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At night ,

Annika was engaged in her work ,she was allotted to help in the kitchen area since there were only few workers  there.She collected the vessels and got up to move towards the washing area when suddenly she felt a steaming heat behind her .Her eyes ampled in shock to witness her saree to be fired up at the edge,she tried tearing the edge before it reaches up but it went in vain . The others who noticed this, soon acted and emptied a can of water on her blinding the fire. On hearing the noise some of the cops including shivaay ,rushed to that place to find annika totally drained wet with her dress being half burnt . The assistant officer Ramya immediately checked her for any burnt patches in her hands before speaking,

R- can't you be careful? Jab pata hai ki piche gas burner hai tho careful nahi reh sakthi ? We can't babysit anyone here ,you ...

Her words halted when she noticed annika's tempered glare on her ,she was startled.

A- I ain't any fool to be blind of things around me . I knew where I stood and where the burner was ,(her voice carried zero fear )

Saying this she pointed her fury stare towards the lady who worked with the burner ( Laila) .The eye contact between the two ladies definitely didn't seem good as it had some kind of outspoken rage emerging through it . Shivaay who played the silent observer throughout, clearly noticed their exchanged glares.

This wasn't happening ,this girl definitely carried something big hidden in her . Firstly the smile of her's when he told that she doesn't seem to have done the murder,and now this tension between her and Laila .Nothing seemed normal when it was about her .The honesty which her eyes presented invoked by that smile fairly depicted that she was'nt the criminal but how did his heart clearly declare it when she was actually punished for it . Is it that he could sense things about her ? What a weird thing it was ,every damn evidence is against her but here he wasn't ready to believe those instead his vision directly sparked the truthfulness in her eyes everytime he thinks that she might be the murderer .

Indeed somewhere deep down he strongly believed that she must be innocent but what is it that behind everything which had happened with her? Maybe the full story is hidden beneath still, he was determined to handle her case unofficially and find what exactly is the truth . But ,why he was so curious to chase her case? Maybe the unbending officer within him who couldn't stand  injustice with anyone was on ahead or there were obviously other reasons evolving up too .If it was the first option it is normal,but what about the second one? Why would he suddenly care for a girl whom he merely know ?His entire night went sleepless with this question for him to have a tiny little nap early in the morning ,

The next day ,

When he entered his workplace, he found some hustle bustle going around the prisoners cell region . He interrogated with Ramya to know that the glass panel of the ventilation has been broke ,for which the repairing process was going on .

S- which cell ?

R- cell no 28 sir ,

It didn't take much time for him to realize that ,it was her cell. It was impossible to even glide up and touch those glass bars there ,and how all of a sudden it broke ? Strange things happen with strange people, He thought

S- ok Ramya ,Let it be . What about tomorrow's function? Guards , arrangements sab prepared haina?

R- yes sir ,

S- after his post recruitment in our state ,it's his first honouring ceremony here .So keep things perfect ,

To which she nodded ,

Oct- 2nd

The Cheif guest was welcomed inside the central hall ,and the ceremony had started with ample cops filled around the place . The prisoners were seated in long columns extending upto the other end .

Shivaay stood near the stage steps ,with his intercom instructing everyone to follow their positions as planned. As the function progressed ,certain speeches were provided by the respected higher officials in the department with some engrossed in pointing the well deeds of the Cheif guest in a trance of honouring him.

" Now I call upon to our honorable Cheif guest Mr. Madhesh Jhadhav the Secretariat Minister,to hoist flag "

Greeting the gathering from the stage ,the Minister moved towards the pole kept beside the statue of Gandhi. He was about to pull the knot ,rooting the flag upwards when suddenly the power went off. The hall remained devoid of any light for a few minutes ,shivaay instantly ordered to start the generator.It took some time for that ,

But within few seconds everyone heard a horrifying scream ,soon all the guards and the police switched on their mobile torches and visioned upon. They were shocked to witness the Minister to have been stabbed on his chest ,which led a stream of blood flow dripping on the ground. He wasn't able to take alternative breath as he hovered his throat to capture air while pressing his palm on his chest . At once the officers gathered holding him before he could hit the floor.

S- Call the ambulance, quick

He shouted ,in rage of understanding nothing happening around. And within a small span the ambulance reached and he was rushed to the hospital.

Shivaay remained clueless, how did this happen ? Everything occured in a sudden edge of the moment and he cursed himself for being careless.

With such a tragic incident occurring within very few days since he had been posted there ,it clearly spaced a black mark in his carrier.Being encountered with a hell lot of criticism from his higher officials the next day ,he returned back to the prison from the head quarters. Settling on his chair ,his mind was clinging upon the incident to catch out things which exactly happened.His sight kept on oscillating ,when he was calculating every inch of actions which took place yesterday. His sight froze when he saw something outside ,through the transparent glass door .

