Hi all..

Here's the next part..

I dedicate this part to my friend Itz__Gayu for voting first on the previous part.

Pray that the Corona gets controlled soon. Stay indoors and be safe. Prevent the transmission and be a responsible citizen.

Don't panic unnecessarily but don't be ignorant either.

***********************************
Recap:

Vindhya tells Karthik her parent's wish and apologises to him saying that she can't give their relationship a chance.

Karthik promised not to disturb Vindhya anymore.

**********************

Karthik's POV:

As soon as we reached home, I walked into my room to avoid my parent's questions.

I laid on the bed and thought about what vindhya said. Maybe if there is no such wish from her deceased parents, she would have given me a chance. Whose mistake is this? Noone's.

Sighing, I tossed around in my bed.

I heard my room's door open. I stilled acting  to be asleep.

" Karthik" I heard dad's voice angrily.

I felt dad sitting beside me on the bed.

" Karthik, I know that you're not sleeping. Sit straight" Dad said angrily.

I don't want to make dad more angry, so I sat beside him the next moment.

Dad looked at me and I'm ready to hear some scoldings.

Contrary to my expectations, dad took my face into his hands and asked " How are you son?"

" Dad?" I asked confused.

" I can see how much you love her. How much are you hurting inside?" Dad asked me.

I couldn't say a word but dad engulfed me into a hug and whispered " Everything will be fine Karthik."

" Thanks dad." I said.

" Don't think about the happened things. Sleep for now. I'll talk with you in the morning." Dad said to me.

" Okay dad goodnight." I said and dad watched over me until I fell asleep.

Vindhya's POV:

As soon as Karthik's family left, mom went into their room along with Appa. Sid just looked at me confused.

" Akka, I thought that you love Karthik." Sid asked me.

I promised myself that I'll not hide anything from Sid, so I told him everything. My parents, their wish about my marriage.

" Akka, are you doing the right thing?" Sid asked me.

" I do not know either Sid." I replied holding my head.

" Let's find your cousin Akka. What if he is already married or is in love with somone else? You can then marry Karthik na." Sid suggested.

" I don't have any clue about how I should find my cousin Sid. Hopefully I may get a clue after seeing Amelia's box which is in Team Ten's place." I said.

" Both you and Karthik are hurting Akka." Sid said sadly.

" Karthik is the one who is most hurt and I hate to hurt him Sid." I said.

" Karthik understands you so well akka" Sid remarked.

" Yes Sid. I'm so lucky to find a person like him and I'm so unlucky to lose him too." I said.

Next morning:

" Vindhya, get ready for the walk." Appa said coming into my room.

When we entered the park, Appa spoke "Karthik asked me permission to marry you a few days ago. He said that he unintentionally proposed you but he had no bad intentions. I agreed after thinking about all the things. I thought that he is the best son in law I could ever get for my daughter."

" Sorry Appa, Karthik spoke like that yesterday because of me. Karthik took the blame for me." I said bending my head.

" I know dear. Anyways it's your decision to marry him or not." Appa said.

" Appa, I didn't mean to cheat you. When you came to Team Ten's office, I was worried to see you like that. I wanted to reveal my identity after finding Amelia but my identity itself got changed after knowing about her." I said.

" Sorry to hide the truth Vindhya." Appa said.

" Don't say sorry Appa. Infact you gave me the best life I could have ever had. Appa along with me, my cousin is also left on the road the very same day. Did you find any boy beside me that day?" I asked him.

" No Vindhya. I didn't find anyone nearby. If at all I had seen, I would have taken him also." Appa said.

" Okay Appa." I said sadly.

Later I took Appa, Amma and Sid to the Team Ten's place. They are in awe about how we converted an abandoned building into our place.

All my friends looked surprised.

Deepak dragged me away from my family and called all our friends.

" I informed them about Team Ten" I explained.

" But that would endanger your family" Deepak glared at me.

" I will protect them but I'm unable to lie anymore." I said.

" Don't be hard on her Deepak, she would have thought about everything." Vaishnavi said.

I didn't have the need to do introductions as my family knows all my friends.

Appa and mom are surprised to see my friends working here.

" So all of you had hid this truth." Appa exclaimed unbelievably.

" Yes uncle." They all replied in unison.

Later everyone went to do their respective works but Deepak stayed back.

" Where is Amelia's box?" I asked him.

" It is in your room." Deepak replied.

" Don't be so angry Deepika. I'll explain." I whispered and led my parents, Sid towards my room.

By the time I entered, mom is looking intently at the box.

Appa and Sid are looking around.

" This is the box which was found in Amelia's place." I explained.

" This has a 4 digit password to open. You can try the password only 3 times." Deepak said pointing towards the lock and the keyboard on the box.

(P.S: I imagined a much different design but I'm so bad in drawing my thoughts 😅. So I took the pic from Google which is closer to my imagination. )

" I didn't find this pattern anywhere, not even in her diary. What do we do now?" I said holding my head.

" I think I can help you in this." Amma said surprising me.

" When your father brought you home, we noticed a tattoo of a pattern similar to this. The tatoo was etched on your lower back. Your father and I thought that it's better to remove it as you may ask questions about it in the future. I however took a photograph of that tattoo. That photo is in the locker." Amma said.

" Thank you Amma. You helped us so much." I said hugging her.

Deepak and Appa went home to bring that. Meanwhile I wondered if that photo will complete this my quest for answers.

Amma and Sid sat in the chairs having tea but I don't know why I'm feeling like restless like this.

Appa and Deepak returned in half an hour.

The photo which Amma said had exactly the same pattern but it had only 2 numbers within this pattern.

46

Where are the other two numbers?

