Chapter 1

His name is D'Arcy

A Russian man.

He stood there in his posh black suit with the sunglasses tugged to his suit and his hands snaked into his pockets. There are some buff men around him near the grave. But his mighty and dark aura proclaimed who is the boss there. Their tanned yet fair skin with dark brown blondish color and blue eyes said that he doesn't fully belong to the country he is in. He is in a so-called country called . . . . .

India.

A country that is rich in culture, traditions, customs, and festivals.

He is here in India, in Kolkata in front of his mother's grave. In all these years he came here, today after a long time to visit his mother's grave from Russia. That doesn't mean he doesn't love his mother. He loves her unconditionally. But the reason that her grave is too far away and that too in a hot region made it hard for him. So he comes to visit her grave whenever it is possible for him or more like whenever he came here for business purposes.

He has a small problem relating to his business that doesn't need his physical attendance or attention but he chooses to come here with the excuse of visiting her grave. He could bring his father too but his father already joined his mother. So he is the only one left in his family.

He stood here spending my time silently near her grave. My mother Siri Vasiliev. Wife of Alexander Vasiliev. It has been years since she left the world. The most innocent woman he knew.

He extended his hand to the man standing to side him who is an Indian guide and also an assistant. He handed him a bouquet of white roses and he placed it on her grave.

"You all can leave". He ordered them. And they left as he said.

She was the woman who was filled with love in our whole mansion. My father? He is a tough man. But he is the one who taught him very well about responsibilities and burdens. And that is the reason he took the business after his death.

While his mother? She is always a person full of innocence.

•Don't lie

•Help people

•Dont steal

•Dont hurt

•Dont do illegal

•Respect women

•Respect elders

And many more. The list doesn't stop. Now he remembers all her words, all those morals he feels so absurd that makes him laugh at his mother's naive words. She was so naive and innocent. Her words are not suitable to be spelled in the home they live in. Only when he grew up did he get to know about this? But still, she used to keep on repeating them. And he always listened just to hear her voice and an innocent her. He still doesn't know how his mother can still be so innocent while living in such an environment. But as he started to grow up more and more only then did he knows that his father protected her and preserved her innocence from every evil. He knows how evil his father himself is. And sometimes there is a glint of disgust in him toward his father at how evil he is. But the reason that his father protected his mother so well gave a soft spot for his father in his heart.

His father married his mother in not-so-good circumstances. His mother was ported to other countries with the other girls for illegal things. Yes, exploiting women.

And of course, she was ported to Russia and my father is the one who was the cause of that. And when my father saw her he liked her. Eventually, he wanted to marry her. He promised her that she will not be exploited and that's how his mom agreed to marry him so that her dignity would be saved. And their little naive innocence of hers attracted him to no bounds as he always used to roam around her. His mom wrapped his father around her finger. He was smitten by her obsessively.

She many times requested his father to once let her go to India. But he never agreed. He refused to send her. He knows that once he sends her away to her country, her childhood origin and her memories will make it impossible for her to come back. He was insecure about her as she never once said that she loves him. She just married him for her dignity benefit. So he was never allowed to even step out of the house properly.

And just like that serving her whole life to his father and him mostly, she died one day with three last wishes on paper.

One was to bury her grave in her homeland which is here now.

The second one is to stop exploiting women.

His father agreed to the second one but he didn't agree to the first one. He made chaos listening to her first wish. He was in a great breakdown on knowing how badly she wants to be away from him. That was the only moment when his father behaved out of his character. He clutched his heart tightly.  But after listening to her third wish he agreed to let her go. The third wish was for her to confess her love to his father. She even left a letter for him.  And that's when he smoothly agreed to the first one.

And even at his death point, he was dead with the letter in his hand. He was dead just after a month after my mother's death. Andrey was not yet moved by her death and his father's death was a huge thunder for him. But the life, he lives in made him move on with the fact of their death.

Andrey's pov.

Here I am. At my mom's grave praying for her and having a little talk from heart to soul. I miss her crazily. I used to eat those special unfamiliar dishes in her hand. She used to wrap in a warm blanket of her love and care. She was so beautiful. There was that red vermilion on her head as a sign of her marriage. She said that when he asked about it. She was Hindu and she never changed her religion.

Thinking all about her he felt extremely nostalgic. He just wants to go back and feel some warm moments with her. For example, a simple hug is enough for him.

Closing his eyes he imagined the memory of hugging his mother in peeking orange sunlight. A snicker left his mouth remembering how she was only tall enough to his chest and her handrubbedub his back. He has to kneel on his knees to receive a kiss from her.

