Well!! Well!! well!!
My dear readers I have did a major change in this chapter that's if you had read before then you would know and added an extra part because this one became really big.

I hope you don't mind or if you do! Please let me know! Kyunki main aapka mann toh nahi padh sakti!
I have think too much and then decide this but as readers you opinion matters to me. So please let me know.

"No!" Chachu's stern voice resonated through the hall.

"But, Dad, please!" Vritika pleaded, her voice filled with desperation.

Chachi intervened, her voice firm but laced with concern. "No, Vritika, your dad is right. It's been barely a few months since the accident, and God knows what could have happened if Jarek hadn't arrived on time..." Her voice trailed off, her eyes welling up with tears.

Vritika tried to argue, "But, Mom..."

Just then, Dad asked, "What's going on?" as they entered the hall. I shifted my gaze from my laptop screen, which was sitting in my lap, to look at them.

Vritika sat next to Dad, grasping his hands with a pout.

"Bade Papa, I want to go to New Jersey with my friends for New Year's, but Mom and Dad won't let me," she said, her lower lip jutting out in a sulk.

"They're right, you need rest," I declared to her.

"Yes, Adwait is right," Kaki agreed.

Vritika turned to Dad with pleading eyes. "Bade Papa, please... All my friends are going to be there too..." she implored.

"Fine, but only if you take security with you," Dad conceded.

"No, Dad! We can't do that! It's not necessary." I protested

"It's fine, Adwait. Let her go. Just because of one accident, we can't keep her confined. This will help her move on too." Dad reasoned.

"But I'm not keeping her confined, I just want her to wait a bit," I explained.

"Did you talk to Anisha?" he inquired, skillfully changing the subject.

The others sighed, and I refocused my attention on my laptop screen, but I couldn't help noticing Vritika's triumphant grin as she high-fived dad out of the corner of my eye.

For days, they've been teasing me about Anisha, but I have no idea what's going on with her. She's not calling me, nor responding to my texts. It's been over a week since they left, and the last message I received from her was a brief 'We've arrived safely.' Nothing since then. I'm regretting my decision to let her go again...

"So, when are you leaving?" Chachu queried.

"This evening!" she exclaimed.

"And you're only telling us now?" I demanded.

"Well, I just found out myself!" she admitted, shrugging nonchalantly.

I sighed, exasperated.

"Very well, I will arrange for two guards to accompany you," I declared.

"But, bhai—" Vritika protested, her voice laced with disappointment.

"No buts!" I interrupted, my tone firm.

She turned to Dad with her signature puppy eyes, and he raised his hands in surrender.

"I'm with him this time," he said.

Dad's gesture of defeat made me smirk, and Vritika simply shrugged her shoulders in response.

"Yes, if you want to go, you need to take security with you," Chachi reiterated, reinforcing the decision.

That evening, Vritika departed for her tour with her friends, accompanied by the two guards who would keep a watchful eye on her.

The day passed peacefully, and the next day, I was ready to leave for Milan, Italy, to meet the person who could help us resolve our issues.

Vidharth decided to accompany me, but I sensed he had an ulterior motive.
He claimed a tarot reader predicted he'd meet his soulmate, but I suspected there was more to his story. Perhaps it was related to his work, so I didn't press him for details.

As we settled into our seats on the plane, I teased him, "Are you sure your soulmate is a girl? Maybe it's a boy."

Vidharth playfully rolled his eyes and replied, "Shut up!"

I buckled my seatbelt, and we prepared for takeoff, both of us eager for our journey to Milan.

After the long eight-hour flight, we finally arrived in Milan. We headed to our hotel, eager to freshen up. I emerged from the bathroom, feeling revitalized after a quick shower. I opted for a comfortable outfit - black cargo pants and a grey hoodie.

With some time to spare before our meeting, we decided to take a leisurely stroll through the market. As I stepped out of the room into the living room attached to our suite, I heard a familiar voice.

