Three years and seven months ago

Royal Hotel, Kolkata

Ragini holds her head because of the pain. She was feeling weak and her eyes were not ready to open. Somehow she opens her eyes and looks up at the ceiling. Her eyebrows knits in confusion seeing the unfamiliar surroundings.

'Where am I?' she thinks.

Then only she feels the strong hold around her waist. She moves her face to look at her right and her eyes widens in shock. Arhaan was sleeping right next to her, shirtless. He was laying on his stomach and his face was towards her. Ragini then looks at herself and heart stops beating when she realises the condition she was in. Her body goes numb when the realisation hits her very hard and really bad. Tears starts streaming down her cheeks as she takes everything in. She pushes Arhaan's hand from her body. She sits on the bed, covering herself with the comforter and holds her head.

"No no... This can't be true. This should not happen. Noooo..." she shouts as she starts crying really badly.

Arhaan opens his eyes slowly as he hears her shouts. It takes him a few seconds to adjust his eyes to the surroundings and finally look at the crying Ragini.

"Ragini..." he says confused.

Ragini looks at him but doesn't say anything and keeps on crying. Arhaan moves on the bed and then everything hits him. His eyes widens because of the realisation. He looks at himself and then at Ragini.

"F*ck!!" he curses as he looks at Ragini again.

"Ragini..." he calls as he moves his hand to hold her but she moves away from him.

"Stay away!" she screams.

"Ragini, just calm down." he tries to make her calm down but he knew he was stupid to think that she'll calm down.

It wasn't a thing to calm down about and forget. It wasn't a small thing for a girl.

"Noooo.... I said stay away. Just move your face away." she shouts crying.

Arhaan doesn't argue but moves back and turns his face away. Ragini hurriedly wears her clothes and gets out of the bed and Arhaan does the same. Without looking at him, she runs out of the room while Arhaan follows her, shouting her name but she was gone before he reaches the hall.

"She's not in her right mind and many things must be going through her mind. What if..." he shakes his head at the worst thought he was getting. He grabs his car keys and runs out.

He waits in his car until Ragini gets a cab and starts following the cab when it starts moving. He takes a breath of relief when the cab stops in front of Ragini's house and she goes inside. He then drives back to his penthouse. He enters inside and looks at the mess everyone created in the house.

"It was not supposed to happen. What Ragini must be going through? God!! Was my life already less of a mess that you added more problems in it? How did we even get drunk? I don't remember drinking." he says as he sits on a couch, holding his head in between his hands.

Just then his eyes falls on the large gift placed on another couch. He moves towards it and reads the names on the chit.

"To Arhaan, the pig... From his babu, Ragini..." he reads and a smile automatically makes it's way to his lips.

He tears the packing and finds a guitar inside. He smiles looking at the guitar. He then notices the name Arhaan written on it with red ink. He caresses the name.

"Thank you my lady love..." he says.

But his face falls remembering what happened sometime ago. Everything got messed up and Ragini's condition was making him feel worried. He can very well understand what it means for a girl. For a boy it may not be a big deal but for a girl, it means everything and she wasn't any girl but Ragini. He was tensed and worried for Ragini but decides to give her some time and space.

***

Ragini enters inside her house as her mother opens the door for her.

"Ragu, where were you all the night? We were so tensed." says Sharmishtha as she takes a breath of relief seeing her daughter fine.

Ragini somehow keeps back her urge of throwing herself in her mother's arm and crying.

"We got late from the party so I stayed in Piya's house because it was closer. I got tired so I forgot to call you and directly went to sleep. I'm sorry mumma..." she lies.

"It's okay beta but you should have called us. We were so worried." says Sharmishtha.

It wasn't new for her because it happens almost everytime that Ragini stays at her friend's house whenever they goes somewhere together and gets late. And forgetting to call and inform is also one of Ragini's regular habits. So she didn't doubt her daughter's words.

"Okay, you go and get freshen up. I'm preparing breakfast." says Sharmishtha.

Ragini doesn't say anything but moves to her room. She closes the door and runs to the washroom. She turns on the shower and starts crying badly. She falls on the floor and hugs her knees near her chest, crying and crying.

"Why this happened? I broke my parent's trust. They trusted me. They gave me freedom. They gave me choices but what I gave them in return? I betrayed them. This wasn't supposed to happen. I know both of us were drunk and it's not Arhaan's fault either but nothing can change the truth. I love him but he don't love me and doesn't matter that I love him because what wrong is wrong. It's a sin. Why? Why this has to happen? We did a crime. Why?" she keeps crying under the shower until her eyes denied to flow more.

***

A week passed with Ragini staying in her room most of the times. Her family thought that she must be studying because the exams were nearing. Ragini didn't go to college neither called any of her friends nor Arhaan. Arhaan used to call her twice or thrice everyday but she didn't pick up once. He was worried for her and wanted to talk but she wasn't in a condition for doing anything. Her mind was going through an emotional trauma.

