Hi all, thanks for your wonderful comments and all the love you are showing on me. I cannot tell you how much it means to me. Big hug to all of you for it. This is the next instalment in the story. Hope you like it. It is a long one. Thanks – Azure
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As Sanskar entered the room, Ranveer was already waiting for him. As was his custom, he placed a drink in front of Sanskar. Sanskar picked it up and smelled it, remembering his hangover from last time.
“It is just apple juice” Ranveer told him casually
“Why do you need to create all this illusion?” Sanskar asked him, pointing to the drink with ice cubes in it.
“I thought you wanted to talk to me about something urgent” Ranveer told him firmly “I cancelled my meetings for this. I hope you didn’t call me here to talk about apple juice”
Sanskar rolled his eyes “No, I didn’t call you to talk about apple juice. I wanted to talk to you about the attack”
“What is there to talk about now? I thought we had done all the talking” Ranveer told him annoyed
“You might think those two attacks might have been coincidence, I am still having a tough time believing that” Sanskar told him plainly
“So you are on about that again! If you are here to talk about the girl, I am not interested” Ranveer said making to get up from his chair.
“You aren’t interested even if it impacts Ragini?” Sanskar shot at him.
Ranveer sat down and sighed “Fine! Let’s talk” he said, leaning back against the chair waiting for Sanskar to talk.
“I was watching a movie with Ragini today. Yeh Jawani Hai Dewani” Sanskar explained “There was a scene in that movie where the hero’s tom boyish girlfriend gets into a fight with some goons. She is very vocal and publically mocks and incites them”
“How is this linked to the attacks?” Ranveer asked shaking his head
“I am getting to that” Sanskar told him bluntly “That scene reminded me of the night of the attacks. Swara had behaved in pretty much the same way with that biker Doug, who shot her” he explained
“So?” Ranveer asked him unamused
“So, my question for you is, did you know Swara?” Sanskar asked
“Not this again! Is this about getting more information about her from me?” Ranveer asked “or let me guess it is about proving how much you know her?”
“I am not trying to do any such thing. In fact, if it helps, I will admit that I didn’t really know her as well as I thought I did” Sanskar told him calmly “Ranveer, this is really important. I am not trying to pull one over your eyes here. If you met her or knew a bit more about her personality, it might make our discussion quicker. That is why I am asking you about it” he explained
“Fine!” Ranveer said, calming down, just a tad bit “I met her a few times. More like I saw her with Kaka a few times. Kaka held some of the, well let’s just say extra special meetings, there and I couldn’t avoid going there”
“I didn’t realize you had been to that house” Sanskar told him softly “Ragini had once mentioned how she was worried that Janki Maa would be hurt if she went there with me”
Ranveer looked at Sanskar for a moment before nodding quietly “Maa always knew when I went there. She could see it on my face, because I couldn’t hide the guilt. She never said anything though. She knew I didn’t want to be there. Laddo would try to cheer me up after those meetings”
Sanskar nodded after all Ragini had done that for him as well. “What was your impression of her?” he asked
“He was a pampered princess who wanted everyone and everything to be showered on her at the beck of her call” Ranveer told him feeling annoyed “I have seen her demand top designer dresses from Kaka, to be worn once and thrown away because she didn’t want to be seen in them again. She was bothered about her image”
Sanskar nodded “From what I know about her, I would agree. She was very conscious of her image and style. She was like a princess and demanded to be treated and pampered as such. I remember I was going to get her to meet some of my friends. My friends and I were to meet at a pub. It was a upmarket pub, mind you, but Swara didn’t want to be there. I had to move the get together to a recently launched hip roof top restaurant for her. She did give it back to people sometimes, but she did it in her own style, sarcastically and without screaming herself. She made the others scream and bellow at her.”
Ranveer didn’t speak but looked at Sanskar intensely
“So what was someone like her doing at a biker’s pub? And what was she doing picking up a loud fight with Doug?” Sanskar asked somberly
“I thought you told me she went there to meet a friend?” Ranveer said nonchalantly, though his eyes spoke of something else
“But that’s just it, why would she agree to meet a friend at such a place, quite remote from her usual type of hangout, when she wasn’t even willing to set foot inside an upmarket pub?”
“You seem to have thought about this a bit, what is your view?” Ranveer asked him
“I have been thinking about the reason all throughout my way here” Sanskar said sighing
“And?” Ranveer asked
“There was a reason for going to that pub and dragging me along. I think she was putting on a show of getting into that loud argument” Sanskar said softly
“And why would she be doing that?” Ranveer asked, his face stoic devoid of any reaction.
