Good morning,

Please check if you've read the previous 2 updates.

_________________

Sana placed soiled plates in the kitchen and came back to take Manvi.

"Sana, let her sleep here itself today.", He said.

"But Sidharth, she will wake up anytime for her midnight feed.", She said.

"Then why do you want to go upstairs? Can't you sleep here itself? This bed can comfortably accommodate all 3 of us.", He asked.

"Huh? She... She sleeps in her crib which is upstairs.", She said hesitantly.

"She looks comfortable here with me. But aren't you comfortable?", He asked.

"No.. no.. nothing like.. like that.. I just don't want you to get disturbed at mid nights when she wakes for feed.", She said fumbling

"It's fine. I don't mind getting disturbed by her because I love her.", He said.

Sana thought for a while and got into the bed with Manvi sleeping in between her and Sidharth.

"Good night Sidharth", she said.

"Thanks Senorita. Good Night", he said with a smile.

She shut her eyes at once not to draw his attention unnecessarily. His eyes were fixated on her.

Flashback:

He read the message from Sheetal over and over again. He was unsure whether he liked her or not because he never let any thoughts of love to enter his mind after Gunjan's exit from his life. He didn't reply her because he was lost in his thoughts.

"It's been 7 years Sidharth that you've been hurt. You aren't giving a chance for yourself to heal from the pain you got from Gunjan. It isn't necessary that Sheetal too would break your heart. Infact Gunjan too never said that she loved you. It was you who mistook her friendship to be love. How was she at fault for your imaginations?

You've grown so stubborn that nobody wants to talk to you. But Sheetal has started liking you. Sheetal reminds me of Sidharth Rahane from S. S. Business Management College who fell for Gunjan.

You will break her heart if you do not accept. Who better than you would know that being loved by someone is better than being in love because there is no fear of rejection or heartbreak."

He looks at the time it was very late and Sheetal's WhatsApp status showed that she was last seen 2 hours back. He thinks that he will accept her proposal personally at office tomorrow and goes to sleep.

On his way to office next day, he stops at Archie's shop and buys a card, a  flower bouquet and a box of chocolate. He steps out of the shop and bumps into a lady passing by.

He gets shocked to see the lady.

"Gunjan?", He said.

"Sidharth, how are you?", She said with a faint smile.

"I am fine. How are you?", He asked

"Hmmm.. Fine!!", She nodded and tears starts flowing out of her eyes.

"Oh God! What happened to you? Why are you crying?", He said out of concern.

She was sulking badly that she couldn't speak so he takes her to the restaurant nearby. He forwards her the tissue paper kept on the table. Gunjan wipes her tears and looks at him.

"Thank you!", She says.

"Here, drink some water." He says by passing water to her.

She sips some water while he carefully observed her. There was no signs of her being married.

"What happened to you? Why do you look so pale Gunjan?", He asks.

"Nothing..", she nodded and started sulking again in few seconds. He looked at her helplessly. She wiped her tears and looked at him.

"After passing my MBA, I started to work in a small firm where I met this guy. He used to flirt with me and I started finding it very pleasing as well. On my birthday, when you sent me those gifts and card, he got very possessive and fought with me. He stopped communicating with me hence I called you up in anger and yelled back at you because I considered it was your fault.", She said.

He looked at her.

"I.. I am sorry Gunjan. You had to go through the pain because of me.", He said.

"No.. It took me months to pacify him again and to get back to normal. Another few months to get into relationship with him. However, dad fell sick and I was emotionally forced into marrying someone else. I was heart broken. I couldn't allow the person I married to come close to me. That's when he took decision to fly abroad for work and leave me alone in India. I stayed with my parents until 4 years when I finally got a divorce notice from my husband one fine day. He divorced me since he wanted to marry someone else he met abroad.

My life was aimless since I had lost my love and also my husband. But I met my ex-boyfriend again after few months. We started off being friends again and soon our relationship grew physical. One day, I saw him with another girl and confronted him. It was then when I realised he was a playboy. Since the girl with whom I caught him slapped him and left. He showed me a video recording of our intimate relationship and started blackmailing me. Initially, he asked for smaller amount and I gave him from my savings. But as time went he found it easier to earn money like that. I stole money from my father's safety vault as well to give him but he just doesn't seem to stop at it.", She starts sobbing.

Sidharth gets up and sits next to her to console her.

"All this year, I thought you will be happier without me. But I never knew that you faced so much in life Gunjan. Why don't you take help of police?", He asked.

"It's too sensitive Sidharth. I will not be able to face the society if the video gets leaked. But, I've found a solution to my problems and to end it permanently. It's just that I am falling weak to execute it.", She said.

"What are you thinking of Gunjan?", He asked.

She didn't speak.

"What do you intend to do?", He asked more sternly.

She opened up her purse and showed him the big bottle of rat poison.

"I am a bit coward, Sidharth. Trying to gain courage to drink this since 2 days. I just have time till tomorrow evening so I will nevertheless execute it before that.", She said

"Are you mad? Yes, you are coward! Because you want to end your life falling prey to that bloody rascal. I will handle this my way. You just stop thinking about it.", He said.

She looked at him and hugged him sulking badly.

"I lost a gem as I fell prey to a stone. I am sorry Sidharth. I don't want to drag you into anything. You have moved on in your life and I don't want to spoil it.", She said.

"I haven't Gunjan. I didn't move on! I am still stranded wherever you left me", he said.

"Huh?", She pulled herself out of his embrace and looked at the bouquet.

He smiled and gave her the bouquet.

"It was someone's birthday in office today and I was given the responsibility to get flowers. But since I took casual leave, you can keep it. And these chocolate as well", He lied.

"Our friendship started from where it ended.", She said with a tearful smile taking the bouquet and chocolate.

"Indeed!! I thought about you while buying these and happened to bump into you. We are given another chance to live Gunjan. But first I need to put an end to that bastard.", He said gritting his teeth.

"What do you plan to do Sidharth?", She asked in shock.

"How do I contact him?", He asked.

"He will call in the evening.", She said.

"Fine, let's spend sometime together until evening.", He said.

Flashback interrupted.

Manvi was crying and Sana picked her up. She turned her back thinking Sidharth was sleeping, and breastfed her there itself. Sidharth smiled and closed his eyes again.

Another 20 minutes, she was done feeding Manvi who went to sleep again. She kept Manvi on the bed and tucked her blanket. She then observed that Sidharth's blanket was also out of its place. She got down from the bed and tucked his blanket properly. She sat beside him and ran over her hand softly on his chest before placing her ear on it very delicately.

Couple of weeks more Agastya and I will not be able to hear this heartbeat in my life again. I miss you Agastya and the times when I laid my head on your chest listening to these heartbeats and fell asleep. Sidharth is a nice person and I am happy your heart is with him now. He touched my heart with his sweet gesture today. I will keep the promise I made to him for life time. I will give an hour to myself every single day of my life until I am alive.

I am just worried for Sidharth as to how is he going to cope up with his memory loss when he learns that he was living a lie with me for these 4 weeks until he recovers.

I don't know how he will react when I tell him that I performed final rites of his deceased wife who died in the same car accident. Would he curse me and hate me for being selfish and hiding things from him? Why does it hurt to think that he would hate me for what I did to him? He is just a stranger. A stranger with your heart!

She kissed his chest in sleep and hugged him to herself. While she snored softly, he kissed her forehead and made a little space for her to sleep comfortably in his embrace after placing a pillow beside Manvi as a barrier to avoid her from falling down the bed..

______________________________

To be continued.. ❤️❤️