In the heart of chaos

Chapter 8

Abhimanyu Birla sat in his office, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk as he reviewed patient charts. The day had been relatively uneventful, but something was nagging at the back of his mind. A strange restlessness had settled over him, a feeling that something was about to shift.

Just then, his phone buzzed on the desk, and Akshara's name flashed on the screen. He smiled, leaning back in his chair as he answered the call.

"Hey, Akshu," he greeted her warmly. "What's up? You sound excited."

"Abhi, you won't believe who's back in Udaipur!" Akshara's voice was bright with enthusiasm, but there was something else—a nervousness he couldn't quite place.

Abhimanyu frowned slightly. "Who?"

"Aarohi!" Akshara blurted out.

His heart skipped a beat. Aarohi. It had been years since she left Udaipur, years since that tense day when she decided to move to Mumbai after he had rejected her. He hadn't expected her to return, not after everything that had happened.

"Aarohi's back?" he asked, his voice filled with surprise. "Why? Is she visiting, or...?"

"No, she's back for good," Akshara explained. "She's... well, she's got a job here."

Abhimanyu relaxed a little, assuming Aarohi would likely come back to Birla Hospitals. After all, they had always recognized her talent. "Oh, that's great. I suppose she'll be rejoining Birla Hospitals then?"

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, and Abhimanyu felt his unease grow.

"Actually," Akshara said carefully, "she's not coming back to Birla Hospitals."

Abhimanyu's brows knitted in confusion. "Wait, what? Where is she working then?"

"Sarvodaya Hospital," Akshara revealed, her voice soft. "She's the co-head of the neurosurgery department there."

Abhimanyu froze, his grip tightening on the phone. Co-head? Sarvodaya? That was... unexpected. Aarohi wasn't just back in Udaipur; she was taking a major role in one of their biggest competitors.

"What?" His voice came out sharper than intended. "She's the co-head of neurosurgery at Sarvodaya?"

"Yeah, it was kind of a surprise to all of us," Akshara said, sensing his shock. "But Aarohi has been working hard these past years. She's really made a name for herself."

Abhimanyu sat up straighter, his mind racing. He hadn't thought much about Aarohi since she left, believing she had moved on just as he had. But to hear that she was now in such a prominent position at Sarvodaya—it stirred something inside him.

"Did she... did she even consider coming back here?" he asked, his voice laced with frustration.

"I don't think so," Akshara said quietly. "I think after everything that happened, she wanted a fresh start. And you know Aarohi... she's determined when she sets her mind to something."

Abhimanyu leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. He hadn't expected Aarohi to come back into his life like this, not in a professional capacity, and certainly not as someone working at a rival hospital. It felt strange, almost unsettling.

"Abhi, I think you should talk to her," Akshara added softly. "I know things between you two weren't great when she left, but... she's still my sister, and I know she's been through a lot."

Abhimanyu sighed, feeling the weight of Akshara's words. "Yeah, maybe I will."

After they ended the call, Abhimanyu sat in silence, his thoughts swirling. Aarohi had always been ambitious, and he respected her for that. But this—taking a position as co-head at Sarvodaya—felt like a power move, a statement. It wasn't just a return to Udaipur. It was a declaration that she didn't need Birla Hospitals or anyone else to succeed.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk. For years, they had competed silently—whether in their careers or personal lives. But now, it seemed Aarohi had drawn a line in the sand.

Later that evening, Abhimanyu found himself driving past Sarvodaya Hospital. He hadn't planned on it, but curiosity pulled him toward the place where Aarohi now worked. As he slowed down near the entrance, he caught a glimpse of the hospital's towering structure. It was impressive, no doubt, and a part of him knew that Aarohi would excel here.

But a small voice in the back of his mind couldn't help but wonder if this was her way of showing him what he had lost—both personally and professionally.

---

The next day at Birla Hospitals, Abhimanyu couldn't focus. Every discussion, every meeting, every surgery—it all felt like a blur. His mind kept drifting back to Aarohi, to the surprise of her return, and to what it meant for him, for Akshara, and for Udaipur's medical world.

He had to know more. During a break between surgeries, he casually brought up Sarvodaya Hospital's recent changes with some colleagues.

"Have you heard about the new co-head at Sarvodaya?" one of his fellow doctors, Dr. Mehra, asked. "Apparently, it's Dr. Aarohi Goenka. Came back from Mumbai, and now she's running the show over there."

Abhimanyu nodded, hiding his surprise. "Yeah, I heard. How's she doing?"

"Word is she's already making waves," Dr. Mehra said with a shrug. "She's got a reputation for being tough but brilliant. Patients love her. She's a real asset for them."

Abhimanyu's stomach tightened. He hadn't anticipated how hearing praise for Aarohi would make him feel. Part of him was proud of her—he had always known she was talented—but another part of him couldn't shake the discomfort of knowing she was now a direct competitor.

As the day dragged on, Abhimanyu made up his mind. He needed to see Aarohi, to understand why she hadn't even considered coming back to Birla Hospitals. Maybe it was just business, but deep down, he suspected there was more to it.

That evening, as he walked through the door of his home, Akshara was waiting for him, their son Aarav playing nearby.

"How was work?" she asked, though her knowing gaze told him she already guessed where his mind had been all day.

"I can't stop thinking about it, Akshu," Abhimanyu admitted, dropping his bag and sinking into the couch. "Aarohi didn't even consider Birla Hospitals. It's like she's trying to prove something."

Akshara sat beside him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Maybe she is. But that doesn't mean you need to compete with her, Abhi. She's carved her own path, just like you have."

"I know," he muttered. "But it still feels... strange. Like everything's changed, and I didn't even see it coming."

Akshara smiled softly. "Things always change. But that doesn't mean they can't work out for the best."

As Abhimanyu leaned back and closed his eyes, he knew he couldn't avoid Aarohi forever. Sooner or later, their paths would cross again. And when they did, it wouldn't just be about the past—it would be about the future, and the choices they were both making now.

He wasn't sure how he felt about that.