Fatal Attraction

Part 23

Asmita made her way to her room after wishing and feigning a warm smile at her mother-in-law, who had opened the door for her. She could not exchange pleasantries in that moment when her self-control waged a war against her.

"Asmita?"

Vikas looked surprised he looked at a flustered Asmita racing to the bed as she shut the door.

He rose from his study room and walked up to her as he wondered what could have caused Asmita's anguished state. She was not the one to take professional things to heart and lament about it.

Asmita felt the bed by her side dip down when Vikas draped his arm around her shoulders. He asked, "What happened? Why do you look so upset?"

Her training had taught her to never bottle up one's emotions, be it of anger or of pain, and who could be a better person to share her woes than the person who saved her from it.

"He came. To my cabin, seeking therapy."

Vikas looked taken aback by Asmita's answer. It was not tough to decipher who was being mentioned by Asmita as a reason for her distress. His grip automatically loosened momentarily before getting tightened with his concern for her.

"You are okay, right? He didn't hurt you or-"

Asmita cut him in between. "He didn't. He had a panic attack when I told him or marriage, and he fainted in my arms, confessing his love. Why did he come back, Vikas? He came back as a person suffering from neurosis for being guilty. For being guilty of forcibly marrying me. Why does he torment me? I am done with this, Vikas. Make it go away. Make him go away!"

Vikas could not answer to Asmita's question as the revelation that was dropped on his head stupefied him. Daksh Malhotra, the man whom he loathed for meddling with Asmita's life, having such a strong sense of remorse that he had gone into depression, was nothing less than a made-up story which he would never want to believe in, but unfortunately it had hit him in a way where he had no other choice but, to gulp it down.

"I will ask someone else to look into this case, Asmita. You don't have to do this," he said.

Asmita looked straight at the wall without letting the upper lashes kiss the lower ones.

Asmita let out a defeated sigh. "What good will it bring, Vikas?" she asked.

"Seeing him like that has caused me enough damage. There could be nothing worse I could face than Daksh Malhotra having a panic attack listening about our marriage and confessing his love for me in moments of subconsciousness. He could not fake it, not like that, which means he truly believes he loved me. Such a shame! For a man like he to denigrate love."

He had meticulously changed the vulnerable and fragile Asmita into the strong Maya Singh. He felt his heart sink when he saw the old Asmita, the broken one, resurfacing and anger gushed through his heart at the man who handled the change.

"Forget everything of this, love. We will talk about this tomorrow, but now you need to rest. Do you know how tired you look? Sleep! I promise I will talk to you tomorrow about this and we will find a solution for this. Also, you have an appointment with Neerja tomorrow, right? You could speak to her, too. Everything will be fine, don't worry!"

She looked at him with tears filming her hazel orbs, which had turned lifeless.

"Really?"

Her broken tone only resulted in further anguish in the concerned man in front of her. How was it that the man who hurt her the most continued to have the same effect on her after eight long years? What would it take to turn her immune to the pain he plunged her in?

Vikas gulped the lump in his throat and composed himself. "Yes, Asmita. It will be. Now sleep."

Asmita nodded weakly at him before lying down on the bed, not bothering to freshen up or change the clothing of the day. Vikas restrained his anger as he saw one more effect of him on her. The Asmita who never went to the bed without freshening up had not even bothered trying. She was inching closer to her former self, her shadow of the present, and there was no doubt about it in Vikas's temper clouded mind.

Vikas pulled a blanket over her and turned around to leave, when Asmita's grip on his hand made him pause.

"I know I asked for time. But, can you please stay back? I think... they will come back tonight. Please? For this one night?" Her begging tone and pleading eyes had left him no other option but to comply with her ardent request.

Without uttering a word, Vikas slid into the bed alongside Asmita as she smiled weakly at him in an appreciative and thankful manner while he returned her gesture warmly while slightly patting and caressing her warm head alternatively, lulling her into sleep with his affectionate gesture.

Noticing her slow and shallow breaths, Vikas realized she had dozed off into a peaceful slumber and wondered when the depressed woman beside him would get her much required closure from Daksh Malhotra.

"Asmita..."

A whisper left Daksh's lips, alerting the nurse who was on duty for him. The nurse immediately called the doctor on call and alerted her about the latest development in her case.

"Mr. Malhotra? Can you hear me?" The nurse asked, as she grabbed some water for him and made her way towards him.

Daksh, who was supporting his heavy head with his arms, which were no longer strong as before, nodded at her feebly.

"Drink some water, Mr. Malhotra. Dr. Singhal would be here any moment to diagnose you."

Daksh took it weakly as the nurse adjusted the pillows so that he could sit properly.

"What had happened to me? Why am I here?" asked Daksh. A frown etched itself on his forehead.

"You had a panic attack, during your session with Mrs. Singh, Mr. Malhotra. She had calmed you down, but you had lost your consciousness. She had put you on sedatives, so that you could rest better and hence you are here."

Daksh could not help but cringe at the mention of his Asmita as 'Mrs. Singh'.

The mention of her had also brought an undying desire to see her once again, to seek answers to his questions and offer explanations to the unvoiced questions of her.

"Where is she?" he asked firmly.

"I am sorry, but who?" asked the nurse in surprise.

"Asm.." he stuttered and hesitantly corrected himself. "Mrs. Singh. Where is she?"

The nurse looked surprised at his question. She had certainly not expected the question, as the question made it seem like he knew her personally.

"She left for the day. Dr. Singhal would arrive here soon."

It had pulled unknown strings of his heart to know that she left him despite of knowing that he had a panic attack, but he knew he was hoping for something too high. She had done everything she could to ensure his wellbeing and had entrusted him to another doctor, whom he knew would be a prolific one too. But he could not just let her leave him.

What if she would never meet him again? He could not let go of the opportunity which was presented to him, as it seemed to be the only fool-proof way to make her meet him once again.

"I will not take her treatment. I want only Mrs. Singh to check on me or no one. I am ready to wait till tomorrow, but no one other than her will check on me. I am sure I am not in a condition so fragile that lack of supervision and diagnosis would fatally harm me."

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Entitlement = Daksh Malhotra -_- Please VOTE and COMMENT!