Ishani, nodding his head, grumbled, "But Doctor... my mom..."

Calmly Ishaan talked. Go home, Ishani. I'm here. Your mother is my patient now—she belongs to me. I'll take good care of her. You look really stressed and undernourished. Go home and eat nicely, and sleep. You have been a long time without a decent meal, I suppose.

Ishani opened his eyes a little and was correct. Since the time she had married Vikrant under false pretenses, she was too anxious and scared to eat well. She simply nodded.

Dr. Swati smiled faintly. "Good. You children, now go home and take some sleep, and do not worry too much, all right?

Ishani shook his head and walked slowly away. Ishaan smiled to himself as she went.

After a few minutes, Ishani came out of the hospital and was waiting by the roadside to get an auto. Then, all at once, a black automobile brought to a halt directly in front of her—and in another instant, Ishani was disappearing.

At Fiction Hotel, Vikrant got out of the bathroomand dried his hair on a towel. He had a towel about his waist, exposing his muscular body and strong biceps and set six-pack abs, with water droplets still falling on his skin, rendering him even more dangerously handsome.

He got out as the phone, which was on the bedside table, started ringing. His lips were twisted into a fiendish smile. He picked it up slowly, still toweling his hair, and put it to his ear. Then, after a while, a wicked grin overspread his face. He posted and laid aside the phone and slowly went to the wardrobe to dress himself. A few minutes afterwards he left his room clothed in full.

Ishani was sitting on the cold marble floor trembling in the great hall of the hotel. Her eyes were bound with a blindfold; she did not even know where she was or what person had taken her there. There were two Black men in formal suits standing by her guard, their presence threatening and without any sound.

Ishani was shaking with fear. She cried with her voice as she begged, Please... who are you?! Why did you kidnap me? Where have you brought me? Please, let me go. I haven't done anything wrong. I beseech thee—pray, pray, do leave me!

She had a trembling voice and shallow breathing, interrupted by fright. But the men said nothing.

Ishani attempted to sit but was roughly shoved by one of the guards against the shoulder, and he growled, "Sit still... or you will."

Her threatening sound paralyzed her. She sat back down, terrified.

At this moment there was a sound of feet on the marble pavement. Vikrant came in and approached her with a cup of coffee. The guards bowed down immediately a little.

Vikrant indicated Ishani. One of the guards went forward, unscrewed her blindfold, and loosened her hand.

The cloth slipped away, and Ishani blinked at it, her sight being obscure at first, and then she stood still altogether. Vikrant was right before her face. Her heart stood still, her forehead was covered with sweat, and her throat dried up.

Vikrant signaled to his guards to get out. They quietly left, leaving the two to themselves.

Vikrant moved up and took his time to have a gulp of coffee, and his cold eyes were upon Ishani.