Shattered (Book #1 In Heart Series)✔️

Chapter 11: Kritika's lesson

Abhimanyu, Kritika, and Ahana arrived at Maheshwati Singhania's room.

Kritika glanced at Abhimanyu, asking, "I heard she's more comfortable with you, right?"Abhimanyu nodded. "Yes, me and Aditya are her favorites in this house. She started to deteriorate after Aditya left for London. I used to be with her, so she'd be calm in my presence. But she reacts badly to others."

Kritika nodded in understanding.

Then she turned to Ahana. "Ahana, you can go. I have some work with Abhimanyu ji."

Ahana complied, "Oh, okay," and left the room.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Aditya's impatience grew evident as he paced back and forth, repeatedly glancing at the stairs.

Aditya queried, "Why did Ahana come downstairs? Where are the doctor and Abhimanyu?"

Ahana explained, "Kritika sent me down. She has some work with Abhimanyu bhai."

Priya furrowed her brows. "With Abhimanyu?"

Curiosity piqued among the family members. Kritika observed a round table in the room and placed her bag on it. She retrieved a syringe and a bottle of medicine, catching Abhimanyu's attention.

"Abhimanyu ji, I need your assistance," she began.

Abhimanyu agreed, "Sure, what can I do?"

Kritika explained, "This medicine will sedate her. But she needs to be distracted for me to administer it safely. Can you...?"

"So, you want me to distract her," Abhimanyu interrupted, understanding her intent.

Kritika grinned, "Exactly. Since she's comfortable with you, it'll be easier."

"But won't she see you?" Abhimanyu raised a concern.

Kritika reassured him, "I have a plan. First, you enter the room and inform me of her activity so I can position myself accordingly."

Abhimanyu nodded in agreement. "Alright, I'll do it."

Meanwhile, the tension in the living room escalated as Aditya's frustration mounted. Suddenly, he stormed into Maheshwati's room, where he encountered Kritika and Abhimanyu discussing their plan. Anger flashed in Aditya's eyes as he eavesdropped on their conversation.

"Stop!" Aditya's voice boomed, halting Kritika and Abhimanyu in their tracks. Kritika rolled her eyes at his interruption.

Aditya confronted them, his demeanor stern. "What's this syringe for?" he demanded, pointing at the medical equipment in Kritika's hand.

"To sedate her," Kritika replied curtly.

Aditya pressed on, "Why?"

Kritika's irritation was palpable. "So I can examine her properly," she retorted sharply."And what if the medication is incorrect?" Aditya challenged.

Kritika leaned in, her tone laced with annoyance. "I'm the doctor here. I know what I'm doing. Stay out of it," she whispered firmly.

Before Aditya could retaliate, Abhimanyu intervened. "Adi, please. She's a doctor. Let her do her job. Please, go back downstairs."

Kritika signaled to Abhimanyu to open the door, and he did so cautiously. Peeking inside, he saw Maheshwati seated with her back to them. He whispered his observation to Kritika, and together they entered the room. Meanwhile, Aditya, unable to contain his curiosity, rushed to the security room.

As the door clicked shut, Maheshwati began to turn around. Thinking quickly, Kritika darted behind a cupboard, concealing herself just in time.

Abhimanyu took a seat beside his grandmother, attempting to engage her in conversation, but she merely nodded in response. Motioning for Kritika to emerge, she gracefully complied, sliding forward on her knees. Abhimanyu watched in astonishment as she approached, offering him a sly smile and a wink.

Back in the security room, Aditya fiddled with the CCTV, eagerly anticipating the unfolding events. The family members, drawn by the commotion, gathered in the room, witnessing Kritika's ingenious maneuver.

Gautam remarked, "That girl is truly remarkable."

Priya added, "I never imagined she'd be capable of such tactics."

Ahana chimed in, "She's always full of surprises, isn't she?"

Meanwhile, Aditya remained fixated on Kritika, observing her every move with a mixture of awe and bewilderment.

With Abhimanyu's assistance, Kritika administered the sedative to Maheshwati, rendering her unconscious. Abhimanyu gently laid her on the bed, prompting a round of high-fives from Kritika, Abhimanyu, and the others.

As everyone gathered around the bed, Swetha inquired about Maheshwati's condition. Kritika reassured her, explaining the need for further tests to determine the appropriate course of treatment.

 "Could someone please show me the medications she's been prescribed?" Kritika enquired. 
"Of course, let me fetch them for you." Priya answered. Kritika nodded. 

Priya retrieved the medications and handed them to Kritika. Upon examining them, Kritika's expression shifted to one of concern.

Aditya interjected, "Is something wrong?"

Kritika hesitated for a moment before responding, "Actually, these are high-dose medications. They may have exacerbated her condition. But rest assured, I'll arrange for alternative prescriptions."

Aditya's frustration flared, "That doctor will pay for this negligence!"

