Espresso Love (SanDhir)

Chapter 37 - Red and Ripe

Hello everyone! I'm finally back with the next update of this story!! It's a long one, and will hopefully be worth the wait! Don't forget to let me know what you thought of it in the comments <3 Enjoy the read!!!

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Tears of joy ran down my face as I kissed Riaan and hugged him tight. It had been a long journey; an ugly battle had to be fought. But it was all worth it because I knew he was now safe from Sameer.

"Maaaa," his tiny voice strained out, clearly feeling suffocated by how hard I was hugging him. I laughed and cried at the same time, "I'm so sorry baby. I love you so much!"

"I love you too, but can we go home nowww?"

"Of course sweetie. Go with your uncle and aunt, and I will join you at home after meeting everyone okay?"

He nodded and grabbed Ankit's hand. But before leaving, he kissed my cheek and wiped the tears that were freely running down my cheek.

I hugged Ankit and Avni, after which they left and I headed towards Parth and Vidushi. In the meanwhile, I kept looking around to figure out where Randhir was... It was strange that he was nowhere to be found. I had so many things to tell him... How thankful I was for his presence, for what he did, for his support.

But before I could think any further, I was taken into a bone-crushing hug by Parth. And as soon as I had some time (or rather, some space) to breathe, Vidushi hugged me even tighter.

"I told you everything will work out Sanyu!" Parth exclaimed, a huge smile on his face. For once, it was a smile I was able to equally reproduce.

"Thank you so much Parth. And Vidushi. Both of you! It's been such a tough time, and I don't know how I'd have gotten through it if I didn't have you guys by my side!"

Vidushi side-hugged me, "What are friends for, right?"

"By the way, have you seen Randhir? He was here a while ago, but I haven't seen him ever since the verdict was announced."

While Parth looked around with me, Vidushi had an unmistakably grim expression on her face.

"He left just a while ago."

"What?" He left? Why? When? Why didn't he stay back?

"Yea, I think he had to be somewhere," she said, trying to sound confident, yet the shake in her voice clearly accusing her of lying.

"It's because of what Sameer's lawyer said, isn't it?"

I knew that was the only reason Randhir would leave. That too, at such a crucial point in my life. The way our relationship was loosely discussed in the trial angered me, and so I could only imagine just how enraged he must have been as well.

"It's okay, I'll see him tonight at dinner I guess. I'm going to..." but before I could continue, I saw Randhir peeking through the doors. I left Parth and Vidushi in the middle of the conversation and ran towards him, another stream of tears making their way down my face as I crashed into him and hugged him hard.

"Where did you go?" I almost yelled at him.

"I figured I'd take the one last chance to escape from you," he replied with a smirk, but his glossy eyes betraying his otherwise playful tone.

"Not in a million years Randhir. I'm never letting you go now!"

"As if I'd ever do that in a million years Farzi!"

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I thought everything through and mentally prepared myself for what I was about to do. And so, getting down on one knee, I finally gathered the courage to ask her the question that would change our lives forever - for the better though, that much I knew.