“I see two possibilities. First, and I am really hoping this is the reason for it, she was trying to play a prank on me. May be this was some weird way of testing me to see if I would protect her or something”
“And the other?” Ranveer prompted
Sanskar sighed and looked him for a second before answering “The other was to cover up what was happening miles away, in UK, with Ragini”
“If it was all a show, why did she get shot?” Ranveer asked
“I don’t quite know why. My guess is may be that she mistook the person out in alley to be her friend and fought with him, not realizing that it was actually Doug. He was after all wearing a helmet and she would have had no way of knowing he wasn’t the friend” Sanskar tried to reason
Ranveer remained quiet
Sanskar leaned forward “Both Swara and Ragini get attacked by bikers with guns on the same day. It cannot be a coincidence. Swara was at the pub because that was the best place to be surrounded by bikers. Most of whom would have guns. It would provide her easily with the same scenario that Ragini faced”
“Why, according to you, would she want Ragini attacked?” Ranveer asked
“I don’t know. Swara had nothing to be jealous or threatened about when it came to Ragini. Shekhar Gadodia didn’t care about her. Ragini wasn’t interested in the money, in fact she wanted to get away from it because she felt it was tainted and felt it was the reason for the tragedies in the family. Even is Swara didn’t know that, she would still have no reason to worry about money or not having enough. I am sure Shekhar had set aside plently for her and only her. She was never connected to any of you for her to feel she was losing out on it because of Ragini” Sanskar said talking as much to himself as to Ranveer “So hurting Ragini couldn’t have been the end goal. It had to be to get to someone else. Someone who wasn’t Shekhar Gadodia” Sanskar said looking at Ranveer “Someone like you” he said softly
Ranveer and Sanskar remained quiet for a long while.
“You are forgetting one thing in this” Ranveer said quietly, leaning forward “That girl didn’t need to put on a show if the intention was just to attack Laddo to get to me. She could have completely stayed out of it. It would have served her better” he leaned back in his chair again “because if someone attacked Laddo, I would have investigated it no matter what. And I wouldn’t have been bothered about that girl and her attack anyway. Even if she wanted to create linkage, that would have been broken as fast, the way it already did”
“So maybe it wasn’t just about attacking Ragini to get to you. May be it was also to cover the person who was behind the attacks by creating the linkage. I mean I don’t think she could have been the one hatching the entire plan” Sanskar reasoned “Even if the linkage failed ultimately, may be the purpose was served by then since you would have been devastated and impacted enough for them to do what they wanted to” Sanskar suggested
“You are forgetting that she could have devastated me even otherwise if something happened to Laddo, but it wouldn’t have stopped my vengeance. It would have fueled it more. She didn’t put on the elaborate show just to throw a red herring at me” Ranveer shot at him
Sanskar sat back lost in thought for a moment “If she was hurt, even pretend hurt, as part of this plan, the person it would have impacted the most would have been Shekhar Gadodia” Sanskar said “If Ragini was hurt, the person most impacted would have been you, Janki Maa and the family. This has to be about one or more likely both of you. I cannot believe someone did all this just to take Ragini out because she posed some threat to them” he added raising his head to look at Ranveer “Do you know of any other reason why Ragini would be attacked, if not to get to all of you?” he asked sincerely
“Our business is one where friends are temporary and enemies are permanent” Ranveer told him matter-of-factly “There could be a lot of people trying to hurt Ragini to get to us”
“How many of them would also recruit Swara to help them in hurting Ragini to get to you? Or how many are there who Swara would have helped for this purpose?” Sanskar asked him critically
Ranveer was quiet for a long time “You are eliminating all the other options, other than those where Ragini is being hurt to attack me, too quickly. You said it yourself, the person most impacted by that girl getting even pretend hurt would be Kaka”
“So what now?” Sanskar asked, after they had elapsed into silence once again “What are you doing about finding Ragini’s attacker?”
Ranveer looked at him critically before answering “It is best you leave that to me. Don’t be in a rush to dig into this world”
“I have no intention of joining your world. You can enjoy it all by yourself. But I cannot sit by and do nothing” Sanskar told him “I need to know what was the reason for trying to hurt Ragini”
Ranveer looked at him intensely but didn’t answer
“Look, if you don’t answer me, I am going to find another way to get my answer, but I am not backing out of this” Sanskar said making his stance clear
“What do you want to know?” Ranveer asked, giving in somewhat, knowing that his Laddo, is she found out about it, wouldn’t like to have Sanskar put in danger in trying to investigation this own his own.
