Mia

24 hours later,

My eyes slowly fluttered open, the world around me felt like I was in a haze and I could see a dim light surrounding me. My body felt heavy like I was trying to swim through a thick mud and my mouth was so dry like sandpaper.

I tried to get up and I felt a sharp pain on my right shoulder. "Fuck." I winced. I looked down to my left and saw Aryan clasping my hand in his and his head was on his hands in a praying form. His glasses were next to him. The scenes that unfolded just now came crashing into my mind again. Aryan almost got shot but I pushed him out of the way and I took the hit instead. I was so glad he was okay. I would take a thousand bullets for him if I had to. There was no way I was going to let anyone hurt him because I honestly rather die than to see him get hurt and that is exactly what I did.

"Aryan." My voice was so groggy and coarse. Aryan instantly looked up and I could see the tears forming around his eyes.

"Fiore.... You are awake." He held my cheeks and tears were pouring down from his eyes.

"Hi baby. You look like hell by the way." I gave him a weak smile and he chuckled.

"The first thing you do when you wake up is insult me. Classic Mia."

"I love you Aryan."

"I love you too fiore." He hugged me tightly and I welcomed his embrace. It never felt so good to be alive than in this moment right now because I honestly thought I was dead and I would never be able to see him again.

"I need some water."

"Sure baby." Aryan poured me a glass of water and helped me to drink it.

"Did I get shot in the shoulder?" I asked him.

"Yes and why did you do that? Why did you push me? Are you insane?" He yelled at me and I just sighed.

"There is no way in hell I was going to let you get shot."

"You should have!" He argued.

"No, argue about it all you want but the answer is a no."

We got into a heated argument until the doctor walked in and just stared at us.

"Mia, I see you are awake now. How are you feeling?"

"Like I have just been shot, Doctor."

"Understood." He walked over to the chart hanging on my bed and then said something to Aryan and I barely understood anything. I will let Aryan deal with all those medical terms, I dont have the capacity to brain anything right now.

Shortly after he left, my dad, my crying mother, my siblings and Karan walked in. They were all overjoyed that I was finally awake and alive.

"Mia, I almost died when I found out you were shot."

"Mom, I'm so glad you didn't and I literally almost died, not you." I gave her a neutral look.

"Yeah, joke about it. It's not funny, okay." My mom fumed and started scolding me. Leave it to Shreya Young to find any reason to yell at you even if you just got shot.

"Mom, will you just stop it? Let her rest." Dhavan snapped back at her.

"Shreya lets go get some coffee and leave her to get some rest." My dad intervened and ushered everyone out except Aryan.

"Get some rest, I will be here when you wake up." His gaze lingered on my bruised shoulder.

"I hope you are not mad at me anymore."

"I am extremely mad at you, fiore. I almost lost you and....... Don't ever put me through that hell again." His tone came off as a warning.

"I will do my best for you Doctor." I winked at him.

He bent down and kissed my forehead and then walked out of the room.

I laid back down on my bed and drifted into a deep sleep.

Aryan

I came out of her room and sighed in relief. Mia was awake and okay and I couldn't be happier. The past 24 hours were so slow and painful and my heart couldn't take it. Rahul and Karan forced me to go home and get some rest but I hesitated until Darian threatened to keep me away from Mia if I dont go home, shower and get some rest.

So I reluctantly left. Ragnar drove me home and once I was back at the Young's mansion, the first thing I did was hug Shvan and Toffee. It's like they knew I was upset and started cuddling me. Fuck what would I have done if anything happened to Mia and how would I have been able to explain it to these two? Tears started forming on my eyes again and I rubbed them away.

We all went up together to Mia's room and where I took a long warm shower. My body was stained with her blood and I slowly scrubbed those painful memories away from me. I felt the rage building up in me and I punched the wall again and again until I felt a sharp pain on my knuckles. I knew it was bruised but I didn't care. No amount of pain can beat the pain of almost losing the love of my life over some stupid fucking will. I should have never agreed to sign it or even get Mia involved. Mia was right, my kind nature is what gets me into trouble repeatedly. It was truly unfortunate that this time I dragged Mia down with me as well.

I was done with my shower and I came out changed into my boxers and lied down on her bed inhaling her floral scent. I wish she was here with me right now. I gently caressed her pillow and hugged close to me, imagining it was her. The exhaustion started to catch up to me and felt my eyes closing and I dozed off, dreaming about a beautiful curly haired girl.

