In the Name of Love – Chapter 24

Those of you who missed the previous chapter, here is the link :

https://www.tellyupdates.com/in-the-name-of-love-chapter-23/

@Mahira I have 5Rs. Chalega? (Hehe)
@RiansHLoveR Thanks a lot.
20 Rs milenge bas kyunki utne hi hai mere paas.
@1234Aayu Thanks a lot. Glad to see you ‘addicted’ (hehe)
@Prapti0809 Thank you, but since I don’t have crores, I can give you 1Re only.
@Candid11 Thank you dear
@Mary Thank you so much. Your compliments mean a lot to me (^hearts^). The reason of his rude behaviour with Nandu, is hidden in his past, about which you’ll get to know in today’s chapter.
@Parita Thank you so much. That really means a lot to me (^hearts^).
@Maanvika Thanks a lot
@Aisha08 Ab isse zyada jaldi nahi hosakta because I’m slow, lazy and a procrastinator (hehe)
@Jayanthi Thanks a lot. Glad you liked it.
@Annoyinguser Thank you dear
@Ravneet Thanks a lot
@Deepa Thank you so much. Here is the link by which you can get access to the previous chapters :

https://www.tellyupdates.com/user/31354/?profiletab=posts

@Pomu Thank you so much. Yes your guess was right. It was Ragini in that crossed out photo.
@Thakur Priyanka Thanks a lot. I really wished Riddhima answered everyone back in the show. And since she didn’t do that, I’m trying to fulfil my wish through this story (hehe)
@Akshitha Thank you so much. Don’t worry, I won’t forget their moments.
@Jayashree Thank you dear
@Sree Thank you dear
@JJ Thanks a lot
@Vkjhp Thank you dear
@Priyadharshini Thanks a lot
@Neetu Thanks a lot. Glad you loved it.
@Niyati12 Thank you dear
@Akshiiii Thanks a lot. Happy to know that you’re liking this version of Riddhima
@Anaya Yup lol. The scorpion acted like a cupid for them indirectly (hehe)
@Shivangi Thank you so much
@Ayesha Thank you dear
@Riaa Thank you so much. Riddhuma is actually having really mixed feelings about Vansh. Plus the kiss really got into her head, and that’s why she kept dreaming about that.
.
I totally agree with you on what you said about Vansh. I feel that way about biological parents too. Like please just don’t concieve out of your carelessness, out of society’s pressure, or only for your own entertainment. Unless, you are 100% sure that you can take the responsibility, you must avoid bringing a child into the world and spoiling its life.
Unfortunately, our Indian society doesn’t understand that.
@AarushiSoni Thank you so much. Vansh definitely has ego and anger issues that he needs to keep in control. Even I enjoyed writing about their kiss (wink)
@Qt Thanks a lot. Vansh’s past would be clear now.
@Jazvine Kaur Thank you so much. It makes me really happy to see you enjoying this story thoroughly. (^hearts^)
Even I have quite a few complaints with the makers, but writing for a serial which runs for more than 200 episodes and writing an FF for max 30-40 episodes, are 2 completely different things.

xxxxxx

As soon as Vansh shut the door of his room right on their faces, Riddhima and Gayatri heard the noise of furniture being thrown and glass being shattered from inside.

“Vansh! Please open the door,” Gayatri cried.

“Nani, please don’t waste your energy upon him. Leave that madman to himself,” said Riddhima casually.

Gayatri looked mortified. “Riddhima, I know you are angry at him, but that’s no way to talk about him. He is your soon-to-be husband, atleast respect him for that….”

“Just because he is my soon-to-be husband, that doesn’t mean I’ll put him on a pedestal and start worshipping him,” retorted Riddhima. “And respect has to come from within, it can never be forced. And unfortunately, I’ve lost all respect for him.”

Saying this, Riddhima turned to leave, but Gayatri held her hand.
“Come with me to my room. I need to tell you something very important, which perhaps will help you understand why Vansh behaves the way he does.”

Gayatri escorted Riddhima to her room, and locked the door from inside.

