Estranged lovers

Chapter 49

SIDDHARTH'S POV

Siddharth's eyelids fluttered, the sharp sting of reality pulling him from the darkness of unconsciousness. He felt a dull ache coursing through his side, and for a moment, he was disoriented, unable to place where he was. The beeping of the machines beside him slowly penetrated his foggy mind, and he turned his head, his vision still blurry but gradually coming into focus.

Annika's face appeared first, her eyes red-rimmed and swollen, as if she hadn't slept in days. The relief in her expression was palpable, but beneath it, there was an undeniable trace of fear. She held his hand tightly, her grip as if she feared he might slip away again.

"You're awake," she whispered, her voice trembling as she reached for his other hand. Her relief was so overwhelming it almost hurt him. "You scared me, Siddharth."

His mouth felt dry, his body weak, but he managed a small, pained smile. "I'm sorry," he rasped, his voice hoarse. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Aaryan was standing nearby, his posture tense but his eyes soft as they rested on Siddharth. "You're a damn stubborn one," he muttered, though there was no bite in his words....only concern. "You should've let us help you earlier."

Siddharth nodded, his hand reaching toward his side, where the wound still throbbed with a constant ache. "It's not that simple," he murmured.

The door opened slightly, and Shaym stepped in, his usual playful demeanor replaced with a rare, somber seriousness. His eyes were shadowed with worry, his fingers nervously tapping against the doorframe as he observed Siddharth from across the room.

"Well, look who decided to wake up," Shaym said, his voice a little rough, betraying the relief he tried to hide. "You always have to make things dramatic, don't you?"

Siddharth chuckled weakly, his breath hitching as pain flared in his side. "I didn't mean to make it so... dramatic."

Annika frowned, her hand instinctively pressing against his chest to calm him. "Stop talking," she ordered gently. "You need to rest."

Siddharth's eyes softened as he looked at her. Despite the pain, despite the fatigue dragging at his limbs, he couldn't help but reach out to touch her face, his fingertips brushing against her skin. "You stayed," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "You stayed with me."

"Where else would I be?" Annika replied, her smile faint but genuine. She moved closer to him, tucking her head beneath his chin as if finding solace in his presence, even though he was far from fully recovered. "I told you, Siddharth... I'm not leaving."

Aaryan stepped forward then, the air in the room tense with unspoken words. He glanced between Annika and Siddharth, the concern in his eyes still present. "You're lucky. If you hadn't gotten to you when you did..." He trailed off, his words unneeded as they all understood the gravity of the situation.

Siddharth's eyes darkened. "Sheetal... she's still out there. Isn't she?"

Shaym's expression shifted, a subtle shift of the jaw, the tightness in his features betraying the careful control he maintained. "She's not our problem right now," he said, his tone colder than usual. "We'll deal with that later. You focus on getting better."

Annika glanced between the three men, the weight of their words settling heavily on her chest. She could feel it......the unspoken tension that wrapped around the room. There was something brewing, something bigger than just the immediate danger they had faced. She could see it in their eyes, this unspoken promise of more to come.

Siddharth's gaze hardened. "She's a threat. A danger to all of us."

Aaryan sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "You're right. But right now, we focus on you. You can't do anything about that right now, Siddharth. You need rest. We need to keep you alive first."