Chapter-08

2 days later..

She hasn’t woken up yet and he hasn’t left her side. Not even for a single minute.

Now also, he was sitting there on her side, holding her hand with both his hands.

“Bahut ho gya yaar, ab uth bhi jao” he said slowly and placed a soft kiss on her hand.

Just then, his phone rang, breaking the silence in the room. He quickly silenced it and looked at the screen. It was his manager, Shiv.

This was his 17^th call since morning and just like previous 16 calls, he declined it.

He was about to keep the phone in the side table but it rang again. This time, he didn’t look at the screen and picked it up. Without giving any chance to the person on the other side, he started shouting. “Kya hai, itne call kaatne pe samajh nahi aaya tumhe jo baar baar kiye ja rhe ho. Irritating girlfriend ki tarah pareshan karna band karo”

As he spoke his last sentence, the person on the side said, “oye oye, shaant ho ja. Mai hun Ranbir. Or kon hai jo tujhe subah se pareshan kr rha.”

“Sorry, wo mujhe laga Shiv hai.” He said.

“Aacha chor wo sab, wo ladki—”

Before Ranbir could complete his sentence, he said “Bunglow pe aaja, milke baat krte hai,” and disconnected the call.

He put his phone aside and turned his attention back to her. Her hand still rested in his, soft and warm. He exhaled heavily, running a hand through his already messy hair.

**************************************************

A few minutes later, Ranbir stepped into the large bungalow, his sharp eyes scanning the empty space around him. The house was quiet, except for the distant murmurs of a few servants doing their work.

Frowning, he called one of them over. "Wo kaha hai?"

The servant immediately understood who he was referring to and gestured toward the stairs. "Upar apne kamre me hai sahab. Aapko le chalun?"

Ranbir shook his head. "Nahi, main chala jaunga."

He didn’t need anyone to guide him. He had been here enough times to know every corner of this house. With long, steady strides, he made his way up the stairs, his mind already forming multiple scenarios.

As he approached the familiar room, he slowed his steps. The door was slightly ajar, and from inside, he could hear nothing but silence.

Before he could push the door, it swung open. He blinked, slightly taken aback.

And then, as expected, the person he had come to see walked out, shutting the door behind him without a word.

Instead of acknowledging his presence his friend walked past him as if he wasn’t even there, he simply descended the stairs, his steps measured and deliberate.

Ranbir frowned. "Ajeeb aadmi hai..." he muttered under his breath, watching him.

Ranbir followed him with his gaze, watching as he stopped near one of the female servants, murmured something in a low voice, and then walked off toward the living room.

By the time Ranbir reached downstairs, he found his friend seated on the sofa

Ranbir scoffed. "khud hi mujhe bula kr attitude dikha rha hai"

He didn’t get a response. The man in front of him simply leaned back against the sofa, drumming his fingers against the armrest.

Ranbir dropped onto the sofa across him, resting his elbows on his knees. But the moment he got a good look at his friend’s face, his entire body went still.

His eyes widened in shock.

This wasn’t normal. He wasn't normal.

His friend’s eyes were red, the dark circles beneath them making it obvious that he hadn’t slept in days. His hair was a complete mess, sticking out in every direction. He looked exhausted—completely drained. His handsome friend was not looking handsome at all.

Ranbir frowned. "Tu theek hai?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

There was no response. His friend just sat there, staring at nothing, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.

Ranbir leaned forward, his tone more serious this time. "Kya ho kya raha hai? Apni yeh kya halat bana rakhi hai tune?"

Still, no reply.

Ranbir had seen him angry, frustrated, even broken at times. But this? This was something else.

Before Ranbir could ask anything else, he noticed something unexpected—he smiled.

A small, almost peaceful smile.

Ranbir’s frown deepened. "Tu smile kyun kar raha hai?" he asked, confused.

His friend finally looked at him, his eyes still tired but holding a strange sense of calm. "Mujhe wo mil gayi Ranbir," he said softly.

Ranbir blinked. "Kaun?"

