Bani entered the fancy yet cosy restaurant with Veer. She smiled softly at him. Veer made her sit.

V: So, let's order first?

They ordered their meals and waited for it to come.

V: Where will you go?

B: Far away from here.

V: Why? I mean you could go to your family.

B: Um...I could, but I can't.

V: If you don't mind me asking, why can't you?

Bani looked nervous. Veer realized she does not want to answer. He kept a hand on hers.

V: It's okay of you are not comfortable.

B: No, actually I haven't spoken about it anyone. Never had anyone. They died a week after my graduation.

V: I am so sorry. (Thinks: maybe she had seen enough pain too. I don't need to interfere. Fates will do what they see fit.)

B: It is not your fault. Anyways, you've been such great help to me these past days. I am glad I met you and we reconnected.

Veer looked at her smiling but then stopped himself before going too soft on her. He decided he is the medium of bringing karma to her. The dishes came.

B: Thank you. (She looked at her food) It is not what I ordered.

V: Oh, I had it changed. It is their specialty. Dig in.

B: But why the cake?

V: It is specially for people like you..

B: Means?

She started to scoop out of the cake

B: Dessert for meals?

She took another bite and found a chocolate gold coin in it.

B: What is this?

Veer laughs.

B: Kya hua? What is so funny?

V: Don't you see how literal everything is? Gold digger digging gold..

Bani's face paled. She wasn't able to understand anything. Veer stood up and poured the water all over her head. Her white dress became almost transparent. People were gawking at her while she stood shocked.

(Imagine her drenched in water and the dress has become quite see-through)

V: Ladies and gentleman, this opportunist gold-digger here is the reason my brother died. He killed himself. So dear miss Noor, I stole your jobs, your house and I am reason you want to flee the city. But you know what? You cannot! I froze your bank account. Waise bhi kissi seedhe saade insaan ko lut kr hi kamaya hoga tumne. Your tickets will come to my house, which now you cannot receive and I have already ordered my guards to throw away your stuff. No money, no job, no house. Your selfish soul deserves this broke status.

B: Teeranshu? (she is really confused. Why was Teer doing this? Why call her Noor?)

V: Teeranshu nahi, Veeranshu! Teeranshu commited suicide after you broke his heart.

B: What?! You are Veeranshu? Teer had a brother? But maine toh kabhi usse date kiya hi nahi. He da-

V: Sharam kro. He is dead and you are still making up stuff? What a witch!

People in the restaurant cussed at her. Veer dragged her by her arms and threw her on the street. Her knees got scrapped and she hugged herself, crying. Veer left the restaurant.

B: Maine kb Teer ka dil todha? Isne aisa kyu kahan? Aur Teer mr chukka hai?...Hey Shivji, uski atma ko shanty dena aap.

She got up and shivered as her clothes were see through and wet. She saw a group of men eye her with hunger. She feared for the last thing that was left with her. Her self respect! She left the area only to realize they were following her. She broke into a sprint and they ran after her. She kept running and trying to escape when her soft body clashed into a hard body. She immediately recognized whose men they were going by the navy blue polo t-shirt with red strip on the arm. Fear clouded her eyes but before she could run away from them. They captured her and threw her into a van.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Veeranshu's heart felt heavy. This girl seemed to have had a charm cast over him in the short span of time. He remembered her doe-like eyes and soft smile.

V: (thinks) Aise hi mere bhai pr bhi charm kiya hoga. Wrna tumhara sach jante hue bhi mai tumhe kyu aise like-...nahi mujhe kuch feel nahi hota..

He sat on the couch when a staff member approached him.

S: Sir, ye ek letter aya tha.

Veer looked at the envelope addressed to someone called 'Bani Sharma'.

V: Ye tumne kyu receive kiya? Galti se aya hai shyd.

S: Sir address to yahin ka hai. Aur side me Singhania house bhi likha hai.

V: Staff me se kissi ka hai?

S: Nahi sir.

V: Hmm, let me check.

He opened the letter and a few tickets fell out. They were from here to Delhi and then to Kochi. There was also a copy of passport. His face paled when he realised the name written against the picture of the girl who had been staying with from the past few days- Bani Sharma.

V: Iska naam Bani hai. Mtlb ye Noor nahi koi aur hai. But, I remember the picture I saw on Teer's phone very well. Kahin mere samajhne me koi galti toh nahi ho gayi?

Horror strikes through his heart.

