Healing each other

chapter 51

Vihaan called the doctor because Rooh was sick. The doctor arrived and diagnosed her with a high fever, caused by skipping meals and vomiting on an empty stomach. He advised Vihaan to ensure she eats well and administered an injection, predicting she'd wake up in an hour. Vihaan nodded, and the doctor left.

After an hour, Rooh regained consciousness, feeling pain. She looked around and saw her husband, Vihaan, sitting on the couch. She sat up and, feeling thirsty, called out to him, "Vih...aan...ji."

Vihaan looked up, his voice cold, and responded, "What?  Rooh denies saying anything,

After one week

Riya stood before the mirror, frustration bubbling inside her. The saree, a vibrant piece of fabric, lay draped across her bed like a defeated flag. "This is impossible!" she muttered, having wrestled with the yards of material for what felt like an eternity. She'd tried following Manu's tutorial on YouTube, but the pleats refused to cooperate, the drape was all wrong, and she felt more like a tangled mess than a vision of elegance

Just then, the door creaked open, and Reyansh strolled in. Riya's eyes widened in surprise. She was only in her blouse! Quickly, she grabbed the saree and wrapped it around herself, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Reyansh turned around, a chuckle escaping his lips. "Princess, you look like you just woke up and wrapped a blanket around you!" he said, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Riya's frustration boiled over. "You're laughing? I've been struggling with this saree for an hour, trying to look nice for you, and you're laughing!" A tear escaped her eye as she turned and headed towards the bathroom. "I shouldn't have bothered," she mumbled to herself, the weight of her effort and Reyansh's laughter settling heavily on her shoulders.

"Sorry," Reyansh said, his voice softer now, as he followed her to the bathroom door. "I didn't mean to laugh. You know I think you're beautiful no matter what you wear. Come on, let me help you with it." He reached out, gently touching her arm.

Riya, her voice laced with anger, declared, "I don't need your help. You only know how to unwrap a saree, isn't it?"

Reyansh chuckled, a playful sound. "How did you find that out? I haven't unwrapped your saree yet, princess."

Riya fixed him with an angry gaze. "Aren't you becoming too shameless these days? Are you reverting to your old self?"

Reyansh's smile faltered, replaced by a shadow of hurt. "Riya, that... that stings a bit, you know? I've been trying so hard to be different for you. To leave that part of me behind. I thought you saw that." He looked down, a mix of sadness and disappointment in his eyes. "Guess I still have a long way to go."

Riya looked down, then back at him softly. “I’m sorry, Reyansh… I didn’t mean it like that. I do see how much you’re trying—and it means a lot to me.”

Reyansh gave a faint, sad smile, pulling his hand back slowly. “I guess… you still don’t trust me enough. Maybe I haven’t done enough to make you feel safe… to make you believe in me.” His voice dropped. “That hurts more than I expected.”

As Reyansh turned to leave, Riya rushed forward and grabbed his hand, her voice trembling. “I didn’t mean that, Reyansh… it just came out. I’m so sorry.”

He paused, the pain still lingering in his eyes. Slowly, he turned to face her and gently cupped her face in his hands.

“I know, Riya,” he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. “But I need some time… Please

Arohi was in the kitchen, focused on carefully arranging the cupcakes she had just finished baking. The air was filled with the sweet aroma of vanilla and sugar. Lost in her task, she didn't notice Arnav enter until a shadow fell over her. She spun around, startled, her hand flying to her chest. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw Arnav, a look of concern etched on his face. "Oh, I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I didn't mean to scare you," he said, his voice gentle.