At night, around 12...

Anirudh, Saurav, Nayan and Ruhi came home.

Ruhi was still holding Anirudh as they walked. Nayan was with them.

Harsha, Mihika, Adrita, and Ankita were waiting for them only. Kids are already asleep. The ladies were shocked at Ruhi's condition.

Harsha: What's wrong?

Adrita: Bhai, where is Saurav bhai and Vidyut?

Anirudh: Saurav is coming after parking the car and Vidyut is in college. Leave all this, make Ruhi change into her comfortable clothes.

Everyone was silent. Ankita saw Ruhi's condition then her eyes fell on her son. His red nose, his eyes seem red and swollen, and dry tears on his cheeks.

Harsha (holding Ruhi's hand): Come Ruhi...

Ruhi nodded, walking with Harsha. Adrita followed her for help.

Mihika (looking at Nayan): Did she have dinner?

Nayan shook his head. His eyes travelled to his mother. She opened her arms. Nayan immediately lashed out with her arms, and he started sobbing.

Ankita held her son in her embrace.

Mihika: Main fruits cut karke layi Ruhi ke liye.

She walked into the kitchen.

The house seems utterly quiet. At the time of her farewell, Ruhi came home in high spirits. She sat sharing each and every moment with enthusiasm.

This time, the way she came. Everyone's heart dropped. The pain she held in moments.

Saurav entered.

Saurav: Rooh?

Anirudh: Harsha and Adrita are with her.

Saurav nodded.

Anirudh: What did you see on her phone? I mean texts and photos?

Ankita who was busy with Nayan. Her focus dragged over this conversation.

Saurav (sighed): Someone is stalking her, texting her and threatening her?

Ankita (shocked): Means?

Nayan broke the hug. Saurav explained to them what he saw on her phone.

Ankita (shocked): She was living under your eyes. No one felt her uneasiness? Nayan, in college, did you never see her uncomfortable? Anirudh, I am not expecting this from you. When did all this start?

Saurav: Since the first day of her college, he has been texting her casually, and after some days, this casual chat turned into stalking and threatening her.

Anirudh (remembering): A few days back, I noticed she seemed dull. I asked her and she always said nothing serious.

Nayan: This morning, Navya informed me that Ruhi wants to speak with me about something important. Not even in my thoughts, I felt this could be the reason. I was about to speak with her after the party.

Just then Harsha and Adrita came with Ruhi. Mihika also came with fruits.

Anirudh made Ruhi sit on the couch and sat beside her. He took a plate of fruit from Mihika's hand and took a piece, holding it near Ruhi's lips to encourage her to eat.

Ruhi (mumbling): Bukh nahi dada... (I am not hungry)

Anirudh: Aese kaise bukh nahi... (How are you not hungry?)

Ankita: Ani, move... You don't even know how to feed a baby. Give it to me.

She sat beside Ruhi, pushing Anirudh out of the way.

Ankita (cupping Ruhi's cheek): Abhi bhi dar lag raha hai? (Are you still scared?)

Tears brimmed in her eyes. Ankita pulled her into her embrace. Ruhi dropped her guard and, started sobbing.

Ankita rubbed her back, calming her. No one said anything.

Anirudh sat beside Ruhi on the other side. He held her shoulders, softly pulling her out of the hug.

Anirudh (wiping her tears): Rooh, you think your Dada would have trusted an outsider over his daughter?

Ruhi shook her head, mumbling sorry.

Anirudh: Bache, I want your safety. Tumhari bhi galati hoti to samajhane ke liye gussa karta na. From now on, you won't hide anything, okay?
(Even if it's your, I will only be angry to make you understand)

He pecked her forehead. Finally, she calmed. Maybe this is what she was searching for sense of safety.

Trust- Her brother will trust her over anyone. She wanted this assurance.

Anirudh hugged her, patting her head. Harsha, Mihika and Adrita were confused but they were quiet.

A few minutes later, she was softly sobbing and hiccuping. Harsha forwarded the glass of water. Ruhi broke the hug and took a sip of water.

Saurav sighed, as he saw now she is calm than before.

Saurav (ruffling her hair): I will get fresh. Today, I will sleep with Ruhi. Her cuddle bear.

Usually, Ruhi would have jumped in excitement listening to this but today, she just nodded. Everyone knew she was not in condition to be excited like the other day.

Saurav walked into his room. After that Ankita made her eat fruits. Ruhi is silently eating. Her family sat supporting her.

After completing the fruits.

Mihika: Come Ruhi, I will make you sleep till your brother gets fresh.

She took Ruhi inside the room. Just then Saurav walked out after getting fresh.

Saurav (walking towards Ruhi): You had fruits?

Ruhi just nodded. Saurav tucked her into bed and lay beside her. Mihika walked out of the room.

Saurav cuddled with her the way she likes.

Ruhi (mumbling): Bhaiya...

Saurav (caressing her hair): Hmm...

Saurav waited for her to speak but she didn't.

Saurav: Betu, what's going on in your mind? Speak with me.

Ruhi (gulped her fear): What if he will harm Vidyut bhai or someone?

Saurav (smiling softly): He won't. Trust your brothers. Everything is safe. He is with Yug and he is a black belt in karate. You think anyone can mess with him?

