Shreya woke up only in the afternoon. When she saw the time, she quickly called Charan.

"Hey.." Charan greeted her.

"Hey.. I don't have work today. Can I go pick Akira up from school today??" Shreya asked.

"No problem. I will send you the address." Charan said. Normally either his mother picks her up or she straight up goes to daycare herself. Today his mother was actually busy. SO she will be going to daycare. So it shouldn't be a problem.

"I will take her to my place. You come there once you're done. We will have dinner together. Okay bye." Shreya said and hung up quickly as if she was afraid he would refuse. Charan just chuckles and sent her the address and informed the daycare.

Right on time, the school bell resonated through the walls as Shreya stood right in front of the gates. She had her usual denim jeans and sweets on while her face had a bright glittering smile. Children started coming out in piles when suddenly Akira's eyes landed on a familiar figure. She rubbed her eyes several times to make sure she was not hallucinating.

When the figure did not disappear from her sights, her face instantly brightened. "Shreyaaaaa," She shouted and galloped through the crown in record speed and hugged her legs tightly.

Akira hated going to daycare. It was boring and she felt extremely out of place. But she knew her dad had to work and that he can't bother granny every day. So she never said anything to anyone and obediently went to daycare. That is why she was so much more thrilled to see Shreya here. Shreya being here meant she did not have to suffer through one more evening in daycare.

Shreya instantly hoisted Akira into her arms and hugged her closer. For Shreya, Akira was nothing short of a bundle of joy. Healing from all the ruthless actions she has to take in the outside world.

"Baby, I missed you soooooo so much you know. Your dad is so cruel to send you away for TWO full days. My eyes were going rotten without seeing you." Shreya said dramatically. She may be over exaggerating but she really did miss her dearly in these two days.

Akira's heart instantly warmed up. She let out a playful giggle and then planted a wet sloppy kiss on Shreya's cheeks and said, "I missed you too."

When she felt the kiss and heard her words, Shreya melted into a puddle. How she wished she could just kidnap her and raise her in some secluded spot away from the whole world.

"Akira, baby. If you're going to keep acting soo cute, I am going to want to kidnap and raise you myself." Shreya said in a desperate voice.

".." Charan who stood a few feet behind Shreya was left speechless. Since he did not have much work in the office, he took permission to especially join them. But when he came, he was greeted by this. When he looked at his own daughter's face, his jaws dropped.

Akira seemed to be saying 'take me away.. we will live happily ever after.'

"Oye, aren't you guys forgetting a person," Charan said annoyed coming in front of them.

"What are you doing here??"

"Why did dada come here??"

Both asked in unison.

".." Charan was left speechless once more. Why did he feel like a shameless third party disrupting their date???

Once he recovered, "Thank god I came. Or else you two brats would have eloped leaving me behind in the altar." Charan said sarcastically.

Shreya looked at him slightly embarrassed.

"Dada, don't overreact. If we are to elope of course we will make arrangements for you. We will safely leave you with Granddad and granny. Don't worry." Akira said adding fuel to the fire.

Charan's face became ugly instantly. He was actually defeated by his own daughter. Why the hell was she so smart at countering him???

Shreya couldn't control her laughter anymore. She let out a burst of delighted laughter burying Akira closer to her.

"Oh, god baby. You are simply too perfect." She cooed her encouraging her further to bully her father shamelessly.

Charan reached out and pulled on both of their cheeks. He pinched them quite hard but he could not bring himself to be angry with them no matter how much they teased him.

Half an hour later all three were huddled in front of the television watching cartoon while munching on their burgers.

Of course, Shreya dozed off in the middle. After all her sleeping hours hadn't been that great in the past week.

Charan got up and cleared all the mess around first. Then he lifted her up and placed her properly on the couch while Akira went up and came down with a blanket. Akira personally tucked her in.

"Hey, dada has to go back to the office. You are going to stay here or should I drop you at daycare??" Charan asked Akira in a low voice.

"Here.. I will stay here." Akira hurriedly replied afraid she would be dragged out to that boring daycare even today.

"Okay let her sleep for now. If anything happens, call me okay." He said and left home. The security system locked itself behind him without him having to do anything. Then just to be safe, he sent a quick text to Zack.

'Hey, this is Charan. Can you send someone over to Shreya's place??? My daughter is there and Shreya is asleep.'

A few seconds later a stern 'No problem' came back as a reply.

At last, Charan went to the office with ease.

It may be the way Zack had held Akira in a protective manner when he first found her, Charan came to trust him unconsciously even if they had only met once. But the same trust was not exactly reciprocated by Zack. He had not mistreated him but he does not trust Charan fully either. It may be his overprotective attitude towards Shreya that's blinding him.

For now, things were a stalemate between them. Only with time things can change.

Zack contemplated. Shreya's security system was biometric. So he can't exactly send anyone in seeing as Sherya's asleep and Akira is way too small to be able to let anyone in. Moreover, he did not want to scare Akira. So he thought and sent a text out.

"Didn't you want to meet the little princess?? Go over to Sherya's. Need a babysitter.'

Shreya woke up blinking her eyes and the first thing she heard was two people talking from the living room.