Here, as we've ended this year with a hopeful note along the story. I hope you guys love it throughout the time and will continue showering your love on this book in the next year.

Also, if anyone knows about the wattpad creators program do share the details with me.

Bye-bye, 2023! As we welcome 2024 all in good spirits! Have a blasting time ahead of you, guys!!

💙

|Her eyes are lost, her feelings are frost. Yet her hopes are high that he'll still stand-by|

by medicallymessedup

•pressnt•

"Aryan Sir is here!!" The old watchman guarding the gates saluted Aryan, instructing the other guard to open the mansion gates, noticing his sports car approaching closer, "You returned early today."

"What should a man do Uncle?" Aryan pondered tiredly rolling his shoulders, "I have a wife waiting for me at home." He voiced when he was reminded of something noticing the time, "Shit!! I need to go inside quickly, Uncle. See you later!! Goodnight!" He dashed the car to the parking while shouting along, "Go and sleep in the office Uncle, I'm not going to complain to Dad."

The guard shook his head at the carefree attitude of his young boss who had an easy approach towards life which is cruel for a man belonging to such a huge family which was known for its name and hard-earned fame.

"Can we go, Ustad?" The young guy asked on the behalf of his co-workers, "Where?" Rustom, the old man inquired.

[Ustad - Master]

"Mr. Mallik allowed us to sleep-"

Rustom shook his head at their intellect, "He is a kid." He asserted. "We are hired to guard the Mallik estate without fail. And we are expected to be faithful towards our duty else each one of us is free to retire from work."

Another guard sighed dejectedly, "Then why did he say that, Ustad Ji? What was the need to insult us poor peasants by giving hope?"

"You don't know anything about Aryan Sir and his family. They're generous with their employees enough to give them a chance to speak." Rustom imparted, "Did you forget, the Mallik's helped the gardener by sponsoring the studies of his daughters in a great institution in Mumbai and what about the driver Manohar, who is bedridden for life due to his vulgar drinking habit. His family is still paid for his service without any fail. Then how can you say that they are unkind?"

The rest of the guards nodded their heads in agreement because it was true. The wages of each worker, their increment, bonus and rights as an employee was taken into consideration by the Mallik's. Even their family security was acknowledged by their employers who never made them feel like servants because every member of the Mallik family believed that they are doing their job which they're paid for and no one has a right to exploit them on any grounds.

Rustom was an old employee of Mallik's and had seen their ups and downs all the years from close. He had witnessed the Mallik heirs growing up in front of him when he started working for Aryan's grandfather, Ajitabh Mallik in their native town of Chandigarh who himself was a reputable merchant then.

"You know a lot about the family, Ustad Ji. How did you stay so long with them? Share about it with us too." A guard implied and Rustom smiled in compliance.

"I started working for Babuji in Chandigarh when my father died early along with my mother who passed away in his grief. I had four siblings who looked up at me as there were no relatives to support us. I used to be a daily wage worker when Aryan Sir's grandfather took me in and admitted me to a school nearby, he paid for the necessities of me and my family without any selfish reasons. When I passed my matriculation, Babuji asked me about my career choice, when I told him he helped me with his guidance to become a sepoy in the Indian Army. Two years later, I was shot during combat and was given an early retirement. I returned and began toiling to raise my family working for the Mallik's even after Babuji's instance to complete my studies. When Babuji's son, Soham Sir returned from pardes I joined his regime. He was a sharp-witted businessman in his early days too as you all know."

"He respected his employees but neglecting work is not something he is very fond of because to him work is worship and if someone can't worship and be truthful towards their karma in no way one could achieve anything in life. When he got married to his wife, Anchal Madam who was a sophisticated woman with a unique approach towards life. She was considerate and filled with kindness being the sole-runner of the biggest organizations that worked for the welfare of the underprivileged. Though their family was exceptionally gifted from generations, both husband-wife together created a new reform by flourishing their business around the countries. Their kids, namely Aryan Sir and Shreshtha Madam blessed the powerful couple with parenthood. Aryan Sir had a protective shadow of an elder twin sister until the age of one when Shrestha Madam allegedly succumbed to a generic disease. The family was devastated by the unfortunate incident and everyone was forced to believe that any girl born into their clan didn't survive for more than a year and history supported the claim as there was no female born in the distant family either since decades. Soham Sir slipped into depression losing his beloved daughter which deeply affected the others too."