Remembering that he felt so good. He wants to go back just once and feel those moments.

Breathing out painfully he opened his eyes to feel the mist in his eyes. But he masked everything.

He heard some light footsteps crumbling the dried leaves.

As he heard that unconsciously his head moved with a slight moment to his side from where the sound came and again turned back.

But the color of her dress made him look back again. And then he saw her.

She is dressed in white. From top to bottom. With a white veil hanging to either side of her neck and a white long length down to her knees with white pants. There is a bag hanging from her shoulder.

Impressed he tilted his face more tugging his thin hair strand back to his hair as his muscles flexed with his movements.

Her image became more clear as she took a turn walking in the same lane where he stood.

Her eyes to the ground, her silky hair is combed back with a slight puff neatly in a grip of the small clutch with a few hair strands to her sides as they swayed smoothly with the rhythm of her walk.

His eyes scanned how her slender hand was clutching her bag. His eyes moved a little bit up and there he saw her collarbones. So good. The neckline of her dress added more beauty to the deep collarbones and highlighted her fair rosy skin.

As his eyes traveled a bit more up then . . . . 

to his disappointment, he couldn't see her face. She is looking down.

He turned his body with a slight movement of his legs. And just then she lifted her face and was startled for a split second to see a foreign man. And mostly startled on finding him looking at her with his blue eyes keenly.

*Isn't she supposed to look at him keenly*. She thought.

Her eyes are in light brownish color surrounded with dark eyeliner in a stroke with long lashes casting a shadow on her cheeks. Her tone is fair with rose color spread over her face. Her eyebrows were thin with no makeup on her face. Cheekbones are high with a sharp jaw. But her little plump cheeks gave her the "young" look.

Her petal-like lips tinted in baby pink color looked so thin and sharp. She looked so simple and beautiful. 

His blue eyes scanned everything making her uncomfortable just in a few seconds. And a sly smile on his face didn't help her.

Fluttering her eyelids she immediately downcast her eyes ignoring his piercing stare and forward on her path passing over him.

He swirled on his spot following her direction. His eyes still studied her features. Her dress wrapped around her tightly but it swayed loosely from her hips along with her long hair with each step she walked. Her movements are so elegant and gracious. So beautiful.

Just like a swan in a lake. Wrapped in white feathers, her veil flew like widespread wings epic look from behind. Even her eyes looked like a swan's with the eyeliner she drew.

His eyes observed her actions like a hawk at how she prayed there to the grave and in no time she left the place too as soon as she finished praying. On her way, she didn't even spare her glance at them and flew away.

He followed her out to a few distances and she is already out of the entrance of the crematorium. . . . . kicking her scooty.

And from there she left.

He too went out still looking in her direction with a small pleasant smile. Then taking a turn to another side he went to his vehicle his men waiting for him.

As soon as his men saw him one of them immediately opened the door for him. He spoke something in Russian while stepping into the car.

"sobriety information o ney".

(Collect information about her).

"o tom, to the boss"?

(About who the boss is) ?

His steps halted as he looked back at his men.

"ty, yeye one videl". His voice came hard and the men gulped.

(You didn't see her).

His men hesitantly shook their heads and replied.

"Ni odna devushka one podophilia k toy store". His reply was simple.

(No girl came to this side).

What he said is correct. His vehicle was parked on the other side that needs to take a left-right while she came and left-right from the entrance without coming to his side.  Then, of course, none of them wouldn't see her.

Thinking that his head falls back in disdain his jaw clenching at his stupid negligence. He didn't know anything about her.

Immediately stepping out of the car he ran back to the place he saw her, only to find it empty. His men too ran behind him following him in alert mode thinking that his boss might be in danger.

His steps slowly halted in jogging as he looked around the area to find her. But the crematorium looked too ideal a place to even spot a crawling person and he didn't find her. He didn't even find that pure white spot in the surrounding area.

Turning back he again asked.

"ty ne videl, chtoby ka kaya-nibud' devushka voila I vykhodila".

(You didn't see any girl coming in and going out).

All men shook their heads at his utter disappointment. Placing his fingers on his nose bridge he closed his eyes in the loss.

How was he able to find her now?

As if he had snapped out of something he hurriedly went back to his car with his men and ordered the driver to start the car immediately.

The driver was asked to drive the car in a common exciting way and he did as he said because usually there are now multiple ways to exist and entry for a crematorium. 

His car was parked on the other side because the place was not suitable for a four-wheeler as it is suitable for two-wheelers.

And when he finally came out of the ideal place he leaned back in his seat in frustration.

