CHAPTER 2

He pushed the break as forcefully as he can, the car came to the halt making him have a jerk, and as he was wearing a seatbelt so he was prevented from banging his head onto the steering wheels. Within a second after the car stopped he came out of it panting. His eyes were redshot filled with unnumerous tears, his every body part was shivering. He was scared. Siddhant Bhardwaj was scared after he noticed the missed calls from every member of his family. He has a meeting this evening which was quite important to attend so he moved to the conference room, unfortunately, leaving his mobile behind in the cabin. When he came back he found his mobile was swamped with several missed calls and voice messages. He was confused at first thinking what might have happened when found nothing he opened the last voice message he received from Prem.

"Siddhant, where you are, why you are not responding... Know what police came and confirmed that it was Shourya only who was attacking Roli and today Roli... She is missing Siddhant, and Shourya is with her... Roli is in danger, your Roli is in danger please come soon... We all are going to search..."

As soon Prem's words reached his ears he went numb, only one thing was ringing in his ears 'your Roli is in danger', tears started to roll down his eyes he felt his head heavy, grabbing the glass full of water present at his table he gulped it down so quick just to calm himself. His heart was beating so high and his mind was trying to reason himself that nothing will happen to her that his Roli will be fine. He glanced at his mobile again with a thought that maybe he is in any nightmare and a smile crept on his lips when he saw two messages from Roli...

"Roli's messages, see I knew nothing will happen to her"

Siddhant chuckled thinking about prem's message " if Roli was in danger then how would she message me, stupid Prem "

Siddhant opened the first one which Roli had sent to him 

______________

I'm going to meet a person, Dinesh. He is gonna provide me proof against Shourya, and I am going alone, will share the location soon.

______________

Siddhant's body shivered in fear reading it, reality started to sink In, he then looks at the time that message was delivered and it was almost 3 hrs ago and from prem, it was half an hour ago which means Roli is missing in real and top of that Shourya is with her.

Just as he realized he left the office like a storm and reached the location which Roli has shared.

Standing outside the car he prayed umpteenth time from God to keep his Roli safe. Praying for the last time he moved his eyes here and there to look after and it didn't take him a minute to reach the spot, he found Shourya in the clutches of the police and a dead body lying there, his whole family was there but where is she? 

"Keep the hold, nothing will happen to you"

Simar's voice falls in his ear confusing him, he couldn't comprehend to whom she was subjecting.

His foot on their own accord moved towards the edge while his eyes were roaming in a direction trying to have a glimpse of Roli, his heart was pacing on another rhythm depicting his fear of what if? Whereas his mind was chanting "She's fine, she's fine" 

His thought was put on hold after he heard Shourya "Roli will have to die today, no one can save her" 

Siddhant froze at his place, his fists were curled up tightly in anger, his blood was boiling hearing him say those words about his Roli, how can he say that... The anger was bubbling up inside him but he couldn't do anything even when he desperately wanted to just punch Shourya's face numerous times. Before he kills Shourya he needs to find Roli, where is she? And now everything suddenly started to fall in its place. His heart his mind his everything knew that Roli is in danger... Cause he can't see her in front of him, she isn't here, the confidence in Shourya's voice breaks his hope... That was the moment he could conclude whom Simar was Referring to... That might be Roli on the other side... DOWN THE CLIFF...

As the realization dawned he felt himself so weak to even stand there, he couldn't move further from that place to see the reality, he can't... He can't see her there it will kill him surely... But he has to save her anyhow... He took several breaths to calm his nerves and took a step ahead but got the jerk hearing his family's shout " Roliiiii"

This scared him like hell, his heart was praying that no nothing has happened everything is fine she is fine he will save her he will definitely save her but hearing the shout his feet got the speed and reached the edge only to see her going away down and then disappeared into the trenches.

Silence lingers in the place everyone was silently watching down the place where Roli was a few minutes before but not now.

