Within a short time, Niranjan's car came to a halt in front of Abhay Ji's bungalow.
Wearing a fake smile, Niranjan's entire family entered the house. Abhay Ji and Asha Ji warmly greeted them with folded hands.
Asha Ji went to Shivani's room and brought her down to the hall.
Today, Shivani looked so stunning that surprise lit up the faces of Niranjan's family.
Leaning closer to Niranjan, Prem whispered -
"Dad, you've found yourself a very beautiful maid!"
Niranjan gave a slight smile and simply responded,
"Hmm..."
Soon, both families sat together.
Prem held Shivani's hand and led her toward the stage.
Moments later, the priest began chanting -
"The bride and groom shall now place rings on each other's ring fingers."
Prem and Shivani exchanged rings.
Instantly, applause filled the hall.
Amid music and dancing, the engagement ceremony was completed without any obstacles.
Niranjan's family eventually left, and the other guests also slowly departed.
As it was quite late, Riya faced difficulties returning to her hostel.
Therefore, Abhay Ji and Asha Ji asked her to stay over.
Tired from the long day, everyone retreated to their rooms and fell asleep.
---
The Next Morning...
The new maid, Mamta, finished cleaning and left for her home.
Asha Ji set breakfast on the dining table, while Shivani served everyone.
Abhay Ji, Aditya, Riya, and Shivani had breakfast together.
Afterward, Abhay Ji left for his showroom, and Shivani dropped Aditya and Riya at their school before heading to the university.
Meanwhile, at Niranjan's house, everyone was busy plotting how to extract money from Abhay Ji.
Unaware of all this, Abhay Ji was focusing completely on wedding preparations and managing his business.
---
A Week After the Engagement...
Delhi University announced that the last date for May-June semester exam registrations would be May 5th.
The entire campus buzzed with excitement and tension.
Hearing the news, Riya froze.
She quickly turned toward her classroom, but at that moment, she caught sight of Shivani approaching from the parking lot.
Riya ran to her, panting heavily -
"Shivani! Do you know...?"
Smiling, Shivani signaled her to calm down -
"Calm down, Riya. Catch your breath first, then tell me what's wrong."
The two of them headed toward the cafeteria.
As soon as they sat down, Shivani handed her a bottle of water -
"Drink some water first, then tell me everything."
After taking a few gulps, Riya hastily explained the situation.
Shivani sighed lightly and said casually -
"Hmm... I thought it would be something serious."
Holding her head dramatically, Riya groaned -
"I forgot whom I'm complaining to - the college topper!"
Shivani chuckled and gave her a playful tap on the head -
"Silly girl! You know what my dad says - whether it's school, college, or life's exams, you must always be prepared. Got it, dummy?"
Playfully, Riya joined her hands and said -
"Oh Shivani Baba! Your wise words just fly over my head."
Laughing, Shivani replied -
"You'll never change!"
And with that, both went off to attend their classes.
---
After Class...
Riya started grumbling again -
"Classes are over, notes are incomplete, and exams are just around the corner!"
Laughing, Shivani pulled something out of her bag and handed it to her.
Riya curiously examined it, and upon realizing what it was, she squealed with joy and hugged Shivani tightly, planting a kiss on her cheek.
Startled, Shivani exclaimed -
"Hey! What if someone sees us?"
Riya teasingly said -
"Let them think whatever they want! I'm just thanking my best friend."
Shivani smiled warmly, thinking to herself -
"This girl will never grow up; she'll always be a child at heart."
---
Later...
Shivani drove the car out of the parking lot.
Riya asked teasingly -
"You're driving today? Did your scooter break down?"
Smiling, Shivani replied -
"Nope, I'm going to pick up some medicines for Mom from Dr. Manchanda's hospital. Your hostel is on the way, so I'll drop you off."
Again teasing, Riya asked -
"Isn't it usually Uncle who brings Auntie's medicines?"
Laughing, Shivani said -
"Are you going to ask all your questions here, or will you hop into the car too?"
Giggling, both of them got into the car, and amidst their cheerful chatter, the car moved forward...
