They were both looking at each other, lost in their world forgetting others. He was looking deep into her eyes. His breath fanned on her cheeks, sending a tingling sense of delight down her system.

The camera flashes and the sound of clapping brought her back to her senses. She wriggled out of his hold, licking her lower lip in nervousness. She could feel the heat on her cheeks due to his proximity.

He was watching her and let her go slowly. She chimed in a sweet "thank you" to others and ran off the stage quickly.

He watched her go and get busy with other students. But suddenly his dull mood had now changed to a happy one.

Just a little presence of her and he was feeling relaxed.

She walked away from the crowd, looking for her friend whom she had just left to receive her trophy. She asked the other classmates about Ritika but they were also clueless. They began to congratulate her on her achievement.

She dialled Ritika's number to know about her whereabouts. Ritika received her call after 2 rings.

"Ritika, where are you??" Samaira asked.

"In the canteen with Rishi, you too come fast." She replied but Samaira couldn't hear her properly due to the loud music system booming near her.

"Hello... What are you saying??? Ritika!!!" And the call got disconnected. She was going to call her again but her screen blinked up with her message.

"Come to the canteen."

"Okay, coming." She replied and put her phone in her trouser pocket. She was walking through the hallway towards the canteen when someone called her.

She turned to find Professor Mishra coming towards her. She quickly looked around feeling a little uneasy.

"Come to the lab, I have work for you." He said looking at her from head to toe. She shifted a little on her legs.

"Sir, now? What sort of work??" She asked not sure what it could be.

"I need to put a few pieces of equipment back in their place. Some students left them scattered. Come fast and help me before someone ruins them. You know how costly these things are, right?" He laughed looking at her. She didn't find it funny. Instead, she looked around to get some help or think of an excuse.

"Umm... Sir... I was going to...." She stammered. She didn't know how to lie in front of him. He was her professor. She disliked how lowly it made her feel to behave like that.

"It will just take 10 minutes. Don't give lame excuses, come fast." He said sternly. Had he got a hunch of what she was trying to do? She was not even coming to the lab, instead making an excuse every time he called her.

She nodded and followed him helplessly. She didn't know why, but her heart was beating fast. She was sweating and a negative feeling was reeling in her heart.

"You go and put all the chemicals back to the original place. I'll do something else." He ordered her and walked towards the cupboard taking out some files.

She put her trophy, which she was holding, aside and began to keep the chemicals carefully. There was no one else in the lab.

She couldn't see - someone smirked at the plan he had made carefully.

"Just do this quickly, and leave. " She assured herself to stop the negative thoughts from coming to her mind.

She was engrossed in her work. After about 5 minutes, she finished her work and turned to go, taking a long breath in relief.

"Careful!" She almost bumped into Mishra who was looking at her with a creepy smile.

When did he come here?

"Excuse me, Sir! I've completed the task. Can I go now??" She asked, fisting her hands on her sides. She was getting negative vibes from his presence.

"You are done but I'm not." He said, making her confused.

"You are a very intelligent and obedient student. Very beautiful also... So marvellous in every way." He said, eyeing at her bust in a perverted way.

What is he saying?

"What...are... y...you... saying??? Sir??? " She asked, taking some steps back. Her heart was now racing furiously.

It was a bad idea to come here alone.

"Oh, come on, don't behave like you don't know what I'm talking about." He chuckled.

"I... I have to go..." She tried to walk past him but he stopped blocking her way.

"You can't run away today! I had to wait a lot. And I didn't even congratulate you yet. Come let me give you some satisfaction..." He grinned evilly and tugged at her wrist roughly.

She felt so cheap. His words for her were so sickening. Her vision got blurred. But, she couldn't become weak in front of him.

She pushed him hard and tried to run but he was fast enough to grab her from behind. He clutched her hand and covered her mouth with his other hand to hush down her screams.

She struggled under his hold and tried to hit him with her free hand but he held both of her hands above her head in a tight grip and gave her a tight slap with his free hand. Her eyes were flowing with tears.

She screamed in pain when she felt blood oozing out of her lips.

"Stop struggling. I know girls like you. You would do anything to get good grades from your teachers. I'm not asking much... Just for a few nights... It will be fun for both of us...." He said, gripping her chin tightly.

"Please... Leave... I... I... am... not like... w... what... you're saying!" She sobbed in front of him. He laughed like a maniac, a sadist. He enjoyed watching her helplessness.

He wanted to touch her for a long time. But he was not getting his hold on her. It was making him want her more.

In a jiffy, he dipped his head in her neck dropping disgusting kisses on her body. She cried, wiggled and tried to hit him with her free hand that infuriated him and he slapped her again which made her fall on the floor scraping her knees.

