Akshara experienced an accident and thinks Abhimanyu as the one who did it with her. Now she thinks she has moved on in her life and was about to marry someone else when....

"Stop this marriage", the harsh impatience voice echoed in the neatly decorated marriage hall as the people gathered there for the ceremony stared at the source of the voice wide-eyed.

The voice which stopped the groom filling his bride's forehead with the holy vermilion.

Clad in a heavily embroidered maroon saree and jewellery's embodied in all the right places she stared at the person agape. The man who flooded her nightmares with brutal memories, whose name was enough to make her heart sink, whose touch as prickly as it burned her skin.

"You still bear my name Akshara Abhimanyu Birla and you are still married to me", his stern voice again rang in her head and she realised he was actually there calling off her marriage with most innocent person she have ever came across.

Her best friend Abhinav.

Who saved her from the river, took care of her... Became her strength when nobody was there with her.

Who was he to her?

Just an unknown! But he still was there with her. Who saved her life?

Akshara saw Abhinav; her would be husband looking at Abhimanyu Birla with murderous rage.

"When you couldn't do anything you came up with this now, she doesn't remember your marriage nor do she remember anything that happened between you Abhimanyu, and the most important she doesn't consider you as her husband"! He spat.

"Remember or not, she's my wife and she cannot marry you and will not"! Abhimanyu said, his form stiff, trying to maintain his calm composure. Just seeing her with that bas***d made his heart limp with anguish, and an uncontrollable rage that could deflate anything.

How could she take this step, how could she just go around marrying someone else while she's still married to him...

Dread filled his mind when he first heard this from Neil, his brother, who informed him that she's getting married to that monster.

Two police officers rushed inside and stood beside Abhimanyu. By the time nobody noticed him holding a file in his hand which his forwarded to the officers. Both the officers scanned those papers with and looked at Abhinav.

"You cannot marry Miss Akshara as she's still married to Mr Birla, its illegal and she can be arrested for marrying you"! The officer said.

Soon the crowd gathered there started to disperse, only remaining few ones were Abhinav's family members, Neil and Aarohi.

Deliberated tears rolled down her eyes as she took tumbling steps towards Abhimanyu.

"Why can't you leave me alone Abhimanyu? Every time, every moment you cause me insurmountable pain that makes me difficult to even breathe. You scare me Abhimanyu. You are a murderer. I do not love you...will never do, you are just a brutal murderer"! Her voice was broken as she helplessly uttered those words.

"Just let me live like I want...Please leave me alone"! Bending down, now she was on her knees pleading him to free her from every relation she had with him.

Aarohi rushed towards her to support her as she cried uncontrollably. And he said nothing, stood there immobile without looking at her.

"Akshara, I was telling you not to take such step, he is your husband Akshara, you don't remember him but that doesn't change that fact. Both of you were in so much love...Damn it Akshara, I am tired of telling you same things over and over again", Aarohi was hopeless.

She tried to stop the marriage but nothing could stop Akshara. Aarohi tried countless times to tell her about Abhinav's evil plan but she believed in nothing, not a single word against him. For her, he was her saviour and that is the only truth she believed.

At the mean time Abhimanyu bent down, held her wrist so tight that she gasped with pain as he brought her to her feet, ordered Neil to make the car ready outside.

"I will not go with you", she pleaded.

Her hopeful eyes darted to Aarohi, her sister. Even she turned her face away. In the end she looked at Abhinav. His emotions were unreadable or she was in no state to read anyone's emotions. He was just blankly staring into her.

"I am sorry Abhinav", she said with a broken voice.

And that is when he said, "Don't worry Akshara, I am always with you, and I will help you out of this situation".

Without waiting to see her reaction, Abhimanyu lifted her up to his arms holding her tightly, too much to her protest and walked out of the hall. Neil was waiting outside of the car. He opened the door and Abhimanyu finally landed her on the passenger seat. Aarohi followed them outside. Aarohi and Neil both settled in the backseat as Abhimanyu drove the car quietly. Nobody spoke a word. The silence continued in the car until Abhimanyu made a stop in front of a beautiful bungalow.

