Before starting this chapter I would like to suggest you to reread the book or at least few previous chapters! I have started the book after a break and I want my readers to stay connected with the storyline!

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The mist of love
That flows in the air
Is felt in the heart
That truly cares
And though only
A fleeting chance
Still it was a great
And fine romance
Our love was fragile

Like the wind that blows
Streams of tenderness
On the river that flows
As quiet connection
Was whispered softly
Across the fields
And near the trees

Yet this would come
To a sudden end
As doubts emerge
That cannot be mend

A time I most regret
This heart that I adore
An aching reality that
Our love is no more.

Jesus Diaz Llorico

The sun rays were peeking through the window and disturbing the sleep of two souls. Abhinav opened his eyes, disturbed by the light and felt some weight on his body!

He looked around and tried to understand the surroundings. His gaze landed on Akshara's drowsy head resting against his chest. She was looking like the sweetest melody in his dreamy delight! She unconsciously tried to get rid of disturbing sunlight and nuzzled her body into him. Abhinav sweetly chuckled, planted a soft lingering kiss on her hair and tightened his hold on her bare waist.

Kitna khubsurat sapna hai ji ... Meri Apsara ... Meri Akshara yon mery itny qareeb! Janta hon ke ye mera haq nhe mgr sapno py ty kisi ka control nhe hai ji! Ahhhh Kash ye sapna kabhi na tooty!

Abhinav thought and tried to stretch himself while rubbing his eyes. However, during those moments, Akshara again pressed closer to him, attempting to block out the sudden moments of sleepyhead Sherniz' self-claimed soft pillow. Abhinav felt a surge of 1000 volts through his body the moment Akshara's lips touched his bare chest. And thats the moment his mind hinted him towards the possibility of the unimaginable!

It wasn't a beautiful dream but a horrific reality! The events of last night started flashing in front of his eyes. How they were stuck in this room, and he lost his self-control at the end.

Oh Shit! Ye main ny kia kr dia! Akshara wasn't in her senses! How could I have done this to her ... to my best friend? She trusted me, and I broke her trust! I couldn't control my messy temptations!!!

Abhinav anxiously removed Akshars' hands and wore his clothes! He looked around and tried to search his belongings again! He went near the door and strangely it opened with a single turn on the knob. He peeked outside just to see their belongings lying in front of the door.

Abhinav quickly gathered everything and came inside while unlocking his cell phone. The moment he touched the phone, it began to buzz. Fortunately, he put it on silent due to their dinner date, so it didn't ring loudly!

It was Neelammas' call but Abhinav was anxious. He wasn't in the position to talk to someone! He looked at his sleeping princess again! He could see many markings on her body!

What a beast you are, Abhinav Sharma!

He shut his eyes for a moment and guilt started surrounding him again! In other circumstances, he would have treasured it like a madman, but their situation wasn't favourable!

Although Akshara showed deep trust and respect towards maintaining their friendship in the future, he too decided to lean into that thin rope of hope but using her trust wasn't his intention! He was in deep thought when his phone rang and a message popped up!

