Mehak took the lift to level 15 and looked at the right and left to see where is the penthouse located, after she saw the signage which points to the penthouse she takes her step towards there. Her heart fluttered as she walks and she practiced a few times how to convey her apology and how to open up about their relationship. She entered the penthouse by pushing the wooden door slowly to peep in to check anyone inside. She slowly came inside and the door closed slowly, she looked around and the place was only using dim lights. She mumbled to herself and why is the place in dim light and self-talking this Shaurya can't do anything directly all have twisty ways. Now, where is he asked me to come here and he is missing.

She looked around impatiently for him to appear but a silhouette pass behind her, she realizes someone behind her and turn to see and there was nothing behind her. She walks slowly and calls Shaurya, are you here? Look you don't play with me like this okay I don't like this game of yours, better come out or else once you come out you will get it nicely from me, quick. As she finishes her sentence she saw another silhouette passing her. She palpitated as no reply came and saw another door she walked to the door. She went in and saw there is no one again but just the curtains flying as the wind blows. She asked loudly is enough of this hide and seek Shaurya, you better come out now, I came here to tell you something important, I thought you will be happy to listen from me, seems like you want to play this stupid game. This is not funny Shaurya, if you are not coming I am going back. No reply came and she turned to leave when she bumped into something hard and jumped to her feet, screaming in terror. The room was dark and she realized something amiss. The something she bumps onto earlier was a man and he is not Shaurya. She took a few steps back and asked who are you? She only heard a burst of mocking laughter as the figure in front her took a step forward revealing himself, she quivered when she saw a man in a scary mask which used in Halloween parties and her knees freeze seeing the face as she began to scream blue murder. The man in mask quickly came forward suffocating her to prevent her from screaming. She bit his hand and run towards the door screaming for help, as she runs outside her saree's pallu stuck at the door frame she pulled it abruptly till the lace material was torn and she didn't bother about it. She can't remember the way out or in as all look the same tears of panic flowing down as she screams louder for help. As she wants to exit from a door the man in a mask came in front of her grinning like a maniac which caused her shivered and she tried putting up a brave face, she demanded him who are you? Why are you here, if Shaurya sees you here he won't spare you, trust me is better you leave this place now. The man laughed like a maniac, no one will come here this entire floor is only you and I are here. Hearing him, shiver crawls up in her spine as Mehak took a few steps back till she felt she hit on a stool she turned and saw a flower vase there, grabbing it discreetly when the man approaches her she use that to hit him. As he ouch in pain she runs away from there screaming for help, she saw the door and grab the handle to turn it but it was locked and she pounds on the wooden door with all her energy so anyone outside could hear her. She wonders where is her mobile as she came in with it but when running away from the man, she dropped it somewhere and she wants to look for her mobile to call Shaurya. She saw her mobile under one of the tables and bend down to pick it quickly as she was panic-stricken she can't unlock it in the first attempt and try to do it again when a hand came to grab her hair from back she dropped her mobile as it was too painful to bear and she started to scream asking him to let go off her, the man stepped on the mobile till it cracked to pieces. Mehak's scream echoed in the room as the man turn her to face him and slapped her hard which made her feel dizzy as the force of the slap caused her to lose balance. She fell on the floor by the impact landed on her face. She is slowly losing it out but she can't give up till she fights this off. She kicked the man at his knee and he dropped on the floor and she slowly moves away from him but her movement stopped when he took a heavy object from the nearby table and hit it hard on her ankle which made her yelp in pain and she can't move at all. She screamed in agony as the pain seared through her, it's impossible for her to get up on her foot and escape from there. She screamed calling Shaurya's name before she let out another scream the man pounce on her, she was lying on the floor as he was on her letting out evil laughter. She tried with all the might to hit him hard with her hands but he gripped them and took the phone cable which was nearby and tie her up and restricting her movements. He looked at her as if she is his delicious meal and Mehak spit at him and asked him to let go if he loves himself because when Shaurya comes he won't spare him as his own family can't identify your dead body. Do you think I care about your silly threats, you are at my mercy beautiful, he boasted as he caressed her cheeks as she wriggled in disgust as his hand trail down to her neck then towards her chest. She squirmed and tried to free herself from his hold as she knows only a miracle can help her, she is badly injured she prayed deep in her heart so Shaurya can find her and she doesn't want to go through this and she can't even think what is going to happen to her now. She was dragged kicking and screaming to a nearby room when Mehak bites the man's hand he became furious as another slap landed on her face and he began to strangle her ferociously. She gasped as she feels there is no air to breathe and she feels like her head is going to explode any seconds with the pressure placed under her neck. Black spot formed as Mehak losing her conscious, she heard, good I like my girl to be quiet while I enjoy them, a tear rolled out from her eyes as deep in her heart she apologies to Shaurya and her family for any of her untoward behavior as her vision became black.

