3900+ words

Tere saath bitaye har pal ko yaad karte hain,
tere bina har khushi adhuri lagti hai,
teri yaadon mein bas jeene ka maza aata hai.

Author's pov:

Riya's expression hardened once more. "You're right. He never cared." Her finger tightened on the trigger.

In a split second, Anshika rushed forward, kicking at Riya's hand. The gun flew out of Riya's grip, clattering to the ground as Riya staggered back, her eyes wide with shock. Anshika wasted no time. She threw herself at Riya, tackling her to the ground. The two women rolled across the floor, their hands clawing and grappling for control.

Riya swung wildly, her nails scratching at Anshika's face, while Anshika, with a surge of adrenaline, gripped Riya by the shoulders, forcing her down. "You're not winning this, Riya!" Anshika yelled through gritted teeth, her body straining as they struggled.

Meanwhile, Ashwin and Yuvan were locked in a vicious brawl. Yuvan landed a hard punch to Ashwin's jaw, knocking him back a step. Ashwin retaliated with a powerful uppercut, sending Yuvan reeling into a table. But Yuvan quickly recovered, grabbing a broken chair leg and swinging it at Ashwin. The wood splintered as it smashed into Ashwin's shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain.

Vikram and Viyaan were in their own battle with Yuvan's men. Viyaan, his face twisted with anger, threw a hard right hook, knocking one man to the floor. Vikram, despite his shoulder injury, picked up a nearby chair and swung it with all his strength, smashing it against another attacker's back. The room was a frenzy of flying fists, bodies colliding, and the deafening sounds of grunts and cries of pain.

As Riya and Anshika continued to wrestle on the ground, Riya managed to twist free, her eyes flashing with rage. She reached for the gun again, but Anshika wasn't far behind. Anshika grabbed Riya's wrist, slamming her hand down onto the floor, causing the gun to slip out of her reach once more. The two women rolled, knocking over a table in the process, papers and objects scattering everywhere.

"Let go of me!" Riya shrieked, her voice high-pitched and desperate as she clawed at Anshika.

Anshika, her breathing ragged, didn't relent. "Not until this is over!" she shouted, her eyes blazing with determination.

Across the room, Ashwin and Yuvan's fight was escalating. Yuvan, enraged and bleeding from a cut on his forehead, grabbed Ashwin by the throat and slammed him against the wall. "You've taken everything from me!" Yuvan snarled, his face twisted with fury. "Now I'll take your life!"

Ashwin struggled to break free, gasping for air as Yuvan's grip tightened. With a desperate surge of strength, Ashwin managed to kick Yuvan in the stomach, forcing him to release his hold. Gasping for breath, Ashwin pushed Yuvan back and landed a brutal punch to his face.

Just then, Viyaan, who had been fending off two attackers, spotted the gun lying on the floor, half-hidden under a chair. "Ashwin, the gun!" he shouted, but Yuvan heard it too.

Yuvan's eyes locked onto the weapon. With a sudden, vicious shove, he pushed Ashwin aside and dove for the gun. Ashwin, realizing the danger, scrambled to his feet, but it was too late. Yuvan seized the gun and stood up, his chest heaving, his eyes wild with triumph.

"Enough!" Yuvan screamed, aiming the gun directly at Ashwin's head. "I'm going to end this now!"

Two of Yuvan's men grabbed Ashwin by the arms, forcing him down to his knees, holding him in place. Ashwin struggled, but their grip was unyielding.

Vikram, seeing the danger, yelled, "Ashwin, no!" but he was overwhelmed, tackled to the ground by another attacker. Viyaan fought desperately to reach his brother, but he too was held back by two of Yuvan's henchmen.

Yuvan's finger hovered over the trigger, his face contorted with rage and satisfaction. "It's over, Ashwin. This is the end."

But just as Yuvan pulled the trigger, Anshika, struggling to get to her feet after her fight with Riya, saw what was happening. Without thinking, she lunged forward, her body moving instinctively to shield Ashwin.

A deafening gunshot rang out.

Ashwin's world slowed to a crawl as the sound echoed in his ears. The force of the bullet hit Anshika squarely in the side, and she crumpled to the ground with a gasp, her body collapsing in front of Ashwin.

