Love Rivals: The Day I Saw Your Tears

57. It's Difficult To See Your Precious In Vain

Vicky’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts, “Hey, aren't you eating?”

I nodded absently, taking a reluctant bite of my burger. Just as I did, Sarah appeared out of nowhere, swiftly swapping my tray with her lunchbox. I stared at her, both confused and a little startled by the sudden gesture.

“You shouldn't be eating junk like that,” she said firmly, sitting down next to me. “It’ll only make your stomach worse.”

I glanced at her lunchbox, then opened it, finding a simple meal inside. As I started eating, I mumbled, “Doesn't taste that great, to be honest.”

Without missing a beat, she shot back, “Yeah, I know. But you don’t get to complain about my mom’s cooking. Have I ever complained? Nope. So shut up and eat.”

********************************************

The next day, while doing my usual rounds at the hospital, I caught sight of Sarah crouched beside a young boy, handing him a chocolate with a playful smile. The boy’s face lit up, and for a moment, I paused, quietly admiring the way she interacted with him, her carefree nature shining through.

Just then, Nitya appeared out of nowhere, striding over and snatching the chocolate from the boy’s hand, tossing it aside.

Nitya's voice grew louder as she snapped, "Have you lost your mind? What if he'd eaten it? Would you take responsibility for that?" Her eyes were fixed on Sarah, her tone accusatory.

Sarah, still taken aback, frowned and replied, "What’s the problem? It’s just a chocolate. Why make such a big deal out of it?"

Nitya scoffed, her tone sharpening even more. "The boy is diabetic, at such a young age! And you're asking what's the big deal? Of course, how would you know that? You're not even part of the hospital staff."

Sarah’s face softened in realization, her voice calm but sincere. "I didn’t know... I’m sorry."

But Nitya wasn’t done. She crossed her arms and stared Sarah down, her voice filled with sarcasm. "Oh, sorry, huh? Like that’s going to fix anything. Please, Sarah, stop acting like an ignorant fool. You should know by now what 'sorry' means to a doctor. But wait -- how would you know? You couldn’t even make it to the finals."

She let out a cruel chuckle, eyes gleaming with smugness. "Ryan used to go on and on about you. Said you were some kind of academic genius, always beating him in school. But honestly, every time I see you now, I start to question how you ever got those grades."

Sarah stayed silent, her expression growing heavier with every word Nitya spat. I couldn't take it anymore. I knelt down beside the boy, making sure my tone was soft but firm, "Hey, little buddy, it’s not safe to accept things from strangers, okay? You understand?"

The boy nodded and scurried back to his ward. As I stood up, I glanced at Sarah -- her face said it all. Anger mixed with sadness, her usual spark dimmed.

Before I could say anything, Nitya’s voice cut through again, her tone dripping with sarcasm, "Listen, what foolishness has your friend done now?"

I clenched my jaw. "Nitya," I started, my voice steady but strained, "can’t you handle things without turning it into a spectacle?"

She smirked, unbothered. "Oh, Dr. Ryan," she mocked, "your idiotic friends should really stop showing up in my space. You know you can’t expect me to be polite to them."

I straightened up, meeting her gaze. "They’re my friends," I said firmly. "I’ll take responsibility for them. And one more thing -- you have no right to question her grades. I know her better than I know you. So don’t make me start questioning your skills or parenting, Nitya. You get that?"

I took Sarah's hand, and just as I was about to move, Nitya grabbed my arm, her eyes blazing with frustration.

"Ryan, don't even think about it," she said, her voice sharp. "I've tolerated so much because you always put your friends ahead of me. We're about to get married, and yet you barely spend any time with me. And now, you're crossing the line for some girl? You're really pushing my limits!"

I turned to her, my voice calm but firm. "You know what's worse, Nitya? You don't even have the heart to apologize to people you think are beneath you. So, I have to do it for you -- because, despite everything, I still value our past friendship. I’ve put your feelings first, even when you’ve been downright rude. But you keep letting me down. I warned you before -- don't disrespect the two people I care about most, Vicky and Sarah. But you never listened. And now look where we are."