1
Chan woke up only at five o’clock in the next morning. After a deep sleep he felt relieved but famished at the same time. He hadn’t had a proper meal since yesterday morning and now his stomach was revolting because of that. He got freshened up and went to the kitchen to find some food. On the way, he looked at the closed door at the end of the hallway for a moment and then continued walking. It was still early for anyone to wake up and the whole mansion had an eerie silence.
When he reached the kitchen, he saw nanny Shu already busy in her works. He went to the fridge to look for something to eat but was stopped by nanny Shu’s words, “Cold food will be bad for you now, young master.”
Chan turned around with an awkward smile and said, “Good morning nanny Shu!”
“A very good morning to you too, young master! I was waiting for you to wake up. This is specially prepared for you. Have a warm breakfast, young master Chan.” Saying that nanny Shu brought some porridge, a glass of milk and a small bowl of brown liquid over to the dining table in the kitchen and gestured Chan to sit.
Chan obediently sat down and looked at the food and then at nanny Shu waiting for an explanation. Nanny Shu understood his gaze; she turned around and went back to the breakfast preparation for the Shaw family and started talking, “Jina saw the way you came in yesterday and asked me to prepare this for the morning. She had said that you would probably be sleeping, and won’t have dinner. So she instructed me to wait for you in the early morning. The bowl has a concoction for bruises; it will help you heal better.”
Chan saw nanny Shu busy in her works and without another word he finished up everything on the table. He took the bowls and went to clean them up in the dishwasher. Nanny Shu saw this and hurried to take it over from him. “Please leave them to me, young master.”
Nanny Shu was an experienced servant who was difficult to confront. So Chan was waiting for this opportunity, where nanny Shu would be closer to him. So he held on to one side of the bowls and said as a complaint, “Why are you treating me as the young master, when, no one else doesn’t even care if I am dead or alive? I feel as a joke, every time you call me young master. Can’t you treat me in the same way you treat Jina?”
“But, you are the son-in-law of the Shaw family, husband of young Miss Anaya and thus our young master. I can’t disrespect you, young master, no matter what happens in between you and the Shaw family. And as for Jina, she is like my own child. I have been personally taking care of her from the moment she was born. Jina likes to hear me calling her by the name and I can’t refute her. So, please don’t make such requests in the future, young master.” By now, nanny Shu had pulled the bowls away from Chan and turned towards the kitchen sink.
“Then why is Anaya not close to you? You seem to care about Jina more than anyone in the house. Were you not around when Anaya was born?” Chan tried to get more information from nanny Shu, about the Shaw family, and especially about Jina.
“I expect young master to have heard of Jina saying that ‘Curiosity killed the cat’”, nanny Shu said. Then she turned around to face Chan and continued, “Have a great day, young master Chan.”
Nanny Shu left no options for Chan, so he nodded and went back to his room. Jina was the owner of the warnings in his head. She always warns or tell something nerve cracking in simple but obscured words. Chan had a fair idea of the whole Shaw family except for Jina. So he suspects that Jina has some secrets and she has something on him too. Every time she speaks to Chan, Chan feels that she has seen through him. Just now, he tried to make nanny Shu talk, in order to get something about Jina, but that wasn’t fruitful.
Jina was like a puzzle that Chan couldn't solve. Moreover Chan felt that Jina's words had an influence over him which was beyond his control. There was something about her that made him trust her, something that made him relaxed, while with her. But his rationality made him keep his guards up and that was why he had been trying to know more about her. Jina was only close to nanny Shu in the house. Her relationship with her parents and Anaya was also weird. Chan had often felt that Jina wasn't their daughter and was a guest living in the house. The Shaws also act as if there wasn't such a person in the house. Even then, her position was better than his. She still was the second young miss of the house.