Shivani said, "Yes! Dad was just about to leave to get Mom's medicine when Niranjan Uncle called. He came back inside, asked Mom for the checkbook, and started writing a cheque of 4.5 million rupees. When Mom asked who the cheque was for, he told her that Niranjan Uncle was facing some business troubles and needed financial help.
Then Dad handed me the car keys and asked me to bring Mom's medicine while he took the scooter and left for Niranjan Uncle's house. You know how far Dr. Manchanda's hospital is, right? Just going there and coming back takes five hours-and getting an auto from there is nearly impossible. That's why Dad gave me the car.
Riya said, 'Girl, it hasn't even been a full week since your engagement, and he's already asking your dad for money? What if you think he's like Prem from Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, and he turns out to be Prem Chopra instead? No offense, but I don't trust your Niranjan Uncle - your would-be father-in-law. What if he's a wolf in sheep's clothing?'
Shivani replied, 'I feel the same way. Even Mom tried to stop Dad from giving the money, but he said Niranjan Uncle has been his friend since school, and he would never betray him. When Dad married Mom, Grandpa threw them out of the house. Back then, Niranjan Uncle arranged 500 rupees for him through someone.'
'Mom told him, "That was just 500 rupees, and you returned it within a month. This is 4.5 million, not just 45 thousand!"'
'Dad said, "He was my friend then, and now he's going to be family-my future in-law. It's my duty to help him in hard times."'
Shivani continued, 'And honestly, he's not wrong. In tough times, a friend should stand by a friend.'
Riya said, 'Yeah, but childhood, youth, and old age-people change. You never know when someone's intentions shift. All I'll say is, be careful after the wedding.'
Shivani laughed and said, 'Alright! I'll keep your words in mind.'"
Shivani dropped Riya at the hostel gate and smiled as she said goodbye. Their conversation echoed in her mind - Riya's words, her doubts, and the questions arising about Niranjan Uncle's intentions.
Placing the bag of medicines on the backseat, Shivani started the car. It was already seven in the evening. A blanket of dark clouds had started covering the sky. The roads were deserted, and the cool breeze brushed through the car windows.
Just then, the radio began playing: "Ek Pyar Ka Nagma Hai, Maujon Ki Rawani Hai..."
Shivani smiled and began to hum along. The song's lyrics soothed her heart, as if narrating a story from her own life.
But little did she know - this melody was the calm before a storm...
As Shivani took a U-turn, life too seemed to take a sharp turn.
Her car was moving at a normal speed - around 50-55 km/h - but a red car approaching from the opposite side was out of control, probably over 100 km/h.
And then... a violent crash!
Both cars jolted apart in opposite directions.
The red car crashed into a tree. The sight was horrifying - a pregnant woman's half-conscious body hung out of the driver's seat, blood continuously dripping from her head. An elderly couple lay unconscious on the backseat - it was hard to tell if they were breathing.
On the other side, Shivani's car had also taken severe damage. Her head had slammed against the steering wheel, and blood was trickling down - her consciousness slipping away.
Some moments later - "Uhh..." Shivani opened her eyes. Her head was pounding, but gathering her strength, she stumbled out of the car.
Seeing the condition of the other car made her heart tremble, but she mustered courage and ran towards it. She placed a finger near the pregnant woman's nose - "She's breathing!"
Without wasting a second, Shivani called an ambulance.
Within moments, the wail of a siren pierced the night, and hospital staff arrived running with stretchers.
The three injured people were carefully placed on stretchers and moved into the ambulance.
Meanwhile, Shivani's eyes caught a glimpse of a mobile phone inside the wrecked car.
Maybe a clue to who these people were.
She picked up the phone and checked the recent call log, dialing a number - no response.
Another. Then another - still no answer.
Some numbers were unreachable, some switched off.
Only one call rang - but no one picked up.
Frustrated but determined, Shivani decided to keep the phone with her and climbed into the ambulance with the injured.
---
At the Hospital
As soon as the ambulance reached the hospital, the injured were rushed one by one on stretchers towards the operation theater.
Shivani herself was in pain, but her heart was restless - worried about these three unknown people.
Who were they?
Where were they going?
Was this just a random accident... or the beginning of a deeper conspiracy?
The mobile phone now resting in Shivani's hand had become the key to a hidden mystery...
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