"That's not Roli right"

Siddhant asked breaking the silence, it was when everyone noticed his presence. They looked up at his face which was devoid of any emotion. They knew that he too knows it was her, it is written all over his pale face that She was his Roli who had just gone down but he doesn't want to believe. Everyone breaks into tears seeing him and the belief he was still trying to hold. No one knew what to say, what to do, their mind was blank.

"She was Roli only," Says the police inspector after he too came to look at what has happened and not finding Roli there anymore he could say she has fallen down, he dialed a number to call for a search team...

All these made Siddhant dead, he couldn't feel himself alive anymore, he was suffocating, he is still unable to believe that he can't save her... He failed, he failed to save his Roli... She went down and he couldn't do anything... 

Siddhant became frantic, he blabbers "No, this can't happen, She can't leave me, I can't let her go... She is ok, she is surely ok, I know she is ok... I will find her, I'll bring her back ok... don't worry, you all go home and wait for us, we will be back... I will bring my Roli back... I'm going to find her... She is all ok nothing has happened to her, She is just hiding somewhere and I will find her out"

This from Siddhant made everyone stare at him in fear, He is broken they knew, He is scared they knew, he wants to cry aloud they knew, but He didn't let even a drop of tear fall from his eyes, he didn't cry not even once, his face was showing as if nothing has happened as if everything is fine...Prem moves forward to hug his brother and he says "Siddhant please calm down first"

" No Prem, I can't, I have to find her" Siddhant broke the hug, and before anyone could say anything he moved down to the way Roli had slid in search of her, his wife.

Everyone was first startled on his move but then men followed him behind including a few policemen. Hours passed but there was no sign of Roli, all were losing hope slowly except Siddhant, He didn't want to believe anyone who would try to say Roli won't be found, He has his own beliefs that his Roli is safe and he didn't want anyone to oppose.

After rummaging the forest finally his eyes falls on her, she was there lying, her eyes were closed. Her body was stuck into the heavy bushes. The moment he saw her body he let the tears fall down his eyes...

"See, I told you all nothing has happened to her" Siddhant says happily pointing his finger towards Roli.

All eyes went in the direction where her body was, her eyes were closed, there wasn't any movement in her, everyone was scared thinking what if she is dead, they looked at each other with same thoughts whereas Siddhant was standing just looking at his life there, sleeping.

He moved to her very slowly, carefully, and smoothly took her head in his lap, he caressed her head and others were watching silently holding their breath praying their fear should not come true...

Siddhant joined his forehead with hers then cooed "I'm sorry, sorry Roli, I came late... If I was earlier then could have saved you before, I'm sorry"

He pulled her more nearer to himself and hugged her tight with the thought of not letting her go away again, on its motion his hand reached over her heart and he cried so loud after he felt it beating but slowly... He presses his hand more into her feeling her heartbeat simultaneously he nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck feeling her very weak pulses, his happiness has no bound feeling her alive in his arms, he whispers "She is alive"

As the sentence left his mouth everyone left the breath they were holding and finally made a move towards Roli with relief on their faces.

Roli is being treated in the best hospital in Delhi, Everyone was outside some were standing some were sitting lost in their own thoughts... Siddhant was standing near the door silently...

After a few minutes, the silence was broken by Simar "From starting she was saying its Shourya, but none believed and let him stay inside, don't know what all he might have done to her, and every one of you supported him... In Whatever state Roli is in today, it's because of all of you, all of you " she said then left the place.

They heard her and felt yeah she was right, it was their mistake not to believe Roli and the most broken in them was Siddhant.

Siddhant felt suffocated, his throat blocked as he remembered how every time Roli used to say Shourya with a hope that he will believe her but he didn't... He can now feel how vulnerable she felt when he didn't support her...

He was lost deep into the thoughts... He remembered the day when everyone was asking her to apologize to Shourya but she wasn't ready because she knew she was right and she was standing firmly on her point until he steps in and now he can understand why she immediately apologizes not letting him complete his words... Now he understood that she was hoping for him to stand for her and when he didn't she accepted her defeat soon after... 

