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Flashback- italic

Present-    non - italic

Flashback continues

' teek hai sir , I'll see to it '

M- good , the money will be transferred to your account directly.

He smiled holding his shoulders and turned to be shocked immediately on not finding the girls there.

M- hey ,where are they ? Shit ! Have I even hired you all for nothing good ? Idiots , come here .

The goons at once rushed inside hearing him shout .

M- bunch of giants fit for nothing . Go and find them , she can't escape from here. She'll be hiding here somewhere . Go !

The goons went in all directions each , while the minister looked tensed and was about to go in search by himself when he noticed the cop to be standing there still , doing nothing.

' sir ? '

M- why are you staring at me as if I'm your wife . Go and check !

The cop sprinted away fast immediately, hearing him shout like that .

Annika somehow managed to pull a half consious preethi along and hid behind the bushes at the backyard . She tore a piece of cloth from her saaree and tied it around preethi's head but the bleeding didn't just seem to stop ,which made her fear much in horror . She kept patting her cheecks continuously so that she doesn't doze off .

A- preethi , preethi . Stay with me preethi plss . We can escape ,plss be with me .

Preethi who was already so drowsy  just shook little and let out her tears before voicing out, faintly.

P- I'm so..sorry ani .ka ,meri va..ja se .

A - shh . Don't say anything. We are getting out of this.

P- nahi , I've lost so much blood annika . I ...I don't think I co could make ..i.t

Holding catch of breath , Preethi stammered to speak each word and annika's face fell lifeless witnessing the brutal state of her friend.

A- kya bol rahi ho preethi. Listen  , we are going to be okay. Did you get that ? Now ,come with me.

Grabbing  her hand she tried to help her stand but preethi shook and stayed on the ground.

P- annika take yo..ur mobile,

A- kya ?

P-we don't... have time ,plss ..take it.

A baffled annika fetched her mobile from the purse and preethi snatched immediately.

A- preethi what are doing ?

Preethi looked at annika once , before placing her palm on her face. Annika's cheecks  was painted red by now.

P- mere vaja ...se tum.., I won't leave you to suffer meri friend.

Drops of continuous tears flowed, not bothering of the red patches layered on her face . Annika felt terrible on watching preethi looking at her helplessly.

A - pree..

P- shh,

Preethi crushed her eyes feeling extreme pain in her head and annika grew hell worried . Inhaling huge, preethi caught her bleeding head before recording the video.

P- I...I don't know whether I would be alive when you see this , so in case if ...I..I die ( annika holds her hand for which she shakes her head and cries ) I want you to know of the person ...ahh! ...who mur...murdered me . ( She bent down and looked at her stomach once before focusing again) Tharu..n, ( she cried more ) it's your father ....tumhara pa.pa ! He ...tried to kill me aahh! ( holds her head ) He's trying to frame my friend an..nika in all this . But...sach ye hai ki your father wants me dead , annika ...ne kuch nahi...kiya . ahhh, ...ah,

Her eyes seemed to be so weak to remained opened and she winced  much in pain that annika went horror stricken at the sight of her friend covered in blood.

A- preethi ,preethi !!

P- send ...video , send.. ahh!

M - mila ?

' no sir '

M - if you all don't find them , I won't think twice to put an end to your lives .

Witnessing his daring face , everyone ran in all corners to somehow find the girls as they knew the consequences if they don't.

M- kahan kahan kahan ...?!

Snapping his fingers continuously, he looked around when something caught his attention. The corner door paving way to the backyard had a blood stain on its handle . He rushed towards the lawn immediately.

Traversing his eyes everywhere, he stood at the centre and around him were  nothing but bushes .

Annika sensed someone there and closed her mouth to take control of her each minute sound that she doesn't get caught . She kept on patting preethi's face who fell unconscious already . Her hands trembled as she felt her own body turning chill. And before she could digest  anything ,

M- there you are !

Holding the bushes a wide with both his hands ,he appeared a monster for her . Annika gasped  on his sudden act and tried crawling back with preethi's head on her lap.

M- so sad ! I told you right ? You can't escape from me. Why don't you understand that girl? Woah ! Is your friend ok ?

He peeped a bit to check on preethi who didn't seem to move.

M- maybe, she's gone .

As his careless words entered her ears ,she looked terribly shocked and jerked out. The index finger of her's shivered vibrating much when she took it close to preethi nose

Her eyes popped huge for her lips to quiver insanely after knowing that preethi wasn't breathing anymore. Tears didn't leave her face rather kept running on the blood covered cheecks of her's like anything. 

A- preethi....!

She held her shoulders and shook her hard but there was no sign of movement.

M- don't waste your energy. You have to stand for the hearing and then  ,straight to the jail.

Annika who was crying hysterically , looked at him slowly . Her eyes were blood red as she seemed ferocious and grudgeful like never ever. She grit her teeth together for her breath to move quietly, fuming  .  Placing preethi's head down, she stood up and grabbed his collars before slapping him.

A- chodungi nahi tuje ! Kabhi nahi!

