Year: 2019.

If the two souls were deeply in love, No force, no situation, and nothing could ever stop them from reaching each other. Shivaay joined in his work in the very next week, Leaving the city, Leaving his love in Chennai. He didn't want to go there leaving anika in Chennai. But there was no option left with him. They stopped societies gossips by getting engaged but Staying there in that city didn't stop himself from getting depressed about the fact that he is alone in this world. He started to miss everyone to the core. Working overtime for the past three days, his entire cycle changed. He either skips breakfast or lunch. While recalling this, he automatically started to miss his mom. But this time, No tears shed from his eyes.

On the other hand, Whenever he saw his forearm, The symbol which sparkled in his forearm on his engagement came to his mind. But after that day, it didn't show up. Then too, some weird dreams didn't let him stop from thinking. Whenever he gets that thought, He quickly shrugged off those thoughts and concentrated on his work more. He never thought he will feel happy one day to reach his house. That too, For sleep. He tried to open his house but it was locked from inside. He was confused, He is the only person who has the key. Before he could knock on the door. The door opened by a well dressed, Pretty and a smiling lady. 

  "Welcome home, Gentleman" She welcomed him inside while waving her left arm and giving a way for him to get inside. 

"Well, How did you manage to get inside?" - He asked her while gazing his drawing-room which was well decorated with candles and the dining table was covered with red cloth and set for two. Stretching her lips to a wide smile, She came towards him while hiding something from her behind. He remained stagnated at the same place when she leaned towards him and kissed him on his cheek. The tiredness went nowhere. He looked at her with a confusing smile. 

"This is for you..." - She handed him a red rose which she was hiding. 

"Should i say thank you?" - He asked her confusingly. She chuckled. 

"Who say thankyou for a kiss, Dumbo?" - she asked him while smiling blushingly. 

"Not for the kiss... For the red rose..." - He replied with a wide smile. 

"You can say thank you by kissing me back..." - She said and started to walk towards the table. He pulled her hand towards him, She was supported by pressing her hands against his chest and looked at him shockingly. He engulfed her to a hug and kissed tightly on her cheek. 

"Thanks for coming, Ani... You have no idea, How much i missed you?" - He whispered while burying her head in his neck crook. 

"I know you missed me... That's why I flew down here leaving my office trip aside..." - She whispered and hugged him more comfortably. 

"Yeah, You were about to go Dehradun, Right..."- he broke the hug and asked her. 

She hugged him back and said, "But i am in Bangalore, Right now" while closing her eyes. 

"But that's one of your favourite place to visit..." - He said in a low tone. 

"This is my all-time favourite place..." - She said while pointing her finger on his chest, His heart.  He couldn't help himself from hugging her to the tightest hug. The emptiness, The loneliness he felt before went nowhere and there was no trace in his heart. He smilingly opened his eyes and saw the bowls placed in the dining table. 

"You made food" - He exclaimed and went towards the dining area while intertwining her hands. 

"Actually..." - She stopped when he opened the bowl's lid and found it empty. 

"Where's food?" - He asked her shockingly. 

"I ordered it, You came before it, What shall i do?" - She asked him innocently, By then the calling rang. She rushed towards the door and opened it. she brought all the food to the dining and filled the empty bowls. He watched everything from one corner, Silently. 

"NO..." - She yelled in an instant When he offered to help. he stopped whatever he was doing and let her do on her own self. She set the table on her own and then asked him to join in. 

"Our birthday on 29th Feb, Right? What's special today?" - He asked her. 

"I came here... For the first time, What's more, special than that? - She asked him. 

"Point... Anyhow, What you ordered?" - He asked. But instead of keeping the plates, She opened her handbag and gave an envelope to him with a stretched smile. he opened it and read the whole letter. 

"You got an offer from ETV? That too, In Bangalore..." - Shivaay exclaimed in surprise. 

"Yeah..."  - She nodded yes with a smile. 

"Seriously..." - He asked her again. She nodded again. He sat on the chair when he couldn't take all the happy news on one at the point. He didn't care about anything but happy with the fact that he could see her whenever he wants.

"Shall we eat?" - Anika asked while serving pasta in his plate. 

"When you came? and how?" - HE asked HER. 

"Answer for the first question, I came at 1.30 pm... and the second question, see my hairstyle, I have many hairpins..." -  she replied with a smile. 

