2400+ words

Tere bina adhoori hai meri har khushi,
tere bina adhoori hai meri zindagi,
tu mil jaaye toh poori ho jaaye zindagi,
bas itna hi pyaar hai teri dosti.

Author's pov:

Vikram's grin widened into a sinister smirk as he watched Anshika drift into a troubled sleep. The dim lighting of the room cast eerie shadows across her face, accentuating the lines of worry etched into her features. In that moment, she appeared vulnerable, defenseless against the turmoil raging within her.

With a calculated move, Vikram reached into his pocket and retrieved his phone. The device illuminated his face in an eerie glow as he unlocked it with practiced ease. He navigated to the camera app, the anticipation of what was to come sending a shiver of excitement down his spine.

Positioning the camera for the perfect angle, Vikram's fingers hovered over the record button, his heart pounding with anticipation. This was the moment he had been waiting for, the culmination of weeks of meticulous planning and manipulation. With a sense of grim satisfaction, he pressed the button, and the recording began.

As the video rolled, Vikram's demeanor underwent a chilling transformation. Gone was the facade of charm and charisma, replaced by a cold, calculating intensity. He leaned in closer to Anshika, his gaze predatory as he surveyed her unconscious form.

"You thought you could escape me, didn't you?" he hissed, his voice a menacing whisper. "But you're mine now, Anshika. All mine." His words dripped with malice, each syllable laced with venomous intent.

With deliberate movements, Vikram reached out to touch Anshika's face, his touch possessive and invasive. He traced the curve of her cheek with his fingers, a sickening smirk playing at the corners of his lips. To him, she was nothing more than a pawn in his twisted game of revenge.

"You're nothing without me," he taunted, his voice dripping with disdain. "You belong to me, body and soul." The words hung in the air like a dark cloud, suffocating in their cruelty.

As the recording continued, Vikram's actions grew increasingly aggressive, his hands roaming over Anshika's unconscious form with a disturbing sense of entitlement. He laughed triumphantly, reveling in the power he held over her, knowing that he could manipulate her at will.

But even as he reveled in his depravity, a part of Vikram knew that his actions were unforgivable. Deep down, he understood the gravity of what he was doing, but his thirst for revenge and power overruled any semblance of decency or morality.

With one final, contemptuous glance at Anshika's prone figure, Vikram ended the recording and pocketed his phone. As he left the room, a chilling smile played across his lips, his mind already racing with plans for the chaos he had unleashed.

Ashwin's pov:

The ding of my phone jolted me from my thoughts, and I instinctively reached for it, my heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and dread. But as the screen lit up, the sight that greeted me turned my blood to ice.

Images flashed before my eyes, each one more damning than the last. Anshika, my Anshika, wrapped in the arms of another man, her laughter ringing hollow in the air. Anger surged through me, hot and fierce, as the implications of what I was seeing sank in.

But as I looked closer, a sickening realization washed over me. Anshika was drunk, her movements unsteady, her words slurred. She was vulnerable, defenseless against whoever was behind the camera, whoever was orchestrating this sick charade.

My anger turned to pure, unadulterated fury. How dare they? How dare anyone prey on her in such a despicable way? My hands clenched into fists, my jaw tight with barely contained rage as I struggled to make sense of the betrayal unfolding before me.

But amidst the storm of emotions raging inside me, one thought cut through the chaos with razor-sharp clarity: I had to protect her. No matter what had transpired between us, no matter the pain and anger that simmered beneath the surface, she was still mine to protect, mine to defend.

With a sense of grim determination, I made a split-second decision. I had to find her, to rescue her from whatever hell she had been thrust into. And as I stormed out of the room, my mind raced with a single, all-consuming thought: I would stop at nothing to save her, to make things right again.

Behind the camera, manipulating every moment with a sickening smirk on his face, was none other than Vikram. The very sight of him filled me with a white-hot rage, my blood boiling at the thought of him taking advantage of Anshika's vulnerability. He would pay for this. Oh, how he would pay.

