5.
Riddhima’s POV:
Three weeks. It has been three weeks since the whole Aahan’s kidnapping incident and my life has gone back to normal. The starting days were very difficult for me. I was always attentive and used to get hyper at small things but now I am easing into my routine.
Today after spending my whole day with Vansh, on the project work, Aahan and then my NGO students, I was very exhausted. I planned on having a light dinner, taking a long bath and sleeping peacefully.
After eating and enjoying a half an hour of bath, I lay down on my bed and looked at the clock. It was 9 o’clock which was far before my sleeping time but today I was unusually tired. I closed my eyes and darkness engulfed me in no time.
Some weird noises woke me up. I tried to move but I felt like my muscles were dead weights. I could not move them even if I willed my whole energy into it. I tried to move my finger but even that was rendered useless. My breaths quickened as I heard someone open the door to my apartment.
I did not give anyone my keys! Who is this person? Where did this person get my house keys?
I panicked as I desperately attempted to move but it was all in vain. I saw a hooded figure approach me. From the stature, it seemed like the figure was that of a man. He stood near the end of my bed and stared at me.
This really creped me out.
He kept staring at me for five minutes which felt like hours. He steadily walked towards the side of the bed that was near the door and stood facing me. It was in this region, that the light from window fell on his face. A part of his face was hidden by the cloak but the lower part of his face was clearly visible. He had a small cut along his jaw and his lips were extremely thin.
I wanted to shout for help but I could not. He leaned down until his face was close to my ears.
“Wow! You are such a beauty!” His rough voice said. I stared at the hollow of his cloak where his eyes were. He chuckled and touched my cheek. I was repelled by his touch but I could not move my body. This was the most helpless I had ever been in my life.
“Raisinghanias are so stupid to bare such a beautiful thing like you to the devil! They must be taught a lesson.” He gave a deep sinister laugh that sent chills of dread down my spine.
I prayed for god to send help. I was so terrified of what he might do and I also regretted not accepting Mr. Raisinghania’s offer earlier. I was not aware of the perilous threats of the water that appeared to be shallow. He took out a knife from his pocket and pressed the cold blade on my forehead. He then proceeded to drag the knife from the forehead to my cheeks and all the way down to my neck.
My breath got caught in my throat as I waited for his next action.
I did not want to die so soon!
I wanted to live, complete my degree and go back to my parents, to their safety and warmth!
I cried as I thought about them. My chest ached painfully but I could not do anything but to wait for my inevitable death.
Just as he was about to press the knife deeper into my throat, he froze. I could feel something wet on my cheeks and arms but I could not decipher what it was due to the darkness. I heard him grunt and hold his arm which was earlier holding the weapon. The knife was no longer in his hands.
I heard another growl from near the window and saw Vansh standing there, his face illuminated from the moonlight. I wanted to call him, get his attention, run to him but I remained in the bed like a lifeless body.
He stalked across the room towards the man who tried to attack me but the man started running. I heard Vansh whistle but he did not chase after the man. He rather searched for a switch and turned on the lights in my room. I closed my eyes shut at the immediate brightness.
I stayed put in my place until I felt a touch on my cheeks. I opened my eyes to see Vansh wiping something from my cheeks. More tears spilled out of my eyes as I thought about what would have happened if Vansh would not have been there on time.
He stared at me for a moment and then he pulled out his phone and called someone. After five minutes, a man came running into the room with a briefcase in his hands. Vansh moved away from me and made space for the man to sit next to me. The man then started checking me and asked questions to which I replied with an eye blink as it was the only working muscle in my body. After getting all the questions, he sighed and turned to Vansh who was standing there the whole time and looking at me.
“Vansh, it seems like she has been drugged. It is GHB or commonly known as ‘liquid ecstasy’ which is…”
“Gamma-HydroxyButyrate, I know. It paralyses the person but does not hamper their senses. Give her the cure. She should be fine in half an hour.”
Vansh cut off the man before he could explain. If I would have been able to move, I am sure my jaw would be hanging open till now. He was taking as if he was in medical field for years! I saw the man inject something in me and then it was all blank.
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Vansh’s POV:
I was furious. My men were all standing in front of me with their heads hung low. These f**kers did not even have the guts to look me in the eye and accept their mistake. I could not believe this. I would have to think seriously about filtering my team again. These were just a bunch of losers.
