𝐔𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞: 𝐀 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲

Chapter 26

Grab a box of tissues, you guys might need it.

A U T H O R

When Nikshant saw Aaravi lying lifeless in the middle of the road, drenched in her own blood, it felt as though his world had come to a screeching halt.

The bustling noise of the crowd, the blaring horns of cars trying to pass, even the distant wail of an ambulance siren-it all faded into an eerie silence that wrapped itself around him like a suffocating blanket. The only thing that remained was the sight of her fragile, bloodied form sprawled on the cold asphalt.

He felt numb.

His body refused to move, frozen by the shock of seeing her in such a vulnerable state. His mind, usually sharp and calculating, was now a chaotic mess, unable to process the reality in front of him. His heart, however, didn't hesitate-it pounded wildly in his chest, each beat screaming at him to do something. Slowly, he took hesitant steps toward Aaravi's lifeless body, each step feeling heavier than the last.

His eyes moistened as the devastating scene unfolded before him, and a lump formed in his throat, threatening to choke him. The confident, composed man he had always been was now nothing but a broken shell, shattered by the possibility of losing the one person who had unknowingly become his everything.

Nikshant's gaze shifted to Yash, who was sitting on the ground, his head bowed, holding Aaravi's limp form in his arms. Silent tears streamed down Yash's face, his hands trembling as he cradled her. Yash, who had always treated Aaravi like his own sister, was consumed by guilt.

"I... I didn't see her," Yash whispered hoarsely, his voice cracking as he looked up at Nikshant. "She came out of nowhere... I... I didn't mean to-"

"Stop," Nikshant interrupted, his voice barely audible. He didn't have the strength to hear Yash's apology or his guilt. His focus was entirely on Aaravi.

Nikshant collapsed onto the road beside her, his knees hitting the rough surface, but he didn't care. His trembling hands reached out, gently taking Aaravi's head from Yash's lap and placing it on his own. He cupped her pale, bloodied face, his thumbs brushing away the smudges of dirt and blood on her cheeks.

"Ch...erry," his voice cracked as he called her, the nickname he had once used with endearment now laced with desperation.

To his shock and immense relief, Aaravi's eyes fluttered open for the briefest moment. Her eyelashes trembled, and her gaze-clouded and unfocused-found his face. A flicker of recognition crossed her face before her eyes began to close again, her strength waning.

"Cherry... open... your... eyes... just... don't... close... haan," Nikshant pleaded, his voice breaking with every word. He pressed his forehead against hers, his tears falling onto her skin. "Main kuch hone nahi dunga tumhe... bas apni aankhein band mat karna."

But her eyes remained shut.

Panic gripped him tighter as her breathing grew shallower. Nikshant tightened his hold on her, as if the strength of his embrace could somehow keep her tethered to life.

"Nikshant," Yash's voice broke through his haze, firm yet trembling. "Let's get her to the hospital. Her condition is worsening; we can't waste any time."

Nikshant didn't respond immediately, his mind caught in the vicious cycle of guilt and fear. But Yash's words finally registered, snapping him back to the urgency of the moment.

He nodded without a word and, with utmost care, scooped her lifeless body into his arms. The crowd parted to make way as he carried her toward the car, his every step filled with purpose and desperation. Aaravi's head rested against his chest, her body limp, her breaths faint but present-a small glimmer of hope he clung to.