Hello butter cups! How are you doing? Happy reading!

"Welcome here. I hope you had a safe journey",she said and cornered her eyes towards the person standing behind her.

She saw Mr. Darshan, the inspector who took the FIR that morning and also someone behind him.

"Mr. Darshan?",she got up from her place and looked at the person who was standing behind him.

The familiar face, now barely recognizable, struck her like a lightning bolt. Everything around her seemed to freeze, and her feet felt paralyzed. The color drained from her face as she stood there, staring at the person, her breath coming in heavy gasps.

"Vikram bava",as these words left her mouth, the person standing behinding Darshan stood beside him with his face hanging low.

"How come you are here? Does Sharan know?",she asked trying to balance herself on her feet.

"Why would he tell me, Mridula? After all he doesn't have anyone left in this world, right Mr. Vikram?",Sharan spoke as he entered the living room, his sleeves folded till his mid arms, tie hanging loose around his neck and carrying his overcoat in one hand and a briefcase in another.

"Sharan, I can explain",Vikram said in a slightly confident tone.

"I would like to hear, what all you have to explain",Sharan said and sat on the couch opposite to the place Vikram was standing.

"Sharan, this is not the time to discuss things like this. We have a serious threat for Mridula and we can't be talking things related to personal life now. As your senior, I can order you or do something else as well don't make me go too far to make you do things. Let's get to work. You know what's happening too. Don't you?",Vikram said in a curt tone.

"Oh now we are talking, why did you come here when my wife is having some threat. Don't teach me how to differentiate between professional and personal life, both of us very well know who needs it better",Sharan said crossing his legs placing one over the other.

"And I know very well what's happening. I know what to do as well, so please do me some favour and leave from here. Leave everything and go back to where you were, just like always",Sharan said to which Vikram clenched his fist.

"I told you, Darshan. There's no use talking to him. Let's leave",Vikram said and gave one last look at his brother and his wife who were in absolute danger.

"Vikram bava, I don't know why you left back then and I don't know why you are here now, but now that you are here. You must stay back, please. Athaya always talks about you and no matter what, a son is always dear to his mother and nobody can understand it better than the elder son of the family. Please understand and stay back, at least for the sake of athaya",Mridula spoke.

"How stupid of you, Mridula? Do you think he will understand his mother's love? You got to be kidding me. He left his.. ",as Sharan was going to continue he was cut off by Teja's voice.

"Vikku Annaya",he squealed and ran towards Vikram and climbed into his arm. Whereas Aruna who saw her elder son in their home again after seven long years, couldn't really process the fact that he was there.

Aruna took support from her husband to not to fall in the shock that she was experiencing.

"Teja",tears glistened in his eyes. Seeing his family after almost seven years felt great, he didn't know what all he missed out on but one thing was he missed being here as Vikram, just Vikram not any secret agent Vikram.

"Annaya, I missed you so much. How are you? How come you've grown so thin? Are you eating anything at all? Amma, look who is back? Your favorite is here again. Now don't ignore us, okay?",Teja was in his happy bubble.

"I'm not here to stay back, Teja. I'll make a move now",Vikram said.

"Where do you think you are going?",their father roared making the whole living room pin drop silent.

"Is it always up to you to go or stay back? Is this a home or a hotel for you, Vikram? Now if you don't stay back here, you would miss out on something very precious and I don't think I need to tell you about it",he said and immediately Sharan got up from there and took long strides to his room with a straight face.

Mridula looked around with an apologetic face and slowly limped back to their room, as she was walking slowly he came back in the meanwhile and supported her in walking back to their room.

"Sharan",she called him as soon as she settled down on the bed.

"Not today, Mridula. Please, let me be",he said and walked away from there.

She just laid down on the bed waiting for him to come back, Sharan stood by the balcony railing trying to process his mixed emotions whirling within him. Was it really okay to feel so many emotions at a time? He was angry, sad, frustrated, happy and what not.

His brother, his senior, his one and only inspiration has come back it was supposed to be like a celebration but what happened?

He insulted him, made him angry. Even after knowing that, only if the two of them join hands with each other, they'll be able to handle things which were going to hit them in the near future.

He missed him, when Sharan needed Vikram the most he was gone. Not just Sharan, everyone needed Vikram but he just vanished like he never existed. It hurt each person in the family very badly. Sharan still couldn't forget or forgive his brother for whatsoever happened in the past. The  emotional baggage is something that he carries till date.

He took out his phone from his pocket and a small smile appeared on his face as soon as he looked at his wallpaper. It was their picture. He was guilty suddenly, did he cut her off when all she wanted to do was to talk maybe? Hitting his forehead with his hand he turned around to see her fast asleep.

Her baby hairs were falling on her face slightly and she snuggled into the pillow like a small kid hugging it tightly. He took slow steps towards her, he noticed her forehead had some blue colour paint on it.

Slowly pushing those baby hairs back, he tried to rub off the paint but couldn't really do it. He covered her with a blanket and was going to move back and that's when, she held his hand slowly opening her eyes.

"You know, you can talk to me, right? We're friends! I promise, I won't judge you but don't keep everything to yourself. You will become an old person fast if you always have a straight face like this. What will people say then? They will pity that such a beautiful girl got an old man. I don't want to live with someone's pity, Sharan. Laugh more, smile more and stay young and save me from being pitied",she said and he broke into fits of laughter.

She just kept looking at him with longingness in her eyes, he looked like a completely different person when he smiled and she prayed internally that he should always be smiling and happy.

"Thank you, Mridula",he said holding her hand in his.

"Things might happen, it's a big thing that we are struck in but together we can do it. We'll pass through this challenge as well. Just stay by my side through this risk that I take for us. I wouldn't let you down, just don't leave me and go like everyone else",he said and broke down into tears placing his head in her lap.

She was taken aback in the beginning but involuntarily her hands gently moved in his hair trying to calm him down at the same time let his emotions out.

After crying enough, he had to keep his placade back of being strong and supportive. He can't break down further like this, he very well knew that.

"Sharan",as Mridula was going to speak, he placed his finger on her lips. Her whole body shivered as soon as his index finger touched her lips. She took a deep breathe when he nodded his head in no signing her not to speak anything for then.

"Promise me, you'll always prioritise yourself and save yourself before you save anyone else and you'll always take care of yourself and be like what you are today everyday of your life, bold, strong and independent",he asked to which she looked at him confusingly.

As she was going to place her hand into his, sealing the promise they heard the knock on the door. Sharan signalled Mridula to sit back and went to open the door and..

Hello dear readers,

How are you doing? I hope you are doing good.

I'm sorry for the lateness, things have been going on in irl and I couldn't really focus here, I hope you guys understand!

Well, well, well, here is a big twist of the story which probably nobody has expected or did you guys did?

Tell me in the comments section how did you like the chapter?

Any suggestions or chances for improvement?

Don't forget to vote and comment your views! They motivate me to write more, now that I'm here again after a while, I'll need them to boost my motivation!

Oh annd here's a new cover by one of the talented edit designer's I've ever met @NiiruWrites Thank you so much akka for this cover!

How is the new cover? Did you all like it?

The chapter is short, I understand. My exams are also going on for the next one and half month. So I might be a bit irregular only but I'll try my best to update. I have an exam tomorrow morning! Wish me luck, please!

I'll see you in next update, again! Till then take care of yourselves and remember to prioritise yourself! Practice self love ❤

If you are on Instagram don't forget to give me a follow over there. I'll be posting about my new stories and glimpses there!

Hasta la vista

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Sakshi Devi