The Next Morning
It was seven in the morning. Nisha's eyes slowly fluttered open. Her head was hurting, her throat completely dry. As she glanced down at her own body, a chill ran down her spine.
She was completely **naked**.
**"W-What... is this...?"** Her breath caught. She panicked.
Suddenly, her gaze fell on the person lying beside her. A man. Also **naked**—sleeping on his stomach.
Nisha's heart began to pound wildly.
**"No! This can't be real… It has to be a bad dream… just a nightmare…"** she whispered, but her eyes welled up with tears.
She tried to compose herself, but her body ached with unbearable pain. A pain that confirmed something terribly wrong had happened.
Trembling, she grabbed her dress from the floor and rushed into the bathroom, covering herself in haste. She looked at herself in the mirror—red eyes, swollen face, cracked lips… and a storm of fear inside her chest.
**"I never wanted this… How could this happen to me…?"** she questioned herself.
She quickly dressed and kept scrubbing her body over and over… as if she could wash away what had happened.
Before leaving the bathroom, she didn't even glance at the man again. She just couldn't. She had no courage left.
She stepped out of the room and somehow made her way to the hotel wing where her and Rihana's room was located.
As soon as she entered, she saw Rihana frantically rummaging through her bag.
**"Nisha!"** Rihana ran to her. **"Where were you? You were missing the whole night! I was about to go to the police!"**
Nisha said nothing. Her eyes were filled with tears, her clothes were a mess, and her steps were unstable.
**"Oh my God… you look so pale. Are you okay?"** Rihana cupped her face with worry.
**"Rihana... something terrible has happened to me..."** Nisha's voice trembled.
**"What happened, Nisha? Tell me clearly!"**
**"I don't know\... I didn't do anything… I only had a little to drink… and then everything went blurry… When I woke up..."**
Tears streamed down her face.
**"I was in bed with a stranger… He was just like me… and we both..."** Her voice broke.
Rihana was left speechless.
**"Do you remember who he was?"**
**"No... nothing... I don't remember anything, Rihana…"*
Nisha sank to the floor. **"It hurts so much… please give me a painkiller…"**
Rihana quickly handed her the medicine. Nisha lay down on the bed, exhausted.
**"Nisha… our flight is in three hours. Looking at your condition, maybe we should stay back."**
**"No, Rihana… I can't stay here another moment… let's just leave…"*
**One Hour Later…**
Rihana packed Nisha's bag and helped her into a taxi. They reached the airport. As soon as they boarded the flight, Nisha sat silently by the window, lost in thought.
**"Nisha… none of this is your fault. You are the victim here. Someone must have drugged you… Please, don't blame yourself."**
**"I know, Rihana… but the touch… the memory of that night… I can't even look myself in the mirror. My engagement is in two days, and I… I feel broken."**
Rihana gently held her hand.
**"Nisha, try to understand—this isn't your fault. Those guys are the real culprits. You didn't enjoy any of it… it was done *to* you, not *by* you. What happened was injustice, not a mistake. Enough is enough. You will not blame yourself anymore."**
Nisha nodded silently.
But in the back of her mind, one question kept playing over and over—**When that man wakes up… how will *he* react? Will he feel the same way she did?**
Lost in these haunting thoughts, Nisha didn't even realize they had reached Dehradun.
Only when Rihana spoke did she snap back to reality. They quickly got off the flight, picked up their luggage, and took a taxi home.
### **When Nisha Reaches Home…**
As soon as Nisha stepped inside her house, she saw the engagement preparations going on in full swing. The entire place was decorated with lights and flowers. Many relatives were already there, but Nisha didn't care about any of them.
Most of them were from her stepmother's side—and they never liked Nisha.
But just then, Nisha's eyes caught sight of someone who brought an instant smile to her face.
It was none other than her **Bua (father's sister)**.
Nisha ran straight into her arms, hugging her tightly.
**"I missed you so much, Bua!"**
**"I missed you too, my little girl! How have you been?"**
**"I'm doing good now, what about you?"**
**"I'm fine too. But tell me, when did you come back from London?"**
**"Just yesterday morning, sweetheart. The first thing I wanted to do after landing was see you—but when I arrived here, I found out you weren't even home.
