I stormed into my room, my mind still reeling with worry about Vaani. The turbulent weather outside only added to my anxiety, knowing she was alone and vulnerable. Despite the stringent security measures I had put in place, I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of my stomach.
I lay down on my bed, my eyes refused to close, my thoughts consumed by visions of Vaani's safety.
"SWANNN ",,Suddenly, a disturbing dream jolted me awake, and I sat up with a start, screaming out Vaani's name. My heart racing, I threw off the covers and leapt out of bed.
I couldn't wait any longer; I had to see Vaani, to reassure myself that she was safe. Grabbing my car keys, I sprinted out of my apartment, my mind fixated on one thought: Vaani's well-being.
I sped through the streets, my car eating up the distance, my heart pounded in my chest. I couldn't trust anyone else to check on Vaani; I had to do it myself. The thought of anything happening to her was unbearable.
Finally, I screeched to a halt outside my apartment, my tires skidding on the wet pavement. The guards stationed outside snapped to attention, saluting me, but I brushed past them, my eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of trouble.
With a sense of urgency, I burst into the apartment, my eyes scanning the rooms for Vaani. Where was she? Was she safe? My heart was racing with anticipation, and I couldn't wait to find out.
Here she is.
I gazed upon Vaani's peaceful form, my heart swelled with a mix of emotions. She was sleeping serenely, oblivious to the turmoil that had been brewing inside me.
But why was she sleeping here, in the living room? My eyes wandered to the figure sleeping on the ground, and my eyebrows furrowed in surprise.
Shivam?
What was he doing here?
I pieced together the events, I recalled Shivam's conversation with Isha before he left the house. It dawned on me that Isha must have sent him here to keep an eye on Vaani. A wave of relief washed over me, knowing that Vaani was safe and being taken care of.
I let out a deep breath, my eyes returning to Vaani's tranquil face. I gently picked her up, cradling her in my lap, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around my neck. As I carried her to her room, I couldn't help but feel a pang of tenderness towards her.
I laid her down on her bed, she snuggled into her favorite teddy bear, the one Anant had gifted her. I smiled wistfully, my fingers brushing against her hair as I tucked it behind her ears.
"Sorry for hurting you," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "But I did this for you only. If we stay in such a forced relationship, then we have no future. Instead, you should focus on your dreams."
I caressed her cheeks with my thumb, my subconscious mind posed a question that made my heart skip a beat: "Will you let her go with someone else?" I had no answer, for the mere thought of Vaani with another person igniting a burning sensation in my chest.
It was this very feeling that had driven me to make the difficult decision to leave her. I needed to reclaim my former self, to rediscover the man I once was before Vaani had captivated my heart.
With a heavy heart, I bid her farewell, my lips brushing against her forehead in a gentle kiss. "Goodbye, Swan. Maybe I'll leave before you wake up. And please, don't hate me."
I withdrew from her room, my gaze fell upon Shivam, who was sleeping peacefully on the sofa. I smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards my brother for being there for Vaani. I gently roused him, making sure he was comfortable, and covered him with a blanket.
My baby brother is always so carefree and innocent. I felt a pang of protectiveness towards him, knowing that he would always be there to look out for Vaani.
With a final glance at Vaani's room, I retreated to my own room, my mind made up. I packed my bags, my thoughts already drifting towards the journey ahead.
I called my pilot, informing him of our departure in the morning, and then lay down, my eyes closing as I let the exhaustion wash over me.
I woke up at 5:00 AM, feeling a sense of restlessness. After quickly freshening up in the bathroom, I made my way downstairs.
The silence in the house was palpable, and I noticed that Shivam was nowhere to be found. I assumed he must have returned to his office, which was also his home.
I reached the ground floor, my servant greeted me with my suitcase. I was about to leave when I heard the soft sound of a swan, and my heart skipped a beat. I couldn't help but follow the sound, which led me to Vaani's room.
I stood outside her door, I noticed that it was slightly ajar. The gentle sound of the mantra chanted wafted out, and I peeked inside to see Vaani standing in front of the Tulsi plant in her room. Her eyes were closed, and her voice was barely above a whisper as she chanted the sacred mantras.
The sight of her took my breath away, and I felt a pang of regret for leaving her. I knew I had to go, but a part of me wanted to stay, to be with her, to protect her. But I knew it was impossible.
I took a deep breath, turned around, and walked away from her room. As I made my way to the parking area, I whispered a silent prayer, "Take care of yourself, and forgive me, for perhaps we will never meet again."
My PA, Varun Roy, was already waiting for me by the car. I had handpicked him for his exceptional skills and capabilities, and I had read everything in his file. We exchanged a brief nod, and I slid into the car.
As we sped away from the house, I felt a sense of finality. I had informed everyone that I would be leaving in the morning, and now there was no turning back.
We arrived at the airport, and I boarded the flight to Singapore, leaving behind the life I knew, and the woman who had captured my heart.
