Another bottle of scotch was downed by me as a burning sensation passed through my throat. I looked at the ceiling as I tried to get used to the sensation, but not even this could reduce the heaviness in my chest. A heaviness which you feel when you have done something wrong. The guilt you feel when you are the reason why the person you love the most is hurt. Right now, at this moment, even the alcohol could not take the pain away as the darkness of the room consumed me. I was sitting on the floor, my back supported to our bed with a bottle of finished scotch in my hand.

Not a single tear has left my eye as I was too afraid to let them out. If I let them out, they will not stop and my dad always said strong boys never cry. You never show your weakness to anyone.

I recalled the event which took place a few hours ago.

Rishi was gone! My Rishi left me.

This realization was enough for another pain to shoot through my chest.

How did one of the best day of my life turned into a disaster? I was so surprised when Rishi threw a surprise party for me. No one in the house had wished me all morning and just when I thought they had forgotten my birthday, party happened.

Everyone was there, Rajiv, Akash, Kristen and Alvin? Seeing Alvin there made my blood boil, but I ignored it because I wanted to enjoy my very own party. After everyone wished me, I looked for Rishi, and there she was standing in the middle of the crowd looking absolutely stunning. Her cream colored saree suited her making her look like a beautiful Indian woman.

My woman!

I went near her and hugged her in front of everyone. She was a bit uncomfortable but I didn't care.

She is mine!

And I love to tell everyone that this beautiful lady is taken.

"Vihaan, what are you doing?" She said slightly uncomfortable.

"Hugging my wife?" I said pulling away slightly.

"Everyone is looking,"

"You think I care?" I asked raising his eyebrow.

She laughed and pushed me away completely. A pout formed on my face to which she giggled. God! Her giggle lightens up my world.

"Happy Birthday Mr. Vihaan Malhotra. You are an ass for not telling me on our honeymoon that your birthday is today but I forgive you," she said with a wink.

"Well, thank you Mrs. Malhotra. Pardon me milady for such a huge mistake I made," I said in a posh tone and then wrapped my arms around her waist pulling her closer to me and whispered in her ear,

"Thank you for all this. I love you soo fucking much."

"I love you too."

"Now, now, can we please separate the two love birds?" Akash said interrupting our moment.

He was an ass for ruining our beautiful moment. After the cake cutting I decided to play a little prank on Rishi.

When I fed her a piece of cake, I pasted all the cream on her face. She glared at me through her cake face in which she looked soo cute, and then she did the same thing to me. We were both like two children playing with each other without a care in the world.

That was the last time I saw a smile on her face. That was the last time, after which everything ruined. I went to the washroom, cleaned up my face and came back to the main area where the party was being held. It was almost 15-20 minutes but Rishita was not here yet.

I don't know why, I started to feel a bit uncomfortable. My gut feeling was saying that something is wrong. When I was about to start walking towards the washroom, a very happy Kristen came in my view and started talking with our group. I frowned because this was the first time I actually saw her happy after our breakup. Glad, she has moved on, just like I did. I shrugged and went near the women's washroom and knocked on the door.

"Rishi, are you there? "

No answer.

"Rishi?" I called out again.

No answer.

A middle aged women came near me and asked, "looking for someone?"

"Yes, please can you check if my wife is in there?" I asked literally pleading.

"Yes sure," she gave me a smile and walked inside the washroom.

My heart had picked up its beat. I don't know why but I was feeling something is wrong. Like really wrong.

"No one is in there," the woman said coming out of the washroom.

"Are you sure? Did you check properly?" I asked in a haste.

"Yes, I checked every cubicle. No one is there. Maybe she went back to the place where you all were seated?" She said.

I whispered a thank you and ran towards the main area again. I looked for her everywhere, asked everyone but she was not there. It's like she disappeared in space or the earth swallowed her. I even tried her cell but all I got was the switched off tone.

Why did she even switch off her phone?

"Where is she, Vihaan?" Neel asked with a worried tone

"I have no idea, dude. She went to the washroom and did not come out," I said my heart beating at an abnormal pace.

My parents, my friends and Neel all were worried. We quickly wrapped up the party and I decided to drop my parents home first and then look for Rishi.

What if someone kidnapped her? What if someone...

No!

She must be alright. Rajiv and Akash too went to their place to freshen up and meet me in half an hour. Neel had already started looking for her and Kristen and Alvin just left home without showing any concerns. I dropped my parents home and they suggested me to freshen up first. I went to my bedroom and saw Rishi sitting on the floor and the entire room was a mess.

You have no idea how relieved I was feeling to see Rishi sitting there safe.

"Did a tornado stuck in here?" I asked catching her attention.

She looked so broken and I was wondering why. When I literally pleaded her to spill out the thing which was bothering her, my heart stopped when she confessed. How can Kristen do this with me? Why the fuck did she tell Rishi everything? I was so angry with her that I literally called her up and told her to fuck off after Rishi left.

I tried to stop Rishi from leaving but it was of no avail. My life was ceasing at rate of fifty fuck-you's per second. Kristen ruined my life. She took everything from me.

Bloody bitch!

But who am I to blame her? It was my fucking mistake too and I ruined everything.

That bet!

I had bloody forgotten about that bet, I had no idea this would happen.

***

It was 7 am in the morning as I remembered all the stuff that happened a few hours. My parents had heard everything and they didn't stop Rishi from going because they knew it was my mistake. After Rishi left my parents had come to my bedroom telling me how ashamed they were of me.

"Vihaan," my mother came in my room and she gasped after seeing my condition.

I did not look at her, I just sat there staring at nothing in particular.

"Vihaan, what have you done to yourself?"

I still did not answer and she came and sat in front of me.

"Vihaan, you have to be strong dear."

No answer.

"Vihaan, please, listen to me, I called up Rishita's parents to check on her and they said that she never came to their place. She did not go to her parents house. They said, they had no idea about her whereabouts."

I looked at her with wide eyes.

She is missing? Again?

She has disappeared again but this time I kind of had an idea where she might be. My guts, please be correct.