Duplicity

7. Poison

( not really satisfied with the chapter but here you go 😔✊.
Also vote and comment people !!! 😭)

I could hear hushed voices around me. I tried to open my eyes a little only to get blinded my a bright light. Oh my god! Am I dead? Finally.

"Aarna!! Someone call the doctor."
I guess not.

"Miss Singhania?" I heard an unknown man's voice.
Somehow I was able to open my eyes and saw a doctor leaning over my bed.

"Get off my face"
"Oh Sorry Miss Singhania" he said leaning away a little.

And suddenly It was like I have got my senses back. I could feel a stinging pain in my back, the tiredness in my whole body and a killer headache cherry on top.

Groaning in pain, I carefully braced myself against the pillows placed against the headboard of the bed, wincing at the impact.

"Uh Miss Singhania?" The doctor was standing nervously beside my bed, fidgeting with a blue file in his hands.
Go on. I gestured him with my right hand.
"You were stabbed in your lower back by a knife or something similar to a knife. The injury will heal over the time like your previous stab wounds bu- but- "

"Why the hell are you stuttering?" I said in annoyance. "Spit it out."
"Well you see the thing is the knife was laced with a poison or chemical. It was a slow spreading one, so we were able to treat it before it could enter your main blood stream. But-"
"I swear one more 'but' and I will set your bloody hospital on fire."
"Some of the poison had already entered the main blood stream and it's not possible to cure it once it has bonded with the haemoglobin molecules."

" so... how many days are left?"
"For what?"
"Are you dumb or something? How many days do I have before I am dead"
"Oh you'll live since it was just a small amount of poison but you'll suffer the effects of it for a few days or weeks. "
"Like what?"
"Nausea, frequent headaches, morning sickness, extreme body pain, black outs and it may even impair your ability to perform basic everyday tasks for a while."

God. This is even worse than death.

"Aarna?"
I looked at the door and saw my dad entering the room followed my mother, tears streaming down her eyes.
"Papa!" He rushed over and hugged me like his life depended on it.
"Thank god, you're safe. We boarded the jet as soon as we received a call about your incident."
"I am fine papa. Your daughter has handled worse."
"I know Aarna. I know how strong you are."

"Aarna." We both looked at mom. She pushed papa aside and hugged me, sobs leaving her mouth.
"I am fine mumma." I said patting her back awkwardly. I have no idea how am I supposed to console a crying human.
"I thought you were- " she held my cheeks in both of her palms
"Oh please, I am Aarna Roy Singhania! Daughter of THE Meera and Dravid Roy Singhania. A stab wound can't kill me." I said dramatically flipping my hair with one hand.

They both chuckled at the comment.
"Can we take her home?" Papa asked the doctor.
"Home as in India or -?"
"India" papa said interrupting the doctor.
"what no!" There is no way in hell I am going back to that mansion.
"Aarna don't argue with your father" mumma said in a stern voice.
"But mumma I- " I tried to argue but got interrupted my papa.
"You are coming with us and that's final. No further arguments."

"Excuse me sir." The doctor said in a hesitant voice. "You can't take her back until the poison is out of her system. It will make her condition even worse."

"See! I can't travel. Let me just stay here okay."
" Fine but your mother will stay here with you."
"Okay" definitely not okay. She won't let me work.

"We will let you rest for now. Just let us know if you need something, we will be right outside your room"
"Hmm"

I turned around and covered myself with duvet. They were standing beside my bed making sure I fall asleep.
I pretended to be asleep and once they were sure that I had actually fallen asleep, they left the room.

A few seconds later I got up removing the wires attached to me and stretched my body relieving the stress. Damn it really is difficult to pretend to be in pain all the time.

I quietly tiptoed across the room barefooted and pressed my ear against the door to listen to the conversation I was sure they were having outside because they didn't want me to eavesdrop.

" Dravid, you know why she wants to stay here right?"
"I know jaan, that's why I want you to stay here with her."
"But what about Kiar-"
"Shh, don't!"
"Okay. Should we go and check on Aarna"

Hearing that I walked as fast as I could towards my bed and pulled the duvet over me pretending to be asleep.
The door opened and the sound of footsteps became louder as the seconds passed.

I could feel my mother's hand caressing my hair.
"She's asleep jaan, it may disturb her sleep."
No it won't, I wanted to say but didn't.
The hand that was caressing my hair a few seconds ago left and I could her my mother's fading footsteps followed my opening and closing of the door.

As soon as the door closed I heard my father sigh.
"I know you are awake Aarna."
Damn it.
I turned around facing him and saw him pinching his forehead with his fingers.
"You said that you received a call"
"About what?"
" about me being stabbed"
"I said that? Are you sure?" He said looking around the room.
"Yes" i said narrowing my eyes at him.
"It was someone from the hospital Aarna. Now sleep you need rest." He said covering me with the duvet properly before leaving.

No it wasn't someone from the hospital. I am sure of it.
The accident happened last night. If they boarded the flight last night they wouldn't have arrived by now.
So that means someone called him before the incident took place.
But why??