There was a huge photo of me, smiling, along with a big caption, "The missing bride." Underneath the photo was written, bold and precise, "Soon to be Mrs. Mayra Malhotra, bride to be of Mr. Ayan Malhotra missing. Whoever brings her unharmed, will get a prize of 10 million $. If anyone has a death wish, then dare to harm her. Her parents are waiting for her with high hopes."

Below that, was written the address and contact details of Ayan. That's it! I knew I have to contact him at the earliest as the simple looking poster held a clear warning which only I could decipher. Ayan has my parents and Manav is out in the city looking for me. I have to somehow contact Ayan and go to him, only then will be leave my parents. But how? Neither do I have money, nor resources. I am alone in this forbidden place. I need water, food and a mobile phone. But I was currently looking like a cheap beggar, torn and tattered clothes, mud all over my face, hands and legs and wounds here and there. I needed to find some help, but how. I tried memorizing the address and the contact details written on the poster as I did not have pen or paper to write it. I started walking secretively and started looking out for someone to help.

2 days passed and I found nothing. I was travelling from one hideout to another hideout. I was not able to find food or shelter. While walking on an old village road, I was too tired and too weak to carry on, that I suddenly felt the world roaming around me. I fell on the floor and went unconscious.

After what felt like an eternity, I gained consciousness but didn't feel like opening my eyes. My whole body was paining. I felt a stinging sensation on my hand as if some needle is injected in my hand, maybe it was a glucose bottle. I opened my eyes slowly only to find white walls and a clean room. I tried getting up and saw a little girl sitting beside me and reading something. As soon as she realised I was awake, she ran screaming "sister, sister, she is up."

A middle aged woman came running after a while and she instantly supported me in sitting up and when she spoke to me

Sister: "Child, what happened, you look so much in pain. You were lying unconscious on the road when our sister Martha saw you and brought you here. I am Samantha, the head sister here, and you are in shelter home, the god's shelter home. Tell me, who are you and why are you here."

Her voice was so homely that I instantly melted; I didn't want to go away from here and didn't want to tell her the truth to her. I knew, after knowing the truth, she will immediately throw me away from here, but what choice did I have. This was a shelter home, a home to lonely nuns and orphans, how can I risk their lives for the sake of my own. Whatever be the consequences, they have saved my life and they deserve to know the truth. So, I introduced myself to her and tell her the whole story.

Confiding in her was so much comforting that I didn't want to stop myself and I told her everything from the start. She was listening to me intently and I was crying bitterly along with telling her everything. It seems as if I have got a long lost friend and I can share anything with her. When I completed my story, I expected her to throw me out of the shelter home but instead, she said

Samantha: "Child, I believe, that such a ruthless person, if he wanted to hurt you or your parents, he must have done it before. He will never hurt your parents because you mean so much to him. However, he loves you, doesn't mean that you have to love him back. This shelter home is a home of god where no man is allowed. We live here with our small world and try to help the ones we can. You can stay here for as long as you want. Moreover, since you are well educated, you need not be dependent. You can teach the children here. You can help in the kitchen as well. This foundation works on charitable basis and no man is allowed inside the shelter house. So, there will be no chance for anyone to find you here. Live here, under god's shelter, and let your wounds heal. Who knows what happens in the future, but right now, I believe that you also deserve a chance, a chance to be happy, to be free from the shackles of selfish mankind. Choice is yours, I believe god has given you a second chance, don't waste it."

To say her worlds were comforting would be an understatement. I thought that she is actually a help sent to me by god. She was so kind, so warm and above all, she was so true. Ayan is a heartless man and if he intended to hurt my family, he must have done that before a long time now. I have got a second chance in my life, away from all those people who made my life a living hell. I must take this chance. With this thought I immediately accepted her offer and hugged her. Ivy, the little girl sitting beside me earlier jumped over both of us for hugging while saying, "I have got a new nanna."

Life is the fastest in this world, I realised that recently. It seems as if it was yesterday that I came here, away from that world. I have been living here since past 2 years and this place has been a heaven for me. We are completely disconnected from the outside world and no man is allowed in the shelter home. I teach here and help small kids in getting ready to face the outer world. The other nuns living here share some tragic life in past and now all of them live here in harmony hoping to have a peaceful future. Sister Samantha and Sister Martha are the kindest along with all other. The sense of security and peace I feel over here is the only thing I ever wished for, in my life. I just pray to god that my parents are fine, living their lives peacefully and I am just thankful to god for giving me a second chance. Here in the shelter home, the kids are allowed to stay only till they are 10 years old. After that, they are sent to hostel and then they have to built their own lives. My Ivy has become my best friend since the day she met me at the first time, she still calls me nanna and tells everyone that I am her favourite. She loves me and I love her a lot too. In fact, all the children in this shelter home love me and I am happy that I am being able to do something good for them. Tomorrow, Ivy is turning 10 and she is too scared to go to the hostel which will be from the next month. She is a cute little girl who lost her both the parents in a car accident and was left alone in this world only to be taken in by Sister Samantha when she was 2 years old. She was an introvert till the time I was not here and now, she loves to talk to everyone and has become the apple of every one's eye. She is such a sweet at heart but always scared to try new things in her life. I was preparing an apple pie for her birthday which we will be celebrating tonight. While making the pie, Ivy came behind me to scare me and I immediately cover my face with my hands which were already covered in the batter. She laughed at me loudly and I shooed her out of the kitchen. Memories brimmed in my eyes when I remember the last time such a thing happened. How Ayan tortured me and forced me to submit to him. I just pray to god to never see his face again.

After celebrating Ivy's birthday, when everyone was going to sleep, she came to me and requested to sleep with me for the days left with her in this shelter home. She demanded it as her birthday gift and I was not able to deny her looking at her cute expressions. Before sleeping, she started crying stating that she does not want to go away from me. She was such a pure soul that she thought that she was going away from her life. She was so sad that I spent her rest of the days in shelter home making her understand that it is the beginning of her life and that she should face the new life boldly. She was too scared to go and she requested me to join her on her orientation day. I was too overwhelmed to say no and thus, I requester sister Samantha to just let me go this time for attending the orientation. She instantly agreed as this was the first time I was requesting her to step out of the shelter home. I helped Ivy in preparing for her big day and we drifted off to sleep while hugging each other. While sleeping she murmured, please don't leave me nanna.....