- Mumbai -
- 2003 -

No One's POV

A young girl of the age of 12 was happily playing in the garden in front of her house. She had a few friends from the neighbourhood to play with her. They were having a small tea party with their respective teddies and dolls. Anyone who happened to watch them playing will definitely feel at content and peace. Their carefree smiles and laughter as they clinged the cups of their play set was undeniably a contagious one.

Not quite far from them, a boy of the age 15 was painting these girls together. He wanted to capture one of the most beautiful moments of his sister's life. Sometimes, he managed to get an access to his Dad's camera but most of them time, her moments were captured by his beautiful paintings.

Just then, the young girl walked up to him with a huge smile on her face.

'Om bhaiya, can I take a look at your painting?', she asked ever politely.

'Sure Ani. Come here', he said as he pulled her in front of his canvas providing a better view for her.

'This is so beautiful bhaiya! I love it!', she exclaimed.

He just smiled for a reply when his gaze fell on one of her friends who had fell off from the swing in their garden. Om rushed to her aid leaving Anika behind. That little girl began crying when she saw her knees bleed. The rest of the girls tried to persuade her but all in vain as her cries got louder and bigger. Everyone was so engrossed in helping the girl that no one realized that someone was missing from the garden.

Anika struggled as she tried hard to free herself from the clutches of the unknown man who had grabbed her from her back and carried her into her house. Her screams were muffled by his hand on her mouth. He finally let her down when they reached a dark corner by the staircase of her house. As soon as she was dropped down, Anika turned right away to find a familiar face.

'Daksh Mama? When did you came?', she asked her maternal uncle excitedly.

He was one of her favourite family members. He never failed to get her favourite chocolates whenever he visited them. He was a man full of magic tricks which kept her amused. His jokes and stories were her all time favourite. No one could match up to his level for her.

'Just now sweetheart when you were so lost in the painting your brother had made!', he replied in a very sweet manner as he eyed her with lust.

'You've grown up from the last time I saw you!', he added as he noticed her female features that was beginning to show itself.

He handed over a bar of Cadbury plain milk chocolate to her. When she was about to leave thanking him for the chocolate, he held her back asking her to finish it here itself else she would have to share it with everyone which he doesn't like. She was convinced by his reason and began indulging herself. He smirked at the victory of his plan and her innocence. He observed her more closely. The dress she was wearing ended by her mid thighs and was quite sticking to her upper frame.

She certainly grew a few centimetres from the last time. Her breasts are beginning to show. How much would I want to grab them. Ohw, her curve is deepening. Her plump lips!!! Gosh!!! How much I would want to fuck her. She's looking like a pretty doll now. Why wouldn't she? She has reached her puberty recently. Finally, she's ripe! Now I can feast on her!', his evil mind smirked.

That young girl remained unaware of the evil intentions of the man next to her. She dropped the chocolate bar in her hand when she suddenly felt a hand grabbing her right breast.

'Daksh Mama!!! What are you doing?', she questioned him as she jerked his hand away.

'Oh! I'm sorry baby doll. I actually wanted some of the chocolate but accidentally touched you instead! I'm sorry!', he lied.

'It's okay Daksh Mama. Here you go. You can finish the rest. I'm going outside to play!', she believed him blindly as she passed the remaining of the chocolate to him and rushed out of her house. Daksh clenched his fists tightly when she got away from his clutches.

'She escaped again!', he grunted as he banged his fists on the nearby wall.

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- Mumbai -
- 2017 -

No One's POV

The three of them were quite shocked when they saw Anika/Annie trying to get away by her verandah. She tied a several shawls together to make a rope and was about to throw her luggage down when they entered.

'What are you doing?', Om asked right away.

'I'm leaving Om Bhaiya. I'll be back after sometime. Shivaay, I'll call you later. And Gauri Bhabi, thank you for coming last night!', she uttered quickly and was about to throw her luggage down when someone had took it away from her.

She turned around to find a surprised Shivaay clutching her luggage tightly in his grasps.

'Where do you want to go?', he asked her.

'I'm not quite sure. But it's just for a week. Some random vacation!', she stammered.

