Preeti is seen busy in the kitchen while Rama is looking on puzzled.
The bell rings and Preeti runs to open the door with such a speed as if her tail is on fire! She immediately hugs Sameer and asks him to come in.

Rama: Didi, yeh vohi doctor hain na?
( Sister, this is the same doctor right?)
Preeti nods and sends Rama to bring the freshly prepared Aloo Parathas.

P: Aaj toh main tujhe apne haathon se khilaungi Athu.
( Today, I will be feeding you with my own hands Athu)

Sameer smiles, his eyes filled with happy tears. Rama gets the Parathas and Preeti feeds him. He gets emotional and tears flow down, which she wipes off.

P: No more crying Athu. We will lead our lives in happiness and peace. We all have suffered enough.

Post the Aloo Paratha feeding session,
Preeti and Atharv sit to converse about their past. That's when it suddenly flashes to him that Naina is nowhere to be seen.

S: Di,where is Naina?
P: Oh ho! Aren't you able to stay without looking at her huh?
Sameer slightly blushes but defends
S: There's nothing like that. Was just asking because this is her house and she isn't to bee seen. That's all! You don't have to think something and all Di!
P: Accha? I will let it pass for now Athu but someday we will have this discussion. She has not yet returned from work. She will be back by 12.
(Sameer just nods)
Now tell me about yourself and how you became Sameer from Atharv.

Sameer then tells how he hit that lady and escaped from that building.

S: I ran from that place. My legs were injured and were bleeding and paining like hell. But I did not stop running as I knew, stopping would mean going back to the same hell. I ran and ran, through the forest and reached the main road. I asked for a lift from a truck driver who took pity on me and dropped me in the outskirts of the city.  That man was really generous and he gave me some money. I thanked him and started walking on the road leading to the city. Exhausted and drained out by the pain and weakness, I collapsed at the doorstep of the first house. When I opened my eyes, I was in a hospital.

Flashback:

Atharv opens his eyes and looks around to see where he is. He understands that this is a hospital. He tries to remember how he landed here and gets flashes of events of the previous day. The doctor comes in and checks his vitals.

A: Doctor, main yahan...kya hua?
( Doctor, me here....what happened?)

D: Don't worry son. You are okay now. But you need to take extreme care of yourself.

Voice: Don't worry doctor, I will look after him.

Atharv looks in the direction of the voice and finds a middle-aged man. His face has certain warmth and his entire persona emits positive aura.

Atharv: Aap?
( You?)

D: He is the most renowned businessman of this city , Mr Jaiprakash Maheshwari.

Jaiprakash: I found you unconscious at my doorstep son. You looked weak and your leg was bleeding badly. So, I brought you here.

A: Thank you sir.
Jaiprakash: You don't have to thank me son.
(Turning towards the doctor) Doctor, when can i take him home?

A: Sir, please don't bother. I don't want to trouble you. Thank you for all your help.

Jaiprakash: Firstly, you will not call me sir. Secondly, you aren't any burden. And just tell me son, where will you go? I don't think you have anyone else you wouldn't be in this state today, so where will you go? Your health too isn't so good.

A: I don't know, but I don't want to be an extra responsibility. You will have your family to look after. I don't have anyone sir, so it's alright. I will go somewhere or else you can drop me in the orphanage.
I will manage.

Jaiprakash: Look son, I don't have anyone. I lost my only family, my grandson Sameer in an unfortunate road accident. I am a lone soul. I pray to God and request him to return my Sameer to me and for me, you are my Sameer. You have come in my life like God's blessing. If you stay with me, then this aging soul would be happy and less miserable. I have already accepted you as my Sameer. Please don't refuse now. Trust me, you are no burden on me.

Arharv has tears in his eyes. He thinks for sometime. His own family betrayed him then maybe trusting a stranger would be better. He feels he can trust this man. His aura feels really positive.

A: I will come with you sir. Thank you for accepting me.

Jaiprakash: Stop thanking me for everything dear. And yes, now that you have accepted me, you can call me Nanu and not sir,just the way my Sameer used to call me

A: Nanu!!
Nanu comes towards Atharv and hugs him.

A day later.
At the Maheshwari mansion

Nanu: Atharv, your condition when I found you was not very good and doctor told that...... somebody has forced...your body is really weak and doctor found many scars and beat marks...tell me son, what has happened? Who has done this to you? You can trust me son. I know we have just met but you can trust me. Tell me everything so that it is out of your system.

A: Nanu.....
Tears trickle down and he hugs Nanu tightly. Soon his silent sobs turn into loud wailing. Nanu just keeps rubbing his back but doesn't stop him, as he knows this is really necessary.
After about half an hour, Atharv opens up about his family, losing Rohan, Preeti getting sold to a brothel , him being sold to one lady, she forcing him, him fighting back, escaping and finally landing here.

Nanu is left shocked by his revelations. How can a parent be so cruel and inhuman? How can people do this to their own children?

N: Don't worry beta. I will make sure they are caught and punished.

A: You won't be able to Nanu. It's been a long time now. Now that I have escaped, they would have immediately become alert and shifted elsewhere. They also have spies in the police system.

N: What??

A: Yes Nanu. If you try to do anything, they will kill you. I don't want to lose you Nanu.
Please! Now they don't know I'm here with you. So let it be.

N: (reluctantly) okay...but from now on, you are Sameer Maheshwari. No one knows that my grandchild is no more except Dr. Ganesh, who treated you and nobody has seen him anyways, so from now, you are Sameer Maheshwari.

Flashback ends

Both Preeti and Sameer have tears in their eyes.
S: He gave me a new life Di. Whatever I am today, it's because of him. He gave me the love which we never got from them.

P: Where is he now?
S: Up in the stars.....heart attack...

Sameer breaks down. The images of Nanu during the last few hours before his death, his death... everything flashes before his eyes. The pain he feels is so intense that he feels he is witnessing Nanu's death again.

Preeti consoles him. The clock strikes 2  by now, attracting the attention of both towards itself. That's when something strikes both at the same time.

Why is Naina not back home?

Sameer gets this creepy and weird feeling. His sixth sense tells him that surely Naina is in some danger. This gets confirmed when despite repeated calls by Preeti, the phone comes switched off.
Both panic.

S: Di, stay here. I will go and find her. Just tell me where she was when you last time spoke to her and tell me the places she can visit.

Preeti agrees and tells him all that she knows about Naina and the places she can visit.

Sameer immediately sets out to find her.

Hello all!
So what do you think? Where is Naina? Is she really in danger? Will Sameer be able to find her?
To know, stay tuned for the next chapter

Lovingly,
Pratyu