Destined Hearts

Hello guys and welcome to the 6th chapter of this wonderful story. Before I go into the story, I would really like to apologize for the delay in posting anything for a long time. I had a problem with my PC which prevented me from writing anything which explains why I didn't bring, "Wild flower," back to you or update this story. But everything is back to normal and I will make it up to you. My exams are done and I am back home which means I am back to regularly update you guys. Thanks.

Don't forget to drop your comments, whether positive or negative to this story.

Enjoy...

***

Praveen came down the staircase together with Adrian and they were still talking like long lost friends, smiling at each other. Both of them couldn't believe how much they bonded and communicated with each other. It was fun and for the first time, Praveen forgot about his troubles and felt at peace.

"Hey!" Praveen heard a voice. "Adrian!"

Both Adrian and Praveen moved their eyes forward and saw a handsome man waving at the both of them from a distance. He was wearing a beautiful black trouser which was a little tight, white shirt which was half way done and black shoes that made him look handsome. His hair was dark as night, shaved on the sides and then gelled.

The man was holding a baby pram on which was a baby and was also carrying one in a carrier in front of him. He also had a little handsome boy with him who was probably around 11 or so. He was coming towards them and Praveen had no idea who he was. When he was closer...

"Hey!" Adrian smiled, waving at him.

"You took a little longer than I had expected." The man said happily.

"I'm sorry." Adrian apologized.

The man came closer and right in front of Praveen kissed Adrian on the lips. Both of them chuckled as they looked at each other, falling deeper in love than they had ever been.

"I love you." The man said, shaking his head. "...so much."

Adrian chuckled and then without saying a word, moved his head towards Praveen and saw him moving his head away. He sighed and then held his hand tightly, getting his entire attention. Praveen gave him a shy smile and tried his possible best not to act lost.

"Err..." Adrian cleared his voice. "...this is my husband, Nicholas Miller."

Praveen shifted his eyes to Nicholas, looking into his green eyes. He was more handsome than he had looked a distance away from them. He gave Praveen the best smile when they looked at each other.

"Nice to meet you... sir." He extended his hand. "My name is Praveen Garcia."

Nicholas extended his hand, shaking the boy's hand energetically. "Nice to meet you too, Praveen but please..." He paused and laughed softly. "...don't call me, sir. I am not that old. You can call me Nicholas."

"Um..." Praveen found it a little strange but... "Okay, Nicholas." He smiled. "It is really nice to meet the husband of Adrian."

"The pleasure is all mine." Nicholas finally let go of his hand.

Adrian smiled and then took Gabriel's little hand, kissing it softly. "And these three are our children." He pointed at them. "This is Gabriel, he is 12." He pointed at him. "And these two..." He pointed to the babies. "...are Leah and Lincoln. They are only a few months old."

Seeing the kids, Praveen couldn't help but smile. "They are really cute." He loved children so much and he wanted a child of his own with someone that he loved so much.

"Thank you so much." Adrian said sincerely. "That really means a lot but..." He paused and looked at his husband. "...baby... Gabriel wanted to go to a park, right?"

"Yes!" Nicholas nodded, wondering why Adrian was asking. "He has been bugging us since morning and I was actually thinking of visiting one right now."

"Yeah, I think you should do that but..." He paused and took a quick glance at Praveen. "...I won't be able to come with you. I need to talk to Praveen for something really important."

"What?" Nicholas couldn't understand. "Why? I thought you guys just met and..."

"He somehow reminds me so much of me." He sighed, speaking softly. "I need to talk to him, know him a bit and then I will meet you later."

"But..."

"Don't worry." He reassured, touching his husband's hand. "I will be fine."

Nicholas was a bit worried about leaving Adrian. "Okay." He nodded, resuming his smile. "But what about the babies? I don't think I can handle the three of them..."

"Leave Lincoln and Leah with me." He said softly. "You can take Gabriel to the park."

"But how will you handle the two of them alone?"

"I will help." Praveen smiled softly. "I love kids and spending time with these babies will be the best thing that will be happening to me."

"Praveen is here with me." He assured. He leaned down and kissed his husband. "I will meet you back at the hotel later in the evening and I will also make it up to you and our son."