"Anshika!" Ashwin screamed, his voice raw with horror as he watched her fall. His heart pounded in his chest as the sight of her blood seeping through her clothes filled his vision. She lay there, motionless, her face pale, her breathing shallow.

"No! No!" Ashwin shouted, struggling violently against the men holding him down. He broke free with a surge of adrenaline, shoving them off as he crawled to Anshika's side, his hands shaking uncontrollably. He pressed his palms against the wound, trying to stop the bleeding, but the blood wouldn't stop.

"Stay with me, Anshika!" Ashwin's voice cracked as tears blurred his vision. His heart hammered in his chest, panic rising as her eyelids fluttered weakly. She didn't speak. She couldn't.

Yuvan stood above them, gun still in hand, a twisted smile of victory on his face. "She took the bullet for you, Ashwin. How poetic," he sneered, his voice dripping with malice.

Ashwin's hands were drenched in Anshika's blood, his mind racing as he fought to keep her conscious. He looked up at Yuvan, his eyes blazing with fury and hatred. "You'll pay for this, Yuvan. I swear, you'll pay!"

But before Yuvan could respond, Viyaan broke free from his captors, rushing forward and tackling Yuvan to the ground. The gun clattered out of Yuvan's hand, skidding across the floor. Viyaan punched Yuvan with a fury Ashwin had never seen in him before, blow after blow raining down on Yuvan's face.

Vikram, having subdued the men who had attacked him, rushed over to help. Together, he and Viyaan restrained Yuvan, pinning him to the ground as the sounds of sirens blared in the distance.

Riya, who had been watching the chaos unfold in stunned silence, tried to slip away toward the door, but Vikram spotted her. "Where do you think you're going?" he growled, grabbing her arm and yanking her back.

As the police stormed the building, real officers this time, they quickly subdued the rest of Yuvan's men. The scene was one of devastation—broken furniture, bloodstains on the floor, and shattered lives.

Ashwin barely noticed the police. His entire world had shrunk down to Anshika, lying pale and lifeless in his arms.

"Help!" he shouted, his voice hoarse. "Someone, help her!"

Paramedics rushed in, and Ashwin was forced to move aside as they worked quickly, stabilizing Anshika. His hands, still covered in her blood, trembled as he watched them lift her onto a stretcher.

But Ashwin barely heard him. His focus was on Anshika, now being wheeled out toward the ambulance. The chaos of the room faded into the background as Ashwin followed behind, his heart aching with fear and guilt.

As the paramedics worked urgently on Anshika, Ashwin knelt beside her, his entire world collapsing around him. His hands were stained with her blood, and his heart raced, every breath labored as if it were he who had been shot. He whispered her name over and over, hoping against hope that she would respond. Her eyes fluttered, but she was drifting in and out of consciousness.

"Stay with me, Anshika," Ashwin begged, his voice cracking. "You can't leave me. Please."

Anshika's breathing was shallow, her face pale as the paramedics worked to stop the bleeding. They moved quickly, their voices urgent, but it all felt like a distant hum to Ashwin. His world had narrowed down to her—her lifeless body in his arms, the weight of his guilt crushing him.

"She's losing too much blood!" one of the paramedics shouted.

Ashwin's throat tightened, his mind racing with every horrible possibility. He felt a hand on his shoulder—it was Ansh, kneeling beside him, his own face pale with fear and rage. "She's going to make it, Ashwin," Ansh said, though his voice trembled. "She has to. I know my sister. I know she will wake up and will tease me again."

Ashwin asked him "Where were you?" 

Ansh looked at him and said "In the basement!"

Ashwin looked at him again and asked "Why?"

Ansh just smiled weakly and left.

But as the paramedics tried to load Anshika onto the stretcher, a chilling laugh echoed across the room.

Yuvan, despite being restrained, grinned as blood dripped from his bruised lips. His swollen face looked more monstrous than human now, but his eyes—those dark, twisted eyes—were still full of malice. "It doesn't matter," Yuvan sneered. "You think this ends with her? You think I'm finished?"

Ashwin turned his head slowly, the weight of his grief replaced with seething fury. His jaw clenched so tightly it hurt. "Shut up, Yuvan," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Yuvan's laugh only grew louder, manic. "You still don't get it, do you? This was never just about you. It's about tearing apart everything you love! Anshika may bleed out here today, but it's not over. I have more plans—more moves to make. And trust me, Ashwin, they'll hurt even more than this."

