Aarohi And Dev

CHAPTER 61

Dev POV

My body throbbed with discomfort as I strained to disembark from the vehicle, Aman by my side, lending a supportive arm to prevent my collapse. Each step weighed on me more heavily than the last, my legs on the brink of buckling beneath me. Just as I teetered, a pair of comforting hands intercepted my descent. Startled, I pivoted to discern the identity of my saviour, and my gaze widened in astonishment - Rose.

"Rose... what brings you here?" I inquired, my voice taut, the bewilderment intermingling with the agony. She remained silent initially, her countenance a blend of incredulity and concern. Instead, she redirected her attention to Aman, whose demeanour mirrored her palpable distress.

"Get the first aid kit immediately!" she commanded sharply, the urgency and anguish in her tone unmistakable.

Guiding me towards a nearby storage area, she ushered me to rest upon a timeworn couch, my eyes locked onto hers. She evaded my gaze. The atmosphere between us brimmed with unvoiced sentiments, tension crackling in the ensuing quietude. Eventually, she broke the silence.

"I had intended to surprise you," she divulged, her voice tinged with exasperation and apprehension. "But this... this is the surprise that awaits me?" The hurt in her voice cut deeper than any physical injury I had endured.

Seizing a towel from a nearby shelf, she knelt before me. As she tenderly blotted at my wounds, her hands quivered. Striving to be delicate, she sought to alleviate my suffering, yet I could discern the turmoil permeating her touch. She wasn't merely attending to my bodily injuries—her actions stemmed from a wounded heart.

"Rose, I—" I commenced, but the words faltered in my throat. The depth of emotion conveyed in her eyes, though she avoided meeting mine, spoke volumes. Her anguish was not solely derived from witnessing me in such a state but rather from the choices that led me to this juncture.

She maintained her silence, her trembling hands meticulously cleansing the blood, and it dawned on me that my scars from the altercation weren't solely physical, I had inflicted wounds upon her soul as well.

I had kept from her the truth about my father, and the elaborate revenge scheme I had been meticulously crafting for years. She deserved transparency, to comprehend the tempestuous path I was poised to lead her down. However, I hesitated to disclose it, fearful of causing her distress or anxiety. The notion of burdening her with that knowledge weighed heavier on me than any physical pain.

"I am sorry, I wasn't careful," I confessed somberly, my voice laden with remorse. Just as Rose was about to speak, Aman returned to the room, bearing the first aid kit. Without uttering a word, she accepted it from him and redirected her focus towards me, resolute yet still wounded.

With precision, she tended to my wounds, applying the antibacterial ointment with meticulous care. The sting of the medication paled in comparison to the ache that welled up within me upon witnessing the disappointment etched in her eyes.

As her hands drew near my face, a faint tremor ran through her fingers. For the first time since discovering me, her gaze finally locked with mine, laced with concern, exasperation, and an underlying emotion I feared might burgeon into resentment if the truth ever came to light.

Delicately treating the cut beneath my lips, her touch remained tender despite her anguish. Though silence enveloped us, her eyes conveyed everything. The pain I had inflicted upon her was unmistakable, and it was inevitable that I would have to disclose the truth sooner rather than later. The weight of my concealed truth bore down on me more heavily than ever before.

Rose's gaze shifted towards Aman, her tone resolute yet brimming with determination. "I’m bringing him back home," she declared.

Aman silently acknowledged her decision, the tension evident in his expression. Although laden with questions, he wisely chose to hold them back, recognizing that this was a matter for only Rose and me to unravel. Without a word, she guided me to the passenger seat, assisting me into position before settling into the driver's seat herself.