Nicholas nodded and then kissed Adrian back. "Okay but should I leave the car for you?"

"And go with what?" Adrian laughed. "You don't know this city well and you can't walk on foot because it's dangerous and you might get lost."

"I don't care about myself, silly." Nicholas laughed teasingly, holding the hand of Adrian. He really loved him so much and he didn't wanna go anywhere without him. "But what about our babies?"

"Well..."

"It's fine." Praveen smiled. "I have a car."

"And I will call you to pick me up." Adrian assured. He leaned down and kissed his son's cheeks. "I am really sorry, Gabriel but papa cannot come with you right now. He has to do something really important."

"It's okay, papa." Gabriel gave Adrian his cute little smile. "Just bring some chocolate for me."

Hearing his son's words, Gabriel laughed softly and hugged him tightly. He got up, kissed his husband and took the babies away from him. They took the other pram from their fancy car before Nicholas and Gabriel left. Now it was just him and Praveen. They entered Praveen's car and asked the driver to take them to somewhere they could just talk and relax.

***

"I really thank you a lot for everything that you've done for me." Praveen said, holding tighter to one of the prams of Adrian's kids. "Almost everyone that knows me don't like me but a stranger has showed me so much love. Thank you very much."

"And why's that?" Adrian leaned on his chin, staring at the handsome boy.

"Because I'm from a very different class." He said, taking a deep sigh.

They had come at a very beautiful restaurant where they could talk without getting disturbed. Their seats were sort of at a place, further away from other seats. They had coffee with them and some snacks which Adrian had bought although Praveen had asked him not to.

"But that isn't how people should be treated." Adrian shook his head, taking a sip of his coffee. "It's not fair. I believe that everyone was created equally but it seems like people have different views about this, especially the rich."

"You are the only that seems to be different." Praveen smiled brightly, getting a little emotional. "Even my husband hates me for being poor. He thinks I am just an embarrassment to him and he thinks that..." He paused and gave a shy smile. "...I am sorry if I am flooding you with all this useless information."

"No!" Adrian hollered, getting hold of Praveen's hand. He rubbed on it sweetly, getting a smile from his beautiful face. "It's really fine. But can I ask you a question?"

"Go on!" Praveen nodded.

"Can you please tell me about your husband and the situation you are in?"

Praveen looked at Adrian and nodded slowly. "Well..."

He started narrating the story of how his mother had asked him to get married to Antonio before she died and how everything had changed and how Antonio had seemed nice when they first met, their wedding and the first night. He told him about how everything had changed.

"I was ready to give myself to him..." He said, fighting off his tears. "...I had promised myself to learn to love him and pour out my entire heart to him but everything is different now. I don't think I can ever to learn to love a man like that."

Adrian just shook his head, softly squeezing Praveen's hand. He knew what he was going through and he understood him completely. "That's really sad but who is your husband and why does he treat you like this?"

Hearing Adrian's question, Praveen gave a soft chuckle. "His name is Antonio Gonzalez..."

"The famous celebrity?" Adrian gasped, his eyes widening.

"It's hard to believe but..." He took a deep breath, containing his pain. "...yes!"

"Oh my God," Adrian gasped, touching his chest. "You are married to Antonio and yet you are living like that? Why?"

"Because he blames me for everything!" Praveen said as a tear went down his cheeks which he quickly rubbed. "He blames me for his misfortune... he thinks I am after his money and he blames me for being the cause of his break up with his boyfriend who followed us on our honeymoon."

Adrian couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had thought he had suffered a lot in the hands of his uncle and his family and his mother in law. But Praveen was passing through the same thing. He'd never thought he'd ever meet anyone who would be passing through the same thing.

"I am truly sorry for that."

"It's okay." Praveen tried to smile, nodding his head. "It's happened and I am already used to it."

"What about his family, your mother in law?"

"She's a good woman and I can never say anything bad against her." He said sincerely. "She loves me like her own son but she doesn't know what's happening. She and his grandmother. His sister knows and is in it with him. Right now they are trying to make my life miserable.

I am legally married to him but I am living as a home wrecker right now. He's boyfriend is still with him and right now they are somewhere enjoying themselves."