V: What if I hurt an innocent woman based on a misunderstanding . No! I need to find her and sort things out.

Veer left immediately and started to look for Bani. He first checked around the cafe and couldn't find her. He even took his cheel roop to survey the area but it was all in vain. He sat on a branch and pulled out the passport copy. He called someone.

I: Sir? Iss time aap?

V: Time nahi hai zyada. Ek passport copy ki picture bhej raha hoon. Full details on my desk asap!

I: Passport copy hai apke pass already? It will be easy for me to find all details you need. Mai jld se jld bhejta hoon.

Veer cut the call and kept his search on. He heard some drunk men on the street talk about a girl in almost transparent clothes. They were bummed about the fact that they couldn't get her. Veer was relieved that she wasn't captured by these people but also feared where she was. His rash decisions and blind anger had probably caused pain to an innocent person. Even if she did cause Teer's heartbreak and eventual death, no woman deserved to be subjected to the hunger of the devils on the street.

~~~~~~~~

The night sky was slowly clearing away. The darkness spread across the horizon started to fade and make way for the pink-orange hues. Any moment now, the birds would wake up and chirp around. Some people would get up while some might go to sleep at this hour. Veeranshu Singhania sat on a thick branch, tired due to his night's labour but there was not a wink of sleep in his eyes. He phone pinged. It was his private investigator. He had sent him the details of 'Bani Sharma'

Document sent: Passport copy
Status: genuine

These first two sentences were like taunts on his conscious. Had he ruined an innocent woman? No! He had to make things right! He continued to read on.

Name: Bani Sharma
Height: 1.68m
Hair color: Brown
Eye color: Brown
DOB: 11 September (Age-22)
POB: Mumbai
Parents: Manoj and Bhawna Shrama (deceased)

V: Ye sb to basic details hai. Agey padta hoon

Veer continued to read further. There were information about her college and schooling. It had some information about her hobbies. He continued to read further when his eyes stilled on a line

Spouse: Vikram Sigh Rajput

V: She is married!? But then-

There was some more details. Veer continued to read.

After her schooling from Mumbai, Bani Sharma moved to Delhi for her graduation, full scholarship at LSR college. Vikram Sigh Rajput met her when she interned at a firm. The Dehradun-based business man quickly proposed to her. Bani denied but a week after her graduation, her parents were dead and she was the bride of VSR. People speculate that he killed them and forced her but there is no tangible proof.

One month after the wedding, Bani made her first attempt to run away from the house. She managed to seek help from the police but they handed her back to VSR. Then, two months after this, she ran away again and asked help from a women's shelter home. Though they kept her there, VSK found her within a week. The shelter home was shut down and no news of Bani was heard. She didn't appear anywhere in public until six months ago when she ran away again. VSK has been searching for her since then. He is a powerful man with great political and mafia ties. This gives him immense power but his obsession with his wife is very high.

Bani Sharma ran away to Shimla six months ago and after two months there, she came to Chandigarh. She had been working at a library/cafe and staying at a flat in Ruby complex. Few days ago, she had lost both the- job and house. She was also fired from her new job at MG Road, cosmetic store. A video of her getting harassed outside the store went viral. Last in record, Bani Sharma was planning to move city again. A few tickets were booked under her ID.

Veer paled as the information sunk in. Bani was probably running away from a forced marriage. Her husband seems obsessed with her and maybe it was his little stint in front of the store that gave away her location to her husband.

V: Shit shit shit! Meri wajah se usne bina baat ke itna kuch saha. Aur to aur uska bana banaya kaam bhi bigar gaya!

He called his investigator again.

V: Good job!

I: Thank you boss. Waise aap ye insanon ki inquiry kyu krwa rahe ho?

V: That is not up for discussion right now. I need all the information you can get on VSR, specifically his current location.

I: Aye Aye captain!

Veer hung up the phone.

V: I am so sorry Bani. Agr mai khull kr bhi apna gussa bayan krta toh shyd ye problem nahi kadhi hoti. But don't you worry; meri wajah se tumhe dukh hua na. Meri wajah se tumhari location reveal hui hai. Ab mai hi tumhe azadi diwalunga

~~~~~~~~

To be continued

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Precap: Bani wakes up in room. Her husband has her. She recalls her bitter past. Veeranshu saves her from VSR. Big secret reveals.

New character:- Vikram Singh Rajput

Bani's Husband.