“We had all promised to Vansh, that we won’t ever talk on this topic ever. But it looks like it’s high time that you get to know the entire truth,” said Gayatri.
“You want to know why Vansh is so cold hearted? You want to know why he behaves so rudely with Nandu? You must be thinking that Vansh doesn’t love Nandu, but that is not the case. He surely loves and cares for her a lot. But whenever he sees her, he gets reminded of his bitter past, causing his old wounds to become tender once again.”

Riddhima looked on with a confused expression, while Gayatri started narrating the past to her.

“Vansh was only twelve years old, when his mother, Uma, passed away. Ishani and Sia being younger were not as affected by her death as Vansh was. His father, Pradeep, was a careless dad and never paid much attention to his children even after their mother’s demise.
Looking at their ordeal, I suggested Pradeep to remarry, and that is how Anupriya entered our lives. After Anupriya came, she took over the children’s responsibilities on her shoulders, and let me tell you that she did a very good job at that. Her love and care was akin to that of a real mother’s, in fact still is.

“A few years later, Pradeep too passed away, and our entire family started going through an emotional and financial turmoil. Vansh was only nineteen, and hadn’t even completed his studies, but with Sushant’s support, he started working on setting up his own business. He soon managed to carve out a successful empire for himself, but the burden of excessive responsibilities had turned him emotionless, rude and arrogant.

“But one fine day, a young, beautiful girl entered his life, and in an instant, he fell head over heels in love with her. Her name was Ragini, which means ‘Melody’.
Just like how melody gives life to music, she too brought Vansh’s lifeless soul alive.
He had started to smile, laugh and enjoy, all thanks to her. In fact, it would be an understatement to say that he loved her like crazy….”

Riddhima started feeling uneasy hearing about Vansh’s immense love for Ragini. What was happening to her?

Gayatri continued, “She used to love red roses. So he would gift her a bouquet of red roses every morning. His whole life used to revolve around her. Even Ragini would often proclaim her love for him.
Since, they weren’t in a hurry to marry so soon, we decided to get them engaged instead.

“Everything was running smoothly, until one fine day, when Ragini fell unconscious and the doctor told us that she was pregnant! We all were initially shocked beyond words, because as a traditional family, getting pregnant before marriage was not something that we believed in.
But my Vansh on the other hand, was the happiest person when he got this news. He couldn’t wait to have his very own child in his arms, to whom he could give all the love in the world. That love, which unfortunately he could never get from his own father.
We also gave into his happiness, and decided to get them married within a month or two, before anyone else outside the family got to know about this.

“My Vansh would personally take a lot of care of Ragini and take her for all her checkups. Even though, there was a lot of time until the delivery, but Vansh had already started preparing for his soon-to-be-born daughter or son. He had decided upon their names and even got the baby room decorated with toys and clothes.
He used to tell me that if time came, he would even allow the business to take a backseat, but he would never neglect his child like his father did to him and his sisters. He wanted to be the best father a child could ever ask for.

“But we had no idea about the impending storm in our lives. Just a few days before their marriage, fortunately or unfortunately, we came to know that it wasn’t Vansh’s child that Ragini was carrying. She had been cheating on Vansh, and the baby was someone else’s. In fact, she herself admitted to it.

“That very moment, he threw her out of this house as well as from our lives. But Vansh had become shattered beyond repair. In an instant, he had lost his love as well as his baby, which wasn’t even his. His dreams, trust everything had broken. For several days at a stretch, he would continue to drink and play the piano tirelessly, so much so that his hands would get injured.
A little later, he recomposed himself, but now he had become far more ruthless, hardened and snobbish than before.

“With a few months having passed and no further news of Ragini, we all were beginning to gain control of our lives, when suddenly one fine evening, Vansh brought home a baby girl. Apparently, she was Ragini’s daughter, and she had heartlessly abandoned her one-day old baby in the hospital.
He legally adopted her, gave her his name, and named her Nandini – one who brings joy and happiness.”

Riddhima stared into the space with an aghast expression. Nandu was Ragini’s daughter! That was why, the lady in the picture looked so familiar to her. Because Nandu bore a lot of resemblance to Ragini.

“When I asked him why he was doing all this, he said something that has stayed with me over these many years. He said how he could let that baby be left abandoned, whom he had showered his fatherly love and care upon, even if it was for only a few months when she was still inside Ragini.
It is not easy to accept someone’s else’s child, especially when she is the symbol of your lover’s betrayal and cheat. But my Vansh did exactly that. And you say that he doesn’t love her? If this is not love, I don’t know what else it is. I know how he loves her so much and longs to carry her in his arms and play with her too.