Before anyone could react, Yuvan broke free from Vikram and Viyaan's hold, his hands still bound but his movements frantic. He lunged toward Ashwin, grabbing a shard of broken glass from the floor. With a snarl, he swung the glass toward Ashwin's face.

Ashwin barely had time to react, but Ansh was quicker. He threw himself in front of his brother-in-law, grappling with Yuvan, the two of them tumbling to the ground. The shard of glass sliced across Ansh's arm, drawing blood, but he didn't let go.

"Enough!" Ansh roared, his voice full of fury as he pinned Yuvan down. "You've done enough!"

But Yuvan was relentless, his laughter echoing through the room like something out of a nightmare. His voice was hoarse, crazed. "You'll never be free of me! I'll haunt you till the end, Ashwin! This is just the beginning!"

Ashwin, his blood boiling with rage, stood over them, breathing heavily as he watched Yuvan struggle beneath Ansh. "You should have stayed in the shadows, Yuvan," Ashwin said coldly, his eyes flashing with hatred. "You could've had a life. But now..."

Before Ashwin could finish, Yuvan spit blood onto the floor and grinned wickedly. "It doesn't matter," he rasped. "Even if you kill me, someone else will rise in my place. This world... it doesn't belong to heroes like you."

The room was in chaos once again, but Ashwin's focus never wavered. He moved closer to Yuvan, looming over him with an intensity that made the room seem darker, more dangerous. "You'll never rise again," Ashwin muttered, his voice almost a growl. "Not after today."

Just then, the police surged forward, grabbing Yuvan and dragging him to his feet. His face was bloodied and swollen, but that sinister grin remained. "This isn't over!" Yuvan shouted, struggling against the officers. "I'll be back! And next time, I'll finish what I started!"

Ashwin clenched his fists, shaking with anger, but his attention was yanked back to Anshika as the paramedics started moving her out of the room. "Ashwin, we need to go now!" one of them called out.

Ashwin's heart seized in his chest. He knelt down beside her one last time, brushing her hair back gently, his voice breaking. "I'm right here, Anshika. I'm not leaving you."

As Yuvan was dragged away, his laughter still echoing in the background, Ashwin followed the paramedics out, his every step heavy with the weight of everything he had just lost—and everything he had yet to face.

Ashwin followed the paramedics as they rushed Anshika out of the room, the chaos of the fight fading behind him, but the intensity of it all still roaring in his veins. Yuvan's maniacal laughter echoed in his ears, every taunt, every threat replaying over and over in his mind as if they were etched into his very soul. But the image of Anshika—bleeding, pale, slipping away—was the only thing he could focus on now.

The paramedics pushed her stretcher through the broken doors, and Ashwin ran beside them, his breaths shallow and frantic. Every second that passed felt like a lifetime. He clung to the hope that she would survive, but fear clawed at him, relentless and cruel. He couldn't lose her—not now. Not after everything.

As they reached the ambulance, Ashwin tried to climb inside, but a paramedic blocked his way. "We need space to work. You can't come in."

"Please..." His voice was raw, his eyes wide with desperation. "I need to be with her."

The paramedic shook his head, firm but not unkind. "We'll do everything we can. But you have to stay here."

Ashwin stepped back, his body trembling as the doors to the ambulance slammed shut. The siren blared to life, and in an instant, they sped away, disappearing into the night. He stood there, frozen, feeling the world slip from his grasp.

Everything was spiraling out of control.

Vikram and Viyaan emerged from the building, limping and bloodied, their clothes torn, faces smeared with sweat and blood. Vikram clutched his shoulder, wincing with every step, while Viyaan's eyes darted around wildly, still in fight mode. They spotted Ashwin standing there, his eyes fixed on the road where the ambulance had disappeared.

"She'll make it," Vikram said, trying to sound confident, but his voice wavered. "She's strong. She's always been strong."

Ashwin didn't respond. His mind was elsewhere—back in that room, where everything had gone so wrong. Where Yuvan had played them all. Where Anshika had taken a bullet meant for him.

Viyaan stepped forward, his hand resting on Ashwin's shoulder. "We need to go to the hospital. You need to be there when she wakes up."

"If she wakes up..." Ashwin muttered under his breath, barely audible, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"She will," Viyaan insisted, though there was a desperate edge to his voice. "We won't let it end like this."