Praveen dropped his eyes to the table, feeling a lot of pain slip through his entire system. He felt like crying but he wasn't gonna do that in front of Adrian because it was gonna be really embarrassing.

"But..." Adrian paused, frowning. "...why can't you tell anyone, someone from his family?"

"Because it will breed trouble." He puled, rubbing through his hair. "Right now he's also preventing them from finding out and besides, I promised my mother I'd never walk out no matter what. Mother has done a lot of things for me and I am willing to suffer just to see her and granny happy."

Adrian felt tears building in his eyes. "I have never seen a person willing to suffer for the sake of others."

"I have no choice." He rubbed his tears slowly. "Right now, all I am asking for is the almighty's guidance."

"And I am sure he will give it to you." Adrian assured, holding Praveen's hands. "You told me that those that pray earnestly will get their answer."

"I believe so."

"But why can't you fight?"

"Fight?" Praveen gave a mocking laughter. "Fight for what? A husband who doesn't love me, my home or what? If the situation were different..." He groaned. "...if my husband loved me and Bruce was trying to separate us then I would have fought him to save my home. But my husband wants to be with Bruce. He loves him and he is willing to give up everything for him. How can I fight that? I would be fighting for nothing because I am a loser already."

"No!" Adrian shook his head, speaking confidently. "You must fight for yourself." He reassured, looking deep into his eyes. "You must show them that you are not weak, show them that they cannot step on you and show them although they have taken your will to fight for what's right, you still have your confidence. Don't let anyone turn you into a fool."

Praveen felt a cold wind blow on his face, feeling his heart give a sharp pound. A shiver went down his spine and he trembled slightly. Everything remained quiet... time stopped moving and he found himself staring at Adrian non-stop. He didn't know what to say to him or even how to take what he had just said to him.

"But I don't think..."

"Trust me." Adrian spoke so softly, so assuredly. "You need to be confident, Praveen because that's the only thing you have right now. With the story you have told me right now, they can do anything to you because a jealous lover can do anything to you."

"What?" Praveen couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I don't understand and why are you even telling me this anyway? Maybe I shouldn't be talking to you right now and..."

"Because I have been through the same thing." Adrian raised his voice slightly.

"What?"

"Yes!" Adrian couldn't believe he was gonna go through all the pain he had been through. "I am a very famous business man, owning one of the biggest companies in the world but... I am from a very humble beginning also. You remind me so much of me five years ago.'

Praveen opened his mouth to speak but all that came out was a harsh sound, something he couldn't even recognize.

"I don't get it."

"Well..."

Adrian took a deep breath before he started narrating his life story to him. "Seven years ago when my mother died..."

***

"...I was really weak at that time but even through my marriage, I continued suffering when I thought my sufferings had ended. I was about to lose my husband because of a lie, my life was in danger but because of my confidence, I became victorious in the end."

Praveen had his hand on his mouth, staring at Adrian wide eyed. His story was even more painful than Praveen's. He had been through a lot and Praveen couldn't even imagine passing through all that.

"So..." Adrian continued, holding Praveen's hand. "...you should be confident in everything you do. My situation is probably the reverse of yours. You have a husband who doesn't even love you, my husband loved me. You had a really good family even after your mother died, mine despised me and your mother in law loves you, mine wanted me dead. So no wonder you have to be confident, Praveen. You must stand up for yourself and show them that you are not weak."

"But... I..." he gasped, feeling as if he was running out of breath. "...I don't know if I can because..."

"You just have to find it deep inside of you." He reassured, giving him a brilliant smile. "All it takes is just saying no to whatever they are telling you. I know that you are braver than you look. I used to be just like you but look at me today..." He opened his arms wider, chuckling softly. "...I defeated my evil mother in law and now my entire family is happy. I never even thought in my wildest dreams that that would ever happen."

"But you had what you were fighting for."

"And so do you." Adrian postulated, not wanting to sound pushy. "Who knows, your husband might just fall in love with you." He winked, teasing the boy.

"What?" Praveen said abruptly, raising his eyebrows.

"What do you mean?" Adrian folded his arms on his chest, not losing that smile on his face. "You said everyone says you are destined to be together right?"