Kritika met his anger with composure, "It's not entirely the doctor's fault. High doses are sometimes necessary initially, with a plan to taper them down gradually."

Aditya fell silent, his anger momentarily subdued by Kritika's rationale, while the others observed the exchange with surprise.

Kritika continued, "Now, I need to collect a blood sample from her for further analysis. Ahana, could you please bring my bag? It's on the table outside."

Ahana swiftly fetched Kritika's bag. With practiced precision, Kritika extracted a fresh syringe and gently inserted it into Maheshwati's arm to draw blood. The family watched in awe as she deftly transferred the sample into a test tube with Ahana's assistance.

"Alright, I'll now head back to the hospital. I'll return with the test results before Maheshwati wakes up," Kritika announced, preparing to depart.

With a nod of understanding from the family, Kritika bid them farewell and left, leaving behind a sense of reassurance amidst the lingering concerns for Maheshwati's health.
Kritika arrived at the lab and handed over the test tube for blood analysis. The lab technicians informed her that the results would be ready within a maximum of two hours. With this in mind, Kritika decided to head home for some much-needed rest.

Upon reaching the Rai mansion, Kritika found everyone gathered in the living room, engaged in watching television. Their surprise at her early return was palpable.

Observing Kritika's arrival, Raman glanced at the time and inquired, "Kriti, why are you back so early today?"

Exhausted, Kritika sank onto the couch and explained, "Papa, the patient is currently unconscious due to the sedation I administered. She won't awaken for another eight hours. So, I thought I'd come home to rest for a while."

Ishita, concerned for Kritika's well-being, suggested, "Dear, why don't you go and get some sleep? You'll feel much better."

Shivanya, ever thoughtful, offered, "I'll bring you some fruits, Kritika." Kritika expressed her gratitude with a warm hug.

As Kritika made her way towards her room, she suddenly remembered Aradhya. Pausing, she turned back to inquire, "Where is Aradhya, Ma?"

Ishita responded, "She went to the temple."

Kritika frowned slightly at the unusual timing of Aradhya's temple visit, but decided to set aside her curiosity for the moment. With a shrug, she continued on her way to her room, eager to finally get some rest.

SINGHANIA MANSION. 1:15 PM

The atmosphere in the Singhania mansion was tense as everyone awaited Kritika's arrival. Karthik, having heard about Kritika being the doctor in charge of Daadi's treatment, had also come to the mansion to meet her. Aditya, who had returned early from his office, seethed with anger at the mere thought of Kritika.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, instantly capturing everyone's attention. Priya hurried to the door and was met by Kritika's smiling face. Despite the tension in the air, Priya greeted her warmly, allowing Kritika to enter with a polite smile.

As Kritika stepped into the mansion, her eyes met Aditya's, and she frowned at his obvious hostility.

Growling with anger, Aditya confronted her, "Where the hell were you? Don't you have any sense of responsibility towards your job?"

Kritika glared back at him, her anger evident in her gaze, "Mr. Singhania, watch your language and behavior. I wasn't out partying until this hour. I was busy procuring medicines and obtaining test reports."

Swetha interjected apologetically, "I'm sorry for his behavior, dear. He's just worried about Ma's health."

With a serious expression, Kritika addressed Swetha, "I understand everyone's concern, aunty, but please ask your son to treat others with respect, especially women." She shot a pointed glance at Aditya, who merely shrugged in response.

Observing Aditya's nonchalant attitude, Kritika couldn't help but smirk inwardly, thinking, This guy doesn't take anything seriously. He needs to learn a lesson.*\

Stepping forward to face Aditya directly, Kritika put on a fake smile, "Mr. Singhania, I have something important to tell you.". Aditya gave an uninterested look.

" You can't judge people without knowing them. That's exactly what you did to me." Her arms crossed defensively over her chest, she continued, "You assume I'm lucky to be treating a wealthy family like yours, and that I depend solely on the income from treating Maheshwati Singhania. But you're mistaken, Mr. Singhania. I handle numerous high-profile cases, but I've prioritized this one because of the trust Prakash sir has placed in me. I need to maintain that trust. Normally, I treat patients in hospitals, but I've made an exception here."

She locked eyes with Aditya, whose expression had turned serious, "It's not easy. Constantly traveling between home, the hospital, and here is exhausting. I'll have to keep doing this until the treatment is complete. It's a real challenge for me. So, Mr. Singhania, I could recommend another doctor to Prakash sir if you don't want me here. Think twice before making assumptions next time. It would be in your best interest."

With a final cold look at Aditya, Kritika turned and made her way upstairs. Ahana followed closely behind her, intending to comfort her best friend. The others were left speechless, their mouths hanging open in shock. Even Karthik, who had witnessed many things, was surprised by Kritika's boldness. Meanwhile, Aditya remained frozen in place until Karthik gently patted his shoulder, bringing him back to reality. Gautam approached Aditya, likely to offer some words of advice.