Tell me something, who goes on a vacation just a few days before their engagement?"**
**"I'm sorry, Bua... but I was under so much stress. I really needed a break."**
**"No problem, I understand. I know how you're treated in this house.
But no matter how much I want to help, I can't do much… Your father dances to that Kamini's tunes.
He won't listen to anyone. But I'll give you one piece of advice—after marriage, go far away from these people.
This mother-son duo will never let you live in peace.
You're educated, smart—start your own business. I and your uncle will support you every step of the way."**
**"Hmmm… Bua, we'll talk about this later. You've come after so long—first cook something for me with your own hands!"**
**"Of course I will! But tell me one thing, where is Rihana? Why didn't she come with you? It's been so long since I saw her!"**
**"You already know Dad doesn't like her. I didn't want her to come here and get insulted in front of everyone."**
**"Alright, dear. I'll meet her somewhere outside then. You must be tired—I'll go make something for you to eat."**
### **Meanwhile, At Rihana's Home…**
Rihana returned home completely exhausted. She dropped herself onto the sofa and sat there for a while. Feeling thirsty, she walked toward the kitchen.
But as soon as she stepped in, **her heart sank**.
Standing there with a glass of juice in his hand was **Aniket*.
He smiled as he walked closer to her.
**"Sweetheart, have this juice. You must be tired, right?"**
**"What are you doing here?"**
Rihana's face went pale. That dreadful night flashed in her mind. She had somehow escaped that day, but today—what would happen.
Seeing her terrified expression, Aniket smirked evilly.
**"Why are you so scared of me, sweetheart? I'm not going to hurt you… Don't be afraid.
Just let Nisha get engaged, and then I'll marry you. You'll be mine forever.
I've even talked to my parents—they have no problem with our relationship."*
**"I will never marry you, Aniket!"**
**"Oh, but that's not even a choice you have, sweetheart.
You'll marry me—either with love… or by force.
And don't live under the illusion that Nisha will save you—she won't be able to do anything.
You'd be better off accepting me..."**
**"Now be a good girl and drink the juice."**
When Rihana refused, Aniket **forcefully** made her drink it.
**"Sweetheart, I don't like being told no.
After marriage, you'll have to behave like a good wife… or else, I'll become a very dangerous husband—
and then, no one will be able to save you from me."**
**"Okay, bye now… I've got engagement preparations to handle.
And hey—don't you dare tell Nisha anything about this. If you do, she'll be the one to suffer for your mistakes."**
After he left, Rihana collapsed against the wall, crying silently.
She was completely surrounded by trouble… and couldn't even tell Nisha the truth.
### **Two Days Later — The Day of the Engagement**
Two long, heavy days passed.
The engagement was finally here.
The venue was a grand hotel. Nisha sat in front of the mirror as stylists worked on her hair.
But her face showed no signs of happiness.
Her heart kept whispering—**run away, run far from all this.**
What hurt her the most was that, on the most important day of her life, **Rihana wasn't with her**.
Nisha's father had clearly forbidden Rihana from attending the ceremony.
He feared that, given Aniket's obsession with her, he might cause a scene.
Once Nisha was ready, everyone left for the hotel.
Varun's family had also left from their house.
### **And Rihana's Misery…**
The past two days had been hell for Rihana.
Aniket had constantly harassed her with vulgar messages.
At college, he kept following her around, bothering her. Since Nisha's father had barred her from going to college due to the engagement, Aniket took full advantage of the situation.
He **forcefully** began dropping her off and picking her up from college.
He spread rumors all over campus that he and Rihana were in a relationship—so no one else would dare get close to her.
Because of Aniket's threats, all of Rihana's classmates started avoiding her.
He even got her **fired from the café** she worked at.
The café owner didn't want to let her go, but after Aniket threatened her life, she got scared and asked Rihana to leave.
Rihana was trapped. Alone. And powerless.
✨ *How did you like today's episode? Drop a comment and let me know.*
🤔 *Who do you think that man was? Any guesses?*