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he leaned back into the sofa, exhaling deeply, as if all the weight he had been carrying for days had finally lifted. "Jise main din-raat dhoond raha tha," he murmured. "Wo yahin hai, mere ghar mein, mere paas."

"Tu sach bol raha hai?" Ranbir asked.

His smile deepened slightly. "Bilkul."

Ranbir couldn’t help but smile, seeing his friend finally at peace. But that smile didn’t last long. His eyes narrowed slightly as he observed him closely once again. "Agar tu usse mil chuka hai, to phir bhi itna exhausted kyun lag raha hai?"

Before he could respond, a voice interrupted from behind.

"Kyunki ye do din se sab kuch tyag kar usi ke paas baitha hai."

Both of them immediately turned toward the source of the voice. Standing near the gate, one hand in his pocket with extremely strong aura, was Prem. His sharp gaze flickered between them before settling on the exhausted man sitting on the sofa.

Ranbir raised an eyebrow. "Prem bhai, yahan?"

Prem let out a small sigh as he walked towards them, shaking his head.

Ranbir turned back to his friend, who didn’t deny a single word. Instead, he just ran a hand through his messy hair and looked away.

Prem crossed his arms, his expression cold. "Teri halat dekhkar pata chal raha hai ki ab tak use hosh nahi aaya hai," he said.

Hearing that, the man sitting on the sofa lowered his head, saying nothing. His fingers curled into fists, resting on his knees.

Prem observed him silently. He knew his brother too well—better than anyone else. He could see the fear hidden behind his silence but was written all over his face.

"Tujhe darr lag raha hai na?" Prem’s voice softened, his sharp gaze now filled with understanding. "Agar hosh me aane ke baad wo tujhe chhod kar chali gayi to?"

He said nothing, but the way his jaw clenched told them everything.

Ranbir’s temper flared instantly. He shot up from his seat, his hands balling into fists as he glared at his friend.

“Tu aisa kaise kar sakta hai…" he shouted, his voice echoing through the room. "Sirf apne paas rakhne ke liye uski jaan ko jokhim mein daal raha hai? Tu itna selfish kabse ho gaya?”

His words hung heavy in the air.

The man sitting before him didn't react. He just sat there, staring at the floor, his face blank.

Prem sighed, rubbing his forehead. He had expected this reaction. "Ranbir—" he started, but Ranbir wasn’t done.

"Tu samajhta bhi hai kya kar raha hai?" Ranbir continued, his voice filled with frustration. "Agar use kuch ho gaya toh? Kya tujhe tab bhi yahi lagega ki use sirf apne paas rakhna zaroori tha”

This time, he looked up. His eyes, red from exhaustion, met Ranbir’s furious ones. "Mai use khone ka risk nahi le sakta." He said.

Ranbir ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident as he looked at the stubborn man sitting in front of him. Then, turning to Prem, he said, "Yeh ladka puri tarah pagal ho gaya hai bhai. Ise samjha lo, warna abhi uthake jail mein daal dunga ise."

Prem sighed, crossing his arms as he glanced between the two. "Ranbir, shaant ho ja," he said calmly, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

Prem pulled out his phone, his fingers moving swiftly over the screen. Within seconds, a notification popped up on the other man’s phone.

"Maine tujhe uski saari information bhej di hai, padh lena. Tab tak main use check karke aata hoon," Prem said, slipping his phone back into his pocket.

He pulled out his phone, his eyes narrowing as he scrolled through the message Prem had sent. It contained every detail about her—her full name, age, background, family details, and even medical history. His grip on the phone tightened.

"Meher..." he murmured under his breath as his gaze lingered on her name.

Meanwhile, Prem didn’t wait for any reaction. He simply turned his heel and headed upstairs toward the room where Meher was resting.

The man sitting there didn’t move, his eyes fixed on the screen. Line by line, he read through her information, trying to grasp everything about her.

His eyes moved slowly over each line, absorbing every little detail.

Meher Joshi
Height: 5'3"
Age: 22 years, Birth date: 06-06-2002
Education: Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Literature
Hobbies: Dancing, painting
Medical History: Had an accident at 16
Allergies: Peanuts, olives, mushrooms

There was more—so much more. Her family details, her close friend’s names, the school she attended, every small piece of information that made up her life. But the one thing that caught his attention, the one detail that truly shocked him, was at the very end.