"Where are we Abhimanyu"? Asked Neil utterly confused. He stared at massive bungalow, with a touch of modernity mixed with tradition. Somehow it was looking familiar to the Birla mansion.

"It's our home"! He said. Reading the confusion from Neil, he added later, "I bought this bungalow some months ago, a gift for Akshara".

He didn't even bother to see her shocked expression to his statement. Getting out of the car he went to the other side, opened the door and lifted her up again. Her protest was silenced by deathly glare she had never seen on his face.

"Take the car Neil" he said as he stepped towards the bungalow.

Their home.

He had a dream to bring her to this house. He had many dreams with this house. He thought one day he'd bring her here, like a bride comes to a new house. To show her what he has achieved with his hard work. To show her how much she meant for his life. How much she is a part of his life. But now, she's sure stepping in this house in bridal attire but not ready as his bride. The thought pinched him so hard that he suddenly brought her down. Standing in front of the massive door he waited for the caretaker to bring the keys.

As he waited there in silence, she couldn't help but observe him. He was so much different today. Just too stern to even talk, and too furious to bring down a whole army single handed. And then she remembered how he turned her life upside down.

She was going to marry Abhinav. Her best friend. She thought she will be happy. But no, life always plots something against her and she would be a puppet again. Frustrated with the situation she groaned a little loud, catching his attention.

He looked at her, for the first time after all that happened. And she was surprised. There was nothing in those eyes. They were purely blank. She remembered his eyes were always with hope, always with a desire. But now that's gone. And suddenly that made her feel hollow. She couldn't decipher own feelings, but the coldness of his eyes stiffened something inside her that she could feel the hurt. Now he looked bored. The caretaker came with the keys and greeted Abhimanyu and Akshara. Wishing him a good night Abhimanyu opened the door.

"Our room is up there, the second to the left", he said and she noticed he never failed to mention anything as individual. It had always been "our home" " our room" "our life" "our lo...".

She shook her head not to think further.

No I hate this man; he cannot do anything good for anyone. This is all a trap to deceive me, but I will not fall prey to his evil plans.

"Don't you understand? I can't bear to stand on the same ground with you and you are telling me to sleep with you, how could you be so disgusting Abhimanyu"? She spat with anger bubbling inside her. He said nothing as if he's never heard anything. That angered her even more.

"I am not living with you... I am going ", she said and started to move away from him, walking towards the door.

She failed to notice his panther like speed when he suddenly appeared behind her and scooped her in his arms. She was stunned with his speed that she forgot to protest. Her eyes fixed on his hardened face, his muscles tight around her back as he held her and started for upstairs. She never realised until he stopped in front of the room as he mentioned before.

"You are a monster", she cried again as he dropped her on the bed. "How boring. Tell me something I haven't heard before"! He said with such coolness that she felt her words meant nothing to him.

"I will..." The cries of her protest died in her throat as he hopped into the bed, pressing her down, holding both of her hands above her head.

"You will not utter a single word after this, you will not get out of this room until morning and if you try to do any of either I will tie you in this room". She could have been silenced the rage emanating from him but those words stiffened her.

Only a monster like you can do that to his wife. She thought silently and continue stare him.

"Now if you found my face so lovely you can stare a little softly love", he said with a flirtatious tone. She felt like for moment she saw the mischief his eyes always had. Disgusted with herself for the second time thinking about him, she pushed him away.

"You are all doing this because I am still married to you right? Because you have all the rights to torture me mentally and manhandle me because I was legally wedded you"! His forms stiffened again hearing those words as he put them into conclusion.

She wants a divorce.

"I want a divorce"! She said exactly as he thought.

"Fine"!