2 While Chan was thinking about Jina, he saw a person walking through the garden along the Lilacs as a cover and entering the house. The lazy shirt and jeans outfit with a bag on the shoulders and high tied hair made Chan recognize that person as Jina. Her always calm face was now tired and she seemed to be tensed. She hurriedly went inside her room before anyone could notice. Chan saw all these and doubts filled in his brain. She wasn't home last night and it seemed like no one else knew. So, where was she and why all the secrecy? Chan also noticed some ash marks on her white face and hands that stood noticeably. It was obvious that she was up to something and Chan couldn't help but worry. Though Jina was one of the daughters of the Shaw family and meant to be pampered like Anaya, she was instead considered as a jinx by all others. She was always a weird and closed person. And whenever she spoke, something ba
3 By the time he sorted his thoughts and emotions, the bus from downtown to the Ochre city hub came. He got in and his thoughts again wandered off to Jina. “Curiosity killed the cat!” He had heard her saying this before, but never gave much thought to it. She always talks in riddles and those keep ringing in his ears from time to time. So he usually avoided giving much thought on her words to keep her voice off from his head. Now that nanny Shu said it, especially when he was asking about Jina, he felt that something was amiss. What is the secret that she holds, which can cause him his life? He needed more information on her to make plans ahead. So he took out his phone and sent a message to Mr. P, to dig on Jina Shaw’s details in a very detailed manner. Chan reached the office in an hour. On seeing the files piled on his desk, he regretted coming. The tax investigations were getting on his nerves. Everything
1 It was Sunday and was meant to be a holiday. But for Chan, it’s the worst day of the week. It was the day Anaya went for shopping and clubbing with her friends. Naturally, Chan was the escort for the party team. Escort was just in name, and Anaya used Chan as her maid, personal assistant to carry everyone’s bags and even as a server in the party hall, when required. Moreover, he was the best cover up for everything she did, as he won’t tell on her to Mr. Shaw and can solve all the issues she made. Chan woke on time as usual and got dressed. He was planning to escape before Anaya’s call came. He got out of his room and found that Jina was room was still locked. Her absence made him wonder, if Jina had met some trouble yesterday. Then he shook off that thought and decided to focus on himself. When Chan reached downstairs, he saw Shen Shaw and his wife already leaving the house. There must be some gathering to a
2 Seeing the sister’s come to the car, Chan hurriedly went to take over and place Ameya’s luggage into the car. “Am not I pretty, Chan? Don’t I look better than before?” Ameya walked over, made a swirl and asked Chan with a smile that could impress anyone. Ameya was sure beautiful, and as she was much younger, she had that sincere and pure charm of a young little girl. She would surely attract anyone’s attention, with that round dimpled face and smile, not to mention her perfectly modeled figure. “Why aren’t you answering? Am I not beautiful?” Ameya asked Chan with a depressed face, seeing how Chan was taking time to answer an obvious question. “Oh! I am sorry. You surely are beautiful, Ameya. Actually, I was thinking, exactly how you looked like, the last time we met. And I couldn’t remember it, unfortunately.” Chan said regretfully while scratching the back of his head. Ameya was dumbstruck hearing that a
3 Hani broke away quickly and sat straight as if nothing happened. Though Anaya saw what was going on, she also turned a blind eye and said to Chan in a hurry, “Chan, go and look for Ameya. She is drunk and has gone out for some time now. Her phone is here with me. I am afraid she will be in some trouble. Go and find her quickly.” Chan saw the instructions as lifesaving and went out to look for Ameya. He started with the washroom and then the nearby halls, but Ameya was nowhere to be found. Every specialized event hall was similar. There were DJ and bar, along with dance floors and other amenities. Everyone inside were either drunk or dancing. If not these two, there were pairs getting intimate under the elevated moods. Chan made a round of all the venues in their floor and stood at the fire exit thinking what to do next. On one hand Ameya was missing and Anaya was still drinking. On the other hand, Jina was no
1 Chan walked aimlessly into the night. When the path ended at the sea, he also stopped. He was still wet and the cold breeze made him shiver. He walked along the beach for an unknown time hoping to make his brain go numb in the coldness. He knew Anaya was a hopeless case, but he didn’t expect Ameya to be also twisted at such a young age. The thoughts spiraled out of his control and ended in Jina. He realized that he had forgotten about Jina. He quickly hailed a cab and went home; hoping that she was already at home. When he reached Lilac mansion, it was already two in the morning. He first went to check the garage and found that none of the Shaws were back. He worried if that included Jina too. Chan then went into kitchen to get something to eat. He was starving from all the exhaustion and had started to sneeze from the cold. He got himself some milk and bread and went upstairs. Jina never used th
2 It irked Anaya, but she was more concerned with salvaging the situation, so ignored Ameya’s words. The party and further drama was all planned by Anaya. She had planned to make use of Chan and Ameya’s drunken actions as a reason to throw Chan out. Ameya was promised a role in an upcoming film if the plan succeeded. But who knew, Chan would react so harshly? He was so clear headed and decisive that Ameya didn’t even have a chance to kiss him properly. If Chan was even a bit hesitating, then Ameya would have taken it to the next level and then Anaya would make an issue out of it before anything happens. That was the plan, but everything flopped. “I should go back the next day itself. There is no way you would keep your promise after the plan failed, right? I should at least not miss my classes.” Ameya said with disappointment filled in her eyes. Keeping everything within the family was always the best. That’s why Ameya’s help was asked, instead of an outsider. But it rebounded. “
3 “I have something to discuss with you. When will you have time?” Jina was straight forward with her words. Though Chan had no idea what that was about, he still said, “Fine. But I won’t be free until evening. If it’s urgent, how about we talk on the way to the office?” “Okay. I will wait for you at the bus stop.” Jina said and walked downstairs. Chan hesitated for a moment and then went to have breakfast. Food was something Chan never wanted to miss. So he always tried to eat in time. As agreed, Jina was waiting for Chan at the bus stop. When the bus came they both got in. Jina sat at the last row and invited Chan to sit with her. Jina was sitting at the window seat and her hair was flying in the wind on to her face. In the morning sunlight Chan found that beautiful, but without any expression he sat next to her. “What’s going on between you and Ameya?” Jina asked without any delay. The question took Chan by surprise. “How did you know?” Chan asked in reply. “That’