Chapter 21: Chapter 21

"When you came, you were like red wine and honey, and the taste of you burnt my mouth with its sweetness".

Dhruv was busy gulping down the bottle of red wine, sitting on the stool in his private room where many exotic and fine wines were placed neatly. He was trying to gulp down all the pain, loneliness, and guilt which was building inside him with every sip of his red wine. He was agonizing, being pained, and shattered in the worst ways.

"Why were you making out with that man Ayushi? Why? I loved you like a mad man, but still, you cheated behind my back, why? Wasn't I enough for you? Tell me? I should've listened to Chandani, girls like you are not meant to be loved at all, you broke my heart," Dhruv was slurring out in dismay, sipping the fourth bottle of his exotic red wine.

Chandani was busy enjoying the scene she was seeing in front of her. She was loving the agony in which Dhruv was in, it soothed her heart seeing him this much pained and agonized.

She smiled smugly and recalled the shrewd conspiracy that she had created against Dhruv and Ayushi. She knew that they had had sex one night, as her camera had shown her everything. And she was over the moon because she knew the stronger their love would get, the more painful it'd be for them after their separation. Everything worked in her way, the way she had wanted it to be.

She had every technology under her reach. The best of digital animation designers and techies were under her control. The video of Ayushi and Dhruv making out in their bedroom was taken and then, with a hell lot of digital manipulation and morphing, a new video was created where a very different man than Dhruv was making out with Ayushi who was wearing something very clingy and seductive which she had never worn. The video looked so real and authentic that Dhruv didn't get that it was him who had been making out with her on that day. Chandani had played so well, she was so cunning and manipulative, that she achieved what she wanted without an ounce of doubt by Dhruv on her.

She did this because she knew that it was time to separate both Ayushi and Dhruv from each other as she got to know that Ayushi was pregnant. She needed to execute her last plan for the destruction of Rajputs and she did that. Separating the unborn baby of Ayushi from Dhruv Singh Rajput, just like how Dhruv's father had separated her father from her even when she wasn't born.

"Karma is a bitch and it's your and your father's Karma that brought you here today, Dhruv. I still remember how sad and pained I used to be in my childhood just because of you and your family. Now, you'll feel the pain that I felt. You'll realize my father's pain is how painful and tormenting it is to be away from your unborn child. And your grief will eventually make your father grief too along with you. You all will suffer," she started laughing like a maniac and manoeuvred her way towards the drunk Dhruv who was crying like a mad man, cursing his wife for cheating on him.

"Goodbye Dhruv," she whispered against his ears and was going to leave when Dhruv held her hands and stopped her.

"Please don't go. I'll be alone otherwise," he spoke in a broken tone and Chandani's smile grew wider.

"That's what I want," she replied cunningly and that immediately got Dhruv's attention. He looked at her in shock. His all insobriety was gone.

"What do you mean?" Dhruv asked her in a perplexed tone.

"What I mean is, that I was with you for a reason. And now my goal is accomplished. I always hated you Dhruv and I still hate you," she was busy blowing air on her recently painted nails when she felt a sudden pain on her hair and saw that Dhruv was holding her hair in a tight grip.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked her harshly, gritting his teeth because this was the first time when Chandani was speaking like this and Dhruv didn't like a word that she said.

"It only means that I was with you to only destroy you and your lovely life with your wife, and I succeeded in that. And don't you dare touch me, I'm not that stupid Ayushi who will tolerate a pig, an abuser like you, leave my hair and let me go," she tried to free his hand away from her hair but it tightened only because Dhruv was infuriated now, his eyes were red and his jaw clenched.

"You know I was the one who was behind all the violence you did on your wife, Dhruv. I was the one who manipulated you, drugged you so that you can hurt your wife brutally and you did that. You hurt her, bruised her, hit her like a beast does, like the way I wanted you to. And you know why I did all this? Well, let it be a secret only."

"The video which I showed you today was morphed, it was the video of you and your sweet Ayushi making out in your room, but alas, you threw her out like that. And you know what's the biggest catch over here? She was pregnant with your child, yes, your child," Chandani started laughing out loudly in a crazy way and Dhruv stood there rooted at his place, his mouth closed with his heart throbbing so loud and fast. He was feeling like he was facing his end now like it was the last breath that he was taking now like he was drowned in a deep-sea with no oxygen in it like he had lost his life. Never had he felt this much agonized, pained, suffered, and remorseful.

