Siddhant's POV:

AN infinite silence galloped us.There was a space which I chose to provide her for I knew how much she hated being introspected. The police officer at the back of my mind wanted to know what was wrong. I was curious. But she was so silent.

Giving my assurance to be there for her mother, I asked Drishti to sleep peacefully. I lied that her mom was a bit sick.

I have been sitting in her bedroom since half and hour. All I could hear is her silence. I kept staring at her wedding picture hanged on the wall. She looked amazing and gorgeous in her wedding dress. I remember how all my life I dreamed of our wedding day, the way she would hold my hand for every photo, the way we were made for each other, the way she will look like the most gorgeous bride on this earth. My bride.

Past hurts. I never wanted this for her. Red was her colour.

"Ruhi...whatever it is, you can tell me"

Her eyelids fluttered as she looked up at me with intense pain in her eyes.
"You can go home Sid. Thanks for dropping me."

I looked at her for a moment as she shifted her hair to her right shoulder and something caught my eyes.
Her neck.

"What's that mark?" My hand reached to her neck. She instantly moved back and stood up from her place.

"You should be leaving now. It's quite late. Thank you for the favour."

She again tried to change the topic.
I didn't get it why she was hiding something from me. She was ignoring every question I asked her.

I stepped forward and laid my eyes on her strictly.
"First answer me."
Then I noticed her arms closely and even there was bruise marks.

She instantly looked away. I was now 110% sure that she is hiding something.
"N-nothing...I just got hit by a cycle."

"Are you kidding me Ruhi?" I exasperated. "Stop lying please.."

She lowered her head to escape my sight.

"Did Jaaiz again....?"
Lifting her chin up I stared right into her eyes which turned watery.

Her eyes answered everything I needed to know. Clutching my fist tight, I snorted, "He is gonna pay for this. I will..."

Before I could finish my sentence she stood on her toes and leaned forward covering my mouth with her hand and hushed, "Ssshh...I have quit my job."

Her dark curls settled on my shoulders, as I kept staring at her face like I saw her for the first time. She didn't change after 16 long years, not even the colour of her lips. But that bite on her lips started to disturb me, my mind started to race, my breath got heavier. This sulking feeling was destructing me. Thinking about the very fact that he laid his hands on Ruhi made my blood boil to the extreme.

"Bhai, believe me she was the one who seduced me." Jaaiz justified.

I grabbed him by his collar furiously,
"One more time you speak, I swear I will forget that you are my brother."

"She is a slut." He said to my face.

Having a bad degree of temper, I smacked a punch on his face.
My mom came running to defend the apple of her eye. She never stopped defending him even if he crossed his lines to the extent that I found him trying to molest my own girlfriend. I hate this about her. She was blind to his every fault.

"Why are you both fighting over a silly girl?" My mother sneered rubbing the blood from Jaaiz's nose, "She is trying to divide our family. Can't you see that Siddhant?"

"Ammi, your son is a hypocrite. He tried to molest a girl. He is a monster. Can't you see that?"
I glared at my mother in disbelief.

"You know why I named you Siddhant?" Her eyes softened, as she looked at me so pleadingly "Because I wanted my eldest son to be the abstract of correct decision making. And here you are trusting that girl over your own brother?"

"Sid..."

I felt like coming out of a trance when she shook me. Ruhi stood near me still gazing at me with her watery eyes.

"What are you thinking?"

"The way I lost some of the most important people in my life including you."

"You have not lost me."

There was something about her which still fascinated me. She was the person who was always in my silent prayers, even after I married Sana. I felt like I was being unfair to Sana and my marriage until I realised that some people are meant to be in your heart, though not in life.

"I lost my dreams with you Ruhi"
I smiled weakly, "I feel ashamed to face you now. I really don't know how I can fix your pain. But I promise, he will be punished for this act. I will need your statement."

She pursed her lips together, and after a couple of seconds, she replied, "I am not ready now, Siddhant. I have my daughter, I can't put her future on stake for my justice. I have dreamed big things for her on my own."

She wasn't wrong but neither was she right. There was a huge responsibility upon her. She was a single mother. Messing with someone who was a powerful reputed hypocrite like Jaaiz wasn't easy. Her one statement is enough though I know Jaaiz would do something like flipping the universe to prove her lawfully incorrect.

"You are not alone in this. I couldn't stand up for you all those years ago, I was too weak. But now I have the power, authority and money. I just need your one approval."
I said hopefully looking at her.

"I wont let Jaaiz get away with this. Trust me. But not now Siddhant. I have left my job there anyway. Right now, I would be grateful if you could recommend me with a new job?" She chuckled resting her hand on her hips.

