Chapter 7

In the early morning, Abhay awoke with a sense of urgency. He needed to pick up Raha from her friend's house and relocate her to a safer place. Eager to meet her, he hastily prepared himself for the day, skipping breakfast.

As he was on the verge of leaving the house, he noticed Siddharat returning from his gym. Abhay didn't engage in any conversation and merely rolled his eyes at Siddharat before proceeding to his car.

He set out on his journey towards Raha's friend's house with a sense of determination and purpose.

Upon arriving at Samira's apartment, Abhay rang the doorbell. Samira opened the door and was taken aback by the sight of the handsome man standing before her.

"Is Raha here?" Abhay inquired politely.

Samira, puzzled by the stranger's arrival, responded, "Oh, yes. Who are you?"

"I'm a friend of hers," Abhay replied.

"Oh," Samira exclaimed, "Please, come in."

Abhay expressed his gratitude with a polite nod and stepped into her home. Samira guided him, saying, "She's staying in that room."

Abhay sought further confirmation, asking, "May I go in?"

Samira readily agreed, "Yes, please do."

Abhay quietly entered the room and saw that Raha was still peacefully asleep. A warm smile crept across his face, glad to see her enjoying such a serene slumber.

He sat down on the bed, determined not to disturb her rest, and used his phone to search for suitable and secure apartments where Raha could live safely.

Fifteen minutes passed, and Raha shifted in her sleep, turning towards Abhay's side. Suddenly, her eyes opened wide, and she was taken aback to find a man sitting there. She swiftly awoke and returned to her sitting position, her heart racing with surprise.

Raha, initially startled, soon recognized Abhay, and her tension subsided.

"Finally, you woke up," Abhay greeted her.

Raha inquired, "When did you arrive?"

Abhay, with a gentle smile, replied, "While you were still sleeping."

Curiosity piqued, Raha asked, "Why didn't you wake me?"

Abhay answered, "Because I didn't want to disturb your peaceful rest."

Before Raha could continue her sentence, Abhay interjected, "Anyways, pack your belongings. We need to leave."

Perplexed, Raha questioned, "Why?"

Abhay was resolute, stating, "I won't let you stay in your friend's house."

Raha concurred, saying, "I don't wish to stay here either."

Abhay urged her, "Then what are you waiting for? Pack your things, and we'll go."

Raha hesitated, asserting, "I don't need your help; I can manage."

Abhay reassured her, "Raha, please, just pack your things."

Raha expressed her concern, "Siddharth won't like you helping me."

Abhay's tone grew serious as he inquired, "What did he say to make you leave home?"

Raha stammered, "No... nothing."

Abhay, knowing Siddharth well, insisted, "Don't lie."

Raha confessed, "I'm just a burden in his life. He deserves better. Because of me, he isn't happy."

Abhay continued, "Raha, do you know why he agreed to this marriage?"

Raha replied, "It's a business deal. He was forced into it."

Abhay unveiled a shocking truth, "No, before your wedding, he was cheated by his girlfriend."

Raha was taken aback by this revelation.

"Yes," Abhay continued, "He agreed to this marriage to seek revenge against Sana, his girlfriend. He didn't sacrifice anything, but you, Raha, you sacrificed everything."

Raha sought clarification, "So, it wasn't a forced marriage?"

Abhay affirmed, "No, it wasn't."

Raha, coming to terms with the truth, asked, "So, I was just a part of his revenge game?"

Abhay prompted her to share more, asking, "Now, tell me, what did he say to you that made you leave our house?"

For Raha, Siddharth's actions had turned her life into a cruel joke. She had hoped that if it was a forced marriage, he might come to love her if she made an effort. However, realizing the real motive, she decided to confide in Abhay.

"In the afternoon, he came to me and accused me of being a gold digger. He even threw cash at me, saying that I should stay away from you," Raha revealed, causing Abhay's anger to flare.

Raha implored, "Please, stay away from me. I don't want him to blame me again."