She ran away from her wedding just few days ago.

His grip on the phone tightened, his jaw clenching slightly.

But it didn’t say why she ran away. There was no reason mentioned, no explanation.

Then, he remembered the day he met her on the flight.

Her hands had mehendi on them. Fresh mehendi.

It didn’t take him long to put the pieces together—she was running away from her wedding that day.

------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile…

Mrunal, Vanshika, Yashashvi, and Unnati were sitting in Domino’s, enjoying their food—well, almost all of them. One person clearly wasn’t having a good time. 

Mrunal sat there with a scrunched-up face, looking at the food in front of her like it had personally offended her.

"Pata nahi tum logon ko ye faltu cheezein kyun pasand hain," she muttered, poking her eyes at the pizza with clear disinterest.

Yashashvi raised an eyebrow. "Aur humein samajh nahi aata ki tumhe ye pasand kyun nahi hai."

Vanshika swallowed her bite, looked at the pizza slice in her hand with pure affection, and said dramatically, "How can someone unlove pizza? Use samaj se... nahi nahi, samaj nahi, duniya se bedakhal kar dena chahiye."

Mrunal rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. “Tum log seriously overacting ke bhi ustaad ho,” she muttered, stabbing her fork into the untouched pasta on her plate.

Yashashvi smirked, leaning back in her chair. “Ye toh sirf sach bol rhi hai.”

Vanshika, still staring at her pizza like it was the love of her life, dramatically sighed. “Pizza is not just food, it’s an emotion. Aur jo is emotion ko feel nahi kar sakta, wo insaan nahi hai.”

Unnati, who had been silently enjoying her garlic bread, finally joined in. “Tune kabhi try karne ki koshish bhi ki hai pure dil se?”

Mrunal scoffed. “Mere dil ko aur bhi important kaam hai.”

Yashashvi shook her head in fake disappointment. “Bechara pizza, tere chakhne ki tamanna liye reh jayega.”

Vanshika gasped, “Tragic story!” she declared, taking another dramatic bite.

They were casually chatting and teasing each other when suddenly, Mrunal’s phone buzzed with a notification. She tapped on the screen, but the moment she read the message, her entire body stiffened. Her eyes widened in shock, and without a word, she shot up from her seat.

The panic on her face was enough to make the others worry. Seeing her reaction, Yashashvi and Unnati immediately stood up as well.

"Kya hua?" Unnati asked, concerned.

Mrunal didn’t speak. Instead, she turned her phone around and held it up for them to see.

"Leo do din se ghar nahi aaya."

Vanshika, still seated, squinted at the screen and read the words out loud, each one slow and confused. "Leo... do din se... ghar nahi aaya? Who’s leo?"

She looked up, clearly not understanding why this was such a big deal, but the expressions on the other’s faces told a different story. Mrunal, Yashashvi, and Unnati had gone pale. A heavy silence settled over them, without another second of hesitation, they began grabbing their bags.

Vanshika, still clueless, stayed in her seat, blinking at them in confusion. "Arre iska matlab?" she asked, hoping someone would explain.

But no one answered. They were too focused on leaving. Before she could protest again, Unnati grabbed her hand and pulled her along with them.

"Arey! Mujhe koi kuch batata kyun nahi hai?" Vanshika huffed, stumbling after them. But just before stepping out, she quickly grabbed a slice of pizza from the table and stuffed it in her mouth. If she was going to be dragged into some mess, at least she wouldn’t go hungry.

As soon as they rushed out, two men sitting at a nearby table stood up and started following them.

Unnati, catching a glimpse of them in her peripheral vision, immediately understood—they were being watched. Keeping her expression neutral, she spoke loudly, making sure the men behind them could hear.

"Are, Leo Mrunal ka paaltu kutta hai jo do din se mil nahi raha"

Just then, Mrunal pulled up in the car, and they wasted no time getting in. As they drove off, Vanshika crossed her arms with a pout.

