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"Jeopardize Condition"

Vansh's POV:

Looking around for Riddhima, I enter the Storage area and again shout her name, "Riddhima". No answer from her but there is an echo of my voice.

Bad thoughts are making its way in my head. What if she is unconscious? What if she is hurt? Did something happen to her?

"Riddhima???" I hear a voice behind me and turn to look at a waiter - light brown hair color, a hint of stubble on his cheeks. Sneaking a peak at his shirt pocket, I don't see any badge or name but he seems to be dressed as a waiter.

"You saw her?" I ask coming a bit closer to him and putting my phone back inside my coat pocket. "I mean have you seen her here?"

"No sir, but I heard a girl talking on the phone and telling someone about name Riddhima. You have a photo of her?" he says to which I just nod and taking out my wallet show him her photo. Don't ask why I have her photo in my wallet. Seems intimate but I kept it inside my wallet on the day our wedding was decided years back. Who knew I would be using it to search for her now? "Yes sir, I saw this ma'am going further in that direction."

He points me further into the storage area and I nod patting his shoulder lightly signing as a thank you. As he leaves, I turn to make it further inside the room. Within few steps the place temperature decreases, and keeps on decreasing, it feels like the flight from Chennai to Kashmir was just of 10 seconds. I can feel my pants and shirt getting cold. Turning to look up at the board, I'm shocked to see its Cold Storage Room

"Why would she even come here?" I say to no one in particular and turn to leave not before shouting back her name once again. "Riddhima???"

As soon as I am about to leave the room, I hear a voice coming from inside the Cold Storage. "Riddhima?" I say her name again and move closer to the room. The voice comes again, as if something just fell inside and then a silent wheezing sound comes. I move closer to the metal door and knock harshly so that my voice can reach inside. I try to listen by putting my ear to the door and then I hear a voice, someone is inside.

Taking the thin duvet from the rack beside the room, I enter the room to help Riddhima out. I look around to see Vegetables and Fruits stored on racks, covered by plastics. But there is no sign Riddhima, entering further into the room. I look around but still I can see no one here, "Strange. I just heard the voice." Just then I feel something moving behind me I turn to look, only to see the door is getting closed on its own.

I run towards it to stop. And I just hold the handle to stop from getting it closed at the last second. Relaxed on making it in the last moment, I take a step outside but then I'm pushed back by a sudden force. I look up and am shocked to see a masked man, his face covered by balaclava and only his eyes are visible. "What the hell? Who are you?" I shout at him but by one hand I don't let the handle go.

He tries to pry my hands off the handle by removing my fingers one by one, but he has difficulty in doing it because of my strong grip. I get to my feet and open the door wide.

I'm about to step out when he hits my ankle with his foot causing me to fall and lose my grip on handle. He successfully closed the door before I could got up.

"Damn, it was a trap. But if it was so that means Riddhima is in some trouble or did someone has stolen her phone?" I worried try to get back on my legs but due to the pain in my ankles and cold and I fall back to the same position.

Thinking of contacting Riddhima, I look for my phone in my coat. Only to come empty handed.

"Where is my phone?" I say and look around but can't spot anything. Recalling of that waiter whom I bumped into. I think he stole my phone. Wrapping the duvet over me I try to get back on my legs fighting against the pain. "How can I be such an idiot? I should have called her before coming here."

Riddhima's POV:

Coming back to the same room, I sneak a look inside to check whether Sanskar or even Armaan is still there. When I spot no one, I get inside and carefully lock the door. Making it to bed, I start to collect everything inside my purse.

"Why would Sanskar do this to me? What kind of idea did I give him that made him feel like I was interested in him?" I start talking to myself with the hope to relieving out my frustration. "And Armaan, What does he want from my best friend? I need to inform Sejal before he does something."

Picking up my phone from the floor, I unlock it to call Sejal but a new message pops in the inbox. From Vansh. Vansh? Why would he message me when he is downstairs?

