There comes a time when you feel torn. You get confused. Your mind is conflicted, divided. But then, there's your heart who makes it difficult. It screams for both the directions. You don't understand, what to think, where to go.

Preeta had been experiencing same this week. It had been whole seven days since she had seen that red night dress. She was hurt but angry too. She wanted to confront him about that gift but didn't have the guts. She knew that anyhow she would end up satisfying him that she didn't like him cheating on her.

On the other side, she was slightly confused. Surely, Karan had hide that gift but other than that he had been quite happy these days. She remembered the third day when he had returned home soon to inform that they had completed the deal with foreign investors which would be highly beneficial for their company. He had hugged her mother-in-law and Kritika but not her.

For the first time, she felt hurt at him for ignoring her. She was angry on herself for even thinking of him touching her. He wasn't even looking at her. It was as if there was no further motive of sharing his good news with her.

Being happy these days was not a problem. But ignoring her was surely itching for Preeta. He had ignored her so many times. But shouldn't it be relieving? She wanted this already. His teases, his pervert comments, his naughty smiles, his possessive touch, she wanted to be relieved from all of them. But why the hell she wasn't feeling relieved?

It seemed as if it wasn't fair. Why? He had forced her, manhandled her. He made her cry again and again. It was surely fair to not get in touch with him. She shouldn't care at all if he had been succeeding in his deals or hugging his loved ones. She shouldn't care if he was giving elegant and informal gifts to his clients.

But after everything, she actually cared.

He had allowed her to talk to Arjun. Surely in front of him, but he did allowed. He had been giving her expensive jewellery every week. He had been avoiding her but still asked for the cut on her finger. He had changed the bandaids many times.

Most importantly, he had still not taken her.

He surely had forced her but haven't crossed it further when things had gotten worse. Because of these things, she somehow was coming to a conclusion that except for the matter of obsession for her, he was a good person. Because of these little things, she wanted a better relationship than avoiding each other like enemies.

This was how, she felt confused. Whether to feel good that he was avoiding her or worse that they were not even talking terms even when he was slowly making it up for her.

Recently, Karan had surprised her by calling her parents for lunch on the mid-week. They had come, talked and enjoyed. When she thanked them heartily for meeting her finally, her father spoke up about how Karan had invited them to meet her as she was feeling off these days.

Saying that Preeta's breath was hitched, was an understatement. She had from butterflies to every other fly in her stomach. She was amazed after listening about him taking care if she felt dull these days. He even thought about refreshing her mood by calling them. She was touched by the sweet gesture.

"... This is what married couples do. They cherish each other..."

Preeta recalled the words he had said the other night. She was lying on the bed while Karan was sleeping behind her. Since their last encounter of Preeta's cut reopening, Karan hadn't been regularly coming home. He had spent some nights in the office also. If he had come home late, he hadn't touch her while sleeping. Earlier, he used to put his arm around her waist dominantly. Since their last argument, he hadn't even looked at her properly. Even in front of her parents, Karan was totally formal.

To her parents, everything seemed fine but to her, she knew he did heartily for her but was still angry for lack of permission to touch her. From one side, Preeta felt free that he wasn't touching her but on the other side, she surely was missing the absence.

Feeling angry on him had become tough these days. He deserved her ignorance because of his past deeds but for what he was doing now, she couldn't hate him anymore. She couldn't even kept quiet. She wanted to thank him normally. She also wanted to hear things from him, nice things. Maybe she surely was losing her mind because of his different shades.

Loving him was injustice and hating him was difficult.

Preeta sucked in a long breathe and continued to dwell in her own thoughts. She wasn't able to sleep because of her mind being so stressed. She didn't how to ignore this. She couldn't. He had been so good for making her meet the parents. That was the most sweetest thing, he did these days. Staying angry on him had become so tough.

Ring! Preeta was about to turn and look at Karan's side to pick his phone from the drawer. But before she could do, she heard him shifting slowly and picking the phone. She heard Karan clearing his throat and still not moving up from the head.

"Hello..."

Preeta felt her eyes getting closed at his sleepy voice.

"Yeah... Karan here, ... Everything Alright?... When?..."

She opened her eyes after hearing Karan slightly getting up on his elbows.

"Ohh... Now?... Alright, I am coming. You keep everything on check..." Saying this Karan had cut the phone. Preeta was slightly alert with the seriousness he was talking. She was waiting for him to get up from the bed.

What if it's the same client?
Preeta thought while biting lip but suddenly, she felt a hand on her forearm. She heard Karan reaching her ear and shaking her.

"Preeta, wake up."

She slowly opened her eyes and turned to look at her. She was a bit worried when she saw his extremely tensed face. Karan absentmindedly removed hair from her forehead and gulped before whispering,"Something came up. I need to go..." Preeta was about to taunt about how he never told her before like this, then why tonight. But Karan further spoke,"... with you. It's extremely urgent."

