"Mujhe maaf kar do, mein iss shaadi se khush nahi hoon. Mera dum ghooth raha hai iss rishtey mein. Mein tumse bahut dur jaa rahi hoon. Mujhe doondhne ki koshish bhi mat karna warna mein apni jaan de dungi. Mujhe marna gawaara hai par tumhare saat puri zindagi jeena nahi hai"

(I am sorry, I am not happy in this marriage. I feel suffocated in this relationship. I am going away from your life. Please don't try to search for me else I will kill myself. I would like to die but not spend my whole life with you)

Sidharth read the letter again and again for n number of times. There was a marriage annulment paper as well which stated that Shehnaaz was seeking to annul the marriage because Sidharth was having an extra marital affair with someone else.

This can't be real! What the hell is this? This can't be her letter. But it is indeed Shehnaaz's handwriting. I am having an extra marital affair? Has she gone mad? Why did she do this to me? I believed her each an every word from the time I met her. She hid so many secrets from me and then gave so many reasons to prove that she was helpless.

What is happening in my life? Why is it so complicated? Shehnaaz were you really not happy with me? We didn't argue or fight since few days. Last time we had differences were when she thought I was ignoring her and spending time with Hema. Though I didn't give reason for Hema, I made sure that we satisfied our bodily desire. Then why did she chose to go away? Does she still have doubts about Hema? I did meet Hema casually 2 days back on my way back home from office, when she dropped me home after offering lift. Did she see us and mistook it? I can set this right if I talk to her.

He tries calling her number but it was switched off. He kept calling her every 2 minutes. The tension was taken over by frustration and frustration was taken over by anger and the anger was building hatred.

Aadya: (hugs him) Papa, where is mumma? I want mumma. (Cries)

Sidharth: Just shut up! You are not getting any mumma. She left us. She got a big contract, more money so she doesn't want us now. (Says with anger)

Aadya was scared to see him so angry and the tone was threatening her. She stood two arms away from him. He looked at her after 2 minutes and he realised that he scared her.

Sidharth: (kneels down, holds his ears and cries) I am sorry baby, I am sorry. Please forgive your papa for shouting at you. Please, I am sorry.

Aadya looks at him with tear built-up eyes and bursts out crying with heavy choking voice. He immediately hugs her to calm her down.

Sidharth: I am sorry dear. Your mumma left me broken.

She could have asked me or argued with me before deciding to leave us. I was mistaken to think that she was matured for her age. She took a childish decision and may not realise it as well since she is young and will get better man in life too.

But how could she leave Aadya and go? May be I was wrong to think she was better mother than Gunjan. She can never be better than Gunjan because Gunjan kept Aadya in her womb for 9 months and gave birth. Shehnaaz can never justify those 9 months with her 3 and a half years as well. Step mother is always a step mother.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realise that Aadya fell asleep hugging him. He placed her on the bed and lied beside her.

My life is just a painful shit. I gave permission to every person to hurt me. My own mother hurt me by keeping me away from my child. I wish if she hadn't taken this decision, I wouldn't have met Shehnaaz or wouldn't have fallen in this shit. Ultimately, it's just me and my daughter, Aadya only. I thought I would die without you Shehnaaz but I don't want to die for the person who doesn't even care for me, my feelings, my love and my child.

He didn't knew what he was thinking and who he was cursing. His mind was jumping from one branch to another branch aimlessly like a monkey. His mind was disturbed and heart was broken. She was his solace and when that's gone, he couldn't find happiness in anything else.
.
.
.
A man opens the door and a maid walks in with a big silver plate with a red cloth covered on top. Shehnaaz stood up and tried to runaway from the door but she was held by a strong man, Devraj. Shehnaaz struggles to escape but he was too strong for her to escape his crushing grip on her arm.

Shehnaaz: Leave me you bastard!! (She screams as she struggles)

Devraj: Never! You are going to be imprisoned for life. I am going to make your life a living hell. Guards get two more maids and ask them to get her ready in this bridal attire. (Squeezes both her cheeks between his thumb and forefinger and speaks with gritted teeth) You are getting married to me.

Shehnaaz: Kutte, I am already married. I have a child as well.

Devraj: Which is not yours. I have already got all the information needed and for your kind information, your marriage is annulled by court. So you are now unmarried.

