Aayansh's pov
I woke up with an uneasiness I couldn’t explain.
My chest felt heavy, my mind restless like something was wrong, even before the day had properly begun. The first thought that crossed my mind was Ruuh.
I reached for my phone and dialed her number.
No answer.
I tried again.
Still nothing.
A strange anxiety crept into my veins. I sent her a message, asking if she was okay. No reply. I told myself she must be sleeping. She'd been tired last night.
Still, my heart refused to calm down.
After a while, I called again. Once. Twice.
On the third call, someone finally picked up.
“Hello? Ruuh?” I said quickly. “Where are you? I’ve been calling you so many times. Why didn’t you pick my calls? Is everything okay?”
There was a pause.
Then
“Aayansh…”
It wasn’t Ruuh.
It was Riya.
My breath caught in my throat. “Riya? Why did you pick the call? Where is Ruhi? Is everything alright?”
Her voice cracked before she could answer. “No, Aayansh… Ruhi” she broke down mid sentence.
My heartbeat spiked violently. “What happened?” I demanded, fear pouring into my voice. “Why are you crying?”
“She has a high fever,” Riya sobbed. “It got really bad. We had to admit her to the hospital.”
The world stopped.
Everything went blank.
I don’t remember what Riya said after that. I didn’t hear anything except one sentence echoing inside my head
Ruuh is in the hospital.
I grabbed my car keys and ran downstairs. My family was sitting at the dining table. The moment they saw me rushing past, panic spread across their faces.
“Aayansh, what happened?”
“Where are you going?”
I didn’t answer.
I couldn’t.
I ran out of the house, ignoring my name being called behind me, and drove away.
I don’t even remember how I reached the hospital.
The road blurred in front of my eyes, honking cars, none of it registering. My hands were shaking so badly on the steering wheel that I had to grip it tighter.
Hospital.
That was the only word repeating in my mind.
Images kept flashing from yesterday Ruuh sleeping peacefully in the car, her tired smile, the way she softly wished me good night.
I should have gone back.
I should have checked on her.
I should have known.
I parked carelessly and ran inside.
“Emergency ward,” I said breathlessly at the reception. “Ruhi Raichand.”
The receptionist checked the records. “Second floor.”
I didn’t wait for the lift.
I took the stairs two at a time, my heart pounding so loudly it felt like it would tear out of my chest.
When I reached the floor, my eyes searched desperately
I pushed the door open
And then I saw them.
And everything inside me shattered.
Ruhi lay on the hospital bed, IVs attached to her hand, machines beeping softly beside her. Her face was pale, lips dry, lashes resting against her cheeks like she was made of glass.
For a second, I couldn’t move.
She looked so small.
So fragile.
I walked toward her slowly, afraid that if I moved too fast, she’d disappear. I stopped beside her bed, my hands hovering, unsure if I was even allowed to touch her.
“Ruuh…” My voice broke.
Her eyes fluttered open slightly, unfocused at first then they found me.
“Aay… Aayansh…” she whispered.
That was it.
I dropped to my knees beside her bed, holding her hand carefully, like she might break if I held her too tight.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I whispered, resting my forehead against her hand. “I told you to call me if you weren’t feeling well.”
She gave a faint smile. “You sounded tired.”
A shaky laugh escaped me half sob, half relief. “And you thought this was okay?”
She squeezed my fingers weakly. “I’m fine now.”
“No,” I said softly. “You scared me. Do you know that?”
My vision blurred, and I looked away quickly. She needed strength, not my tears.
“When Riya called,” I admitted quietly, "do you know how worried I was.”
I could see she was still tired and her eyes were closing but she was trying to stay awake.
“Rest,” I said gently, brushing my thumb over her knuckles. “I’m right here. I’m not leaving.”
Her eyes closed , her breathing slowly evening out.
I stayed there, kneeling beside her bed, holding her hand like it was the only thing keeping me alive.
And in that quiet hospital room, with machines humming and fear still clinging to my chest, I made myself a promise
No matter what storms came next,
no matter who stood against us,
I would never let her face anything alone again.
