Anmol sat on the bed, his face etched with worry, A girl sat beside him, concern etched on her face. "What happened, Anmol? You're looking very tense," she asked, her voice soft and soothing.
Anmol took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "I don't know, Lily, but I'm not feeling good. It feels as if something strange has happened, something bad," he said, his voice heavy with foreboding.
Her expression turned reassuring as she placed a hand on his back. "Nothing bad happened, look, I'm fine, you're fine, Aunty is also fine, and Vaani will also be fine," she said, trying to comfort him.
But Anmol's worry only deepened. "No, Vaani is not safe. I feel like this when Laddu is in some problem," he said, his voice cracking with concern.
Durga's eyes filled with empathy as she cupped his face in her palms. "Don't worry, we're looking for her. As soon as we find her, we'll bring her to our place," she promised, trying to reassure him.
Anmol nodded, feeling a sense of relief. He lay down on the bed, closing his eyes, and she began to caress his hair, her touch gentle and soothing.
"Thank you for coming into my life, Anmol," she whispered, her voice filled with emotion.
Anmol's eyes remained closed, but a soft smile spread across his face. "Thank you for coming into my life, DURGA," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.
They both drifted off to sleep, Durga's mind wandered to Vaani, a girl she had never met but knew so much about. She looked at the picture of Vaani and Anmol on her phone, her heart filled with concern for the young girl.
"Where are you, Laddu? We're very worried about you," she thought to herself, her eyes scanning the picture as if searching for answers. "Please be safe until we find you," she whispered, her voice a silent prayer.
Rajvansh mension
Eight hours had passed since Vaani had lost consciousness, and the family's anxiety had reached a boiling point. The doctor's reassessment of her condition only added to their worry. "The trace of that fear has still not gone away from her body," he explained, his expression grave.
Anant and Isha had returned, and the sight of Vaani's lifeless form had left Isha speechless. She sat beside Vaani, her eyes fixed on her face, her expression a mask of concern.
The doctor's words hung in the air, and Anant's eyes narrowed. "But, Doctor, no fear can take a person to this extent," he said, his voice laced with skepticism.
The doctor nodded solemnly. "Yes, but if that person runs away from their fear... She was stuck in the darkness for two hours. You cannot even imagine her condition. Whatever I said about her blood came out worse in the report. The levels of cortisol and epinephrine have reached a point where they're acting like poison."
Anant's eyes clouded with doubt. "But I have a doubt, Doctor," he said, his voice measured.
The doctor's eyes locked onto Anant's. "What doubt, Doctor?" Aarun asked, his tone cold and detached.
The doctor hesitated before speaking. "Even after the fear of any phobia sets in, we still have control over our mind for some time. But I don't understand why she didn't leave the room even when she could have."
Shivam's eyes dropped, and he muttered, "She was locked in the room."
The room fell silent, and Anant's eyes snapped towards Dhruv, who sat with his eyes cast downward. Anant's gaze lingered on Dhruv's face, his expression darkening with anger. His palms clenched into fists, and his jaw set in a rigid line.
The air was heavy with tension, and the family's anxiety had given way to a sense of foreboding. The darkness that had consumed Vaani seemed to be spreading, threatening to engulf them all.
"STAY !!!!!
Vaani's screaming voice pierced the air, the family rushed to her room, their hearts racing with concern. They found Vaani sitting in the corner of the bed, her body curled up in a defensive position, her eyes wide with fear.
"Vaani, baccha, we will not harm you, please calm down," Isha pleaded, her voice soft and soothing. But Vaani was beyond consolation, her fear having reached a fever pitch.
She kept repeating the word "stay," her voice trembling with terror. Isha's heart went out to her, and she felt a pang of sadness seeing Vaani, a girl who had never been afraid of her, now cowering in fear.
The doctor and the rest of the family members arrived, and Vaani's eyes darted around the room, taking in the sea of faces. For a moment, her eyes locked onto Aarun's, and she seemed to relax, but as she took in the rest of the people, her fear returned, and she hid her face in between her knees.
The doctor quickly assessed the situation and turned to Aarun. "Mr. Rajvansh, before she became unconscious, it was you who was near her," she stated calmly.
Aarun nodded, his eyes fixed on Vaani. "Yes," he replied, his voice soft.
The doctor's eyes locked onto Aarun's. "It means that this time, you are the only one who can comfort her. Please talk to her," she urged.
Aarun nodded, taking a step towards Vaani. But as soon as he moved, Vaani's head snapped up, and she cried out, "Stay!" Aarun froze, his eyes locked onto Vaani's, as the doctor's words echoed in his mind. He knew that he had to tread carefully, to reassure Vaani that she was safe, and that he was there to protect her.