"That's what they say." He said in a dry tone. "But that will never ever happen. Antonio and I might be seen as a married couple but we are living like incompatible strangers. All he does is get mad at me, shout at me and blame me for everything. I can never ever fall for a man like that."

Hearing Praveen's statement, Adrian just shook his head, remembering the first time Nicholas had kissed him when he took food for him back when they had just met. "Never say never, Praveen."

"I am serious." He said confidently. "Why would anyone fall for him? He can be a celebrity and I don't care if he is my husband. I can say it over and over again."

Adrian shrugged, raising his hands as if he was surrendering. "Anyway, it's up to you but please, think about what I have told you."

"I don't think I can..."

"Promise me." Adrian said in a serious tone. "Promise me you won't let them reduce you to the ground no matter what. You will always stand up for yourself. Promise me."

Praveen felt really weak at that particular time. He didn't know what to say to Adrian or what to tell him at that moment. He seemed really serious, so concerned for Praveen. Maybe he was just doing that for Praveen's own good.

"Okay." Praveen gave up, taking a deep breath. "I will try but I can't promise you anything."

"It's fair enough." Adrian said simply in a cautious voice. "This will benefit you because then, you will show that you are not just a weak boy from the village."

"Thank you so much." He smiled, rubbing on Adrian's hand. "But enough about me already. How about these kids, Adrian? Did you just adopt them? They are really so cute."

Hearing Praveen's question, Adrian looked at his sleeping babies and smiled brightly, feeling some form of power take control of him. He still couldn't believe those babies had spent nine months inside of him.

"No! I gave birth to them." he said, his eyes still on his babies.

"What?" Praveen found it fun that he laughed softly. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I was pregnant for my husband and these kids are the product of our love."

"I still don't get it." Praveen frowned. "How's that possible? You know men can't give birth."

"Yeah, so everyone thinks." Adrian chuckled softly, rubbing on his belly. "He still had the scar from the operation. "But just between you and me, my brother in law is a medical doctor and a scientist and to cut it short, they carried out an experiment to see if a man could carry a baby to its full term. It was a successful and then I begged him to do it to me as well. At first, Nicholas wasn't up for it but..." He breathed in deeply. "...he eventually gave into it and then I got pregnant and gave birth a few months ago."

Praveen's mouth was gaping, staring at Adrian wide eyed. "No way!"

"Okay." Adrian said simply, unbuttoning the shirt at the lower end. He raised his shirt and showed Praveen the scar from his c-section. "Do you believe me now?"

Praveen's eyes widened more and he found himself staring at the scar that was on Adrian's tummy, still not believing those babies had truly come from inside of Adrian.

"Wow! I still can't believe this." He gasped, feeling his heart pounding deeper in his chest. "This is truly amazing and I... I can't still believe it."

"Hmmm," Adrian moaned, buttoning up. "But don't worry about anything. We still have a lot to talk about and I want to ask for a favor."

Praveen shook his head, bringing himself back to normal. "What is it?"

"I want to buy something for my children so will you help me shop, at least to spend more time together?"

Praveen smiled brightly. "I'd love to."

Praveen and Adrian went out of the restaurant and spend the rest of their day just shopping for the kids and talking to each other. They eventually found out that they had so much in common. Praveen and Adrian bonded so much that they instantly became great friends. Never in Praveen's life had he ever thought he'd enjoy a day with someone he had just met. He found out about Gabriel and Adrian's husband more. They were such a beautiful family.

The day was so great that Praveen and Adrian simply lost track of time. They only realized that it was late when Nicholas called Adrian and asked where he was. It wasn't long before Gabriel and Nicholas arrived to pick Adrian up. They exchanged numbers and Praveen even received a warm hug from him. It was really emotional.

After they left, Praveen went to his car and left for the hotel, his trouble.

***

Praveen opened the door to his room, letting himself inside. When he entered, he found Antonio coming out of the bathroom, toweling his hair. He closed the door and slowly started walking towards the couch without even having any intention of talking to him.

"Hey!" Antonio called, throwing his towel on the table. "Where the heck are you coming from at this time?"

Praveen stopped, slowly turning to look at Antonio. "I went to the temple and then I also had a tour around town."