“Do you have some suspects?” Sanskar asked leaning forward “Who would have done this?”
“I have a few names in mind” Ranveer said vaguely
“Who?” Sanskar asked immediately
“Look it is better you don’t know” Ranveer said. Sanskar was about to protest, but Ranveer cut in “I am not sure if they are the ones truly involved and I don’t want to influence you with my thoughts. You have been reasoning things out pretty well yourself, it would be better if you can keep an unprejudiced outlook to this”
“But how can I proceed when I don’t have any suspects?” Sanskar asked annoyed
“I am looking at some business associates. If that girl was involved in this plot, there would have been something happening around her at that time. Some phone call. Some person who she met. She didn’t leave LA during that entire period, so if she was involved that person must have been in touch and either you or one of her friends that you might have known, would know something” Ranveer told him calmly “I don’t know about them and if you really want to help, cover that base, which I cannot”
“Are you trying to do this to keep me away from the investigation?” Sanskar asked narrowing his eyes
“Considering you have already told me that you will find a way in, if I try to keep you out – no. That is not what I am trying to do” Ranveer said looking Sanskar in the eye.
Sanskar nodded. He was quiet for a minute before he asked Ranveer “You said someone she might have had calls with?” he asked. Seeing Ranveer nod, he continued “Is there any way you can get her call records?” he asked
“If it was India, I would have done it gotten those details in a day, but this is a US number we are talking about. It is not all that easy for me to get the records, but I have someone working on it. Hopefully, we should have it soon” Ranveer told him
“And what happens in meantime, while we are investigating this?” Sanskar asked “I mean do we even know that they won’t try it again? Do you think they are going to back out now assuming that they plan is thwarted? Or have they achieved their goal just by hurting Ragini even though she was saved? What if their goal was only to kill her? What if their goal still is that?” he asked concerned
Ranveer face was grave as he spoke “We protect her. We keep her away from any risky places and do whatever – WHATEVER – it takes to keep her safe”
Sanskar nodded and sank into the chair as the reality of the situation and the possibilities sunk into his head. The silence that was between them was heavy now. Each man lost in his own thoughts, worried about someone that they had come to care about beyond anything and anybody else.
As Sanskar sat there, another thought hit him “You weren’t surprised by what I said” he said softly
“What?” Ranveer asked him
“You weren’t surprised by my theory or my assumptions about the attacks” Sanskar said more loudly and firmly now, looking intensely at Ranveer. The unsaid question was quiet obvious. Why weren’t you surprised. What do you know?
Ranveer met the intense stare for a minute before sighing “I wasn’t entirely honest with you before” he paused for a second before adding “I didn’t go to London to surprise Laddo. I had heard from some sources that there was a rumor about a hit being put out on her. I knew that if I had asked her to come back home, she wouldn’t have. She would have asked to me to let her complete her internship fully instead of leaving it mid-way. She would have asked me to increase security if I needed, but to not drag her back. And I wouldn’t have been able to refuse her, because this has been her dream. I knew that I needed to be there to talk to her and convince her and push her to come back with me, if I needed to truly keep her safe”
“But she was attacked before you could talk to her” Sanskar completed for him
Ranveer nodded. He was quiet for a minute, staring at Sanskar before he spoke “There is something else that I haven’t told you.” He said before adding “LAPD found packets of red liquid inside that girl’s top. They were meant to ooze the blood like liquid on being hit/patted hard over them”
Sanskar sat straight hearing this. He wanted to ask Ranveer a lot of things. Shout at him that if he knew this, why was he not willing to listen to Sanskar. But in the end, he settled for “Why didn’t you tell this to me before?”
“You were biased towards that girl. You wouldn’t have been neutral enough to listen” Ranveer said matter-of-factly
“And you weren’t biased towards Ragini? Where you neutral?” Sanksar said, just throwing the comment at him in anger, though he didn’t want Ranveer to stop being biased towards Ragini
“Would you have listened to it with open mind if I had told you about it earlier?” Ranveer shot at him
Sanskar was taken aback. If he thought about it, he had to admit that he hadn’t been all that open to listen to anything against Swara then. Neither when Adarsh bhaiyaa tried to talk to him, nor when he spoke to Ranveer. But he wasn’t keen to admit that “I don’t know” is all he said
They sat there for some time, before Sanskar spoke again “What changed now? Why did you tell me all this now?”
