Toxic Love of Broken Billionaire

4. The Mystery Guest

NAAYA’S POV:

The past few days with my cousin and his family were fun. We spent our days wandering every nook and corner of New York. Now there were 3 weeks left till we get back. But I had something else in my mind. I wanted to stay and apply for a job here.

It was my plan all along to come here and have an independent life. It was not possible in Pakistan as my parents would have allowed me to have a job but they would never have allowed me to live by myself.

I had forwarded my CV to my cousin before coming to New York so he could find something suitable for me. I was a graduate in computer science with a 3.8 GPA. So finding a job might not have been difficult for me. If I couldn’t find any job in these 3 weeks then I have to go back even if I don’t want to.

“Naaya can you go to the supermarket and buy some groceries. I am not feeling well right now,” I was brought back to reality when my sister-in-law called me. She was 6 months pregnant and was having great difficulty in walking and doing chores. So I and Neeshay try to help her as much as we can. “Okay, I will go to the supermarket just give me the list, and Neeshay you stay back here and look after Rayan,” I said while walking to the door with the list.

The supermarket was nearby and I had gone there multiple times. So it was not a problem. This way I could have some time to myself.I was busy buying groceries when I saw a pregnant blonde lady struggling with bending down to get Biryani Masala (The herb mix used to make biryani. Which is a rice dish with spices and meat). I moved to her and gave her the Masala pack by slouching down to the shelf.

“Thank you I was having a really hard time picking it up,” She said gratefully to which I nodded.

 “I am Elizabeth but you can call me Lizzie,” She said moving her hand forward. She was really a sweetie.

 “Hey I am Naaya, Nice to meet you but can I ask you something?” I said smiling while grabbing her hand in a handshake.

“Sure sure right away honey,” she said while beaming at me.

”Why are you buying this?” I said pointing towards the biryani masala.

“Actually today I have to cook for my friends who are Pakistani and I really don’t know anything about it. So I am just buying anything that looks Pakistani” she said while caging her head between her hands.

“Are you Okay Lizzie,” I said worryingly. 

“My head is hurting and I am feeling nauseous, “she said while trying to stand on her wobbly legs.

“Come on let’s get you home. Let me help you,” I said gripping her hand

“But I have to cook for them,” She said with worried expressions on her face.

“Don’t worry about that, but right now you have to tell me where your car is parked?” I said.

 I took her hand in my hand and she led the way to her car which was parked outside the supermarket. I helped her sit on her seat and gave her some water to stabilize her.

“Now you just wait here while I grab all the ingredients for the food we are going to cook today,” I told her and hurried toward the supermarket to grab the ingredients for dinner. I bought all the required ingredients hurriedly and ran towards her car with the groceries jolting in my hands.

She saw me coming and opened the door. I placed the grocery inside the car and sat beside her closing the door.

“Thank you so much. I don’t know what I would have done without you. You are a lifesaver Naaya” she said, looking really pale. I called my sister and told her that I would be late. I had asked the owner of the supermarket to deliver the groceries to my home before coming with her. The ride to her home was smooth and soon we reached her house. Forgive me if I said a house, It was a f*****g mansion. Sorry again for using the f*** word but that’s what a person thinks after seeing a majestic mansion in front of them.

The infrastructure of the house alone could make someone drool. It was not that I belonged to a poor family. We were rich but not this rich. It was insane.

The car stopped in front of the main entrance and I jolted back from the trance.

“Come on, Naaya” she said 

A maid opened the door to the mansion and a kid probably two years old came running towards her.

“Mommy you are back. I missed you so much” the kid said pouting to which Lizzie kissed her on his pout and hugged him tightly. 

“Mommy missed you too baby,” she told him while showering him with kisses. I was smiling at the sight in front of me.

“Ken meet mommy’s friend Naaya. And Naaya he is my son ken,” Lizzie said introducing me to her son ken. 

”Hey buddy how are you?” I said stooping down and pressing his tiny red nose.

“I am fine  Naaya  Aunty and I really like your hair. You are so pretty,” he said while kissing me on my cheeks.

Lizzie looked at us with astonishment and said “he never goes to strangers. I think he really likes you,”.

“I like him too Lizzie. Maybe we are going to be best friends in the future,” I said pinching his nose. I have always been fond of children and maybe they were the only ones who could touch me.