Vansh: Where are you Riddhima? I'm waiting for you near the storage area.

Waiting for me? Why? I didn't ask him. I scroll through his other messages but others were the one he sent during Anu mom's surgery.

Riddhima: Why are you waiting for me?

I message back but he doesn't reply. Then thinking of Sejal, I call her and again it says the same thing. Her phone is switched off.

"Where are you Sejal? I hope you are not in any problem!" I say and thinking for a while I call her sister, Aradhana. After few rings, I hear the same thing about phone is switched off. Now I am definitely sure there is problem "What if...Aunty? No, No, I hope everything is fine."

Taking a deep breath and getting my mind to relax, I message her to call me as soon as possible and start to head back to Ishani and Sia. But then I recall of Vansh message, what if he is still waiting for me. "I even want to talk to him about us. Should I go and check on him?" But then the way Sanskar behaved half an hour ago crosses my mind and I go against that idea.

Making my way outside to the corridors, I look at everyone from the first floor only to check if Vansh has came back or not. On not spotting him I make my way to staircase. Feeling a gaze on me I turn to look only to come to an eye contact with Sanskar, who is sitting in the corner with a glass of drink in his hands continuously looking at my movements. His unblinking stare makes me go antsy.

What the hell happened to me overnight? Last Night, he was so cool and calm when I had a conversation with him on terrace. And now, he is behaving as if he has some personal vendetta against me. Growing uncomfortable with the eye contact, I carefully sneak out of that place making it look like I am still in the middle of the party. And make my way to a corner and take out my phone. But still Vansh hasn't replied yet. I think I should go and check on him.

Taking a deep breath and straightening my shoulder, I make my way to the other side through the corridors, I am met with silence - like pin-drop silence. I am sure my voice will echo here. Why are there no workers, since it seems to be storage area?

"Vansh? Are you here?" I say and that does happen - my voice echo but slightly. "Vansh??"

I say again and make it further inside, opening the door to storage area, I see few coolers set on the side with beverages, alcoholic drinks and a rack full of duvets. Duvets?

"Must be for the hotel rooms!" I answer to myself and make my way further into the room. Still holding the door I put the kickdown door stopper to let it be open. Always looking around for any threat I again call for him, "Vansh??"

On not receiving any answer after a while I take out my phone and call him. I know I should have done this before, but right thing never crosses your mind when you're tensed. Ring goes and goes but no one picks it up. I call him again, twice then thrice and keep on calling his name in this area only to come empty handed from both side.

Vansh's POV:

I do, I successfully get back on my feet and stumble to the door. The pain in my ankle is nothing compare to the cold in this place. My hands and feet are numb cold even when I am wearing shoes.

Thanking my luck that I took the duvet from outside before coming in, I wrap it tightly around my torso to keep the cold from hitting my chest but I have no idea how I'm going to cover my head from it. I hear a faint voice, someone is calling my name.

At that instant I knock hoping if they hear me. But it won't be possible if they are far away from me. I rapidly start to beat on the door until my hands are red and completely numb. Bringing my ears to the door, I try to hear but now there is no voice.

"Shit! I think they left." Not giving up, I keep on knocking and start to think of anything that can make a person outside notice my presence inside. But how did I hear that masked man making the noise inside, when the person on the other side didn't hear me knocking on this door. Was the door open before I came in?

Not dwindling on the past act I move further into the room to look for the AC controller but of course why would they put it inside the cold storage. I take a look and spot a wine bottles kept in the corner.

"This can make me feel warm and may be could help with staying awake for a while" Reaching for it, I remove the wrap from its head and take a small chug so that in need of staying warm, I don't go in inebriated state. Red Wine. Thinking of an idea, I look at the door again and pick up two wine bottles and stumble back to the door leaving my whole weight on my uninjured leg.

I again take a gulp and keeping it aside, break one of the bottles hard. Pieces of glass and red color of the wine spread around me. "That should make noise even if little." I say and crouch on my knees.

