XXXVIII. Daksh Agnihotri

"A sibling, the person who annoys us and always irritates us. But they will be the ones to bring the smile on our faces and they will always love us no matter what."

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"You?" I shrieked in surprise seeing him.

"Yes, Mrs. Avni Goenka. I knew that you remember me." I felt my cheeks flush, I forgot about him after meeting him that day. I had many things to deal with on my plate that I forgot about the stranger who declared me as his friend.

"Aww, you hurt my heart. You forgot about your friend just after meeting him. You wound me." He exclaimed in fake sadness placing his hand where his heart lays.

His simple action brought a smile to my face, the genuine one that I lost yesterday. I smacked him on his arm in a playful manner.

"Violent." I heard the word he uttered under his breath. I ignored it as it brought many other sweet memories.

"You can't blame me for forgetting you, it's your face. It's forgettable." I teased him to which he laughed.

"Funny, little one." That word sent a warm feeling to my heart. I never thought of having a sibling, and Nihal was there with me as a big brother. Now, listening to Aj calling me with his name for me, I want to have a brother. My own one, the one who annoys me and teases me all the time, but also the one that will look after me. I wish that I had a sibling like him.

"Enough!" I exclaimed making him stop the teasing.

"Ok, fine! I will stop now." He stopped laughing and his expression turned serious. "How are you, little one?"

I didn't have an answer to that question and I don't even want to think about it. No, I am not okay. I have murderers in my family and I might know the person behind the present accident. The threat to my husband and my child, with all these things, how can I be fine! Was the thing I wish to speak. "I am fine." Were the words that came out of my mouth.

"Ok, I will not press you further. You remember this thing, I will always be there to help you." He left the topic, I was thankful for him for ending the matter otherwise I might have told him everything.

"Now, will you show me your house?" He lifted his arms in the air.

"You mean a house tour." It was a good distraction. But with all the people in the house, it may be difficult to have a tour. "With these people in the house, you want a tour?" I voiced my thoughts. He thought for a moment before letting his hands fall.

"I know exactly what to show you. Follow me." I ordered him. I tried to avoid bumping into people, I don't want to take their sympathy. So, I took the less crowded way.

"You wanted to show this." His voice brought me back to the present. We reached the garden, my favorite part.

I ignored his words and went inside, I wanted to avoid people so I went deep. I found a bench there and sat on it. Aj followed my suit and sat beside me.

"No noise, no people and fresh air. Can you find a better place than this?" I questioned him when I found a frown on his face. His face relaxed after hearing my question. He observed the surroundings before relaxing.

"I think you are right. It is rather peaceful and calm out here." He took a deep breath. We were in the part of the garden that was covered in tall trees. Nothing was visible from his except for the structure of the house.

"I agree to it." We sat in silence enjoying the peaceful atmosphere between us.

"Tell me."

"What are." We both spoke at the same time. We looked at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"You go first." He gave me the chance to ask after our laughing ceased.

"Ok, I wanted to know about you." He raised his eyebrows and wiggled them suggesting something inappropriate. "Eww no, I want to know your name. I want to know how you are here today." I finished giving him clarity.

"Oh, you could have known about me if you googled about me." He looked at me as if I was three years old and making me understand was the most difficult task in the world. "Now, you are going to make me tell you everything."

"Hey, stop praising yourself. I must be the person to praise you and getting praises from me is a difficult task." I challenged him.

"Ok then, I accept this challenge." He rubbed his hands as if he can't contain his excitement. I knew that he was someone famous, he might be from a powerful family or he might have relations with people in high positions. However, I am excited to learn about him.

"So, little one. Have you heard about Daksh?" I thought for a moment but nothing strikes my mind. I shook my head in negative. "What do you know then?" He sighed before continuing. "Have you heard about Agnihotri? Daksh Agnihotri."

"Daksh Agnihotri," I repeated the name, my eyes widened in disbelief when my mind registered the name.

"Are you kidding me?" I stood in front of him. "Do you think I haven't heard about him?" I rubbed my wrist and prepared as if I was going to punch him. That man didn't move a muscle and sat there like a statue.

