Page 56 of Substitute Bride

Vikrant immediately looks at her. Without saying a word, he keeps looking at her face for almost two minutes.

Then he reaches his hand out toward her.

Jhankar holds her hand and lowers her eyes because, deep down, she really is scared about his mafia connection.

Vikrant pulls her gently toward him, wraps his arms around her, and says,

“Until now, I never really cared about this part of my life. I never even thought about it. But ever since our accident because of Chandel, I’ve been thinking about all of this a lot more.

Indeed, this life is a legacy. I don’t know whether I want to continue it or not.

But for now, all I know is that I can't just walk away from it. I’m in a position where making sudden decisions could affect thousands of people.

I can’t speak for the future, but right now, I just want to focus on us—you and me. ”

Jhankar understands what he’s saying and simply nods her head while staying in his arms. Vikrant doesn’t let go.

He holds her close, cherishing the intimacy of the moment because they both know it's precious.

A moment they want to treasure for the rest of their lives.

They are crafting a lifelong memory together.

She gently hugs him and tries to remove all the negativities from her mind.

~~~~~

Vikrant was smiling softly because both Raghunath and Chitrali were genuinely happy to see Jhankar and him together.

Vikrant is well aware that the way he brought Jhankar into his life must have made it very difficult for her parents to forgive him.

But he also knows that Raghunath and Chitrali are people with simple and generous hearts, and they had forgiven him a long time ago.

However, the fact that they are genuinely pleased about his and Jhankar’s relationship both surprises and excites him.

Somewhere deep inside, he can clearly see how happy parents can be just by seeing their children happy.

He can deeply feel this truth reflected on both their faces.

They had welcomed both of them warmly and lovingly.

This made Vikrant feel really good, and the four of them quickly decided to go out for dinner that evening.

Jhankar was constantly chatting with her parents, while Vikrant, sitting across the table, had his hand resting on it, simply watching her.

Chitrali was struggling to hold back her laughter because the way Vikrant was looking at Jhankar was quite amusing.

Jhankar wasn’t staying quiet for even a minute, and Vikrant’s eyes kept blinking as he silently wished she’d pause so he could get a chance to say something too.

Jhankar had looked at Vikrant multiple times, and each time, she intentionally gave him a big, wide smile and then continued talking even more animatedly with her father.

As soon as Vikrant turned to look at Chitrali, Jhankar started talking to her too—clearly not giving him a single chance to speak to either of them.

Chitrali, amused, picked up a spoonful of ice cream and gently put it in Jhankar’s mouth before saying to Vikrant:

“This girl, once she starts talking, just doesn’t stop. You’ll have to come up with new ways to make her quiet; otherwise, she’ll drive you crazy!”

Vikrant smiled lightly, and Jhankar narrowed her eyes, tapping Chitrali’s arm with her finger to get her attention.

“You’re my mom, so support me! No need to give him too much advice. Just remember whose side you’re on.”

Chitrali smiled at her daughter’s remark and, without any hesitation, held Vikrant’s hand and said warmly:

“He’s just like my son now, just like my Vyom.”

Vikrant looked at them with a bit of surprise. Their simplicity and acceptance truly touched him. He knew very well that he had caused them a lot of pain in the past, yet they had embraced him with open arms, forgetting everything. Without delay, he held Chitrali’s hand and said sincerely:

“I’m not Vyom. I know that. And I probably won’t be able to love you the way Vyom did.

I struggle to express myself. But I promise I’ll try my best to keep you all happy.

I want your daughter to always be happy with me, and I’ll do everything possible to ensure that none of you face any trouble because of me.

I don’t know how to express all this properly in words, but the way you’ve accepted me despite everything, I’ll never forget it. ”

Hearing this, both Raghunath and Chitrali smiled gently. Jhankar quickly turned to Vikrant and teased:

“You know, you could’ve just said a simple ‘thank you.’ It’s not such a big deal. Saying thank you actually makes people feel good sometimes.”

As soon as she said that, Chitrali playfully tapped Jhankar’s cheek in mock scolding. Jhankar then stood up from her seat, smiling and saying,

“Okay, now you all spend some time talking to your new son. I’m going to the restroom, and I promise I won’t interrupt. I’ll be back in a bit.”

Jhankar started walking away, and Vikrant’s eyes followed her until she disappeared.

Understanding his silent gesture, one of the bodyguards began walking behind Jhankar but stopped at a point to give her privacy.

Once she was inside, Vikrant turned his attention toward Raghunath, who had been watching him all this while.

Vikrant knew Jhankar hadn’t yet told her parents anything about Vyom.

But he didn’t want to hide anything important from them, especially now. Understanding the moment, he said:

“Earlier, I misunderstood Vyom and Sonakshi. But the truth is—they really loved each other. They didn’t want to be apart.

Maybe that’s why they made the choices they did.