Looking at a small space between the door and the floor, I try to slip the wine outside with my fingers and spread it for it to easily seep out. So that anyone outside can look at it and at least think someone is injured. Even on my knees, my head sways a little and I see a blur vision. I am losing conscious and this drink isn't of too much help either. I break another bottle before I feel my head sway to one side.

My eyes are dropping closed and I am about to take a chug of the wine but feel it slip from my finger and the last thing I recall is I am still not sure if Riddhima is fine or not.

"Riddhima?" I say as I recall a vision of her wavy dark hair, soft worried eyes looking down at me from the day I kidnapped her. With the recollection of her face I see darkness cover my vision and then everything black outs.

Riddhima's POV:

I hear a little sound even when there is no voice around here. I look around and spot a hoarding of Cold Storage but thinking against going there I make my way to leave.

"I think he has already left." I say to myself and thinking he has left and is not picking up my phone cause he doesn't want to talk to me now after I kept him waiting I leave the storage room. Coming outside, I remove the door stopper and I am about to close the door when I spot the red color seeping out from cold storage.

Blood. What the hell? It looks just like blood but it's not. I am sure it's not, cause it's seeping out like liquid. Moving closer to the door I look at the door and the floor to see . I look outside to spot anyone who can check it. This is a huge metal door and I won't be able to open to all alone.

On spotting no one I go back inside and keeping my gown away from the liquid, I bend to take the liquid on my fingers and now I get it. It's wine. Perhaps a bottle might have got broken inside. But I don't feel like my theory is right. My dress feel tight around my chest.

Moving closer to the door, I try to hear something and then I hear a soft voice of something hitting the floor. I hold the handle and with great difficulty slightly pull the door open. White fumes comes out of the door for a while. I further move closer and sneak a look at the visible things inside I don't find anything wrong. Near the door a few inches away from my sandal, I spot a hand now covered in red.

Not just any hand, with the help of watch and ring on its thumb within seconds, I know its Vansh. "Vansh?" I say and try to pull the door with my full effort but nothing happens. Looking at the duvet on the rack I pull one and passing one of the side of it from the gap of the handle try to pull the door with it. It works. I try and open the door enough for me to slip in.

Coming inside I look at Vansh - unconscious. Bending down, I check his pulse and it's faint. "Vansh? Open your eyes." I pat his cheeks and it's cold. Taking out my phone I call Aryan and he picks it up. Finally someone has the grace to pick up my phone.

"Riddhima? Where are you? We are looking for you." I hear his worried voice. I forgot I was about to meet them after collecting my purse.

"I'm sending you my location. Come here and don't come alone. It's urgent." I say, disconnecting the phone when he agrees and send him my location immediately.

Without wasting even a second, I hook his arm over my shoulder to pull him up even slightly so that I can take him out. But to no avail, he is too heavy for me. I remove my hells and WOW, a glass piece pierces through my ankle's skin. Removing it from my leg, I decide to wait for them.

"Ughh.." Irritated I start to rub his hand and tighten the other duvet on his head and cover the other one on his chest. I hear foot steps and after a minute the door opens completely, I look up at Aryan and two waiters. Thank god he didn't brought Ishani and Sia.

"Vansh bhai..?" He says and crouch down to Vansh level.

"Let's take him outside. I'll call the ambulance." I say and with the help of two waiters, they take him outside. Stumbling out I pick up my phone.

"You don't have that much time, his pulse rate is low. There is a hospital nearby you can take him there." I hear a waiter say as he calls someone, probably the owner or manager to inform about it. It's a police case. I look at Aryan and on getting an affirmation from me he nods. I see as with their help they take them outside to the car.

I have no idea how he even reached inside the cold storage.

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Precap:

"Riddhima..try to open your eyes." I hear his voice but I can feel my low breath and my head - it is hurting. "Stay with us, please."

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I know the chapter was long, so sorry if you got bored in the mid!

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Your writer
Krisha💚