In return he only said the one thing that would put her in peace and left the room banging the door. For the second time in two hours she was stunned with the behaviour of this husband of hers she doesn't remember and for a fraction of second she wondered, was he like the same when I had my memories ... Well intact?

"I want a divorce".

Those godforsaken words never left his mind the moment they escaped her mouth. Because what she did today and what she said today is going to shatter his sanity. Even after she lost her memories, even after she thought of him as a murderer, even after she denied accepting his love, denied to believe all those promises they made together she never uttered anything like ending everything between them.

It had been eight months since she was found alive. Eight months since he is convincing himself that he is alive too. Eight months since she didn't remember a thing they shared. Still there was a little hope with her.

He never cared whenever she acted like stranger around him, or whenever she flinched at his touch, frightened of his closeness and disgusted with his presence. He tolerated all that. He even tolerated when she accused him of being her murderer. But nothing hurt him more than when he saw her in bridal attire, going to become someone else's wife.

The pang of pain he felt was similar to pain he felt when her hand slipped away from his, and he thought he lost her forever. The feeling was same.

He was out of the town for a week for a very important business meeting which he was ignoring since months. But when Neil called him and told him that she's getting married to that monster Abhinav his world turned upside down. Abhinav somehow had convinced her for engagement and then marriage. His absence was the only opportunity Abhinav could use. He couldn't think sane. The only thought clouded his mind was to reach over there and stop this marriage. And he did so. But the thing that followed next was devastation.

Damn it's my entire fault. I shouldn't have been fretting about all the damned marriage laws. Now she has found a way to get out of my life. You forgot a promise love ... But I didn't. You will come back to me and that's my promise to us. He went outside for some fresh air as the loneliness inside suffocated him.

Leaning on the headrest she thought about tomorrow. She will end everything.

Their damned marriage.

She couldn't forget this whole eight months and the way he made her life miserable. The first memory of him in her mind was him holding that gun pointed at her and nothing literally nothing. How could not she believe her own mind?

How could she believe him as an innocent?

First he sends goons to attack her, and then pretended to be someone else to be near her. That didn't satisfy him that he also kidnapped her. And all her family members still called him innocent? He was just fooling everyone. Her mind was filled with remembering moments after moments he irritated her.

Feeling suffocated with all the jewelleries she paced inside the room. She has nothing to change with and she surely cannot sleep wearing this heavy wedding clothes. Her eyes darted to the large wardrobe that almost covered the wall. With all these thoughts she really never noticed the fine furnished room, the elegantly placed furniture. Holding her curiosity she marched towards the wardrobe. Her mouth fell open as she noticed the neatly stacked elegant designer saree and beautiful salwars.

But what stunned her more was a picture. A picture of her and Abhimanyu.

A happy picture where both of them were so close, their cheeks touching and the beautiful smile plastered on their face. Anybody with her right mind will believe that they were a happy couple.

And for the first time she questioned herself, "Am I doing any injustice to him, to us"? Holding the picture in her she wondered how was their relationship. A sudden urge to ask him about everything about their relationship crawled into her mind for the first time after eight months.

No you are losing your mind again Akshara, you will ask him for divorce and that's the end of it stupidly she cursed herself for letting her mind lose.

After struggling through the pile of clothes she finally found the night clothes neatly placed in the lower rack and immediately changed the heavy attire. Then she opened the window of the room to feel some fresh air. She could even get out of the room but she chose the peaceful way as she knew how he'd react. Everything that happened was too much for today.

Standing by the window she tried to soothe her troubled mind. But what she saw again filled her brain with uncountable curious questions. Abhimanyu Birla was bending down, his knees touching the ground nurturing the little flower pots, plucking out the dried leaves and flowers. She had never seen him so peaceful.

Is this the way he behaves when nobody is watching him? So calm, and peaceful and innocent?

You are thinking too much Akshara! She cursed again.

Frustrated with herself she went to sleep ignoring whatever he was doing to the flower pots.

