The sound of beeping noises are the first thing I hear when my sense come back. But still, I am not able to open my eyes properly and try to move around yet feel like someone is holding my hand. The feel of the warmth that is emitting from the other person holding my hand is enough for me to understand who the person can be.

Slowly but surely I open my eyes and look at the right side to see that it's indeed Rudra who is sleeping while holding my hand in his. I want to smile but I clearly remember what happened to me. So, I try to retreat my hand away from me. However, that action wakes him up and makes him look at me in shock as if he can't believe whatever he is seeing is real or fake.

"Ishita..." That's all he says before tears make their way out of his eyes making my heart clench for him.

I have never seen him cry but now I wish I should have never seen it in my life. Because tears doesn't suit him at all. His teary eyes are telling me how much pain he is feeling inside him that a strong person like him is not able to control them from falling.

"Don't cry." I let out with a hoarse voice.

"How can I not cry? Do you even know how scared I got seeing you in such condition? You were bleeding so badly that for a minute I felt like someone had snatched my will to live from me." He says angrily but anyone can see that the anger is not directed to me.

"Can I have some water?" I ask making his eyes widen.

"I am so sorry. I literally forgot to ask if you want some water." By saying this, he gets up from the chair he is sitting in and bring a glass of water for me along with a straw. I drink a good amount of water and instantly feel relaxed.

"Let me call the doctor." He says but I hold his hand.

"Don't." I say making him look at me with confusion.

"I want to stay with you for some time." I let out in hope he will understand what I am trying to say.

He puts the glass on the table beside the hospital bed before sitting down on the chair. He takes my hand in his and kisses the back of it making me close my eyes for a second.

"You are very angry with me, right?" I ask after some time.

"No, I am angry with me." He replies.

"Why?" I ask because I don't know the reason behind his response.

"Because I didn't know that because of me you would try to kill yourself." He replies looking at me with self-loathing in his eyes.

"You haven't done anything wrong, Rudra. I was the one who jumped from the terrace to save myself from the monster who didn't think twice before trying to.." I can't even pronounce the word before breaking down in tears. I have a feeling by now that he has already learned about Kunal and what he did all those years ago. But I am too scared to directly talk about that matter.

"The police has arrested Kunal Pillai." I am beyond shocked because I have never thought that this is possible.

"How?" I whisper.

"After the crime he has committed, there is no way that I am letting him go so easily. Nine years ago his father saved him but this time even God will not be able to save him." He replies caressing my face with his fingertips.

"You don't hate me?" I ask because that's the biggest thing going on my mind.

"Why will I hate you when you haven't done anything wrong? Kunal is the one whom I hate because he has made you too scared to even sleep peacefully at night. But don't worry, now it's time for him to lose his sleep." He says making me smile while he kisses me on the forehead.

"How much do you know?" I ask dreading his reply.

"Everything that's enough to make me think about some people's cheap mentality." He replies.

"Frankly speaking, I was scared to core thinking that you would blame me too for what happened. Because back in Gujarat everyone did and that's why we had to leave my birthplace. Till today, I am not able to voice out my fear of men thinking that everyone will judge me again. That's another reason why I didn't want to get married to a stranger but like my Dadi says, God has already planned everything beforehand. He has brought you in my life for a big purpose and for that I will keep thanking him." I let out closing my eyes when I feel him running his fingertips over my forehead.

"I should be the one to thank God because of him, I got to meet you and marry you. I was so adamant even meeting you first time but now I don't want to spend a second without you." He says making me feel like there is something different in his tone but what I can't exactly depict.

After the conversation none of us says anything, just bask in each other presence because that's all we need for now. I know I have said it numerous times but I will never get bored saying that I am a lucky person to have him as my husband. He could have selected to be away from me like he told me before marriage but he didn't do that. Instead, he has stayed with me throughout my hard times. I thought that I would be the one to tell him about Kunal but I think life has his own planning for me or why would the monster of my past suddenly make his entry as my husband's business partner.

A few minutes later, the door is open and a doctor along with a nurse walk inside making me look at Rudra in surprise in which he shows me the buzzer beside my bedside table. The doctor does an overall check-up on me and tells me to have bed rest for two weeks. I want to protest but I know that it will be futile because none of the family members will allow it. Especially, Maa who is surely going to scold me for trying to kill myself.

"Everyone wants to meet you." Rudra says after the doctor and the nurse leave the room.

"What do you mean by everyone?" I ask looking at him in shock.

"Mom, Dad, Papa, Lakshya, Gautam, Roshni Bhabhi, Kuhu are outside waiting for you to wake up. Aarav and Soniya were also here but I insisted them to go home as its the best for Soniya's health. However, others are adamant that they won't leave till you wake up." Rudra replies while I let out a sigh.

