Riddhima looked at her reflection in mirror
Dressed in a white bridal dress, she looked ethereal but only she knew she was like a corpse inside
It was not a wedding dress for her
It was a shroud

There was a time when was dying to marry kabir
But now
After knowing his ugly truth
She would rather die than be his wife
She belongs only to vansh
She is RIDDHIMA VANSH RAI SINGHANIA
and no power in the world can change this truth
She would prefer to die as vansh's widow rather than getting married to kabir

Walking out,
She turned back to glance the room which held hundreds of memories
A lone tear escaped her eye

Walking down the stairs she scanned the people standing in the hall

Ishani was giving her an angry disgusted look
Dadi was looking at her helplessly
Kabir and anupriya were smirking

Kabir came near her and held her hand
Making her sit in the mandap, he asked the priest to start the rituals

The priest asked them to stand up
Taking it as an opportunity she threw the smoke bomb in fire making the whole hall filled with smoke

Suddenly the gates of VR MANSION OPENED

A handsome man with a dangerous aura walked inside

Everyone squinted their eyes to see the man's face

As the smoke started clearing
Everyone gasped to see the person

IT WAS VANSH

Riddhima ran to him, her marriage duppata falling off her head, she quickly engulfed him into a tight hug

Vansh hugged her back and started rubbing her back as if assuring her

Please protect my family vihaan

Vihaan heard her whisper in his ear
Her voice seemed weak and desperate

He quickly broke the hug and was shocked to see foam coming out of her mouth

As her body fell limp in his arms, the poison bottle slipped through her fingers

Vihaan looked at the poison bottle shocked

Vi: CALL THE DOCTOR
RIDDHIMA
RIDDHIMA

He desperately patted her cheek but got no response

Angre hurriedly call the doctor

Picking riddhima in his arms, vihaan rushed to her room

Making her lye on bed, he desperately called her out

The doctor hurriedly entered the room and requested vihaan to go out

Vi: have u gone nuts
Iam not leaving my wife alone

Doc: plz sir, let us do our work

The doctor forcefully made him leave the room

Eyes blood shot, he came down to the hall and punched kabir hard on his face

Vi: how dare you all
How dare you try to marry off my wife with my life's worst enemy

I: bhai, riddhima herself agreed to marry kabir

Vi: cut the crap ishani
If she wanted to marry him then why did she try to commit suicide
It's obvious that she was forced into this decision
And above all
Why is this man even in my house

An: vansh, he is my long lost son

Vi: wow, just wow
All of sudden,
Out of no where
You found your son
And that too immediately after my death
And surprise surprise
Your long lost son turns out to be inspector kabir
Seems a little unlikely to believe mom
Looks like it was all preplanned
Doesn't it?

Everyone looked were lost in thoughts hearing him
It indeed looked preplanned

An: vansh
No
It's nothing like this
I didn't knew that kabir was my son

Vi: really?
Okay
I believe you
(In mind: iam not a fool)

Anupriya sighed in relief

Vihaan came dangerously close to kabir and said

Vi: if i found out that you were the one who forced my sweetheart into agreeing to marry you
I will bury you alive
HALF BRO

K: i didn't do anything

Vi: save the explanation for some other time
Right now my top most priority is MY WIFE

the doctor came out from the room,
Vihaan quickly came near him and asked him

Vi:  How is riddhima?

Doc: mr rai singhania, we have saved her but

Vi: but what?

Doc: she is heavily depressed
And let me tell you this
This was not her first suicide attempt
She has various cuts on her wrist that clearly shows that she had tried to commit suicide before also

Everyone gasped hearing him

Doc: her body is already very weak because of bullet and various other attacks on her
I advice you to keep her safe and provide a happy atmosphere for her

Vi: don't worry doc
I WILL TAKE GOOD CARE OF HER
THIS TIME
NO ONE WHO HURTS HER WILL BE ABLE TO ESCAPE

vihaan said eying ishani, aryan, kabir and anupriya

They gulped seeing his predatory gaze on them

Vihaan ordered everyone to go to their room and asked angre to come with him

Entering inside his room
He saw her lying on the bed
She looked soo pale and worn out
Vihaan gently caressed her hair and turned to angre

Vi: angre
I want all the cctv footages since the time riddhima stepped into this house

A: boss
The cctv has been deleted

Vi: what?

A: yes boss
I tried to regain all footages but failed

Vi( in mind): bloody useless bodyguard

Vi: do one thing
Bring me all the info about all the cameras in the mansion
And please
This time
Do your work properly

Angre looked down embarrassed and nodded his head.