Abhinav opened his eyes and the content of the message took the land away from his feet!

~~~~~~~~~~

"Wo yahen rehta tha, boht masoom tha ji! boht bura hoa tha us ky sath, purany manager sahab ny uske jama ky sary pesy cheen ky usy hostel se nikaal dia tha! Sirf 15/16 saal tha bechara!"

"Yahien kaam krta tha aur prhai k lye pesy jama krta tha, aksar yahien so bhi jata tha, boht mehnati larka tha, mgr ab wo yahan kaam nhe krta Saab! "

"Mera pota hai wo, ap kon hain aur kyun milna chahty hain us say? Deakhyie agr us se koi ghalti ho gai ho tu usy maaf kr dijyie! Aksar log us ki axhai ko uski kamzoori samjh ke faida utha lety hain!"

Ishaan has been searching for the past 4 days, and each passing day revealed a heart-wrenching truth about his son ... his son, who is known as Abhinav Sharma now! Who has been brutally bullied in the past, who worked his bones to earn the bare minimum, and who is now somebody else's family!

The protective query of Neelamma, the grandmother figure in his sons' life, left him speechless! What to tell her! He struggled to explain everything... his inability to protect his own child ... his family and the countless nights without him. All these things were circling in his mind, but he made the decision to silence them completely for now! He closed his eyes and see the only face which can make him calm inside out.

"Suhana ... Mojhy ye krna ho ga! Suhana k liye.. Wo saalo sy ye jang larr rahi hai .. usky lea main kamzoor nhe parr sakta!" He pulled himself together and decided to explain everything to Neelamma!

"Beta Ji main ny apni ankhoo sy apny bety bahu ko jaty deakha hai! Saalo in phadoo mean tanha rahi phr Abhinav milla! Kehny ko tu mera mun bola pota hai mgr mery lye Abhinav mery jiggar ka tukra hai, aur main itni swarthi nhe ke ak maa ki trap aur ek baap ki ankho ki bebasai na parh paoo!"

"Ap fikr mat kroo! Main khud usy samjhaoo gi! Mera Abhinav boht acha hai! Main abhi usy phone lgati hun! Sub jannay k bad wo khud apky pass dora chala ayee ga!"

"Nhe nhe Neelamma ap please abhi usy mery bary mean khuch mut btayie bus ap usy jldi sy ghar bulwa lijae! Main khud usy mill kr sub btana chahta hon!" Ishaan thought to not to shock his child. He will himself reveal the threads of their cursed fate!

"Theek hai beta main abhi usy phone lgati hon!" Neelama said so and walked towards the telephone line!

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Akshara's peaceful slumber broke with an ear-piercing noise! Somebody was speaking loudly, and the noise was rising with each passing second! Akshara tried to open her eyes and wake up but she felt a sudden unexplainable sourness in her body as if each muscle of her body was drained!

"Akshara, ye tu ny kia kr dia? Goenka Parivaar ki maan maryada sub mitti mean milla di! Akhr esa kun kia tu ny...???" Sawarna grabbed her hands and pulled her towards her while screaming in rage.

Akshara, who was still trying to process the situation, looked at her stupefied. "Kia hoa badi maa ap subha subha esy kun bol kr rahi hain?" Akshara asked, feeling a bit weird at Sawarnas' sudden outburst!

"Main tu sirf bol rahi hon mgr teri is harkat ky bad dunyia thoky gi hum py! Hostel ki aarh mean ye gul khilaa rahi thi tu? Na jany kb sy ye sub chal rha hai ... chi chii chiii mojhy tu bolty hoye bhi sharm a rahi hai?"

"Badi maa lekin hua kya hai?" Akshara stood up on the bed and for the first time she realised she wasn't in her own room! She looked at her clothes with utter shock. It was an old ladies shalwar suit and it definitely didn't belong to her.

"Badi maa ye sub... main yahn kaisy.. main tu kl dinner py gai thi aur phr us ke bad (she held her head trying to remember the counter events but it was all blank!") us ky bad kia hoa? Aur main yhn kaisy a gayi??"

"Waa kia bholla banany ka natak krti hai ye larki. Ye deakh ye hai teri kartoot!" Swarna showed her pictures on her phone! Akshara's sleeping beside an unknown man! Akshara felt ants running on her body, and she finally understood the reason behind all the body aches she's been feeling all of a sudden!

O God ... Ye sub ... kaisay !!!

"Naaa ... nheee ... badii maa... ye sach nnnnnheee haiiii.... Maiinnn is admi ko janti tak nahi hon! Mery sath khuch boht ghalat hoa hai ..." Akshara shivered while trying to sense this newfound information but Sawarna slapped her hardly without giving a chance. Akshara fell on the ground as she was still under the shock of events!

"Band kar apni ye bakwas! Ye teri kaali kartoot Manish ji ko kisi ny dhamki ky sath behji hai! Aur 2 crore ki maang ki hai, wrna wo ye sari tasweeren media ko dy de ga! Teri is neech harkat ki wajah se Maaji ko hospital ly jana para hai aur tu yahn natak kr rahi hai! Sabt ho gya ganda khoon apna asar dikha hee deta hai"