I walked towards the cafe where Mia's family was sitting with each other and having a light chat. On the other table, Karan, Ragnar and Raymond were having coffee together. I decided to sit with them instead.

"Doctor Aryan, are you feeling better now that Mia is awake?" Raymond asked.

"Yes I do. Feels like a boulder has been lifted off my chest."

"Good to know, would you like me to get you some coffee?" Ragnar spoke up next.

"I'm good Ragnar, thank you."

"I brought you these." Karan handed me a bag and when I unzipped it, my boxing gloves were inside along with my hand wraps.

"How did you get this and why did you bring it here?" I was curious as to why Karan even brought my gloves here. Did he want to have a match with me or something?

"Your friend helped me to bring this here and thought it might be useful for what we plan to do next." Karan had a mischievous smile on his face.

1 hour later we arrived at this secluded warehouse just outside of the city. We got down from the car and walked inside and Ragnar turned on the lights. The warehouse is cavernous, its vast, empty space echoing with the faintest of sounds. I could see stacks of cables, some wiring equipment, neatly arranged in a vast array of racks.

We walked towards the back of the warehouse and a single, flickering fluorescent light struggled to stay lit, casting eerie shadows that dance and stretch across the walls. As we got closer, I noticed a chair and someone was sitting on it, no tied to it. I realised who it was when I stood in front of him, Ronnie Shen. His face was bloody, his right eye was so swollen he could barely open then and his mouth was tied.

The pent up rage I stored in me for the past 24 hours threatened to pour out. I was so ready to maul him when Karan held me back and told me to wait. Next to Ronnie was a table full of weapons. A gun, bat, and brass knucks.

"I fucked him up real bad when Raymond caught him yesterday." Karan walked to the table and placed the brass knucks on his knuckles.

"No it's your turn Doctor." He motioned his hand towards Ronnie.

"Darian said we only have 24 hours to fuck him up real good." Ragnar said while examining the gun and he pointed it at Ronnie and he freaked out and let out a muffled scream.

"Don't kill him, but drive him to the brink of death if you must." Raymond crossed his arms and stared at Ronnie with an angry glare.

"We will tie him up for you on that post so that it will be easier for you." Raymond and Ragnar dragged Ronnie out of his chair to tie him up to a post while they waited for me to place my hand wraps and gloves on.

When I went near Ronnie, I could smell blood all over him and he was quaking in fear.

"You are going to find out what happens when you mess with my girl." I growled at him. I took in a deep breath and when I let it out I raised my arm and gave him a hard punch square in his face causing a loud crack. I knew that was his nose and blood started pouring out from it furiously. Good, I was just giving him a taste of my rage, now he will feel my full wrath.

For the next 20 minutes, I gave him one punch after another. To his jaw, stomach, and ribs. I could hear his bones cracking and blood was dripping from all over his body. My gloves were soaked as well. But I couldn't stop. I was too furious to be stopped now but the better part of me knew if I didn't, he would die and believe me I wanted him dead.

I stopped myself and removed my gloves and checked on his pulse. "Unfortunately, he's still alive."  I walked away from his limp body with a satisfied grin and went back to the tiny room in the corner. Karan and Ragnar were playing cards while Raymond was playing some games on his phone.

"Doctor, you look pretty happy. I'm guessing you messed him up real bad?" Ragnar gave me a satisfied look.

"I did." I sat down on the couch and removed my bloody gloves.

"Is he still alive?" Karan asked.

"Yes, unfortunately." I felt sick to even say it.

"Great it's my turn then....." Karan got up but Ragnar pushed him back down.

"No, he will die and then Darian will kill us all."

"Fine." Karan sank back into his chair with an annoyed expression.

"Thank you for allowing me to........"

"Beat the fuck outta him. Anytime". Raymond finished my sentence.

"Now you guys head home. I have to call Officer Heron and inform him to come and pick this fucker up." Ragnar told us and we all left shortly after.

Raymond dropped us off at the hospital again and we headed to Mia's room. She is awake again and I could see her mom was forcing her to eat and she was arguing with her.

The scene alone brought a smile to my face and my heart felt content. Mia was back to her usual argumentative self again.

"You know Ms. Young is truly a gem." Karan spoke up.

"A cold icy gem." I replied back.

"Don't mind her attitude, behind all that facade is a calm and caring girl, who loves you with all her heart."

