RUDRANSH'S POV

The house felt strangely quiet this morning. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Vanya had been unusually silent since morning, but I'd told myself it didn't matter. She'd signed those papers, agreed to every term I'd laid out. That was all I needed-clear boundaries, no complications.

As Tara came to stand in front of me, I couldn't hold back the question about the mysterious woman who'd been on my mind.

But just as she opened her mouth to answer, the door swung open, slamming against the wall with a loud thud.

To my surprise, it was Arush-and he wasn't alone. He'd brought a handful of men with him, their expressions tense.

A chill crept over me as my mind raced, analyzing every possibility of what could've gone wrong. Arush never came here unless it was urgent, and something about his presence was setting off alarms in my head.

I gestured for Tara to leave. "Go," I told her. "Stay close to Dadi Sa at all times."

Once she was gone, Arush closed the door, his face unusually serious. The first words out of his mouth hit me like a sledgehammer.

"Vanya ma'am is missing."

For a moment, I felt the ground shift beneath me. My thoughts spiraled, images and scenarios flooding my mind in rapid succession. Missing? How? Why? She was just here last night... what could have happened in such a short time?

I took a sharp breath, forcing myself to focus. "What?" I demanded, barely managing to keep my voice steady. "When? How? Tell me everything."

Arush hesitated, and my patience snapped. I drove my heel into the ground, my voice low but edged with fury. "Damn it, Arush-open your mouth and speak!"

Arush's jaw clenched, but he finally spoke. "She left the house last night, sir. Told the guards she was preparing a surprise." He hesitated again, and it took every ounce of restraint not to yell.

"Arush," I growled, stepping closer. "Finish your sentence."

"She never returned," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.

In that moment, every unresolved feeling, every silent question I'd buried, surged to the surface. I'd set boundaries, drawn lines, even signed papers. But this wasn't part of any agreement.

I needed to find her- fast.

I clenched my fists, my mind torn between rage and panic. This wasn't like Vanya.

For all the distance we'd agreed to keep, she wouldn't just vanish without a word-there had to be more to this.

I paced the room, the weight of each step grounding me as I struggled to regain control of my spiraling thoughts.

Turning back to Arush, I locked eyes with him. "Did she leave any clue? Anything left behind, or anyone she might have spoken to?"

Arush shook his head, looking troubled. "Nothing, sir. But... one of the guards mentioned she seemed restless last night, distracted."

"Restless," I muttered, processing the word. Something must've pushed her to this. Had she grown that unhappy? Or was there another reason entirely?

Pushing down the nagging doubts that whispered this was somehow my fault, I instructed Arush, "Send word to every hotel in the city. I want her found. Check transport records, question anyone who saw her leave, and keep this quiet. Dadi Sa and Maa Sa can't know-not yet."

"Yes, sir." Arush nodded, already dialing numbers, speaking in hushed, efficient tones as he coordinated the search.

As he left, I stood there in the quiet aftermath, feeling the gravity of her absence.

Memories flashed before me-her care towards Dadi Sa, her quiet laughter with Twisha, the way she moved around the house with a grace I'd never appreciated until now. It gnawed at me, the thought of her out there somewhere, alone.

A surge of determination washed over me. I would find her, no matter what it took.

She wasn't just my responsibility-she was my wife, and whether I liked it or not, this marriage had entangled us both.

As I stood there, the emptiness she'd left behind settled over me like a weight. I realized then how much I had taken her presence for granted, how blind I'd been to everything she quietly endured.

She had been there for everyone-Dadi Sa, Maa Sa, even Twisha and Tejveer-yet I had refused to see her, to truly acknowledge her place in my life.

The bitter words I'd thrown at her, the cold glances, the careless accusations-they all came rushing back, and each one felt like a knife twisting in my chest.

She hadn't deserved any of it.

I'd let my own insecurities and judgments cloud my vision, too focused on my own anger to see the pain it caused her. And now, she was gone.

I clenched my fists, anger turning inward, a silent rebuke against myself. She'd shown me nothing but resilience and kindness, yet I had treated her as if she were nothing more than an inconvenience.

After some time of chasing down leads, my phone finally buzzed, and Arush's name flashed across the screen.
I picked up, barely able to contain the edge in my voice.

"Sir," he began, a tension matching mine in his voice. "We found her. She checked into a hotel on the outskirts last night, but... she checked out this morning. No one knows where she went from there."

My grip tightened on the phone, a wave of frustration crashing over me. She had left again, slipping through my grasp as if she was determined to disappear without a trace.

"Did she leave anything behind? A note, a clue... anything?" I demanded.

"No, sir. Nothing. She settled the bill early, and the staff said she looked... composed. Determined."

I clenched my jaw, the reality of her absence sinking in deeper than I expected. Vanya had always been resilient, but this quiet escape, this determination to vanish from my life, struck a nerve.

With no other options left, I realized I'd have to go to someone I hadn't wanted to ask for help-someone who could track down anyone, anywhere. There was only one man capable of handling this situation with the precision and speed I needed: Ishank Shekhawat.

I dialed his number, and after just two rings, he answered, his voice carrying its usual roughness and directness.

"What's wrong?" he asked, a hint of impatience in his tone.

"My wife is missing since last night. I need your help."

There was a pause before he replied, his words dripping with sarcasm. "So, you managed to get yourself a wife, and now you lost her too. Well done, Rudransh."

I clenched my jaw, ignoring the jab, and cut the call. I knew Ishank was as sharp as they come; he'd find her.

But just as I prepared to make another call, Maa Sa appeared, her expression filled with worry.

"Rudransh, where is Vanya?" she asked, her tone more anxious than accusatory. "She hasn't been seen since morning. She didn't even check in on Dadi Sa, which she never forgets. Is she unwell?"

For a moment, I was at a loss for words. But I decided to be honest. "Maa Sa... she left last night. She's... she's missing."

Maa Sa's eyes filled with tears, and she looked at me with a mixture of disappointment and concern. "I knew it. You must have said something to her-she's not one to leave like this without a reason. I don't know what happened I will talk with you later, but I want my daughter back in this house. Find her, Rudransh. Do whatever it takes."

I nodded, watching her walk away with anger in her steps. The weight of responsibility settled heavily on me. I had to find Vanya, and quickly, before everyone else found out and the situation spiraled further.

I dialed a few more contacts, pushing everyone I knew to dig up any possible leads. Ishank hadn't called back yet, but I knew he would, once he had something solid.

The minutes stretched, each one filled with worry and regret. I replayed every moment I could remember, trying to figure out what had pushed Vanya to leave.

Every sharp word, every cold look-it all came back, and each one stung a little deeper now. How had things gotten so out of hand that she felt she had to walk away?

Then, my phone buzzed, and I snatched it up. It was Ishank.

"She checked out of that hotel early this morning," he said without preamble, his voice as steady and commanding as ever.

"She hired a cab but didn't leave any details about her destination. The driver dropped her off at a market near the edge of town. That's the last trace I have for now."

I felt a sinking sensation. "And nothing since?"

"Not yet," he replied. "But I'm tracking the area. She won't stay hidden for long."

I tightened my grip on the phone, forcing myself to stay calm. "Thanks, Ishank. I owe you."

"Don't thank me yet," he replied. "Just make sure you don't lose her again."

He hung up, and I was left standing alone, trying to make sense of everything. Why would she check out and head to a crowded market? Did she have somewhere specific in mind, or was she just trying to lose herself among strangers?

For the first time in years, I felt helpless-a sensation I wasn't used to. All I could do now was hope Ishank's resources would uncover her next steps before it was too late.

After one tensed hour I got a notification. I pulled my coat and car keys and left.

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