“But unfortunately, as Nandu started growing up, she started resembling more and more like her birth mother. In fact, now she looks like an exact replica of Ragini.
Whenever Vansh sees Nandu’s face, he is reminded of her mother’s betrayal, and the pain he had to go through. He doesn’t want to act rude with her, but he is helpless. He is helpless!”

Gayatri started sobbing softly, while Riddhima too had tears in her eyes. She could not believe that she had thought so wrongly about that man, who had such a big heart to do something as difficult and as great as this. She started feeling guilty for all the horrible words she had said to him.

______________________________________

It was late at night when Riddhima heard a sad tune being played on the piano. She stood outside the piano room, and through the glass door, she saw Vansh simultaneously drinkining and playing the piano.

Yeh Jism Hain Toh Kya
Yeh Rooh Ka Libaaz Hain
Yeh Dard Hain Toh Kya
Yeh Ishq Ki Talaash Hain
Fanaa Kiya Mujhe Yeh Chahne Ki Aas Ne
Tarah Tarah Shikast Hi Hua

Riddhima was about to leave, when she suddenly saw that Vansh’s fingers were bleeding. She panicked and tried to enter inside, but the door was securely locked from inside. She tried to call his name out and even bang upon the door, but the loud music drained all of that.

She saw Mrs. D’souza pass by, and asked her for help. “You might be having a spare key, please I really need to stop Vansh from this madness of his.”

“I’m sorry Madam, but Sir doesn’t like anyone to disturb him when he is in the piano room, or else, I might even lose my job. Might as well, you leave from here too, or he can even extend your punishment further.” Saying this, Mrs. D’souza left.

Riddhima was trying to think of a way to go inside, when she noticed that the key was still in the keyhole on the other side. She quickly got a folded piece of paper, and slid it through the gap under the door to the opposite side. She tugged a pen into the keyhole, causing the key to fall on the paper. She pulled back the paper along with the keys from under the door. She finally managed to unlock the door, and stomped towards him, carrying a first aid kit in her hands.

She placed her hands on top of the keys of the piano, and Vansh abruptly stopped himself. His eyes were red, his hair disheveled, his hands stained with blood, and a strong stench of alcohol came from him.

“What are you doing here? Go away!” he shouted.

“No, I won’t,” she replied adamantly. “I won’t let you hurt yourself anymore! Ragini was the one who betrayed you, and so she should be the one to get punished. Not you!”

Vansh started laughing maniacally. “Weren’t you the one who told me that before punishing anybody else, I should first punish myself? And that I’m unfit to be a father, not only to Nandu, but also to my own child?”
Saying this, he brought the bottle of wine to his mouth, and started gulping in continuously.

Riddhima pulled the bottle away from him. “I’m really sorry for all that I said to you. I didn’t know the truth before,” she said trying to control her emotions from overtaking her.
“Your hands are bleeding. Come, let me do the bandage.”

Vansh coldly said, “Leave me alone, Riddhima. I’m not in my senses right now, and I myself do not know what I may end up doing with you, if you stay even a second longer.”

“I am not going anywhere leaving you in this condition, Vansh,” said Riddhima with moistness in her eyes.

She tried to apply the ointment but he shoved her, and her hand got pricked by a nail instead.

“Ouch!” she let out a soft groan.
Vansh’s eyes immediately darted towards her in concern, and for a split second, their eyes locked together.

“See? Leave, or else you’ll get more hurt,” he said.

“So hurt me. But don’t hurt yourself.”

Vansh looked at her surprised. But then, he soon returned to playing the piano again.

Raza Hai Kya Teri
Dilon Jahan Tabah Kiya
Sazaa Bhi Kya Teri
Wafaa Ko Bewafaa Kiya
Wah Re Zindagi Se Yun Mujhe Juda Kiya
Kahaan Kahaan Phirun Main Dhoondta

Riddhima tried to forcefully do the dressing, while Vansh tried to pull his hands away from her. In the ongoing struggle, both of them fell down to the floor, with Vansh landing on top of Riddhima.