“You could not catch him, you say?” I questioned and saw them literally wet their pants.
None of them said anything and acted as if they were dumb people who did not understand a single word of a simple question. A low growl escaped my throat as a warning but they did not budge. I was done!
“ANSWER ME!” I threatened as I got inches closer to them. I heard a collective sharp intake of breaths as I felt a trembling hand on my back. I turned around to come face to face with Riddhima.
*****
Riddhima’s POV:
I opened my eyes and sat up on the bed, the memories of tonight rushing into my mind. I felt around my neck for any injuries and winced when I touched the small bruise on the side of my neck. I looked around the room in search of Vansh but he was nowhere to be found. I instantly panicked as I thought about that man returning to complete his task.
With all my might, I got out from the bed and went towards the door which led to the small living room. As I reached the corridor connecting the living room and my room, I saw Vansh with five men. They were all standing in a line and looking down as if they are guilty. Vansh was angry. I went near him to draw his attention as he was very busy giving death glares to these men. The atmosphere of the room was eerily thick.
As I was approaching him, I saw him move close to them and he threatened in a menacing tone.
“ANSWER ME.” He yelled which caused me to flinch. I trembled in fear as I had never seen him this angry. The tattoos that he had all over his body only added to his furious persona. I saw the men take a sharp intake of breath as they waited for some sort of death sentence.
Was Vansh going to hit them?
I was terrified of the aspect that he might hit them. Instantly, I placed a hand on his back. He turned around and I came face to face with a furious black eyed Vansh.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, he was calm and composed as I have always seen him. He held me by my shoulder and gently pushed me on the nearby sofa.
“Jack, go get water. The rest of you leave.”
I saw that one of the five men went towards the kitchen and the rest exited my apartment. Jack came back after a few seconds with a glass of water and handed it to Vansh and then took his leave.
Vansh sat beside me and gave the glass of water to me. I drank it at once not realizing that I was thirsty. Once I was finished, he took it from my hands and kept it on the small coffee table. He then turned towards me.
“How are you feeling?”
“I am okay.”
“This is what I was talking about Riddhima. These people are very dangerous. If I would not have been here on time then you would have been dead by now. I cannot protect you if you are not nearby. Now would you comply and come with me?”
He said quietly. I kept thinking about what he said. I know that it was insane to not spontaneously accept what he was offering but I was still unsure. How could I comply when I was brought up in a society where living with a man before marriage was frowned upon? I know that now was not the time to consider those baseless morals and society but my heart was not willing to compromise. It was after all a question about my self-respect!
As I was going to voice out my thoughts, Vansh interrupted me. “I know what you are thinking and I have a solution to that. I will marry you. I know that it is important for you according to your beliefs. You don’t have to worry; this marriage will be as real as you want it to be.”
He completed, dropping a bomb on me. He wants to marry me! I could never imagine that he would understand. One question was eating me from inside so I thought to voice it out.
“Why? Why would you marry when you don’t know me? Why would you waste your precious time to save me again and again from whoever is willing to hurt me? Saving Aahan can surely not be the sole reason.”
I saw him freeze and then he clenched his jaw as he remembered something and got angry. His breathing became harsh and his hands were tightly clutched into fists. I knew that I had hit a sore nerve. He just kept staring at the wall opposite to us as he answered me.
“I will tell you when the time is correct. It will be better if you just pack all your belongings and come with me right now.”
I sat frozen for a few minutes but then as if shaken out of a trance, I got up and did what he told me to do. I had to do this if I wanted to go back to my parents safe and sound. I came out with my bags and he took them from my hands. Just as he was about to leave, I stopped him.
“I have to tell my mother about this.”
He gave me a you-gotta- be-kidding look but I did not budge.
“Listen, I don’t hide anything from her. She will not tell anyone and I trust her. She has to know what is happening in her daughter’s life. It’s her right!”
He sighed and nodded. We then proceeded to go towards the front door. Near the door, he stopped for a minute and turned his head on the side to look at me.
“The lock will be changed tomorrow and you will get the new keys. I will have one along with you and my father.”
I gave my silent consent and we headed to the car. Once inside, I sat there staring out of the window as I thought about the new twist that were yet to come in my life.
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Hello Everyone,
Sorry for the delay. Hope you all liked it!