She shouted harshly , while he was still facing down feeling the pain on his cheecks.  That's when the goons came there and caught hold of an uncontrollable annika who didn't choose to leave him. Two three men against one girl, but still they all were extremely shocked on not being able to match her strength as she was really tough to be controlled. Her boiling eyes which spat anger on everyone denoted what she is .

An unstoppable force she behaved .

M - so much of anger is not good . Do whatever you want but from now onwards , story of your life will be written by me and you can do nothing of it .

He smirked at her angered face and she looked at him with a disgusted reaction.

M - listen , go and file the case . Details yaad haina ?

The cop nodded and went from there.

The minister smiled and turned to leave but halted as something hit his mind suddenly. He turned facing her, the mobile which she kept crushing within her fist caught his attention. Passing a suspicious glare he neared her .

M- give it .

He asked nearing her while she shook her head slowly  .

M- give it .

She tried to push the goons who kept her held but couldn't do that and by now the minister snatched the mobile from her hand .

Unfortunately, he came to know of the video by going through the recently used apps and he even saw that she had sent that video to her papa through WhatsApp. Since her father's contact topped in the recent list she  had clicked it first . But there was only a single tick below the message mentioning it wasn't seen yet .

He deleted the video and pinned out the memory card ,planning to burn it .

M- smart move haan . Fine ,this would have ended smoothly if only you had obeyed me . I'm sorry ,

Sighing huge ,he called one of his goons and ordered him to contact his men who stays at Delhi .

Scaring for the worst annika looked at him keenly .

A- what ...what are you going to do ?

M- didn't I tell you before , clarity is very important. I can't take chances that could take me behind the bars . See ,whoever knows my truth shouldn't be alive . One ,your friend is already dead, next ..you . I can't kill you now because you have work to do. And now ,your father ...what shall I do with him...?

Annika's face went horrified on listening to his words .

A- n...no,

She shook her head slowly fearing terribly while he shrugged pressing his lips together.

M- you left me no choice .

Saying which he went from there straightway and annika shouted  for him to stop which he hardly did . She shouted till her throat burned and her energy fell, leaving her land on the ground, unconscious.

A- after that , I came to know that my family died in a fire accident. Some break out due to circuit damage  ,they said .

Shivaay was literally numb on listening to her . The expression less plain face of her's horrified him . There was no drop of tear in her eyes rather she looked blunt as her sight was fixed straight and nowhere else. She was pushed till all extremes in life and now here she is, still struggling to avenge her family and friend.  He really didn't know what to tell as nothing could console her mind and heart which was burning now ,he knew that.

The fate has really played crucial with her.  He can never even imagine of things which she has gone through  .

A - uske baath, court ...accused...prison ...and ...you .

He was taken aback by her clear words and strong gaze on him . He never expected such a disastrous past .

He remembered the same she whom he  witnessed for the first time at prison , her dishelved state.  He remembered everything.

Her emotionless face said it all that her mental stress was certainly keeping her grow different. Once again the Doctor's words rang on his ears .  Gulping hard ,he watched her again while she was already gazing outside the window.

She seemed strong yet weak, silent yet fierce. All he could think of now was nothing but she .

To help her out of this,  to keep her protected ...these were his only thoughts .

S - this is my friend's house . He has settled in abroad , sorry I can't take you to my house now because it'll be the first place they'd check if they knew you've escaped . They new I'd help you ,

As both walked into the house he spoke while she remained silent for sometime before speaking.

A- you have already been black listed once because of me . Why do you intend to help me ? don't, plss .

She pleaded through eyes and he lengthened his lips slightly, leaving way for a small smile.

S - I want to help you . Plss don't ask anything else.

He made himself clear and she didn't oppose.

S- and haan ,avoid talking to the neighbours here. If at all they ask ,tell them you are a tenant.

She nodded , agreeing.

And suddenly the lights went off seeming  a power cut .

A- you have to leave now . They'll be searching for you.

S- yeah but ,let me stay atleast till the power goes on .

He insisted for she smiled faintly .

A- I'm used to darkness , I ain't afraid of it .

Came her emphasising words ,and there prevailed a silence for sometime before she noticed him moving here and there in search of something.

S- hold this .

A- hmm?

Since it was dark around she didn't even know where he stood . Guessing it from his voice, she slowly turned towards him . 

She gasped a bit on feeling his palm tracing her forearm to feel her fingers as he gave something for her to hold.

A long tube like thing with a pointed thread on the top , candle . She guessed .

Lit .

Those blue eyes again .

Standing perfectly opposite to the other ,all they could witness was each other's face with the help of that golden light .

For a second, they knew nothing. Eyes did all the talking for them to just stand quietly. The sparkle which spread a bit helped him ,read her face .   A secure feel engulfed her for just having him in sight, such were the emotions exchanged between them .

S - you are never afraid of darkness , I know . Par jab andhere mei koi saath hotha hai ,tho you'll feel better.  Thakadh milthi hai . I want to be there for you ,

As soon as his prominent words reached her ears she blinked twice , and the invisible smile which her eyes carried all this time smoothly travelled around her face ,letting a small grin play on her lips. And his sight just didn't leave her lips .

Her smile , was everything which made him happy .

Precap

Annika feels jealous /insecure ?

Chapter dedicated to Shivikascnmsam   krishpinkysa  ❤

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