"Sarthak wake up, wake up, let's go to hospital please hurry up," I cried.
"What happened, are you okay?" he asked, confused.
"Sarthak, just let's go, I am okay," I pulled him out. He quickly grabbed the keys and hurried to the car.
"Drive to City Center Hospital," I said.
"Hey, you're a pregnant woman, we shouldn't speed up. What happened? Just tell me," he put his hand on my shoulder.
"Uncle Anirudh… Anirudh got shot!"
"What? How do you know?" he was confused.
"I got Anvi's call… when I took it, she was crying. I asked, and she said when they were out to eat dinner in a restaurant, someone came and shot her. But Anirudh came in front of her and got shot," I cried.
"I told you it's not safe! Are you mad? What if… for God's sake, if he dies, what will you do? I told you!" He said
"Sorry, I didn't know they would recognize us," I cried heavily.
"Don't cry, we've arrived," he said.
I ran inside and asked the receptionist, "Can I know about Anirudh Shukla who came here, shot by a gun? Is he okay, please tell me?"
"You are…?" she asked.
"His niece-in-law," I said.
"Oh, he is in emergency," she replied.
"Where is the girl who came with him?" I asked.
"Outside emergency," Sarthak came in.
"Can I go there?" I asked.
"Of course, take a right after a few steps," she said.
"Okay, thanks," I rushed there and saw Anvi crying, sitting alone, her hands stained with blood. I ran to hug her and she cried heavily.
"It's our fault… for my Preeti's death investigation, I sacrificed my love… Anirudh," she cried heavily. My tears fell too. "It's my fault. If I hadn't taken her abroad, she would have been fine… and this would never have happened," she cried.
Then Manya arrived with Tia and Krati.
"Anvi, don't cry," they hugged her tightly, only saying, "He will be fine. It is no one's fault, don't cry."
Then the doctor came out.
"Doctor, how is he? Is he okay?" she asked.
"Yes, he is out of danger now. Don't worry, he is being shifted to a normal room," the doctor said, patting Anvi's shoulder before leaving.
After some time, he was shifted to the room. Everyone went home; only Anvi and I were there, sitting on the couch. Then Uncle woke up.
"Where am I? My stomach hurts… Anvi," he sat up. We rushed to him, and Anvi hugged him. He was shocked to see her crying.
"You're okay?" he asked.
"What happened to me?" he was confused.
"I am sorry… you got shot," she said.
"Why are you apologizing?" he asked, shocked.
"It is our fault… you got shot. Actually, I was going to be shot, but you came in front of me," she cried. He smiled and hugged her.
"Don't cry like a little baby… I am okay now. Please don't cry, it's okay. I love you Anvi… stop crying."
"I am sorry. If I hadn't gone out with you, you wouldn't have been shot… I am sorry," she cried.
"Ok, ok, come here," he pulled her close and kissed her. She lay down with him, and I went outside.
Outside, Sarthak was waiting for me. I rushed and hugged him.
"I am sorry… it is my fault that he got shot," I cried.
"It's okay, let's go home, okay? Don't cry," he said, taking me to the car. He was consoling me all the way, and I eventually fell asleep.
At home, only Aunt Marie was cooking something for Manya. I went toward her.
"Aunt Marie, what are you making?" I asked, hugging her from behind.
"I am making rajma chawal for Manya," she said.
"Can I have some, please? I love it," I smiled.
"Of course, why not? It is almost done," she said, patting my head and pouring it into a bowl. I sat at the dining table as she gave it to me.
"Sit down beside me, please," I said.
"Okay," she sat.
"How is it?"
"It is so tasty and flavorful," I smiled.
"That's good you like it. I'll go now to give it to Manya. Don't waste anything," she said. I nodded, and she left.
Then, as I was eating, a champagne bottle broke. I was shocked. I went over, picked up the glass, and saw a bullet.
"It's a bullet!" I whispered.
"Samira, where are you? You wasted food," Aunt Marie called. Then I saw the person aiming at her.
"Aunt Marie, down!" I screamed, grabbing her and pushing her to the floor. Another bullet shattered another glass.
"What is happening, Samira?" she asked.
"First, let's go," I said. We ran to my father's room where he kept his guns. I grabbed one.
"Aunt, go from here and call Manya. No one is home yet, okay? No one should know about this, not even Sarthak," I said. I opened a door connected to the back stairs and went outside.
I aimed at the intruder, but he saw me, got down, and started firing. There were two more people. They started shooting, then Manya came. We were shooting together, but unfortunately Lavanya came downstairs.
