2500+ words

Aapki hasi se hum jeete hain,
aapke gham se hum marte hain,
hum to sirf itna hi jaante hain, 
ki aapki mohabbat mein hum savarte hain.

Ashwin's pov:

The sight made my blood run cold. Vikram. The message was clear, and it was meant for us. He had struck again, and this time, he had taken Anshika. My whole head started to spin, the room seeming to tilt around me. The realization that Anshika was in Vikram's hands hit me like a physical blow, leaving me reeling with a mix of fear, guilt, and rage.

Just as I was trying to steady myself, the media stormed into the hospital, their cameras flashing and microphones thrust forward. The noise was deafening, and the reporters were relentless, their questions piercing through the chaos.

"What is happening here, Mr. Ashwin?"
 "Why are you here?"
"Are you behind all this shootout?"
"Where is Miss Anshika?"
"Is Anshika dead?"
"Did you murder her?"
"Who kidnapped Anshika?"

The barrage of questions overwhelmed me. Each one felt like a dagger, twisting deeper into my already frayed nerves. I could see Viyaan being terribly pushed around by the media, trying to fend them off, but they were unyielding. Suddenly, they turned their focus on me, and I found myself surrounded, their questions coming at me from all directions.

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, the pressure building up in my head. The noise, the flashing lights, the relentless questions – it was all too much. I couldn't breathe, my vision started to blur, and a cold sweat broke out on my forehead. The world seemed to close in around me, and then, everything went black.

The last thing I heard before I lost consciousness was Viyaan's voice, frantic and desperate. "Bhai, open your eyes," he shouted, his voice full of fear. But I couldn't respond. The darkness swallowed me whole, and there was nothing but silence.

When I finally came to, I was lying on a hospital bed, the bright overhead lights making me squint. My head was pounding, and I felt weak and disoriented. I could see Viyaan sitting beside me, his face etched with worry.

"Bhai, thank God you're awake," he said, his voice filled with relief. "You scared the hell out of me."

I tried to sit up, but my body felt heavy and uncooperative. "What happened?" I managed to croak out, my throat dry and sore.

"You passed out," Viyaan explained, his expression serious. "The media frenzy, the stress, everything just caught up with you."

I closed my eyes, trying to piece everything together. The chaos at the hospital, the message from Vikram, Anshika missing – it was all too much to bear. But I couldn't afford to be weak now. Anshika needed me, and I had to be strong for her.

"Anshika," I whispered, my voice trembling. "We need to find her."

"We will, Bhai," Viyaan assured me, his grip on my hand firm and reassuring. "We'll do whatever it takes to bring Bhabhi back."

With a deep breath, I forced myself to sit up, my resolve hardening. "Let's get to work," I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside me. "We have a battle to win."

As I gathered my strength and tried to get out of bed, the door to the room swung open, and in came Dadu, Dadi, Dad, Mom, and Noha. Their faces were etched with worry, concern evident in their eyes. Noha,  rushed to my side, her eyes filled with questions.

"Bhai, what happened? Where is Anshika? Is she okay? What's going on? And Media?" Noha's voice trembled, her usual composed demeanor shattered by the anxiety of the situation.

Dadu stepped forward, his usual strong presence now fraught with worry. "Ashwin, we've been trying to reach Anshika, but her phone is off. What is going on? Where is she?"

I took a deep breath, knowing that I had to stay calm and collected, despite the chaos inside me. "Dadu, Dadi, everyone, please sit down. I need to explain what has happened."

They all found seats around the room, their eyes never leaving mine. I could feel the weight of their expectations and the depth of their concern.

"There was an incident at the hospital," I began, my voice steady but heavy with emotion. "Vikram...he attacked the hospital. There was a shootout, and in the chaos, Anshika was taken."

Gasps filled the room, and Mom's hand flew to her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes. Dad's face hardened, his jaw set in determination. Noha's eyes widened in shock, and she clutched my hand, seeking reassurance.

"But how did this happen? Why did you lied before and didn't we had security," Dad said, his voice tinged with anger and frustration.

"It happened so fast," I explained. "The guards did their best, but Vikram was prepared. He left a message – a taunt – written in blood, saying 'Revenge! And I will win this time.' He's trying to get back at us, to hurt us through Anshika."