Vihaan sat down besides riddhima and caressed her hair

Vi: I thought that you were a betrayer who killed her husband along with her boyfriend for his property
But your suicide attempt made me doubt each and everything
There is more to the story that meets the eye
And I promise
I will find it out
I will protect you like none other
I will bring you back to life
I promise you that

Next morning:

Riddhima opened her eyes and saw herself in her room
She sat on the bed and looked around, it was then her gaze fell on vihaan who was sleeping on the couch looking like a baby

Riddhima smiled seeing him but suddenly realisation dawned upon her that he was not vansh

She quickly got up from the bed and shook him angrily

Vi: whatt?

R: HOW DARE YOU SAVE ME
I WANTED TO DIE
I WANTED TO GO TO MY VANSH
WHY DID YOU SAVE ME
WHY??
I WANT FREEDOM
I FEEL SUFFOCATED HERE
EVERYONE TRIES ONE WAY OR OTHER TO HARM ME
I WANT TO GO FROM THIS HELL

vihaan was shocked seeing her outburst

Vi: riddhima relax

Seeing her breathing heavily
He quickly took her anti anxiety pill and made her eat it

Tears rolled down her doe shaped eyes which broke vihaan's heart into millions of pieces

Vihaan hugged her tightly and whispered soothing words

Vi: relax riddhima
Iam here for you
I will protect you
Janta hoon bharosa keh kar dilaya nhi jaa sakta
Bus itna keh raha hoon
Jab tak main tumhare sath hoon
Dunia ki koi bhi problem tumhe chu toh kya
Tumhare as pass bhi nhi ae ge

Riddhima looked at him with teary eyes hearing his promise that reminded her of
Vansh

She fell down on her knees

R: he said the samething to me but his family kept hurting me under his nose
And then he left me alone between these predators
I begged him to listen to me
Let me explain
But he jumped from the cliff right infront of my eyes
I killed him
I pushed him to death
I have no one but myself to blame for

Vihaan hugged her tightly trying to console her

Gently rubbing her tears vihaan asked her to get fresh.

Both walked down the stairs
Riddhima looked at rai singhania clan scared
Vihaan was noticing her each and every move
He could clearly see how scared she was
What had these people done with her that made her like this

Anupriya faked a smile and came near them with a plate in her hand

Riddhima got scared seeing the burning diya

She clutched vihaan's hand tightly almost piercing her nails into his skin

Vihaan held her hand tightly trying to comfort her

Before anupriya could reach them , vihaan held riddhima's hand and took her to the dining table

Everyone started their breakfast when kabir spoke

K: vansh, isn't it strange
You fell from such a high cliff
Still got no injuries

Riddhima's face paled hearing him

Vi: you are right kabir
Just as strange as you being my HALF BRO
isn't it?

Kabir was about to answer him back but anupriya signalled him to stay quiet.

Evening:

Angre entered the study to see vihaan standing near the window lost in his thoughts

A: boss
I got the cctv camera and their serial number and all
But what are you going to do with it.

Vihaan ignored him and connected the cctv cameras to his laptop and started working

Angre kept glancing at the clock

His eyes started drooping
It had been 8 hours he had been doing god knows what on these cameras

Vi: ANGREE
DONT YOU DARE FALL ASLEEP

angre shook his head

Vi( in mind): god knows what made that vansh rai singhania hire this useless piece as his bodyguard
Like seriously
Well riddhima told me he is very loyal
Thats good, I appreciate it
But if he had used some of his brain cells in addition to being loyal then maybe vansh would have been alive today.

Vihaan smiled seeing the cctv finally recovered

As soon as the videos started playing
Vihaan's eyes darken with anger
All the tortures bore on riddhima
Anupriya attacking sia
Anupriya and kabir electroding riddhima and confessing their dirty crimes
There was a video in which riddhima was walking blankly around the house, suddenly her eye fell on the knife
She picked it up and made multiple cuts on her wrist, crying uncontrollably for vansh

Angre too looked at the screen shocked

Vihaan held angre's collar and spoke in a dangerous voice

Vi: what the hell is this?
So much was happening and you had no idea
She was suffering
And none of you had the curtesy to check on her.

Vi: call the commissioner
I want them arrested right now

A: boss, its 3 in the night
We will call tomorrow and get them punished

Vihaan copied all the videos in a pendrive and placed it in his locker

Walking like an angry bull he entered the room
His tensed muscles relaxed seeing riddhima sleeping peacefully

Gently kissing her forehead
He promised

Vi: I promise riddhima
All those who tortured you will be punished

Unknown to him, someone has heard all his and angre's conversation.