Sapna knocked on the door to catch his attention. When he turned around, she informed. "Everyone's here."

He expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Sapna." She didn't know what it was for, but she nodded. She did get the impression that it was something big and that he was tensed. He wouldn't have called her in the middle of the night to arrange for a press conference with all the media news channels out there.

Armaan took in a deep breath to face the crowd. It had only been a few hours since they'd returned from Shimla, and their life was already creating a havoc. It hadn't been very welcoming on receiving Khushi's message that Lavanya was missing, and to add to it, the rest of the night had brought coming face to face with Vivek and Shyam's phone call informing them he had Anjali too.

Armaan knew a sure fast way to get them both back safely. He was done hiding, and he knew Arnav was too. He was tired of having his loved ones go through so much in life and all the time feeling helpless. This once, Armaan promised himself Shyam wouldn't win, he wouldn't be successful again in ruining all of their lives.

He nodded at Arnav and both of them stood up. They walked out and took the elevator to the terrace. Since it had been last night, there was no pre-booked venue. Reporters stood up with their mikes forwarded towards him and their cameramen behind them ready to record.

Voices spoke over each other asking the reason for the last minute press conference. Ah, the impatience of the reporters to get the big scoop. Armaan held up his hand and within a few seconds, the questions died out. He had thought what he'd say multiple times but he kept pulling a blank. Right now, however, standing in front of the most influential new channels in the country, the words seemed to pour out on their own.

"Everyone, thank you for coming. You have questions and I will answer them. This time, its nothing related to my music or the last interview. This is about my personal life. Uh... I need your help. This is my friend. You know him as ASR, co-owner of AR Designs. I'll let him speak to you for now."

He blinked at Arnav for encouragement as he moved aside. Arnav stood behind the podium and cleared his throat. "Earlier tonight when I returned to Mumbai, I found out a friend of mine was kidnapped. Then I received a call saying my sister was kidnapped as well. I already know who's kidnapped them and why. His name is Shyam Jha and he's a serial rapist... some years ago, he entered our lives. We didn't take any action against him because my sister was in no emotional state to go through it all. But I know now we were wrong. We should have put him behind bars. We shouldn't have worried about what society would say... our society has a quick tendency to blame the girls... revictimize them, but it is them who needs to be brought to justice."

"This time, I want to do this right. So, I am reaching out to you all. I am done hiding and I am done trying to protect my family from what this society has to say because if anything I have realized in the past years is that I am not protecting them. I am hurting them and many other families out there who do nothing in the same fear. We let them roam around free and that only emboldens them. There are many more Shyam Jha's out there right now, and each day a new one will be born but I am taking a step today to atleast bring one of them to justice."

"He's been sending things to blackmail and the police already knows, but I need your help to get them back safely. Now please... it is not just up to the one who was raped or their family... it is the responsibility of the entire nation to take a step towards bringing an end to it."

Armaan placed his hand on Arnav's shoulder and squeezed. He then addressed the journalist, "All my fans out there... you have always supported my music and everyone wants to always know more about me. Well... this is a huge reality of my life. Arnav is not the only one. Everyone knows I am very protective about my sister, and no, it's not just me being another overprotective brother. She too was kidnapped and raped. She is just now starting to come out of that trauma, years later. And trust me, it is hell seeing someone you love to go through it."

"I've reached millions of people with my music and to be honest, I would have quit years ago. I only was supposed to release my very first single as a means to support my studies. Then my father found out and a fatal heart attack left him bed-ridden. I continued singing so I could support my family and pay his medical bills. A few months ago when I announced I wouldn't be going into Bollywood, my plan was to slowly leave this industry because the financial situation at home was starting to get better. I always said 'I wish someone would take a stand. Do something'. But then Riddhima made me realize. Why was I depending on someone else to bring change when I can do it myself? I don't just have to be a singer. I can be my own voice, so if you are listening, whether or not you like my music, then look around you. Help keep your family, your friends, your neighbors, safe. Thank you."

Sapna asked, "Do you have a picture of him?"

Arnav answered, "It's an old one, but yes."

Sapna nodded, "That's fine. Send it to me and I'll circulate it." She then offered both of them a gentle, reassuring smile, "You're not in this alone anymore, guys. I'll make sure this news is on all the channels. They'll be back with you soon, safe and sound."

Arnav nodded, praying for her words to come true, while Armaan smiled at her once again in gratitude. It was going to be some long couple of hours till everyone would see this in the morning news, but he knew he had to hold on to some hope. There was no way he was going to give in to Shyam's blackmail and letting Khushi walk into his trap to save Lavanya and Anjali. This wasn't a fictional TV world where the main character had to be the pious one to sacrifice herself to save her family. As long as he was there, he wasn't going to let Khushi turn into that person, not when there was another way, a smarter way, to save Lavanya and Anjali and also bring Shyam to justice.