Fresh tears found their way down his cheeks, his body started shivering as his mind continuously reminded him of all the mistakes that he did... He left her alone at every moment when she needed him the most, He left her that night when that man misbehaved with her and now he knew it was Shourya, He can now feel how scared she might be seeing Shourya in front of her and she can't do anything because everybody was supporting him even her husband...

Something pricks so hard in his chest when he remembered how he tried to calm her saying Shourya is there to save her... He can't even imagine what she might have felt when her husband is appointing that person to save her who is the root cause of all her fear.

His head started spinning recalling the day when Shourya has threatened her in the forest, that moment was fresh in front of his eyes, he was reliving the moment, and his heart pained recollecting Roli's face how pale it was due to fear and weaknesses and when she took his name and what he did... He simply denied it without even thinking once... How she might have felt and over that he had forced her to not take Shourya's name in front of the police... He was protecting that man who was causing damage to his wife, as every time she came to him with a hope that her Siddhant Ji will protect her but what he did ... Nothing ... When he should have made the whole city upside down to get that person punished for hurting her he made her shut and simply ordered her to live with that man who is the reason behind her tears and sleepless nights. She kept shouting his name but he didn't believe her instead he believed that criminal over his wife... He failed to protect her, he failed to keep up his promise, he failed to believe her, he failed his wife.

As these thoughts started to cloud around his mind he started losing his strength to even stand, the realization of all the blunders he had committed were hitting on his head so hard making it painful to even breathe, and soon in no time, he passes out...

"Siddhant" They shouted and reached him, tried to make him wake up but he didn't his temperature went so high. Doctors took Siddhant to another room and gave him an injection stating that he is so stressed that's why.

A few hours later, Siddhant slightly opened his eyes, it took him a while to understand where he is. He was still burning, tears weren't stopping he was cursing himself for behaving so negligently, he is still unable to believe that he had done it real, he had neglected his wife when she needed his attention the most. And Simar was right it's him who is the reason Roli is in this state today... As he thinks about it her name slips out of his mouth "Roli"

Rajendra who was sitting by him looked at his son and whispered caressing his head "Siddhant, you woke up beta"

"Roli"

That was the only word that was coming out of his mouth every time he says anything...

"She's fine beta" Rajendra answered knowing his desperation to know about his wife

"I... I...  Papa... I... I want to see her" 

"Siddhant you are not ok" He replied with a concerned voice feeling Sid's burning body under his palm

"No, I want to go, please" Siddhant pleased crying bitterly, how he is it doesn't matter to him, whatever matters is he want to see her... He doesn't know since when he is been sleeping and what all has happened in between but when now he is awake then the only thing which he wanted to do is to see her, to talk to her, to apologize to her for all the mistakes he has done, he doesn't know if Roli will forgive him or not but he wants to apologize today and that too now...

Siddhant entered Roli's ward with his father's help, Rajendra made him sit beside Roli on the stool and then left both of them alone after Siddhant's eyes conveyed the same...

He held Roli's hand and kept it between his burning one, she was a little cold compared to him. He removed the ringlets which were falling on her face, he stared at her face for a few minutes until his eyes closed on their own when it flashes the scene of Roli being scared in the nights and chanting to save her from Shourya but he denied... 

"I'm sorry" He whispered then slowly without giving much pressure he kept his head over her chest just above her heart and cried aloud until his tears dried and in between, he kept mumbling several sorry without minding if she is hearing him or not...

After hours of sleeping under sedatives, Roli finally opened her eyes slowly feeling some weight on her chest, her eyeballs darted to and fro in confusion taking a little while to adjust her eye she finally looks down and found his head over her and it was shaking... Concentrating a little more she heard his sobs, he was crying still.