I gave her an amused smile. How badly she was broken inside, I knew. She was always transparent to me. Even her deepest fears. Like always I chose to understand her.

"How about I hire you as my cook? You get the money and I get good food.." I teased her.

"Alright. No problem. I don't discriminate jobs. In the meantime, I can find some job where I can apply my MBA degree and experience."
She replied very casually. Crap! She took my joke seriously.

"Hey...no no! I was just kidding. I can survive on Maggie and eggs until my cook is back."

She furrowed her eyebrows,
"But officer, I can't survive without money. Besides you have helped me a lot, can't I help you with this simple thing?."

I gave a thought. My cook was off to his village for a few days and all these days I have been surviving on Maggie and eggs. Besides, her offer wasn't the one which I could afford to reject.

I raked my hand through my hair and said crossing my arms, "Alright then. I can prepare my breakfast. I have my lunch at office except on Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday. I shall manage that. So basically, I will need the dinner."

A kiddish smile curved on her lips. It brightened her sad face.
"Okay sir. You will have to take the trouble to come here for the dinner. Will you?"

Giving her a negative answer wasn't the most appropriate thing to do. So I nodded my head obediently.

"Salary?" I asked. Women are always responsible considering money matters. I smiled quietly as I watched her counting the numbers in her mind.

"I will accept whatever your offer is."
She shrugged.

"Good. Then I think I should be leaving now." Before turning my back, I dazed at her, "And please tell me whenever you are ready."

She nodded her head.
"There are more things I need to discuss with you about your devil brother. But not tonight." She carefully led her one step forward and glanced into my eyes, "Siddhant, you will be there, right?"

I moved her hair behind her ear with a polite smile, as she still kept staring at my face.
"No matter what, I'll be with you. And I can promise you to be somewhere near your eyes every time you want me badly, lifting something from amidst the delicate wings of trust and hope that belongs only to us."

I could see how my words made her eyes lighten up in the same hope and trust I know we both shared.

"Poetic huh." She passed me a genuine smile, which I saw in her face after a long time. That smile was meant to be her accessory.

I gently kissed her forehead, as she closed her eyes,
"Take care."

Sewed between the harsh threads of past, there was a tender thread of compassion which never unsewed.

*
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EARLY morning meetings were never my favourite. Especially when all of a sudden, some terrible people showed up. Either they end up hating me or fearing me.

"Look who is here. What an unexpected visit!!"
I gave a half crooked smile, as I found Tanmoy Parasar sitting in my cabin. The MLA sir himself chose to give me a visit. Looks like he missed the fun of messing up with me.

I ordered two cups of tea and sat down on my chair. There was the same arrogance in his face. His gray hair gave him the aged look, but still he was a very handsome looking man. Apparently, he has been interfering in my work since ages.

"You were too busy to pay me a visit, so I chose to surprise you officer." He lifted his leg on top of the other, and continued, "Sorry to hear about the demise of your wife. May her soul rest in peace."

Sana. She is a soul now? She was a person full of life. She was amazing. She was just beyond everything that define kindness. My heart sank in agony every time somebody who didn't even know how great of a person she was condemned her death.

Trying not to make my weakness light up on my face, I tightened my jaws and leaned across the table, bitterly looking at the corrupted minister.

"If you are here for a peace treaty, then you can kindly open the door and walk out of my cabin."

He laughed to himself,
"Mr. Qureshi, take it easy. I can screw your job right now if I want. But I ain't like that. I like to play it in peace. You just need to refrain yourself from bringing your research against me to the public and close the file against my construction site. See, nobody is born saint in this world."

I could see the fear slowly dripping down his temples to his face. He always thought his coal scam, construction scam, taxation scam everything would lie hidden forever, until my team dug out his great deeds.

"You know what. You are quite an amusing person." I paused and gave a sarcastic smile. "Everyday is a new day when it comes to the discovery of your misdeeds. The construction site, huh? You were planning to risk the lives of people for your own benefit." I sneered at him furiously.

His eyes were glued at me with intense hatred growing for me.

"I am just doing my duty. If only you had done yours, I would not have been compelled to perform mine."

He stood up from his chair getting red in his anger and pointed his finger at me, "I will destroy you."

"There is nothing left with me to be destroyed." I mocked at him, at the same time laughing at my unfortunate self.
"As for my job, the next thing you will do right after reaching home is talking about my transfer. Typical old style. Go ahead, transfer me to whichever jungle you find suitable for me." I raised both my hands abruptly.

I knew this person very well. Transferring me to a remote area can really save him from all his anticipated troubles. If only he knew I am smarter than his small brain!!

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A new character! A new day! A new chapter. I updated this chapter earlier than usual. So I hope this wasn't a mess.

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