As I woke up to the unexpected sight of Gungun sitting beside me, I sprang out of bed in a rush. "What are you doing here? Do you want to die?" I demanded, my voice laced with urgency.

Gungun's response was a gentle smile as she placed her hands on my chest. "Baby, why do you always run from me? After all, I am your wife, aren't I?" Her words made my blood run cold.

I instantly removed her hands and laughed, a mixture of amusement and annoyance. "What did you just call me? Wife?" I repeated, my tone incredulous. "You know as well as I do why you're here. Don't force me to remind you again. There's no husband-wife relationship between us, and there never will be. Get it?"

With that, I turned and walked away, leaving Gungun's words hanging in the air. "Oh, Patidev, now that I've cleverly made you my husband, it'll be child's play to make you mine. And then, all your wealth will be mine, won't it, my boi?"

Meanwhile, I took a shower and stepped out, heading to a mysterious destination in my sleek black car. In a dimly lit basement, a man was bound and gagged, his eyes pleading for mercy. "Please, let me go! What have I done?" he begged.

The sound of a lighter opening and closing echoed through the space as a man with piercing blue eyes entered the room. "You don't know who I am?" he taunted. "You'll regret crossing me."

The bound man trembled, "Hey, who are you? Don't you know who I am? You'll regret this!"

The blue-eyed man chuckled, the sound sending chills down the captive's spine. "Regret? Ha! Ansh Singhania doesn't regret; he makes others regret meddling in his life."

As Ansh stepped forward, the man's eyes widened in terror. "A-Ansh," he stuttered.

Ansh's smile was cold and calculating. "Yes, Dharam Rathore. I'm Ansh Singhania."

Dharam's pleas turned desperate. "Please

forgive me! I'll never betray you again. I've worked for you for 10 years, Ansh. Have mercy!"

Ansh's expression remained unyielding. "You were feeding information to my enemies and expecting forgiveness? There's no room for apologies in my world, especially not from traitors like you."

With a swift motion, Ansh drew a knife and began to mutilate Dharam's fingers. The man's screams echoed through the basement as Ansh continued his gruesome task. Finally, without hesitation, Ansh shot Dharam, ending his life.

I was frantically searching for my ID card in my room, but it seemed to have vanished into thin air. Just as I was about to lose hope, my mom walked in and surveyed the chaos. "What are you doing, making a mess of your room?" she asked, her voice laced with exasperation.

I tried to explain, "I was searching for—"

But she cut me off, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Oh, you're looking for your ID card, aren't you? Why are you so careless, Maahi? Can't you even take care of your own things?"

I protested, "Mummy, I put it on the table."

Mom chuckled. "You put it on the table every day, and then search like a monkey the next morning."

I gave her a pleading look, and she couldn't resist helping me. Together, we found the ID card nestled between the pages of a book. Mom smiled and said, "This is your table, Maahi."

As we searched, the atmosphere in the room lightened, but it quickly shifted when Mom playfully chased me around the house with her chappal, and I darted out of the room, laughing. I ran to my dad and complained, "Papa, Mummy is beating me again!"

Dad intervened, "Why are you bothering my doll, Kaveri?"

Mom retorted, "Now you'll also be bothered, Atul Malhotra."

In a mischievous move, I linked hands with my parents and said, "Mummy, beat Papa as much as you can today."

Dad playfully protested, "Maahi, aap mujhe fasake kaise ja sakti ho, meri pari?" ( How could you do this to me my doll)

The lighthearted moment was short-lived, as I had to leave for college. After attending my classes, I received a call from Mom's number. A stranger's voice on the other end asked, "Are you Maahi?"

I answered, "Yes, but why do you have my mom's phone?"

The voice delivered devastating news: "She's met with an accident and is at the city hospital. Come as fast as you can."

My world crumbled in an instant. I sat down on the road, overcome with grief, and cried uncontrollably. It wasn't until my best friend Annnu shook me and asked, "Maahi, Maahi, kya hua tujhe?" that I snapped back to reality.

