Chapter - 1

‘There has to be something wrong. Some misunderstanding somewhere’ Avni tried to calm herself down to a position where she could think properly. ‘Sonia must have made a mistake. There is no way Ranveer could do something like that.’

They had been so happy together. Always. 10 years of marriage. They had virtually grown up together being married at such a young age.

‘I was only 21’ she remembered with a smile. ‘And Ranveer was 22’

Avni was sitting on the terrace of her home, their home. This was her ‘sweet place’ as Ranveer use to call it. No matter how sad she was, sitting there always cheered her up. But today it was not helping. She leaned back on the chair, closing her eye, trying to forget everything as she listened to the softly blowing breeze outside. It was 8:00 in the evening, but Delhi’s winter made it look like midnight. She pulled the shawl closer to her and got up.

‘I got to take a walk’. Going to her room, their bedroom, she changed into a pair of jeans and then pulled on a thick pullover. Tying up her sneakers, she took the house keys, pocketed her cell phone and got out. she pulled back her long straight hair in a French knot as she went out. Locking the door behind, she headed to the nearby park. Her mind wandering in the past as she went back to the night they had first met.

It was 11 years ago. She remembered so clearly. It was a cold winter evening just like today. Avni had come back from college and was getting ready to go out with her friends for a birthday party. She took a long hot bath and washed her hair. Her maid had brought a hot cup of coffee. She combed her hair as it dried. She used to keep it shoulder length those days.

She went through her wardrobe to find something that she could wear for the party. Her walk-in closet was filled with dresses of latest fashion. An only daughter, she was spoilt by her hotelier father. He claimed that his business of crores was up because of Avni as he had got his first hotel open the day Avni was born. Born in a poor family, he now owned 7 hotels all over India. Two of them 5 *s and other 3*s. Her mother had passed away when she was 5 years old. After that her father had tried his best to keep her happy so that she never felt her absence.

Finally Avni chose a simple sleeveless peach colored dress. She had bought it from London when she had accompanied her father on his last trip. It reached down to her knees and set off her slim figure to perfection as it skimmed her waist. She zipped it up and then opened up her drawer to find some matching accessories. She wore rust silver earring and a silver and ruby bracelet. The diamond solitaire she always wore on a white gold chain around her neck looked perfect on the nearly off shoulder dress. She was putting her feet in her favorite stilettos when she heard the honk of a car on the porch.