Sometimes, it takes time to understand things, but when we finally do, it becomes clear.

Vyom is absolutely fine, and I’m doing my best to bring them back here soon.

But the problem is, Sonakshi’s father still hasn’t let go of his hatred, and he might try to harm you all.

As long as Jhankar is with me and you’re under strong protection, it is beneficial for us.

It’s better for Vyom and Sonakshi to stay where they are right now—it’s the safest place for them, because until now Chandel doesn't know where they are, and already my team is protecting them there. And I have good news to share that you’re going to be grandparents soon. ”

Becoming grandparents is a moment of immense joy for any parents.

And deep down, both Raghunath and Chitrali felt a rush of happiness for their son’s child.

But they couldn't fully celebrate this joy because Vyom was still far away from them. They didn’t even have the courage to ask where he was, knowing that if they tried to find out, Chandel might somehow discover the truth, and that was a risk they couldn’t take.

Still, they were deeply to see Jhankar living a joyful life now, enjoying every moment.

And even the news about Vyom brought a kind of silent peace.

But they chose to hold this happiness quietly in their hearts for now.

Both Raghunath and Chitrali are pleased that, after going through a struggle, their two children are now not only doing much better but are also genuinely happy.

They simply want to see them like this—content and at peace—and apart from that, they don’t wish for anything more.

Vikrant was still talking to Raghunath and Chitrali when he suddenly realized that Jhankar hadn’t returned yet. He glanced at his wristwatch; nearly five minutes had passed since she left. A sense of unease began to rise within him.

He immediately turned to face his bodyguards, who were deep in conversation with the hotel manager.

From their expressions, it was evident they were concerned about Jhankar’s delay and were requesting permission to check the restroom.

But it was a highly reputed hotel, and getting such access wasn’t going to be simple.

Without wasting a second, Vikrant walked swiftly toward them.

One of the bodyguards turned to him and said urgently,

“Sir, it’s been quite a while since madam went in. We sent one of the hotel’s female staff inside to check, but she hasn’t come out either. And now they’re refusing to let us in.”

Vikrant turned his gaze toward the hotel manager. The moment the manager recognized him, he began to stammer, his fear visible as he nervously said,

“Sir, please try to understand. That’s the ladies’ restroom—there could be other women inside.

It wouldn’t be appropriate for your bodyguards to go in.

Our female staff member did go, but the restroom is towards the backside after a big lobby, and there are ten rooms inside.

If she’s checking, she’ll take time. But they aren’t even willing to wait. ”

Vikrant glared at him and stormed toward the restroom. His bodyguards quickly followed behind. As soon as they pushed the restroom door open, an overwhelming, foul stench hit them, forcing them to recoil momentarily and cover their faces with handkerchiefs before stepping inside again.

Vikrant pushed forward through the light smoke, desperately scanning the area for Jhankar.

Deep down, he already feared that this was all pre-planned and that, whatever had happened, she was the target.

But even with that fear creeping in, all he wanted was to find her safe and unharmed.

He kept searching. The attendant who had gone in earlier was lying unconscious on the floor.

He also found several other women, possibly customers, unconscious on the floor.

Vikrant rushed back out and immediately turned to one of his bodyguards. He ordered,

“Escort Mr. and Mrs. Dixit safely back to their home—and they must not find out anything. Say whatever you have to, but make sure they’re unaware of what just happened.”

Without a moment’s pause, Vikrant sprinted toward the rear exit, followed by a few bodyguards who were already alerting others through their communication devices.

Vikrant pulled out his phone and activated the GPS tracker embedded in Jhankar’s body.

The screen kept scrolling, searching for the signal, and every second only made him angrier and more desperate.

He knew it would take at least five minutes for the location to lock in, but even that delay felt unbearable to him.

He turned sharply to his bodyguards and commanded,

“Alert every man. Spread out across the entire city. If even a single scratch is found on Jhankar, then every corner of this city will feel the storm. I want her back—safe, unharmed. That’s all that matters to me now.”

Vikrant immediately gets into his car, his eyes locked onto the road ahead. His gaze is fierce, bloodshot with rage, and the veins in his temples are taut with fury. Turning to the bodyguard sitting beside him, he speaks in a cold, commanding tone:

"Every single person involved in Jhankar’s kidnapping—none of them should die at the hands of any of you. Mark my words—I want every one of them alive. Unharmed."

"Yes, sir..."

Without hesitation, Vikrant slams his foot down on the accelerator, and the car roars to life, speeding down the road like a bullet through air. His mind and heart are consumed by one name—Jhankar.

And he knows only one thing with certainty: he will find her, no matter what it takes.