"I want to meet Papa." I whisper and thankfully he doesn't say anything before I feel him get up from the chair.

Soon enough the presence of Papa is felt by my side so I look at my right side to see that indeed, Papa is standing there. I smile at him but he doesn't smile back making my smile fall.

"I am very angry at you, Ishita." Papa says sitting in the place where earlier Rudra was sitting.

"I am sorry." I whisper knowing well how much I have hurt him.

"Do you have any idea what you were trying to do?" He asks.

"I was just trying to protect myself from getting hurt, Papa." I let out in anger.

"I know that you were trying to protect yourself but what if you die..." He can't even complete the sentence before breaking down in tears.

I have always tried to make my father happy but today I am feeling like a failure seeing him so broken in front of me. I put my hand on top of his own while I start to cry along with him.

"Don't try this again or I will surely slap you." He says wiping my tears with the pad of his thumb.

"I will never try this again, Papa. I am promising you." I reply wiping his tears.

"Can we come inside?" Someone says from the doorway so I look there to see that Maa and dad are standing there. Seeing them, again my eyes get teary but still I motion them to come to me.

"How are you feeling?" Maa asks as if she is talking to a child.

"Much better now that you are here." I let out before looking at Dad who is looking at everywhere except me.

"Aren't you going to talk to me, Dad?" I ask fearing that he is disgusted by me.

"Archana, tell her that she hasn't left anything to talk about. She has hurt my feelings by not sharing her worries with me and here I think of her as my daughter." Dad says still not looking at me.

"I am sorry." I say the same thing I told Papa a few minutes ago.

"A sorry can't fix the pain you made me go through but still I can't be mad at you knowing well that whatever you did for your safety." Dad says while Maa puts her hand on my forehead.

"We will be taking you home soon." Maa says making me smile.

"How is Bhabhi doing?" Lakshya asks after I leave the elders meet Ishita.

"Physically she is okay as per Doctor but mentally, I don't think I need to tell you about that." I reply leaning backward on the wall.

"Rudra, please forgive me for the way I behaved with you. Actually, by seeing Kunal suddenly I lost my cool and got angry at you without thinking that you could never hurt my sister." Gautam says with a look of guilt.

"I won't say that I understand what you have felt seeing your sister in that condition because but I can assure one thing to you that Ishita is and will be my first priority in my life. I just hope I could have known about that Kunal a long time ago so that Ishita didn't have to go through so much pain." I reply trying to smile at him but I know that the smile isn't reaching my eyes.

"Jiju, you don't need to guilt trap yourself because we all can see how much you care for Ishita and I believe whatever happened on the night of Diwali is a good thing. Because now that Kunal will get punished. I know my words may sound bad but this is the truth and we should thank God for that." Kuhu remarks making me heave a sigh.

"Kuhu is right and you shouldn't hold any grudge against yourself." Lakshya says squuezing my should to show his support.

"I am trying to not feel guilty but it's not so easy to forget. Because if it's a good thing that Kunal will pay for his crime but Ishita has to face the same thing of her past. Yes, it's true that this time she saved herself but how? Trying to kill herself? That's not what I ever wanted to happen. So, no I can't forget that somehow I am the reason for her to in this hospital." I say before I leave from there and walk out of the hospital to call the police.

I have to appreciate them for how quick they have arrested that fucking Kunal. I am surprised to learn that he has raped more minor girls in Malaysia too but due to his wealth, he has bought the police there. But alas, he must have not thought that coming back to India will be his doom. Not only that, his father is also no more which makes it easier for me to put him behind the bar.

His case's hearing is in two months and till then he will stay in the police custody. I will make sure that he gets amazing entertainment from the police but I still think that no amount of punishment can do justice to the crimes he has done. Nonetheless, I have two months in my hands to help Ishita to get better physically and mentally. Because I want her to attend the hearing and see herself that finally her culprit is going to face his karma.

I still can't get out the image of disbelieve on her face when I told her that I could never hate her. Hoe can she even think for a second that I will hate her or leave her for something she is not responsible for? She may be the victim for many but for me she is the survivor of a tragic incident which can put anyone's belief in humanity in question. Yet, she has put her believe in me and my family which I can feel is a very big step. Now, all we need to show her that nothing has changed despite us learning about her past. Instead, our love for her has grown 100 times than before. Yes, love and I am admitting that because there is no way my feelings are something else.

All this time I have been falling for her innocent, kind and lovable nature yet never try to acknowledge that. But not anymore as I want to tell her everything I feel for her and for some reason I have faith in our relationship that she feels the same for me. but if she doesn't then it's alright because love can't be forced upon anyone.

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2296 words total😇😇

There you go my lovely people and sorry for being not updating all these days. But don't worry, there will be regular update from today onwards.

I love you❤