Riddhima became aware of the close proximity between them, but she ignored that. She hated his breath that reeked of alcohol, but more than that, she hated the immense pain she noticed in his eyes.

Vansh tried to get up, but instead stumbled right upon her. Riddhima curled her arms around him, and allowed themselves to roll over, so that now she lied on top of him.
She got up and helped Vansh to get up too. She tried to do his dressing, and thankfully, this time he allowed her to do it.

Tears started flowing across her cheeks as she saw his wounds, while he continued to stare at her in some amazement.

After the dressing was done, Vansh tried to reach out for the bottle again. But Riddhima swiftly grabbed the bottle instead and discarded it into the trash.
______________________________________

On her way back to her room, Riddhima collided with Anupriya.
Riddhima tried to ignore her and leave, but she called her out instead.

“By applying medicine to the wounds that you yourself had inflicted upon him, do you think that you’d be able to get into Vansh’s good books? I don’t think so,” taunted Anupriya.

“I have no interest either in getting into anyone’s good books, nor in impressing someone. Whatever I do is directly from the heart,” remarked Riddhima.

“I will never forgive you for awakening Vansh’s old, forgotten wounds,” said Anupriya angrily. “He is in this condition because of you.”

Riddhima said, “You are free to think whatever you want to. I don’t want to give any explanations to you out of all people. I’d rather, that you paid more attention to your son, instead of me. Anyways, it’s getting really late so, good night and sweet dreams!”

After she left, Anupriya thought to herself, “I just hope that this act of Riddhima, doesn’t cause Vansh’s heart to melt for her.”
______________________________________

It was morning, and Riddhima’s mind was still fresh from the memories of the previous night. But right now she was trying hard to get Ishaan’s attention, who was plainly ignoring her.

“Till when will you remain angry with me like this? Talk to me atleast,” pleaded Riddhima. She thrusted his palm into hers. “I have no one in this world other than you. Please, your resentment is killing me from inside!”

“Fine. I’m ready to forgive you. But for once just tell me, why did you have to get engaged to Mr. Raisinghania?” said Ishaan, crossing his arms across his chest.

Riddhima fell silent. She couldn’t possibly tell him the real reason that got her to agree to this, otherwise that would make him further worried and upset. She was thinking of a possible excuse, when he suddenly spoke up.

“I know the reason.”

“You know?” she asked surprised.
How could he know?

“You agreed to the proposal because you felt indebted towards him for his financial support and help,” said Ishaan. “But you needn’t have done that, Dids. I would have….”

“Shhh! It’s all okay, Ishaan. Trust me,” Riddhima assured him.
She hugged him and thought, “I’d happily take all the problems over my head, but would never let any problem to even pass by you. I promise you that!”
______________________________________

At breakfast, Vansh and Riddhima awkwardly tried to avoid each other’s stare. On the other hand, Gayatri lovingly tried to look at the couple, shying away from each other. Mrs. D’souza had told her and Sia about how last night, Riddhima had tended to Vansh’s wounds.

“Finally, there’s someone who can heal his wounds and who can share his sorrows,” Gayatri thought happily.

She pointed towards Vansh’s dressing and said, “The dressing has been done perfectly. That ‘person’ definitely has some magic in his hands!”

Sia chuckled while the others had no idea what Gayatri was talking about. Riddhima awkwardly tried to stuff some more food in her mouth.

Vansh glared at his grandmother and then tried to change the topic. “Congratulations Ishaan! I heard you won the tournament. That’s really great.”

“Thank you, Mr. Raisinghania,” replied Ishaan.

Sia flashed a weird expression to Ishaan. “What does one call his elder sister’s husband as?”

Ishaan didn’t know why she was asking this. “Jija.”

“So accordingly, shouldn’t you be calling Riddhima’s fiance as ‘Jiju’, then?” said Sia.

At this, Riddhima choked upon her food and started coughing.

Ishaan said, “Okay, what does one call her elder brother’s wife?”

“Bhabhi?” offered Sia.

“So accordingly, shouldn’t you be calling Dids as ‘Bhabhi’ instead?” said Ishaan.