"Yes about him. Do you know him?" With his question, excitement bubbled in me.

"Of course I know about him. He is a self-made billionaire. He is in the second position in India I admire his passion. I heard that he was an orphan and he started his company when he was 18 years old. In, five years span his company grew. Now, his companies stand in second place. I admire his hard work and compassion. His paintings are wonderful, and the charities-" I stopped my rant when I heard chuckles.

He tried to control his smile when he saw me glaring at him. "I didn't know that you were his fan girl. Continue your appreciation little one." I ignored him.

"Yes, I admire him for the person he is. But, I don't know how he looks; I never looked at his picture." I sighed wistfully. I was tempted to look at him, but I controlled my urges and just read about his works. I knew that he was handsome and I didn't want to waste my time crushing on a stranger.

"Wow, you have very useful information." I gave him a blank look.

"Ok, but are you related to him?" I questioned him because I knew that he will not ask me useless questions.

He stood in front of me and spread his hands. "You are looking at him little one." I gave him a confused look urging him to explain in detail. "I am Daksh Agnihotri."

I felt my mouth fall wide open in shock. I never felt that the person that befriended me will be a person that I admire.

He came towards me with a smirk on his face. He placed his fingers on my chin. "Close your mouth, little one." I snapped my mouth shut.

I felt embarrassing, I ranted in front of him about him. From what I know about him, he will never let me forget about this.

"Now, you are impressed. Am I right?" He pressed me for an answer, there was a mischievous look in his eyes. I opened my mouth to answer but someone else beat me to it.

"Who is impressed by whom?" I jumped in fright listening to the third voice.

I looked at the person and found Abhi there standing, the sun was shining behind his back. He looked devilishly handsome in his black suit.

"So, what's happening here?" He asked again when there was no response from us both. I snapped my attention back to his question.

"Nothing," I replied without thinking for a second. Abhi raised his eyebrow in question, he looked at me and then at Aj. I followed his gaze and found that there was less distance between us both. I moved towards Abhi as I didn't want to convey any wrong information to him.

"So, I will make the introductions." I turned towards Aj. "This is Aj, I mean Daksh, and Daksh this is my husband Abhi." I made the introductions and watched as they two shook their hands.

"Everyone left the house and Diya is looking for you," Abhi informed me. I nodded my head in reply and turned towards Aj.

"Come, I will show you the house and introduce Diya to you." I urged Aj to follow me.

We both went inside and like Abhi said the house was empty. I found Diya sitting on the sofa in the living room.

"Princess." Hearing my voice she lifted her head, a bright smile lit her face up. I approached her and gave her a long hug.

"Are you tired, princess?" I have not seen much of her from the morning. So, I was worried that she might be exhausted.

"No, mama. I am fine." She looked behind me and asked me in a low voice. "Who is behind you, mama?"

"Oh, I have someone who wishes to meet with you." I looked at Aj and signaled him to come forward. He came and stood in front of Diya; Diya got shy and kept looking at me.

"Princess, this is the person I want to introduce. This is Daksh, my friend, and Aj this is Diya, my cute daughter." Aj took the situation in his hand when Diya still didn't move from my side.

He plopped on the other side of Diya. "Avni, is this princess you were telling me about?" He questioned me.

"Yes," I observed that Diya was looking at him from the corner of her eye.

"I got her many gifts. There are at my home, I planned to give them to Diya when I meet her next time. Now, she is not interested in them I think. I will enjoy those things myself." He sighed as if it pained him.

Diya came out of my side and looked at him. "Gifts?" She asked in a small voice.

"Yes, I got some dolls, cars, chocolates, and ice cream." He looked at her and extended his hand. "Will you be my friend? I will share all the toys with you." He waited patiently as Diya contemplated on what to do next.

"You give me totlate." Aj nodded his head agreeing to her request or rather a demand.

"Yep, I will give you this many chocolates." He stretched his hand to maximum level.

"Ok, friends." As Aj extended his hand again, but now Diya placed her hand in his and they shook their hands.

