In the heart of chaos

Chapter 16

It had been a week since Kaushiki's surgery, and the house was slowly returning to its normal routine. The Malhotras, though relieved, were still keeping a close eye on Kaushiki, ensuring she rested enough despite her constant attempts to help around the house.

Rishi, exhausted after a long shift at Sarvodaya Hospital, pushed open the front door. The scent of home hit him, comforting after a grueling day. He kicked off his shoes and walked into the living room, only to stop in his tracks.

Sitting on the couch, chatting casually with his mother, was Maahi—his ex.

Rishi's stomach twisted. He hadn't seen Maahi since their breakup, and her sudden presence now felt like an intrusion. His mother, Kaushiki, who was blissfully unaware of the situation, seemed to be enjoying the conversation.

Maahi glanced up, a warm smile spreading across her face as she greeted him. "Rishi! I was just catching up with your mom. It's been a while."

Rishi's face hardened. "Yeah, it has been," he muttered, walking over to Kaushiki and placing a hand on her shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze. "What's going on here?"

Kaushiki, ever cheerful, looked up at her son. "Oh, Maahi just stopped by to say hello. Isn't that sweet? She's been telling me about her new projects and everything that's happened since you two last spoke."

Rishi shot Maahi a pointed look. "Really? That's all?"

Maahi's expression shifted slightly, her eyes narrowing as she stood up. "Actually, Rishi, I came because I wanted to talk to you. About us."

Rishi clenched his jaw, immediately sensing where this was going. "Maahi, there is no 'us' anymore."

Kaushiki, unaware of the growing tension, looked between the two of them, confused. "What do you mean? I thought you two were friends."

Maahi's voice softened, her gaze fixed on Rishi. "I've been thinking a lot lately, and I miss what we had. I want to give us another chance."

Rishi could feel his anger rising, but before he could respond, Kaushiki's face lit up in surprise. "Oh! You want to get back together? How wonderful!" She turned to Rishi, smiling. "See, Rishi, I told you Maahi was a good girl—"

"Mom, no," Rishi cut her off sharply, his voice tinged with frustration. "That's not happening."

Maahi frowned, her confidence slipping. "Rishi, don't be so quick to dismiss this. We had something real, something good. Can't we at least talk about it?"

Rishi's patience snapped. "Talk about what, Maahi? How you left without a second thought? How I moved on and you didn't care until now?"

Maahi's expression darkened. "I made a mistake, and I'm here to make things right."

Rishi scoffed, crossing his arms. "It's too late for that. I've moved on."

Kaushiki, sensing the growing tension, looked up at Rishi, concerned. "What do you mean, you've moved on? Are you seeing someone?"

Rishi hesitated, feeling the weight of his mother's question. He wasn't sure how to explain the complicated feelings he had around Aarohi, but in the heat of the moment, wanting to end the conversation with Maahi, he said the first thing that came to his mind. "Yes, I am seeing someone."

Both Maahi and Kaushiki stared at him in surprise.

Maahi crossed her arms. "Really? Who?"

Rishi, caught off guard by his own impulsiveness, fumbled for an answer. His eyes landed on his phone, where a photo of Aarohi from one of the hospital functions flashed on the screen. Without thinking, he pulled up the photo and showed it to Maahi.

"Her. This is who I'm with now," he said, his voice firm, though internally he was already regretting the lie.

Maahi's eyes widened as she looked at Aarohi's photo, and for a brief moment, she faltered. "That's... Dr. Aarohi Goenka, isn't it? The new co-head of neurosurgery at Sarvodaya?"

Rishi swallowed hard, realizing just how deep he had dug himself into this mess. "Yes," he lied again, this time with less confidence.

Kaushiki beamed, oblivious to the tension. "Oh, that's wonderful, Rishi! Aarohi seems like such a nice girl. I didn't know you two were together. Why didn't you tell me?"

Rishi avoided her gaze, feeling a knot of guilt forming in his chest. "It's... it's new. I didn't want to say anything until it was more serious."

Maahi stared at him for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Finally, she let out a frustrated sigh and turned away. "Fine. If you've moved on, then I won't push it. But I hope you're not just using this girl to get rid of me, Rishi."

With that, she grabbed her purse and stormed out of the house, leaving a stunned silence behind her.

Kaushiki, still smiling, turned to Rishi. "I'm happy for you, beta. Aarohi is such a talented young woman. You've made a great choice."

Rishi, his heart heavy with regret, forced a smile. "Yeah... thanks, Mom."

As soon as Kaushiki returned to her room, Rishi sank onto the couch, running a hand through his hair. What the hell had he just done? He wasn't in a relationship with Aarohi—he barely knew her beyond their professional spats. And now, not only had he lied to Maahi, but he had dragged Aarohi into the mess as well.

He sat there for a long time, the weight of his impulsive actions settling in. He knew one thing for sure—he had screwed up. Big time.

And now, he'd have to figure out how to untangle himself from the mess he had just created.