She slept for a while. I stayed beside her, working remotely, ignoring everything else. When my family called, worried about how I’d run out earlier, I explained the situation. Mom wanted to come immediately, but I told them Ruuh was resting now.
A few hours later, Ruuh stirred and started coughing.
Riya rushed to get water while I helped her sit up, gently rubbing her back. Riya helped her to drink water.
She drank slowly.
“How are you feeling now?” I asked.
“Better than before,” she whispered.
The doctor came in later, checked her vitals, and smiled reassuringly.
“The fever has gone down,” he said. “She’s responding well to the medicines. She’ll need to stay here tonight for observation. If everything remains stable, she can be discharged tomorrow.”
Relief washed over me.
After he left, Ruuh looked at me softly. “You didn’t go to work, did you?”
I smiled faintly. “I worked from here. She smiled weakly.For the first time that day, my heart finally slowed.
She was safe.
We were still talking quietly when the door opened again.
Ruuh’s badi maa and chachi walked in, carrying home cooked food. The moment they saw me beside her bed, both of them froze.
“Aayansh?” badi maa asked. “What are you doing here?”
My heart skipped.
I didn’t know what to say.
Before I could speak
“He’s my boyfriend,” Ruuh said softly.
Silence.
Pure shock.
“When?”
“How?”
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
Questions flew from all sides.
Before it escalated, badi maa raised her hand and studied me carefully.
Then she smiled.
she said calmly, “I’m glad it’s Aayansh.”
She looked at Ruuh fondly. “I trust him.”
I nodded immediately. “I promise to take care of her.”
As they fussed over her, adjusting pillows and scolding her gently, I stood there quietly.
I hadn’t planned to tell them this.
In a hospital room.
With IV lines.
And fear still lingering in the air.
But somehow…
It felt right.
Because for the first time,
our truth wasn’t hidden anymore.
Everyone who mattered in that room knew.
Everyone except her brothers.
And what scared me the most.
Rishabh.
The thought of him finding out sent a sharp unease through my chest. He wasn’t just her brother he was her shield, her protector, the one who had practically raised her with his own hands. I knew how fiercely he loved Ruuh… and how terrifying he could be when someone hurt her or even had the potential to.
I wasn’t afraid of facing him.
But I was afraid of one thing
What if he thought I wasn’t worthy of her?
I looked at Ruuh, peacefully, talking with her Badi maa , chachi and Riya, unaware of the storm that still waited outside these hospital walls. I took a deep breath,making a silent promise forming in my heart.
When the time came,
I wouldn’t hide.
I would stand in front of Rishabh, look him in the eye, and tell him the truth.
Because loving Ruuh wasn’t something I was ashamed of.
It was something I was ready to fight for.
After a while, Avni bhabhi came in and with her came Aayan.
That little chippku.
He literally glued himself to Ruuh the moment he saw her, stealing all her attention from me. I tried not to react, but I won’t lie, it annoyed me. We still talked for a bit, but he didn’t leave her side even for a second.
Not even one.
Since he wasn’t wearing a mask, Ruuh immediately noticed and scolded him gently, making him sit a little farther away.
“You’ll get sick,” she said, handing him a mask. “Sit there.”
Only Ruuh could sound caring and strict at the same time.
Watching her worry about him, even in her condition, made my chest soften. She was okay now. Tired but okay. And that was all that mattered.
After some time, I stood up.
“I’ll leave now,” I said.
The truth was I didn’t want to go. Every part of me wanted to stay right there, beside her, watching her breathe, making sure she was fine.
But her family was there now. She was safe. Surrounded by people who loved her.
And I knew it was the right thing to do.
Ruuh looked at me, a little surprised. “You’re leaving already?”
I nodded, forcing a small smile. “You rest. I’ll come again.”
She squeezed my hand softly. “Text me when you reach.”
“Always,” I replied.
I said my goodbyes to everyone and walked out of the room.
As I stepped into the corridor, the weight in my chest returned not fear this time, but longing. I glanced back once, toward her room.
She was okay.
That was enough… for now.
And with that, I left the hospital and headed home carrying her face, her voice, and my promise with me.
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