"Wait, you came at 1.30 pm and now the time is 8.30 pm, Oh my god... My kitchen..." - He exclaimed and rushed to the kitchen, Anika followed him but up to his surprise everything was clean. 

"See, I became so responsible, I stopped doing experiments in the kitchen after knowing that cooking isn't my cup of tea..." - Anika exclaimed. But shivaay wasn't ready to believe any of his words. He suspiciously went towards the dustbin. But Anika stopped him from going there. But when there and opened the dustbin, He saw his whole vegetable tray in the kitchen lay there in a trashed state. He gave a sharp glare to anika who had no courage to match his eyelids. But eventually, they busted to laugh to see the whole situation.

"Now, Everything is perfect, Just PERFECT"- He exclaimed with a smile. 

After having dinner, They watched the whole series of YOU  in the Netflix together along with the ice cream. From the start, shivaay started to curse the male protagonist from the start of the series, Anika stayed silent and wondered why shivaay's always picking a thriller or psycho genre leaving romantic and erotic one from the list. They both share the Netflix account together, Over these six years, She never caught him in an uncomfortable situation. For her, They were absolutely not the twenty-first-century couple but the Nineties one. But she was happy with what she had but didn't expect anything from him. 

"Okay, How about the accommodation?" - He asked when they leaning in the couch and shivaay's arm was around her shoulders. She rested her head on his chest. 

"Staying in PG... And the food over there sucks..." - she replied while swallowing the full spoon of ice cream inside her mouth. 

"Why are you staying in PG, you can stay here..." - He said almost in an instant. 

"Forget, We just got engaged, I am not married to you, Yet" - She replied with a chuckle. 

"come on, we are in twenty-first-century, Not in the nineties... stay with me, Take that spare room..." - He said, Anika came out from his grip and looked at him shockingly. 

"You don't trust me..." - he asked her. 

"No, You remember we're from twenty-first-century" - She replied. He chuckled. 

"That means... You're staying with me..." - He asked. 

"No... Daddy's decision... You know i can't go against him..." - She replied and he got convinced with the answer. On the other hand, He clearly got what she meant, But he didn't give her a correct reply. But something was stopping him from taking their relationship to the next level although he wanted her wholeheartedly. 

****_____________****

Year: 2023

Both Om and shivaay were shocked when Avinash asked that question to shivaay. But he reluctantly didn't want to answer any of his question about anika. Because Shivaay was clear, He didn't want to drag her into the mess at any cost. Even it's saving his three children from the threat. He stayed silent, When om was about to answer, He nodded to him.  

"I am asking you something... Where's my mom? What you did to her?" - Avinash asked again, This time his tone became little emotional, He tried to control his tears, But they went out of control. 

By then, He got the call from Arushi, He attended the call and experienced the most terrific reality. Without resisting anything, She blabbered everything to him. For a second, He couldn't able to believe anything. Everything was happening around him and he had no idea. Moreover, Anika came to the hospital with Khushi. And he didn't know anything about it. As soon as, He rested the call, He got the message from Khushi.

He literally lost his balance after reading the text, Om and shivaay came to his side to support, But he resisted the help from him And jerked both of their hands. Shivaay was heartbroken but he resisted his emotions from flowing out. Avinash called Khushi immediately. 

"Avinash..." - Khushi called his name in a panic state. 

"What happened, Khushi?" - Avinash controlled his pouring out emotions and asked her. Shivaay heart pounded out when he took Khushi name. 

"My friend, Anika, is missing... I don't know where she went, Her phone is switched off... I don't know what to do... I don't know anyone in the city other than you... please help me..." - She replied in between her sobs. 

"Tell me... Where are you?" - He asked her while taking his blazers which was lying in the bed. She told her location, Without wasting a minute, He moved out. 

"What happened?" - Om asked him.

"I would have told you when you guys told me that my mom is in this city" - Avinash said without even looking at him. While driving he got a call from arushi who was also in the impatient state regarding their mom. Ritwik reached her office and stayed with her without any idea what was actually going inside his mind. Gauri was also shocked to see Avinash coming out from Shivaay's house. When jahaan was running towards him, she stopped her and hid her from his vision. 

"Relax, Di... Khushi called me..." - He said and explained the whole situation to her. But he didn't tell her about their father. 

"Avi... Tell me, Where is she? I am also coming..." - She replied in a hurried tone. Avinash was very much sure, She was crying on the other hand. 