There are too many people outside.

Too many people that he is afraid that his swan might be mixed among them with the mixed-up colors.

There are too many people with a very good amount of traffic.

Throwing his head back he cursed under his breath in his native language.  Still closing his eyes he asked his assistant.

"Does the crematorium have cc cameras"? He asked his Indian assistant who was appointed for his convenience.

A little bit taken back he replied in his formal tone.

"No sir. In almost every crematorium in Kolkata, there is no cc tv facility.

"Then arrange one".

"Yes sir". He replied firmly.

****

On the next day, he is outside the crematorium again. Just as the same following time. But she never came. And after one hour he left the place guarding his men at the crematorium. His business would be finished in a maximum of three days and he visited all those days waiting for extra time but he never saw her.

He can know just by thinking with common sense that she might visit the grave because it might be the death day of her so-called someone. And of course, she won't be coming on other days since the so-called someone didn't die every day.

With utter frustration, he left the country with huge disappointment. He was attracted just by one glance and he wanted to know more. And the fact that he couldn't find her is making him go crazy about her. He is yearning for her crazily. He wanted to see her and meet her once again.

*****

After returning to his country. . . .

Note: The dialogues are discussed in the Russian language among them.

"A little bit thick there . . . . . raise that a bit . . . a bit more . . . make it thin there. . . come to the top and make it a bit thicker. . . . exactly like that".

Saying that he put his hand down with a sigh for which his finger just acted like a pencil.

"The brows part is finished Sir. Can you come to the nose part now".

The artist spoke with his most usable patience. He made sure that his fed-up mood doesn't float on his face or voice. Or he is dead.

His sir was stressing on the part of the brow for a long time concentrating on each hair strand of the mysterious girl. He was fed up. It just took more than one hour just for her eyebrows. And at some point, he is thankful that it is eyebrows rather than an eyebrow.

"Her nose is sharp, pointed, and a little bit long but it doesn't outstand from her face. And her openings are not much big just a little bit small".

Noting his points he draws according to his instructions.

"Her cheekbones high but not too much that makes her face linear . . . . and little bit cheeks . . . . note that she looks a lot young and---

"Can you say if she is a teenager or an adult"?

"Adult for sure  . . . . in her late twenties".

"Heart-shaped lips, thin and sharp at the endings. They are very thin and they are soft like petals. They are pink in color ----

"It is only a pencil sketch, sir. There is no need for color description----

"Do not cut my words or I'm afraid of someone innocent losing his life".

"Sorry, sir".

He concentrated on his drawing again.

"Big eyelids. . . . . and smooth eyeliner with no wing at the end . . . . and . . . .

And after hours it is finished. The drawing was finished and he is satisfied with it.

"Give him a hefty price". He said to his men and he left the place with a yes and a thug on his chest with a fist.

Standing in front of the portrait he admired the drawing. He was crazily obsessed with her. He thought of her every day and at last, came up with a solution of making a picture and searching for her through it.

Oh, he is going to find her for sure and might even do many things. Sometimes fantasies visited his dreams while sometimes he fantasized many things about her. She became his fantasy. And to his strangeness, he felt erotic fantasies with her.

Taking off that white dress to reveal her fair skin while her cheeks are blaming pink. He even decided to make many more pictures of her about his fantasies. He is going to make them but before that, he has work to do.

*****

"You got that girl's picture. Now search for her in India".

"Ok".

Saying that his secretary and most trusted man David replied after clicking something on the laptop he grabbed.

"Oh. I got it. India is the second most populated country in a VERY big piece of land and the population is just 139 crores . . . . I see. So god damn easy to find just with the help of a pencil art".

Irritated Andrey looked at him snapping his eyes from the screen to him.

"Come on. Even if we post it on some internet or paste this art as a missing person on the wall they gonna ignore it or admire it as a drawing".

"Are you giving me reasons for your lazy ass. Don't take my lenience to your advantage. Or you might end up dead".

"Yes yes". He dragged the word lazily.

Though they have a boss and secretary relationship they are kind of buddies. Having only trusted men and him too being loyal to Andrey they shared their problems and most importantly personal problems.  They helped each other beyond their formal relationship. Mainly David helped him in Andrey's breakdown during his parent's death. So their connection with each other improved from their teenage and it became strong by the time they became adults.

"But, it's really hard to find. You just dealt about the matters with their country and if they know that they have your girl, then it might not be in your favorable condition".

"My girl"? Andrey asked his friend with his raised eyebrows spinning in the chair to his side.