(What happened maahi)

I managed to stammer, "M-mummy met with an accident."

Annu consoled me, and we rushed to the hospital. I saw Dad sitting on a bench, tears streaming down his face. I approached him and tried to reassure him, "Papa, aap ro kyu rahe ho? Mumma ko kuch nahi hoga, samjhe? Theek hai na? Aap roiye mat, varna main aapse baat nahi karungi."

( Dad why are you crying. Nothing will happen to mumma. Do you understand. Don't cry otherwise I won't talk to you)

But the doctor's words shattered my hopes: "Sorry, Mr. Malhotra, but we couldn't save your wife."

I felt my legs give way beneath me, and everything went dark.

Maahi frantically ran from the hospital bed, her voice trembling with desperation. "Mummy, Mummy is everything okay, right, Annu? They're just saying nonsense. Watch, I'll call her, and she'll come running to me. Everyone here has lost their minds!"

Annu tried to calm her down, but Maahi wouldn't listen. Annu's voice cracked as she screamed, "She's gone, Maahi!"

Maahi's world froze. She stopped in her tracks, her eyes welling up with tears. She burst into sobs, clinging to Annu.

"Papa?" Maahi whispered, her voice shaking.

Annu's voice was barely audible as she replied, "he's not here either."

Maahi's eyes widened in confusion. "Where is he?"

Annu's head hung low, her voice cracking. "The police came and took him away. They're saying... they're saying he was abusive to aunty, Maahi."

Maahi's face contorted in shock and anguish. "No, that's not true! My father would never do that! You know him, Annu!"

Annu's eyes brimmed with tears. "I know, Maahi, but they're saying they have proof."

Maahi's grip on Annu's shoulder tightened as she sobbed uncontrollably. "Why, God? What did we do wrong? Why did you do this to us?"

Tears streamed down both their faces, but Annu steeled herself, trying to be strong for Maahi's sake.

In Singhania House.

Shivaay's loud scream sent shockwaves through the household. Everyone rushed downstairs, concerned etched on their faces. Ansh asked, "What happened, Dad?"

Shivaay's voice trembled as he delivered the devastating news: "A-Atul... Kaveri is dead in an accident."

Madhuri's world crumbled. She stumbled backward, collapsing onto the floor. "No, no, this can't be," she whispered, her voice cracking with grief.

Ahilya, Ansh's grandmother, rushed to Madhuri's side, trying to comfort her.

Shivaay briefed them on Atul's situation, his words painting a grim picture. Madhuri's eyes welled up with tears as she suddenly rose and approached Shivaay. "Maahi, my poor child," she murmured, her voice filled with maternal concern.

Shivaay's expression turned resolute. "I'll bring Maahi to our house until Atul is out of jail."

Gungun's sarcastic remark cut through the tension: "Oh, so our home is a dharamshala now, where you can just bring anyone in?"

Shivaay's face is reddened with anger. "Ansh, shut her up. I don't want to say anything hurtful in this difficult time."

Ansh shot Gungun a cold stare before turning to his father.

Shivaay's words hung in the air like a challenge. "Ansh beta You're alive today because of Maahi. Atul has been there for me in my darkest times, and I won't abandon him now."

Ansh's eyes widened in shock, but he nodded. "What do you mean papa. I'm alive because that girl ?"

Shivaay's gaze softened. "Don't refer to her as 'that girl.' Call her Maahi, like you used to when you were young and there's no time to explain things ."

Ansh replied in a soft tone "Don't worry, Papa. I'll go bring Maahi here by evening."

Ansh felt a strange sense of unease at his father's possessiveness toward Maahi but pushed it aside for the moment. He left to fetch Maahi, unaware of the complex web of relationships and circumstances that lay ahead.

*********

Happy Reading 🧿

Love you all 💗🌟

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram: