It was now morning, the sun rising high in the sky, casting its warm rays through the hospital windows. The soft light filtered into the room, gently illuminating the space where Rakshit lay, recovering from the surgery that had saved his life. The Shergill family had spent the night by his side, their faces weary but relieved. Now, as the sun signaled a new day, one by one, they left to freshen up and grab some breakfast, leaving the room quiet and still.

Drishti sat outside Rakshit's hospital room, her fingers tightly gripping the edge of the cold metal bench. The faint scent of antiseptic filled the air, mixing with the quiet hum of hospital machinery. Her eyes were locked on the small window of the door, where she could just make out the form of Rakshit lying in bed, surrounded by his family.

Mahima's words echoed in her mind, a stern reminder of her place. "You've done enough, Drishti. Stay away from my son." The warning was clear, and Drishti had no choice but to obey. She stayed rooted to the bench, watching from a distance as the family huddled around him, offering the comfort she desperately wished she could give.

Inside, Rakshit's eyes remained closed, though he was conscious, his mind slowly waking from the anesthesia. The murmurs of his family reached his ears, but he focused on blocking out the world. He didn't want to see anyone-especially not Drishti. The thought of her brought a wave of emotions he wasn't ready to face: anger, betrayal, and a pain so deep it made him feel hollow.

After what felt like hours, the family began to leave one by one, Mahima being the last to go, her gaze lingering on her son before she finally stepped out, leaving the room quiet and dimly lit.

Drishti waited, her heart pounding in her chest, until she was sure they were gone. Only then did she dare to push open the door, her movements tentative and slow. The room was still, the only sound the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor.

Rakshit's body remained rigid, his fingers gripping the edge of the bed until his knuckles turned white. He focused on the steady beep of the heart monitor, letting its rhythm anchor him in the present, away from the storm that raged within. Every ounce of his being screamed to look at her, to see the pain in her eyes that mirrored his own, but he refused. He had to protect himself, had to build walls so high that even the smallest crack wouldn't let the flood of emotions break through.

"Mr. Shergil...."

Her voice, so soft, so broken, sent a shiver down his spine, but he forced himself to remain unmoved. He couldn't let her see how her presence, her mere existence, was unraveling him piece by piece.

Drishti, standing on the precipice of despair, felt the coldness in the room seep into her bones. The man before her, the one she had unknowingly pushed away, was now unreachable, hidden behind a fortress of hurt and betrayal that she had unknowingly built brick by brick.

"Please, just listen to me...for a moment."

Her voice cracked, and she took another tentative step forward, but the look on his face-a mask of indifference-froze her in her tracks. The last bit of hope she had clung to slowly slipped away.

Rakshit finally turned his head slightly, just enough for her to catch the sharp edge of his profile. His jaw was clenched so tightly that she feared he might shatter it. When he finally spoke, his voice was like a glacier, cold and slow-moving, each word weighted with the gravity of his pain.

"I have nothing to say to you, Drishti."

The use of her name, devoid of any affection, hit her like a physical blow. Gone was the warmth that had once filled the air between them, replaced by an icy detachment that sent chills down her spine.

"I never meant to hurt you..." she whispered, her voice trembling as she fought to keep her composure. But her words felt hollow, even to her own ears. How could she explain the misunderstanding, the terrible mistake, when he had already shut himself off from her?

"Get out."

His voice was so quiet, so controlled, that it sent a shiver of fear through her. It wasn't the anger she had feared-it was the absence of it. It was the void where his emotions had once been, a void she had created.

She moved closer, almost desperate to reach out and touch him, to feel the connection they once shared, but she stopped herself, afraid that any contact might only push him further away.

"I-please let me explain!"

"I said, get out."

The sentence hung in the air like a death sentence, final and unforgiving. His eyes, once warm with affection, now looked at her with a cold, detached scrutiny, as if trying to figure out why he had ever trusted her in the first place.

Drishti's heart shattered into fragments at his words. She had always been proud of her strength, of her resolve, but standing before him now, she felt like a fragile piece of glass, ready to shatter at any moment.

"I was wrong. I was so wrong... I-I am sorry. I really am.."

Her words tumbled out in a rush, each one filled with desperation. She wanted to make him understand, to make him see that she had acted out of fear, out of a misplaced sense of duty to her mother. But Rakshit's eyes told her that no matter what she said, the damage was done.

