Falling in love with my CEO.

35 - Blood Ties and Betrayal

Sushvi's Point of View

For a moment, I truly believed I was dead. The darkness, the cold—it felt endless. But then, out of that abyss, Mrs. Sadha Chowdary came to our rescue, pulling us from the brink. Now, I find myself in Akhil's house, surrounded by shadows and uncertainty. Everything is a blur, my memories fragmented and faint. I don't recall much about how Mrs. Sadha Chowdary managed to find and save us, but I do remember losing consciousness before she could reach me.

Now, I am here, sitting on the edge of Akhil's bed, watching him as he lies motionless, his eyes shut tight as if in a deep, unreachable sleep. His once vibrant presence now seems distant, almost ethereal, like a ghost lingering between worlds. I feel utterly helpless, a gnawing fear taking hold of my heart. Mrs. Sadha Chowdary had gone to fetch more blood supplies, leaving me alone with him, and the silence of the room feels suffocating.

"Please, Akhil... Please don't go," I whisper, my voice trembling with desperation. "Please open your eyes... I'm scared, and I need you back. I need you, CEO." My fingers find their way to his hair, ruffling it gently, trying to evoke any sign of life, any response from him. The simple act pulls me back to the memory of when he fainted, and I had to offer him my own blood to save him. That memory haunts me now, filling me with a sense of urgency and dread.

"I want you back, Akhil..." My voice cracks with emotion.

"You miss him, don't you?" a voice breaks through the silence, startling me. I turn to see Mrs. Sadha Chowdary standing at the door, her silhouette framed by the dim light of the hallway. In her hands, she holds a glass filled with a thick, red liquid that emanates a metallic stench. "You care for him deeply," she observes as she steps closer, her eyes searching mine.

A bittersweet smile forms on my lips. "I care for him because... because I can't escape the guilt. It's my fault he's in this state. He tried to save me and ended up like this." My voice trembles as I speak, the weight of my words heavy on my chest. "But it's just guilt, nothing more. I don't have... I don't have feelings for him. It's only the guilt."

I try to calm my racing heart, but the truth is, I'm lying to myself. The emotions swirling inside me are far more complex than mere guilt, yet I can't bring myself to admit it—not now, not when everything feels so uncertain.

Mrs. Sadha Chowdary's gaze softens, but all she says is, "Oh, I see," before taking a seat in the chair across from me. "There's no need to worry, dear. Akhil is strong. The Magna stone may weaken him, but it won't kill him. He just needs time to recover."

Relief floods through me, but it's tinged with lingering worry. "What exactly is this Magna stone?" I ask, my curiosity piqued. I watch as she prepares to feed him the blood, but I quickly stop her, wanting to take over. "Please, let me do it. I want to help."

She nods, handing me the glass, and as I carefully feed Akhil, she explains. "The Magna stone is one of the five elemental stones, the most powerful among them. It has the potential to kill a vampire... if it's strong enough."

My hands tremble slightly as I absorb this information. "But Akhil... He's the most powerful vampire, right? It won't kill him?"

Mrs. Sadha Chowdary sighs, her expression somber. "No, it won't kill him, but it has made him dangerously weak. I can't say how long it will take for him to recover fully."

The gravity of the situation settles over me like a heavy shroud. I can't shake the feeling that I'm responsible for this. If I hadn't been so reckless, if I hadn't allowed myself to be vulnerable, Akhil wouldn't be lying here, fighting for his life. I owe it to him to make things right.

"Mrs. Chowdary," I begin hesitantly, my voice soft yet determined. "Can I ask you for a favor?"

She looks at me with kind eyes and nods. "Of course, dear."