"Badii Maa .. Ap kia kehna chahti hai?" Akshara asked with a strangely shattering voice.

"Teri maa Naira b esi giri hoi aurat thi aur tu bhi! Wo tu business ko barhany k lea esi dostyia bnati thi per tu too apni jawani ki bhooq mitany k lea jany kis kis ky sath so chuki hai!!"

Swarana splashed her venom, and Akshara wasn't in a condition to listen to her allegations!

"Nhee ... badii maa ... esa mut bolyiee please! Main ny aur mumma ny esa koi kaam nhe kia hai ... God promise please ap esa soch bhi kaisy sakti hain ... ye sub kisi ki sazish hai... Main tu kl Abhinav ky sath dinner py thi! Abhinav mere sath tha, han ....han!"

Akshara said while sobbing profoundly! Her whole existence became questionable in a single night, and at the tender age of 21, she wasn't able to understand the consequences of the situation!

"Axhaa, tu wo dalaal hai tumhara? Mujhe lgaa hee tha us larky ki shaql dekh kar us jese 2 kori ke log paisy ke liye kisi bhi had tak gir sakty hain! Jhoot tu wo teri khatir bol hee ly ga." Swarana caught her arm in a firm grip, and Akshara could feel her sharp nails piercing her skin!

"Nhe badi maa... Abhinav aisa nahin hai... ye sub kisi ny jaan bojh k merry sath kiya hai! Mera yaqeen kijayiee please! Please mojhy ak bar Abhinav ko call krny dijyie ... Abhinav ap ko btae ga main us picture waly admi ko janti tak nhe hon..!!!"

Tears were falling like a river from her eyes while she tried to plead her case in front of Sawarna! However, Sawarna was adamant! She scuffed her forcefully and took her home with the help of the driver!

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Sawarna was packing her stuff, and Manish has already booked a flight so they can come back! Akshara was pleading desperately in a locked room, but Sawarna wasn't listening to her! Finally, when she opened the door to take her at the airport, Akshara pleaded once again desperately!

"Badi maaa please meri baat sunnyie... mojhy ak bar bus ak bar Abhinav sy baat kr leny dijae.. Ye sub mery sath kisi ne jaan boojh ke kiya hai ... Please, mera yaqeen kijaye, main is sub mean victim, hon!"

"Mujhe tumhari kisi bhi baat par bhrosa nahi hai! Lekin akhri baar apni tasali ke liye aur Manish ji ki parvish ki khatir main Abhinav ko phone karne ke liye tayar hon!" Sawarna said in a harsh robotic tone.

"Thank you! Badi maa .. Abhinav, ap ko sub bta paee ga please ap usy call kijae" Akshara dialed Abhinav number on swarnas' phone! A number she could remember even in her sleep!

The phone was ringing once... twice and third time and finally on 4th call Abhinav picked up!

"Hello Abhinav main Akshara baat kr rahi hon! Please mojhy btaoo k kal ki hoa .. hum dinner py gae thy na phr us ky bad main hotel kaisy pohnch gai" Akshara enquired while praying to listen to some miraculous excuse while holding her last pieces of sanity.

"Akshara kl dinner ky bad too main ghar a gya tha. Tum ny bola tha na k tumhy koi kaam hai dinner k bad. Shyed kisi dost sy milny jana tha ..."

Before he could speak further, Swarna cut the call and slapped her tightly once again!"

"Itny saal sy tu ghar nhe ai aur na hee kabhi phone kia! Aur tu aur tu ny Manish ji ko hostel se bhr rehne ki zid manany py majboor kiya! Hum sub ye samjhty rahy k tu Aroo ki khatir ye sub kr rahi hai ... K shyed tujhy apny bachpan ky ghuna ka andaza hai .. shyed tujhy apni choti behn ky zakhmo ka zara sa ehasas hai! Mgr tu ny kya kia? humry wishwas aur izzat ky sath itna ganda kheel khela! Bus ab boht hoa! Main bhi deakhti hon ky ab tu ab apni marzi kaisy chalati hai! Aj, say balky, abhi sy teri parhai bnd! Hum abhi ky abhi Udaipur chal rahy hain!"

Swarana pulled Akshara with her and she walked along like a lifeless doll! She has lost everything in one night! Perhaps no sunshine friendship could stop the curse! Finally the fate of being the most haunted person begins to eat her soul!

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That's all for now, folks!

It's time for reviews and your opinions on the current chapter! What do you think about all the drama and new narrative?

What will happen to Akshnav now? What is the next chapter of their life holding up? Could you predict the upcoming twists and turns?

I'm sorry for making you all wait. Thank you so much for staying and asking me to continue! I will try to update regularly from now on!

Please show some support in form of votes ⭐️ and write feedback to boost my lazy ass too💭✍️🦋

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Next Chapter: Trapped