•𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐔𝐧𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐰!•

32. Treatment.

A D H W I T

Dhruv, her doctor, sat beside her, checking her vitals with a furrowed brow. His usual calm demeanor was replaced by a grim determination, his voice low and steady as he gave instructions to the nurse. "She’s stable for now, but the internal injuries… they’ll take time," he muttered, his words like a punch to my gut.

I nodded, unable to respond. My eyes drifted back to her face. Her lips were cracked, her skin pallid, and yet she was still alive. Still fighting. I swore to myself that I wouldn’t let her down. Not again.

The room smelled of antiseptics and despair, and as I looked around, I saw the pain etched on everyone’s faces. Divya clutched Sahira’s hand tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks. Shristhi kept pacing near the door, unable to stand still, while Paridhi stared at her hands as if blaming herself for not stopping this earlier.

I turned to Dhruv. "Do whatever it takes," I said, my voice low but resolute. "She’s going to come out of this."

He nodded, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "We will. But you need to be strong for her."

Strong. The word felt meaningless when I was staring at the love of my life, broken beyond recognition. But I knew one thing—no matter what it took, I’d be by her side, helping her heal, one moment at a time.

Professor Niel stood in the corner of the room, his face a mix of guilt and grief. He cleared his throat, and the room fell silent. Everyone’s attention turned toward him as he finally spoke, his voice trembling.

"My son..." He paused, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his confession. "Avyukt was her stalker. For months."

The words hit me like a freight train. I felt a surge of rage bubble within me, but I clenched my fists and forced myself to listen.

"Remember the accident she was in?" Niel continued, his eyes darting between me and Dhruv. "That wasn’t an accident—it was caused by her trying to get away from him. He orchestrated the entire thing, knowing she’d be walking at that time."

Dhruv stiffened beside me, his jaw tightening. Nupur took a step forward, his eyes blazing with fury, but I raised a hand to stop him.

Niel’s voice cracked as he continued. "He planned it all. That night shift they were supposed to complete together? It wasn’t a coincidence. He scheduled it himself, knowing Nakshatra would be working. His plan was to take her away once his shift ended."

The room was deathly quiet, except for the faint beeping of the machines monitoring her fragile state. My heart pounded in my chest as Niel’s words sank in.

"I was in New York when it happened," Niel said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I had no idea what he was planning. When I arrived yesterday and saw her like this... I knew. I confronted him, and he confessed. He’s my son, but what he did is unforgivable."

The guilt and anguish in his eyes were evident, but it did nothing to quell the rage boiling inside me. I stood there, torn between my instinct to lash out and the need to stay strong for her.

"You knew about his obsession?" I finally asked, my voice cold.

Niel nodded hesitantly. "I suspected, but I didn’t think it would lead to this. I failed to stop him."