The next day, Ruhi returned to work at the hospital, her engagement ring sparkling on her finger. As she walked through the corridors, her colleagues and friends congratulated her with warm smiles and well-wishes.
"Congratulations, Dr. Ruhi! We're so happy for you!" a nurse exclaimed as Ruhi made her way to the general surgery department.
"Thanks, everyone," Ruhi replied, her smile genuine and her spirits lifted.
She met up with Armaan Poddar, the new general surgeon, to discuss a patient case. Armaan was known for his easygoing nature and had quickly become popular among the staff.
"Good morning, Dr. Ruhi," Armaan greeted her with a cheerful grin. "Ready to tackle this case?"
"Absolutely, Dr. Poddar," Ruhi replied, returning his smile.
As they reviewed the patient's chart, Armaan couldn't help but make a few light-hearted jokes. "You know, if I had a rupee for every time a patient complained about hospital food, I'd probably own this place."
Ruhi chuckled. "Well, maybe you can suggest some new recipes to the kitchen staff."
Armaan laughed. "I think I'll stick to surgery, thank you very much."
Their conversation was light and filled with laughter, a welcome distraction for Ruhi after the emotional turmoil of the previous night. Just then, Reyansh happened to pass by, catching sight of the two doctors sharing a moment of levity. A pang of jealousy surged through him as he watched Ruhi laugh with Armaan.
Abhira, who had been observing the scene from a distance, noticed Reyansh's reaction. A smirk crept onto her face as she realized she had found a potential weakness to exploit.
"Well, well, well," Abhira muttered to herself. "This is going to be interesting."
Later that day, as Reyansh was making his rounds, he couldn't shake the image of Ruhi and Armaan from his mind. The jealousy gnawed at him, despite his best efforts to focus on his work.
In the meantime, Abhira began to craft her plan. She approached Armaan later, striking up a conversation.
"Dr. Poddar, I noticed you and my cousin, Dr. Ruhi, seem to get along well," she said, her tone casual but with a hint of suggestion.
Armaan smiled. "Yeah, Ruhi's great. She's an excellent doctor and fun to work with."
Abhira's eyes glinted with mischief. "You know, I think she could really use a friend right now. Things have been a bit stressful for her lately."
Armaan nodded, unaware of Abhira's true intentions. "I'll do my best to support her."
Abhira smiled sweetly. "That's very kind of you, Dr. Poddar."
As the day progressed, Reyansh couldn't contain his jealousy any longer. He found Ruhi during a break and pulled her aside.
"Ruhi, can we talk?" he asked, his voice tense.
Ruhi looked at him, concerned. "Of course, Reyansh. What's wrong?"
He hesitated, not wanting to come across as insecure. "I saw you with Armaan earlier. You seemed very...friendly."
Ruhi raised an eyebrow, understanding dawning on her. "Reyansh, are you jealous?"
Reyansh sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Maybe a little. It's just...I love you, Ruhi. I don't want anything or anyone coming between us."
Ruhi smiled, placing a hand on his cheek. "There's nothing to worry about, Reyansh. Armaan is just a colleague and a friend. You're the one I love, and that's not going to change."