She whimpered in pain when she tried to move her hand, hearing her voice Sid sat up hurriedly and looked at her face, she was awake. Roli too glanced at his face, it was all red due to long crying with puffy eyes from which tears were still leaking out. She doesn't show any reaction seeing him, to be precise she doesn't know how to feel... To be happy that he is here in front of her when she honestly wanted to see this face for long or should she be sad that he didn't come there or should she be angry with him, that she doesn't know but one thing what she knows is she is hurt, deeply, by the thought that her Siddhant Ji never believed her. 

Siddhant kept looking into her eyes which showed the blankness towards him, he have lots of things to say, to do but didn't find the courage to voice it out. He too didn't know what should he do, he is trying to read her to know what is she expecting from him but to his dismay, he can't conclude, he didn't know if she is angry with him or sad... He didn't know from where to start.

Taking a lot of strength whatever he has he finally told "I'm sorry please forgive me"

Roli stared at him in silence, the words made her remember all the incidents which have caused her to be here, she sums up her energy then asks "for what?"

He looked into her eyes again, he shuddered seeing how hurt she is still he said "for everything"

"Everything as in?"

"Roli I know you are angry with me..."

"Hurt... I'm hurt Siddhant Ji, by you" She spoke and started crying while Siddhant sat numbly at his place he knew she is right he has hurt her he has broken her trust, she had believed him that every time with her safety but he failed in it miserably and he didn't know how to undo it...

"Why didn't you believe me, at least once"

"I'm...."

"Ahh" Roli held her head which started to ache due to the stress and crying, Siddhant got panicked seeing her in pain he swiftly stood up and reached to hold her head but before he touches she removed his hands and then he stood there silently all broken by the denial from her.

The nurse who came inside to check upon her saw her in pain and giving the pain killer she made Roli sleep again, she left the room, and Siddhant collapsed on the floor dejected.

A few days later, Roli got discharged, Simar helped her to walk through her room. In all those periods Roli ignored every other people especially Siddhant, She isn't yet ready to forgive them for not believing her, only if they had believed her even once then this might not have happened, She can see how broken Siddhant is from her ignorance, she noticed him dying several deaths when she asked the nurse to feed her and not him. That softens her a little bit but the nightmares she still has isn't allowing her to forgive him. She knew that Shourya is in jail and won't be here, she knew that everyone will believe her now and will protect her from Shourya but still she can't deny that she is scared to trust them... She is scared to let them know of the fears she still has due to all that has happened, she doesn't know how will they react to it what if they don't believe her on it then... The belief she used to have on her family on her husband is now faded and until they rebuilt it she can't forgive, she doesn't know how that will happen, or will it ever happen or not, and before that she doesn't want to forgive anyone or be precise she can't... How can she forget the things she has gone through, it wasn't easy for her to stand alone against that man knowing her own husband is supporting him.....

Roli was resting in the afternoon when Siddhant entered the room with a food plate, he sat beside her gaining her attention, she looked in his direction than on a plate and again arched back to her position closing her eyes.

"Food Roli" He slightly whispered, his voice was shaking in fear, fear of denial... He prayed within that Roli should allow him to feed at least today her hand is still not so ok that she can feed by herself when she was in hospital she didn't let him help her in any means, and in home, he was expecting her to allow at least for this...

"Call didi" She replied breaking his heart 

He truly felt like crying seeing her ignoring but holding onto it he said "Simar is busy "

"Then I'll eat later"

Tears left his eyes, he wiped them off then begged her "please, Roli... Please don't avoid me like that, please let me help you, give me a chance Roli, I know I have done mistakes and I want to rectify all trust me Roli"

Roli chuckles sarcastically hearing the word 'trust' which she surely doesn't have for now. Siddhant sadly watched at her and tears again started to roll down not only his from her eyes too...

"It's time for your meds let's not delay it" He spoke mustering up his voice which was choking...

"Better appoint a home nurse..."

