Torn Heart's

chapter 9

Riddhima packed her things and asked Arjun to come to her cabin as she needed to check on a patient. Meanwhile, the nurse instructed Prisha to get some medicines for Avani. As Prisha walked down the corridor, she accidentally bumped into someone.

To her shock, she looked up and saw it was Arjun. Her surprise quickly turned to dizziness, and before she could react, everything around her seems to be blur. Just as she was about to collapse, Arjun caught her in his arms, holding her tightly to prevent her from falling.

At the same time, Ridhima came there and found Prisha in Arjun's arms. Seeing them like this, her heart pained. Before she could go towards them, a doctor came over. "Ma'am, are you okay" he asked Prisha.Arjun made Prisha stand nearby the chair while the doctor attended to her.

Ridhima's eyes welled up with tears as she watched Arjun's concern for Prisha. She felt a pang of jealousy and sadness, wondering if she would ever be the one in his arms, receiving his care. The scene was too much for her to bear, and she turned away

Arjun noticed Ridhima's presence and the hurt in her eyes. He gently released Prisha from his grip and took a step towards Ridhima

Arjun held Ridhima's hand and told her, "Let's go, it's already getting late."

Arjun noticed the way her hand trembled in his grasp, and a frown creased his forehead. He opened his mouth to say something, but the words caught in his throat

As they walked away, Ridhima couldn't help but steal a glance at Prisha. She tried to shake off the feeling of jealousy, but it gnawed at her.Arjun's hold on her hand was gentle, yet it felt distant. She wanted to ask him about his concern for Prisha, to understand where she stood in his life, but fear held her back.

"Ridhima,Is everything okay?"he asked hrr

Ridhima took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. She forced a smile as she turned to face him. "Of course, Arjun. Why wouldn't it be"

But Arjun wasn't convinced. He took a step closer, his hand reaching out to gently cup her cheek. "Ridhima, you can talk to me. If something's bothering you..."

"Arjun, it's nothing," she whispered, though her eyes betrayed her. "You should go check on Prisha."

"Ridhima, what's this about. Prisha is just a—"

Before he could finish, Ridhima gently pushed his hand away "It's nothing, really. I am just tired, that's all."

Arjun felt a pang of frustration mixed with guilt. He wanted to pull her close, to reassure her that she was the one who mattered to him. But something in her expression held him back. "Ridhima---"

Ridhima swallowed hard,"I just need some time alone right now.Can you please drop me without talking about this matter"

She was falling for him, and the thought of losing him, even if she never truly had him, was too much to bear.

Arjun opened the passenger door for Ridhima, and she slipped inside without a word. He closed the door gently and then moved around to the driver's side, settling into his seat.

Ridhima stared out the window.She replayed the moment she saw Prisha in Arjun's arms over and over again, each time feeling the same sting of jealousy and insecurity. She knew she was being irrational, but she couldn't help it. She had never felt this way before, and it scared her.

After what felt like an eternity,Arjun finally spoke"Ridhima, I know something's bothering you. You can talk to me."

Ridhima didn't immediately respond. She continued to look out the window, trying to gather her thoughts. Finally, she took a deep breath and turned to face him. "Arjun, do you... do you still have feelings for Prisha"she knows that she had asked him this question million times

Ridhima bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. "I saw the way you were with her today. It made me wonder if you still care for her more than... more than you care for me."

He pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned off the engine

He reached out and took Ridhima's hand, his thumb brushing gently over her knuckles. "Ridhima, listen to me. Prisha is someone I used to care about, yes, but that was a long time ago. My concern for her today was purely out of compassion, nothing more."

Ridhima looked down at their intertwined hands"But seeing you with her... it hurt, Arjun. It made me feel like I don't matter to you."

Arjun's heart broke at her words. He gently cupped her face, lifting her chin so that she was looking into his eyes. "Ridhima, you matter to me more than anyone else. I care about you deeply, and I hate that I made you feel this way. I am m sorry if my actions hurt you, but I need you to know that my feelings for you are real.And I am trying my best to move on"

Ridhima searched his eyes, looking for any sign of doubt, but all she saw was sincerity. A tear slipped down her cheek, and Arjun quickly wiped it away with his thumb. "I am scared, scared of losing you."

Arjun pulled her into a gentle embrace"You are not going to lose me, Ridhima. I promise you that."

They stayed like that for a moment, wrapped in each other's warmth.After a few moments, Ridhima pulled back slightly

As Arjun drove through the quiet, moonlit streets, his thoughts were entirely consumed by Ridhima.

Arjun had always known Ridhima was special. She was strong, intelligent, and compassionate. But tonight, he had seen a side of her that he hadn't before, a vulnerable side, a side that she didn't show to many people. And that side of her had tugged at something in his heart

As he drove on, Arjun realized that these feelings he had for Ridhima weren't just a towards liking. They were deeper, more profound. He was falling for her—slowly, steadily, almost without realizing it at first. But now, as the realization hit him, he couldn't deny it.

He thought about how he had felt when she leaned on him, the way her presence had brought him a sense of peace and warmth that he hadn't felt in a long time. Being with her felt right, like everything in his life was falling into place. When he was with Ridhima, the world seemed a little brighter, a little more beautiful.

Arjun found himself smiling at the memory of her laughter, the way her eyes sparkled when she was happy. He loved that about her, the way she could light up a room just by being in it. He loved the way she challenged him, made him think, made him a better person just by being around her.

And as he thought about all of this, Arjun realized that he was falling in love with Ridhima.

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