Vaani pov-
I slowly opened my eyes, I found myself lying on my bed, with no recollection of how I got there. I must have walked back to my room in a daze, I thought, trying to piece together the events of the previous night. I tossed off the covers and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.
I stood under the warm shower, I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in my chest. My body began to tremble, and I felt a wave of anxiety wash over me. In an attempt to calm myself, I decided to chant some Tulsi Mantras, a practice that always brought me peace.
I walked over to the Tulsi plant my sister had gifted me and began to chant, my voice barely above a whisper. As I performed the puja, I caught a glimpse of someone standing at the door.
I turned to look, but there was no one there. Confused, I stepped out of my room and saw Dhruv standing in the hallway, his bags packed and ready to go.
My heart skipped a beat as I watched him, my mind racing with questions. Where was Shivam? Where was Dhruv going? But I didn't have the courage to ask him. I simply stood there, frozen in time, as he turned to leave.
A pang of sadness struck my heart, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes. Memories of the previous day's events came flooding back, and I remembered the pain of watching Dhruv tear our relationship apart with a single piece of paper.
I quickly wiped away my tears, not wanting to give in to my emotions. I took a deep breath and reminded myself that I was no longer alone. I had people who cared for me, people who had come into my life because of Dhruv.
A sense of gratitude washed over me, and I smiled to myself. Yes, I was grateful to Dhruv for bringing these people into my life. I took a final look at the empty hallway, then turned and walked back to my room, ready to start my day and move on from the heartache of the past.
.
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.
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I was lounging on the couch in the hall when the doorbell rang, breaking the silence. I got up to answer the door, and my face lit up with a bright smile as I saw Isha di and Anant bhai standing on the other side.
As soon as Isha Di saw me, she enveloped me in a warm hug. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
I nodded, feeling a sense of reassurance with her by my side. "Yes, I'm absolutely fine," I replied, "and you also sent him...what his name was..."
Isha di and Anant bhai exchanged a knowing glance, and Isha di smiled. "Shivam bhai," Anant bhai said, and I nodded, a wide smile spreading across my face.
But my smile faltered as I remembered that I was still angry with Anant bhai. His smile also vanished, and he looked at me with a hint of regret.
"Still angry?" he asked, his voice was soft, but I wasn't in the mood to talk to him.
I turned to Isha di, my eyes searching for answers. "He didn't go with him, did he?" I asked, and Isha Di smiled, trying to hide something.
"No, now he'll be working in the company," she said, and I smiled, happy to know that Isha di would have Anant bhai by her side.
Anant bhai stood up, his eyes locked on mine. "Vaani, it's time for your college. Let me drop you," he said, but I huffed, still nursing my anger.
I turned to Isha Di, my eyes pleading. "Di, can you drop me to college? I don't want to go with someone who yells at people without any fault," I said, my voice firm, but my eyes sparkling with mischief 😈😈.
Anant bhai's face fell, and I could see the hurt in his eyes. But I wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily. Isha Di , however, just smiled and nodded.
"Sure...so let's go," she said, and we walked out of the house together, flipping our hair over our shoulders in unison.
Author pov-
As the two women left, Anant burst into laughter, his eyes shining with amusement. "Dhruv beta, you are messing with the wrong person!" he exclaimed, chuckling to himself.
Meanwhile, Isha and Vaani arrived at the college, and Rudra was already waiting for Vaani. As soon as he saw her, he strode over, a hint of annoyance on his face. "You're late," he said, but Vaani just smiled innocently and glanced at Isha, who was watching them with raised eyebrows.
"Di, this is Rudra...Imali," Vaani explained, "he's my friend." Isha's gaze narrowed, scrutinizing Rudra, who rolled his eyes good-naturedly.
"Please, I'm just a friend, and I don't want to be anything else," Rudra said, his tone laced with a hint of exasperation. "She's just my friend, and I don't have any other emotions except friendship."
Isha chuckled at his response, aware of the events that had transpired the previous day. "Other emotions?" Vaani asked, confusion etched on her face.
Rudra quickly changed the subject, reminding Vaani that her class was about to start. She hurried off, leaving Rudra and Isha alone.
Isha's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she turned to Rudra. "Who are you, and why are you friends with her?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest.
Rudra took a deep breath and launched into an explanation of who he was, why he was there, and why he wanted to be friends with Vaani. Isha's eyes widened in surprise, but she composed herself, her expression turning serious.
"She's very naive for this world; take care of her," Isha said, her voice tinged with a motherly concern.
Rudra smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "But I have to spoil her a little so that she can understand this world, though," he said, a mischievous glint in his eye.
Isha glared at him, but Rudra quickly reassured her, "I won't spoil it too much, I just spoil it a little, I promise."
Isha chuckled, seeming to accept Rudra's promise. "Take care of her," she repeated, before turning to leave.
Rudra watched her go, a thoughtful expression on his face, before turning to follow Vaani to her class.
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