"Mrunal ke paas kutta hai? Mujhe kyun nahi pata? Tum log mujhe kuch nahi batate ho… katti"

Before she could speak any further, Unnati smacked the back of her head lightly. "Tu chup se baithi reh," she muttered before turning to Mrunal. "Ab kya kare?"

Mrunal gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Hame wahan jaana hoga. Use akela nahi chhodna chahiye tha."

Yashashvi frowned. "Par uske piche toh do bodyguards the na? Phir kaise?"

Vanshika, still not fully catching up, scoffed. "Kutte ke piche do bodyguards? Wow. Mera pe to aadha bhi nahi hai."

Vanshika’s comment was met with sharp glares from both Unnati and Yashashvi, making her immediately shut her mouth.

Mrunal didn’t respond to Vanshika’s comment. Her focus was on the road, her grip on the steering wheel tightening with every passing second.

Unnati, sitting in the passenger seat, kept glancing back through the rearview mirror. "ek car hame follow kr rhi hai," she said in a low voice.

Mrunal’s eyes darkened.

"Ab?" Yashashvi asked, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"Ab humein unse bachna hoga," Mrunal said, taking a sudden sharp turn, making Vanshika yelp.

"Bina warning diye drive mat kia kar" Vanshika snapped, clutching onto the seat for support.

"Bina warning ke hi toh sab kuch ho raha hai," Mrunal replied coldly, her eyes flicking to the rearview mirror. The car was still behind them, but the distance had increased.

After speeding for a good distance and taking multiple turns, she finally felt confident that they had lost the car tailing them.

Mrunal pulled over.

She exhaled deeply, gripping the steering wheel tightly before finally relaxing her hands.

"I think we lost them," she muttered, glancing at the rearview mirror one last time.

Unnati turned around in her seat, scanning the empty road behind them. "Haan, ab koi nahi dikh raha."

Yashashvi let out a breath of relief. "Thank God"

"Koi mujhe batayega ho kya raha hai? Hamara peecha kyun ho raha hai, ye to mujhe samajh aata hai, lekin ye kutta kahan se aa gaya beech me?" Vanshika said and looked at Mrunal, then at the others.

Yashashvi sighed, rubbing her temples. "Wo secret message tha shika…"

Vanshika blinked. "Secret message?"

Yashashvi nodded. "Uska asli matlab ye tha ki Meher do din se gayab hai."

A sudden silence filled the car. Vanshika’s eyes widened slightly as she processed what Yashashvi just said. Then, suddenly, she gasped. "Ek minute… Tum logo ko ye sab ek baar mein samajh aa gaya, lekin mujhe nahi? Iska matlab tum logo ne firse mujhse baat chupayi"

Hearing that, Unnati groaned and dramatically smacked her forehead.

Mrunal turned back and shot Vanshika a look. "Maine mana kiya tha batane ko….Koi problem hai tujhe?"

Vanshika gulped, immediately shaking her head. "Nahi... bilkul nahi," she muttered.

Mrunal turned back and pulled a second phone out of her purse. Without a word, she dialed a number and stepped out of the car to talk. The others exchanged glances but didn’t say anything—Mrunal always had a plan.

After a few minutes, she got back inside and shut the door. "Hume Indore jana hoga. Rajveer ne wahan se Mumbai ki tickets arrange kar di hain.” 

Mrunal started the car, her grip firm on the steering wheel as she drove onto the highway.

She looked at the three of them one by one and added. "Hame abhi bhi track kia ja sakta hai, Isliye apne phones gaadi se bahar fek do. Agar pakde gaye to kahani yahin khatam. "

Vanshika’s eyes widened in horror. "M-Mera iPhone? Abhi ek mahina bhi nahi hua hai ise" She clutched it protectively, looking at the others for support.

Unnati rolled her eyes. "Tere liye jaan pyaari hai ya iPhone?"

Vanshika looked at all of them, then at her phone, then back at them. With a defeated sigh, she mumbled a small "Sorry baby," and tossed it out of the car.