'You never leave the house like this. Why are you acting weird Anika?', Om questioned her worriedly. He knew that Daksh was the reason but he can't disclose it in front of her. She had trusted Shivaay with it. If he revealed the fact that he knew about Daksh to her, then she'll lose her faith in Shivaay and will never be cured from her disorder.

'Nothing such Om bhaiya. I always wanted to do this, but never got a chance. Then, suddenly today it occured in me, why not try something spontaneous today. So I just packed my bag and decided to leave but you guys caught me before that!', she explained.

'Errm Anika, do you really want to go on the vacation?', Gauri asked her.

'Actually yes Bhabhi! I just wanted to try something new and adventurous!', Anika exclaimed.

'Okay then, but don't go like this. At least not now. People might think that you flee away because of your "forced" engagement with Shivaay', Gauri added with a chuckle earning a chuckle from Anika as well.

'Gauri is right! Keep your bag aside first. Let's ask our parent's permission first and then we shall plan a roadtrip. What say?', Om offered.

'Sounds great to me!', Anika exclaimed.

Om and Gauri nodded to Shivaay and left the both of them alone. Shivaay was about to walk away quietly with her luggage when she held him back by her wrist.

'Shivaay, I know that after knowing the truth about me yesterday, you might just hate me. I'm so sorry about it. I put you through a lot of pain yesterday. I was selfish to want to marry you Shivaay. You don't have to marry me if you don't want to. I know that you love Annie till date. We can break the engagement you know. You seriously don't have to do this', she recited as if she had been practising this.

'Anika, I agree that I took this decision when I wasn't sure about it. Even now, I'm not sure about it but I will not back off from it. I still love Annie, I can't deny that but I also can't hide the fact that I do have some feelings for you as well. Maybe it's because you and Annie are... you know. And please don't ever get this to your mind that I will hate you because of the truth. I'm in fact more than glad that you shared it with me. For a marriage to be successful, trust is very important. And we are developing a great level of trust. I'm actually feeling privileged to be gaining your trust without having to do anything. We both have our own past but we don't live there anymore! We will help each other to move on. I'll trust you with my broken heart and I'll heal your broken soul with all my might. I don't know if this is the right thing to do or not, but let's do this together!', he spoke his heart out.

He knew that she wasn't in her right mind. She had too much going on in her mind now. Her monster from whom she had spent her entire life away from had returned. She was bound to fall weak and take up some hasty desicions but he was determined to help her out. He doesn't want her to break again. He just wanted to heal her. Why? Even he was still looking for the answer.

'Thank you Shivaay. You know, you just made me fell all over for you again! Please don't ever leave me Shivaay!', she pleaded as her welled up eyes began to shed the tears.

'I will never!', he assured her as he engulfed her in his arms.

On the other hand, Om and Gauri were walking side by side quietly. Both of them were thinking and analysing Anika's current situation.

'I think Anika is actually heading towards her cure!', Gauri voiced out at last breaking the silence.

'Even I think the same. Her recent behaviours had faint traits of Annie's core behaviour. The way she had argued with me, behaving a bit bold and finally today trying to do something spontaneous. I surely think that she's merging with her alter ego!', Om exclaimed.

'But we need to carefully examine her. This might also mean... touchwood... mean that Annie is becoming the more dominant one and is pushing Anika towards the dormant form. To add to this, both Shivaay and Daksh are here now. One was the reason of her existence and the other was the reason she went dormant', Gauri explained.

'So what's the plan for now?', he asked her.

'For now, we might have to follow Anika's wish. We must be very careful in front of her. She shouldn't know that we are aware of her bitter secret. We need to look out for Annie as well. We have to talk to her also. It's going to be quite a long process Om but I'm sure we'll successfully accomplish it', Gauri assured.

'I hope so too!'

'By the way, Gauri, when you said that you have another person in your life, I'm pretty sure you've moved on, but hadn't it occur to you to introduce the both of us?', Om questioned her.

'Om... I need some time. I'm not sure if I can introduce the two of you. He's quite possesive about me you see! I just don't know Om. Let's focus on Anika for now. Is that alright?', she suggested.

'Yeah! Let's focus on Anika first!', he agreed readily sensing her discomfort at the change of the topic.

PRECAP : Daksh is back. (Sorry couldn't include it here)

- To be continued -