While following  Riddhima to the parking lot,with hurried strides to match her  running ones,Vansh  noticed his sorrounding,as the sun was taking its final bid for the day, bathing the horizon with yellow orange lights. But damn his woman was quick,her flying pallu was the only saviour for the day,as he caught hold of it to stop her..........

                  She turned at once , terrified ......... jerking off her pallu from his hold,may be thinking it to be someone else..... Even if she relaxed after ,realising who caught it,Vansh's worry grew more seeing her tear stained face....

                    Not wasting another second,he covered the distance to reach his dear wife.His towering form ceased to halt before her small frame,till his breath fawned over her gorgeous face. He didn't have enough time to think over,who had made her cry,as Vansh was busy wiping her tears away with his lips ...... Riddhima must not have anticipated his ,this caring move.It took her completely off guard,rooting her to the place

  After he confirmed that ,she had stopped crying,Vansh peppered small kisses on,the little red nose of hers, adorning her crying baby face .His next words consisted of soothing words as if comforting a child,which came out as whispers...

      "Shhh ,shhh Riddhima,jaan kya hua,,,,,,hmm batao,kisne rulaya tumhe,batao"

                             but looking at her parched lips Vansh acknowledged that she was in dire need of water,and was in no condition to speak ......

      Noticing she was not showing any resistance to his advancements ,Vansh was sure something was disturbing her,but what,,? Trying to adjust her now messy hair by tucking it behind her ears,vansh asked her in hope to get an answer....

        "Kya haal bana liya apna? kisne kiya yeh tumhare saath ?han,batao........jaan"

    But still Riddhima was mum, avoiding his probing eyes.......

       Watching some people eyeing them with curious eyes ,vansh thought better to continue the conversation ,in private...

    Coz ,His Riddhima again began to cry,her body was trembling with silent sobs.Vansh sighed,feeling helpless,he held her hands and took her to the secluded corner of a nearby park......

                       It was minutes,hours may be, of them sitting on the park bench and HIS Riddhima watching the beautiful fountain before them , intently .But what he could see was her, only her! She was quiet, fidgeting her saree pallu,and now and then tucking her wayward hair behind her ear.And the result being, him still unaware of her reason for crying.But he decided to leave it to rest,as it was not important then.What was more important for him was to not see her sad anymore.... To gain her attention ,Vansh squated in front of her ,and held her hands.....

            "Riddhima ,i know tum abhi kuch nahi batana chahti,and trust me i will not force you,but for god's sake ,ghar chalo jaan...is tarah thand mai beemar pad jaogi tum......"

          This seemed to have broken her train of her thoughts,as she looked at him with her innocent eyes.And the eye contact jolted him,reminding him again ,why he fell in love with her in the first place. Overwhelmed with the feelings he had for her,Vansh rose over to kiss her on her forehead..

        Vansh sighed,he atleast wanted Riddhima to  take emotional support from him by giving him a hug..But it was as if,she was lost somewhere else,not even stopping him ,even if he peppered kisses on her face.

    They both rose up from their seat

           The cold wind blew, making his wife rub her arms vigourously.The next second Riddhima was wrapped in his black coat despite her protests ....

             "Vansh ,mujhe nahi chah..."

            But his one look and she obliged.

After sending Riddhima home,Vansh came to talk to the doctor about sia's condition.There he was informed about how sia was doing exceptionally well and could be discharged in a day or two.But he was also warned not to allow sia to take any mental stress . After that he straightaway came to sia's room only to be sent back to VR Mansion ,for the sake of his health by none other than his Dadi.As she was the only one,who could order him for anything,He did obey it........Surely he needed to keep in good health to fight with his biggest enemy looming over his family.So leaving Sia under care of dadi,Ishani and Aryan ,He returned home along with Aangre.

              In his study room,Vansh was playing his piano,lost in thoughts when Aangre entered the room. Eyes closed,his fingers worked on it  with practiced grace,filling the study room with beautiful melody . Angre was sure Vansh was worried about something, otherwise he wouldn't have been playing piano like this........

                            He didn't want to interrupt him,but it was necessary ,so he called out to him softly

"Boss,boss ........."hesitating for a while he again mustered up his courage .." are you  ok?"

      If there would have been someone else inturupting him , Vansh would have been mad,but Angre was his most trusted,almost like a brother.......

               The melody ended with a weird sound when Vansh pressed all his fingers on the piano.Opening his blood red eyes he directed his blank stare to the wall nearby and poured out his heart..........

        "I m not fine Angre,i m not fine.......i have failed the role of being a protector.Siya was recovering so well,,,,"    Vansh stood up from his seat to put his trembling hands on Angre's shoulder, understanding what his boss needed, he placed his hands on boss's hand to reassure him of his unconditional support and Vansh went on 

    "wo,,,,,wo apne pairo pe bhi chalna shuru kardi thi, par phir kaise ,phir kaise,,,,,,"

     Vansh's voice broke, sitting on the floor he took a large gulp of whiskey from the unfinished bottle near by........he looked at angre , giving him a sad smile

           "Agar mere bas mai hota to mai uske sare dukh apne pe le leta.khud marjata par use kuch nahin hone deta" 

Angre's eyes became moist too .coming to his level angre gripped the bottle in boss's hand requesting him not to drink more

"I know boss,aap kisiko kuch nahi hone denge kabhi.aur Siya ko to hosh bhi aagaya hai,hai na boss?to ap fikar mat karo boss,mat karo koi fikar.aap tut jaoge to hum sabka kya hoga?"

            Startling Angre,Vansh laid on the floor,the bottle still clutched in his hands,as he started laughing like a mad man.........

