Chapter 1
It had been 3 days. Vansh had not been able to sleep properly for the past three days. He was continuously pacing the floor and throwing anxious looks towards the bed where she was shivering due to the high fever. None of the doctors had been able to do anything for her, no matter what treatment or medicine they gave; her temperature refused to go down. He was afraid, scared witless if you may say. Every time she had been at death's door, he had prayed, and it had worked like magic. Every time she had been returned to him. But this time nothing had worked, he had prayed, begged, threatened, bargained, and what not? But nada. No results.
Maybe the GODs were angry at him because she had gotten hurt every time because of him. He had always been unable to protect her. He was mad at himself, for he had failed to do his duty.
Flashback:
3 days ago:
It was during the press conference when he had pushed Ridhima out of VR mansion. He had been about to tell Angre to keep an eye on her when Sia had shouted Ridhimas name, everyone including him had run to her room, and in a rush, he had forgotten to tell Angre about Ridhima.
Sia had been inconsolable and had kept asking for her. He had been confused for a moment and then had tried to reassure her that he had gotten rid of Ridhima because she had betrayed him by conspiring with his enemy and she had also hurt Sia severely.
Sia had been shocked for a moment. Then she told him about how wrong he was about Ridhima; how she had been trying to erase all the proofs against him regarding Ragini's murder. Ridhima had removed Ragini from his care (because Ridhima had thought he had been about to murder Ragini). She didn't want Vansh to go to jail.
Then she had then proceeded to tell him everything about the crimes conducted by Anupriya and her son Kabir, how they knew each other all along and were planning to kill him so that they could acquire his property, how Anupriya had been the one to kill their birth mother, Uma.
Vansh had been stunned by her revelations. For a minute had been unable to process what Sia had told him and then he reacted. He turned towards where Angre was standing by the door and shouted at him, "Angre! Find Her!". "On it, Boss!", Angre had replied and while calling his security team had run from the room to go look for his Bhabi himself.
….
After a continuous and tiresome search, Angre finally found her. He immediately called Vansh.
When Vansh arrived, he saw that it was the same temple near which he had first met Ridhima as Vihan. He quietly climbed up the stairs, and when he saw her, sitting there, staring blankly at her Idol. His steps faltered. Taking small, slow, hesitant steps, he came towards her. He knelt beside her and softly said her name. "Ridhima?"
No response.
She didn't even turn towards him. He was lost. For the first time, she hadn't bothered to look towards him or bother to say anything to him. Before no matter how much she used to be hurt, nothing had been able to stop her from falling into his arms.
He quietly sat beside her. Saying nothing at all and just waited for her.
An hour passed.
It was already late into the night. He looked at her again. Her head was now resting on her arms that she had wrapped around her knees. He called her name softly.
Again, no response.
He hesitated for a bit then slowly reached out a hand to touch her arm.
She was burning up!
"Ridhima!", Vansh shouted. "Get up, Ridhima! You have a very high temperature!" He said as he quickly picked her up. Her head hung back; she was unconscious.
Vansh ran to the car with his unconscious wife in his arms, shouting at Angre to start the car and call the doctors to VR mansion.
…
Present:
It had been three days now, but she wasn't waking up. Vansh didn't know what he would do without her. He still had to beg her to forgive him for all the crimes he had committed against her.
He had kept a vigil by her bedside, not eating or drinking anything when asked.
Dadi had been sitting in the temple, asking for forgiveness because she felt guilty about hurting Ridhima and praying for her quick recovery.
Anupamaa
Mehndi Hai Rachne Wali