On the other end, Shaurya looks around the room to see Mehak and she was not there. He looked outside the party room and many are returning off and he thought maybe she was upset as he didn't listen to her when she tried to talk to him earlier. He smiled inwardly as he goes to the hotel lobby to get into his car and head back to the hotel. He bid goodnight to the driver and walks to his room and he inserted his room keycard and entered the room. The room was dark and he turns on one light at the hall area as he walked to the bedroom, he took off his bowtie and place it on the nearby study table and saw the bed was empty. He went to check inside the bathroom and it was empty. He called her name a few times before heading to the balcony as scratched his chin wondering where she went. He took out his mobile and dialed her number it went to the mailbox and he tried calling her again and it said the same. He got up frustrated throwing the mobile on the bed as he rested his hands on his waist thinking where is she? He took the mobile again and dialed Vicky's number. Vicky answered within a few rings. He asked Vicky is Mehak is with them, as she left the party early. Vicky on the other side gets up from his seat and asked what you mean she left bhaiya, she came there to the party because she wants to talk to and discuss something important. She is not with us, yes she told us she wants to follow us back to Delhi but she changed her mind. Shaurya's color faded from his face hearing Vicky. He felt unusually heavy at his chest as he undoes the collar button at his shirt. He takes a deep breath as he heard his brother ranting. Vicky where are you now? We are the hotel bhaiya we change our plan to go back tomorrow as we want to know what happen with you two. As they two were still online and confused where is Mehak then Vicky said bhaiya is bhabhi angry with you and left again. Shaurya raised his voice to stop Vicky from completing his sentence. He calms himself and said no she doesn't leave me like this, she must be hiding and playing with us. Just then Shaurya's room doorbell ring. He told Vicky who is still online, I think she is back you heard the doorbell, let her come in then she will get it nicely from me, Conveniently taking her time to roam somewhere making me hell worried about her, he didn't finish his sentence when he opens the door and stopped when he saw not Mehak at the door.

There were two men standing outside his room, one dressed in a constable uniform and another wore khaki pants with a black collared t-shirt. Shaurya casually said hi to them and the guy with a black t-shirt greeted him back. Officer Jalalluddin and this is Constable Raj Kumar. Shaurya introduced himself I am Shaurya Khanna.

OJ: Mr. Khanna, could you follow us, please?

SK: Can I know what is it about?

OJ: I can't discuss anything here Mr. Khanna, it's for your own interest. Please follow me.

Shaurya can understand the seriousness in his tone and nod, Vicky who was still on the line said bhaiya, is bhabhi back, Shaurya place the mobile on his ear and said Vicky, I will call you back he quickly slid his mobile into his pants and close the room door follow them. Throughout in his journey in the police car Shaurya's mind ruffled with questions, why is he being called like this, where is Mehak, is she in some sort of trouble? His trance broke when the car stopped at the hospital. Officer Jalalluddin opens the door for him and he gets down from the car. His worry increases as they in the hospital, the officer walks in as Shaurya follows him at the back like a shadow. Shaurya's throat gets dry as the officer passes some corridors, he uttered officer, that's when Officer Jalal stopped and turn to look at Shaurya.

SK: Why are we here? If you have some inquiries etc. bring me to the police station but why we are here in the hospital?

OJ; Mr. Khanna please follow me, my team is waiting there we will explain to you.

SK: Officer, I need to go and look for my wife,

OJ: We are going to meet your wife Mr. Khanna, please follow me.

When the officer said, we are going to meet my wife, I felt some unexplainable kind of emotions in me. I never felt like this before in my life. I hope Mehak is fine, she must be fine she has to be fine. During the party, she came in to surprise me and wants to talk to me but I want to test her patience and avoided listening to her. I saw her while I was busy discussing with Mr. Jatin and his guests about some random topics, she was still there fidgeting her saree pallu hem anxiously, I love the anxious look in her face, that's the same expression she had while in ISC. Whenever we give her tough situation like unusual ingredients or some new challenge she will pout anxiously as she mutters something in her. Usually, if there is no one she will stomp her feet in annoyance. Though I have told myself I will not bother her but old habits die hard, I love to do those things to her. But why is she in the hospital, why she didn't call me if she got injured.

They reached in front of closed ward area and many police officers were visible there. Shaurya looks at them all and wonders why many police officers are here, that's when a doctor came off with a surgical mask from her face, she removes it and Officer Jalal introduced, Dr. Kaur this is Mr. Khanna, patient's husband. She replied thank God you manage to get him on time, please get his signature in order to start the procedures and we need to get the treatment started. Before that let him do the patient's verification. That's, when Shaurya's breath hitched something, is not right and they guided him to a closed ICU unit pointing at the glass door.

OJ: Mr. Khanna, please verify is that your wife?

Shaurya told himself it is not Mehak, it cannot be his Mehak there, whatever happens, it should not be her, and this must be some mistake he prayed deep in him as his feet freezes at the spot. Officer Jalal placed his arm around his shoulder and bring him forward to the glass door, Shaurya took a few steps slowly and peeped at the glass door. His breathing stopped seeing Mehak was there. He rested his hands on the glass door as he was jolted seeing her lying down on the hospital bed with an oxygen mask covered on her face, some cables running everywhere around her with many machines placed around her monitoring and a cervical collar placed on her neck. Her face had some bruises too, His heart sank and he uttered Mehak and tried to push the door to go in to be beside her but the door was locked.

