Chapter 1
Since nearly everyone in the Bhalla residence had gone to a distant relative's house for a weekend stay, Ishita and Raman would be home alone the entire weekend - a whole weekend full of constant bickering and no escape in the form of interruptions from family members.
It was now late evening and Ishita was locking up the clinic, ready to head home. She made her way towards her car thinking of the impending weekend.
"Aiyyo Murgan, this Ravan Kumar will for sure kill me with his non-stop taunts. By the time the family members come back he'd probably have me spread out on the table in the form of non-veg dishes."
So lost in these thoughts was she that she didn't notice the presence of the leering pair of men standing behind her until someone slammed the door of her car shut.
Ishita quickly retracted her hand away from the man's very close form to see another, but shorter, man standing beside her. They both reeked of alcohol.
"Hello, beautiful," one of them slurred. "Out so late at night? Don't you know that girls from a respectable family shouldn't leave their homes and that too alone?"
Ishita inwardly cringed at his chauvinistic thoughts. His hand came closer to her chest, and she instinctively swatted it away.
"Get away from me; I'm not the kind of woman who'll submit to your desires."
She tried again to open her car door but was pulled back by the shorter man, who merely laughed at her threat.
"That's okay darling, I have a wife at home who readily fulfils my desires, but you see, I have other desires that aren't of the physical kind and so I need money. Take your jewellery off."
In a hurry to get away from the two men and suddenly afraid they would just tear her jewellery off themselves she raised her hands to quickly unfasten her necklace. At their gasp, she realised her mistake. The pair's eyes fell immediately on the huge diamond ring that Raman had recently gifted her, even if it was on Ruhi's insistence. It was a piece dear to her heart - she looked down at it and saw the hands holding a heart shaped blue diamond and recalled how Raman was blushing crimson while slipping it on her finger.
The taller man sucked in a breath as his hand grabbed Ishita's left one.
Ishita's chest tightened with dread - she was willing to give them all her money and jewellery, except this ring. It was too precious for her. Knowing what a large risk she was about to take and remembering the self-defence classes she had attended with Mihika a year ago, she suddenly swung her bag back using her free right hand and then aimed it straight for the crotch of the taller man. He cried in pain, dropping her hand and giving her the chance to escape. She ran forwards but was stopped by the painful tug on her hair, she felt herself being pulled back only to slam against the body of the shorter man. His arms went around her midsection, trapping her own arms in his hold.
The other man then came over to her, still groaning, and sent a fist straight into her chest, causing the breath to whoosh out of Ishita's lungs only to be replaced by an unbearable pain.
Not being one to be stopped by pain Ishita continued to fight for an escape. Still in the grip of the shorter man, she used his body as leverage to push up both her feet and ignoring the sting in her stomach she placed her feet on the chest of the taller man, applying enough force to send him sprawling.
She then jerked her head back and slammed it against the nose of her captor, his left arm left her body as he brought his hand up to cup his nose, screaming in pain. But the other arm was still around her, so she brought the ball of her foot forward and quickly swung it back aiming for his shin. His hold loosened completely as he stumbled a few steps back.
Ishita crouched down and picked up a rock to throw at them, but before she could aim it in their direction she felt a hand shoving her from behind and she fell forwards. The momentum of the push flung her against the floor which she first caught with her right hand that immediately twisted, sending a jolt of pain along her wrist. When her head met the ledge of the nearby bench her vision became blurry and she lost consciousness immediately.
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It had been an hour since Raman arrived home and still there was no sign of Ishita. He had bombarded her phone with many calls that were missed. He was now becoming impatient, but more than that he was worried.
Raman was just heading out of the door when Ishita finally picked up his call.
"Ishita, where are you?! Do you know how long I've been- "
"May I know who is speaking please?"
Raman halted in his steps at the sound of the unfamiliar voice; he took the phone away from his ear and looked at the screen to see if it was in fact Ishita's number he had dialled. Once he gained confirmation on seeing Ishita's name, he put the phone back to his ear with dread settling in his heart.
