Love Rivals: The Day I Saw Your Tears

120. An Urgent Visit To His Second Home

He led us to his room, and Sonal was already there, arranging a bedsheet on the floor. As Dad directed Ryan and Amreesh to sleep on the bed, Sonal and I settled down with Dad on the floor. Despite the makeshift arrangements, it felt oddly comforting, like the quiet moments of family we sometimes take for granted.

Early in the morning, we headed back to Ryan's home. The sun had barely risen, and the road ahead was quiet. As we drove, Ryan received a phone call. His voice turned serious as he spoke, something that instantly caught my attention. When he hung up, he pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned to face me, concern etched on his face.

"Sarah, my uncle was in an accident," he said, his voice heavy. "I have to go there urgently. He lives in another city, quite far from here. Will you come with me, or should I drop you back at your house?"

I took a moment to think, watching the worry on his face. After a minute, I made my decision. "I'll go with you. I don't want to deal with the mess at home from the wedding aftermath anyway."

With that, he nodded, and we continued our journey, driving for a straight four hours before arriving at a city hospital. Ryan hurried into the operating theater where his uncle was being treated, while I waited outside. Two long hours passed, and when he finally emerged, he looked worn out but composed. My respect for him grew in that moment—for his patience, his hard work, and his unwavering support for his family.

"Is your uncle okay?" I asked softly as he approached.

Ryan nodded, clearly drained. I handed him a cup of hot coffee, which brought a tired but grateful smile to his face.

"Thanks," he said after taking a sip. "This is exactly what I needed."

After a brief pause, he added, "Nitya will arrive soon. She'll handle the rest. Let's go to my aunt's house—she must be really worried about my uncle."

We got back into the car, and Ryan drove for another half-hour. When we reached his aunt's house, it wasn't as large as his own, but there was something instantly comforting about it. The warmth in the air and the sweet fragrance of freshly baked goods eased the exhaustion from the day.

After a brief conversation with his aunt, Ryan led me to a cozy room that wasn’t very large but still spacious enough for two. He smiled softly and said, “Make yourself comfortable. This is like my second home. She’s my mom’s younger sister—just as kind and beautiful as my mom.”

I nodded, still taking in the surroundings. It felt warm and welcoming. Ryan, visibly exhausted, unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt and collapsed onto the bed. He was asleep almost instantly.

I quietly left the room and headed downstairs toward the kitchen, following the sound of light clattering. There, I found his aunt, busy at the stove but looking visibly concerned.

“I was so worried about your uncle,” she said, turning to me with an apologetic smile, “that I didn’t have time to prepare much for you both to eat. I’ll quickly make something, then head to the hospital to be with him.”

“Aunty, please don’t worry about us,” I replied quickly. “Uncle needs you more right now. Ryan and I will manage here just fine.”

She paused for a moment, then smiled warmly and gently caressed my head. “Thank you, dear. Take care of everything, and I’ll be back soon.”

With that, she grabbed her purse and left the house in a hurry. Once she was gone, I tied my hair into a bun and got to work in the kitchen, preparing something simple but hearty for lunch. The sound of chopping vegetables and the sizzling of the pan filled the quiet house, grounding me in the moment.

After finishing up in the kitchen, I settled onto the couch in the living room. The soft hum of the house and the quiet surroundings must have lulled me into an unexpected nap. When I woke up, it was already six in the evening.

I headed back to the room and found Ryan sitting up in bed, looking half-awake.

"You got up?" I asked, still a bit groggy myself.

He mumbled, his voice thick with sleep, "Just now."

Ryan splashed water on his face to freshen up and then came downstairs. I warmed up the food I had prepared earlier and served us two plates. We ate dinner while casually watching TV, the simple, quiet moment helping to melt away the exhaustion we both had been feeling.

Once dinner was done, I quickly prepared a meal for Ryan's uncle and aunty. I handed it to him and said, "Can you take this to the hospital for them?"

Without hesitation, Ryan nodded and did as I asked. As he left to deliver the food, I cleaned up the kitchen.