"Now, see little one, this is how we convince a girl to be my friend. Learn something from me." He boasted.

"Ohh, I think blackmailing and tempting is not a fair way to gain friends now, is it?" I taunted him in reply. "Learn something from me Aj." I mimicked his tone.

"Aj?" A small voice caught our attention and we stopped our banter. We both looked down and found Diya giving us a confused look.

"Oh, that princess. I gave him a nickname and I call him Aj."

"And I call her little one because she is smaller than me." Aj completed my sentence and I glared at him in reply.

"Ya, and you definitely know what Aj means right?" I countered. He nodded his head and went back to Diya.

"What does that mean?" I heard a voice behind me. I turned around and found Abhi leaning down and whispering in my ear.

"It's nothing. We just came up with some silly names. Why don't you join us." I gestured to the seat across from us. I didn't understand the expression on his face, I was seeing it for the first time.

He sat in the armchair across from us, he kept looking at the duo beside me. I turned towards them when I heard them call me.

We sat there ideally and chatted for a long time. All the time I felt the heat of a particular person but I tried to ignore it. I was unable to understand his feelings.

"Oh, now I have to leave. I overstayed my visit." Aj started looking at the time.

"Definitely not, you are invited here anytime and why don't you stay for dinner?" I proposed.

"Yes, Aj. Stay for dinner." Diya asked him with a small pout on her face. She started calling him Aj, the same as me. She stated that she loved the name, as it was short.

Aj opened his mouth to reply but Abhi beat it. "Avni, the man is busy. He might have some important works on hold. He will visit us when he is free. Now, don't force him." He said the last part looking at Aj. Aj stood up and I followed the suit.

"I might be a busy person but I definitely make time for my friends. However, I need to leave for now." He ruffled the hair on Diya's head. "Ok, I will get you the gifts next time we meet." Diya nodded her head and went inside after bidding him goodbye.

"Nice meeting you, Daksh Agnihotri." Abhi stood and they both shook hands.

"I will see him to the door," I informed them and followed Aj to the door.

"Stay happy while I am away even though it may be difficult." I simply chuckled at his words.

"I will text you," I informed him. We both shared our numbers and decided to stay in touch. He waved his hand and left, I stared at his back till he got into the car.

I was about to turn when something caught my attention. I saw a person sneaking at the back of the house. I followed her.

I stopped near a tree, which was huge enough to cover me. The woman I was following stood there and it seemed as if she was waiting for someone to arrive. I don't know who the person was but I knew that I should hear from them and it didn't take much longer to find who they were.

I saw the woman I followed to look at something in front of her and her shoulders relaxed. I waited anxiously for the person to arrive in my vicinity. I was not surprised to find the woman, arrived as Damini Goenka.

The woman removed the scarf from her head and I internally groaned on finding Seema there. Lucky for me I was able to hide and hear their conversation.

"Now what is your plan?" Seema asked.

"Eager, aren't we?" Damini replied in a chirpy tone. For a person who just buried her husband, she looked more happy than sad.

"Our plan is going accordingly, I want to complete our next stage," Seema said with enthusiasm. My heart started beating louder, they have a plan and from their words, they succeed in it.

"I would suggest we wait for a few days and progress in the plan. But, I am afraid that if we make any delay they may find about me. We have to act quickly and our next plan is executed tomorrow." Damini said in a firm voice.

I was starting to worry, from their words it seems that their next plan is important which means something deadly news for me. I was even afraid that they will not explain what they will do tomorrow.

"You mean that our next kill is tomorrow." I covered my mouth to suppress the gasp. Damini turned towards the house making me duck behind the tree.

"Yes, you are right," Damini confirmed my worries. Who was their target and how must I save them were the thoughts running in my mind.

"Tomorrow, Abhi Goenka will be killed." And my heart started beating in fear.

Hello guys,

What the hell they are planning?

Any ideas for the next chapter?

Good always wins against evil and now it looks like evil has the upper hand. Let's see if it stays the same or changes.

See you guys in next chapter.

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