===

It had been a week since Armaan had given her the journal. And since then, she hadn't said a word of it to him. Neither had he gotten the time to talk to her alone. They were always waking up to rush to college, then shifts at the hospitals, labs, and back home. Now that Armaan's days were filled with college, his recordings, photo-shoots, scheduling, everything fell on the night time.

Riddhima had forced herself into getting used to him not coming home plenty of nights, but it didn't mean she didn't worry.

One day, she just had to tell him that when her head was dozing off in the middle of the classroom for lack of sleep. He nudged her awake, but as soon as the lecture ended, he asked. "You look worse than me."

"It's not like I can sleep worrying half the night whether or not you're going to be home." She snapped at him in irritation. "Honestly, it doesn't take more than a second to send a text."

"It's not planned." He answered defeated. "I always have plans of returning before midnight but I can never get out."

She could imagine how difficult managing everything could be. She sighed, feeling guilty for yelling at him. "Sorry, I know it's not your fault. I just..."

"Worry." He finished with a smile. "I hear you." He did know why she worried. Since the incident years ago, she always worried when people who were supposed to be home weren't home by a given time. She couldn't go to sleep peacefully till they were, or she atleast knew that wherever they were, they were safe. "Would you like to come to the studio today?"

She stopped walking down the hallway at his offer. "Me?"

He confirmed with a laugh, "Ofcourse, you."

"But what about Khushi? She'll be home alone."

"I can get Arnav to drop her home. Stay till we get back. Tonight, we are just planning the events for rest of the month anyway. No recording. We'll definitely be done before midnight."

"If he won't mind..." She trailed off, thinking it'd be alright. If anything, it would even give Arnav and Khushi some time together. Perhaps they can learn to be friends again.

"I'll wait in the hospital parking lot at 6."

"Okay." She agreed and they parted ways as she went to her next lecture while he left for his shadowing shift at the hospital.

===

Khushi and Riddhima were in the penthouse with Aarav the next morning. He was sleeping as they watched the news. Armaan, Arnav, Dr. Shashank, and Sapna's interview was looped on the right corner of the screen as the live footage of Shyam being handcuffed by the police and taken to the police jeep showcased.

Aarav waddled into the room, rubbing his eyes. "Khushi, where's mom?"

"Hi kiddo," She turned to him and Riddhima took the remote and turned off the screen at once. "Come here. Did you sleep okay?"

He nodded in response, climbing the couch and into her lap. "Dad promised mom would be here when I woke up."

She smiled bringing the side of his face to her chest, cuddling him to her. "He's went to get her, okay? He'll be back soon."

He tilted his head up to her, "But he was on the TV. Are you lying to me? I'm 6, you know? I'm not a kid. Don't lie to me." His lips trembled by the end as tears fell from his eyes.

"Oh baby." She hugged him again, rocking him. "I'm not lying. Both your mommy and daddy will be back very soon."

"You promise?" He questioned with his little big brown eyes, as innocent as ever only too worried about his parents.

"I promise," She wiped his wet cheek with her fingers. "How about... how about we go get ready, hmm?"

"Mommy does scold me when I don't take a bath. Or brush my teeth after waking up." He informs as if he recalled that. Perhaps, he wished for her to be here right now scolding him instead of her missing.

She helped him up on his feet and arms around his shoulder. "Well, we don't want her to have to yell at you when she is back, right?"

He nodded and placed his chin on her shoulder, silently asking her to carry him to the bathroom. She offered Khushi a small smile of comfort as she passed by. She couldn't say it enough how proud she was of the way she had accepted Aarav and started to love him as her own. They both knew she wasn't good with kids. But Aarav... Khushi understood him. They connected in their own way. She may be getting married to his father and would eventually be his step-mother, but she cared for him more as a friend first.

A while later, Khushi was trying to get Aarav to eat some breakfast with little luck when the doorbell rang. Riddhima said to him, "I bet that's them!"

His eyes lit up with hope and Khushi warned with her eyes to not do that, but Riddhima only grinned at her, taking Aarav's hand and helping him off the chair. His palm enclosed around her index finger and he pulled her towards the front door. He couldn't reach the lock, and so waited for her to twist the look open before pulling the door in.

"Mommy!" Aarav exclaimed and ran over to Lavanya just as she sat on her knees and scooped him into a tight embrace.

