CHAPTER 42
Hospital
“Don’t shut me out of this conversation, Rey. I need to know everything,” Aanya snapped, her voice sharper than usual as she faced her husband. Reyansh had been deliberately avoiding any talk related to Vicky or Shagufta, and she was done letting it slide.
Forty-eight hours had passed since she’d been admitted, and Reyansh hadn’t left her side, except for a brief two-hour window the previous night to shower and bring back fresh clothes from the penthouse.
The doctors had recommended another day of observation, and he hadn’t argued.
He wanted her completely stable before taking her home.
Now that Aanya was feeling better, at least physically, she needed answers. But Reyansh kept sidestepping the topic, clearly trying to protect her from any further mental stress. She watched as he handed her a glass of water and held out her next round of medication in his palm.
“The police are doing what’s needed,” he replied. “They’re building a solid case against both Vicky and Shagufta. He’ll be deported back to India and land straight behind bars. This time, neither his political father nor Shagufta’s business connections will be able to help them.”
The news brought some relief, but not enough. There were still too many unanswered questions—ones that had been haunting her since the moment Vicky mentioned Mira.
“Who is Mira?” she asked, eyes narrowed with curiosity.
“Medicine first,” Reyansh insisted.
She knew that tone. He wasn’t going to speak another word until she complied. With a soft sigh, she took the tablets and drank the water, then handed the glass back to him.
“Good girl,” he said with a faint smile, patting her cheek affectionately before sitting next to her on the bed. Aanya wasn’t lying down anymore. She was propped up with pillows behind her.
“My sources were already digging into Vicky’s past,” he began.
“A few days ago, they found out about his broken engagement. It happened about a month after you joined the Client office here in California. Her name’s Mira, and from what we know, he was genuinely in love with her.
But when his past resurfaced… she ended it. ”
Aanya listened silently, her fingers clutching the blanket.
“He didn’t just torment you back in college, Aanya,” Reyansh continued, voice tight with anger.
“He’d been abusive and manipulative with several women.
Mira somehow got hold of that information through a letter she claims was sent by you.
The letter outlined everything he did, with evidences, and she followed up by speaking to your old classmates.
Everything she learned only confirmed the truth. ”
Aanya’s brows furrowed. “But I never—”
“I know,” Reyansh nodded. “You didn’t send anything. But someone pretended to be you. And Mira believed it.”
Aanya’s breath caught in her throat. Someone framed her and the only person with motive to pit Vicky against her was the same woman who’d tried everything to destroy her marriage.
Shagufta.
“Shagufta and Vicky were family friends. You already knew that,” Reyansh continued.
“At some point, she must’ve shared how much she despised you.
That’s when Vicky told her everything he’d done to you during college.
She used it against him. Twisted the story.
Then fed him the lie that you were the reason his engagement fell apart.
She manipulated his anger, stoked his ego, and convinced him to take revenge.
Otherwise, Vicky had no reason to come back into our lives.
He wasn’t the mastermind in this, Aanya. Shagufta was. He was just her pawn.”
Aanya stared blankly ahead, taking a few seconds to process the revelation. Reyansh gently laced their fingers and lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles.
“The day you were taken from your office,” he continued, “that same morning I received solid proof of everything Shagufta had planned. I had her arrested immediately. She was our only lead to Vicky. But before we could squeeze information about Vicky, he hit us where it hurt most…by threatening Navya.”
Aanya’s body stiffened. Her heart started racing all over again.
“Why Navya?” she burst out. “If Vicky was here, who the hell kidnapped her?”
“He wanted leverage,” Reyansh said grimly.
“And he found your weak point. Navya was outside the protection circle. I’d already secured everyone else—your dad, Kyle, Radhika, Nani, Shikha, Ruhi, even our staff.
Navya was off my radar until that morning.
The second I realized the risk, I sent Sunny after her.
Luckily, he traced the men holding her back in India and coordinated with the Delhi police.
While you were seeing that video in the lobby, Navya was already being rescued. ”
“Oh God,” Aanya gasped, squeezing his hand.
“I didn’t even get a chance to reach you or anyone.
He was there, Reyansh…inside the building.
Watching me. I didn’t see it, didn’t feel it.
He sent that video from an unknown number.
When I opened it and saw Navya tied up..