"It has been nearly five hours since she had been kicked out of this house, might she left for somewhere else or who knows, might be raped by some group of men? Don't you think?" she spitted out in a venomous tone and Dhruv was scared, terrorized, and terrified now, fearing what Ayushi must be going through.

Chandani just smiled in victory seeing him in this tormented state and was going to leave that house when Dhruv held her hand tightly in his and slapped her right across her cheek.

"How dare you play all these with me and my wife! How dare you! I'll not leave you, bitch," he was going to hit her on her face again when he felt a knife cutting across his left arm. It was Chandani who pierced that knife through his arm. He hissed in pain and fell on the ground, his alcohol inside him was making him lose his consciousness more along with the sudden cut on his arm from where the gush of blood was coming out now like water from a river.

"The time is with us now, you dog. You and your whole family's downfall has come. You all will repent and cry out in regret that why you took such a step against Thakurs," she kicked Dhruv in his stomach and was going to rush out of the house when again Dhruv held her feet in his hand and pulled her down.

He immediately called his security team inside the house and instructed them to get hold of her, but before they could touch her, Chandani's dogs aka her men came dressed in black suits, and there started the fight between Dhruv and Chandani's men. But Dhruv's very personal bodyguard, Udai Singh covertly took him out of the house as his arm was bleeding so profusely and he was falling unconscious, the alcohol inside him and the slit was making him feel drowsy and sleepy. Chandani's few men tried to stop them, but Udai was a powerful man who had the power of many men altogether. He took out their best SUV and raced it towards the hospital which was owned by none other than Dhruv himself, his other side businesses.

"Sir, I was always sceptical about that girl whom you used to meet so secretly. I never liked her, but as your bodyguard, I didn't have a right to say anything. And now see where we are now. Ayushi Ma'am has left you and I know only that girl would be behind that. I don't know why she did that but she did a very terrible thing," Udai was speaking all this to the partially awake Dhruv who was busy slurring out some incoherent words. After twenty minutes of their drive, they finally reached the hospital, and Dhruv was immediately rushed towards the VIP area where he was admitted and very soon his arm was being operated on.

Udai was the only one who was there with Dhruv, but he was enough for protecting his master and safeguarding him. But even he was worried now, about his other co-workers who were there in the bungalow, in God knows which state.

"Udai, we were not able to capture them. They outnumbered us. Eight of us are badly injured and two of us are no more with us," a guard informed him in a worried tone and Udai just closed his eyes in agony.

"Admit all the injured ones to the hospital and cremate the other two brave men with all the rituals and customs," Udai spoke solemnly in a sad tone and cut the call.

"You'd have to pay for it, Chandani. You've destroyed our family, you've killed innocents. You'll pay for it for sure," Udai vowed to himself and sat on the chair placed outside the room and prayed for his master's fast recovery.

He had decided that once his master is fit and fine, then he'd inform Dhiraj about all these incidents, which was a huge mistake that he committed.

Whereas, on the other hand, Ayushi was at the railway station now, knowing nowhere to go. The family she had thought was hers, was now no more hers, because just a few hours ago she had divorced her husband and divorce means detachment from husband as well as from his family for a lifetime. She just cried like a lost soul, remembering all the sweet memories she had created with Dhruv as well as his family. It was not even a day of divorce and she was missing all of them like never before.

She had purposely hidden under the veil of her scarf, knowing that if anyone would see her, they'd eventually call the paparazzi and she didn't want to have an encounter with them. She was crying behind the veil of her scarf.

Lag Ja Gale Ke Phir Ye Haseen Raat Ho Na Ho...

Shayad Phir Is Janam Mein Mulakat Ho Na Ho...

"Only if you'd have listened to me Dhruv for the last time. Only if you'd have hugged me for the last time. I'll miss you and our baby too will miss you, but the way you behaved with me today, throwing me out of the house at this late hour of the night, I just have hate for you, I just hate you Dhruv," she was crying silently, sitting far away from the public present on the railway station. Her heart was crying too. She never thought that Dhruv would be this much sadistic and monstrous to do something like this to her.

In between all her inner turmoil, she suddenly received a call from an unknown number and with her shivering hands, she received the call.

"Hey Shiyu," a melodious and chirpy voice greeted Ayushi from the other end and Ayushi immediately recognized that voice, her sadness vanished into thin air.

"Ananya," Ayushi greeted back in a rejoicing tone, why wouldn't she be, after all, it was the call of her only best friend who was calling her after so many years.