"Will you go out or should I call the security?"

His tone was flat, emotionless, but underneath, she could hear the pain, the betrayal. It was like a knife twisting in her heart, knowing she had been the one to put it there.

Drishti took a shaky breath, her tears now flowing freely down her cheeks. She wiped them away furiously, but they kept coming, blurring her vision, distorting the image of the man she had wronged.

"I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry, Mr. Shergill. If I could take it all back, I would."

Rakshit finally turned his head fully to look at her, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. For a brief moment, something flickered in his gaze-an emotion too fleeting to name. But it was gone as quickly as it had come, replaced by the cold mask he had perfected.

He turned away again, his face hardening with resolve. He wouldn't let her see how much she had hurt him, wouldn't let her know that beneath the surface, he was barely holding it together. He couldn't afford to let her in-not again.

"Mr. Shergill, please... We can-"

"Get. Out. From. Here."

His voice was sharper now, tinged with bitterness. Drishti flinched at the edge in his words, feeling the sting of each syllable as it cut into her.

"Please...."

Instead of softening, Rakshit's expression only hardened further.

His words were like the final nail in the coffin, sealing the fate of whatever had once existed between them. Drishti felt her world crumble around her, the weight of his words crushing her spirit.

"Out."

And with that, he turned his back on her completely, his body language making it clear that this conversation was over.

Drishti stared at his back, her heart breaking in ways she never thought possible. She wanted to scream, to cry, to beg him to look at her, to see the care she still had for him. But she knew it was futile. The man she had cared about was gone, replaced by a stranger who wore his face.

With her last shred of strength, she forced herself to turn away, each step heavier than the last. The door felt like a million miles away, but she forced herself to reach it, her hand trembling as she pushed it open.

The moment she stepped into the corridor, the tears she had been holding back came crashing down like a tidal wave. She stumbled to the nearest wall, clutching it for support as her legs gave out beneath her.

She slid down to the floor, her body wracked with sobs that echoed through the empty hallway. She cried for the man she had lost, for the bond she had destroyed, and for the future that had slipped through her fingers like sand.

Inside the room, Rakshit sat motionless, his gaze unfocused as he stared at the blank wall. He told himself he had done the right thing, that pushing her away was the only way to protect himself. But as her sobs reached his ears, muffled by the closed door, he felt a part of himself break.

He closed his eyes, willing the tears to stay at bay. But one traitorous tear escaped, sliding down his cheek, a silent testament to the care he had buried deep within, a care that now felt like a distant dream.

And in the hallway, Drishti continued to cry, her heart shattering with every tear, knowing that she had lost the only man who had ever truly mattered to her. The cold, sterile walls of the hospital seemed to close in around her, amplifying the loneliness and despair that threatened to consume her. She had never imagined it would hurt this much, that the weight of her actions would crush her so completely.

Her mind raced with memories of their time together-each sarcastic exchange, every moment of tension that had masked something deeper. She had always been drawn to him, even when they were at each other's throats. But now, the thought of losing him forever was unbearable. The realization that he mattered to her, truly and deeply, settled in her chest like a heavy stone, pressing down with a pain she couldn't escape.

As her sobs quieted, leaving her feeling hollow and drained, Drishti wiped her tears with trembling hands. She knew she couldn't stay there forever, yet the idea of walking away from that door, from Rakshit, felt impossible. She was torn between the need to respect his wishes and the overwhelming urge to beg him for forgiveness, to tell him how much she loved him.

But she knew Rakshit was in no place to listen. His anger, his pain-it was all too raw, too fresh. She had to give him time, even if the waiting tore her apart.

Drishti stood up slowly, her legs weak beneath her. The hallway felt endless as she took one hesitant step after another, moving away from the room where Rakshit lay. Every step was a struggle, her heart screaming at her to turn back, to try again. But her mind, clouded with guilt and regret, urged her to give him space.

As she reached the end of the hallway, she paused, glancing back one last time. A silent plea formed on her lips, a hope that maybe, just maybe, he would come after her, that he would call her back. But the door remained closed, the silence in the corridor deafening.