“Shut up you two!” Riddhima scolded them. “Enough of this ‘jiju’ and ‘bhabhi’. We’re not married yet, so please hold your horses! Plus, I don’t like being called as ‘bhabhi’, so I’d rather no one calls me that.”

Aryan who was sitting next to Riddhima, whispered, “Don’t worry, I won’t call you ‘Bhabhi’. To be honest, you are too hot to be called as a ‘bhabhi’ you know.”

Riddhima shot an angry glare in his direction.

Vansh who was sitting close by, heard what Aryan said.
Later after breakfast, Vansh came upto him and gave an earful, “Riddhima is soon going to be MY wife. So talk to her with respect, and stop flirting around with her. Or else, you’d have to watch out for dire consequences.”
______________________________________

“Angre, did you find those confidential papers?”

“No Boss, I didn’t,” he replied. “Uhm…do you still have your doubts on Riddhima?”

“Yes, I very well do,” said Vansh slowly.

“So do you want me to search her room or something?” offered Angre.

“Nope. Because if you do that in her presence, she will create a huge scene and will also involve Dadi in all that,” said Vansh. “Let’s do one thing. Tonight, I’ll take Riddhima to one of the parties, and then in her absence, you can search her room for those papers. But mind you, nobody should get to know this.”

“Your wish is my command, Boss.”
______________________________________

Riddhima and Vansh were heading towards the party in their car. Soft music played in the background.

Riddhima lowered the window on her side, and let the wind play with her hair.

Vansh watched her ecstatically. “What are you hiding within? Why do you seem like a mystery to me? And not just any other mystery, but a beautiful one though.”

As they got down the car, Vansh caught Riddhima by her arm.

“There’s something for you. But for that, first you need to shut your eyes tight.”

Riddhima on the other hand looked surprised.

“I asked you to close your eyes, not to open them wide,” teased Vansh.

Riddhima unwantedly did close her eyes, and as soon as she did that, she felt Vansh pushing her hair towards the front, thus revealing her plunging backline.

She felt a wave of emotion as his fingers brushed against the back of her neck. She didn’t know why she always reacted like that at his slightest touch.

When she opened her eyes, she was amazed to see the same chain and pendant around her neck, that she had gifted to Ishani on her birthday.
She looked up at him questioningly.

“Before you say something, let me tell you that this is not the same one that you had gifted to Ishani. I asked the jeweller to make a completely new and similar one,” said Vansh. “And it’s not because of the money you spent. It’s because you had said that it belonged to your mother, and I want you to keep it as a sign of her remembrance.”

Riddhima was at a loss of words at Vansh’s thoughtful gesture. A quick thank you was all that she could manage to mumble.

______________________________________

At the party, everyone was extremely eager to meet the would-be Mrs. Raisinghania.

Riddhima got introduced to so many people, that it was getting increasingly difficult to remember everybody’s name and relation with Vansh.

“Oh, so this was what you had been hiding from us, Vansh,” one of his friend’s wives said. “She is so beautiful! You are indeed very lucky.”

“And had I been not-so-pretty, he would have been quite unlucky, right?” quipped Riddhima.

“Uhm…that is not what I meant,” the friend’s wife said sounding a little embarrassed.

“But that is exactly what you meant!” said Riddhima. “How can you say someone is lucky or not on the basis of something as superficial as external appearance?
Trust, love, understanding, compatibility – these are the attributes a person should look for in his partner which will eventually make him ‘lucky’.”

Vansh looked at Riddhima proudly. This was why he adored her. She didn’t shy away from calling a spade a spade, and was so strongly opinionated.

He was continuing to admire her, when his phone started buzzing. He excused himself.

“So, did you find the papers in Riddhima’s room?” he asked.

“No Boss, I didn’t,” replied Angre. “But there’s a strange thing that I found in her wardrobe. There’s a map of Mumbai’s coastline.”

“A map of Mumbai’s coastline? What is that doing in her room? Why does she need it?” thought Vansh.
He recalled their trip to the docks, and how they had got stranded on the island, and how she had been bombarding him with so many questions.

Vansh decided that time had come for him to uncover the truth.

Precap :
Vansh spikes Riddhima’s drink.

Riddhima gets kidnapped.

Hello everyone! That is it for today guys. If you liked it, do not foget to comment.

Stay safe and positive always.

Peace out!