Page 247 of One Hellish Wedlock
Aanya’s mind spun. Mira? Letter? Vicky’s engagement? And how did Shagufta know about their college past to twist it into this hellish scheme? Nothing made sense.
“Let her go, Vicky! Aanya has nothing to do with your broken engagement,” Reyansh called out again in fury as the knife Vicky pressed to her shoulder had already nicked her skin. Blood dotted the fabric of her kurta.
“Don’t come closer! I swear I’ll kill her,” Vicky barked, dragging Aanya step by step toward the back exit, his hand trembling but determined.
“You won’t get far,” Reyansh warned. “This is your last shot, Vicky. If you want even a sliver of Mira’s forgiveness, let Aanya go now. There’s still time to fix what’s left.”
“Don’t take my Mira’s name!” Vicky roared, unhinged.
“She’s here,” Reyansh added, eyes never leaving Aanya’s. “I called Mira. She’s waiting outside. Let Aanya go… and you’ll get your chance to clear everything to Mira.”
Vicky’s entire stance faltered. His steps slowed. His face paled.
“You’re lying,” he whispered, panic threading through his voice. “Mira would never come here.”
“She is here. And she’s ready to walk in as soon as we give the signal. You really want her to see you like this? Holding a knife to another woman’s throat?” Reyansh kept inching forward, drawing Vicky’s focus away from Aanya.
The panic in Vicky’s eyes deepened. Aanya saw her husband’s unspoken message in his gaze—Now. Do it now.
With no hesitation, she twisted her body and sank her teeth into Vicky’s hand. He screamed, instinctively releasing the knife. It clattered to the floor just before a gunshot rang out. A bullet struck Vicky’s foot and he collapsed with a howl, writhing in pain.
Aanya bolted straight into Reyansh’s arms.
“Mira… Mira…” Vicky kept shouting, even as the officers swarmed him and slapped cuffs on his wrists. A medic team rushed in behind them.
“Reyansh…” Aanya whimpered, gripping his shirt.
“Ssh… you’re safe now,” he whispered, brushing frantic kisses across her face, one hand stroking her hair while the other clutched her close, like he’d never let go again. He’d been living a nightmare ever since she was taken…one he never wanted to relive.
“Navya… he took her too… we have to… please…” Aanya choked through tears, still trembling.
“She’s safe,” he reassured her, cupping her face. “Navya’s safe, I promise. Sunny is with her. Nothing happened. You saved her, Aanya… and yourself.”
Only after hearing that truth from Reyansh, did Aanya’s body finally give in. Her knees buckled, her eyes fluttered shut, and she collapsed into his arms.
“Aanya?” Reyansh panicked, patting her cheek as he lifted her up effortlessly.
“She’s going into shock. We need to move now!” a medic shouted.
Cradling her tightly, Reyansh sprinted to the ambulance with the team close behind. He didn’t care about the blood, the chaos, or the sirens. He just wanted her to open her eyes again…and never let them close on him like that again.
Hospital
Reyansh paced restlessly outside the post-operative observation room, his nerves frayed and mind racing. Aanya had needed stitches on her shoulder. The doctors assured him it was a superficial wound, just through the flesh, not deep enough to damage the bone, but the thought of what could’ve happened if he hadn’t arrived in time with the police kept gnawing at him.
“Reyansh?” Radhika and Rishi rushed down the hallway toward him. “How is Aanya? Is she okay now?”
He had been holding himself together barely, but seeing his sister and brother-in-law broke his composure. Without a word, he pulled Radhika into a tight embrace. She wrapped her arms around him in return, silently absorbing the storm of emotion radiating from her brother. She could feel the terror he’d endured… and the sheer relief.
Aanya wasn’t just someone he loved anymore. She was the core of his strength, and his most painful vulnerability.
Rishi placed a firm hand on Reyansh’s back. “Rey, you found her. You saved her. She’s alive and that’s what matters.”
Reyansh pulled away from the hug, blinking rapidly. He couldn’t afford to fall apart.
“Why did you both leave the house? I told you not to step out until this was over.”
“We had security with us,” Rishi explained calmly. “The rest are with Nani, Shikha, and Ruhi. Don’t worry. We’re safe now since that lunatic Vicky has been arrested.”