"Are you going somewhere?" she inquired.

My eyes widened in surprise, and my feet seemed rooted to the spot. I struggled to compose myself, finally managing to close my mouth, which had been hanging open in shock.

"Anisha," I uttered, my voice barely above a whisper.

The unexpected encounter left me speechless, my mind racing with questions. What was she doing here? Was it mere coincidence or something more?

"That's not my name," she corrected, her voice firm.

I gazed at her with narrowed eyes, taking in her striking appearance. She wore a red dress that reached her thighs, paired with a denim jacket and skin-colored stockings that complemented her black boots. She looked stunning.

"I know," I acknowledged with a smile, my eyes locked on hers.

She rolled her eyes, a hint of annoyance flickering across her face.
"Why are you here?" she asked, her tone direct.

I took a step closer, my hands resting on the armchair on either side of her, effectively caging her between me and the chair. "I should be the one asking that," I replied, my voice low and even.

The tension between us was palpable, our eyes locked in a silent standoff.

"Sneaking into someone's room is a crime, Mrs. Randhawa," I muttered, my voice low and playful.

She smiled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "I'm not sneaking into someone's room, but into my own husband's. How can it be a crime?" she replied, her voice husky.

My gaze locked onto hers, and I raised her chin with my hand, our eyes meeting again. "Here, Mrs. Randhawa, my eyes will tell you how much longer you can make me wait," I whispered, my head leaning in close to hers, our noses brushing against each other.

The tension between us was electric, our faces inches apart, the air thick with anticipation.

Our lips were inches apart, ready to touch, when the door burst open with a loud bang. A group of men in black suits, likely bodyguards, stormed into the room.

Their eyes scanned the space until they fixed on us, frozen in an intimate pose. The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward, and I glanced at the woman sitting across from me, who remained surprisingly calm.

"Miss York! Um... I... I am... sorry... we... we didn't know..." The lead bodyguard stuttered, his eyes darting between us.

"Get out. Now," she commanded, her voice firm and authoritative.

In an instant, the men retreated, and the room returned to normal, as if the interruption had never occurred.

I stood up straight, my playful demeanor instantly replaced with confusion and frustration. "What the hell just happened?" I asked aloud, my question hanging in the air like an accusation.

She shrugged, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "I don't know!"

I crossed my arms over my chest, my tone laced with skepticism. "You, of all people, know everything that's going on!"

She leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. "Not everything, but yeah... this one."

I raised an eyebrow, my expression incredulous. "Oh, really?" I muttered, my hands grasping the arms of the chair she sat in, my body leaning in slightly.

The tension between us was palpable, and I felt like I was missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. Her enigmatic smile only added to my frustration.

"Adwait! Noah is here!" Vidharth barged in.

I clenched my jaw at the interruption again, and she burst out laughing. Seriously, is this how she should react? Vidharth's eyes swapped between us, then widened.
His hands flew to his mouth.

"When did she arrive?" He questioned, his eyes falling out of their sockets.

"I should be the one asking you this!" She retorted, stopping her laugh.

"And why do you think we'll answer you?" He reclaimed, crossing his hands over his chest.

"You will!" She answered, mimicking his posture and narrowing her eyes.

"I thought you were a calm person, but seems like my guess was wrong." He exclaimed.

"Glad you got that!" She retorted.

I burst out laughing at their antics, comparing them to fighting cats and dogs. They both turned to me, their eyes narrowing in unison, which only made me laugh harder. I rolled onto the sofa, holding my sides.

Finally, I composed myself and sat up straight, schooling my expression to appear more serious.

"Okay, let's focus on the pressing matters at hand instead of wasting time on your bickering," I declared.

Vidharth and Anisha/ Ava glared at each other, their animosity palpable.

"We have more important issues to address," I emphasized, my tone firm but calm.

"Like what?" Vidharth demanded, his voice laced with skepticism.