I think I have an idea.

Either the 4 digits are within this 2 numbers
Or

The other two numbers can be with my cousin.

Sighing, I returned the photo to Amma.

Appa, mom and Sid left after a while.

I then explained everything to Deepak.

" So you are Amelia and Samuel's daughter" Deepak is shocked.

" Yes" I said.

" What are you going to do now?" Deepak asked me.

"Let me try using these 2 digits 46. Can it be 4646?" I said and typed the password.

The box didn't open and we realised that it's a wrong password.

" No use." Deepak said dejected.

" I pray that I'll find a way to open this soon." I said sincerely.

" What now?" Deepak asked.

" I'm going to Kolkata tomorrow. I'll check the house and Amelia's work place again." I said.

" Let me accompany you." Deepak asked.

" No Deepak. I'll go alone. This time I know what to look for. Also that Mr.Khanna is in police's  custody, I'm not worried." I assured him.

Informing everyone at home and listening to a bunch of advises about safety and being careful, I started.

But still I really don't know what I'm going to do. I don't have an idea where my cousin is. I don't have an idea if he knows he is the son of Nathan. I don't have an idea if he knows about this tattoo. I don't have an idea if he is also adopted somewhere like me or he is surviving all by his own. I don't have an idea if his tattoo is also removed like mine. All I can do is to PRAY. Pray that I'll find him somewhere and help him know that he isn't abandoned or left out. Pray that he is safe and sound. Pray that I'll find a way to reach him. Pray that he'll not hate our elders.

Karthik's POV:

" Karthik, where are you going?" I heard Dad ask me.

" I'm going on a tour dad." I replied.

" Take care." Dad said.

I decided to visit few places to divert my mind. Well, I don't have an idea where I should go.

Let me decide after going to the airport I thought.

Guess whom I saw in the airport?

My schoolmate Sindhusha.

I facepalmed myself for stumbling across her.

" Hi Karthik. What a pleasant surprise! I'm so happy to see you. It's been years since we met though I've been seeing your Instagram account everyday." She said as soon as she saw me.

I smiled uncomfortably.

" Where are you going?" She asked me.

" I'm going on a trip." I said.

" Wow what a coincidence. I'm also going on a trip." She screamed causing the attention of few people.

" I'm going to Andaman and Nicobar." I said hoping that she would leave me. She is afraid of islands and she hates them as well.

I saw her smile falter. However she asked me " Can I join you in your trip? I'm alone this time and I really don't like to go alone."

What do I do now to escape? I've been raking my mind for a possible and sensible escape.

Suddenly, someone bumped into me.

Irritated I turned to see who it is.

" You?" I asked shocked.

" Yes, sorry man." He replied.

" Are you travelling too?" I asked him

" No Karthik, I'm searching for Vindhya and she is running from me. Have you seen her nearby?" Deepak asked me.

" Why is she running from you?" I asked confused.

" I'll tell you later. If you just find Vindhya around, call me." Deepak said and walked away fastly searching for her.

What are you doing now Vindhya? I thought.

" I'm going to find her first." I informed Sindhusha.

" No problem. I'll accompany you Karthik." She smiled and wrapped her hands around my arms.

Sighing I looked around and to my dismay I saw Vindhya looking at me from one of the corner.

I walked till there and asked " Vindhya what are you doing?"

" I'm surprised to see you here Karthik. I'm just seeing you." She said bluntly.

" Seeing me? Aren't you worried that Deepak is here searching for you?" I asked.

" What? Did deepak come here?" She asked me.

" Yes." I confirmed.

" I need to leave. Bye Karthik." She said and began walking.

" Vindhya, where are you going?" I asked her.

" I'm going to Kolkata Karthik. Deepak wants to accompany me but I'm okay and I can manage alone. He isn't listening to me." Vindhya sounded irritated.

" Wow, I'm going on a trip. Why don't I start with Kolkata?" I smiled at Vindhya.

" Kolkata would be great Karthik." I heard Sindhusha say.

" You don't have to come for me Karthik. I'll be fine." Vindhya said.

Ofcourse she has to argue or else how can she be Vindhya?

" I'm not coming for you. I'll be visiting places in Kolkata with my friend. Deepak asked me to call him if I find you. What shall I do?" I asked her.

" Please don't call him Karthik. He already missed so many days from his office because of me. I don't want him to do it again." Vindhya said guiltily.

" Don't be sad, I won't tell him but in return me and my friend are coming to Kolkata." I said and Sindhusha jumped excited.

I booked two tickets for the same flight in which Vindhya is travelling.

Luckily I got seats close to Vindhya but Sindhusha sat inbetween me and Vindhya.

" I'm Sindhusha, close people like Karthik call me Usha." She introduced herself to Vindhya.

" I'm Vindhya." Vindhya replied.

Vindhya's POV:

I'm surprised to see Karthik here and I don't know why I stopped on seeing another girl beside him.

In the flight, the girl held Karthik's arm all the while and I couldn't help this restlessness in me.

I realised one thing: I'm jealous.

After landing in Kolkata, Karthik asked me " Where are you going?"

" I'm going to meet my grandparents tomorrow. I'll relax for tonight." I informed honestly.

" Let us also rest for tonight Sindhusha." Karthik said and they checked in the same hotel as mine.

As soon as I entered my room, I fell on the bed.

Why am I feeling jealous after rejecting him? I have no right to think like that.

I heard a knock on my door and Karthik came in when I opened it.

" I'm coming with you to meet your grandparents." He said.

He said it like an order rather than a request .

**************************

That's it for now friends..

Please do vote comment and share ❤❤❤

I'll dedicate the next part to the one who votes first on this part.