Married to Devil

Chapter 44: Accident or Attack?

Hospital: 

Dr. Mehra: It was genetic, we hadn’t seen before. It wasn’t in her previous reports. It’s rare… (hesitated, then handed the folder to Rajveer)

Rajveer flipped through the pages, his eyes scanning rapidly. Ishqi leaned in, her voice trembling.

Ishqi: What does it mean? Is she… is she still sick? 

Dr. Mehra: She is not sick, but this condition was inherited from her parents and was present since birth, though it remained undetected for years. However, as she grew older, the symptoms gradually began to manifest…

Ishqi: She will get better… right? (worried)

Dr. Mehta: Please don’t worry, Mrs. Singhania. The surgery was successful, and she is now stable. I chose to share this information with you because it’s important for you all to understand that her condition wasn’t sudden, it was inherited from one of her parents and present since birth, though it remained undetected until now. That said, there’s no cause for concern anymore. All that’s required is three months of rest and careful attention to her diet. After that, she can lead a normal life just like any other child… (professionally)

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and thanked the doctor, who then took his leave, assuring them they could meet her once she regained consciousness. Overwhelmed with joy, Ishqi hugged Rajveer tightly. The room gradually filled with conversations about Smiley, while Rajveer remained absorbed in his phone, he hadn’t gone to the office that day because of Ishqi. After that threat, he simply couldn’t bring himself to leave her alone…

A few days passed in hospital visits, and soon Smiley was discharged. They took her back to the orphanage, where all the children were waiting to welcome her, they had come to know what she had been through. Everyone celebrated her return, and then Smiley was sent to rest. After that, Ishqi and Rajveer returned home as well…

But Rajveer dropped Ishqi home and left for the office. As Ishqi stepped inside, she saw the entire family gathered in the living room. She greeted everyone and sat down with them. Misha asked what had been going on these past few days, and all eyes turned to Ishqi, as if waiting to hear the full story. Ishqi then shared everything, from the unexpected call from the warden to their visit to the hospital, Smiley’s admission, and all the details that followed…

Dadi: Oh my, such a little girl had to endure so much. Thank God a thousand times over that she’s now doing well… (huffing)

Komal: You're right, Maa. It's unimaginable that such a little girl had to face such a serious illness. I can't even begin to fathom how she endured it all…

Ishqi: You’re right, Aunty. But you know how they say, when God gives us something to face, He also gives us the strength to bear it. That’s exactly what happened with Smiley… (with smile)

Misha: Sahi kaha, By the way, you’re heading back to the office from tomorrow, hope you haven’t forgotten, madam? (playfully)

Ishqi: Yeah, I remember… and today I’m just gonna sleep all day. Haven’t had proper rest in days.

Misha: Haha, go on then, sleep like Kumbhakarna! It’s evening anyway, eat something before you crash, or no one’s waking you up later…

Ishqi shook her head and walked away to her room. After freshening up, she came back downstairs and saw everyone enjoying evening snacks. Misha was waiting for her, so she joined them, chatting and snacking with the family. Later, she returned to her room and fell asleep…

Around 9 PM, Rajveer returned home and noticed that everyone was in their rooms, so he headed to his as well. That’s when his eyes fell on Ishqi, peacefully asleep with her arms and legs stretched out, as if all her worries had melted away. Seeing her like that, Rajveer breathed a sigh of relief, he couldn’t bear to see her anxious. At that moment, he made up his mind: she would never find out about the attacker. After a brief pause, he went to freshen up, glanced at Ishqi once more, and then moved to his study to catch up on work. A few hours later, he returned to the bedroom, gently adjusted Ishqi’s position, lay down beside her, and wrapped her in his arms before drifting off to sleep…