"So, you recognized me? Ahan. But I'm so mad at you. You didn't even invite me to your wedding, not even informed me. Thanks to the media and the social media that I got to know about your marriage otherwise you're so secretive, aren't you? Huh. By the way, you got so lucky, baby. Dhruv Singh Rajput, such a charmer is your husband. I just can't believe it," Ananya was just talking non-stop and Ayushi just got silent when Ananya mentioned the name of that person who was the reason behind her current state.

"Hey Shiyu? Are you there?" Ananya asked her in concern when she didn't get a reply from Ayushi from the other end.

"I need you Ananya," Ayushi spoke out in a crying tone, noticing the vulture eyes of the men that were gawking at her like some meat. It was late at night, very few passengers were there at this railway station. She was afraid now, her heart was thumping out loudly in fear and panic, she knew how dangerous it was for women to roam outside at this hour of the night.

"Hey Shiyu? Are you fine? Where are you? What happened?" Ananya asked Ayushi in panic. Ayushi just stood from her place in fear and got near the seat where she could see a family waiting for their train. She stood beside that family, feeling a bit protected.

"Shiyu, what happened? Are you alone? Tell me," Ananya was damn worried now, she knew Ayushi very well, she was aware of the fact that how innocent and gentle Ayushi was.

"I've divorced my husband and am currently standing at a railway station in Bangalore. I don't know where to go, I don't have anyone, you know how my family is, I don't know where to go," by this time, Ayushi was crying a bit loudly grabbing the attention of the children who were playing nearby, they just looked at her in worry. They informed their parents about her and they looked at her in concern, but she was busy on the phone so they didn't go near her.

"What? But how? Why? Leave that. Don't you dare to say that you've no one, you get that? You have me Ayushi, you get that? I'm not your best friend, I'm more like your sister. Don't worry, I'm sending you the tickets for Chandigarh. From there, I'll pick you up for taking you to my house in Chamba. And now, just stop crying and take deep breaths. I'm with you, always," Ananya's words somehow calmed her down, but she was still sceptical for living with her best friend.

"And don't you even dare to decline me. It's an order, Miss. Ayushi Singh, get your ass up here in Chamba, I'm waiting for you," Ananya spoke out in a no-nonsense way and immediately cut the call, she had to book the first train for Chandigarh from Bangalore, as she knew that her friend was not in a state to do all this and also she wanted her to board the first train to Chandigarh, as she knew how much unsafe it was for her friend Ayushi who was too innocent and naive, she didn't know how to deal with situations like these.

Ayushi just sat on the nearby bench and then she saw that the woman of that family was coming towards her way. She immediately set her veil properly and wiped away the tears that were flowing out from her eyes.

"Is there anything I can help you with, sister?" the woman asked Ayushi in a gentle tone and Ayushi just shook her head no. She didn't want to take help from any stranger, who knew she might be from a kidnapping gang.

"The two kids playing over there just informed us that you were crying, so that's why I came here to ask you. No worry if you don't want to tell. By the way, where are you going? We're going to Chandigarh and you?" The woman was looking like a nice lady and her tone was polite and gentle. Ayushi was relieved now when she heard that they too were going to Chandigarh, at least she'd have some company as it'd be her first time travelling in a train alone.

"I'm going to Chandigarh too," Ayushi responded to her and the lady smiled widely at her.

"Good then. Come, sit with us, the train would be coming in the next hour. Come," the lady was very welcoming and lovely, Ayushi couldn't deny her and got up to sit with this family which consisted of husband and wife, two small children and one small baby.

Ayushi smiled at the children when she got near them, they too were too welcoming. Although she wanted to remove her veil in front of them, it wouldn't be safe, so she just sat there like that and finally when the train came, they sat at their respected seats in their respected coaches, but eventually, Ayushi too was sitting with them in First Class AC as they had exchanged their seat with one nice guy who had no problem in exchanging the seats.

Ayushi called Ananya and thanked her profusely but Ananya just dismissed her and asked her to be safe.

Ayushi loved the small baby who was on the lap of her mother, she was too cute. She even took that baby in her arms and eventually got immersed in playing with her, like it was her baby. That baby made her forget all her miseries, sorrows.

Babies are the innocent forms of God.

