a cab.

It isn't until she hears the police siren in the near distance that the panic settles in her heart, eyes frantically searching all over the place to hide.

Miraculously, it is then that she sees a taxi zooming in her direction, but the speed at which the car is moving, not slowing down to pick up a ride, tells her that it already carries a passenger. But that doesn't matter to her. Between the nearing police siren and a passenger filled cab, the choice is obvious for someone like her. 

Making a quick decision, Mishti flails her hand in the rain splattered air for the driver to see, her uncovered forehead getting marred with lines of distress which hopefully would make the driver sympathize with her, should he be a good person.

Turns out he is a good man when he stops his speeding car right in front of her, rolling down the window as he peeks from it from the driver's seat.

"Miss, do you need a ride? Mine is the last cab that would be passing through this street for the next six hours."

Mishti answers the man with a grateful nod, opening the door to the back seat and settling in. As predicted, a passenger is dozing off there, his head thrown back on the headrest and mouth opened in silence. What grabs her attention though is that even while asleep, the man has a huge furrow between his brows and lines marring his temple.

Shaking the thought out of her head, Mishti tells the driver to drop her on the highway, not giving him her proper address, lest any investigation happens in the future.

The sleeping man lets out a noise then, something akin to a sorrowful whimper.

"Don't mind him," the driver interrupts her train of thoughts, looking back at her from the rear-view.

"He has been like this for hours, talking in his sleep and letting out those noises. I think he's drunk. Had it not been for the money he had given me beforehand, I would've dropped him somewhere on the street. It's been hours since I'm driving, and he still hasn't told me his address." The driver grumbles, an exasperated look on his face.