Bruises| Abhira FF ✔️

CHAPTER 10

Third Person's POV

He peered out over the balcony, his eyes taking in the bright colours squeezing through clouds. It was chilly, he thought, pulling his thin cardigan around himself. The scent of the rain hung in the air as he saw the sky darken and the colours faded away as the morning fully arrived. Pinks, yellows, and reds disappeared first. Blue soon followed, overtaken by the greyness layering up on the city.

But as the mist thickened and the unmistakable roll of the thunder growled threateningly, one colour hung on, rapidly fading. Orange. It didn't take long until the husky colour faded. Rain splattered the window. He went inside.

"What's that sound?" Rhea asked, as she cuddled close to her teady bear. Though Abhimanyu had given a whole room to Rhea but she insisted on sleeping with him last night, and as usual, he couldn't deny.

"It's just rain, kiddo. There's nothing to worry about." he replied as he sat on the bed, and she scooted closer to him.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, and she nodded as she sat up on the bed, rubbing the sleep away from her eyes.

"Come on, let's get freshen up first. Then we'll go downstairs for breakfast." he got out of bed, but she stayed in the same position.

"Come on, Rhea." he motioned her to come, and she stretched her arms forward, asking him to pick her up. He chuckled and shook his head before picking her up in his arms and taking her to the bathroom.

After they both were done brushing their teeth, washing their faces, and combing hair, they both headed downstairs for breakfast. He pulled the chair and made her sit on the dining table.

"What do you want? Eggs, toast, pancakes?" he asked, and she remained silent.

"What's the matter, little one?" he caressed her cheek lightly.

"So many things. We only got one thing to eat at the orphanage." she told her, and a rush of guilt came over him.

"It's all for you, kiddo. Eat all you want." he told her, and she smiled widely before taking a piece of pancake in her plate.

"Syrup?" he asked, and she nodded immediately. After breakfast, he got ready for office and went to the living room where Rhea was watching television.

"Suresh!" he called out his servant while adjusting the watch on his wrist.

"Papa?" she walked up to him, and he bent down to her level.

"Are you going somewhere?" she asked.

"Yes. I'm going to the office." he told her, meanwhile Suresh came running into the living room.

"Can't you stay? I will get lonely." she pouted. He held her hands and brought her closer.

"No princess. Papa got a business to run, and you won't be lonely. Suresh will be here with you." he kissed her cheek and got up.

"Suresh, I want you to be with her every second. Take care of her." he told him, and he nodded.

"Bye, Rhea." he waved at her before leaving the house.

"The weather is getting worse." Neil said as he took a seat in Abhimanyu’s office.

"So you've brought Rhea home?" he asked, and Abhimanyu nodded, focused on his work.

"What's next?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" he asked as he opened the drawer to find something.

"I mean, you can't hide her from the world. People are going to know one day." he told him.

"So?" he furrowed his eyebrows at him.

"She's a five year old Abhimanyu! What will be your explanation? That where was she all these years and most importantly, who's the mother? You aren't even married yet! It can fuck up your whole image in the business industry." Neil told him.

"So, you want me to send her back?" he asked, a little annoyed.

"No. I just want you to find a solution to all this." he said, and Abhimanyu again got busy in finding something.

"Where the hell is Akshara?" he yelled as he wasn't able to find the important files.

"She hasn't reached yet. The weather is pretty bad. Maybe she's stuck." Neil explained.

"I don't give a fuck. She should be here by now." he said, and at the same time, the office door swung open, revealing Akshara, half drenched in rain. Neil got up and gave her a sympathetic look before leaving the office.

"Have you seen the time?" he gritted his teeth as she moved forward and placed some files on his table.

"I'm sorry, sir. The weather is so bad, I got stuck in the traffic." she apologized.

"So? I live in the same city, but I still came on time." he argued. Yeah, in your Mercedes-Benz, she mentally rolled her eyes at him.

"Hello? I'm talking to you?" he said, snapping his fingers, and she looked at him.

"It won't happen again, sir!" she told him as she looked down.

"I have few rules around here, and I expect them to be followed. Understood!" he yelled slightly. She nodded.

"Now leave!" he told her, and she left the office.

It was almost seven in the evening now. All the staff was given half day off due to bad weather conditions, but Abhimanyu stayed in the office. He still had some files to go through, and he didn't want to take them home because he wanted to spend the rest of the time with Rhea.

But the weather was getting worse. Black clouds sprawled across the sky, billowing in from the west. Their brassy glare drained colors from houses and trees and burnished cars in the driveways, leaving the neighborhoods tinted bronze in the faltering light.

The air grew heavy, and the humidity pressed down, suffocating. The scent of the rain was dark and heady. Winding up his work, he made his way out of the office and into the car when his phone went off.

"Hello, sir!" it was suresh, his voice a little shaky.

"Yeah?" he responded as he started the car.

"Sir, Rhea has been crying for an hour. I tried to calm her down, but she wasn't listening. She's asking for you." suresh told him.

"I'll be home in fifteen minutes suresh, just look over her." By saying this, he hung up the phone.

He reached the home after almost forty-five minutes instead of fifteen due to the heavy rain. He immediately got off the car and went inside.

"Papa!" Rhea came crying as soon as she saw him and hugged his legs.

"Hey, princess. It's okay now. I'm here." he took her in his arms and caressed her back, trying to calm her down.

"I'm scared. I don't like this." she said, referring to the bad weather.

"Me neither, kiddo." he said as he separated himself enough to look at her before wiping the tears off her face.

"I don't wanna stay at home alone again." she told him as she hugged him again, and that was the moment he realized that he couldn't do this alone.

° ° °