SK : Doctor, let me in I need to see my wife.

Doc: I am sorry sir, please sign the authorization form first so my medical team will start with the treatment first, it's crucial for you to sign the form and we can save your wife.

OJ: Mr. Khanna, please sign the form in order for them to start the treatment. At the moment only first level treatment has been given, they can only start the necessary treatment after the next of kin's authorization. Every minute you delay, chances for her are getting slim.

SK: No, give me the form, let me sign it now. I will not let anything happens to my wife.

Doctor Kaur's assistant gives him the form as Shaurya didn't read any of them as he signed every single column required and pass it back to the assistant. He looked at the doctor and Officer Jalal can you explain what happen to my wife. The doctor nodded as she guided him into her room.

He sat in front of the doctor, as the doctor takes out her folder with some photos, she put them in front of Shaurya, it was some wounds in close-up shots. Mr. Khanna when your wife was brought in here, she was badly injured. Your wife was attempted to rape.

When the doctor said the word rape, my head spun, I feel like I was hit by a hard object on my head, it was so painful for me to even digest a minute what did the doctor said. Every single minute an attempt to rape is happening to any girls around the globe and he always wished he could stop them from happening. Women should be treated with respect, love, and equal opportunity, He believes that every man is a protector for all girls out there and today I failed as a man as a husband to protect my wife from being raped. How am I going to face her family or even my mom? I bring her back from Manali to reunite her back with her family and they trusted me sending her with me to Jaipur and today she is lying here unconsciously because of my negligence. She came to the party for me, just because of me. If anything happens to her I pray my heartbeat should stop immediately, I can't stand to see anything forthcoming.

Doctor showed me her injury pictures and explain one by one, she was strangled by that bastard, her soft skin on the neck in all green and black in color. Her chest area had some scratch marks and on her shoulder had bite marks, how could that bastard do this to my Mehak, her wrist had blue-black marks too, Doctor Kaur said it was due to assailant tied her up so she won't move. Her leg swollen badly as per doctor's explanation it was hit by a heavy object so she won't run or escape. When the last picture showed I wished that I am not breathing anymore, it was her face, it was evident that she cried out so much and her lips split into two and some dried blood on the lip and her cheek is swollen too as its sign of she has been slapped numerous times. Just then my mobile rings and Sonal was on the line, she asked me about Mehak and I couldn't talk, I got up from my seat not knowing what to do next, Officer Jalal took the mobile from my hand and he asked Sonal to come to the hospital.

Officer Jalal made me sit down and offered me a water bottle, I drank some water as some tears made its way down from my eyes. Doctor Kaur looked at me carefully, she asked Mr. Khanna can I know how long you two have been married? I wonder why she asks this now, I fumbled almost 1 year plus maybe about 2. Why doctor I asked? Is this an arranged marriage? This question even made my head to spin as I don't understand why she asks all these, no we love each other very much, she is my life, yes we two had some misunderstandings but we are slowly sorting it out and things were getting normal between us. Why doctor, why are you asking all these?

Doctor Kaur: I asked this because when a patient comes in especially female we will check thoroughly on their injuries to define what level of abuse of injuries they went through to determine the medication or treatment suitable for them. So when we did that checking as per our normal practice that there was no rupture in her vaginal. I didn't understand what is doctor trying to explain as I looked at her with my furrowed eyebrows I mean to say your wife is still a virgin, that's why I asked whtr things are normal between you two as being married for almost a year plus and she still a virgin. She is lucky that the assailant didn't manage to do what he intended to do it earlier but he assaulted her and not only that during the blood test we did, she was injected with party drug so she won't gain conscious so soon as they could have to take turns to rape her and some are heartless they will even murder the victim once they are done.

I don't know what to say now, whtr I should be glad that my Mehak was not been raped but just been manhandled by that bastard or I was so busy irritating her at the party neglecting her safety. Altogether I have failed all my promises made to her and her family to protect her and be a shield to secure her at all times and provide her happiness till eternity. I covered my face with my palms as I need to calm down myself, when Officer Jalal started, one of the hotel cleaning staff happened to go there for cleaning duty and heart some muffling sound and went in to check and when saw this they immediately alerted to hotel securities and hit the assailant with something to distract. Even the assailant did not spare the cleaning staff he injured him too. So once the security team came for rescue the assailant escape from the scene.

Doctor explained, Mr. Khanna compare to the bruises the amount of drug been injected to her is high dosage, we have treated all the bruises and etc. once she came in but we need to do a blood transfusion, so now the team already started with blood transfusion process. It will be almost 24hrs for her to gain consciousness and she can't talk immediately as her windpipe is badly damaged it will be a few days for it to get better. As for ankle injury also same, surgery has been carried out and it will take one week for it to be okay. Just some rest and lots of liquid will help her to recover faster. You can see your wife in another 2hrs. Please wait in the waiting hall. Though the injuries and bruises will heal in time the mental agony she went through will take time to heal. As a husband, she will expect you to be there for her to provide her moral support and love her the way she is. She might not want any male nearby her for the time being.