"ENOUGH" He shouted raising his voice making her flinch, keeping the plate aside he held her hand then breaks down, keeping his head in her lap "enough Roli, please enough... I can't take it anymore, please Roli I'm sorry, please forgive me... I can't bear this punishment anymore, you shout at me, slap me as much as you want but please don't avoid me like this, it's killing me Roli it's killing me every minute... Please forgive me, give me a chance Roli, give me a chance"

Roli didn't say anything just sat silently watching him crying in her lap begging for forgiveness, she too wants to forgive him but something is stopping her, She can't forget how he stood against her without believing her and that's what scared her, what if again something happens then whom would he support, her or others like this time.

Crying for a while when he didn't get any response from her, he sat up with disappointment in his eyes, he again took a plate, made a morsel, and forwarded it to her, she didn't say anything but opened her mouth accepting it. Siddhant smiled and cried both altogether seeing her eating from his hand but still had not forgiven him...

Roli was perfectly fine but she haven't started talking to anyone, spending some time with Simar she was back in her room but was astonished seeing it decorated with flowers and candles if it was some other day then she might have been jumping in happiness but not today... She entered inside, Siddhant closed the door and then came in front of her, he sat upon his knees then spoke so gently and softly...

"I know Roli I have made grave mistakes in past days I am very sorry about it  and I swear I am truly repenting it from my heart, I want to correct all the mistakes if you would give me a chance, I know I should have believed you but from today onwards I promise you that I would never disappoint you on this second chance please believe me"

"You want me to believe you? " She asked and he nodded vigorously, his eyes twinkle in new hope and a little smile crept on his lips but soon it wiped out hearing her words "what have you done so that I should believe you" She roamed her head in all direction then continues "decorated the room with flowers, candles and now sitting on your knees telling me some words and asking me to believe you, just answer me, Siddhant Ji if a few days ago I had done the same, decorated the room, sitting on my knee using my sweetest tone had told you that Shourya is the culprit then say would you have believed me?"

Siddhant was dumbfounded by her words, he didn't have an answer to it, he hangs his head down in shame and tears falls through his eyes knowing he had totally broken the trust she had in him... Roli switches on the light making the room bright and moved away from him who was sitting on the floor defeated... She moved to the cupboard and took out her suitcase and started filling it up with her clothes, she looked at Siddhant and his shaking shoulders told her that he is crying even she was crying silently seeing how strained their relationship has become...

Packing her bag when she wheeled it from his front he raised his head seeing her leaving and panicked, he stood up swiftly then holds her hand asking "where are you going?"

Tears were still cascading down both of their cheeks, Roli raised her head then replied "why should I tell you, what is the use when nothing matters to you"

"It... It matters to me Roli"

"Oh really then where were you that day, even though you weren't believing in me, you weren't talking to me still I shared with you the location, I told you the purpose, I told only to you because you were my husband I felt my husband has all the right to know what I am doing, I knew that whatever I'm going to do is risky but sharing it with you made me feel a peace thinking you know where I am so you will come but you didn't, I was not expecting you to support me but at least, you might have come to stop me right but you didn't, I was expecting to see you there" Roli broke down completely remembering that day same was his state too.   

"I'm sorry Roli mobile wasn't with me so I didn't know and when I saw it till then it was too late I already has many missed calls from everyone and after listening to Prem's message I ran to reach there but you were already...." He breaks down and collapsed on the floor recalling the moment when he saw Roli sliding down... He then hugs Roli's legs and cries uncontrollably begging for forgiveness "forgive me please, don't leave me Roli, don't go leaving me, I'll die without you"

Both were crying venting out their pain, after a while, Roli wiped out her tears then asked "If you haven't got any information from home, and would have seen my message first then would you have come to me or not "

Siddhant stopped crying and looked at her face who was waiting for the answer, little later he just hangs his head down in silence because he knew if she would have asked his permission then he definitely would have stopped her from going there and also scolded her for again interfering in Shourya matter.

Roli knew the answer from his silence, she moved from that place and took her suitcase then moved to the door but stopped hearing his feeble voice "at least tell me where are you going, please"

"Vrindavan" 

She answered without turning back and he couldn't do anything other than just crying looking at his wife leaving him and he doesn't know if it was temporary or forever...