"Aryan Sir grew distant with his parents watching his mother drifting away from him just like his father. When Babuji, his grandfather sent the family of three to Delhi where they could start their life again and get over the tragedy of losing a child. It luckily worked for them, Soham Sir and Anchal Madam found reasons to be normal again and somehow surpassed their grief in view of their son who looked up to them with expectations. Soham Sir expanded his business overseas, Anchal Madam spent the time in social work and Aryan Sir slowly adapted to his school life here. Their life turned smooth as everyday a loving family would be all smiles while eating a meal together. Slowly the new city became their own home."

"Then?"

"Fir kya? Aryan Sir too went foreign for his schooling just like his father and now that he has settled down with his wife everything is going well." Rustom smiled. "We all should be happy for the family. They've always treated us as a family." He said fondly.

🖤🖤🖤

Aryan tiptoed the stairs without producing a noise that shall disturb his wife who was supposed to be asleep. Over the days, he had discerned that Ruchi was a light sleeper and even the slightest of sounds would wake her up so he had grown extremely cautious. Many nights, he would find the lights of her room switched on as she would roam around the mansion with sore eyes and a tear-stained face which wrecked his nerves each time. She was always restless. He wanted to know about it but the reason behind her unease continued to be a secret due to her deafening silence.

Aryan was about to check up on her just like he did every night since he married her. He raised his hand to twist the knob when the door of her room flew open leaving him shocked and stubbed. His hand turned immobile as he gulped down hard in anxiety standing in front of Ruchi in the middle of nowhere without a perfect reason in his pocket that could save him from her might.

"Everything alright?" Ruchi asked him with concern.

'Braine! Where the hell are you now?' Aryan's mind yelled, 'I need you!'

'Do not disturb me, Master!' Braine contemplated yawning, 'I have a sane sleeping schedule unlike you. I'm on power saving mode so your request couldn't be taken up right now.'

'You can't ditch me like that, Braine!' Aryan grumbled, 'I am in a grave situation here.'

"Aryan!" Ruchi inquired, calling out his name again, "Do you want something from me?" Aryan absently bobbed his head in accordance. "What can I give you?"

"You!" He mouthed in uncertainty and then slapped his hand over the mouth as she looked at him in disbelief, "I mean to say that I want you to accompany me." He cleared his throat to decrease her suspicion.

"For what?"

"I am scared." He formulated in uncertainty while her drowsy gaze remained fixed upon him, "I used to live in the mansion alone until you came so I'm still not used to a presence in the house."

"But, Aryan, how can I-" She began to speak just when Aryan observed Ruchi's disheveled state apart from the gloomy glare she directed towards him. Her eyes were puffy and red while a thick trail of sweat bead covered her visible pale skin. Her lips were chapped forcing him to think for a minute that she was deprived of oxygen. A strong hit of trepidation gripped him.

"You were not asleep." He asserted instead numbing her features proving his doubt as she visibly racked her brain for a logical excuse. "Why were you awake at this hour?

"I had some work." She lied, unable to meet his eyes.

He held her chin and made her look up at him, "You really had work?" His eyes challenged her.

Her breath hitched and she staggered back feeling hard to breath. "What is it, Mrs. Mallik? Tell me." Aryan's voice softly ordered and she closed her eyes letting a tear out of them as she inaudibly whispered, "A bad dream!"

"Tell me about it."

"I don't want to, Aryan. Please!" Her lips wobbled, turning him stoic. "Alright." He voiced, controlling the urge to get out the happenings of the supposed bad dream that watered her eyes. "Go, wash your face." He directed and she walked inside the bathroom without a fight.

Aryan tumbled down against the wall inside the room, feeling the tumultuous waves of interrogations surging inside him which made him question his worth as a lover. If he can't learn the cause of Ruchi's distress or even get close to the root of her agony then how could he heal her or even make a small step towards their relationship. His love was hollow if couldn't mend her worries.

She would have fears, he understood. She wasn't adapted to the idea of marrying him, he understood. She was skeptical about their future in view of their relationship, he understands that too. But if she won't address her jitters then how could she possibly live without their burden weighing her down. And if it continues, then it would often pinch up her sanity, toy with her emotions and at some point it would turn into her nightmare.

He didn't want to see her living and fighting with a nightmare that would harm her innocence or even ruin her soul. He wanted to save her from drowning, save them too before it was too late.

Aryan knew her, but he wanted to know her again. He had seen the little her, he wanted to feel her again. He didn't want her to leave, he wanted to start it all again with her. If she needed time from him, he would give her. If it was his patience that she wanted then, he was ready to be on his knees in acquiescence. He was the Beast who could become a prince charming for his Beauty. She was his reason to live and he was no saint either to give up on his life without a fight. Because losing her once felt like punishment, this time it would feel like death.

