Cupping her small face between his large palms, vansh joined his forehead with hers, as tears blinded his eyes...

"Sia ko hosh aa gya hai riddhima.....

Or tum janti ho uss ne sab se phele kya kaha

Tum ne mujhe dhokha nhi diya hai...sia par hamla tum ne nhi anupriya ne kiya....

Mujhe jail bhejne ki sazish bhi kabir or anupriya ki the...

Or maine...maine kya kiya....tumhe uss gunnah ki saza de jo tum ne kabhi kiya hai nhi....

Ghar chalo riddhima....sab tumhara intazar kar rhe hain....

Tum se maafi mangne ke liye betaab hai.....

Main janta hoon yeh sab asan nhi hoga....

Lekin main wada karta hoon...

Tumhari maafi hasil karne ke liye main har haad se guzar jaon ga......"

"Tum...."

Riddhima choked....

"Kuch bhi kar skte ho meri maafi ke liye???"

She questioned as her own tears blinded her eyes

"Haan riddhima kuch bhi kar skta hoon...."

"TOH MUJHE TALAK DE DO VANSH...."

"Kya???"

Vansh flinched back as if electrocuted

"Kahi na kahi un kagaz ke panno main hum aj bhi pati patni hai....azaad kar do mujhe uss rishte se..."

"Naahi...riddhima....main esa nhi kar skta...."

He cried...

"Kyun??? Abhi tum ne he toh kaha ke tum meri maafi hasil karne ke liye har haad se guzar jao ge.....

Kya ek baar phr apni baat se mukar jao ge???"

"Riddhima....ek mauka toh har koi deserve krta hai na...."

"Sahi kaha vansh...ek mauka har koi deserve krta hai...main bhi woh ek mauka deserve krti the....lekin mujhe woh mauka nhi mila....."

"Riddhima....please...."

"Bhot dair ho chuki hai vansh......

Jis din tum mujhe divorce papers bhejwa do ge main smjh jaon ge ke tum sache dil se meri maafi chahte the...or uss din main bhi tumhe sache dil se maaf kr doon ge...."

Slipping her fingers out of his hold, she stepped out of the hospital, not caring about the heavy rain that was pouring down the heaven, followed by vihaan....

"Riddhima"

She heard her name being called and turned around to come face to face with her recent tormentor, the man whom she trusted enough to narrate the bitter past she never wanted to remember,

It was her fault right??? Always trusting the wrong person......

"Apna khayal rkhna...."

She whispered emotionlessly and was about to walk away, when he gripped her hand in his tightly

"Kya matlab apna khayal rakhna....
Tum bolo ge ke chale jao toh main chala jaon ha kya...
Nhi...tumhe yaad nhi...tum he nhi toh kaha tha...

'Jab main dur jaane ka bolon toh iska matlab hai main tumhe aur pass aane ka keh rhe hoon'

Main aa gya hoon riddhima......"

"Hath choro vihaan..."

She cried as she tried realising his grip.....making him snap...

"NAHI....KABHI NAHI....

Tum...tum yeh sab kch badla lene ke liye kar rhe ho na...jo mene tumhare sath kiya ab tum mere sath krna chahti ho na....

Tumhe badla lena hai toh le lo yaar lekin chor kar mat jao....

Main mar jaon ga tumhare bina riddhima...."

His tears mixing with the rain as riddhima jerked his hand away

"NAHI LENA KOI BADLA...."

She screamed not able to control anymore

"AGAR BADLA LENE HE HOTA HAI TOH USS INSAAN SE LETI JO ISS WAQT MERI MAAFI KE LIYE KCH BHI KRNE KE LIYE TYAAR HAI

MERE EK ISHARE PAR WOH POORI DUNIA KE SAMNE MUJHE APNI PATNI KA DARJA DE DEGA

OR MAIN...MAIN ASANI SE USS SE APNA BADLA LE LETI......

POORI DUNIA KE SAMNE USS KI USSI TRHA BEIZZATI KARTI JESE USS NE MERI KI

LEKIN NHI CHAHYE MUJHE YEH SAB....

MUJHE HAMESHA PYAAR KE BADLE MAIN DHOKHA MILA HAI LEKIN AB BAS

THAK CHUKI HOON MAIN.....

MUJHE APNI ZINDAGI MAIN SAKOON CHAHYE

AUR YAKEEN MANO VIHAAN....WOH SAKOON MUJHE BADLE KI AAG MAIN JAAL KAR KABHI NHI MILE GA......

DAIR LAGI YEH BAAT SMJHNE  MAIN....LEKIN SMJH AA GYA"

Vihaan stood rooted to his spot as she got inside the cab she had booked for herself and drove away.....

As he turned around...he came face to face with the man whose orbs held the same REMORSE as him...

And in that moment they both knew...

THEY HAD LOST SOMEONE REALLY PRECIOUS.....

..............................................................................

PHIR AGAR MUJHE TU KABHI NA MILE
HUMSAFAR MERA TU BANE NA BANE
FAASLON SE MERA PYAR HOGA NA KAAM
TU NA HOGA KABHI AB JUDA

MAINE TERA NAAM DIL RAKH DIYA
MAINE TERA NAAM DIL RAKH DIYA
DHARKE GA TU MUJHE MAIN SADA
MAINA TERA NAAM DIL RAKH DIYA
TERE VASTE KABHI MERA PYAAR HOGA NA KAAM
MAINE TERA NAAM DIL RAKH DIYA
MAIN TERA NAAM DIL RAKH DIYA

She sang beautifully infront of almost half of the world, shining like the brightest star in the sky,just as she had imagined.....

Among the crowd, there were two men,known very well to her, who had remained close to her heart for a long time....but today....in the crowd of billions....they both knew........

They were nothing but STRANGERS FOR HER........

The end.....