“Don’t you know why?” Ranveer asked him, his voice calm as was his face, as he stared intensely at Sanskar
Sanskar on the other hand felt his heart beat rise. What was he talking about? Had he revealed something about what was going on his is head about Ragini? Had his decidedly unfriendly thoughts come across on his face?
Seeing that Sanskar hadn’t spoken, Ranveer answered the question for him “I can see concern for Laddo on your face now. I can see her pain in your eyes”
——-
By the time Sanskar got back home, it was almost time for dinner. After dinner, he retired to his room. He had been lost in thought since coming back from the farmhouse. The chat and the possibilities that it threw open, were floating in his head. He was trying to join all the different threads together and make sense of it, but he was failing miserably.
He looked around the room. It had little touches of Ragini everywhere in it now. Her iPad on the coffee table next to his laptop. Her combs, perfumes, accessories, next to his on the dresser. Her clothes in the wardrobe. He gently touched her pillow that lay next to him on the bed. It was no longer just his room. It was there room now. And he couldn’t imagine going back to the days when it was just his. She made it feel more than just a room with walls in it. Her things made it feel warm and homely. And she when she was present in the room, added life to it. Even when she was sitting quietly working on her project. But the room, truly came alive when she talked and laughed and teased and even blushed.
It was strange but without having her in the room, he felt lonely. Even though he knew she was in the house somewhere. That had been a completely new experience for him. This feeling of restlessness and the need to see her, just adding to it. He glanced at the clock, it was showing the time of 11:30pm. He looked at it startled and checked his wrist watch as well. It showed the same time. Where was she? She should have been back ages ago.
Not willing to sit back and wait for her, he left the room, walking purposefully towards Uttara’s room first. She had been interested in sharing girly gossip with Ragini these days, but there had to be a limit. Could she even let Ragini get some rest after a long day’s work? As he was striding towards Uttara’s room, annoyed, he glanced towards the living room and saw her sitting by the dining table. Her back was to him. She was doing something. He rushed downstairs and walked towards her.
“What are you doing so late?” he asked her as he stood next to her.
Ragini looked up from her work, startled by his sudden arrival and the question. It seemed she was preparing the cotton to make diyas out of them. She looked at the large copper plate filled with cotton and the diyas, and then back at him before answering “I am making diyas for the Pooja tomorrow”
“What Pooja? Are why are you the only one working?” Sanskar asked annoyed
“I am not the only one working. Everyone is doing their own part” she told him calmly “What is wrong? You have been worried since coming back from that meeting” she asked concerned
“I don’t see anyone else” he said looking around, still a bit annoyed “What do you have to do?”
“I just have to make these diyas that is all. Rest is done” Ragini told him with a smile even as she went back to making some more “Why don’t you go back to the room and rest? I will be done soon”
Sanskar looked a bit exasperated. He let a puff of breath escape him before he sat down next her “Tell me how to do these diyas” he asked her
Ragini looked at him amused “Sanskar you don’t need to do this. I can manage”
Sanskar gave her an annoyed look before taking some cotton in his hands “Tell me” he asked her again.
Ragini smiled but showed him how to make the diyas. Between them, they quickly made the diyas out of all the cotton that was there. Seeing that the diyas were made, Sanskar got up “Come on now. Lets go to the room”
“Not yet” Ragini said as she got to counting them
“Now what? You needed to make the diyas, they are done” Sanskar said annoyed
“I need to ensured they are 103 in all” Ragini said
Sanskar gave her an annoyed look and moved her hand away. He sat down and counted the diyas really quick and got up “Now are we done?” he asked
Ragini nodded with an amused smile “I will just keep these by the temple and then we can leave”
“Don’t!” Sanskar said “I will do it”
He quickly kept the plate by the temple and came back to the dining table. He held Ragini’s shoulders pushed her from behind “Now move!”
“Ahheemm” someone said clearing the throat from behind them. They turned to see Badi Maa and Mom standing by the kitchen door, with amused smiles on their face.
“Are you done making the diyas?” Badi Maa asked Ragini with a smile
“Yes, they are all done. They are by the temple” Ragini told them “Is there anything else I can help with?” she asked. Sanskar shot her an annoyed look that wasn’t missed by the two moms.