"Which film are you watching late night?" she asked.
"Lavanya, get down!" I screamed. One of the bullets hit her hand.
"Lavanya!" I cried and shot the first one, and Manya shot the rest. I ran to Lavanya. Her hand was bleeding heavily.
"Give me a cloth. There is no bullet inside. It passed through your hand but missed the bones. That's good… let's go to the hospital, hurry up," I said. I wrapped her hand tightly. Manya brought the car, and we rushed to the hospital.
At the hospital, "It's an emergency, quickly!" the nurses and doctors said. Lavanya was unconscious. They rushed her to the emergency ward. I sat outside, my hands bloody and trembling. I was terrified.
"It's my fault… why is this happening? First Uncle, then Lavanya… why? Today… everything… what would I say to Uncle?" I whispered.
"It's okay, don't cry. We started it for good, and we will finish it for good. Their names will also be added to our team who fight the bad people," Manya said, tears streaming.
Then Kartikey came out.
"She is okay. Her hand is also okay. She will recover in a month or two. We are shifting her to a normal room now. Don't worry," he said, putting his hand on my shoulder.
Lavanya came out, and we rushed to her.
"Are you okay, Lavanya? Sorry, it is our fault, but we didn't know there would be firing at our home. Sorry," we said.
"I am okay. With your help, my marriage delayed. I don't have to marry Aarav for some days," she smiled. They took her to the room.
Then we went to Uncle's room. He was sleeping soundly. Anvi was sitting on the couch, working on her laptop. From outside, we gave her signals, and she came out.
"What happened? Why did you call me out?" she asked.
"Something happened," we said, heads down.
"What happened? Tell me," she asked.
"When I got back and was eating rajma chawal, a champagne bottle broke. When I went there, there was a bullet. I got down, but then Aunt Marie came down. I ran and made her go down. Then we ran to my dad's room where he kept his guns. I took a gun from there and sent someone to call Manya from the back stairs. I went out to shoot. After a few minutes, Manya came, but then Lavanya came downstairs because she thought we were watching a movie. She got shot on her hand. The bullet tore through her hand and exited the other side. She didn't get hurt much; she will recover in a month or two. But it is our fault. Can you please handle Uncle, please?" we cried and begged her.
"But how will I? He will be angry at us," Anvi said.
"We will tell him she got fractured while they were on the trip. This would help," I said.
"I don't know, Sammy… but I will try," she hugged us.
"You're the best, Anvi. I love you," we said.
"Don't butter me, okay? Let's go see Lavanya," she said.
"Okay, let's go," we said. We went to her room. She was lying on the bed, hand fractured, changed into hospital clothes. We sat around her.
"Hey, how are you? Do you know Kartikey did your operation?" Anvi asked.
"Oh, it doesn't matter now," she said.
"He is single. You have a chance now," Anvi said.
"No, he is not. Aarav's girlfriend… he broke up with her because it was his mother's choice. Now he is dating Kartika, my college friend and roommate. It's okay, it doesn't matter now. He is happy; that's all I want," she said.
"Oh, you're okay now. Do you have pain somewhere?" Anvi asked.
As she was going to answer, Sarthak came in a hurry.
"Are you okay? What happened to her, Samira?" he said angrily.
"When you left me at home…" I told him everything. He got angry.
"I said it would be dangerous, but you didn't listen. What if something happened to the baby or she dies? Forget it… whom am I talking to, giving advice," he turned his head. I cried, realizing he didn't support me.
"What… what are you saying? How can you say it? I am doing it to know about your and Aarne's family and my brother, not for someone else. I hate you. I also didn't know that they would find our house or us. I didn't tell her to come downstairs. I didn't even know she was home. I thought you would help me or trust me, but you've changed and made me someone nonsense," I cried heavily.
"What should I tell you? I told you it would be dangerous, but you never understand. You see what happened to Uncle today and now Lavanya… are you thinking I will help you now also?" he scolded.
"I am ending the engagement. I don't want to marry you. It's over between us," I said.
"What are you saying, Samira? For a little reason, you're going to end the relationship?" Sarthak said.
"Yes, and it is not a little thing. I don't want to marry someone who doesn't trust me, even if I love him. Get lost," I pulled out the ring and gave it to him.
"Take it also," I said.
"But think about our baby," Sarthak said.
"I will raise him on my own. Get lost," I pushed him out. His eyes were shedding tears.
After he left, I sat on the couch, hugged Manya, and cried. And that's how this hectic day ended—with only tears in my eyes and my self-respect in my hands.