Abhay questioned, "So, Raha, I mean nothing to you?"

She replied, "It's not like that. You're very sweet, but I can't bear the blame again. You should live your life, and I'll live mine."

Abhay was persistent, asking, "Raha, do you really mean that? I consider you my best friend."

Raha admitted, "You are."

Abhay pointed out, "Your actions say something else."

Raha explained, "I just don't want you to get into any trouble because of me."

Abhay proposed, "Okay, just don't come with me. I'll drop you off at your parents' house. They'll have to accept that you aren't happy in this marriage."

Raha countered, "They didn't even ask for my permission in this marriage. Do you really think they'll accept me?"

Abhay's frustration boiled over, "Raha, you have no one else in your life now. I can't fathom leaving you alone."

He abruptly stood up, adding, "Raha, this is the last time I'm saying this. Pack your things. I'll be waiting for you in my car. If you don't listen to me, I won't hesitate to take you away."

Abhay left the room, leaving Raha in a state of confusion.

After some time, Raha got ready and packed all her belongings. When she left the house, she noticed Abhay's car waiting for her. He promptly opened the door for her, and she entered the car.

There was a brief silence for a few minutes. Later, Abhay started the car, and they began their journey in silence.

Raha inquired, "Where are we going?"

Abhay replied, "For now, I'm taking you to my secret penthouse."

Curious, Raha asked, "Does Siddharth know about that place?"

Abhay assured her, "No, it's a secret."

Playing with her fingers, Raha voiced her concern, "I won't be living there for a long time."

Abhay responded, "Hmm... soon I will find an apartment for you near the college."

Raha expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thank you so much for your help."

Abhay teasingly remarked, "Finally, you appreciate me," rolling his eyes.

Raha playfully touched his cheek and said, "You are very cute."

Abhay smiled, glad to see that she was finding comfort and happiness in his company.

Upon their arrival, Raha was impressed by the beautiful surroundings and the exquisite furniture of the penthouse. Abhay spent the entire day with her, and they enjoyed each other's company.

However, as night fell, Abhay decided to return home because he knew that she wouldn't appreciate him staying the night. He left after ensuring all the security measures were in place for her.

Late at night, when Abhay returned home, he noticed Siddharth in his gym. Abhay passed through the gym, and Siddharth immediately questioned, "Where is she?"

Abhay, still upset with Siddharth, responded, "None of your concern."

Siddharth warned, "Don't make me angry."

Not in the mood for a conversation, Abhay chose to ignore him. He was seething with anger, and in frustration, he punched the wall so hard that his hand started bleeding.

A week passed with Siddharth growing increasingly frustrated that Abhay hadn't provided him with any information about Raha's whereabouts. He was not only worried but also angry with Raha for not reaching out or informing him.

Fueled by frustration and the need to know Raha's location, Siddharth decided to call her stepbrother, Shivansh, whose number he had. When Shivansh picked up the phone, Siddharth introduced himself, saying, "Hello, Shivansh."

Shivansh, unfamiliar with Siddharth, inquired, "Yes, who is this?"

Siddharth revealed, "I'm Siddharth Khurana."

Shivansh recognized the connection, saying, "Oh, you're the brother-in-law."

Siddharth then asked, "Could you please provide me with Raha's phone number?"

Shivansh questioned, "Don't you have your wife's number?"

Siddharth replied, "Yes, but I can't reach her right now."

Unaware of Siddharth's true relationship with Raha, Shivansh assumed it was a typical brother-sister relationship and asked, "Can't you ask her?"

Siddharth replied, "She's not at home," and proceeded to share everything with Shivansh, believing that Shivansh cared for Raha like any other brother would.

Upon hearing the story, Shivansh smiled and said, "Oh, I'll pass you her number," and they ended the call. Shivansh, however, had some ulterior motives and sinister plans in mind for his stepsister.

"Ohh so, my baby sister is alone" shivansh said to himself