After some time when Ruchi came out of the bathroom, she curled up on the bed without any words being exchanged between them but the hollowness swirling in her eyes couldn't be missed by Aryan's stinging gaze whose consciousness bellowed him for watching her dwelling in pain.

"Aryan-" She whispered in a perpetually tired voice feeling the urge to lessen his worry by a suitable explanation.

"Sleep!" He conceded, running his finger through her hairs and leaning back to look at her without blinking.

Ruchi closed her eyes, turning her face away.

"Ruchi!" Aryan opened up and continued hearing her hum, "I'm here." He told her and a strangled breath broke out her lips feeling him entangling their fingers together with such gentleness as if she'd break within an untamed touch.

Ruchi's pants slowed and carelessly slipped into a slumber as if every suffering cell knew that Aryan was here and that was enough for her.

The silence consumed both of them but they sustained it with utmost care throughout the moonless night.

Because sometimes a mournful silence heals everything better than long fathomable words.

🖤🖤🖤

"How are you, Baby?" Mamta inquired worriedly, sensing Ruchi's low voice on the call. "Are you fine there? Is someone troubling you? Should I and your BadePapa fetch you from there? Are they treating you in the right way?"

"I am fine, BadiMa." Ruchi replied solemnly, her eyes focused on the intricate ceiling of the living room.

"You don't sound like one, bacha." Mamta faltered, "All of us are missing you a lot. Why don't you come and meet us..." She asked, "Maybe with Aryan-"

Ruchi's mind diverted to the hustle and bustle of the previous night. She wished that she could obliterate the woeful memory of the nightmare she saw and wipe out the blot of her vulnerability. The look of resentment and gloom on Aryan's face was livid in her eyes. She wished that all he did was to pass a judgment against her exasperating character, call her a burden or even blame her for inviting attention by such acts but he surprisingly didn't. He was delicate with his approach, respecting her wish and will to bail out from addressing the elephant in the room, being the shoulder that she could blindly lean on, making her aware of his heartening solidarity and being a mirror to her fragility that didn't shy her away from owning. Why didn't he push her away? Why did he stay with her the entire night? Why didn't he leave her on her own fate? There were hundreds of questions in her mind but she was weak-kneed to raise them up.

"Baby!" Mamta's concern overpowered hearing no reply from her. "This marriage wasn't a great idea, Sujal!" She mumbled to her husband who was stiff in his arm-chair hearing the dolour in his daughter's voice. He had let Ruchi marry Aryan after lots of debate with his own clan, he did not want her to suffer in the web of her marriage too. "Ruchi is not happy with this marriage or with that boy-"

"BadiMa!!" Ruchi fretted, "Aryan is not the reason behind my state." She confided. "In fact, he helped me to overcome my nightmares twice. He didn't prod me for any answers but he stayed beside me without any complaints. He's not bad, BadiMa. Aryan isn't-"

Mamta and Sujal carefully heard her defending Aryan but Mamta still couldn't help but speak out loud about her fears regarding Aryan which shocked and tumbled Ruchi.

"Still he's a boy without any sense of responsibilities and care for his reckless deeds. He doesn't understand the meaning of marriage, its aspects or the consequences. He's the sole child of his rich parents and the way he behaved during the engagement, I can't forget it. He brought hell upon you for the sake of ailing his bruised ego. He wasn't even ready to marry you if not for the pressure of society and his father. His poor upbringing reflects in his behavior. He couldn't be trusted so easily, Ruchi."

"Aryan is not like that, BadiMa-"

"You are innocent, bacha. You trust everyone and everything without any prior doubts. You trusted him with your safety in Manali but what did he do? He demolished your dignity in front of everyone. He made you a bad person in their eyes and-"

"BadiMa..." Ruchi's lower-lip jutted out in angst. She wasn't ready to listen to anything more from her mother-figure for the person she loves. She knew things were not right but blaming Aryan anymore did not sit well with her heart.

"I never wanted anything bad for you, Baby. You're my child before Kartik and I'd always prioritize you before anyone else." Mamta said, "But Aryan Mallik is certainly not one of the humans you should have faith in, at least not so easily." She voiceferated.

Just then Ruchi heard footsteps nearing her and the theme of their conversation appeared before her eyes. Aryan stared at her with worry that overshadowed the words Mamta uttered and the feelings brewing in Ruchi's heart overtook the junction of her trust in him.

"I'll think about it, BadiMa." Ruchi replied, ending the phone call.

Her eyes beamed due to him along her emotions that bloomed. Ruchi once again felt her heart sprinting with its high hopes for another man, another time.

Lots of Love,

ANKITA