MY BROTHER IN LAW (BL)

16. Coma!?

INAYAT SINGHANIA'S POV

It's been one month since Yuvraaj's brutal attack on Ilya. One month since Ilya's world was turned upside down. One month since Ilya's body was left broken and battered, his mind slipping into the darkness of a coma.

Ilya's family and friends have been by his side, praying for his recovery, but the doctors' words offer little hope. "It's a miracle he's still alive," they say. But alive is a far cry from living.

Yuvraaj, on the other hand, seems to have moved on, his life unaffected by the destruction he caused.

I sit beside Ilya's hospital bed, my hands cradling my swollen belly. Seven months pregnant, and yet, it feels like an eternity since Ilya's been gone. Trapped in a coma, his body broken, his mind lost.

I gaze at his face, willing him to wake up. To come back to me. To meet our child. But the machines surrounding him beep monotonously, a constant reminder that he's still trapped.

I take his hand in mine, feeling the familiar warmth of his skin. I talk to him, sharing stories of our baby's kicks, of my dreams for our future. I pour out my heart, hoping thaI tell himt somehow, someway, Ilya will hear me.

But the silence is deafening.

I feel a lump form in my throat as I gaze at Ilya's pale face. My heart aches with every passing day. Will he ever wake up? Will he ever meet our child?

I whisper a gentle promise in his ear: "I'll keep fighting for you, my love. I'll keep fighting until you come back to me."

"I am ready to forgive you all for what you did, please come back."

As I stand to leave, I feel a flutter in my belly. Our baby kicks, as if urging me to stay strong. I smile through tears, knowing I have to keep going. For Ilya, for our child, for our future.

As I turn to leave Ilya's hospital room, my house help, Rukhsana, approaches me with a concerned expression. She's been by my side throughout this ordeal, a constant source of comfort and support.

"Madam, can I ask you something?" she says, her voice soft and gentle.

I nod, curious about what's on her mind.

"Why did you and Ilya sir break up, madam? You both loved each other so much. What went wrong?"

I'm taken aback by her question. No one's asked me that in a long time. I've been so focused on Ilya's recovery, on being strong for him and our child, that I haven't really thought about the past.

I take a deep breath, trying to process my emotions. "It's complicated, Rukhsana. We had our differences, our own personal demons. And then...Yuvraaj happened."

Rukhsana's eyes widen slightly, but she says nothing, allowing me to continue.

"Ilya and I, we were already fragile. And then Yuvraaj's actions...they broke us. Ilya couldn't forgive himself, and I couldn't forgive him for not fighting harder for us."

Rukhsana nods, her expression understanding. "I see, madam. But do you still love him?"

I pause, looking back at Ilya's still form. "With all my heart, Rukhsana. I never stopped loving him."

I take a deep breath, the memory still etched vividly in my mind. "Rukhsana, I need to tell you something. Something I've kept hidden for too long."

Rukhsana looks at me curiously, encouraging me to continue.

"I saw Ilya with a girl, Rukhsana. It was a year ago. I was driving home from a party, and I saw his car outside a hotel. I didn't think much of it, but then I saw him walking in with her."

I pause, the pain and betrayal still fresh.

"I followed them, Rukhsana. I had to know what was going on. They went to a room, and...and I saw him holding her in his arms. She was struggling to get away, but he wouldn't let her go."

Rukhsana's eyes widen in shock, and she covers her mouth with her hand.

"I didn't know what to do, Rukhsana. Part of me wanted to confront him, but another part was scared. So I left. I didn't know what to do with what I saw."

Rukhsana's expression softens, and she reaches out to me. "Oh, madam. I'm so sorry. You should have told me."

I shake my head, tears streaming down my face. "I was ashamed, Rukhsana. Ashamed of what I saw, and ashamed of myself for staying with him after that."

Just as I'm pouring out my heart to Rukhsana, I hear a voice behind me.

"Inayat, please listen to me."

I turn to see Yuvraaj standing there, a look of urgency on his face.

"What are you doing here, Yuvraaj?" I ask, wiping away my tears.

"I need to explain something," he says, his eyes locked on mine. "What you saw that day, it was a misunderstanding. Ilya was on a mission, a covert operation. He was protecting that girl, not harming her."

I'm taken aback, unsure of what to believe.

"What are you talking about?" I ask, my voice shaking.

Yuvraaj takes a step closer. "Ilya was working undercover, gathering intel on a human trafficking ring. The girl you saw him with was a witness, and he was keeping her safe."

Rukhsana gasps, her hand flying to her mouth.

I feel like my world has been turned upside down. Could it be true? Was Ilya really a hero, not a villain?

"Why didn't he tell me?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Yuvraaj's expression softens. "He couldn't, Inayat. It was classified. But I'm telling you now, because you deserve to know the truth."

I'm still trying to process Yuvraaj's revelation when suddenly, I feel a sharp pain in my abdomen. I clutch my belly, taken aback by the intensity of the sensation.

Rukhsana rushes to my side, concern etched on her face. "Madam, what's wrong?"

I try to speak, but another pain hits me, and I double over. That's when I feel it - a gush of water between my legs.

"My water broke," I gasp, shock and panic setting in.

Rukhsana springs into action, quickly grabbing a towel to help me clean up. Yuvraaj rushes to my side, his face pale with worry.

"We need to get you to the hospital, now," he says, helping me up from the chair.

I nod, still in shock. The baby's coming. Now.

As we rush out of the house, I can't help but think about Ilya. Where is he? Will he make it to the hospital in time?

The pain hits me again, and I grit my teeth, focusing on getting to the hospital safely. The baby's arrival is imminent, and I'm not sure if Ilya will be there to witness it.
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~ to be continued