The three older girls exchanged satisfied nods. Vanshika was the youngest among them, and though they adored her, they made sure to keep her in line.

Two hours later, Mrunal was still driving while the other three girls had fallen into a deep sleep. Their peaceful rest was suddenly interrupted by the sharp screech of brakes.

Vanshika, whose head had slammed against the front seat, winced and rubbed her forehead. "Kya karti hai…..Aaram se chala na" she whined.

"Kabse jaga rahi hoon, tum log sunte kahan ho meri. Saare Kumbhkaran ki aulaadein ho." She quickly unlocked the car doors and ordered, "Jaldi se utro…Hamara peecha kiya ja raha hai"

"Kya?!" Yashashvi almost yelled, instantly wide awake. Unnati and Vanshika, still half-asleep, looked at each other in confusion before processing Mrunal’s words.

"Matlab?" Unnati asked, rubbing her eyes.

Mrunal huffed in frustration. "Matlab ye ki peeche wali car teen baar same turn le chuki hai jo maine liya. Aur jab maine speed badhayi to unhone bhi badhayi. Ab jaldi utro.. har baat detail me batao inko, mandbuddhi"

Vanshika, still holding her forehead, mumbled, "Peecha kyun kar rahe hain ye log? Humne unka tax nahi bhara kya?" guess she was still not in her senses.

Mrunal shot her a glare. "Shika, chup chap utar warna tujhe chhod ke bhaag jaynge"

The moment Mrunal said that, the sleep completely vanished from their eyes. Unnati and Yashashvi quickly unbuckled their seatbelts and got out, scanning their surroundings.

But Vanshika? Vanshika just sat there, blinking. "bhaagna hai?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

Mrunal rolled her eyes. "Nahi Vanshika, yoga karna hai yahan road pe"

Unnati smacked her arm. "Paagal ladki… Jaldi kar."

Just then, the distant sound of a car approaching at high speed made them freeze.

"Ab kya kare?" Yashashvi whispered.

Mrunal looked around quickly, scanning the area. It was a deserted road with trees on both sides. A little further down, she spotted a small, broken fence leading into a dense wooded area.

"Wahan chalo," she pointed, and without wasting any time, all four of them ran towards the fence.

And just like that, four girls, one with half-asleep brains took off, running from the men following them.

Breathing heavily, they finally reached the edge of another road, their hands still tightly clasped so they wouldn’t get separated. The sun had almost set, casting a dim golden glow.

Their chests rose and fell rapidly, but they didn’t have the luxury to rest.

Mrunal, without wasting a second, stepped closer to the road and started waving at passing vehicles, trying to get a lift.

"Koi toh ruko yaar" she muttered in frustration as car after car zoomed past without stopping.

Unnati wiped the sweat off her forehead. "Log itne be-insaan kyun hote hain? Koi lift v ni de sakta kya char sundar ladkiyon ko."

Vanshika, meanwhile, was bent over, trying to catch her breath. "Itni bhaag daud toh maine kabhi PT class me bhi nahi ki."

Just then, a truck slowed down a little, and Mrunal instantly stepped forward, waving both her hands. "Bhaiya please lift mil sakti hai?"

The driver, a bulky man with a thick mustache, looked at them suspiciously. "Kahan jaana hai?"

Before Mrunal could answer, Vanshika, still panting, blurted out, "Jahan bhi le jaoge."

Yashashvi and Unnati both turned to her in horror. "Oye pagal.. Aise kaun bolta hai?"

The driver raised an eyebrow. "Tum log bhaag kyun rahe ho?"

Mrunal forced a smile. "Bhag thodi rhe, koi nhi bhag rha bas chalte chalte thak gye. Hamari gaadi kharab ho rhi na."

The driver thought for a moment, then nodded. "Theek hai, chalo, piche baith jao."

The four girls exchanged glances before quickly climbing onto the back of the truck. As soon as they were inside, Vanshika sighed dramatically. "Finally..Ab main shanti se mar sakti hoon."

Mrunal rolled her eyes. "Agar zyada bola na toh mai truck se fenk dungi."

Unnati laughed.