The Rich Man's Bride

The crisp morning sun was rising and spreading its warmth. A handsome man in his jogging attire was running and enjoying the morning sun. Sweat was dripping on his chiseled sharp jawline. His chestnut hair was messy and sticky due to sweat. He wept his face with the towel.

He opened the black gate of a mansion. The immaculately and neatly trimmed mansion garden welcomed him. Huge trees surrounded the outer wall, blocking the view from outside. Seasonal flowers gave beautiful colours to the garden. Birds were chirping.

The view in front of him curved his lips in a huge smile. His parents with his two-year-old daughter in his mother's lap were sitting on the garden chair and having their morning tea. He jogged to them.

"Good Morning mom and dad." He moved to his daughter who was wiggling in her grandmother's lap to attract her father's attention. She was nibbling the cookie.

"Good morning princess. I will shower and then play with you." He pecked her forehead and moved inside the mansion.

"Da...da... " She started crying. Her cheeks were red. Rani sa gave her a pacifier and distracted her attention from her father by showing her birds and butterflies that were just flying around.

"Diya look at those butterflies." She walked to the rare black rose on which a colourful butterfly was sitting. Princess Diya tried to grab the butterfly.

In the meantime, Prince Veer Singh showered. His chestnut hair was neatly combed. Droplets were dripping from his hair. He wore his black yoga pants and white polo t-shirt. After getting ready, he went down to meet his daughter and have breakfast. He was famished.

" Good Morning buddy." He turned to the source of the voice and he was startled to find his best friend- cum -manager Arjun sitting on the eight-seater antique wooden dining table with a glass top. The table was filled with delicacies. His stomach grumbled at the sight of the food in front. His daughter giggled at the sight of his father. She lifted her hand and squealed to attract her father's attention.

"My princess." He picked his daughter. She hugged him and then peppered his face with wet kisses. He started tickling her.

"Da...da no." She spoke in between her laughs. He sat and made her sit on his lap. He started eating his food in between feeding his daughter.

"I will not be coming to the office today," Veer told Arjun while eating his food.

" Let me finish this yummy food first, then we can talk. Ma, today you have cooked. The food is so delicious. My stomach is full, still, I'm craving for more." Arjun wiped his face and picked up his coffee.

"You are such a foodie." Veer had an amused expression on his face. " We all eat to live but your life is food." He chuckled and gave her a slice of Apple to nibble.

" Don't make fun of me. I love food and that is it." He took a sip of his coffee.

"Will you both stop your childlike behaviour? You both are bantering like a five-year-old. " Raja sa spoke in a rather strict manner. Both the men were baffled by the tone of the elder man.

" Arjun, your guess is right. Today's breakfast was cooked by me. I don't know how you always recognise my cooking." Rani Gayatri Devi was amazed by this fact. They all chatted for some more time.

Diya was getting cranky as she was feeling sleepy. Veer cradled his daughter in his arms and in no time she slept. Prince took her to her room. It was an average size room having a circular bed covered with a net canopy and curtains on the four corners. It had a dollhouse in a corner. There was a cot and a barbie print chair. The matching table and chair were kept on one side. A wall unit with a dresser occupied one wall of the room. The whole room was decorated in the hues of pink. Even the sheer curtains were in the contrasting shade of pink. He laid Diya on the cot and secured her. He positioned the baby monitor and then went out.

"Arjun, I am coming for the meeting." He tossed the phone on his bedside table and went inside his walk-in closet. His things were neatly arranged. Formal on one side and informal on the other side. He took out a navy blue suit with a white crisp shirt and a matching striped tie.

After getting dressed he went in search of his mother to inform her about his departure to the office. He knocked on his parents' room. His mother opened the door and shifted to the side for him to enter.

" Ma, I'm going to the office. Diya is sleeping in her room. I have fixed the baby monitor. I will be back in the evening." Veer stood up to go when his father Yash came.

" I'm coming with you. My presence is required in this meeting." Yash gestured to his wife to give him the file and his office bag. Father and son duo walked out.

The driver opened the door. Veer opened his laptop to review the important aspects of the deal. He was engrossed in his work that he didn't realize that they had reached.

They went directly to his office where Arjun was waiting for them. They joined him.

"Veer, the associate from The Royal Orchid will arrive in a little while. You have read the contract papers. " The office phone buzzed announcing the arrival of their business associates. They went to the boardroom. The meeting started. The marketing head gave his presentation. Everyone in the room was enticed by the presentation. They were happy and the deal was latched with the signature of both the parties.

" This needs a celebration," Arjun announced in a chirpy tone. They walked to Veer's office.

"Of course, this indeed needs celebration." He walked to the window and unrolled the blinds to let in the evening sunlight. His dad sat on the receiving chair opposite his son's chair. Arjun stood at the side of the table.

The office was decorated in the contrasting colour of blue and grey. It was giving a warm and cosy feeling.

" Celebration would take place this Saturday after the arrival of Rahul a Rashi. I have a surprise for you, Veer ." Yash had a mysterious glint in his eyes and winked. His son was amazed by his father's act. They got up to leave as Veer was missing his daughter and also his employees had already left for the day.