But for now, my focus was solely on finding Anshika, on pulling her away from the clutches of that snake and keeping her safe.

As I stared at the images flashing across my phone screen, a sense of déjà vu washed over me. The room, the furnishings, the dim lighting—it was all too familiar. My mind raced as I tried to place where I had seen it before, the pieces slowly clicking into place.

It was a hotel, one I had visited in the past. The memory of that place sent a shiver down my spine, the echoes of past encounters swirling in the back of my mind. But there was no time to dwell on the past, no room for nostalgia or regret. Anshika was in danger, and I had to act fast.

Without a moment's hesitation, I snatched up my car keys, my movements swift and purposeful. Adrenaline surged through my veins, driving me forward with a single, laser-focused goal: to find Anshika and bring her back to safety.

The drive to the hotel was a blur, the familiar streets blurring together as I navigated the city with practiced ease. Every second felt like an eternity, the urgency of the situation pressing down on me like a weight on my chest. But I pushed forward, my determination unwavering, my resolve unbreakable.

As I pulled up to the hotel entrance, I felt a surge of anticipation mingled with dread. The scene that awaited me inside was unknown, unpredictable. But I couldn't afford to hesitate, couldn't afford to second-guess myself. Anshika needed me, and I would move heaven and earth to find her.

With a sense of grim determination, I stepped out of the car and strode purposefully towards the hotel entrance. The doors swung open before me, and I stepped inside, my senses on high alert, every nerve tingling with anticipation.

The familiar sights and sounds of the hotel washed over me, the memories flooding back in a rush of adrenaline-fueled nostalgia. But there was no time to dwell on the past, no room for sentimentality. Anshika was here somewhere, and I had to find her before it was too late.

With a single-minded focus, I made my way through the lobby, my eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of her. Every second felt like an eternity, the minutes ticking by with agonizing slowness. But I refused to give up hope, refused to let despair cloud my judgment.

And then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of her—a flash of familiar hair, a glimmer of recognition in the crowd. With a surge of adrenaline, I quickened my pace, closing the distance between us with determined strides.

As I drew nearer, I saw her—a figure hunched over in a corner, her movements unsteady, her eyes glazed with alcohol-induced haze. My heart clenched at the sight of her, a mix of relief and anguish flooding through me like a tidal wave.

Anshika was here, but she was not herself. She was vulnerable, defenseless against whatever forces were at play. 

As I approached Anshika, a surge of emotions threatened to overwhelm me. She looked so small, so fragile, hunched over in the corner, her movements unsteady, her eyes clouded with tears and alcohol-induced haze. My heart clenched at the sight of her, a mix of relief and anguish flooding through me like a tidal wave.

Without a second thought, I dropped to my knees beside her, reaching out to pull her into my arms. The weight of her body pressed against mine, her sobs echoing in the empty space around us. For a moment, we were locked in a silent embrace, the only sound the ragged rhythm of our breathing.

Tears streamed down my face as I held her close, the full weight of my guilt crashing down on me like a ton of bricks. I hadn't been there for her when she needed me the most, hadn't been able to protect her from whatever demons were haunting her. And now, seeing her so vulnerable, so broken, I felt like the world's biggest failure.

A hand on my shoulder jolted me out of my reverie, and I looked up to see Viyaan standing beside me, his expression a mirror of my own grief. He didn't say anything, didn't need to. The silent solidarity in his touch spoke volumes, a silent reassurance that I wasn't alone in this.

But even as Viyaan's presence offered a measure of comfort, my focus remained fixed on Anshika. I held her tighter, whispering words of apology and regret into her ear, my voice choked with emotion. "I'm so sorry, Anshika," I murmured, the words barely audible over the din of the room. "I should have been there for you. I should have protected you. Please forgive me."

