Chapter 36 He Was Never Dead
The face standing before me is none other than Samar, my husband, the man I believed had died long ago.
For a moment, my heart stops. Tears instantly fill my eyes and slide down my cheeks. My voice trembles as I whisper, “Y-you…?”
Samar looks into my eyes. Guilt and a deep, unfamiliar sorrow reflect in his gaze pain no words could ever explain. He is about to speak, but before he can, I run into his arms and break down completely.
He wraps his arms around me tightly, holding me as if he’s afraid I might disappear. I feel his hand gently stroking my hair. “Shhh… don’t cry, Ishani… please, don’t cry,” he murmurs.
My breathing grows heavy. Years of pain pour out through my sobs, as if everything I’ve held inside finally breaks free. Slowly, I pull back and look at him through my tears, “You… you died… I saw it…”
His face tightens with sorrow. “I didn’t die. I’m alive, Ishani.”
I freeze. Then anger crashes into me, twisting my pain into rage. I step back and shout, “Then what was all that? The lies? The fire? The fake death? Why did you leave me alone? Do you know how much Mom, Dad, Neeti, and Ruhi suffered? Did you even think of us once?”
He sighs deeply and reaches for my hand. “I thought about you every single day. But it wasn’t safe for me to stay in India. I had enemies everywhere. I had to disappear. That’s why I had you kidnapped… I just wanted to see you again. To be with you.”
I don’t reply. I simply lean into his chest again. He holds me gently, comforting me with his warmth. After a while, he sits on the couch and pulls me into his lap.
I wipe my tears and pout. “I don’t want to talk to you… you’re mean.”
He gives a faint smile and cups my teary face. “I know. I hurt everyone. I’m sorry. But I had no choice.”
Questions still burn inside me. I look into his eyes and ask, “If you’re alive… then whose body parts did we find? The burned remains? Karan saw them…”
He takes a deep breath and holds my hand. “They weren’t mine. I planned everything so everyone would believe I died. Just before the blast, I went underground.”
My eyes widen in shock. Tears spill again as he continues, “The police, CID, even the media—they were all my men. The people who brought you and Karan to the hospital… they were mine too.”
I stay silent. My heart pounds violently. I’m furious at his lies, yet seeing him alive eases my pain. My soul finds a strange peace.
After a moment, I walk to him again and wrap my arms around him tightly. I cry into his chest, all my sorrow and longing flowing out. He holds me protectively, rubbing my back, trying to soothe me.
I can’t speak. I can only feel that the man who means everything to me is alive… still mine… and finally in my arms again.
He holds me close for a while, then gently pulls back and looks into my eyes. “Do you still want to leave… go back?”
I shake my head quickly like a child. “No. I want to stay… with you.”
He keeps staring at me. I notice it and ask shyly, “Why are you staring like that?”
He smirks. “Can’t I stare at my own wife?”
My cheeks turn red. Then curiosity strikes. “Why are your eyes grey now? Weren’t they green before? Like… crocodile?”
He looks stunned. “Crocodile? Half the world is crazy about my eyes and you think they look like a crocodile’s?”
I make a puppy face and nod. He pulls me closer, teasing, “You’ve gotten so spoiled.”
I giggle, then grow serious. “Aren’t you going to ask about Mom, Neeti, Ruhi…?”
“No need,” he replies calmly. “I get updates. I even know Vihan has left for Australia.”
I stare at him. “Then why didn’t you tell them?”
He sighs. “They don’t trust me anymore. And you… you ask too many questions.”
I climb off his lap. “I want to go outside. It’s snowing.”
“No,” he says firmly. “You’ll catch a cold.”
“But I want to go!”
He looks at me, realizing I won’t stop. “Fine—but on one condition.” “What?”
“Change your clothes. That dress won’t survive the cold.”
After some argument, I finally change. Soon, we step outside together. I’m bundled in a black coat, scarf, and cap. My hair flows freely. He’s dressed in black too. We look like royalty.
I smile and say, “Everything here is black… only the snow is white.”
He replies softly, “This is my real world.”
Ahead of us stands a sleek glass snowmobile. My eyes light up with excitement. He helps me inside and sits beside me. The engine starts, and the snowmobile glides forward.
I stare around in awe, my heart filled with wonder completely unaware of how much darkness.
My face glows with happiness, yet tears blur my eyes. Samar notices and asks softly, “What happened? You didn’t like it?”
I quickly wipe my tears and reply in a low voice, “No… I loved it. This was my dream to come to a place like this. I always wanted to play in the snow. I thought I’d never get the chance.”
Without saying another word, Samar presses the stop button. “Then let’s make your dream come true.”
I look at him in confusion as he steps out, holds my hand, and helps me down. The moment my feet touch the snow, it hits me, I’m standing inside my childhood dream.
He says gently, “Go on. Play in the snow.”
But I don’t move. I just look at him, my eyes still red. He notices and asks, “What happened?”
My voice trembles as I say, “You didn’t like being around me, so why are you doing all this?”
Samar falls silent. All around us, there is nothing but snow and stillness this entire place belongs to him. For a long moment, we just stand there, looking into each other’s eyes.