"Koi fikar na karun,ha ha ha." Vansh became serious after laughing so suddenly,that Angre was sure his Boss was drunk,very very drunk.But again was brought back from his thoughts by his boss's drunken rumblings.....

            " Fikar kaise na karu angre ,ab to wo Sam....,Samrat bhi agaya hai.wo aab mujhe chain se jene nahi dega....tum to jante ho na wo kitna khatarnak hai.apne liye nahi Aangre,apne parivaar ke liye chinta ho rahi hai.Riddhima ke liye ho rahi hai ,aur sabse jyada siya ke liye  ho rahi hai.wo Samrat uska pehla pyar tha .Agar wo uske saamne aaya to ,to to ......."

             Vansh could n't complete his sentence as he started getting up ,taking support from Angre

    "Sambhal ke boss,sambhal ke........"

Clutching his waist tightly Angre placed Vansh's hand on his Shoulders.But Boss was too tall,it was very difficult ,balancing his weight.

      " Mujhe,mujhe meri biwi ke paas le chalo" Vansh slurred ....."mujhe uski jaroorat hai..."

    "  Haan boss ,haan "

       Angre took Vansh through the stairs with great difficulty....... after Knocking the door,both of them waited patiently ,for Riddhimaaaa to open the door.........

      Few minutes after,his wife opened the door for him, standing in front of him-as beautiful as ever .Vansh smiled seeing his Jaan's dumbfounded face.Surprising both angre and Riddhima ,vansh lunged for her .....almost toppling in the process........

            "Riddhima,jaan......."

Angre got the cue to leave them alone........not forgetting ,closing their bedroom door before going.......

            Riddhima had never seen Vansh,this drunk.He was reeking of alcohol,eyes red ,gait unsteady ,she could say she had not seen him this vulnerable ever .....taking a deep sigh,She took him to the bed , with his arm around her shoulder....,which was wound too tightly .........

  When they reached ,Vansh plopped on the bed,with his arms and legs spread out,and his shoes on......He saw his wife coming near him ,to probably adjust his sleeping pose.Vansh grinned,it was his chance.Sneakily he caught her soft hands ,that made her to fall over his chest.Her beautiful hair unforled on him and the mattress.And not able to control himself he took in her aroma by taking a deep long breadth.... Riddhima's beautiful face rose up from his chest-her  orbs collided with his dark ones.And His heart skipped a beat or two making him want to stay in that position ,close to his wife till eternity. His wife struggled a bit,glaring at him with her wannabe  murderous glance. You call it alcohol,or his snapped up control ,Vansh grabbed her by her rear to stop her from going away. Horrified  Riddhima tried to get up clumsily,in the process loosing her pallu ....

           Vansh took in his Jaan's exposed skin......her blouse was sleeveless,and her neck line was deep.As she was bent on him,he could clearly see her deep cleavage , giving him the idea that her breasts will be more than handful .....All his attention was on those beautiful swells visible,in her open neckline.His mouth watered. lifting up a little Vansh placed a open-mouthed kiss on it .Riddhima was scandalised not because of what he did,but because of her reaction to it,as jolts of pleasure ran through her.She tried to get up only to be brought back by her husband with a simple jerk.......her back collided on the mattress,and she clutched the bedsheet below her when Vansh's drunken gaze fell on her , taking in her figure from head to toe.

             A sudden fear gripped her heart,as Riddhima realised Vansh was not in control .When Vansh's face came nearer to hers ,she placed her hands on his chest -extending her upper limb to the fullest ....  

               Since the time He came to room,Vansh opened his mouth only to say

      " Riddhima,,,,aaj mujhe tumhari jarurat hai....mai wo kuch nahi karunga ,jise tum uncomfortable ho jaan" he whispered almost inaudible.Tucking her hairstrands behind her ear,Vansh continued while drawing circles on her navel. " Today,i m too vulnerable .....mujhe bas aaj apne se dur jane ko mat kaho,mujhe bas apne paas rehne do,aur kuch nahi chahiye ,kuch bhi nahi......" Riddhima didn't have a heart to deny when he asked her in almost child like innocence.....Though his weight almost crushed her when he hugged her , with his face in her crook of neck ,still she didn't protest and using her free hand she started rubbing his hair to soothe him...

      She was holding back a giggle  as  his beard was tickling her,and when he started talking ,it started to tickle more.

" I swear Riddhima,i want nothing else to do than to hold you in my arms."

       But his action didn't match his words when kisses started pouring over her bare arm, dangerously close to her axilla...

 Riddhima clutched his shirt, intending to push him.... but Vansh didn't budge....and to her utter surprise Vansh was already asleep,when she with great difficulty raised him from above her.....She took a great sigh of relief .... Coming down from bed ,she took off his shoe and socks and covered him with the duvet..... Wanting him to rest comfortably , She prepared her bed on the couch . 

                   After changing to her night wear ,she came to the couch, watching his resting form from there ...

" Tumhare paas jitna jyada time spend karungi utna hi mai kamzor pad jaungi,Vansh... Isiliye maine tay kar liya hai mai parso hi tumse dur chali jaungi .yeh faisla mere liye aasan nahi hoga,kyunki kahina kahin mai aaj bhi tumse utna hi pyar karti hun jitna pehle karti thi. Jab tumne mujhse pucha ki mai aaj sham ko kyun ro rahi thi,tab maine tumhe yeh nahi bataya ki Aryan aur Ishani ne mere saath bohut battamizi ki thi..bhale hi tum jitna bhi mujhe pyar dene ki kaushish karo,tumhari family mujhe hurt karti hi rahegi.....aur aab mai yeh sab nahi sah sakti.....my self respect can't take it Vansh.it can't take it more."

      Wiping the lone tear falling from her face Riddhima fell asleep awaiting the morning which will bring her freedom back........