Shehnaaz: (shocked) Who is court to annul my marriage? I married him infront of sacred fire and God! Nobody can annul that.

Devraj: I will.. (loudly) Did you hear that? I will annul that by marrying you infront of sacred fire and God again. I am not going to show you mercy. You have wronged me and I never leave anyone who hurt me. I could have killed you but that's less painful, you deserve more pain and suffering than death.

Flashback:
Shehnaaz's alarm goes off. She freshens up and steps outside. She walks a little further, she hears a sobbing sound. She walks into that direction and finds that it was coming from a room. A fairly good looking girl was sitting on the bed and crying.

Shehnaaz: Excuse me! I know it's none of my business, but I can't stop myself from asking you by looking at your condition. What happened to you? Why are you crying?

Simran: I am Simran, Devraj's girlfriend and would be wife. I met him in US when he came there on his business trip. We fell in love and decided to marry each other but then when I came here, I realised he is a gangster. He lied to me that he was a businessman. I can't marry him. I will die than marry him.

Shehnaaz: That's shameful. Why don't you tell him directly that you don't want to marry him?

Simran: The maid said that he doesn't like to lose what he possesses. I am sure, he will forcefully marry me if I deny. (Cries)

Shehnaaz: Please don't cry. I will help you escape from here. I am a flourist. I came here to decorate your wedding hall. I will sneak you into the flower van and you can escape from there.

Simran: Can you really do it?

Shehnaaz: Yes!

Simran: Thank you. Can you write a note for him in hindi please? He can't read english and I can't write hindi. For the mistake of loving him, I want to leave him a note before eloping.

Shehnaaz nodes and writes a note.

"Mujhe maaf kar do, mein iss shaadi se khush nahi hoon. Mera dum ghooth raha hai iss rishtey mein. Mein tumse bahut dur jaa rahi hoon. Mujhe doondhne ki koshish bhi mat karna warna mein apni jaan de dungi. Mujhe marna gawaara hai par tumhare saat puri zindagi jeena nahi hai"

She helps Simran to slowly sneak into the flower van while she took out flowers to decorate his bedroom. The van left and Simran successfully escaped.

Shehnaaz decorates the bedroom with flowers pretending that she knows nothing about the bride eloping.

When Devraj couldn't find Simran anywhere and finds a note, he understands that it wasn't with by her. He remembers Shehnaaz's writing when she signed the contract document.

He goes through the cctv footage and finds Shehnaaz going into her room last and then sneaking a veiled Simran outside. He was raged. He locks her in a room and he gets his contacts to work quickly by placing the same note which Shehnaaz wrote at Shehnaaz's house along with the marriage annulment paper.

Flashback ends..

Devraj: I loved her and because of you, she eloped.

Shehnaaz: If you really loved her, you would have told her the truth that you are a gangster. Why did you hide it?

Devraj: Shut up! Don't raise your voice infront of me else I'll slit your tongue. Even though I am a gangster, I have never disrespected any girl in my life. You are going to be the first one. I lied because I didn't wanted to lose her. Haven't you lied or hid anything to anyone in your life?

Shehnaaz was speechless because she had also hid lot of secrets from Sidharth once because she feared of losing him too. She was feeling guilty for helping Simran escape now because she thought may be Devraj too deserved a chance and an explanation before she eloped.

Devraj: Your silence is a proof that you too hid things. When you lose your love, you become wild and now you are going to see my wild side. I showed you mercy by giving you the contract to save you from losses but you returned me my favour with an attack on my heart. I would have still forgiven you if you have cut my limb but you hurt my heart. There is no forgiveness to it.

Shehnaaz: I am sorry. I just saw one side of the coin and acted in haste. She would have died if I hadn't helped her elope. Besides how will marrying me calm your anger? Please forgive me and leave me. My husband and child must be waiting for me to return.

Devraj: You seperated my love away from me and I just want to return it back to you. You are also going to suffer by losing your love. I sent the same note you wrote for Simran, to your husband. He won't search for you. He will hate you and curse you.

Shehnaaz was shocked. She held him by his collar and shook him.

Shehnaaz: Why? Why?

Devraj laughed looking at the tears and pain in her eyes. He picked her tear drop in his hand.

Devraj: For this!! This is the medicine for the pain you gave me. I will heal my pain by transferring them to you.

________________________

To be continued.. ❤️❤️