Chapter 33
Once Upon A Night
Ayesha's P. O. V
Things would have been so different if we could erase some of the horrifying memories from our past. Sadly, we cannot escape it. We need to gather the courage to rise from its darkness, face it fiercely and fight it. We have to fight till we get a closure.
The past couple days have been difficult for me. I couldn't stop thinking about the incident in the hospital. Seeing Karan on the ventilator brings back those haunting memories.
The night of 31st December 2018, was one of the nights which I will never forget. I was driving Shreya to her house after the party as she was drunk for the first time and I was sober enough to drive. The apartment was dark and empty as all the things were packed in the boxes. It seemed as if they were moving out. Shreya had passed out so I put her on the bed. I searched for some medicines in the drawers which will help her with the hangover in morning but I couldn't find any. I went to the other room to find it. I opened one of the drawers to shockingly find a gun and an envelope. I opened it to find a couple of photographs and information of Gautam Kapoor, the leading business tycoon and one of the dad's oldest friend who got killed last month. I was in shock, not knowing what to do. A lot of questions were running across my mind. With this gun and Gautam Uncle's photos, this mean that Karan killed him. What could be reason behind it? Was he hired by someone? If so, who was it? Suddenly I heard a noise from the living room. It sounded like footsteps. I quickly went and hid myself in the closet. With the help of the holes in it, I could see what was going on outside. As the footsteps approached, I froze not moving until it went farther away. I saw Karan, going in Shreya's room. I realized that the gun was in my hand, but the envelope with photos out was lying on the bed and the lamp light was on. I panicked, closing my eyes and praying for a miracle to happen that somehow I don't get caught. After a few minutes, I heard him closing the door of Shreya's room and passing by his room. My heart started pounding heavily and I saw him looking at the envelope on the bed. Then he looked around frantically, as if he was searching for someone. The sweat was dripping down my face as he lifted the bedspread to see if someone was hiding underneath. He then approached towards the closet to open it, but then he heard a voice at the front door in the hallway. He quickly rushed out and then I heard the door the banging. After a few moment of complete silence, I sighed and went out. I rushed to find my car keys but couldn't find it anywhere. I hurried myself out of the house with no idea of where to go and I carried the gun with me for my safety. I reached for the doorknob and that's when it yanked open and I saw him staring at me in anger. He pushed inside the house causing me to fall on the ground. He picked me up by my arms and chocked my neck with his hands.
"What are you doing here?", he asked in a threatening but soft voice, keeping a knife on my neck.
"I came here to drop Shreya." I replied.
"Don't lie!", he said tightening his grip. I was short of breath and I didn't know what to do so I did what came naturally on my mind. I bit his hand and pulled away from him and later I kicked him on his manhood. He growled and pushed me towards the door. I landed at my back on the ground and within a matter of a second I picked up the gun on the floor before he could get a hold of me. I was pointing at him and it fired at him straight on his chest. It all happened so quickly that I didn't get time to register it. He was falling on the floor and his head banged on the glass table near him. There was a moment of silence and then I heard the voice of opening of the door. Shreya came out looking hung over, but then she looked at the Karan's body on the floor. She screamed and ran to him. I was in shock of what I have done and I sat on the floor looking at his body. Shreya was crying over him that's when I realized that I killed someone. When I was registering the incidents which happen, I was hearing the sirens and people whispering around as I was escorted to the police van. I did not realize when I fired the gun even when I didn't pull the trigger. After that night, I did not hear from Shreya again until after I moved away from that place. My dad did place some calls which helped me clear all the charges but I wasn't able to rise above the guilt of having someone killed. It still seems like yesterday and feels like Karan's ghost haunts me every time. I am guilty of killing someone and I should be punished but my dad says that I did it in turn of my self defense and that he was a threat to me. He says I should forget what happened and focus on my future. But how can I when this incident of past is continuously haunting me.
The day when I saw Karan in the hospital, I was glad that he is alive but also still guilty as it was because of me he was in this situation and also that my best friend is now a no longer friend of mine and hates me so much. I wish I could delete those incidents of past, wish it never happened, then the things would have been so different.
*PRESENT*
There has been so much going on recently. Ritika finally told Ansh about the baby. He was shocked but also a lot more supportive than I expected him to be. They worked out their differences between them and ever since Ansh has been taking a lot more care of Ritika. He is even going to accompany her to next doctor's appointment which is today. Today is also Vihaan's party, in which I have decided to go and confront him about everything. I don't want to keep any secrets or feelings between us which will affect our relation. Love is all about truth and honesty.
"I am so glad that you are opening up to him about that night." Zoya said as she was driving me to the party.
"Yes, it would be huge to finally share with him everything, you know. I believe he has the right to know about it because ever since he asked me about Shreya, he has been acting weird. As if he was hiding something. So maybe if I open up, he would too share with me about what's going on with him." I said truthfully.
"He will.", she said pulling over the care in front of a farmhouse where the party was held.
"All the best!", Zoya wished me as stepped out of the car. She knew what this meant to me to share this side of me. It meant me being vulnerable to my fears and weaknesses which only few people knew. I was scared about how Vihaan will take up this news. I was scared of the judgment but I also knew that he loves me and no matter what he would never want me to hurt and that he would understand me.
So I went inside with all the courage that I had. It was like any other regular party, music buzzing in the air, teenagers were drunk and dancing all over. It was a great party in sync. I searched for Vihaan everywhere but couldn't find him. Then I went upstairs in his room, with thought that I might find him there. I barged in his room which was surprisingly not locked which he locks every time. But he wasn't there, instead I find Shreya naked on his bed. I stared at her in shock, trying not to think anything wrong until proven. So I asked her, "Where is Vihaan?". She smirked at me and that's when I heard the bathroom door opening. He came out, a towel wrapped around his butt, half naked. He looked at me and then lowered his eyes.
What I saw in front of me was unbelievable. The scene broke my heart. It felt like I was slapped by someone so hard that it brought me to reality. I felt like screaming and crying, but I decided to stay strong.I went near him and slapped him. My heart was crushed and it felt a nightmare. With choking voice I said, "You know what? Today you broke me, my heart, my feelings and above all my trust, which I had on you, on our relation and on our love. I had to convince myself to live alone before you came into my life but then you made me fall in love with you. But you broke all of that. I will always hate you for this. You made me hate this feeling." He looked at me with cold eyes, staring at me blankly. I was waiting for him to say something but then he remained quiet.
"I hate you and I hate love." I whispered.
I left from there as soon as possible. I went out so that I could breathe. I was choking on tears, it felt like something inside me had shattered. Seeing the man whom I loved with every single cell of my body, cheating and breaking my trust seemed so unreal but alas! It was the bitter truth.
Suddenly, someone chocked my mouth from behind with a cloth. I tried to scream for help but the grip was strong that I couldn't free myself from him. Soon everything went blank and it was as if I went into a deep slumber.
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Alot has been going on here. Who kidnapped Ayesha? Why did Vihaan cheat on her? What was he hiding?
Until next update..
TO BE CONTINUED...