"Oh, baby. I am so sorry, but mommy's back. And you're okay." Lavanya went on to shower kisses on him.

Khushi walked to Anjali and hugged her.

Armaan came to stand next to Riddhima and she could see it all over his face. It mimicked all their expressions. Relief. They were safe and unharmed. Even if it had been a rocky night, it was something to be grateful for. They all knew escaping Shyam was a deal in itself. As past held, he was capable of worse deeds.

Aarav tugged Anjali's hand to get her to look at him. He asked as she squatted, "Di, why are you not wearing a sweater? Aren't you cold? You'll get sick."

Anjali smiled at him lovingly, her palm cupping his cheek. "Then why don't you give me a hug, hmm?" He did, wrapping his tiny arms around her neck. A tear escaped her, holding him against her chest consoling herself on having her son in her arms after the night she must have gone through, being held by the one who raped her and was enough of a scumbag to hold her hostage in exchange for Aarav.

Arnav came to stand beside Khushi draping an arm around her back. "Thank you for looking after him." He expressed with his eyes entranced on the mother and son, his sister and nephew.

She tucked the back of her head against his right side, her fingers clutching his worn-out shirt. "I'm glad I listened for once." He chuckled in response, pretty sure he was appreciative for that as well.

"Let's go home."

They nodded at Armaan and Khushi quickly hugged her brother and best friend before leaving with Arnav and their family.

Riddhima locked the door behind them and Armaan crashed her dead weight on the living room couch. She took a detour to the kitchen to get him his apple juice. More than water, it did the trick in refreshing him. Walking to him, she forwarded her hand.

He accepted the glass and she took a seat next to him, leaning back into his side. Hand over his chest, she whispered. "It'll finally be in the past now."

Silently, he took a sip.

She pulled her head back just enough to get a look at his face. "Hey." She called him. he glanced at her as well and she continued, "Thank you for controlling your anger this once."

He sordidly chuckled, "Someone had to." He was trying to pass it off as nothing, but both knew. Armaan had anger issues and with Arnav mad and beyond worried, it was a miracle Armaan had held on to his composure and reacted with a clear head.

Khushi requesting him to not do anything to have her worry about him as well had certainly helped. She was already worried over Arnav, she didn't need to be worried about Armaan as well.

She cupped his cheek. Her thumb grazed his growing stubble, "No, seriously. You're growing. I'm so proud of you, Armaan."

He gulped in reactions, giving in to his beating heart and everything he had been holding back on since yesterday evening. "I don't know how you're the mature one all the time. I don't know how you do it." He expressed, for he had tried it for only one night and it had taken a lot out of him. it's just so much easier to give in to the demanding and tempting emotions of anger, hate, and all the less desired emotions out there. The ideal ones? They are a lot tougher to follow through on. "But however you do it, thank you for keeping all of us together. If not for you, I'd have lost it a long time ago."

She pulled up to rest her forehead against his and closed her eyes. "Shh. I'll never let you lose. You'll never go through anything by yourself."

Even if he couldn't trust the ever changing word, this he could trust. The way Riddhima was with him, the way she looked at him, the way she smiled at him as if he were her everything – he knew that would never change.

===

After reaching the studio and walking in, he finally asked the question. "Did you read it?"

"Hmm?" She asked, blinking away from everything she was seeing. Recalling his question, she shook her head. "Oh, no. I didn't get the chance. Is it important or something?"

He figured out she would only ask that for one reason. She wasn't insensitive otherwise. "You didn't even open it, did you?" If she had opened it, the first words itself on the very first page writing in big letters would have been enough to tempt her into flipping to the second page and read.

She answered in a negative again by shaking her head. "If it means that much to you, I'll read it tomorrow."

He offered to be polite, not wanting to push her. "It's okay, you can read it whenever you have some free time. I know you must be busy studying."

She shrug her shoulders, "I can't sleep at night, anyway. Maybe reading will help."

"Still?" He questioned, surprised it was more than worry that didn't let her sleep.

"You know I need someone next to me to talk me to sleep." She informed, "College, Abhi helped mostly. Sometimes Khushi. But..."

"But?"

"Nothing, forget it." She didn't tell him that no one could really help her the way he did. "Which recording room are we going to? There are so many here."

He didn't let his disappointment show at her attempt to change the topic. "Actually, we'll be going upstairs today since we're doing the schedules, not the recording. Most of the recording for the first two songs are done anyway."

"That's cool." She commented on the progress, "3 more songs to complete the album, right?"

He pressed the elevator button and it opened right away as it was already on the ground floor. "Yup, three more. It's going to be no less than torture."

"Oh? How come?"