A deep frown creased on her smooth skin as her face glowed in the radiant sun rays passing through the window. Oh! How just he missed this beautiful sight. He sighed, standing beside the bed, looking at her. His mind battling between thoughts of waking her up or letting her sleep for some more time.

It's already past ten. Time was not concerned here, he was afraid of the way she'd react if she'd find him there. With utmost hesitation he finally touched her cheeks, waiting for her reaction. It was the first time she didn't flinch at his touch. Rather she snuggled closer inching for his closeness.

He couldn't describes the pleasure her response brought into his heart. For a husband whose wife doesn't remember him, for a husband who was hesitant to touch his wife, it's a heart-warming sensation. She doesn't remember him but she remembered how he felt around her. The prove lies in her response to his touch. She stirred in the bed and he stepped away instantly. Her eyes fluttered open as she registered the new place and with a sudden jolt of shock she sat upright.

The last nights event replayed in her mind and she sighed, not for long as she felt the presence of another person in the room. When her eyes finally darted to him he was standing there maintaining a good distance from the bed. Before she could ask how you got in, a knock on the door caught their attention. The caretaker whom she saw last night was there holding a tray of food. That's when she realised how hungry she was.

"Have your breakfast. We have something important to talk about"! He said quietly, his voice devoid of the bitterness he had previous night. As if he was contempt with something. He was looking happy as he walked out of the room. Having no other thing to do, she got up to freshen up while the caretaker placed tray on the nightstand.

An hour later when she finished her breakfast she thought she should go down. On her way down she was awed by the lavish furniture and construction of the bungalow. He had bought this for. She remembered his words last night.

And now?

He said it's something important!

About the divorce? She thought blissfully.

But why was he happy? She was curious but she was not ready for the unwelcomed situations down there.

She stepped down the stairs and marched towards the hall. Sitting on the sofa he was reading some papers from a file. His mood unpredictable again. But what caught her attention was the person standing in the hall, boiling with anger.

Abhimanyu's' attitude towards him was purely unwelcoming. He was totally ignoring Abhinav's' presence...

"Tell me where the hell is Akshara"? Abhinav asked with a tinge of frustration.

"She's in her own house, safe and secured", he stated as a matter of fact as if she belonged to this place forever.

"Secured? With you"? Abhinav said sarcastically.

"Of course Abhinav, I am her husband; she couldn't be safe anywhere other than her own house"! Abhimanyu replied enjoying himself way too much.

"Abhinav"! That is when Akshara interrupted both of them.

"Akshara, are you fine? Did he do anything you? Tell me you are not hurt"? He asked her impatiently.

"Tell him Akshara, all your bones are in right places", said Abhimanyu said she frowned with his odd humour.

"Shut up Abhimanyu, he cares for me!!" said Akshara.

"I can already see that, sending stalkers behind us so that he could know where you are! I must praise you Abhinav but I'd say this is the last time I am seeing any of your thugs outside my house", said Abhimanyu with an utter calmness that Abhinav flinched at his statement.

"What is he talking about Abhinav"? Akshara asked confused.

"Nothing...ignore him. Are you all right?"

"I am sorry Abhinav for whatever happened yesterday?"

"No Akshara this was no fault of yours! It's all because of him"! Abhinav said pointing at Abhimanyu who was behaving as if he was not even in this room.

"But you don't worry. I will free you from this relation and from this marriage Akshara. All you need to do is sign that divorce paper"! He said with a flicker of hope for himself that Akshara will get back to him. Before she could react to his words, Abhimanyu suddenly appeared beside her and handed her the files.

"Read them carefully Akshara, you need a divorce right"? He said with a pinched voice. She didn't answer too shocked to his coolness about the matter.

"But before signing that paper answer me one thing Akshara, do you love him?" He asked with such intensity that she couldn't move her eyes from his.

"Look into my eyes and tell me that you love him, because if you wouldn't Akshara, You will betray yourself!"

Till then she never questioned herself?

Do I love Abhinav?