"The arrival of Noah, for starters," I responded, my eyes locked on his.

Vidharth's expression turned thoughtful, and her gaze never wavered from mine.

"Ooh, yeah! Let's go!" Vidharth declared, walking back towards the door. But Noah appeared in front of us, blocking our path. He entered the room, his words tumbling out in a rush.

"Good morning, Mr. Randhawa. Sorry, I know I'm early. You must need rest, but..." His gaze landed on Anisha, and his words faltered.

"Miss York! You...!" Noah's eyes darted between us, his expression flustered.

"Why can't I be here?" Anisha demanded, her tone firm.

"No, no, I didn't mean that... I..." Noah tried to explain, his eyes flickering between us.

"I know what you mean, but you've made a really bad decision by coming here," Anisha asserted, a smirk playing on her lips.

"What do you mean?" Noah queried, his forehead beading with sweat.

"Wipe off the sweat, Noah. You aren't my target. Your boss is!" Anisha stated calmly, her eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief.

Vidharth and I exchanged a perplexed glance, neither of us understanding the situation. We decided to remain silent and observe the unfolding drama.

Noah's eyes blazed with anger as he addressed me. "What is the meaning of this, Mr. Randhawa? I thought we were allies. How could you betray us and side with them? You'll pay a hefty price for this!" He clenched his jaw, his voice laced with warning.

I met Anisha's gaze, and she nodded subtly, urging me to stand firm. I sighed, but remained silent, refusing to back down. I turned to Noah, my finger pointed at him. "Whatever this is, Noah, remember that I'm not someone you can intimidate!"

My words were firm and calm, but Noah's expression only darkened further.
His eyes narrowed, and his voice dropped to a menacing growl.
"You!!"

"James!" she called out, and the same man from earlier entered with his accomplices.

"Throw him in the dungeons," she ordered, pointing at Noah. They dragged him away, leaving us in a state of shock.

Vidharth's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Woah! I feel like I'm in a Mafia novel!"

I turned to the woman, my legally wedded wife, yet a complete stranger. "Now that things have unfolded, do we have the right to know what's going on?"

"Yes, but not here. It's not safe." She nodded calmly.

"Fine," I agreed.

"Wherever you want. Let me get changed, and we'll leave." I headed off to change, eager to get to the bottom of the all of this. Vidharth followed suit.

I returned in under 10 minutes, dressed in a white shirt, beige pants, and a beige blazer slung over my shoulders. I was afraid that she might disappear if I took too long. As I entered the living room, she sat on a sofa chair, sipping coffee. Our eyes met, and a playful glint flashed in hers as she spoke.

"Take your time, I'm not going anywhere." She chuckled, taking a sip of her coffee.

I raised an eyebrow, doubting her words. "With your history, I doubt that. Plus, it's never been me who founded you - it's always been the other way around. So, it's I who should be afraid."
I shook my head, and she giggled, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Well, it's not even me, it's just fate, I think," she whispered so softly that I had to strain to hear her.

I smirked. "Fate is amazing," I whispered back, adjusting my blazer and cufflinks.

"Only the future can tell us if it's amazing or the beginning of new chaos."She muttered under her breath.

I sighed and shook my head, thinking that this girl was hopeless. But I promised myself that I would try to turn things around and bring hope to our situation.

"I'm ready, let's go," I stated, as she finished her coffee.

She stood up, and we headed directly to the underground, where I spotted Vidharth waiting for us.

"So, where are we going?" Vidharth quired.

She raised an eyebrow, a sarcastic smile playing on her lips.
"Is he tagging along?" she asked, her tone dripping with skepticism.

"Yes, because I don't trust you at all," he replied.
"I'm coming to make sure you don't harm him."

She scoffed but said nothing more, getting into a black Mercedes GLA. I took the seat next to her, while Vidharth settled into the backseat. The engine purred to life, and the car hit the main road in an instant.