Swallowing her pain, Drishti forced herself to turn away. She had to be strong, even if it felt like the hardest thing she had ever done. But as she walked away, the tears began to fall again, and with each step, she felt like she was leaving a part of herself behind-her heart, her love, her hope. And as she exited the hospital, the morning sun shining down on her, it only served as a cruel reminder that a new day had begun, but the darkness within her remained.

Outside, the world moved on, oblivious to the storm raging inside her. Drishti paused for a moment, letting the sun warm her face, trying to gather the strength to keep going. She knew this wasn't the end-she would fight for him, for them, if it was the last thing she did. But for now, all she could do was breathe through the pain, holding on to the hope that one day, Rakshit might be able to forgive her.

With a final, shaky breath, Drishti stepped into the bustling world outside the hospital, feeling more lost and alone than ever before.

Once again, she had lost her everything.

━━༻❁༺━━

Drishti wandered through the bustling streets outside the hospital, her steps aimless as the weight of what had just transpired pressed down on her. The noise of the city, the honking cars, and the chatter of people seemed distant, muffled by the turmoil in her mind. She barely noticed the world around her, her thoughts consumed by the image of Rakshit's cold, indifferent face, his harsh words echoing in her ears.

"Get out."

Those two words felt like a final blow, a door slammed shut on everything they could have been. She had never felt so lost, so completely broken. Her heart ached in a way she had never experienced before, each beat of her heart a reminder of what she had lost.

She found herself standing at the edge of a park, a quiet spot amidst the chaos of the city. Without thinking, Drishti walked over to a bench under a large tree, its shade offering some respite from the relentless sun. She sat down, her body feeling heavy, as if the sorrow had seeped into her very bones.

As she sat there, her thoughts drifted back to the first time she had met Rakshit, the way he had challenged her, infuriated her, and yet, somehow, drawn her in. She remembered the way he had looked at her with that infuriating smirk, the way his eyes had sparked with mischief and something deeper.

"I don't need you..." she had once spat at him, full of fire and defiance.

"Funny, because you keep showing up in my life.." he had replied, that same smirk playing on his lips, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

She had never imagined that beneath all the sarcasm and the constant battles, there had been something more, something she had only just begun to understand. And now, it was all gone. She had pushed him too far, misjudged everything, and now, she was paying the price.

Drishti's eyes welled up again, and she quickly wiped away the tears, angry at herself for being so weak. "I can't break now..." She whispered to herself, her voice shaky but determined. "Not when I need to be strong."

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the image of Rakshit's cold rejection, the pain in his eyes that mirrored her own. The memory of his voice, laced with anger and hurt, replayed in her mind over and over again.

"I never want to see you again."

She had tried to speak, to explain, but the words had died in her throat. And now, as she sat there alone, she was haunted by all the things she hadn't said.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Shergill..." she whispered to the empty space around her, wishing he could hear her, wishing she had said it sooner. "I never meant to hurt you... I never meant for any of this to happen."

As the day wore on, Drishti stayed on the bench, watching as the world moved on around her. People walked by, laughing, talking, living their lives, while she remained frozen in her grief. She had no idea how long she sat there, lost in her thoughts, but as the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the park, she knew she had to move.

Slowly, she stood up to walk towards the Shergill house, the house which holds so many memories of them. Her legs were stiff from sitting for so long. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, to find some semblance of strength to keep going. "I can't give up now," she told herself, her voice a soft, desperate plea. "I have to make things right. I have to fight for him."

She didn't know what she was going to do, how she was going to fix things, but she knew she couldn't stay there, wallowing in her pain. Rakshit might have pushed her away, but she wasn't ready to give up on him, on them, not yet.

With renewed determination, Drishti began to walk, her steps more purposeful now. "I'll make you see, Mr. Shergill." She whispered to the night, her voice filled with a quiet resolve. "I'll make you see how sorry I am... I won't let you go without a fight."

As she walked away from the park, the city lights beginning to twinkle in the distance, Drishti made a silent vow to herself. No matter what it took, she would fight for Rakshit, for her Mr. Shergill, for their marriage. She had lost him once, but she wouldn't let it happen again. She couldn't.

And with that thought, Drishti disappeared into the night, the first step on the long, difficult road to redemption. But no matter how dark the path ahead might be, she knew one thing for certain: she wouldn't stop until she found her way back to him.

She took a deep breath, her eyes filled with new determination as she folded her fingers into a fist, whispering to herself

"We'll always find a way back to each other."