"I know." There was a sense of peace and happiness knowing that she loved back equally.

"Take care of her for me, Doctor. She is the closest thing I have to a family." Karan looked at Mia again through the window with a caring look in his eyes.

"I will Karan and thank you for everything you do for her. I know she aint easy to deal with."

"If she is worth it, she aint going to be easy." Karan chuckled.

"That she is." I agreed with him.

A few minutes later, Karan left and I walked into her room and saw an annoyed Mia glaring at her mother who was trying to feed her.

"Aryan she doesn't want to eat." Shreya complained to me.

"I'm in pain and I'm not in the mood to eat right now." She grumbled.

"I will get her to eat, Ms. Young, why don't you go home and get some rest." I assured her.

"Okay, make sure she eats and you should get some rest too. It gets exhausting to care for her." She huffed.

"I agree 100% Mrs. Young." Mia just gave me her icy glare when I agreed with her mom.

Shreya left and I sat back down next to Mia on her bed.

"Fiore, please you need to eat, you look very weak." I was even more worried about her health now.

"Are you expecting me to look like a model, right after I got shot?" She sarcastically questioned me.

"No, but I still dont want you to feel weak and also you have a heart problem, you need to take extra care, please at least do it for me." She definitely sensed the worry in my tone and agreed.

I helped her to eat and then cleaned up after her. I then called the nurse to change her dressing.

"Stay with me for the night, Aryan."

"I wasn't planning on going anywhere to be honest." I gazed at her slightly weak demeanour.

"Good, come here." She patted the spot next to her on the bed.

"Has Officer Heron caught Ronnie yet?"

The memory of me fucking up Ronnie flashed through my head and I contained my laugh.

"Hello Aryan, I'm talking to you, not the ghost in the room." She brought me back out from my thoughts.

"Yes, he has been arrested and what ghost are you referring to?"

"I heard weird noises just now." Mia started scaring me again.

"Mia, I'm not going through this again with you. Plus I work in this hospital, so I don't put thoughts in my head."

"I'm not and I am serious." She argued.

"Let's just not talk about that. We can talk about something else."

"How are my boys?" Mia asked with a look of concern etched onto her already tired face.

"They are okay. They miss you a lot by the way." She looked sad when I said that.

"How much longer do I have to be in the hospital?"

"A week or two probably."

"Damn." She sighed and laid back down on her bed and just looked out the window.

"You okay, my love?"

" I hate hospitals because............The last time I was here I was admitted for so long and......." She struggled to finish her sentence and I understood. The last incident must have been painful and traumatic for her and 2 years later she ended up back in the hospital and it was all my fault and I couldn't stop cursing myself.

"I'm sorry I put you through this."

'It's not your fault." She placed her hand on my cheeks and gazed at me lovingly.

"But it is. All of this is because of me and that damn will. I am not going to sign it anymore. I don't care what Annie does but I am not going to put your life at risk."

"Aryan don't make any harsh decisions out of anger. Think of the bigger picture."

" No I don't want to. I don't need the damn money for any reason. I liked my life before this whole will thing took place." I was fuming at this point.

"This life you are referring to, was it before or after you met me?"

"Before I met you." I teased her and I know she is going to fight me.

" I see."

"I'm kidding."

"Are you now?" She mocked me.

"Fiore, before I met you, life was just normal, you know. I wake up, go to the gym, then I come home, have my breakfast and then I leave for work. When I come home at night, I just sit and write a report or play some video games and call it a day. As much as I do miss that, my life was boring, it felt like it was missing something you know. And then one day, a curly haired sarcastic doll ended up in the ER and I had to save her and the rest is history. You are the chaos I searched for my whole life." I kissed her lips. God I missed her so much.

"You are so cheesy, I love it." She giggled and then winced in pain.

"Fiore, please be careful." I instantly got worried.

"I'm fine.. I'm fine." She held her hands up.

"So now what?"

"Now you get some rest while I stare at you like a creep."

"Sounds like a plan." She yawned.

I played with her hair until she fell asleep. I could look at her beautiful face all day and night. I truly didn't believe I could ever madly fall in love with someone until I saw her. Although she had a cold personality that may come off as heartless at times, deep down she burned like fire and I was just a moth drawn to her flames and I didnt care if she would burn me because I would happily die for her anyways. She meant everything to me and I just want to spend the rest of my life with her, with my Mia.