Seeing the worried look, Preeta tensed and slowly got up to sit straight beside him. She rubbed her eyes.

"What is it?" She asked while hoping that he would share something about that client. But Karan shook his head. "Wear something to cover you up decently. I will tell you in the car."

Karan suddenly got up from the bed and started wearing his T-shirt after picking it from the couch. Preeta saw him rushing for his phone and car keys with a worried look on his face. A new horrible feeling crawl up in her heart.

"Karan, what's the problem? Why you seem so tense..." Karan cut her off. "I will tell you in the car, Preeta. Please, hurry up." He actioned by his hands making her now extremely curious. She was worried if some problem came up.

She got up from the bed to reach bathroom and quickly changed into a simple top and jeans from her night dress. They both finally got out from the house but not before informing Rakhi who was coming from the kitchen only with a water bottle in her hand.

Karan didn't tell the reason and passed it by saying that he would call them.

_________

The car halted in the hospital's parking area and Preeta's heart started beating faster. She turned to look at Karan with terror-stricken face.

"Karan, please tell me what happened. Did anyone got hurt?" Karan was ignoring her questions the whole way and focusing on the driving. It was two in the night and they had gotten an emergency call from the hospital.

Seeing that he wasn't replying, Preeta caught Karan's hand who was about to move out from the car. "Karan, please. I am scared," whispered Preeta softly while Karan blinked to control himself from telling her the truth.

These days, they hadn't been in much touch and he was afraid if he would do or speak something wrong again. So he was feeling better at ignoring her rants. But now when she was looking at her with those baby brown scared eyes, he couldn't skip that.

He reluctantly hold her hand and squeezed it. "Nothing happened. We are just called by the doctor. He will tell you better than me. There's nothing to be scared of. Okay?" He said while looking in her eyes.

Preeta swallowed and slowly nodded. Finally getting out from the car, they both rushed to the building.

"Mr. Arora in room no. 201." The receptionist told the peon who immediately turned to the couple.

"Please, follow me."

Karan held Preeta's hand who was shocked after hearing her father's name. Now everything cleared. Something had happened to her father. Her whole blood drained from her face at imagining bad things. She shook her head and felt tear pooling her eyes.

"Papa..." Before, she could break down, Karan squeezed her hand and rushed them towards Room no. 201.

Her mother walked hurriedly towards her daughter and hugged tightly. "Preeta, thank God. You came. Your father got..." She cried on Preeta's shoulder making her lips pursed in extreme fear. She looked around and saw Karan rushing to the doctors who weren't allowing him to enter the room.

She walked along with her mother towards them. "Mr. Luthra, the operation needs to be done this instant or worse may happen. Instead of meeting him, you need to call his son and sign these papers."

Karan angrily took the paper when he saw Preeta looking at him in shock. He hurriedly signed and glared at the doctor.

"Fine."

Without any word, the doctor left and Preeta looked at Karan.

"What did they tell?"

Karan lowered his eyes and sighed helplessly. "He got a paralyze attack. It was because of deep pain in his stomach. There's internal bleeding happening. For that they are going to operate him right now."

Preeta's heart dropped at the news. She felt as if her whole world was spinning. Something was happening to her father. Something bad. He was sick. He was going under knives.

Her stomach churned with sickening thoughts. She didn't even realise that she was crying until Karan came closer to hug her tightly. He pushed her to his chest and patted her head.

"Hey, he'll be okay. They will treat him. Don't worry, baby." He felt his heartbreaking while hearing her sniffling.

"He is so careless, Karan. I don't know how the hell he got this attack in the middle of the night. He must have drink that alcohol again. How much pain he would be through?" She cried in his arms feeling worse for her father.

Karan swallowed and took both of them towards the chair. He made her sit on them and wiped her tears. Looking in her eyes, he seriously spoke,"Doctors are going to treat him, Preeta. He'll be alright. I need to take care of the payment. You need to take care of you and mom. I'll be back in a some minutes. I'll call your brother too."

Preeta nodded and softly wiped her face. She leaned on the chair and sat with her mother while Karan left the floor to reach the reception for the payment. He called her brother, Naveen. So, he would be able to reach here in some hours.

He was angry on the fate. Everything was going smoothly. Her father's medications, his treatment. How the hell he got this sudden bleeding? What if it would got deep? Karan jaws clenched at the thought. He couldn't let that happen.

He had done everything he could possibly do to help her father. Now with this tragedy, Preeta might come to know about the truth.

He shook his head in fear. She would be broken by knowing about her Father's situation. He called Kabir and his father to deliver the sudden shocking news. At this time, Preeta needed hope and support. He would provide her.

But what if Preeta would get stressed about her Father's situation. He couldn't afford to see her fallen face. He made up his mind finally.

He would still have to hide the situation from her.

_________

Guess, which truth was Karan thinking about?