"I strongly believe that your father's blood is running in your veins to the extent you are going to end up with the same country girl".

Snickering he replied.

"It's not something about my father's blood. I'm just fond of my mother. I want a girl like my mother. Curious that I could find the same innocent girl . . . . and the most beautiful girl just like my mother".

"What if she is wild"?

Smirking he replied.

"I like wild too".

Sighing his friend David took a seat opposite his and turned the laptop to his side searching for any results and asking him randomly.

"What if she is slut"?

His smile faded as his face hardened. He tilted his face to David glaring with his blue eyes and said.

"I don't have a problem though".

Unable to believe his eyes David looked up at his friend with his raised eyebrows giving him that 'I'm stunned' look and asked for an explanation through his eyes.

"My mother was almost a victim of that. So I'm not going to lose someone just for being slut".

He replied with a hint of determination in his voice. Finding it serious his friend no more asked him any questions regarding her.

"Now, coming back to the point, how should I find her".

"Simple. Visit the same place on the same date".

"What"? Andrey asked in disbelief.

"What"? He questioned in reply.

"I should wait for almost a year"?

"Probably 10 months maybe".

"No. Search her. Search in Kolkata".

" What if she is in another place"?

"Like"?

"West Bengal country".

Closing his eyes he looked up at David.

"That's the state and Kolkata is the capital of the state".

" Of which country". Asking that David looked up at Andrew finding his face rather serious as the aura took a drastic change. The black smoke is shining like an aura behind him and he gulped.

"Oh I see. It's India". He said looking into his laptop.

"Don't act like an uneducated brat". Andrew said in his serious tone.

His friend made an " oooh" face nodded his head and spoke.

"I'll appoint some private investigators".

******

To his bad, he couldn't find her for the last 10 months. He even visited the same place in Kolkata to search her for every three months, but he couldn't.

When he gave a thought to his craziness about her he don't know what he should do. Whether to get rid of his craziness or end the craziness by claiming her. All these months he became desperate for her. He no more doesn't know if he is only desperate for her one glance like last time or desperate for her to be with him forever so that he could see her whenever he desired. See her in any way he wishes. All these months, wrong or right he imagined and fantasized about many things about her that he became obsessive. And deep down he knows he is not going to leave her if he saw her once. Not at all.

He will take her away from here. He no more thinks about the option of just one glance. He searched for her for almost a year and in no way he is going to let her go. She is going to stay with him once he finds her.

Arriving at the same spot as he visited a year ago he stood there in his dark grey attire keeping his men on watch around the surroundings. He glanced at the cc tv he arranged for and snaked his hands in his pockets waiting for her. He is not praying to his mother as he did before in fact he shared how he found a girl from the same country as hers.

As he was waiting he became alert to the sound. The sound of footsteps. He immediately turned to the side of the direction and yes.

He found her. A smile crept on his face on finding her. He felt peace in finding her. A great relief. He saw her finally. His eyes scanned her from top to bottom.

She is dressed in the same type of dress with a radium blue color long length frock and a stiff cloth pink veil clutching to her neck. And this time her hairs have a side partition and that looked more attractive. They were tied in a clutch with a slight twist to her sides. Her eyelids with thick eyebrows and heart-shaped lips. The same.

That's it. He is going to take her away.

And suddenly her head snapped up and she stopped in her tracks looking at him. He too stiffened his expression on finding her looking at him suddenly. And then something unexpected happened.

She slowly smiled at him stretching her smooth lips delicately and gave a small head bow to him indicating hello to him.

He froze at his place not expecting her to slay his world with her smile.

She just walked away passing through him with a smile messing up his all evil thoughts.

He looked at her stunned for being ruled by her smile. He remained in his spot not knowing what to do.

To take her away.

Or just wait for one more glance.

Who knows? He may get more than a smile next time

His shoulders slumped down knowing that he is going to drop his plan.

But he is no plan of leaving her here either.

What should he do now?

Turning back he looked at her again. She is praying again. Her hands joined elegantly as she closed her eyes. So beautiful.

He closed his eyes tilting his face and opened his eyes in a snap with the determination of his plan.

Nope. He is not going to leave her here. He will take her away. And he will spend all his time with her holding those fragile white hands yanking her body into his. His hands itched to hold her slim waist which is shaped out beautifully in her dress. Arc on both sides. No. He is not going to leave her here.

Her hair looked so smooth and silky. He wants to feel that smoothness. Heck, he will play with her hair every day sleeping with her.

So many sinful thoughts clouded his mind. Breathing out in desire he forwarded his steps to her with strong footsteps.

He will take her away.