Aarun's soft voice filled the room as he gently coaxed Vaani, "Princess, why are you scared? Look, we're all family here." He took a cautious step towards her, but Vaani's clenched fists and terrified expression made him realize that his presence, along with the others, was only exacerbating her fear.
With a swift glance around the room, Aarun understood that Vaani needed solitude and reassurance. "All of you, out of this room now, or else no one will be worse than me," he commanded, his voice firm but gentle.
The others departed, Anant's anger boiled over, and he grasped Dhruv's hand, dragging him out of the room. The tension between them was palpable, but Aarun's focus remained on Vaani.
"Baccha, are you afraid of me too?" Aarun asked, his voice laced with concern, as he took a small step closer to Vaani. She turned her face, her eyes scanning the room, searching for any signs of danger.
Aarun reassured her, "There's no one here, you don't need to be afraid." He sat down on the edge of the bed, his presence calm and soothing.
Vaani's defenses began to crumble, and she burst into tears, flinging her arms around Aarun's neck. He enveloped her in a warm, comforting father hug, whispering softly, "No baby, we're your family, why would we harm you?"
Vaani sobbed, Aarun gently stroked her hair, offering words of reassurance. "They w...will hit m....me ag....again, I d..don't wan....want to go th....there," Vaani stammered, her voice trembling with fear.
Aarun's grip tightened, holding her close as he whispered words of comfort. Vaani's tears slowly subsided, and she relaxed in Aarun's arms, basking in the warmth and security he provided.
she pulled back, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Vaani's eyes locked onto Aarun's, and she wondered who this man was, who had offered her such kindness and comfort.
She had never met him before, yet he seemed to understand her deepest fears and offer her a sense of safety she had never known.
His eyes, filled with concern and kindness, watched over her as he assessed her condition. Satisfied that she had regained her senses, he called out to Isha, his voice soft and reassuring.
Isha, who had been waiting anxiously outside the room, hastened to respond to Aarun's summons. She entered the room, her eyes scanning Vaani's face, searching for any signs of distress. As she reached the bedside, she stood still, her gaze locked onto Vaani's, her expression a mask of calmness and compassion.
Vaani's gaze fell upon Isha, she rushed into her arms, embracing her tightly. Isha's eyes welled up with tears of relief as she held Vaani close, cupping her face in her hands. "Baccha, are you alright? You scared me so much," Isha whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.
Vaani's innocent smile was like a balm to the family's frayed nerves, and they collectively breathed a sigh of relief. However, as Vaani's eyes scanned the room, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings, her expression turned puzzled.
Isha quickly dispelled her confusion, "We're in Rajvansh Mansion." But Vaani's eyes widened in alarm, her mind racing with the implications of being in the mansion. She had been explicitly forbidden from entering the mansion, and now she is here, vulnerable to punishment and retribution.
Vaani's thoughts tumbled out in a frantic whisper, "How did I come to this mansion? I don't want to come here. If he finds out I'm here, he'll punish me again, he'll shout at me. Did he lock me in a room again? No, no, I can't take the risk. I have to go back..."
Vaani attempted to rise from the bed, Aarun's soft voice halted her, "Where are you going?" Vaani's response was laced with nervousness, "Mmm... thanks for saving me, but now I have to go."
Isha's voice was tinged with concern, "Where?" Vaani's reply was barely audible, "Maybe hostel..."
Anant's anger simmered just below the surface, "You still want to go to the hostel?" Vaani's eyes dropped, and she nodded meekly.
Dipti's declaration was firm, "You're not going anywhere. From now on, you'll stay with us in this house." Vaani's eyes pleaded with Isha, but she too remained silent.
Vaani's thoughts whirled in desperation, her gaze fell upon Dhruv, standing by the door. For a fleeting instant, their eyes met, and Vaani sensed a message in his gaze, "You can stay here." Dhruv's departure was swift, leaving Vaani to ponder the meaning behind his words.
Anant's voice broke the spell, "Vaani, I asked you something." Vaani's nod was hesitant, her eyes locked onto Anant's, sensing a depth of emotion she couldn't quite fathom.
"Yehhhh!!"Dipali's excitement was short-lived, as Vaani's sudden grip on Isha's hand made her scream. The room fell silent, with all eyes on Dipali, who mouthed a silent apology. Vaani's giggle was music to their ears, and the tension was momentarily alleviated.
However, Anant's expression remained unreadable, his eyes boring into Vaani's, as if searching for answers to unspoken questions.
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