Ruhi just nodded.

Saurav (sighed): Your bhaiya is here with you. You are safe. Close your eyes and sleep.

He pecked her forehead. Ruhi took a deep breath, closing her eyes.

Due to a lot of crying and being feared. Her mind and body felt exhausted. She fell in slumber within a few minutes.

Saurav's mind was full of thoughts. Who is that person? What does he want? What's his aim? How he was planning to harm her today? How he is tracking his family? And so on...

His thoughts broke as Vidyut came into his room.

Vidyut saw Ruhi sleeping peacefully. He walked to the other side of the bed and pecked her hair.

Vidyut: I will come and sleep with you both.

Saurav nodded. He was patting Ruhi's head, making sure, she is comfortable.

With Vidyut...

After checking on Ruhi...

He came back in living area to find everyone waiting for him and Yug also came home with him. So, he was also there.

Ankita: What happened? Now, explain us properly? Who is troubling Ruhi?

Yug: We don't know... I tried to investigate but he is more smart this moment.

Anirudh: But exactly what happened?

Vidyut: From the 1st day of her college. He was texting her. First few days, it was simple friendly chat, little bit friendly flirting. Everything seems like her old friend. After few days, chats started to turn as demanding one like he asking Ruhi to wear this or that and Ruhi being Ruhi wore jeans and hoodie. Ignoring his demand.

Yug: Hmm... After this he started to following you guys, threatening her, scaring her. She blocked his number a few times. He is texting her from a new number. Today's party dress, he threaten her with wrist cut and asked her to wear that.

Everyone was shocked with this information. Some gasped, others jaw dropped.

Anirudh: I knew that, Ruhi ain't gonna choose something like to wear. She feels her confidence by being fully covered, no make up or anything.

Vidyut: As she was uncomfortable in dress. She decided to be alone in garden.

Yug: Taking it as opportunity. He drugged her and locked her in a dark room with loud noises to scared her.

Anirudh (shocked): She was drugged?

Yug: I am 100% sure, he drugged her and that's how he successfully took her in that building. I don't think conscious Ruhi would have walked with him like this. So, in morning, we can got for her blood test to know which drug he used.

No words came out of anyone's mouth. Everyone was shocked and was trying to digest this information which felt very frightening.

Ankita: You got anything as proof?

Yug: No! He left nothing for proof. His number is not traceable, cameras were shut, in that room, he placed a gramophone for loud and creepy voices. Which are morphine voices. I tried to trace his finger prints on gramophone or door or anywhere like her bag and phone because those were placed under the tree by him. But I found nothing. He was so smart. He presented an animated Ruhi in front of Nayan to stop him from knowing Ruhi is missing.

Vidyut: I doubt someone is from college.

Yug: Doubt? I am sure... because he knew how to shut the CCTV. He knew college's building is under contrustion. Still he chosed to enter inside not caring about consequences. Ofcourse, he was prepared already.

Adrita: How we will catch him?

Yug: Need to investigate. Umm... Nayan, I need answers of few questions.

Nayan nodded.

Yug: Anything you felt weird or wrong in college today or maybe a week ago or maybe since day one.

Nayan was thinking about something.

Yug: Who are around Ruhi in college? With whom she spends her day at college?

Nayan (sighed): She is usually around her friends Navya and Ivana who were present there. At lunch time, I and my friends join them. Other than this casual talks with her classmates and seniors who are her friends.

Yug (nodding): Your and Ruhi's friends were present there when we found her? Or is there anyone else?

Nayan: No one else as her close friend. Navya and Ivana were there. Navya, who told you about all this. Ivana, whose father was also there. Ekansh, Navya's Brother. He is my friend and he was there with Navya. Lastly, Dhruv was also there. Other friends are close. Dhruv and Ekansh are not close to her. They are always with me. That's why, they end up being with her.

Yug (thinking deeply): Alright! Any teacher's odd behaviour with Ruhi? If you ever noticed.

Everyone were silent. They were just listening to this conversation, trying to connect the dots. If they got any.

Nayan (with hesitation): Bhai.... I realised this now. I mean at the time of incident, everything was too stressful for me to understand the surrounding but as I am analysing in mind. I realised one thing.

Yug (raising his eyebrow) what's that?

Nayan: Bhai, maybe I am wrong but I am feeling like you should know.

Yug: See Nayan, at this moment, if you have even a slightest doubt on anyone. He or she can be your closet one. Still you need to share it with me. What if that slight doubt can be the door of Ruhi's danger.

Nayan: Bhai, as we were waiting for Vidyut bhai. I called him when Ruhi was missing. So, till his arrival. I asked principal for help.

Everyone's attention was fully on Nayan. This attention was making him a bit nervous, he too went through a different situation sometime back.

Ankita (rubbing Nayan's back): Baby, you need to share. For your Ruhi's safety. Come on bache.

Nayan nodded, taking deep breath. Listening to Ankita's words. Sharp breaths of others calmed. Nayan sighed.

Nayan: Principal was saying, he isn't responsible for her missing. Through party, she got way to escape. He was not ready for help. Instead, he was blaming her. The moment, Vidyut bhai came in picture. His personality shifted from one to other in a snap.

To be continued...

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