"These people keep wanting to re-record. I'm hating all the auto-tune they keep adding to the music. It makes the song into something much different."

"Then why not just say no? It's your song, Armaan."

He sordidly laughed, "Try telling that to them." The elevator dinged open on the 5th floor. "This way." He nodded towards the left of the hallway which parted in both directions from the elevators. Unlike the calm on the ground floor, this floor was buzzing with people – everyone rushing about to do their own things, yelling over each other for orders to be heard.

"It's a crazy minefield!" Riddhima answered in a laugh as Armaan grabbed her hand and pulled her through before she would get lost.

"It starts looking normal after a while." He offered and few more doors later, he pushed it open. She read the nameplate but didn't pay much attention to it.

Malik.

Riddhima stepped inside the office and to the side of Armaan when the voices stopped. Initially, as Armaan's presence was acknowledged, Riddhima was on the sideline.

Suvarna exclaimed, "Armaan! About time. We've been waiting for an hour!"

Atif, the event coordinator commented, "Liar. Armaan, we just all got here like 15 minutes ago too."

The public liaison, Yasmin, offered otherwise, "Speak for yourself. We've been here for over an hour for His Highness to grace us with his presence."

Armaan didn't let their mocking get to him, "Blame the traffic, girls. And how about instead of wasting more time, we get to it?"

"Who's this?" Suvarna gave Riddhima a lookover filled with judgment.

Instead of answering her, he turned to Riddhima, instructing, "Basket, sit here." He pushed her down into a chair, "Give me an hour, then I'll take you around to show the place."

She nodded, perfectly comfortable with that. At first, she paid attention to all the bickering when dates were being set out specifically to audio recording, video shoots, photo shoots, rehearsals, press conferences, radio interviews, and who knows what else. Eventually, she tuned it out, realizing just how much of a headache Armaan could get from this lifestyle if he really wasn't into it.

She started doodling on a notepad she found on the desk. She glanced up only when the voices stopped at the opening of the door. "Sir, I didn't know you were joining us today."

Riddhima gaze trailed from Armaan to the person he was speaking to. "Armaan." The middle-aged guy shook his head, "My boy, how many times have I told you to just call me Billy?"

Riddhima's eyes widened as the face turned familiar to her. The hair had grown white streaks at some parts, but the face was unforgettable. Balwinder Malik. Armaan's real father. "Holy crap." She muttered under her breath, causing all eyes to turn to her.

Billy questioned, "And who might this young lady be?"

Riddhima scoffed for he had the guts to pretend he didn't recognize her. She had grown in the past 3 years, but her face hadn't changed into unrecognizable. Before either Armaan or Riddhima could answer, he waved it off. "Never mind that. Armaan, I've told you. You can date whoever you want but not to bring them here to the studio. You never know what they leak to the press!"

Armaan opened his mouth, but again, he couldn't get a word in.

"Anyway, everyone. Clear out. Armaan and I need to have a chat. Suvi, you can stay."

Atif and Yasmin listened, leaving at once, but when I didn't, Suvarna scolded. "Didn't you hear him?"

Riddhima crossed her arms over her chest, glaring back at her. "Unless Armaan asks me to leave, I'm not leaving."

Her gaze flickered to Armaan at the end of the statement, and he blinked at her in assurance. He wasn't going to ask her to leave. "Billy, whatever we need to discuss can be done in front of her."

"If a word of this meeting gets out, it'll be on you." Billy warned before walking over to his chair behind the desk and taking a sit. Armaan took the chair next to Riddhima on the other side of the desk. Billy snatched the notepad out from under Riddhima's hand, returning it to its place. He didn't like things being out of place.

"We need to discuss that interview of yours."

Armaan answered, sitting back comfortably in the chair by bringing the ankle of right leg to rest over his left knee and elbow over the arm of the chair. "Like I told Suvarna, there is nothing to discuss."

"Yes, there is." Billy spoke in a firm tone. "Your contract clearly states in the duration of 5 albums, you will do everything that we deem necessary to promote your name. To do that, you will be joining the music tour and collaborate with other singers in the industry."

"I do all the local promotions and events! Before I signed the contract, I explicitly said I won't let it interfere with my studies! That tour you want me to do is for a month long and it is overseas!"

"Then talk to your Dean. I don't care. You've done it in the past. You either join the tour, or I have no problem suing you for breaching the contract."

Armaan stood up, groaning in frustration and running his fingers through his hair. "Look, don't threaten me about suing me."