“Come on let's go to the kitchen, so we can get started it’s already 2:00 pm and they are going to be here around 6:00 p.m. so we have to hurry,” she said while looking at her phone and moving towards the direction of her kitchen and I followed her with ken in my lap.

Her kitchen was luxurious and spacious. It was a contemporary styled kitchen with white cream colored tiles, the kind of hue that is soothing in its gentleness. There was a large granite counter in the middle which was sleek and spotless with a large window on its side making the kitchen warm and bright. It was a housewife’s dream come true.

I saw that the ingredients were already placed on the counter maybe the house care brought them in.

“So from where should we start  Naaya ? ” Lizzie asked to which I rolled my eyes at her.

“You are not doing anything as you almost fainted. I am going to cook and when I am done I will tell you. Then I would leave.” I instructed her while caging my brown hair in a messy bun.

“But how can you do so much? You may need help. That’s not fair to you” she said with a concern engraved on her face.

“Haha I will be fine Lizzie don’t worry. I am used to cooking for large parties and by the way I love cooking so being tired is not happening. So stop worrying and go. You need rest” I said in a reassuring tone. 

She left me in the kitchen hesitatingly holding ken’s hand.

Now I should get started I thought to myself. Lizzie told me two of the friends are from Pakistan and one was American. So I had to decide the menu accordingly. I decided to make Biryani for the Pakistani friends along with kebabs and yogurt raita (a yogurt dip sauce with vegetables, salt, and pepper) and for the others, I thought maybe grilled chicken with creamy mushroom sauce and garlic rice would be a good choice. For starters, I fixated on making pakoras (fried gram flour delicacy with vegetables and spices), potato wedges, and bruschettas. Last but not the least for dessert I choose gulab jamans (sweet dough balls soaked in sugar water) and baked Alaska. There was a lot to do in such a short time so I started right away.

Four hours had passed and I was almost done with the food when I heard voices from outside.I looked at the clock and saw it was 6:00 pm.

Maybe the guests have arrived I thought to myself. I hurriedly started frying the pakoras and potato wedges. I was busy frying when Lizzie entered and gasped.

“Oh my god, you are sweating so badly. What have I put you into?” Lizzie said coming in.

“Huh...What?” I said goofily while frying the wedges.

“You are drenching in sweat  Naaya . Stop it I will ask the maids to do the rest” Lizzie said taking the bowl of the mixture from my hand. 

Then I realized I saw sweating profoundly due to the high temperature in the kitchen. My hairs were sticking to my face due to the sweat and my back was soaked in sweat. My OCD was telling me to get a shower right away but I couldn’t do it as I was in someone else’s house.

“You can take a bath if you want I can give you my clothes,” Lizzie said while looking at the expressions on my face.

“No  ...I am fine and almost done too. So I will help the maids to set up the table and then I would leave “I said putting a smile on my face as I couldn’t tell her I have a certain preference for clothes and she might not have them.

“No no you have done so much and I have told everyone about you, so you are going to meet them and then after dinner, I will drop you at your house as it is getting dark already,” she said with the same expressions on her face as my father had when he said something and it was obligatory for us to follow him. 

 It was getting late so I agreed to her. She came forward and took my hand in hers and told me to follow her. Before getting out she told the maids to set the table for dinner.

“Come  Naaya I know you are shy but I really want you to meet everyone. They are my only family. My own family disowned me when I married Brandon. I hope you like them as you are also very special to me. Even if it has been only one day knowing you” she said while moving to the left of the lobby entering a large spacious room which was probably the lounge.

 As I moved forward following her, I saw two men sitting on the sofas chit-chatting about something and one of them was in a wheelchair. But I couldn't see them clearly due to the distance.

I was jolted out of my trance with Lizzie's voice.

“Hey everyone meets Naaya. She is the one behind today’s dinner” she said enthusiastically introducing me and everyone looked at me.

I looked up and the time really did stop.

I was stunned to see the man in the wheelchair. He was the same man with mesmerizing eyes whom I saw the day of the accident.

 His gaze was tense as if it was drilling holes in my body. I didn’t get a good vibe by the way he was digesting me whole with his eyes. I unknowingly wrapped my dupatta around me.

Such a pervert maybe I shouldn't have saved him I thought to myself while fidgeting with my fingers.