Dadu's face turned ashen, and he shook his head slowly. "That monster. We should have anticipated this. We should have been more prepared. Why didn't you told me that before? I am also a part of this family am I not?"

"Sorry dadu but We need to stay strong now," I said, trying to rally them. "Our focus must be on finding Anshika and bringing her back safely. We can't let Vikram win."

Viyaan, who had been standing quietly in the corner, stepped forward. "I've already started coordinating with our security team and the police. We have to track down Vikram and figure out where he's taken Anshika."

"I want to help," Noha said firmly, her eyes blazing with determination. "Tell me what I can do, Bhai."

"We'll need all the help we can get," I acknowledged. "Noha, you can start by gathering any information we have on Vikram's associates and recent activities. Dadu, we might need to tap into some of your old connections to get more intel. Dad, can you handle the media and keep them off our backs for now? We need to work without their interference."

Everyone nodded, ready to do whatever it took to bring Anshika back. The room was filled with a newfound sense of purpose, a collective determination to fight back against Vikram and his malevolent plans.

"I need to get back to the hospital and see if we can find any leads," I said, getting up from the bed. "We don't have a moment to lose."

As I moved towards the door, I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Mom, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and love. "Be careful, Ashwin," she whispered. "We can't lose you too."

"I will, Mom," I promised, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "We'll get Anshika back. I swear it."

As Viyaan and I were about to leave the room, the door swung open with such force that it banged against the wall. Ansh, his face contorted with rage, stormed in. His eyes were wild, filled with fury and desperation. He marched straight towards me, grabbing my collar with a strength that took my breath away.

"Where is she?" he demanded, his voice shaking with anger and fear.

Viyaan tried to intervene, stepping forward to help, but Ansh was far stronger than him. Viyaan's attempts to pry Ansh off me were futile. I could see the desperation in Ansh's eyes, mirroring my own. He shook me, his grip tightening.

"Where is she, Ashwin? Where is Anshika?" His voice broke, and I could feel his anguish mingling with my own.

I struggled to find my voice, to give him some kind of answer, but nothing came out. The pain and helplessness of the situation overwhelmed me, and a tear slipped down my cheek. I couldn't bring myself to speak, to tell him that I didn't know where Anshika was, that she had been taken.

"Stop crying and tell me where she is!" Ansh roared, his voice raw with emotion. He drew back his fist, ready to strike, but before he could, my mom stepped in between us, her hand outstretched.

"Ansh beta, it wasn't Ashwin's fault," she said, her voice calm but firm.

Ansh turned to her, his face a mask of grief and frustration. "Whose fault is it then, Aunty? Mine?" His voice cracked, and he shook his head. "I left her here! Even if she wasn't happy with the marriage, I let her stay for the sake of your happiness. And now she's gone. How could you let this happen?"

Mom reached out to touch his arm, her eyes filled with compassion. "Ansh, we are all devastated. Ashwin did everything he could to protect her. This is Vikram's doing. He is the one who took her."

Ansh let go of my collar, stepping back and running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Vikram," he muttered, his voice dripping with hatred. "This is all his doing. I should have been here. I should have protected her."

"We're going to find her," I said, my voice steady despite the tumult of emotions inside me. "We won't stop until she's safe."

Ansh looked at me, his eyes red with unshed tears. "You better find her, Ashwin. You better bring her back," he said, his voice breaking. "Because if anything happens to her..."

"Nothing will happen to her," I interrupted, my voice firm. "I promise you, Ansh. We will bring her back. I loved her and I still do!"

Ansh nodded, his anger still simmering but his resolve strengthening. "I'm coming with you," he said. "I'm not staying behind while you go after her."

I nodded, understanding his need to be part of the search. "Alright. Let's go. The more of us looking, the better."

As we left the room, the media swarmed us, their cameras flashing, and microphones thrust in our faces. They were like vultures, circling around us, eager for a story, for any piece of information they could get their hands on.

"Mr. Ashwin, what happened here?" one reporter shouted.

"Why was there a shootout?" another asked.

"Where is your wife?" someone else called out.