"Where is Ishita? And who are you?"
"Dekhiye, I am Inspector Bhardwaaj. This phone was ringing in the purse of the woman we have just admitted in the hospital and I answered. Now may I know your relation to the woman whose phone I am holding?"
On hearing the word hospital Raman's grip on his phone tightened.
"Hospital? I... I... I'm her husband. What hospital is my wife in? Tell me what happened to her."
Still speaking on the phone Raman rushed down the stairs, slipping in a few places and ran to his car.
"City Hospital- "
Needing to hear only that, Raman threw the phone in the passenger seat of the car and sped towards the hospital. On reaching there he jumped out of a still running car and slammed the doors open, rushing to the reception desk.
"My... My wife... She's in this hospital. Where is she?"
Raman felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to look at the body attached to it. He saw a police inspector with the nametag of Bhardwaaj.
"You- I was the one talking to you on the phone a while ago. You told me my wife is here, where is she goddamit! Take me to her."
The inspector led Raman to Ishita's room while telling Raman what had happened.
"We had received a phone call a while ago about some woman being harassed outside the dental clinic. When we reached there your wife was lying unconscious with two men taking her jewellery off. They are both behind bars and the stolen goods are also with us."
Raman's fists clenched in anger as the inspector continued to speak.
"Your wife has been treated and is currently taking rest. The impact on her head hasn't given your wife a concussion but the doctor's would like her to stay a night to keep her under observation. Apart from that she suffers from a fractured wrist and couple of bruised ribs."
They had by now reached Ishita's room. Without further delay Raman pushed the door open and ran to Ishita's bed, not registering the nurse attending to her as his eyes saw only his battered wife.
Ishita looked up at the sound of the door slamming against the wall and found herself pressed against the warm body of her husband; her injured arm that was now wrapped in a sling bore the brunt of the unexpected hug. As protected as she felt in his arms, she shrieked in pain as her midsection and wrist protested at the sudden move.
Raman gasped and let her go immediately. He sat on the bed beside her and held her bruised face in his hands.
"Ishita, are you okay?"
"I was fine until you touched me!" Ishita snapped at him as she shifted to find a position comfortable to lessen the pain. Talking hurt her more, so she just shut up and smiled at him in reassurance. Although she was rattled inside, she knew it would not do any good to worry her husband more than he already looked.
Raman looked at the smiling Ishita and shook his head in disbelief.
"Why are you smiling? And what was the need for you to travel so late in the night on your own. Do you ever use this brain that God has given you? Could you not have called me to come get you!"
Raman started ranting off in a voice strained with fury. Ishita had closed her eyes the second she saw the fury replacing the worry on his face. She didn't dare open them knowing she'd cry if she saw his face. Ishita shifted in discomfort and realised her mistake too late. She groaned in pain at the movement of her sore muscles.
The nurse, who had remained silent until now, witnessed the pain on Ishita's face and spoke up.
"Sir, you are causing her distress, maybe you should leave her to- "
"I am not leaving her!"
Ishita and the nurse both jumped at the thunderous voice resonating throughout the room. Raman continued staring at Ishita, scared that if he took his eyes off her she'd disappear. Ishita bit her lip to keep herself from crying at the unmasked care visible in his eyes.
The nurse quietly left the room.
Raman restrained the anger in his voice and attempted to gentle his tone.
"Ishita."
He looked at her with eyes full of worry.
Noticing the change in both Raman's expression and voice, Ishita released her lips that were now slightly swollen from the nibbling she had been doing and placed her hand on top of his.
"Yeah?"
"I was so scared."
His whispered confession broke her heart and she finally let loose the tears she had been holding back. Not caring how much pain she'd get from moving she slammed her body against Raman's. Her good arm went around his neck and she buried her face into his shoulder, her body shaking with uncontrolled sobs.
Raman wrapped his arms around her; putting one hand on her head, he stroked her hair and let her release all her fears and anger from the past hour.
Next Part: Raman helps Ishita shower.
Don't forget to like and comment 😳 Edited by Arooj.M - 11 years ago
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