In the common hall ,Annika was struggling to sign the attendance register with her bandaged left hand,not being able to hold the pen she transferred the pen to her right hand and completed signing .

He himself didn't realize it ,but he was already going through her personal file ,to find out that she is a left hander . His mind was again flashing her bandaged left palm which was perfectly fine till yesterday, then he recollected the glass breakage incident in her cell and not only that , reflexly he remembered the Dr's statement that it might be a glass piece which was handled to stab the Minister. Only he knew how his mind connected everything ,marking the shocking fact that it might be her who had tried killing the chief guest yesterday. He stood still, with every thought of his's roaming around his mind continuously . He was actually convincing his mind that she might be innocent respective to her case ,but what's this?... all of a sudden everything was directly hitting the point with more chances of things being against her.

He saw her approaching the dark cell where he had called her for the enquiry, he instantly got up from his chair and moved close to her while she stood rooted near the door clueless of why he had called her here .He walked past her ,before locking the grill bar from inside making her stiffen . Without speaking anything he silently noticed her reactions ,as she just travelled her eyes between him and any random corner of the room within every second.The room merely had any source of light ,but still her eyes were something which he could  point out in such a place like this too.Taking a step further near her ,he asked

S- kyun kiya tumne aisa?

She passed him a confused stare before voicing

A- kya kiya meine?

S- so you don't know? Ok , why did you try to kill the Cheif guest yesterday ?

He asked, straightly looking into her eyes. She looked down for a second before answering.

A- kya bol rahe hai aap ? Meine kuch nahi kiya,

She said and turned back, fidgeting her fingers inside the fabric of her dress.

S- really? Do I resemble any fool to you? To believe whatever you say? deko don't waste my time .Just tell me ,why did you do this ?

He asked facing her ,passing a angry glare on her . She remained silent after shaking her head negotiating his accusation.His eyes pointed continuously daggered shots on her when he moved against making her take back steps to soon hit the wall behind.With the hall glued with darkness the only thing which both sufficed to see was each other's eyes . She seemed scared by his constant glare on her ,and tried looking away.

S- I know all ways to bring the truth from you ,par mein vo sab nahi karna chahtha hoon tumhare saath. So just tell me the truth ,

His voice ranged from calmness to build rage ,

A- meine kaha haina ,mein...

Before she could gather voice to utter the next word,he punched the wall just inches away from her face making her shiver reflexly.

S- so tumne nahi kiya na? Fine ,then ...then ye kaise huwa? Kal tak tho teek tha ye ?

He literally roared before pulling her wounded left hand and held it straight ahead her face ,his eyes were surrounded with redness leaving no space for the white background of the pupil centred. She was no more able to keep her sight engaged with such an intense stare , she immediately looked down .That's when a directed ray of light ,hit straight inside the room from the small ventilation high above the wall. Spreading the brightness a quite ahead further ,it reached hitting her face .

At once, his eyes which were screaming rage, shrinked down witnessing her tears which ran down her cheecks .

A- dard ho raha hai,

She spoke while trying to get off her hand from his hold , he instantly pulled back his hand to find blood patches in his palm .Her dressing was torn, and it started bleeding .She started shaking her hand slightly and tried blowing over it .

Only he knew what it felt for him to see her in pain, she had tears in her eyes and blood streaming down in her palm but it was he, who was going through something deep down in his heart which placed an unknown ache within. He was fighting with this own self for creating such a different feel in him . He claims himself as the most strict and hot headed person but now ,at this instant he knew he wasn't the same shivaay as before . This girl infront really had everything to explore his new self ,which she was unfolding in him through each day.

It didn't take much time for him to pick out his handkerchief, and wrap it around her wound gently halting the bleeding .While all this time ,she just had her eyes staying upon his concerned face .Long gone are her tears ,as now she felt no pain . She didn't show up but she wanted to smile to the widest at that moment . Sorry that wasn't possible in that situation ,he was angry ...seemed cute though !

S- I'm sorry ,

He muttered .

A- vo...I got hurt while handling the broken mug in the restroom ,the plastic edge was sharp so...

He silently listened to her before nodding ,he was about to say something when his mobile rang .

S- hello ...yeah black list mei mera naam bhi hai ,what ? How did the news  reach the media? Pata haina matter bahut sensitive hai ...but ....ok I'll see to it .

He cut the call,and sighed .

S- you may go ,

She moved ahead to leave the room but suddenly halted and turned back to him ,

A- shall I ask you something?

He nodded ,

A- are you going to get suspended for this ?

She asked being concerned ,

S- pata nahi, as far as I know .I'm black listed ,maybe... in future ...

"Sorry" she muttered below her voice.

S- you said something?

A- no ...nothing

She shook her head before leaving ,and shivaay stood confused tracing his fingers on his forehead not knowing how to clear out this mess.

Precap

Annika has a visitor.

Chapter dedicated to himanshi_99 
dharhugha  ArushiSinghania  Bishnu007nanda   ❤

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