. he called right after. He told me he’d do worse to her than he did to me.
I panicked. I couldn’t think. I just… I did what he said.
Dropped my phone and went to that black car at the rear gate.
You were right there, so close. And I couldn’t even scream for help.
” Tears streamed down her face, hot and furious.
Reyansh cupped her face, his own eyes clouding.
“Sshh... I know you were scared. And it was my job to keep him away from you. I failed, Aanya. I failed—”
“No,” she interrupted, grabbing the front of his shirt with both hands. “You saved me. You saved Navya. You didn’t fail me. You’re my hero, Reyansh. You’ve always been.”
She wiped his tears before they could fall and kissed his cheek softly.
“So… was Mira really there when you said that to Vicky?” she asked after a pause.
Reyansh shook his head. “No. She never came. But we contacted her and made her aware of what Vicky had become. She was horrified. Guilt-ridden, too. She didn’t know the letter came from Shagufta, not you.”
“And what about his father?” Aanya’s tone dropped. “He’s a politician. He can pull strings, cover it up, do anything.”
Reyansh’s eyes darkened.
“Not this time, Aanya,” Reyansh said firmly.
“There are too many charges against Vicky—stalking, abduction, threats of abuse, attempted molestation, and almost attempted murder. He’s not getting bail.
And I have leverage over the political party his father belongs to.
If that man dares support his son, he’ll be forced to resign.
He’s too hungry for power to risk losing it.
So no—he’s not getting Vicky out of jail. ”
His words gave Aanya a wave of relief. The threat, at least for now, was finally behind them.
“And now that Vicky knows the truth, that it was Shagufta who betrayed him, not you, the only one who should be worried anymore is her.”
“She went too far this time,” Aanya said tightly.
“She crossed a line,” Reyansh agreed. “And maybe I should’ve stopped her a long time ago, when she first showed signs of wanting something more than friendship from me.”
He wasn’t wrong. If he’d confronted her back then, maybe this could’ve been avoided. Then again, maybe it wouldn’t have changed a thing. Either way, Aanya didn’t want to dwell on it. What mattered now was them— together . Blame wouldn’t help. Healing would.
“Thank God for that watch,” she murmured. “It’s what helped you track me.”
“You’re never taking it off again. Understood?”
There was still tension in his voice, that quiet fear that hadn’t quite left him.
“I won’t,” she promised. Then her tone softened. “I want to talk to Navya.”
“Now?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“She called twice asking to speak with you, but you weren’t strong enough to talk yet. I already explained and apologized on our behalf.”
Aanya gave him a look of mock disbelief. “You apologized to my best friend? That’s hard to imagine.”
He smirked. “I’ve done it before. Especially when she threatened to kill me if I ever hurt you again. That was a while back.”
Aanya giggled as he dialled Navya’s number and handed her the phone.
She imagined that conversation—probably around the time Reyansh invited Navya to their re-marriage in Cape Town.
Those were beautiful days. Her entire family had surrounded her with love.
She couldn’t wait to relive moments like that again.
“Aanya?” Navya’s voice crackled through the phone. “Is that you or your husband? Hello?”
“It’s me, dear,” Aanya said, grinning as she watched Reyansh gesture for her to talk as long as she liked before slipping quietly from the room.
“Oh, thank God I’m finally getting to speak to you! How are you? Is your shoulder okay? Are you out of the hospital yet or—”
“Navya…” Aanya interrupted softly. “I’m so sorry for what happened. You were dragged into this because of me.”
Navya let out an exaggerated sigh. “Seriously? That’s where your mind is right now? I thought we were still friends?”
Aanya winced playfully.
“We are ,” she snapped.
“Which is why you don’t get to apologize. No sorry. No thank you. Got it?”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Aanya chuckled. “When am I seeing you next?”
“Soon. I’m not letting you lounge around that swanky penthouse of yours all alone for too long.”
Aanya’s face lit up. “Wait…are you serious? You’re coming here?”
“Didn’t Reyansh tell you? He’s hosting my bachelorette party there. All our old friends are coming. It’s going to be a blast.”
Aanya was floored. Her husband had thought of everything…
not just her safety, but her happiness too.
He’d taken care of her people like they were his own.
Who else would do that? Her heart swelled with pride for the man she once thought she’d never truly love.
Now, she couldn’t imagine her world without him.
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