Just then Pari walked out of the kitchen “Maa, all the pots and vessels needed for the Pooja have been cleaned and ready” she told them
Annapurna nodded “Go off and get some rest now. We have to wake up early again to make the Prasad”
Pari nodded and went away
“Ragini, you go get some rest as well” she said looking at both Ragini and Sanskar, before turning to Sujata and adding “Let’s just look over everything one before we head off as well”
Sujuta nodded and both went back to the kitchen, after throwing an amused look towards Ragini and Sanskar.
Sanskar intertwined his fingers with Ragini’s and tugged her hand to make her follow him back to their room “Why couldn’t you do all this preparation before?” he asked
“By the time Badi Maa spoke to Panditji, it was already late. We could only start working on this after dinner.” She explained
“Why couldn’t you do this tomorrow morning?” he asked
“Because the Pooja is early in the morning. We wouldn’t have time to prepare anything” she told him amused
“I don’t understand why Badi Maa needs to do all this poojas” he said annoyed
“What is wrong? Why are you so angry?” she said softly
“I was waiting for you for so long in our room. Do you even realize what time it is?” he cribbed
“Ohhhh! Big Ashu was missing me” Ragini said in a teasing childlike voice
Sanskar pulled her suddenly, wrapping his arm around her back, and pulling her closer into him. He looked intensely at her. His voice become low and intense as he said “Not big Ashu, Sanskar”
Ragini was caught by the intensity in his eyes. She couldn’t bring herself to look away. Her breath caught in her throat even as blood rushed to her cheeks making her blush. She slowly lowered her eyes, feeling shy under his intense gaze.
Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, both the women broken into soft giggles
Sujata looked at AP and said “I think everything is now finally getting to be what it should be”
AP nodded “Our Sanskar is certainly coming back to the family. He has been so warm with everyone. Almost like he was before he found out about the business” she added sadly
“And then that girl” Sujata added, expressing her concerns “I wasn’t sure we would ever see the old Sanskar back”
AP nodded before patting Sujata on the shoulders
“I was worried about Ragini too” Sujata confessed “on the first day when she forgot to put sindoor”
AP nodded “I know you were worried. But our belief in her and Jankiji’s upbringing came through. She had brought our Sanskar back”
Sujata agreed “I am so happy jiji” she said, feeling at peace
AP agreed “We might soon become grandmothers now” she said teasingly to Sujata knowing it would have an impact
Sujata’s eyes widened “I am not so old yet to become grandmother jiji” she complained
“You might not have a choice in the matter” AP said teasing her more “Look at how impatient Sanskar was”
“This boy is crazy!” Sujuta muttered before walking out of the kitchen. As she came out, she saw Ragini and Sanskar standing close on the top floor landing, right in the path of their own way to their rooms. Trying to avoid them some embarrassment, she loudly called out to AP “Jiji, let’s do to bed now”
Sanskar and Ragini were lost in the moment and their closeness. Sujata’s loud voice carried towards them and they broke apart, moving away from each other. They slowly made their way back to their room in silence.
Sanskar closed the door and turned to see Ragini standing there looking at him.
“Ummm. I was getting a bit bored” He said lamely unsure about telling her the real reason.
“Ohh!” Ragini said softly, before nodded “I will just go to the washroom and then we can go off to sleep”
Sanskar nodded as he watched her leave. He lay down on his side of the bed. Why didn’t he just come out and say that he felt lonely in his own room without her? What was he going to say if she asked why? Didn’t he already know why, a voice inside him asked. What if she doesn’t feel the same? What if he lost her? His mind asked him, making him feel anxious. But she did look a bit disappointed with your answer, didn’t she? The voice suggested. But what did that really mean?