Anshika's sobs continued unabated, her body trembling against mine. But even as she cried, I felt a small measure of relief wash over me. She was here, she was safe, and for now, that was all that mattered. 

As Viyaan whispered, while looking at Anshika's lifeless body "Bhabhi... I am so sorry that I wasn't there when you were fighting with all the misunderstandings that Vikram made," I turned to him, my heart heavy with guilt and sorrow. "Misunderstanding?" I repeated, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my own heart. Viyaan nodded solemnly, his eyes filled with regret. "Yes, Bhai," he said softly. "Vikram... he's been playing games with all of us. Manipulating the truth, twisting things to suit his own agenda."

A surge of anger rose within me at the mention of Vikram's name, but it was quickly replaced by a glimmer of hope. Could it be possible that all this pain and confusion was nothing more than a web of lies spun by Vikram?

Viyaan's urgency brought me back to the present. "Please, Bhai," he implored. "We need to get Bhabhi out of here. Back to our house, where she'll be safe." I nodded, the weight of responsibility settling heavily on my shoulders. Without hesitation, I reached out to lift Anshika gently from the floor, cradling her in my arms.

Anshika stirred at my touch, her tears still flowing, but there was a sense of calm in her demeanor now, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. Together, Viyaan and I made our way out of the hotel room, leaving the chaos of the party behind us.

As we stepped out into the night air, the sounds of the city faded into the background. 

As I cradled Anshika in my arms, her delicate form seemed to radiate a kind of ethereal beauty that I had never truly appreciated before. Despite the tears staining her cheeks and the turmoil evident in her expression, there was an undeniable grace and strength in her presence that captivated me.

Gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face, I couldn't help but marvel at the sight of her. "You're so beautiful," I murmured softly, my voice barely above a whisper. It was a simple statement, but it held a depth of emotion that words alone could not express.

In that moment, as I gazed into her tear-filled eyes, I felt a surge of regret wash over me. How had I failed to see the beauty that had been right in front of me all along? How had I allowed myself to be blinded by anger and doubt, when all the while, Anshika had been there, waiting for me to see her for who she truly was?

As Viyaan drove us through the city streets, his eyes flickered to the rearview mirror, catching my gaze. There was a hint of sadness in his expression, a silent acknowledgment of the missed opportunities and lost moments that had brought us to this point.

"I wish you could have said that before," Viyaan said quietly, his voice tinged with regret. His words hung heavy in the air, a poignant reminder of the time that had slipped through our fingers, of the words left unspoken and the feelings left unacknowledged.

In that moment, as we made our way home through the silent streets, I vowed to myself that I would not let another moment pass without telling Anshika how much she meant to me. I would not allow the doubts and insecurities of the past to overshadow the love and devotion that I felt for her.

With each passing mile, the weight of the night seemed to lift from my shoulders, replaced by a sense of clarity and purpose. Anshika was in my arms, and nothing else mattered.

As the car journeyed through the quiet streets, Viyaan's voice broke the silence once more, pulling me back from the reverie I had fallen into. "What are we going to say at home?" he asked, his tone tinged with uncertainty.

I tore my gaze away from Anshika's serene face, realizing that Viyaan was right to raise the question. How would we explain this sudden turn of events to our family? How could we convey the depth of Anshika's distress without revealing the ugly truth behind it?

"I don't know," I admitted quietly, a furrow forming between my brows as I pondered the dilemma before us. The truth was a double-edged sword, capable of both healing and hurting, and I was hesitant to wield it without knowing the consequences.

Anshika stirred slightly in my arms, her eyelids fluttering open as she began to rouse from her slumber. I tightened my hold around her, instinctively seeking to shield her from the harsh realities of the world outside.

As we drew nearer to home, the weight of our secret hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow over what should have been a joyous reunion. How could we pretend that everything was normal when our hearts were heavy with the burden of truth? How could we face our family with smiles on our faces when our souls were weighed down by the knowledge of what had transpired?