Tere Ho Ke Rahenge (on hold)

Chapter 16

At Rajvansh mansion.

Eshanth entered the living room, expecting to find Adarshini there, but it was empty. His eyes scanned the space, the silence of the house unsettling him. The faint aroma of freshly cooked dinner wafted through the air, but it did nothing to ease his growing concern. He turned to the maid, who was tidying up and about to leave after cooking their dinner.

"Where is Adarshini?" he asked, his voice calm.

The maid looked up, slightly startled. "Mrs. Rajvansh is not at home, sir," she replied respectfully.

Eshanth frowned. It was unusual for Adarshini to be out this late without informing him. Maybe she was still at work, he thought. He pulled out his phone and dialed her number. The phone rang several times before going to voicemail. He tried again, but with the same result. A sense of unease began to creep in.

He texted her: *Adarshini, where are you? Please call me back as soon as you can.*

He sat down on the couch, staring at his phone, willing it to ring. Minutes passed, and there was still no response. He decided to check if she had left any messages on the house phone or on the note board they occasionally used. Nothing.

Eshanth's mind started to race. He knew Adarshini was dedicated to her work, but it wasn't like her to stay late without notifying him. He wondered if something had happened. His thoughts wandered to the worst possibilities, but he quickly shook them off, trying to remain rational.

He called her office next, hoping someone would still be there. The phone rang twice before someone picked up. "Good evening, this is Eshanth Rudra Rajvansh. I'm trying to reach Adarshini Rajvansh. Is she still at the office?"

There was a pause. "I'm sorry, Mr. Rajvansh, but Mrs. Rajvansh left the office this afternoon," the receptionist said.

Eshanth's worry deepened. "Did she mention where she was going?"

"No, sir, she didn't."

Eshanth thanked the receptionist and hung up, his mind now in overdrive. He decided to check the usual places she might go. He grabbed his keys and headed out, getting into his car and driving towards the usual she drive.

Each place turned up empty. His calls and texts to her phone continued to go unanswered. He finally decided to drive back home, feeling frustration.

When he arrived back at the house, he was greeted by the same unsettling silence. Eshanth walked through the rooms, checking if she had returned while he was out. Still nothing.

Eshanth sat in the quiet living room, the unease gnawing at him. His phone rang, startling him. He grabbed it, seeing Adarshini's name on the screen. Relief flooded him as he hurriedly answered.

"Adarshini? Where are you?" he asked, his voice deep with concern.

He could hear her heavy breathing on the other end. "Eshanth, please... come and get me," she managed to say, her voice weak and strained.

"Where are you?" he asked urgently.

"At the old telephone booth near the park," she replied, her voice barely audible.

"I'm on my way," Eshanth said, already grabbing his keys and heading out the door. His mind racing with worry.

When he arrived at the park, he spotted the telephone booth in the dim light. Adarshini was sitting inside, staring blankly at her hand. Her car was parked a short distance away. Eshanth's heart ached at the sight of her. He rushed over, his footsteps echoing in the still night.

"Adarshini," he called softly as he approached her. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with pain.

Without questioning anything, Eshanth scooped her up gently, feeling how frail she seemed in his arms. He carried her to his car and placed her carefully in the passenger seat. Her eyes were half-closed, and she looked like she was barely holding on.