After a week Ragini decided to go to college to collect her roll number slip. She collects her slip and was about to leave the college but then she thought that running away from the things will not help. She have to talk to him. They need to talk. She sees one of Arhaan's friends and asks him about his whereabouts.

"I saw him going in the direction of principal's office." replies the boy before moving away.

Ragini takes a deep breath and encourages herself before she starts walking in the direction of principal's office.

***

Present time

Bangalore, Karnataka

Ragini's heart denied to beat at regular rate when her eyes met his golden ones. He was not looking like he used to look before three and half years. He looked more muscular, more mature, more handsome, more manly but that couldn't stop her from recognising him. He wasn't the boy she knew. He was a man now. A man with power, status and money.

Ragini eyes were fixed on him and his eyes were fixed on her. They both kept staring each other until they were disturbed by Tina.

"Ragini, thank God you came. Let's go, the meeting is going to start." says Tina as she starts pulling Ragini with her.

"Sir, the meeting is getting started." says his manager to his boss whose eyes were fixed in the direction where Ragini was moving with Tina.

He just nods his head and moves with his manager.

The meeting started and all the businessmen kept different proposals and problems in front of others. They were discussing things. Talking about some particular topics but his eyes were glued on her. She was feeling his gaze on herself and was trying her best to avoid eye contact with him. Goosebumps were arising on her skin just because of his stare. She was feeling weak and tension was increasing inside her with every passing second.

The meeting gets over and now it was the time to announce the businessman of the year. A middle aged man comes to the stage and stands in front of the mike.

"Good evening ladies and gentleman. Today, I'm feeling very happy and proud to announce the best businessman of this year because he has earned this achievement. This young man has achieved success in just three years and he's an inspiration to all those who have just started their careers. He has taken his father's business to another level of success. Please give a huge round of applause for Mr Laksh Durgaprasad Maheshwari." says the man.

Everyone claps as their eyes turns to Laksh who gets up adjusting his suit jacket and moves to the stage. He takes the award from a few known personalities present on the stage. He then stands in front of the mike.

Ragini thinks that it is the right time for her to move out because the event was going to end and she was sure that he'll definitely catch her before she will leave.

"Sir, the event is almost over. Can I go back home now? My family is waiting for me." she asks to her boss.

Her boss nods and she takes a breath of relief. She gets up and starts leaving.

Laksh notices her moving out. He just says a thank you in the name of the thank you speech and comes down the stage. He keeps the award on the table his manager was sitting and moves in the direction Ragini left.

Ragini was going out of the venue with long steps. She was in the parking area when she felt a grip on her hand and then she was pulled to a place in between the cars where no one can notice.

Her breathings stops as she looks up at his face. He pins her to one of the cars by holding her shoulders and was looking at her with anger filled eyes.

"Just stop running away. Just stop it!!" he shouts on her face.

Ragini flinches at his tone. She never saw him getting this angry. She was trying to get free from his hold but the more she was trying to free herself the more he was tightening his grip on her.

"Let me go." she says, not meeting his eyes.

"No!!" he declares.

"Just let me go!" she shouts this time.

"Don't shout. I can shout louder than you." he says loudly.

"What do you want from me?" she asks realising that he wasn't going to let her go without getting what he wanted.

"From the last three f*cking years I am looking for you like a mad man and you're hiding here and when finally I found you, you are asking what the f*ck I want!!! Don't you know what I want? Don't you know Ms Ragini Shekhar Gadodia?" he asks angrily.

His eyes were showing his anger. Ragini never saw this side of him. It was new for her. Words were not forming in her mouth.

"You were looking for me? Why?" she asks instead of answering him.

"Don't behave like you don't know anything. Don't act in front of me. You left just like that. You left without telling anyone why and where you were going. You left without explaining. Who the hell do you think you are?" he shouts.

"Don't shout on me and I'm not getting why are you even getting angry? Who were you that I needed to explain anything to you? Who the hell are you that I should answer you? Just move back and let me go." she shouts back on him.

Just then her phone starts ringing in her hand. She looks at her phone. It was showing 'Arjun Calling'. Laksh also notices that. Before Ragini can do anything, he snatches the phone from her. He picks up the call and puts it on the speaker.

"What the hell!!" says Ragini angrily.

"Ello(hello) mumma..." comes Aanya's cute voice from the opposite side.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I thought all of the confusions about the past will be cleared in this part but I couldn't make it, lol😂😂😂.

99.99%, the truth will be revealed in the next part😹😹. I hope so🙈.

Please do tell me what you feel about this chapter. I'm eagerly waiting to know.

Ignore any mistakes.
Thank you for reading.