As the three of them made their way to Vikram's car, sirens continued to wail in the distance, and the flashing lights of the police cars illuminated the dark, broken world they had just left behind. Ashwin felt numb, the weight of his guilt and anger pressing down on him with every step.

Inside the car, silence reigned. No one spoke. Ashwin stared out of the window, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts. Memories of Anshika flashed before his eyes—her smile, her laugh, the way she had fought for him, always standing by his side no matter the cost. And now, she was fighting for her life because of him.

It should've been me.

As they sped towards the hospital, Ashwin's phone buzzed in his pocket. His hand shook as he pulled it out, the name on the screen sending a chill down his spine.

Riya.

He hesitated for a moment, then answered, his voice cold and low. "What do you want?"

There was a pause on the other end, and then Riya's voice came through, weak and trembling. "You know... you weren't supposed to die tonight, Ashwin. But she... she made a choice. Just like I did. It's all falling apart, isn't it?"

Ashwin's grip on the phone tightened. "You did this. You and Yuvan. You tore everything apart."

"Yuvan was always going to do it. He never cared about anyone but himself. Not even me." There was a hollow laugh on the other end. "You should have seen that a long time ago."

Ashwin's jaw clenched, his knuckles white as he held the phone to his ear. "I'm coming for both of you. If she dies—"

"She won't, As it hit her stomach not head or any sensitive part I guess" Riya interrupted. "But this isn't about her anymore, Ashwin. It never was. You were always the target. You and everything you built."

"Why?" Ashwin growled, his voice filled with rage. "Why do this?"

"Because you took everything from him. And from me." There was a long silence, and then, almost as if she were speaking to herself, she added, "We were never going to have a happy ending, were we?"

The call ended abruptly, leaving Ashwin with nothing but the sound of his own heartbeat thundering in his ears. His hands shook as he shoved the phone back into his pocket. He had to stay focused. He had to get to the hospital. Anshika needed him.

But in the back of his mind, Yuvan's words echoed, haunting him like a ghost.

This isn't over. This is just the beginning.

When they finally reached the hospital, the bright lights of the emergency room cut through the darkness, but it did little to ease the weight crushing down on Ashwin's chest. He jumped out of the car before it even came to a full stop, racing inside, desperate to find Anshika.

The receptionist directed them to the operating room, but they were stopped in the hallway by a doctor, his face grave. "Are you the family of Anshika Antil Singhania?"

Ashwin's heart dropped. "Yes. I'm her... husband."

The doctor nodded, his expression tight. "She's in surgery now. We're doing everything we can."

"Is she going to make it?" Ashwin's voice cracked, the fear clawing at him once again.

"It's too soon to tell," the doctor admitted, his tone heavy with uncertainty. "She's lost a lot of blood, and the bullet... it did significant damage. But we're doing everything we can."

Ashwin's legs nearly gave out beneath him. Vikram and Viyaan caught him, guiding him to a chair. The world around him blurred as he stared at the double doors leading to the operating room, his mind filled with nothing but Anshika's face.

He couldn't lose her. Not like this.

Hours passed in agonizing silence, each second feeling like an eternity. Ashwin sat with his head in his hands, his mind a chaotic swirl of guilt, anger, and fear. He had never felt so helpless, so powerless.

revealing the doctor, his scrubs soaked in crimson, the weight of life and death heavy on his shoulders. Ashwin leapt to his feet, his pulse hammering in his ears as his heart raced with dread. His hands, still sticky with Anshika's blood, trembled as he moved toward the doctor, desperate for any sign, any word.

"How is she?" His voice cracked, the words barely escaping his dry throat. "Is she...?"

The doctor's face was a mask of exhaustion, his eyes hollow. He hesitated, glancing away as if trying to avoid the gravity of what he was about to say. The pause was like a knife twisting in Ashwin's chest, slicing through his last shred of hope.

"We...we did everything we could," the doctor began, his tone flat, clinical. "But the damage...the bullet caused severe internal bleeding. We couldn't stop it in time."

Ashwin's legs nearly buckled beneath him. His vision blurred, and the world tilted dangerously as the doctor's words hung in the air, suffocating him. It felt like the walls were closing in, the hospital's sterile lights too bright, the hallways too cold. His mind refused to process it—couldn't—but the truth was undeniable.