The questions were relentless, a barrage of accusations and speculations that added to the chaos. Ansh, already seething with anger, tried to push through the crowd, his jaw clenched tight. Viyaan and I flanked him, attempting to shield him from the onslaught.

"Please, let us pass," Viyaan said, his voice strained but polite.

But the media was relentless. They surged forward, pressing in closer, their questions growing more invasive and insensitive.

"Is she dead?" a voice rang out from the crowd, cutting through the noise and chaos.

That was the breaking point. Ansh's face twisted with rage, and before I could react, he had lunged forward, grabbing the reporter by his collar. The crowd gasped, cameras flashing more furiously than ever.

"Mind your words, Mr...." Ansh growled, glancing at the reporter's ID badge. "Mr. Sharma," he spat, his voice low and dangerous. "She is my sister before anything else. You understand? My sister. And I will not tolerate such disrespect."

The reporter's face went pale, and he nodded quickly, his eyes wide with fear. "I-I'm sorry," he stammered, clearly regretting his choice of words.

"Ansh, let him go," I said quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We have more important things to do right now."

Ansh released the reporter, who stumbled back, his face flushed with embarrassment. The rest of the media seemed to take a step back, realizing they had crossed a line.

"We're not answering any more questions," Viyaan said firmly, stepping forward. "This is a personal matter, and we need you all to respect our privacy."

With that, we pushed through the throng of reporters, making our way to the car. The drive back to the hospital was tense, the air thick with unspoken worries and plans.

Once we arrived, we found the hospital in chaos. People were running around, doctors and nurses were frantically attending to the wounded, and the smell of blood was still in the air. The panic and urgency in the air were palpable, heightening our sense of dread as we made our way through the chaotic corridors.

We headed straight to Anshika's room, our hearts pounding with fear and desperation. As

we approached the room, my mind raced with thoughts of what we might find. The closer we got, the more intense the scene became. Medical staff were doing their best to maintain order, but the sheer number of casualties made it nearly impossible.

When we reached Anshika's room, the sight that greeted us was like a punch to the gut. The door was slightly ajar, and the floor was smeared with blood. Ansh quickly took out his phone and snapped a photo of the note written in blood on the wall: "Revenge! And I will win this time." The words sent a chill down my spine.

Ansh immediately called someone on his phone, his voice low and urgent. "Get here now," he said tersely. "We need all the help we can get." It was clear from his tone that he was speaking to someone he trusted implicitly.

I turned to Raj, who was already assessing the situation with a grim look on his face. "Raj, gather all the CCTV footage and anything else that might give us a clue about what happened here," I instructed. "We need to know everything."

Raj nodded, his expression determined. "I'll get on it right away, sir," he said before hurrying off to start his task.

Meanwhile, Viyaan was meticulously searching the room for anything that might be suspicious or out of place. His eyes scanned every corner, every piece of furniture, looking for any clue that might help us understand what had happened.

As I stood there, overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation, a police officer approached us with a preliminary report. "Mr. Singhania, we've interviewed some of the hospital staff and reviewed the initial footage," he said. "According to the doctors, there were five men, all dressed in black coats, who were seen entering the hospital. They posed as medical personnel to gain access."

My heart sank further. This was a well-coordinated attack, and it was clear that Vikram had planned this meticulously. The realization made me feel even more helpless and furious.

"We need to find them," I said, my voice barely above a whisper but filled with resolve. "We need to find Anshika and bring her back safely."

Ansh finished his phone call and turned to us, his face set in a mask of determination. "I've called in some reinforcements," he said. "They'll be here soon. We won't let Vikram get away with this."

The next few minutes felt like hours as we waited for any updates. Raj returned with a USB drive containing the CCTV footage, and we quickly plugged it into a laptop to review. The footage showed the five men moving through the hospital with precision, clearly knowing exactly where they were going.

"They had inside information," Viyaan said, his voice tight with anger. "Someone must have helped them."

"We'll find out who," Ansh replied, his tone icy. "And we'll make them pay."

The police continued their investigation, interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence. Meanwhile, we coordinated with Raj and the security team to analyze the footage frame by frame, looking for any clues that could lead us to Anshika.