Chapter 4 Ishaan Singhania

"Sweetheart, what happened?" Kiara heard her father ask in a gentle tone, caressing her hair.

Her mattress dipped beside her and she knew he wouldn't leave without finding out what's bothering her.

"Nothing you should worry about dad" Kiara sighed, burying her face deeper in the pillow, trying to control her tears as her hands unconsciously fisted the sheets like she was trying to hold on to the world that will fall apart anyways.

"If anything happened, please let me know. I don't like seeing you hurt, love" Rajveer, Kiara's dad pleaded, running his fingers through her hair gently.

With a defeated exhale, she turned around on her bed, to face her father, from whom she had been hiding for three days despite living in the same mansion.

Seeing her swollen face with red nose and cheeks shattered something in him. Her blue-ish brown eyes that always lit up like Christmas lights seem to dim away into space like they never existed.

"I missed you" he whispered, leaning down and kissed her forehead, palming her cheek carefully like she's the most precious doll to ever exist. She is, to him.

"I missed you too, dad. But you're busy with the office-" Rajveer cut her off immediately.

"And you are busy avoiding me" he cut to the chase without missing a beat.

She lowered her eyes in embarrassment, not knowing what to say. She had been a mess since she broke up with Enzo, avoiding all the human contact she could, mainly her father knowing she'd burst into tears if he so much as looked at her with love in his eyes that would be enough to make every orphan in the whole world feel loved.

"You need to let me know if someone hurted you, Princess. I will take care of it" Rajveer's italian accent was so clear that it made Kiara smile. She loves it when his accent comes out.

"I know mom was Indian, but you are a complete Italian. Why is your name Rajveer? It's Indian" Kiara narrowed her eyes playfully at her father, diverting the topic smoothly.

"When your mom died, I promised myself that I'll keep you closer to her roots. Other than you, being Indian is the only thing that keeps me closer to her. That's why I changed my name to Rajveer" her father recognised the way she smoothly changed the topic, but said nothing, understanding she won't say anything right now.

"We are Moretti's initially right?" Kiara asked curiously, completely involved in the topic.

"Yeah, that's why all of your cousins and everyone else of our family are Moretti's other than us" Rajveer chuckled, glancing at his watch.

"What's your original name then? Before you met mom or before this accident. What 'Moretti' are you?" Kiara asked the question that she always had on her mind, the question that no one answered until now, like it's a quiet forbidden topic to discuss about.

Rajveer's smile immediately vanished from his face as soon as he heard that question. Shifting his gaze away, he clenched his jaw, thrown off guard with her question.

Kiara mimicked his expression, feeling the air around them shift immediately. Playing with her fingers quietly, she waited, hoping he'll initiate the conversation or leave like he did whenever she brings up this topic.

"Do I have an Italian name?" She asked, trying to divert the topic again. While he hates talking about a few things, he loves her too much to hide things about her, or that's what she thought.

"What did I say to YOU questioning about the Italian things of our family?" Rajveer squinted his eyes, chiding at her like she was a toddler, shifting uncomfortably in his seat, ready to get up and leave.

"What are you guys talking about?" Ishaan Singhania, Kiara's older brother entered the room, jumping on bed beside Kiara like he owned the place, ignoring the irritated expression on her face.

"She's asking things she's not supposed to ask" Rajveer replied, troubled with a hand thrown over his face as he tried to control his irritation.

"Why don't we get her married instead so that she'll be someone else's trouble?" Ishaan teased her, plopping his elbow on the pillow, resting his head in his palm while wiggling his eyebrows.

"You piece of shit" Kiara exclaimed, grabbing a fistful of his hair and pulling them, knowing how much he hates getting his hair messed up.

"Ow, you little devil, let my hair go, if you so much as break my strand, I'll kill you" Ishaan shrieked, grabbing Kiara by her wrist and tried to pull her hand away without hurting himself.

"Princess let him go" Rajveer said in a stern yet loving tone, relaxing now that things seemed to bounce back to normal.

"Fine" Kiara let Ishaan's hair go, grudgingly, only because her father smiled.

With irritation flashing across his face, Ishaan sat up and ran his fingers through his hair, setting them up as usual.

"Did you spray cologne or drown in one?" Kiara asked, annoyed at him as the scent seemed to dominate all the lavender candles in her room.

"Whatever it is, if it keeps you away, the job is done" Ishaan smirked at her.

"But you are right, we do have to get her married" It was Rajveer's turn to shift the topic now.

"You didn't mean that," Kiara exclaimed, sitting up abruptly.

"We've gone over this conversation like ten times" Rajveer pointed out, standing up on his feet and adjusting his blazer.

"And my answer changed in none of those" Kiara snapped, glaring at him.

"Mine didn't either, princess. You are getting married" Rajveer said in a final tone, ready to walk out of that room.

"I don't need to get married for protection" Kiara trailed off, taking a deep breath. Shouting gets her nowhere when her dad is involved anyways.

"You do. You are the daughter of Singhanias. Only princess of the household. Attacks can happen at anytime" Rajveer replied blankly.

"I am 21, so I am not getting married, I am going to finish my masters, and I have a boyfriend anyways" Kiara blurted out, lying her way through it.