"Di... Relax... I already in a very bad state, If anything happens to you, None can stop me from breaking down..." - He said and reached the spot, He saw Khushi was sitting without any hope in one of the stone benches. In these years, He missed her but he had no idea, He will meet her one day in this state and situation. Even though he desperately wanted to see his mom, He didn't want to show it to Khushi. 

Pacing Himself, He moved towards Khushi. A beam of hope sparkled in Khushi's eyes when she raised his eyes and saw him. 

"What happened?" - He asked her in a calm tone. 

"My friend... Missing..." - That was the only words left in her. Holding her hand, He made her sit in his car, And gave her assurance, That he definitely help her finding anika. On the other hand, Ritwik brought Arushi back to her home.

 Arushi couldn't stay in the house, Her heart pounded out. But when she saw ritwik nearer to her. she really wanted to tell him everything. But she had no idea where she should start. "Ritwik, I want to tell you something" - Arushi started while gathering all her left out courage. 

"What? don't say again you want to go to office" - He said. 

 "your mom is not well, I saw her in the hospital collecting some of her reports..." - She quickly diverted the topic when she finds no courage to open up anything to him. He stared at her shockingly. 

"I think you have to go..." - She said. Without even conversing longer, He called his mom, Who didn't take his calls. 

"Go home... They are missing you..." - She said to ritwik when he turned back to her in a helpless feeling. he came towards her.

"But you..." - he cupped her face and asked. 

 "I am fine... They need you more than me..." - She said while caressing her hair. 

"I will wait till Gauri mom shows up..." - He said. 

"No need of that... see i am fine... GO..." - Arushi insisted him, he left the house halfheartedly. Arushi couldn't able to figure out why she couldn't able to tell him anything about her. After he left, She didn't wait for a second to go out and search for her mom. 

"Siri, take me to Avinash's location..." - She asked Siri. And the location updated in her car and she drove the car to his direction. Avi drove the car throughout the city, But couldn't find his mom anywhere. Tears escaped from Khushi's eyes. He wondered how the two most important women in his heart became too close without even his knowledge.

"Your friend?" - Avi asked her. 

"Actually, My student... Eventually became my friend" - Khushi replied while searching her in the roads. Minutes became an hour, Hour became hours. Still, they couldn't able to find anika anywhere. Avi became too weak. He controlled his tears, Image of his mom, The moments they spend together continuously came in front of his eyes.

"I think we should file a complaint..."  - Khushi said. 

"What?" - He asked while depressing him in thought. Before they could tell anything, A car crossed him and Arushi emerged out. Khushi told the entire situation to her, She exchanged the helpless glances with Avinash and didn't say anything. 

"Did you call her parents?" - Arushi asked Khushi in a low tone. 

"Tried, but they were out of reach" - Khushi replied. 

"We have to file a complaint..." - Arushi said while controlling her emotions.  When they made their way towards the police station, They heard om's voice who was stopping them from taking another step. Avi held Arushi's palm tightly, But she turned back. 

Upto to her surprise, She saw shivaay, Her dad, Along with om and Gauri. She couldn't even able to believe her eyes. Tears flowed uncontrollably from her eyes when she saw him alive coming towards her after thirty years. She knew it was her dad, Who saved her. Now she can say that to everyone. Her feet automatically started to move, But Avinash stopped her from going to him. Before both of them could respond to anything. Khushi walked fastly towards him and gave him a tight slap in his cheek up to everyone shock. 

"How dare you to come here?" - She asked him. Avi rushed towards and Khushi was holding his collars. Shivaay couldn't raise his head because he knew he deserves this.

"Khushi what are you doing, leave him!" - Om asked her but she wasn't ready to leave him for any cost. 

"First you broke her trust, Broke the engagement, And for what else you're up to?" - Khushi started to ask him. Arushi and Avi looked at him shockingly because of the new information.

"SHE WAS PREGNANT... YOU BROKE HER APART..." - Khushi yelled at her high pitch. Arushi couldn't say anything. Avinash couldn't even able to think anything. His mind went blank. 

"Pregnant..." - He whispered. But Khushi didn't reply anything to him. Before Arushi could respond, Her vision blurred and she lost her balance, Before she could reach the ground, Shivaay jerked off Khushi's hand and held Arushi in his arms.

****__________****

(a/n: Sorry for the late update)