While he was lost in thought, Ragini came and lay down on the bed next to him “What are you thinking about?” she asked him softly
“Huh?” He asked looked surprised, realizing that she had come back
“You seemed to be lost in thought” she said softly
Sanskar shook his head, trying not to go back to his dilemma. Changing the topic he asked “So why this Pooja suddenly?” he asked
“Badi Maa felt that we should do the kuldevi Pooja after marriage. She wanted to do it before my internship started so that everyone would be at home” Ragini explained
“Your internship is starting in 4 days” Sanskar stated. Ragini nodded
Internship in 4 days. Ragini would be out of the house almost every day for 2 months. How was he going to manage when he felt lonely in just a few hours? His discussion with Ranveer came back to him. “We keep her away from any risky places”. She would be exposed to risk if she left the house. If something happened to her? He wouldn’t be able to bear it is she was hurt. He felt a constriction in his chest as if life was being squeezed out of him. “You aren’t going for internship” he stated
“What?” she asked surprised and confused “Sanskar, what are you saying?” she asked even as she teared up a bit and the thought of him being against it and losing her degree
Sanskar saw her face and the teary eyes and his heart broke. He couldn’t bear seeing her like this. But her safety? Could he see her being at risk? Could he risk her? No! No, he couldn’t. But if he loved her, he needed to do everything he could to keep her safe and help her with the dream. Hang on! His brain rewinded its own words, loved her? Did he love her? If you don’t love her, why are you feeling so scared and anxious? She is my friend, best friend, I am worried about her safety. She means a lot to me. Agreed she means a lot, the voice said, but is she really just your best friend. Is this how you feel when your best friend is in trouble? Is this how you felt when you thought you were in love with Swara and she was killed? The voice asked. No, right? This is way more intense. Tell me what is it, if not love? It asked him. His mind didn’t have anything to counter the voice of his heart with. He remained quiet and looked at Ragini. She was looking at him worried, teary. It tore at him.
“I meant you aren’t going for the internship alone” Sanskar told her softly “I will be coming with you, to drop you and pick you up”
“You don’t need to” She said softly
“I want to” he told her firmly “And you are going to have guards with you throughout the day”
“But how can they stay there? It will look add” Ragini asked him
“I don’t care. They are going to be with you. They can be out there with the security for all I care. It will be even better if some are. They can be outside with the building guard, but you are not going anywhere without them. You have to promise me that” He told her looking her deeply in the eye
“Sanskar” Ragini tried to say
“Promise me Ragini” Sanskar pleaded “Please”
Ragini looked at him concerned, but promised him with a nod. He looked away from her, trying to reign in the fear he was feeling just then. Fear of something happening to her. Fear of losing her.
Ragini sensed something was wrong. She touched his arm gently “Sanskar” she said softly but he tried to avoid her eye. She touched his jaw and made him turn and look at her “Sanskar” she said quietly, worried by the emotions swirling in them.
Sanskar felt overwhelmed by his emotions and hugged her tightly almost crushing her with his weight. Ragini gasped, caught a bit unware by his reactions before concern came flooding back. She held him tightly, wrapped an arm around his back while the running fingers through his hair, trying to calm him and sooth him. She said his name softly a few times, while running the arm around his back. After a few minutes he let out a shuddering breath that worried her and brought tears in her eyes “Sanskar, please tell me what is wrong? Please talk to me” she pleased with him, her voice wrought with concern.
He just shook his head against the crook of her neck but didn’t answer her.
“Please Sanskar” she pleaded again
“I don’t want to lose you” he said finally muffled against her neck
Ragini’s hear skipped a beat “You are not going to lose me. Why would you lose me?” she asked him, worried at his state “Sanskar” she said softly when he didn’t speak for a while
“You were attacked before, what if it happens again” he finally said softly, not willing to reveal anything more
“Why would I be attacked again?” She said softly “No one will attack me. I am fine” she said softly. She ran her arm around his back for some time, before she decided something “I won’t go for the internship” she told him firmly
Sanskar let off a breath of air, which hit her neck, before pulling back a just a bit “But it’s the dream” he said softly
“You are more important to me than any dream” she told him as they looked into each other’s eyes up close “I cannot see you worried like this. My dream isn’t worth it”
“But it isn’t just your dream. I have seen this with you” Sanskar told her softly looking in her eye, his eyes a bit moist from the emotions he felt a just a while back “It is our dream and I want to see if come to its fruition”
“I cannot see you like this, Sanskar” Ragini said with moist eyes “I cannot see you broken”
“I am not broken. I am going to be okay” Sanskar told her, getting his emotions under control a bit. She looked at him skeptically, concern flooding her face. He gently wiped the slight moisture from her eye with his thumb “I promise; I am going to be okay. I want you to do this” he said, before softly adding “For me”
Ragini looked at him quietly before finally nodding “I will keep the guards with me” she promised “I won’t go anywhere without them or without you”
Sanskar nodded, looking deeply into her eyes. She leaned in a bit and kissed his forehead gently before moving back and looking at him. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against her. The only thought running in his head, as they fell asleep in that position, was that he wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. He loved her too much to let anyone hurt her.
Precap – what will sanskar do?
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Links to previous chapters
http://www.tellyupdates.com/?s=red+string+of+fate+%28ragsan%29