She cupped her cheek with her palm. It was hurting her.

"Stop interrupting me, you bitch... Just one time... I swear I'll make it fast..." He yanked her up to make her stand on her feet and removed her coat frantically before throwing it away.

"I'll tell... Everyone... I'll tell my Maa... Abhi... Call the police... Abhi..." She bellowed while his hands wandered on her body in a shameless, disgusting way which made her want to puke. His touch, his force, his tight grip were making her lose her consciousness due to extreme panic.

"You will tell everyone? You slut... No one will believe you over me. I'm a very powerful member of this institution and these threats are not new to me." He yanked her hair. She yelled in pain - her eyes tightly closed with tears falling freely.

"All my prey had said this but nothing happened! Then they became my whore... I'll make you my favourite slut... You are so sexy...." He bit her neck and pulled her shirt roughly, tearing it from the helms of the shoulder.

Her heart stopped when she felt his hand over her left breast. He squeezed it and continued his repulsive act, leaving her on the verge of a panic attack. She could no longer breathe properly.

"Mumma!!!! Please help me....."

"Abhi... Abhimaan!!!!"

"Please... Don't...." A weak, muffled sound came out of her mouth. All her strength had left her body as she was on the verge of a panic attack.

As soon as his name came out of her mouth, Mishra was thrashed on the floor.

"How dare you touch her???" A voice roared in the lab - fierce like a lion. His eyes were bloodshot red, darkened with anger. He turned to look at Samaira, who was trembling in a corner. Her face was down and she was trying to cover her chest with the torn pieces of fabric while her hands shook vehemently.

His heart pained seeing her like this. She was looking pale, her face had lost its shine. Those twinkling eyes were now shedding non-stop tears. He hurriedly took out his coat and covered her. He held her cheek making her look upwards. His hands engulfed her within their hold.

She was trembling in his hold when he saw the finger marks on her cheek with drops of blood on her lips and chin.

She cried out loud, closing her eyes tight. Her sobs made him furious.

"Shhh... Baby... I'm here... I got you, baby... Shhh!" he whispered gently in her ears trying to soothe her by kissing the top of her head again and again.

"He... he..." She sobbed in his embrace. She wanted to tell him what the monster had done but her words were failing to provide her with the support.

He turned to look at that man, who had dared to touch his innocent wife a few seconds ago. Mishra got scared seeing him and got up to run away.

Abhimaan left Samaira immediately. He grabbed him and punched his face so hard that blood started to ooze out. Mishra screamed when he kicked his stomach.

"Don't go... Don't leave me alone." Her heart screamed for him.

"You bloody bastard!!! How dare you touch my wife!!! I will kill you!!!" He made him stand grabbing his neck. Soon people present in the college began to enter the lab when they heard them. Mishra was scared to his death. He knew how powerful a man Abhimaan was. He never knew she was his wife.

Everyone present there scanned the room, seeing Samaira's state they realized the situation immediately. They held Abhimaan to stop him or he would surely kill Mishra today.

Ritika also came inside with other students and saw her friend crying in the corner in a very delicate situation. She gasped and ran towards her.

"Oh my God!!! Samaira..." She hugged her tightly and began to console her while Samaira cried hard on her shoulder. She felt bad seeing her friend's condition.

"Please Mr Rajvansh... Control yourself! Let the police do their work." The dean of the college said to Rajvansh. He was acquainted with Abhimaan. He immediately called the police the moment he came to know about it.

"He tried to touch my wife. I want him to rot in jail forever. Take him away from my sight or I'll kill him." He roared.

His statement stunned everyone. No one knew that Samaira was his wife or that he was married.

Ritika got shocked too with the newfound information about her friend.

Abhimaan left Mishra with the police because his wife was more important to him at that time.

She needed him.

He would deal with that bastard later.

He rushed to his wife, who was in the arms of a girl.

"Come Samaira... You leave her," He said but Ritika moved her friend away from him while glaring sternly at him. He didn't like that.

"I'm her friend."

"Who are you, Mister? Stay back!!" Ritika said to him. She heard him call her his wife but she couldn't trust him. She was already feeling bad for not being with her friend when she needed her.

"I'm her husband and stop wasting my time. My wife needs me." He said pulling Samaira to himself. Ritika wanted to attack him back but she stopped seeing the real concern on his face.

"Samaira... Please don't cry..." He said keeping her safe within his strong arms. She hid her face in his chest.

"Take... me... a... away... please... please," she said between her sobs. Her sweet voice had turned hoarse as she was crying very hard, making him feel more pained.

He immediately took her in his arms and left giving a hard look towards the police - silently communicating to do their work.

"He will pay for it.

I'll make sure of it for hurting my wife."