HUMSAFAR [Completed✅]

14. Insecurities

After that, Ahaan and Ishqi were too busy mingling with the other guests to discuss the hurtful gossip they had overheard. They moved from one conversation to the next, smiling and keeping up appearances. The next day, they returned to their apartment, and although Ahaan didn’t bring up the gossip, it wasn’t because he was ignoring it. He understood Ishqi too well and knew that addressing it would only upset her further. He felt confident that no explanation was needed-he knew without a doubt that Ishqi was the perfect mother to Vihaan. In his heart, he trusted her completely, believing that she would never treat Vihaan differently, even if they had children of their own.

However, Ishqi interpreted his silence differently. The longer Ahaan went without mentioning the conversation, the more insecure she became. She began to wonder if he actually believed what the aunties had said. If he didn’t, wouldn’t he have reassured her? His silence fed into her self-doubt, making her question herself deeply. As days passed, she became consumed with the fear that she might truly fail Vihaan if they had a biological child. Could she ever be enough for both?

Her mind spiraled with self-doubt, and soon, she convinced herself that there was only one way to resolve the internal conflict- to eliminate the possibility of ever having her own child. She began to believe that if she couldn’t have her own child, she wouldn’t risk loving Vihaan any less. This belief took over her thoughts, and in her confused state, Ishqi made a drastic decision. She decided to have her womb removed.

Without telling Ahaan or anyone else, Ishqi went to the hospital and consulted a doctor about undergoing a hysterectomy. The doctor tried to persuade her, warning of the complications and risks associated with such a procedure, especially since it was a major surgery. But Ishqi remained firm, adamant that this was the only solution. She scheduled the surgery for the following day.

The next day, she quietly went to the hospital, filled out the necessary paperwork, and changed into the hospital gown. The medical staff prepared her for surgery, administering anesthesia, and she quickly fell unconscious. As they were about to begin the operation, a nurse realized that Ishqi had forgotten to sign the consent form. Since the hospital required either the patient's or a family member’s signature for consent, the surgery couldn’t proceed without it.

With Ishqi unable to sign due to the anesthesia, the doctor asked the nurse to bring her file, where they found Ahaan’s contact number. Realizing they needed immediate consent, the doctor decided to call Ahaan.

Ahaan was in his office when he answered the unexpected call. "Hello?" he asked, not recognizing the number.

"Hello, am I speaking with Mr. Ahaan Veer Malhotra?" came the calm but serious voice on the other end.

"Yes, this is Ahaan. How can I help you?"

"Sir, I’m Dr. XYZ from City Hospital. Your wife, Ishqi, came here for a surgery."

Ahaan froze, his heart pounding. "Surgery? What surgery?"

The doctor’s voice remained clinical but compassionate. "She came for a hysterectomy."

Ahaan’s mind raced, unable to comprehend what he was hearing. "I don’t understand…"

The doctor explained, "Your wife requested to have her womb removed. She completed all the forms but forgot to sign the consent form, which is why we haven’t been able to proceed. Could you please come to the hospital to sign it?"

Ahaan was momentarily paralyzed, his mind refusing to process what the doctor had just said. His world spun as the words sunk in.

"Mr. Malhotra? Are you still there?" the doctor asked after a pause.

Shaken out of his stupor, Ahaan replied in a choked voice, "Yes… I’m coming right away."

He dropped everything and rushed to the hospital, his thoughts were racing. He couldn’t understand why Ishqi would make such a drastic decision without telling him. Arriving at the hospital, Ahaan immediately told the doctor not to go ahead with the surgery. His relief was immense, but his heart ached, wondering what had driven Ishqi to this point.

Two hours later, Ishqi slowly regained consciousness in the dimly lit hospital room. Her eyes fluttered open, taking in the sterile ceiling above her. She blinked and turned her head, and to her surprise, she saw Ahaan sitting beside her. His face was etched with pain, and tears streamed down his cheeks as he stared at her.

Startled and confused, Ishqi asked softly, "Ahaan… you’re here?"

Without speaking a word, Ahaan leaned forward and enveloped her in a tight, desperate hug. His embrace was filled with emotion-relief, fear, and love all mixed together. When he finally pulled back, he looked deeply into her eyes, his voice trembling with both anger and concern.

"What were you about to do?" he asked with a cracking voice. "Do you even realize that you were putting your life in danger? Did you not think about what would happen to me if something went wrong?"

Ishqi, still sleepy ,stared at him, her heart sinking as she saw the raw emotion in his eyes. She hadn’t anticipated this, and in that moment, her doubts and insecurities began to unravel in front of her.

To be continued...

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