“You followed me when I tried to leave. You cared. No one cares to follow someone like me.” The tears were flowing in earnest now and Vansh wished he could do something to make the poor guy feel better.

“Of course I followed you. And what do you mean someone like you? You’re every bit as worthy of being taken care of as anyone else.”

“I didn’t mean to say that,” Hari said on another sob.

Vansh made a face that he hoped showed his confusion.

“The tent.” Hari said the words the way one confesses to a crime.

“I don’t mean to pry. But are you saying you live in a tent on a campsite? Or are you saying something else?” Was he saying he was homeless?

Hari nodded, which was somewhat confusing. Vansh had enough experience with the South Asian head nod, but those had accents too, and Hari’s wasn’t clear.

Two thoughts struck Vansh at once. One, that homelessness had been the first thing to occur to him, and that said horrifying things about the city Vansh loved. Two, that he didn’t know what he would do if he found out that someone who’d worked on Yash’s campaign had been—was?—homeless.

“If my family ever found out, the shame would kill them,” Hari added through his tears.

Find what out? Vansh leaned forward. “Is your family in India or here?”

“In India,” Hari said. “My father is an imminent doctor.”

Vansh assumed the man meant eminent, unless he meant that his father was still in medical school. “My parents’ friends and relatives have property all over Bhopal. If they found out that Dr. Samarth’s son lives on the streets like a beggar, my parents would have nowhere to hide their faces.”

Holy hell, he was right about Hari’s being homeless.

Vansh must have looked horrified, because Hari looked horrified in response. “I’m sorry, I should never have told you. But you saved my life and I got emotional. It’s an emotional day.” Hari grabbed Vansh’s hand. “You won’t tell Yash, will you? Yash would be so disappointed in me if he found out. He would never have hired me if he’d known.”

“That’s not true. You should know that Yash wouldn’t judge you based on where you live.”

Instead of placating him, this just made Hari look even more distraught. “You cannot tell him. Please. Please! I couldn’t bear it if he found out.”

“Hari, it’s okay. Calm down. I won’t tell anyone anything you don’t want them to know. But what are you saying exactly? Have you been living on the street the entire time you’ve worked on the campaign?” Now that Vansh thought about it, the salaries Yash had been able to pay his team were nowhere near enough to live in the city. Most of the team commuted.