Anshika was gone.

"No," Ashwin whispered, shaking his head, his hands clenching into fists. "No, she can't be. She—she was just talking to me. She was alive, she—"

"I'm sorry," the doctor said, his voice a low hum as if coming from a distance. "There was nothing more we could do."

Ashwin collapsed into the nearest chair, his body trembling violently. He felt like he was suffocating, like his chest was caving in, crushing him under the unbearable weight of reality. His breath came in shallow, uneven gasps. How could this have happened? How could he have let her go like that? She wasn't supposed to die, not like this. Not for him.

The world felt colder, darker, as though all the light had been extinguished in a single heartbeat.

The doctor, seeing the devastation in Ashwin's eyes, placed a hand on his shoulder, offering empty words of condolence before turning away, leaving Ashwin alone in the stark, sterile hallway.

Ashwin's hands shook uncontrollably as he stared at them, still smeared with her blood. It felt like a nightmare, but the weight in his chest told him it was real. She was gone. Anshika was gone.

"Why?" Ashwin muttered, his voice barely audible. He leaned forward, clutching his head in his hands, his mind spiraling into a pit of despair. "Why did this happen? Why her?"

Footsteps echoed in the hallway, and Viyaan appeared, his face ashen with grief. Vikram followed behind him, his jaw clenched, holding back the torrent of rage and sorrow threatening to spill out.

"Ashwin..." Viyaan's voice was hoarse as he approached his brother. He knelt beside him, his own hands shaking. "I'm so sorry, brother. She... she loved you so much."

But Ashwin couldn't respond. The words felt hollow, empty—meaningless in the face of what he had lost. His world was crumbling around him, and no amount of comfort could pull him back from the edge of this abyss.

A suffocating silence settled between them until it was broken by the sharp click of shoes approaching. Ashwin looked up, his face pale and drawn, his eyes bloodshot and hollow.

Yuvan stood in the hallway, his face bruised and swollen, a twisted smirk still tugging at his lips. He was flanked by officers, handcuffed, but his presence filled the space with a dark, malevolent energy. His eyes glinted with sadistic satisfaction as they met Ashwin's.

"Looks like I won after all," Yuvan sneered, his voice dripping with venom. "How does it feel, Ashwin? Watching her die for you? Knowing you couldn't save her?"

The words hit Ashwin like a physical blow. His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, his entire body trembling with barely restrained fury.

"Shut your mouth!" Viyaan roared, stepping forward, but Ashwin stopped him with a single raised hand. His eyes locked on Yuvan's, burning with an intensity that seemed to sear the very air between them.

Yuvan's grin widened, his teeth stained with blood. "You couldn't save her. And now, you're left with nothing. You'll live with this for the rest of your life. Knowing she died because of you. Every time you close your eyes, you'll see her bleeding out in your arms. That's my victory, Ashwin. That's my revenge."

Ashwin shot to his feet, his rage boiling over as he lunged toward Yuvan. The officers scrambled to hold Ashwin back, pulling him away as he fought against them, his voice raw with fury.

"You took everything from me!" Ashwin shouted, his voice shaking with a mixture of anguish and rage. "You don't deserve to live!"

Yuvan laughed, a hollow, broken sound that echoed down the empty hallway. "Neither do you," he spat, his voice low and chilling. "But you will. And you'll live with the memory of her death, every single day."

Ashwin's vision blurred with tears of rage, his entire body burning with the need for vengeance. But the officers dragged Yuvan away, his mocking laughter trailing behind him like a dark shadow.

As the door closed behind Yuvan, Ashwin fell to his knees, the weight of his grief crashing down on him like a tidal wave. He screamed, the sound filled with an agony that reverberated through the hospital walls, but it didn't ease the pain. It didn't bring her back.

Anshika was gone, and no matter how many times he screamed, no matter how many tears he shed, nothing would ever be the same.

And as the cold, empty silence settled over him, Ashwin realized something even more terrifying than the loss itself—Yuvan was right.

He would live with this forever.

"Sometimes, the hardest love is the one that arrives at the wrong time, because not all beautiful stories are meant to have a happy ending."~Ashi(Author)

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Author: I will be completing this book before 10 October so stay tuned and don't forget what you guys really thought about this part alright?