"Why not, hmm?" Billy said in a composed tone. "Stop being such a spoiled brat, Armaan. You won't sing anything that isn't written by your mystery writer. You won't sing a duet. You won't collaborate with anyone else. You won't go on longer promotions. You won't enter Bollywood and accept all the offers you keep getting. You can't always have your way! At first, yes, all these things made you appealing. All that mystery even brought in the fans and sales rocketed. But not when you don't give your fans what they want! Do you think they want to see you as a doctor? No. They want to see you as a singer. They want to hear you."

"It's not what I want." Armaan gritted through his teeth.

"If you step out that door, Armaan, you'll regret it."

Armaan still reached for the handle of the door. "Do whatever the hell you want."

Riddhima panicked and blurted out before he would ruin things with his quick temper. "He'll add a duet to his current album."

"I won't," Armaan answered with a snap turn.

Billy stood up, "And who might you be to promise that?"

Riddhima first ordered Armaan, "You will," then declared herself to Billy, "And I'm someone who will give you more sales than his month-long abroad trip."

"Basket..." Armaan called her in a warning to stop her from doing this to herself, putting her life on the line, but she lifted her hand at him in a 'stop' sing.

"Riddhima Gupta."

Billy's back straightened at hearing the name. He also realized the girl standing in front of him was the same girl he had met years ago in Shimla. She had been a school girl then. Now, she was a grown, beautiful adult.

"Riddhima." He repeated the name. Armaan didn't know about Billy, but she did. At once Mr. Malik feared his identity was at stake.

Suvarna exclaimed, "You're Riddhima Gupta? As in R. Gupta?"

Riddhima turned a glare in her direction, snapping, "Do you have a problem with that?" She hadn't liked the tone Suvarna had used.

Suvarna shook her head timidly, knowing from the years of having worked with Armaan how high he thought of Riddhima. Armaan closed the distance from the door to stand behind her and turned her around to face him. "I'm not letting you do that." He said looking into her eyes as if the matter wasn't up for debate, and then past her shoulders at Billy. "I'll go on the stupid tour."

Riddhima held his arm when he turned to leave and sidestepped to stand in front of him. "Why not, Armaan? It's a win-win both ways. Your studies won't suffer and the album will be a hit."

"Because it's not the life you've wanted for yourself." He reminded her, wondering if, in an attempt to save him, she had forgotten that. "You don't want the world to know who you are, remember? You like your privacy."

"Let's face it, we both knew we couldn't keep this under the wraps for too long. When I was in Australia and you were here, it worked. But I'm here now. Sooner or later, people would've found out regardless of what I want. I'd rather have it happen on my terms than theirs."

Everything she said was true, and one hidden part of it was that she had learned Billy was here, and if he was talking about the contract, then he was the head of Silver Lining Productions. She would never leave Armaan alone to face the reality that would eventually dawn. She'd rather stay by his side and face the doom together than stay hidden and have him suffer alone.

"Basket, please, say you are not serious." He pleaded, for he knew her better. He knew every ounce of her being would hate this. Everyone would turn her life inside out. The media would dig at every little thing since her birth. Her life would no longer be just hers.

She offered him a gentle smile feeling touched at his caring gesture before speaking to Billy. "We'll do this. Draw up whatever contract you want for me, but he's not going on that tour."

He exhaled, defeat visible in his eyes. He didn't want her to do this; not for him, but he couldn't make her decision for her either or talk her out of it. He was quite familiar with how she got when she was determined.

Her voice returning to the soft-spoken one, she asked. "Take me home?"

He answered with a nod at once, taking her hand and nudging her out of the room. The whole way back to the elevators, he kept his hand on her. She glanced at it, feeling the tender warmth as well as the possessive anger emitting off of him. Riddhima deemed it best to stay silent in the elevator as a few others were already in the box when they'd stepped in. walking towards the parking lot, he released her hand. Reaching the car with longer strides, he kicked the tire of his car.

"Armaan!" She exclaimed, taking quick steps to reach him.

Instead of letting her touch calm him down, he pinned her against the car, tight grip on her shoulders. She gasped and tried to squirm away, but the anger overtook his being, refusing to notice that he was hurting her. "Why would you do that for me? Haven't you learned your lesson by doing things for me?"

She accepted his anger with no retaliation. Realizing she wasn't going to answer and fuel his temper, he released her with a shake.

"Damn it, Riddhima. I love your selfless nature and all, but this once I wish you were selfish."

===

author note:

Long chapter!! :) I could've written the present scene better.. especially the starting.. but writers' block is a bitch :/ IDK why I'm much better at writing their past... Give me your honest thoughts, please? Hopefully, when I go back to edit this story, I'll write it better. 

10 votes & comments for the next chapter?