****

The next day, when Dhruv got back his consciousness, yesterday night's events flashed back across his eyes and he just closed his eyes in self-hate and regret. Chandani was the one who cheated him and not Ayushi. His eyes were shedding the tears, the remorseful tears for the crime he did. He wanted nothing but to kill himself. He kicked out his wife who was carrying his child inside her, he threw her out of his life, just because of that bitch Chandani and his so-low mindset.

He sat on the hospital bed and looked at his bandaged arm where Chandani had slashed him yesterday night. With the hatred that he was feeling inside him, he wanted nothing but to hurt himself. He was going to tore out the bandage out of his hand when the doctor came inside the room and stopped him from doing so.

"Sir, please don't do anything stupid. It is still fresh and it..." the doctor couldn't complete his sentence as Dhruv just pushed the doctor away from his way and ran towards the door where he could find a way out of this hospital so that he could bring back his wife and his unborn baby.

On his way, he met Uday who led him towards the exit and informed him about yesterday night events. Even his assistant, Raghav too had come.

"Find Ayushi anyhow. I want her back, search for her everywhere, you've only one day's time," Dhruv roared at his PA and went inside his car that was waiting for him to take him towards the bungalow where he wanted to find something, something very important.

Once he reached inside his bungalow, he rushed towards his room, and there he found that one thing which he wanted to destroy so mercilessly. The camera, which was hidden in between the flower vase placed on the side table of his room.

"Whatever you did with me Chandani, you'll regret it. I'm not going to leave you," Dhruv took that camera and packed it inside his suitcase.

But while searching for that camera, he got something which made him cry like never before.

There on his bed, he noticed some papers, and those were the papers confirming Ayushi's pregnancy. He fell on his knees, sobbing out loudly in agony and regret, the regret of treating his wife like that, hurting her, hitting her, everything just came in front of his eyes whatever he did to her. From day one when he first met her at her house to the day where he threw her out of his house like some garbage, everything just made him so much remorseful and ashamed of himself. He was guilt-ridden, he wanted nothing but to die in the feet of Ayushi.

"How much wrong I was about you! How brutally I've hurt you, pained you, punished you for something which you never were. I deserve the worst punishments for that. Punish me but please come back Ayushi, please. I cannot live without you," he was remorseful, regretful, and what not but he knew he sinned this time and for that Ayushi will never forgive him.

"I was the worst husband to you, I hit you like a punching bag, threw you out like some monster at that time of the night, treated you so badly, called you with bad names, but in return, you never even raised your voice against me. How wrong was I in judging people! I just deserve to die a painful death," he started hitting the mirror with his bare hands, seeing his reflection in it made him more infuriated, he wanted to kill himself. Glass pieces had pierced his hands so mercilessly but he didn't feel any pain, his only pain was in his heart, the pain of losing his lovely wife and his unborn baby. His heart was feeling like it'll break in two pieces any time now, the regret and penitence within him were making him loath himself.

In between all this, he received a call and that made him rooted in his place. It was his father who was calling him now. He didn't know what he'd say to his father, once he'd find out how monstrous and horrendous his son was to his wife.

"Dhruv, how are you, beta? And where is Ayushi? From yesterday night, we all are trying to contact you both but none of you received our call. Is everything fine over there?" his father asked in concern and Dhruv was just sweating profusely now. He didn't know what he would say to his father. His phone was switched off the whole night, as when he saw Ayushi with another man, in anger he broke his phone whose SIM card was now installed in his another spare phone which was done by none other than his PA Raghav who gave him the phone in the morning itself.

When Dhruv woke up in the morning, the first thing he did was to call Ayushi but her phone was switched off, every time he tried, it was always the same. He knew that he couldn't lie to his father anymore, he needed to tell him everything, otherwise, it'd be too late. He needed his whole family now to make Ayushi come to his life again.

"Dad, Ayushi is not here with me. I'm coming to Bhopal right away. I'll tell you everything," Dhruv spoke in a crying voice and cut the call immediately. He was feeling an immense pang of guilt within himself, he didn't dare to tell about all these to his father on the phone.

Whereas on the other hand, Dhiraj too panicked. He knew that something was not right, he immediately called Uday, Dhruv's bodyguard, and got to know everything that happened yesterday night.

"I thought I raised you for better Dhruv, but how wrong was I. You threw out my daughter when she was in that state, now you'll see the Dhiraj you've never seen," Dhiraj gritted out in dismay and anger and sat on the sofa with a thud, praying for the well-being of his innocent daughter who was carrying his grandchild inside her womb.

**~.~**

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