Samarth Saxena, the most feared businessman of the country. He is strong, powerful, cruel but also devilishly handsome. Girl swoon over his one smile. He is the crush of a millions of girls.
But, his life is his daughter, Pari. He is ready to do any...
"Happy Birthday, Papa" Pari squealed as she jumped on the bed and into Samarth's arms. Only she had the courage to barge inside his room without any fear. Samarth opened his eyes and smiled as Pari snuggled closer to his chest kissing his cheek. He pulled her cheek and sat up straight on the bed. He took Pari in his lap.
"Thank You, Princess and Good morning." Samarth said with a huge grin while rubbing his lightly stubbled cheek on Pari's soft ones. Pari laughed and said, "Your beard pricks Papa, how many times have I told you to shave?" She frowned but when Samarth did that again, she laughed whole heartedly.
"I am sorry, I am sorry Sir. I don't know when she left my hand and came running inside your bedroom. She disturbed you in your sleep." Shipra, Pari's nanny apologetically stated. Samarth looked at her and smiled. Shipra had been Pari's nanny from the time she was born. Shipra and Pari had developed a great bond. Shipra was an aged woman, her conscience and sweetness were remarkable and Samarth trusted her with all his heart. She was the only one with whom he talked politely except Pari.
"It's okay Shipra. I know you would have tried to discipline her but my Princess has inherited this 'not listening to anyone' attitude from me." He said as he kissed Pari's cheek. Pari looked at her father and exclaimed, "I heard that! It's not like I don't listen to Dai maa, I listen to her." She got out of his lap and cupped Samarth's cheek with both of her small hands and said, "Tell me Papa, is it my fault that today is your birthday and I wanted to be the first one to wish you?"
Samarth kept his hands on Pari's little ones which were on his cheek. He looked into her eyes and smiled, "No, sweetheart, there's nothing wrong, thank you." "Pari, won't you give that gift to your father?" Shipra said in a reminding tone. Pari's eyes lightened and she smacked herself. "I had completely forgotten that. Thank you Dai ma. Papa, you wait for 5 minutes, I'll come in 3 minutes." Pari said with a sweet smile and got off the bed. She ran outside the room ignoring her father's instructions about not to run in the corridor.
"What gift does she have for me Shipra? Did you guys go shopping?" Samarth questioned as he pulled off the covers from him and got off the bed. "There's a special thing for you Sir, which Pari has made herself." As soon as Shipra said this, Samarth turned around to look at her. "Really?" He raised his eyebrows in astonishment.
Before Shipra could answer, Pari rushed inside the room with a gift. It was wrapped in a beautiful red wrapping paper with a cute ribbon on it. Samarth took the gift and looked at Pari amused. "Papa, this is for you. Open it!" She practically screamed in excitement which made both Samarth and Shipra chuckle. Samarth sat on the bed and opened the gift. It was a beautiful painting of a father and daughter in a frame. "Papa, I have made this for you. This is me and this is my Papa." She pointed towards the characters in the painting.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Samarth held back his tears of joy and love which were threatening to fall anytime. He had promised himself that he would never cry in life. He looked at the painting with great love and affection. His heart was almost on the verge of exploding with mirth as he traced his fingers slightly to where the words Papa, My Hero were painted. He was the richest businessman in the world, what would he need? But, seeing the painting, he concluded that both, the painting and Pari were the best gifts he ever got.
"Papa? You didn't like it?" Pari asked while tugging at Samarth's tee with a grim expression. He looked at Pari and hugged her tightly. He discreetly wiped his tears and after few seconds broke the hug. "You made it for me?" He asked with a smile. "Yes, our art teacher, Pallavi Miss had asked us to make a painting on something or someone you love the most. That's when I got this idea. I made a painting of you and preserved it till your birthday because I love you Papa." Pari said this as a matter of fact. "Did you like it?"
"I loved it Princess. I loved it, thank you so much." He said as he kissed both of her cheeks. Glee was clearly evident on Pari's face who was finally relieved that her father liked her painting. "Give Papa a kissy." Samarth demanded and moved his cheek closer to her. Pari playfully slapped his cheek as she said, "No, first you will have to shave and then I'll kiss you." Samarth laughed at his daughter's cute pout.
Samarth was gazing at the painting lovingly while Pari said, "Papa?" "Hmmm" Samarth asked distractedly, his concentration only on the piece of art he held in his hands. "Where is my mamma?" It felt as someone had woken him up from a sweet dream. His smile faltered as it finally dropped and his face fell. "Why are you asking this suddenly Pari?" He wanted to know as to what invoked Pari's curiosity to ask about her mother. "Papa you know that Sheena? That friend of mine? She painted her whole family picture and showed it to ma'am. But, I couldn't as I don't have a mom."
Samarth felt his heart breaking into a million pieces when he saw his darling daughter's face downcast. He hated when Pari grew upset. He was gazing at Pari when Pari lifted her eyes to ask another question. "Does my mamma hate me Papa? Is that the reason she never met me?" Samarth looked into his daughter's eyes with horror and quickly wrapped his arms around her. He lifted her and made her sit on his lap. He held her close to his chest as she insisted, "Tell na, Papa."
The longing and curiosity of the innocent child was making Samarth weak. "Na Pari, no one hates you. You are such a sweet child. Why will someone hate you? And, who said you don't have a mamma? You have baby. But she is a little upset from me, that's why she doesn't come home to see you. But she remembers you a lot my angel, she always talks about you when I call her. You do have a mother child." Pari's face lit up and she instantly got off Samarth's lap. She wrapped her arms around her father's neck as she said, "When will I meet her Papa? Will she come on my birthday?"
Samarth was speechless. What should he say? Sometimes, children and their curiosity becomes overwhelming. He knew he would have to answer this question at some point in time. But, that day came literally soon. Pari was just 5 years old. What could he tell her now? "Papa, tell me na." "Umm Hmm? Baby, get ready, you have your school na, we will talk about this tomorrow, ok? Now even Papa has to go to the office. I promise I will tell this to you some other time. But, as of now Papa is a bit busy, you understand right?" Samarth looked at her hopefully while she nodded her head with a toothy grin showing her teeth with two of the middle one broken.
Samarth helped Pari onto the floor and she kissed his cheek. She ran to her room with Shipra following her. Samarth had become emotional. Before this, Pari had not asked about her mother with such intensity. Surely, Samarth could give her fatherly love and diamonds and jewels and what all she wanted but a mother's love is precious, priceless and this was the only thing he wasn't able to afford for her. His heart clenched when he again saw the painting, it had to be a family picture, a perfect family picture but here it was, with just the two of them. What had that little child done to deserve such a fate?
Pari was a bright girl in school. She had her teachers praising her for her academics as well as painting ability. She had everyone wrapped around her little finger. She had everyone and every thing she wanted. She had countless toys, expensive dresses, costly jewelries and a group of people behind her whenever she needed anything. All these were things which most children about Pari's age craved for but Pari craved for motherly love and affection. She never got that.
She used to see her friend's mother's coming to the school for parent's teacher's meeting every month. But, she was deprived of that. She used to see her friends bidding bye to their mothers once they entered the school premises. But, she was deprived of that too. She heard her friends boasting about their mom's culinary skills and the exotic aroma filled her senses whenever they would open their lunch boxes. But, Pari had no one to boast about. Almost every day, she had the servants cooking up breakfast, lunch and dinner for her. In a nutshell, she had no one, she could call 'Mamma'.
