A Marriage of Convenience: A Love Story of Unfamiliar Beginnings

Chapter 22

The next morning, everyone was worried about Raj and Akriti. After discovering that Raj's car had been thrown off the highway by a truck, Akriti and Urvil went to the investigation area to look into the matter. Everyone at home was sick with worry. Padma was crying uncontrollably, and everyone else was trying to console her, while the younger ones were on the verge of tears, as their favorite brother had been missing for the last 15 hours.

"I'll go and see what happened," Manohar said, grabbing the keys. Just as he did, the door opened, revealing Akriti and Urvil. Akriti was in a terrible state; her face was a mess, showing signs of having cried for hours, with dried tears streaking her cheeks. Urvil was supporting her, visibly upset himself.

"What happened, Akriti?" Padma asked, her voice trembling, but Akriti remained motionless, like a statue.

"What happened? Will someone tell us?" Mohit shouted at them, his voice filled with anxiety.

Urvil took a deep breath and announced, "Raj bhaiya is in a coma."

At this news, Akriti collapsed to the ground, unable to control herself.

"No, this can't be happening!" Padma cried out, her sobs intensifying.

"Bhabhi, calm down," Manohar said, trying to steady her, but his own voice was shaking.

Mohit sank onto the couch, staring blankly into the air. The younger family members were now openly crying, clinging to each other for support. No one noticed Akriti's state as they were busy consoling each other. Slowly, she slipped away towards her room, unnoticed.

The doctors decided to shift Raj home, as it was risky to keep him in the hospital. By the next morning, Raj was safely brought back to the house. Everyone was slightly angry at Akriti for how she had spoken to Raj, which had contributed to his outburst and departure from the house. However, they couldn't stay angry for long, understanding that she had acted out of concern for Tejas.

As soon as Raj was shifted, Mohit fainted upon seeing him in such a state. The doctors claimed it was a minor heart attack but warned it was risky. Padma was put on a drip as her blood pressure had shot up, and she needed rest. A nurse was appointed to give Raj injections regularly, and the house was in disarray.

"Akriti, how are you holding up?" Urvil asked gently, seeing her struggle.

"I'm managing," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "I have to. For everyone."

Despite her own fragile state, Akriti managed to cook food for everyone. Her pale face and exhausted demeanor showed how much she was struggling, but she pushed through. The family ate in Padma and Mohit's room, while Akriti quietly declined to have a single bite, her mind and heart consumed with worry for Raj.

"Bhabhi, you need to eat something," Urvil insisted, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I can't, Urvil. " she said, her voice breaking.

Padma, despite her own grief, noticed Akriti's state and called her over. "Beta, please eat. Raj would want you to take care of yourself."

Akriti shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I can't, Ma. Not right now."

Tejas approached her, guilt written all over his face. "Bhabhi, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."Akriti pulled him into a hug. "Tejas, it's not your fault. We just have to stay strong and support each other."

"But if I hadn't—" Tejas began, but Akriti cut him off.

"Don't. Blaming yourself won't help Raj. We need to be there for him when he wakes up," she said firmly.

Padma looked at Akriti, her eyes filled with tears. "Thank you for being so strong, Akriti. We're all in this together."

Akriti nodded, trying to muster a reassuring smile. "We'll get through this, Ma. Raj will come back to us. He has to."

The room fell silent, everyone lost in their thoughts and prayers for Raj's recovery. Despite the chaos and the heartache, a sense of unity began to form, as the family rallied around each other, determined to face the uncertain future together.