When Disaster Meets Perfection

Ch - 19. A Half -Forgotten Night

Hotel Room

Annika stirred in her sleep, her head throbbing with a relentless ache, as if someone was hammering away inside her skull. She instinctively raised a hand to press against her temples, trying to alleviate the pain. With her other hand, she stretched out to grab her phone from the side table, a habitual move she had made countless times before. But her hand flailed through empty air, unable to reach the familiar surface.

Confused, Annika opened her eyes, only to be met with an unfamiliar ceiling. She sat up abruptly, her heart racing, as she scanned her surroundings in a panic. Where was she? This wasn't her room. The bed, the furniture, the walls - everything was foreign. A wave of disorientation washed over her, leaving her breathless and disheveled. She rubbed her eyes, hoping to clear the haze, but the strange room remained. Annika's mind raced, trying to piece together how she ended up here.

As Annika's memories of the previous night began to resurface, she recalled fragments of the events that had transpired. She remembered arguing with Tanya, then drinking from a bottle she now suspected was wine, not juice. The encounter with Vishal came flooding back, including the satisfaction of seeing him defeated after their altercation. A sly smile spread across her face as she relished the memory.

However, as she tried to recall more, her memories became increasingly hazy. She vaguely remembered being held in someone's arms, feeling safe and protected. The image of dancing in the shower and climbing onto a bed, embracing someone, lingered in her mind, but everything after that was a complete blank.

Panic set in as Annika wondered if she had done something she would regret. Scanning the room frantically, she searched for any sign of the person she had been with, but there was no one in sight. Her clothes from the previous night were scattered on the floor, and as she pulled the cover off herself, she gasped in shock. She was wearing a man's shirt, and the implications were daunting.

"What have you done, Annika?" she thought to herself, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. "How will you face your parents? What if you're pregnant? You did something, but you don't even remember it. How will you face your future husband? Who will even marry you now?"

The barrage of thoughts swirled in her head, each one more distressing than the last. Annika felt like she was drowning in uncertainty, her reputation and future hanging precariously in the balance.

Just then her phone rang, jolting her out of her panic. It was Ishana. Before Ishana could speak, Annika burst into tears, her voice filled with distress. "Ishana, what am I going to do? How can I face my parents? I can't believe I did something so reckless yesterday. I don't know what to do now." she cried, overwhelmed with guilt and fear.

Ishana, assuming Annika was referring to the incident with Vishal, offered her unwavering support. "Don't worry, Annika. I'm here for you, no matter what. Come back home, and we'll face whatever comes our way together. I've already taken care of the room charge, so you don't have to worry about that."

Annika, still in a state of shock, replied, "Okay," her mind racing. She didn't register Ishana's mention of the room charge or her knowledge of the events of the previous night.

Absently, she mechanically got out of bed, collected her scattered clothes, and headed for the shower. The cold water helped alleviate her headache, and she began to feel slightly more composed.

As she gathered her belongings and took one last look around the room, Annika checked out of the hotel and booked a cab to return to her apartment. During the ride, she tried to recall the face of the person who had held her and slept beside her, but her memory failed her. All she could remember were the caring blue eyes that had looked at her, a haunting reminder of her unknown companion.

Annika and Ishana Apartment

Annika stormed directly into her room, desperate to change out of the clothes that reminded her of the previous night's events. After putting on fresh clothes, she emerged from her room and found Ishana waiting in the living room. She goes there and collapsed onto the couch beside Ishana, resting her head on her shoulder. Ishana patted her head soothingly and then sat her up, offering her a hangover soup she had prepared.

Once Annika had finished the soup, Ishana reassured her, "Don't worry about yesterday, Annika. If he says anything, we'll deal with him through legal means. He won't dare to harm you."

Annika looked at Ishana with a puzzled expression. "Who are you talking about?" she asked.

Ishana explained, "Do you remember what happened yesterday? You beat the hell out of Vishal and threatened to quit. He said he would fire you. I was saying that if he files a case against you for assault, I'll take care of it."

Annika replied confidently, "Why would I be worried about Vishal? He can't hurt me. I recorded everything on my pen recorder. I'll use it against him if he tries to fire me or press charges."

Ishana was impressed. "Wow, Annika, that's fantastic. Even while drunk, you remembered to have that pen recorder with you."

Annika proudly replied, "I'm not stupid. When he called me to meet him, I brought the pen with me in case I needed to record something. I've been wanting to gather evidence against Vishal for months."

Ishana praised her, "That's great. But why were you crying on the phone and talking nonsense about facing your family? Your family would be angry at first, but they'll ultimately be proud of you for getting rid of Vishal."

Annika took a deep breath, steeling herself for Ishana's potential reaction. "I did something stupid after beating Vishal. Please don't get angry or curse me. It's just that...I don't remember anything about yesterday, or the person involved."

Ishana's expression turned puzzled, unsure what Annika was referring to. She thought back to the previous day's events, recalling how Shivay had brought Annika straight to the hotel room after the altercation with Vishal. Ishana had stayed with Annika until morning, leaving her at the hotel to return home and search for an urgently needed file.

Now, Ishana's mind was racing with questions. Had something happened between Shivay and Annika before he brought her to the room? Or did it occur after Ishana left Annika alone in the hotel room that morning, an hour before calling her? Ishana's gaze locked onto Annika, who looked tense and anxious, her eyes pleading for understanding. Ishana's thoughts swirled with possibilities, but she remained silent, waiting for Annika to reveal more.

Annika's voice trembled as she continued, "Ishana, please don't leave me, not now or in the future. I feel like I'll need you more than ever by my side."

Ishana's expression grew increasingly concerned, her mind racing with the implications of Annika's words. She reached for a glass of water to calm her own frazzled nerves, but as she took a sip, Annika's next words struck her like a thunderbolt, causing the water to lodge in her throat.

"I think...I might be pregnant" Annika whispered, her eyes wide with fear and uncertainty.

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